DAMIEN RILEY, world musician and performer

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  • Fearless (1993)

    Fearless (1993)
    R | 2h 2min | Drama, Thriller | 5 November 1993 (USA)

    A man’s personality is dramatically changed after surviving a major airline crash.
    Director: Peter Weir
    Writers: Rafael Yglesias (novel), Rafael Yglesias (screenplay)
    Stars: Jeff Bridges, Isabella Rossellini, Rosie Perez

    This film was directed by Peter Weir. He’s a master of directors having created one of my favorite films of all time Dead Poets Society. He also directed the Truman Show. Both of these films are like Fearless in that they are visionary, unique, character-driven, and deep in scope. This is probably my least favorite of the three but it still fares well as a film to make you think about fear, why we have it, and what life would be like if it vanished.

    Jeff Bridges plays a role very similar to his in The Fisher King. He’s a man undergoing a change of perception. Before the plane crash, he is a family man in love with his wife played by Isabella Rosellini. He is allergic to strawberries. After the crash he survives, he seems fearless and it has even affected his physiology, he can eat strawberries. Rosie Perez plays a character who was on the flight as well an her child died. Bridges falls in love with her but not in a sexual romantic way, more like a savior. They both share this delusion.

    The change he undergoes is intense to watch. I’m not sure if he is better off at the end, you’ll have to decide. Feel free to share your opinion in the comments. Jon Turturro has a marginal role as the airline’s therapist, paid to watch over Jeff Bridges in hopes of preventing PR damage. He does an ok job. I’d say it’s nothing stacked up against his work of The Night Of.

    Fear … do we need it?

    7/10

  • The Other Half (2016)

    The Other Half (2016)
    1h 43min | Drama, Romance | 10 March 2017 (USA)

    A bipolar woman and a grief-stricken man struggle to forge a simple life.
    Director: Joey Klein
    Writer: Joey Klein
    Stars: Tatiana Maslany, Tom Cullen, Henry Czerny

    This director is an actor attempting to make the crossover to behind the camera. He does a good job. He has the incredible actor Tatiana Maslany backing him as exec producer and lead actress in the film. While I questioned a couple times why he would want to make this film his directorial debut, I can say he earned my respect and I am curious to see what he tackles next. This appears to be a movie about loving through the weaknesses of your partner. In other words, when you don’t have the package you thought you signed up for and must still stay.

    The boyfriend is from Downton Abbey and a lot of other stuff. He does an ok job I’d say, as good as most could do alongside this amazing Maslany force we’ve seen grow in that last 5 years. Orphan Black is just one example of her talents and skills. I eagerly await any project she does.

    This is a dark looking film but its message is clear and cutting. How do you love another whose need outweigh what you can give. This couple seems determined to do so. Is it touching or stupid? Her father might say the latter. She has severe Biploar. This means she is given to fixaton and manic episodes. He is grief stricken. Does it matter how much he loves her if he cannot help her? The final scene had me thinking all sorts of thoughts. It’s good but not very developed and like I say, hazy at times in appearance and meaning. For dedicated love story and/or bipolar movie folks, it’s a

    9/10

  • Killing Ground (2016)

    Killing Ground (2016)
    R | 1h 28min | Horror, Thriller | 21 July 2017 (USA)

    A couples’ camping trip turns into a frightening ordeal when they stumble across the scene of a horrific crime.
    Director: Damien Power
    Writer: Damien Power
    Stars: Harriet Dyer, Mitzi Ruhlmann, Tiarnie Coupland

    Damien Power, the director here, is my namesake so he’s got that going for him. This is an incredible thriller filmed in the outback that raises the question, “Why hasn’t violence gone this far before?” He’s been a writer years before directing. My favorite movies are often the type where the visionary writer is also the director ie; the films of Quentin Tarantino. Damien is one to watch.

    The acting is pretty solid. I think all the actors are Australian names so I haven’t seen them much. Harriet Dyer who plays “Sam” gives what could be argued as the best performance. She is scared but not hysterical, recklessly trying to escape without losing her grip on reality. She is also quite pretty as are all the female cast. I don’t know, we used to camp a lot when I was around 10 years old and I always saw so many hot girls out there. One time they were even topless! I don’t know why I felt the need to share that.

    It’s a simple story with simple but abject violence. I read one byline that said this will make you never want to go camping again. The hunt is on! Go see it thriller/horror fans.

    9/10

  • Some Freaks (2016)

    Some Freaks (2016)
    1h 37min | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 4 August 2017 (USA)

    A charming romance develops between a boy with one eye and an overweight girl, though when she loses her weight after going to college, their relationship is tested in devastating ways they never dreamed would happen.
    Director: Ian MacAllister McDonald
    Writer: Ian MacAllister McDonald
    Stars: Thomas Mann, Marin Ireland, Lily Mae Harrington

    This is the director’s first endeavor and I applaud him for what he has done here.

    I can’t speak for the “studs” and homecoming queens of the world because I was most certainly a geek and maybe even a nerd by all standards. It’s those types this film appeals to. An overweight, but pretty, girl gets in the good graces of older men by giving them blowjobs. Through time she gets away from that but still has trouble believing anyone could really love her. At the same time, a young man with a glass eye and a very geeky disposition starts falling for her but his relationship skills are certainly lacking as well. What results is a roller coaster of emotions from both of them as they enter into a serious relationship. Maybe that’s too early in life to be trying that? The middle 8 is that she gets hot. Through working out and changing her diet, you almost can’t recognize her. This makes for a whole new set of dysfunction. Do we sometimes love people because they are too ugly to leave? This is one thought woven through.

    An interesting side character is the jock/bully who has an eye for the “fat girl.” This was a little unclear in its presentation but I think it shows that even the pretty people have hidden ugly things that keep them from true love.

    This is a fun little independent high school movie. It’s also deeper than usual for the genre. Some of the characters are a little hard to interpret and the best friend of the young man is horribly miscast. Maybe he knew someone on the casting committee?

    7/10

  • Rock of Ages (2012)

    Rock of Ages (2012)
    PG-13 | 2h 3min | Comedy, Drama, Musical | 15 June 2012 (USA)

    A small town girl and a city boy meet on the Sunset Strip, while pursuing their Hollywood dreams.
    Director: Adam Shankman
    Writers: Justin Theroux (screenplay), Chris D’Arienzo (screenplay) | 2 more credits »
    Stars: Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise

    Adam Michael Shankman (born November 27, 1964) is an American film director, producer, dancer, author, actor, and choreographer. He was a judge on the television program So You Think You Can Dance on seasons 3-10. Unfortunately, he didn’t bring his Broadway dance skills to this film.

    A small town girl like the one in the Journey song goes to LA to get famous. She ends up as a waitress in a seedy bar. There you have the foundation for this film. I had the fortune to see the musical at the Pantages twice and while I liked the film enough, it did not compete with the marvel on stage. It was the same story for the mega hit Mamma Mia. Maybe it’s because I enjoy stage musicals so much.

    Tom cruise IS hilarious as Stacee Jaxx, the travel has been rocker. He pulls off the role but in an entirely different way. Having said all that criticism, I would recommend it because the music from the 80’s is amazing and there are some really great jokes in it. You should laugh I would imagine. For me, it just was substandard though so I gave it

    5/10

  • Nina Forever

    “I’m so sorry.” Rob

    I think viewers will find there isn’t much more that Rob can say. His girlfriend has come back from the dead to haunt him and his new love interest every time they have sex.

    Nina Forever (2015)
    Cast
    Fiona O’Shaughnessy

    as Nina

    Abigail Hardingham

    as Holly

    Cian Barry

    as Rob

    Directed by
    Ben Blaine
    Chris Blaine

    Written by
    Ben Blaine
    Chris Blaine

    Other Info

    Comedy, Horror, Romance
    Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, bloody images, and language
    1h 38min

    The film is a surprising triumph as a horror movie. I didn’t detect much romance. The black humor is such that we’ve never seen but you find remnants of it in “American Werewolf in London,” “Reanimator” and other campy horror extant. There is a lot of nudity but it’s hard to find it sexual given the subject matter. I kept asking myself, “What is really being said here?”

    For me it worked on one level as that nagging depression one feels after a breakup or even after a romantic lover has died. Thankfully for me, I haven’t had to experience the latter. Rob has. He even unsuccessfully tries to commit suicide to escape his sadness. Nine is never going to let him forget her, or so it seems.

    I like the tone of this film, both somber and scary with a bit of sarcastic humor thrown in. It’s blood along with sexual content is woven into a really great horror movie. I kept wondering what would happen next. For me that’s the sign of a great “any genre” movie. This one didn’t make me jump out of my seat but I liked being out of control, watching how far the movie would venture out beyond what we’ve seen before. There is a twist I didn’t see coming, nothing earth shattering but I applaud the writers for it.

    I’ll look for more for this directing duo in the future. I did feel it got a little repetitive toward the final 1/4 of the film. We’d see the events go in a circle enough and it could have ended about 2-40 minutes earlier ad I would have been content. I think they fell victim to thinking their quirky idea was so innovative it would carry a movie of 1h 38min. For me, I wanted another smaller idea to break things up. Unfortunately, it dragged toward the end for me so it lost a star. For horror fans, this is a MUST SEE! I recommend.