Movie Review: The Act of Killing - Director's Cut (Blu-ray, Drafthouse Films)

Documentaries have always been a huge part of my movie watching life. The format can unfortunately suffer depending on the filmmaker putting together the documentary, and most importantly, its subject (or subjects).  Drafthouse Films has shown a knack for grabbing some very eclectic titles for both theatrical and the DVD and Blu-ray market with titles like the ridiculous but awesome Miami Connection, the acclaimed drama Bullhead and the upcoming remastering of the cult classic MS. 45. The titles have been solid overall but really can't touch the power of the documentary The Act of Killing from director Josh Oppeneheimer and its producer, the great Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man). Now available in a director's cut (along with the theatrical cut) The Act of Killing is a documentary that takes things to a new level that some may not be prepared for.

Oppenheimer follows the life of former executioners in what is easily one of the most corrupt, dangerous, third-world country in the world, Indonesia. His main focus is on Anwar Congo, a man who boasts of killing possibly a 1000 people for being communist. Around the mid -1960's Indonesia switched from a peaceful democratic country to the violent shit-hole it is today. During this time, Congo and others were paid to kill the "communists", many of them being Chinese because, well, they may have disagreed with how things were being handled. It's absolutely fascinating (albeit disturbing) the way these men executed many of these more than likely innocent folk were brutal and for many unimaginable. People were beaten to death with bricks and thrown in rivers, strangled, run over by cars, stabbed and decapitated. Congo and his fellow executioners preferred to do it fast, although they did their fare share of torture.

Movie Review: The Iron Lady (2011)

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd

Movie review by Greg Goodsell

When we first see the elderly and feeble Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) in THE IRON LADY, she is doddering over the price of milk in a Pakistani bodega with a clerk who barely speaks English. The painful irony is all too clear. Thatcher, the British Prime Minister who earned the sobriquet “The Iron Lady” by the then Soviet Union, was at one time called Maggie Thatcher, the Milk Snatcher” by her critics. Slashing civic programs and expounding fearlessly on her “sink or swim” philosophy, resurrected an ailing Great Britain to the level of an international economic powerhouse. Her fearless climb to power is documented in this film, giving the viewer a thrilling slice of 20th century history.

Movie Review: W./E. (2011)

Many of us would roll our eyes at the thought of en entertainer jumping from one form of media to another, or from one job to another, such as when an actor directs. I certainly did when I saw Rhianna in the trailer for Battleship. Believe me, it wasn't the first time, and it won't be the last. It's unfair, really, considering all of the stars that have done a great job in different realms. Laugh if you will, but that list includes Bernie Mac, Ben Affleck, Fred Savage, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Ice-T, Weird Al Yankovic, Kevin Smith and countless others. The fact is that if someone is talented in one way, there is a great chance that person will have other talents. It's true that some people are only good at one thing, but I don't know if that's the case with Madonna. Her first movie, W./E., might be a good indication of things to come for her, but it's also an indication of what can happen when you take on too much at once.