DAMIEN RILEY, world musician and performer

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  • Sully

    Tom Hanks once again plays an average American and gives the world someone to believe in. Captain Sully is a decorated pilot who has to crash-land an airplane in the Hudson river. It’s a compelling story for sure but some viewers may find it dull and mundane. If you were ever curious about what happened in this news story, filmmaker Clint Eastwood has a video tale to tale you.

    sully

    Sully
    Cast

    Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Valerie Mahaffey

    Directed by

    Clint Eastwood

    Written by

    Todd Komarnicki, Chesley Sullenberger

    Other Info

    Biography, Drama
    PG-13
    Fri 09 Sep 2016 UTC
    96min
    IMDB Rating: 7.5

    The rest of this review contains spoilers.

    To borrow from David Spade: I liked this movie better when it was Flight. One thing I notice with older film makers like Clint Eastwood is that they tend to make movies they think will make a historical contribution. This is admirable but be advised these types of films are often not exciting. In fact, they can be quite boring.

    There is great acting in this film but that’s not enough to justify this story being a movie. I think a tv special would have been a better suited genre. I did like the ending, it surprised me. When the panel somehow had a paradigm shift and suspended all judgement of Sully, it was gratifying. Just like in Flight, he is in a lot of trouble the entire length of the film. Unfortunately for me, I feel the story dragged on and I just didn’t find the science that makes up at least 50% of the investigation and the movie interesting. I can’t recommend this film for anyone but that’s not to say pilots and fans of the real sully won’t like it.

  • O Brother Where Art Thou?

    This kind of humor hits fast and hard with some people, for others it has to grow on them a bit. Regardless, for my “folding money” this is some of the funniest stuff in film. I’ve seen this film probably 10 times and it just gets funnier every time I see it. A mix of early Americana and the Odyssey by Homer makes for this hilarious film of crime, salvation, old country/folk music, and comedy.

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    I wasn’t really a Clooney fan until I saw this film. He has a recurring line he says that always cracks me up, “We’re in a tight spot.” The fact of the matter is, they are quite often in a tight spot. The cat and mouse chases are most of what makes this film a laugh a minute.

    In an allegory to Homer’s Odyssey, some men escape from prison to go on the road. They make their way through recording on the radio, meeting interesting people, escaping close calls with the Ku Klux Klan, and a few other scenes you have to see to truly “get.”

    John Goodman reminds them “it’s all about the money” and beats them all with a stick. That’s a funny scene but this film is about a lot more than just money, it has soul. I recommend this film for fans of the Cohen Brothers’ films and those into bluegrass roots and music. Watch it with an open mind since it is not straight ahead comedy. If you can get what it’s doing, you’ll have a good old-time enjoying this country folk crime ride. This film ranks in my top 15 for sure.

  • The Departed (2007)

    The Departed (2007)

    We have a gangster vs cops film here that really takes you to another place. That’s something I really value in a movie. Scorcese is a master at that. He also knows how to make films about men trying to become their inner vision of themselves be that tough cops or wayward gangsters. The story is inspired by Infernal Affairs (2002) by Alan Mak and Andrew Lau, one of the most successful Hong Kong films to date.

    I’m writing on this one for the blogathon because it is set in Boston rather than, say, New York or Vegas, like other gangster films. The scenery and cinematography is fantastic and effortless. It begins with a soda fountain scene that could have been clipped and pasted from in “GoodFellas.” Two men start the film: One becomes the cop undercover as gangster, the other becomes the gangster undercover as cop.

    This is one of Matt Damon’s best. One thing we learn is that no one is to be trusted. The question is not whether the law is flawed. Instead, we question “Who will/would testify against the evils?” Furthermore, who really is evil? It might be true it presents a system, a world where it can be sinister and still moral as long as it doesn’t appear sinister. A rule of thumb for those in public office?

    FINAL WORD
    Scorcese is a maestro of film making. He takes ordinary people and visits extraordinary pain and struggle upon them. These men, however have a romantic vision of themselves and we see them work toward that self-image in most every film he’s done. The acting here is incredible, if you’ve seen the film you probably agree I’m right. I highly recommend The Departed. Please leave me a comment about your impressions of this Boston based film.

    10/10

    By Damien Riley
    rileyonfilm.com
    @rileyonfilm

  • The Void (2016)

    Scary

    The Void

    The Void

    “Shortly after delivering a patient to an understaffed hospital, a police officer experiences strange and violent occurrences seemingly linked to a group of mysterious hooded figures.” -IMDB

    Cast

    Aaron Poole Daniel Carter
    Kenneth Welsh Dr. Richard Powell
    Daniel Fathers The Father
    Kathleen Munroe Allison Fraser

    Directed by

    Jeremy Gillespie, Steven Kostanski

    Written by

    Steven Kostanski, Jeremy Gillespie

    Other Info

    Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
    Not Rated
    Fri 07 Apr 2017 UTC
    90min
    IMDB Rating: 6.0

    Movie Review components:

    Director (with previous work and rep), actors (with character names& commentary)

    My Summary

    FINAL THOUGHTS

  • Beyond the Gates (2016)

    Recently I saw Drive and it had that 80’s background synthesizer mood. Soon that I saw Turbo Kid that had similar background music. Could this be coming back? It works for me!

    Beyond the Gates (2016)
    Not Rated | 1h 24min | Adventure, Horror | 9 December 2016 (USA)
    Two estranged brothers reunite at their missing father’s video store and find a VCR board game dubbed ‘Beyond The Gates’ that holds a connection to their father’s disappearance.

    Director: Jackson Stewart
    Writers: Stephen Scarlata, Jackson Stewart
    Stars: Graham Skipper, Chase Williamson, Brea Grant

    This one does uses that 80’s synth sound too only it’s decidedly a horror/thriller film unlike the thriller Drive or comedy action Turbo Kid. When your budget is low, you have to get creative with sets and effects. This film indeed does that effectively. What better concept for a film like this than a VHS tape that opens the door of hell?

    The story revolves around a guy, his girlfriend, and his estranged brother who he grew up with in a small town. The protagonist’s dad owned a VHS store there and so the protagonist and his brother spent a lot of time hanging around the movies and playing with reminders and other equipment there. They stumble across a tape that is what used to be known as a VHS RPG. In this case they are given clues on how to get “beyond the gates” and reunite with their father who has mysteriously disappeared.

    There is blood and guts and it ends up being a pretty “jump scary” film. Even so, a goofy vibe permeates the whole film. It reminds me of the inside jokes of nerds from high school woven into a film that most viewers wouldn’t laugh at or be scared by. Nonetheless, I found it a lot of fun. The ending is ridiculous but it takes itself so seriously you can’t help but find it satisfying.

    Final Thoughts
    Beyond the Gates is a low budget horror/thriller that brings you back to the 80’s horror mood. The synthesized music seems a virtual red carpet for Michael Jackson’s dancing thriller zombies. The effects are creative, though not very believable yet that isn’t important in this fun under-produced film about playing a VHS tape that opens the door of hell. I would say that not all will “get” this one. It took me two sits to actually finish it. Still, if you can shut the world out and just enjoy low budget horror with a somewhat silly story, this is your movie. To you and fans like you (like me), I recommend it.

    7/10

  • Captain Fantastic

    Finally, a movie where Viggo Mortensen can come out of his shell. He’s a dad who tries to raise his kids in his out outdoor, survivalist image with mixed results. With an excellent cast, well written script, and superior directing, This is one of my favorite films of the year.

    Captain Fantastic
    Cast

    Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Samantha Isler, Annalise Basso

    Directed by

    Matt Ross

    Written by

    Matt Ross

    Other Info

    Comedy, Drama
    R
    Fri 29 Jul 2016 UTC
    118min
    IMDB Rating: 7.9

    The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, so they say. You’ll have to wait and see in this film. All his many kids seem to respect him. This is true even when he orders them to eat the heart of the animal they killed and then carve it up for a meal. There are no mall trips or iPhones for Christmas.

    As I watched this I kept wondering: “Is this a loving act?”

    When the mom dies of cancer, the kids want to go to her funeral. Dad takes them and meets a lot of extended family conflict. It’s understandable they judge him, from a certain “civilized” point of view.

    The ending brings the message home. I think this is the author and director’s vision for all of us. Love is always love whether in or out of civilized society. I loved everything about this film. I recommend it to all movie fans, especially parents of young adults.

    7/10