Crime Thriller – Matthew Liedke on Film

REVIEW: ‘Is God Is’ is pretty God damn good

What’s better than a roaring rampage of revenge? A roaring rampage of revenge with a two protagonists.

That’s what audiences can expect in “Is God Is.” The film is an adaptation of a play by the same name, penned by Aleshea Harris, who makes her feature film debut as the writer and director of the movie. The picture follows a pair of twins, Racine ( Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson) who are on a mission.

As children, they were forced to witness their mother, Ruby, be burned in a murder attempt by their abusive father, known only as The Monster (Sterling K. Brown). They themselves were burned, too, and the Monster got off free in court. Because of her injuries, Ruby was unable to raise her kids, but now on her death bed, she asks her two daughters to get revenge.

REVIEW: ‘Just an Accident’ has strong moments, but isn’t great as a whole

The lingering trauma of political and government oppression can last long after the acts of violence and imprisonment take place.

That’s what’s shown in “It Was Just an Accident”. The movie mainly centers on Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri), a mechanic who one night recognizes the voice of a man stopping by the garage he works in. Vahid, who believes that man was once a guard at an Iranian prison who regularly engaged in torture and mistreatment, kidnaps the individual.

Driven by anger, Vahid is looking to exact justice on the man who notably has a prosthetic leg. However, he’s still unsure if it’s the right person, and wants to confirm the identity. To do so, he brings in others who were wrongfully held in the prison and mistreated to see if they can ID the man.

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REVIEW: Plaza positively shines in ‘Emily the Criminal’

Aubrey Plaza showed great acting skills in 2020’s “Black Bear” and she has followed it up with another strong performance this time around.

As the title implies, Plaza plays a young woman named Emily. Carrying a troubled past with her, Emily is down on her luck, working a bad job and paying off seemingly insurmountable loans.

Needing more income, she reluctantly decides to get involved in a credit card scam ring. While Emily starts having success, though, it pulls her deeper into a dangerous situation.

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