An elusive jewel thief’s final score puts him in conflict with a determined detective and an insurance broker, blurring the lines between hunter and hunted.
Crime 101 is directed by Bart Layton director of The Imposter (2012) and American Animals (2018).
Crime 101 is essentially Michael Mann lite, but it still is quite great in its own ways, even if the film may not be doing anything new. But it is still a quite fun time all around.
The performances are what really make the movie work. Chris Hemsworth gives a strong performance and brings nuance to his character, Hemsworth captures the film’s atmosphere almost immediately and only adds on to it as the plot starts to reveal itself. Mark Ruffalo is reliably intense and Halle Berry serves as the emotional weight of the film, she works incredibly well with the rest of the cast and has a ton of great moments with Hemsworth. Barry Keoghan much like Hemsworth (all be it in a much more louder way) fits the atmosphere and goes all out when required.
The visuals are quite strong with cinematographer Erik Wilson really bringing the film’s world to life, the classic L.A. crime setting pops out wonderfully and the attention to detail with the lighting is genuinely gorgeous. The tension during the film’s man car chase scenes are filled to the brim with atmosphere and thrills that are enough to keep the viewer invested, they never go over the top and try to remain as focused as possible.
Where Crime 101 suffers is the running time and a bit of a very thinly written story. The film goes on for a bit too long especially with scenes with Maya (played by Monica Barbaro) who is Mike/James Davis’s (played by Chris Hemsworth) love interest that just really do not add to the plot. The story isn’t exactly anything new, if you have seen any sort of crime thriller before you are going to recognize a lot of different elements almost immediately.
With that being said, Crime 101 is still a lot of fun. It’s not going to break any new ground, however it’s well directed, acted and made. If you are a fan of the genre you should give this one a go.
When his punk-rock neighbour asks him to take care of his cat for a few days, New York City bartender Hank Thompson suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a motley crew of threatening gangsters who all want a piece of him.
Caught Stealing is directed by Darren Aronofsky director of Pi (1998), Requiem For A Dream (2000), The Fountain (2006), The Wrestler (2008), Black Swan (2010), Noah (2014), Mother! (2017) and The Whale (2022).
Darren Aronofsky has always been one of my favorite filmmakers, his ability to bring out transformative or flat out incredible performances from a lot of actors is just fascinating. While I’m always going to prefer Aronofsky’s more dramatic work, It’s always nice to see Aronofsky have a lot of fun and go for something completely different here.
Austin Butler is oozing with charisma and almost immediately captures the atmosphere that the world of the film demands. Every single moment you feel this gravitational pull towards his character Henry “Hank” Thompson and the world around him. Butler’s performance only gets more and more electrifying as the film goes on especially with the film’s tone that quickly becomes more brutal and darker. Butler gives one of the best performances of the year, this is the type of performance of what makes an actor so interesting especially sensing the confidence within the performance.
The supporting performances are just as fantastic, Zoë Kravitz’s chemistry with Butler is captivating and even if her part is not as massive, the time she does have she uses well and brings this passionate bond the film shows through Butler and Kravitz’s chemistry. Matt Smith and Regina King are both fantastic here as well, both capture the energy and atmosphere of their respective roles. Smith being more chaotic and King bringing her strength and pedigree. Tonic the cat is also a fun addition to the film who does a fantastic job with the film’s more comedic moments.
The writing is atmospheric, thrilling and genuinely funny at times. It’s a nice balance between the three, none of which completely overwhelm one another. The writing has moments of brutality which is where the depth for these characters comes from, we explore a bit about them. Even if at times there is a bit of surface level information, what we do learn is admittedly fascinating which keeps the viewer in for the ride. The comedic elements are on the black comedy side of things, but are effectively used sparingly and do not take away from the more dramatic ones.
Aronofsky does a fascinating job of capturing this 1990s New York landscape, he invests a ton of energy in creating this beautiful feel that you can’t help but look around. This is definitely one of Aronofsky’s bigger in scale films, perhaps his biggest since Noah (2014). But unlike Noah (2014) where it felt very overwhelming and a giant mess in general, Caught Stealing is a lot more focused and has a lot more interesting elements happening on screen. You have the chaotic nature of the cast and their characters, the brutality of the film, the film’s black comedy and the strong cinematography from Matthew Libatique.
Overall Caught Stealing is such a chaotic and fun ride from beginning to end, that Aronofsky does such a fascinating job of capturing the crazed experience.
Caught Stealing is available on all VOD platforms.
When a powerful music mogul is targeted by a ransom plot, he is forced to fight for his family and legacy while jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma.
Highest 2 Lowest is directed by Spike Lee director of Do The Right Thing (1989), Malcolm X (1992), Inside Man (2006), Old Boy (2013), BlacKkKlansman (2018), Da 5 Bloods (2020) and many others. The film serves as an English-language remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 Japanese film High and Low.
Highest 2 Lowest is sort of a fascinating one, it’s obviously not going to hold candle to Kurosawa’s film but unlike Lee’s attempt at tackling Old Boy this one fairs a lot better due to its cast, the decently fun atmosphere and a few scenes that make the film stand tall.
Denzel Washington is to no one’s surprise quite fantastic here. Washington is one of those actors who constantly brings in powerhouse performances and here is no exception, while the writing does get very messy towards the end. Washington’s performance remains consistently striking throughout the film, it’s a classic showcase of a powerhouse actor who elevates the material even when said material is at its low points. A lot of what I said about Washington can be said about Jeffery Wright, his ability to portray a nuanced and authentic bond is incredibly investing.
A$AP Rocky is also quite excellent here as well, Spike Lee has said that Rocky went “toe to toe” with Washington and he is not exactly wrong. There are plenty of scenes here that display Rocky keeping up with Washington, the chemistry between the two works incredibly well especially during one certain scene that’s also one of the film’s best. This is the type of performance that shows a lot of potential for an actor.
The writing is where the film falls a bit, the character writing that we get from the first half of the film is quite great, we get some solid introductions to the characters. The writing itself does a pretty good job of making the New York setting feel alive, plus I will give credit where credit is due that this manages to be a quite different take on High and Low. With that being said the third act is where things fall apart, a lot of the character writing (or writing in general) that the rest of the movie built up to lacked power and led to messy execution.
With that being said, I do think Highest 2 Lowest is still quite great. The character writing definitely needed more power and the pacing ultimately does hurt the film in the end, but Spike Lee does seem like he’s having a blast directing the film and the cast really makes this work as well as it does.
After escaping from prison, former soldier and professional thief Jeffrey Manchester finds a hideout inside a Toys “R” Us, surviving undetected for months while planning his next move. However, when Jeffrey falls for a divorced mom, his double life starts to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.
Roofman is directed by Derek Cianfrance director of Brother Ted (1998), Blue Valentine (2010), The Place Beyond The Pines (2012) and The Light Between Oceans (2016).
Often times I find that films that are about bizarre true stories where if you told someone who was completely unfamiliar them they would look at you like you have five heads to be the most interesting. That’s especially the case here with Roofman a film that tells the story of Jeffery Manchester a spree robber who escaped prison and who hid in a Toys R Us, he escaped in June 2004 and was recaptured in January 2005. It’s a bizarre story that the film tells incredibly well, there is even a lot of heart in the film as well.
First and foremost the performances here are quite fantastic, Channing Tatum gives such a wonderful performance that captures the bizarre nature of the story as well as just being incredibly charming. He has so much charisma and works with the rest of the cast effortlessly, there’s this sense of vulnerability that is shown through the film’s more quiet moments. It’s a bit surprising to see given the film’s story but at the same time it’s not, Cianfrance’s usual bringing out career worthy best performances from several actors is present here and that can be argued for Tatum.
The film also does not undermine the effect the actions of what Jeffery (played by Channing Tatum) has had on the people in his life, even showing how people who were caught in the crossfire were hurt, it’s done in this way that is meaningful and shows everyone’s reactions in this detail that has a lot of emotion and power.
Much like Tatum, Kristen Dunst gives an incredible performance here. A lot of what I said about Tatum’s performance can be said about Dunst. Her chemistry with Tatum is absolutely wonderful and really elevates the film, the close-up shots of the two is emotional and really pushes the film to greatness. Dunst has this charm to her performance that also shares vulnerability, the scenes of Dunst and Tatum just talking about each other and sharing their life story are some of the film’s most powerful and intimate moments that truly make the film.
The writing is truly fascinating here, this is one of those films that gives the supporting cast no matter how small of a part they have something to do. LaKeith Stanfield is of course fantastic and Peter Dinklage gives a humorous performance. The writing also does a great job of balancing the dramatic moments with the humor, the humor is not the main focus of the story (which the trailer would make you believe that it is) but it’s still present and blends well with the dramatic moments. The character writing from this film is shockingly quite great, it brings the viewer’s interest quickly and does a wonderful job of giving these characters the rawness they need.
Finally there is Cianfrance’s direction which is quite excellent, as mentioned before he loves to bring out career best worthy performances and that’s the case here with Tatum. The humor and drama he brings to the story is carefully put together, one does not overwhelm the other. It’s all done in this sort of direction that has a lot of heart and care, which is a very interesting approach to such a bizarre story that really works.
A shy waitress and a lovelorn military veteran find themselves in the crosshairs of a ruthless criminal as they try to retrieve a rare Native American artifact.
Americana is directed by Tony Tost which is his directorial debut.
Americana is the result of a film that mixes several different type of genres incredibly well, often times you see some films not very confidently attempt to do way too much in a limited amount of time. While there are the occasional script issues here and there with Americana, the film does a fantastic job of being this neo-western, crime and thriller ride that gets more chaotic and quite fun as it goes on.
The cast and its characters are what make the film and its world standout. Everyone here does a fantastic job even when they don’t get a whole lot to do, Sydney Sweeney hits it out of the park with her performance as Penny Jo Popplin. Even if her character isn’t really explored in great detail it’s Sweeney’s performance that makes the character work. She’s lovable and serves as the viewers POV in some areas of the film plus her interactions with the rest of the cast and their characters is more than enough to connect with her. Sweeney gives such a sweet performance that might be a bit more quiet than some of her other performances, it might not be this big powerhouse performance like her portrayal of Reality Winner in Reality (2023) but it shows range for Sweeney as an actress and she gets the job done incredibly well here.
Halsey who is a singer-songwriter surprised me, up until this point we have only seen Halsey either in a cameo (A Star is Born (2018) ) or an incredibly brief role (MaXXXine). The singer to actor pipeline can be difficult to pass through, however Halsey quite easily makes it through here. She gives a genuinely strong, touching and beautiful performance that quickly gets the attention from the viewer. She plays Mandy Starr who is quite important to the film’s plot and the other character we see this film’s world through, Halsey is able to match the film’s chaotic atmosphere with tons of dialogue thrown in between that make her standout as an actress. Her interactions with her family are some of the film’s best moments giving this look into Mandy Starr’s family and why she desperately wants to run and try to get a better life with her son.
Paul Walter Hauser, Eric Dane, Simon Rex and the rest of the cast are all fantastic, Hauser is hilarious, fun and has great chemistry with Sydney Sweeney which leads to some genuinely heartwarming interactions. Eric Dane is hilarious as well, he can switch from being threatening to downright humorous (whether it was intended or not.) Simon Rex makes for a great antagonist who is genuinely threatening and displays why he’s such a great actor. He might not get the most to do until towards the last act of the film, but it’s still quite a great performance.
The writing holds strong heavily due to the interactions between the characters, each of these characters have these bizarre and interesting traits to them as well as storylines that are genuinely well executed. There’s a heist which while is the main focus of the film still manages to be fun, there’s also these jabs at people who do cultural appropriation (a kid thinks he’s the reincarnation of a Native American and gets grilled for it.) Then there’s also Mandy Starr’s story which I have already said is quite well done and genuinely heartbreaking. Each of these storylines work because of the interactions between the cast, they feel raw at times and really compliment the film’s atmosphere and style it’s going for.
Speaking of which the atmosphere and style have Coen Brothers and Quentin Tarantino DNA in them that works incredibly well. The atmosphere has this old soul to it that strikes with some action filled moments that are very reminiscent to the classic western film. It’s a fast paced film that has much going on in each shot, the cinematography from Nigel Bluck is sharp and has this certain feel that captures the neo-western genre so beautifully. The last moments of the film and how they are wrapped up are complimented well due to the cinematography and the sharp tight camera angles.
Overall Americana is a fantastic film that not only captures the beauty of the western genre, but is striking in its own right. Excellent character interactions, acting and writing really make this one worth giving a go!
Unfolding over the course of Valentine’s Day in New Jersey, a young intersex sex worker must run from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways, forcing him to confront his past.
Ponyboi is directed by Esteban Arango director of Blast Beat (2020).
Ponyboi is one that surprised me with how much I ended up really liking it, while the crime thriller elements are not exactly anything new and are by far the weakest part of the film. The film is backed by a pretty excellent cast who does a fantastic job of moving this story, a very strong atmosphere, some beautiful shots and a soundtrack that makes great use of certain songs.
The performances as I said before are quite excellent, River Gallo gives such a beautiful leading performance that ends up being the heart of the film, it helps that they also wrote the script so Gallo can easily connect with the material and can push an already great performance into something quite special. Gallo’s character Ponyboi is exploring their identity in this quite raw and very focused way that quickly connects with the viewer. The cinematography from Ed Wu really compliments Ponyboi as a character as it focuses on them and in a lot of ways does some character development, Gallo’s body language, speech and interactions with the rest of the cast is truly fantastic here. You get the feeling constantly throughout the film that Gallo wants you to feel connected and that shows right during the first scene to the very end.
Dylan O’Brien is very unhinged in the best way possible, he’s genuinely terrifying at times and really sells the character quite well. Victoria Pedretti’s character may not have the most character writing but she still gives a solid performance that captures the film’s atmosphere. Lastly you have Murray Bartlett who gives his third great performance this year (the other two being Opus and O’Dessa), Bartlett only has a handful of scenes but he makes great use of those moments and delivers a honest performance, he also has pretty strong chemistry with River Gallo. Indya Moore isn’t in the film all that much but there is one particular scene that is incredibly powerful and meaningful that the viewer is going to remember for the rest of the film.
The script from River Gallo is quite excellent, Gallo is intersex (which fun fact this is the first feature film an openly intersex actor plays an intersex person) which makes the film feel much more personal since Ponyboi is intersex. Ponyboi’s experiences don’t just feel like you are being told about them, it feels like you are seeing them for yourself or you are being invited to this story by a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time. I already said how the cinematography from Ed Wu compliments Ponyboi as a character, but not only does it do that but it has this atmospheric feel that captures the world around Ponyboi. It’s truly breathtaking and has so much going on that you want to explore.
The film’s first 15-20 minutes is pretty chaotic, there’s a lot going on and you really can’t help but love it. It definitely has this feel of Sean Baker’s work but manages to be its own thing as well. The soundtrack and the use of songs such as “My Heart Can Feel No Pain” by the Tonettes is quite well done and really fits the atmosphere the film is going for. The score from Cristobal Tapia de Veer is beautiful, tense and striking all at the same time.
Overall Ponyboi is one of the best films of the year. It’s an incredibly well acted, directed and written film that immediately brings the viewer’s interest to the screen right from the beginning. I can’t wait to see what Arango and Gallo do next.
Ava attempts to go straight after prison, but her twin is murdered and being a witness to the shooting, she is forced to run for her life.
Tribeca Review
In Cold Light is directed by Maxime Giroux director of Tomorrow (2008), Jo for Jonathan (2010), Felix and Meira (2014), The Great Darkened Days (2018), Norbourg (2022) and Plan B (2023).
I wish there was a lot to comment on and discuss here but unfortunately that isn’t the case with In Cold Light. It’s by no means a bad movie as the positives do help the movie stand on its legs, but a lot of the films elements just didn’t quite mesh well together in the end which ultimately stops it from being better than it could have.
The performances are the main reason to give this one a shot, Maika Monroe gives such a raw performance that quickly grabs your attention. I know that Monroe is often praised for horror performances and has become a scream queen, but in this film she shows that she can tackle dramatic roles just as well, the atmosphere compliments this well as often times the film feels like Ava’s (played by Maika Monroe) nightmare. It’s genuinely eerie at times and Monroe’s acting really displays this front and center, there’s some powerful moments that Monroe is able to nail down just because of how great of an actress she really is.
Troy Kotsur is also quite excellent, a drastic genre switch from his last performance which was CODA (2021) he delivers once again, much like Monroe he gives a raw performance. The father and daughter bond is quite grounded and very touching, there’s one particular moment here that makes clever use with the camera and the background. That scene alone really builds Kotsur’s character Will in this clever and quiet way. It’s a shame Kotsur takes a backseat towards the end of the film, because whenever Kotsur and Monroe are on screen together those end up being some of the films best moments.
The cinematography from Sarah Mishara is stylized and works pretty well especially with the nightmarish atmosphere the film is going for, although the nightmarish feel does not last throughout the whole movie. It’s just enough to give the film a somewhat unique feel, the score from Philippe Brault is electrifying and gets the viewer invested. It’s a bit of a surprise at first since it can feel a bit out of place, however once you figure out the type of atmosphere the film is going for it starts to make more sense.
What stops In Cold Light from being great comes down to is mainly the whole drug empire sections. While not bad, as I said before the movie really does not do anything differently than other films with the same sort of plot. The family aspect is what holds the film together mostly which is why it’s a bit of a shame that it’s put in the backseat towards the end. Although I will say the final five minutes are actually quite powerful and does leave an impression on you.
Overall In Cold Light mainly works do to the performances from Monroe and Kotsur, there’s some nice thrills to have here and the film itself is quite well made. There’s just a lot missing when it comes to the script and the film’s focus.
Believing he witnessed an abduction, a young man turns to his next-door neighbour, a retired security guard, to help him find the missing woman.
Neighborhood Watch is directed by Duncan Skiles director of The Clovehitch Killer (2018)
Neighborhood Watch is a thriller that when hearing the premise out loud sounds like it’s going to be quite dark. While there are plenty of dark moments there’s also this darkly comedic side to it that unexpectedly works for the most part, this is a movie that is not going to break any new ground especially in the story department. But at the very least the movie keeps the viewer’s interest throughout and it has the atmosphere as well as acting to back it up.
Jeffery Dean Morgan and Jack Quaid are both incredibly solid here, Morgan does admittedly still play his usual tough guy or cool character but in this case it feels a bit more grounded. You can feel his character Ed Deerman is acting this way out of desperation with him fearing that failure could strike at any moment, Morgan portrays this very well and works incredibly well with Jack Quaid. Speaking of which Jack Quaid plays Simon McNally a mentally ill man who can quickly lose it and turn it up to eleven, Jack Quaid does a really solid job here and the buddy cop dynamic of Morgan and Quaid is genuinely interesting. There’s this voice in Simon’s head that constantly mock him making him constantly doubt himself or telling him that nobody will believe him because of his history. Jack Quaid does such a good job of portraying someone suffering through this, it genuinely hurts to watch at times.
The writing is solid, there’s this theme of your mind constantly telling you how much of a failure you are or nobody will believe you because of the way you are. It’s a bit surface level sure, but it’s there regardless and from what’s presented the film does a pretty solid job with the execution. The rest of the writing is a bit more on the generic side of things but nothing ends up being terrible, although the emotional payoff in the end does not really come together in the end. The back and forth between Morgan and Quaid is genuinely interesting and even humorous at times, it helps that Morgan and Quaid are just two incredibly likable actors and have a lot of charisma which had the two not been here I don’t think the movie would have worked nearly as well.
Overall Neighborhood Watch is a fun thriller that really does not have whole lot to it, the main reason to watch this is the performances from Morgan and Quaid. It does not overstay it’s welcome which is great and accomplishes what it’s sent out to do for the most part.
Neighborhood Watch is available on all VOD platforms.
A post office employee investigates the mysterious origins of a blood-stained note that was sent by a captive man.
Dead Mail is directed by Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy both of which directed BAB (2020) while McConaghy also directed Sheeps Clothing (2024)
Dead Mail heavily reminds me of one of those old midnight films you would watch on some obscure TV channel and I mean this as a compliment because this one is definitely an odd one. Dead Mail is going for a much different style here both with its filming and atmosphere and the movie really leaves it up to the viewer to explore on what exactly is going on here.
The performances are incredibly solid particularly Sterling Macer Jr, John Fleck and Tomas Boykin all of them really capture this dark atmospheric ride that is taking place and really grab the viewer’s attention through their performances. It helps that characters have strong personalities that include endearing, tragic and some pretty scary elements, seeing a new character in this film is like opening a closed door you have no idea what’s on the other side. This film’s world really matches the tone of the characters and really builds upon them very well, even some of the minor characters who may not have a whole lot going on still end up leaving an impression on the viewer.
Something you will immediately notice when the film starts is the grainy filming style, it compliments the film’s world incredibly well and makes the film standout more. It has this very 70s feel to it even the sound compliments it as well, this is some really beautiful recreation that did not feel slapped together this oozes with passion. The classic thrilling atmosphere that was present in a lot of these grainy 70s films is also felt here giving the film a much more natural feel that you truly believe you are back in time.
The score is also quite beautiful and matches the tone as well, the use of Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy is haunting yet beautiful at the same time especially when combined with the film’s atmosphere. These scenes are some of the film’s best moments and really highlight why the film is so interesting where you can simply just get lost by looking at it (in a good way.)
The film does admittedly go on for a bit too long and some of the emotional depth is not there unfortunately, however the film builds upon its mystery which leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. It’s a fun and dark film that manages to bring the viewer into the experience.
In the 1950s, notorious New York crime bosses Frank Costello and Vito Genovese vie for control of the city streets. Once the best of friends, petty jealousies and a series of betrayals place them on a deadly collision course that reshapes organized crime forever.
The Alto Knights is directed by Barry Levinson director of Rain Man (1988), Sleepers (1996), Good Morning Vietnam (1987), Bugsy (1991), Wag the Dog (1997), The Bay (2012) and many others.
There really is not a lot to be said about The Alto Knights, this is about as generic and cliched as you can really get with the crime drama genre. Everything here has been done better elsewhere leaving this movie to be a chore to sit through.
Robert De Niro does a fine enough job with the dual performance but even then this is a role he’s already done in far better films. Fans of De Niro will get absolutely nothing out of this performance outside of a few moments that are genuinely great and at least attempt to try and move the story along. The rest of the cast however really do not have that much to work with, that mostly comes from the writing which fails to offer any interesting moments.
The writing is terrible and repeats itself over and over again to the point where it feels like this is an elaborate bit. The editing is bafflingly awful with tons of scenes that go on for far longer than they really should, the movie itself fails to get the viewer engaged as it throws just about every mobster movie cliche in the book at the wall with none of it sticking.
What more can I really say here? The Alto Knights is a chore to sit through and there’s very little going on here. There might have been a good movie here had the writing been anything of substance, but as it stands this is hands down one of the most forgettable movies of 2025 so far.
The Alto Knights is available on all VOD platforms.
Jerome Reviews... 