Movies

Watching a film about a plane crashing while you're on a flight slicing through a storm might sound like a recipe for tension, but it’s a unique juxtaposition that turned my viewing of "Plane" into an unforgettable experience. Jean-François Richet's 2023 action thriller transformed what could have been a predictable disaster narrative into a gripping tale of survival and redemption. As my aircraft swayed ominously through the tempest, Gerard Butler and Mike Colter delivered a story within the story, elevating my expectations from their storm-induced low to soaring heights of captivating cinema.

When I stumbled upon the 2024 action flick "Aftermath," directed by Patrick Lussier and starring Mason Gooding, Dylan Sprouse, Megan Stott, and Dichen Lachman, I braced myself for a thrill ride filled with suspense and explosive action. Instead, what I got was a front-row seat to a demolition derby of filmmaking: a spectacular collision of bad scriptwriting, painful performances, and puzzling plot choices that could run circles around any B-movie cache.

As an avid follower of The Roundup series, I approached this latest chapter with hope that it would carry forward the same storytelling marvel that earmarked its preceding siblings. Unfortunately, the film wasn’t quite the high-stakes rollercoaster ride I had hoped for.

After unexpectedly diving into the Korean cinematic universe over the weekend, I resurfaced with The Roundup: No Way Out, an action-packed crime film from 2023. This film, directed by Lee Sang-yong and starring searing talents like Ma Dong-seok, Lee Joon-hyuk, and Munetaka Aoki, offers a thrilling blend of action, humor, and a head-spinning storyline, marking the third installment in the popular Roundup series.

With the promise of Ma Dong-seok reprising his role as Detective Ma Seok-do, an element of familiarity added to my excitement for this film, despite my apprehension about the grist for the sequel mill.

As the first installment of the acclaimed "The Roundup" series, the film boasts its grounding in reality, centered on the infamous incidents that occurred in the Chinatown of Garibong-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul in 2004 and 2007. Released in 2017, this South Korean crime-action film was then, a newcomer director Kang Yoon-sung's debut, featuring prominent actors Ma Dong-seok, known to many as Don Lee, and Yoon Kye-sang.

To be honest, my expectations for "Rogue City", helmed by French filmmaker Olivier Marchal and released on Netflix in 2020 were perhaps unremarkable - a typical police drama, heavy on grit but light on depth, was what I foresaw. But within the film’s intricate maze of tragedy, violence, and corruption, I found a stunningly complex narrative and compelling performances from the likes of French cinema veterans Jean Reno and Lannick Gautry.

Picture this: waking up in a city you don’t recognize, your identity a mystery, and apparently, for the two hours you’re about to spend with "Man with No Past", that's not all you will forget. James Bamford, the illustrious director of such concepts as laying waste to potential, graces us with this gem on the small screen.

"Den of Thieves 2: Pantera" takes the baton from its predecessor and sprints into new territory, evolving from raw intensity to a polished, character-centric narrative that glistens with refinement. Released in early 2025, this sequel features Gerard Butler returning as the indefatigable Sheriff Nick O'Brien, with O'Shea Jackson Jr. reprising his role as the enigmatic Donnie Wilson.

In "Den of Thieves," a film that firmly plants its roots in the pantheon of heist dramas, audiences are lured into a world where the lines between lawmen and outlaws blur, creating an enthralling narrative reminiscent of classics like "Heat" and "The Usual Suspects".