Category Archives: suspense

“Cold Pursuit” Trailers, Movie Clip & Poster

action, drama, remakes, suspense, , ,

Directed by Hans Petter Moland, Cold Pursuit follows a snowplow driver, played by Liam Neeson. He seeks revenge against drug dealers because they killed his son.

The movie is based on the 2014 Norwegian film In Order of Disappearance, which Moland also directed. Stellan Skarsgard of the Mamma Mia franchise played Neeson’s role.

The screenplay is by Frank Baldwin. His screenwriting credits are limited, but he scripted a movie that is in pre-production called The Godmother.

The Cold Pursuit also stars Laura Dern, Emmy Rossum, and Tom Bateman.

The trailer tells the story, and the music is upbeat and adds irony to the situation.

The clip “Things We Do” shows the underlying humor of the story. Neeson is in dark colors and a parka, while the other guy is in shorts and light colors. The serene snow-covered mountains in the background for the master shot are incongruous with the tension of Neeson’s character.

The Blu-ray/DVD and streaming of the movie is not happening. The trailer is fun and shows how the film is a comedy. The serious side is losing a son, but his father gets revenge.

Getting revenge is when the movie gets funny. Watch the trailer and see for yourself. It’s funny.

“Escape Room” Trailer, Featurette, & Poster

drama, suspense, thriller, , , , ,

Screenplay by Bragi Schut and Maria Melnik with the story by Schut and directed by Adam Robitel, Escape Room is a psychological thriller that follows six strangers. Each one finds themselves in circumstances beyond their control. They must use their wits to find the clues or die.

The ensemble cast includes Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Ann Woll, Jay Ellis, Tyler Labine, Nik Dodani,  and Yorick van Wageningen.

Robitel directed a horror movie called The Taking of Deborah Logan, which won him an iHorror Award for Best Direct Release Film.  Schut scripted Season of the Witch and episodic TV shows while Melnik scripted episodic TV shows from Black Sails to American Gods.

The interview with Jay Ellis and Deborah Ann Woll explains the story behind the movie. It appears to have a tinge of horror.  Also, there are brick and mortar places called Escape Rooms, and they are fun as a group outing.  

The featurette explains the movie and compares the story to a real escape room.

“Destroyer” Trailer, Movie Clip, and Poster

drama, suspense, thriller, , ,

Directed by Karyn Kusama, Destroyer follows Erin Bell, played by Nicole Kidman, a veteran LAPD detective spinning out of control emotionally and physically while on a dangerous journey to find the murderer and gang leader, Silas, played by Toby Kebbell. Bell’s journey’s purpose is finally to make peace with her tortured past.

“Destroyer is, at its core, a film about confronting your mistakes and making the brave decision to be accountable for your actions. Within the relatable frameworks of crime thriller and cop movie, it’s also an insistent character study, hinging on the wounded but resilient psychic landscape of an LAPD detective named Erin Bell. The criminal underworld she investigates, alongside a storytelling structure that allows for a narrative surprise,” says Kusama.

Kusama’s directing credits include episodic TV series and feature movies The Invitation and Girlfight. The screenplay is written by  Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, who worked together on The Invitation and other projects. 

A pivotal aspect of the movie is Bell’s relationship with her sixteen-year-old daughter, Shelby, played by Jade Pettyjohn, with whom she is estranged. Her clumsy attempts to reach out to Shelby consistently backfire, exacerbating Bell’s overwhelming sense of hopelessness and loss.

The movie clip “I’m Bad” pretty much says it all about Kidman’s character. She believes she is terrible, but what do the other characters in the movie believe she is bad? I want to find out. At this point in the story,  she might realize she is terrible and then become good or better than she was – bad. As I mentioned before, and I might again, I hope the movie storyline includes some high points because it is obvious there are quite a few low points.

The movie seems like a downer, but hopefully, the story has some high points, and the ending is upbeat. So far, the movie trailer doesn’t show any upbeat points.

“Serenity” Trailers, Movie Clips and Posters

drama, mystery, suspense, thriller, , , , , ,

Written and directed by Steven Knight, Serenity follows Baker Dill, played by Matthew McConaughey, a fishing boat captain. Dill leads tours off a serene, tropical enclave called Plymouth Island.

I watched the movie last night on Prime. It is nothing like what we see in these clips and trailers, and the poster is not true to the story. I recommend this movie because it has a message that lingers with you long after the film ends.

The movies gradually become daringly original, sexy, stylized thriller as Dill’s quiet life is shattered. His former wife Karen, played by Anne Hathaway, tracks him down with a desperate plea for help. She begs Dill to save her – and their young son – from her new, violent husband, played by Jason Clarke, by taking him out to sea on a fishing excursion, only to throw him to the sharks and leave him for dead.

Karen’s appearance thrusts Dill back into a life he’d tried to forget, and as he struggles between right and wrong, his world is plunged into a new reality that may not be all that it seems.

The third trailer shows more of the movie and how it plays out for Dill.

These clips are intense, and this movie will have me on the edge of my chair. Such good acting in these two clips is all I can say right now until I see more. Here, we have two Oscar winners and a strong supporting cast. It is a suspenseful movie, which means it is plot-driven. That is even better. I love a good story.

The story thickens with three more intense and story-driven scenes. The whole time I am watching each scene, I think, “Dill is being taken advantage of.” He is vulnerable and surrounded by unscrupulous people. I am being kind when I say “unscrupulous.” McConaughey plays Dill as if he has no control over everything that happens; he is just being affected by the circumstances.

“I Still See You” Features Bella Thorne

based on a book, horror, supernatural, suspense, , , , , , , ,

Directed by Scott Speer from a screenplay by Jason Fuchs, I Still See You follows Roni, played by Bella Thorne, in this spellbinding and romantic supernatural thriller. The movie is based on Daniel Walters’s book Break My Heart One Thousand Times.

Ten years after an apocalyptic event left the world haunted by ghosts, Roni receives a threatening message from beyond the grave. Joining forces with a mysterious classmate, Kirk, played by Richard Harmon, Roni descends into a shadow world that blurs the bounds of the living and the dead—and begins a desperate race against time to stop a cunning killer.

Thorne starred in Midnight Sun, a love story directed by Speer with Patrick Schwarzenegger. In each movie, Thorne played opposite characters.

Jason Fuchs is also an actor, but his writing credits include Wonderwoman and Pan.

The movie trailer shows a touch of comedy with the suspense.

The movie looks good via the trailer, and the rest of the cast includes Amy Price-Francis, Hugh Dillon, Shaun Benson, Dave Brown, Thomas Elms, Louis Herthum, and Dermot Mulroney.

Challenge of the Truth About “Viper Club” Trailer and Poster

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Directed by Maryam Keshavarz, Viper Club follows ER nurse Helen Sterling, played by Susan Sarandon, who struggles to free her grown son, a journalist captured by terrorists in the Middle East.

After hitting walls with the FBI and State agencies, she discovers a clandestine community of journalists, advocates, and philanthropists who might help.

Keshavarz credits include directing shorts and movie Circumstance. She’s also a producer and won awards for one of her shorts and documentaries.

Seeing Sarandon take on a major role in a movie is exciting. She is such a talented actress. Other cast members include Matt Bomer, Lola Kirke, Julian Morris, Sheila Vand, Adepero Oduye, and Edie Falco.

“Lizzie” Trailer, Movie Clips, and Poster

horror, mystery, suspense, thriller, true stories, , , , , , ,

Directed by Craig William Macneill,  Lizzie is about the notorious woman Lizzie Borden, played by Chloe Sevigny. You might remember the famous or not-so-famous skipping-rope song about the woman who was accused of chopping her mother and father to bits.

“Lizzie Borden took an ax

And gave her mother forty whacks.

When she saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty-one.”

Still, there is a mystery to the true story that endures throughout American history. Many writers speculated in their own versions and books about what happened on that deadly day.

The movie follows Lizzie after a lifetime of loneliness. She finds a kindred spirit in housemaid Bridget Sullivan, played by Kristen Stewart. Their secret intimacy sets off an unthinkable act – while the movie explores the days leading up to the savage crimes in a dark tale of repression, exploitation and thwarted dreams.

The two movie clips below show the story’s dark and sinister aspects. Unfortunately, one of the movie clips is blocked, but the studio may lift the block in the near future.

The two movie clips below show some fine acting chops. I am impressed. Notably, the scene in the barn is worth a look. It is an excellent acting scene for student actors because the undertones are deep.

The movie clip helps you understand how the movie is presented. You will notice a date at the bottom of the right-hand corner of the screen. These are actual events that happened.

“Ben is Back” Trailer, Poster

drama, suspense, , , ,

Written and directed by Peter Hedges,  Ben is Back follows 19-year-old Ben Burns, played by Lucas Hedges. He unexpectedly returns to his family’s suburban home on Christmas Eve morning.

Ben’s mother, Holly, played by Julia Roberts, is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son staying clean. Rightly so because over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother’s undying love for her son is tested as she does everything in her power to keep him safe.

Peter Hedges is well-known as a screenwriter for such movies as About a Boy and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?

Also starring is Courtney B. Vance and Kathryn Newton.

These two actors work so well together.

The official trailer is intense and tells us what is happening in the movie. A mother’s love is so powerful. Yes, as a mother, I agree. We will do anything for your children.

The movie clip is intense, with Julia Roberts afraid of what her son brought back home after being gone for some time.

Ben is Back is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming online. The cast is powerful, with Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, and Courtney B. Vance. If you are interested in seeing the drama, now is your chance. If you have seen it, you can see it again with the Special Featurettes and Bonus Material. The trailer tells the story but doesn’t give the ending. It’s intense.

“Widows” Trailers, Movie Clips, Poster & Blu-ray/DVD

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Directed by Steve McQueen, who won an Oscar for directing 12 Years a Slave, and co-writer and bestselling author Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl, follows four women who are widows. They share a circumstance of having a debt left behind by their dead husbands’ criminal activities.

The story is a contemporary thriller located against the setting of crime, passion, and corruption. Taking place in Chicago, amidst a time of turmoil, tensions build when Veronica, played by Viola Davis, Alice, played by Elizabeth Debicki, Linda, played by Michelle Rodriguez, and Belle, played by Cynthia Erivo, take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

Here are two more movie trailers.  We get the gest of the movie, now. These women take charge of their lives and it’s payback time.

The movie also stars Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Daniel Kaluuya, Lukas Haas and Brian Tyree Henry.

The three movie clips so how fast the movie moves. I hope this is true throughout the movie. I viewed some interviews with the actors, screenwriter, and director.  Each actor praised the director, McQueen. You can see these interviews on my YouTube Channel.

The movie clip tells us more about the story and why these ladies decided to turn themselves into tough chicks.

The official second trailer tells the story, and I am excited and can’t wait to see it.

The two trailers are similar but one is a red-band trailer, which means it is for mature audiences.

The Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming are available.  Purchasing the Blu-ray package is nearly 60-minutes of bonus content, with three documentary featurettes filled with in-depth interviews and raw on-set footage detailing the compelling production story of the movie.

“Peppermint” Trailer, Movie Clips, Featurette, & Poster

action, drama, suspense, thriller, ,

Screenplay by Chad St. John and directed by Pierre Morel, not much is being said about the movie Peppermint. It is being promoted as a revenge story focusing on a young mother, played by Jennifer Garner. She’s lost her family with nothing to lose. Prepping herself she takes down some pretty nasty dudes because the stole her life away when they killed her husband and daughter.

The Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming of the movie is now available.  Jennifer Garner fans grab your copy and add it to your library. The movie looks good and is worth watching.

Morel directed Taken, and the movie trailer shows a similarity between the two storylines. I am looking forward to seeing Jennifer Garner kick some bad guys booties.

The featurette shares interviews with both Jennifer Garner and Pierre Morel.  You get to see Garner set up and get physical with the bad guys.

Three movie clips arrived and they definitely shine some much need light on what happens in the movie.  Jennifer Garner kicks some butt as a revenge for the criminal system failing to bring justice to the loss of her family.