Editor’s Note: We love our readers. We even love them when they tell us that we suck. We especially love our readers who point out that there are films made outside of ‘Merica. Great films. Here is a list of recommended films submitted by Dave Thatcher.
Well, Goat, far be it from me to not be petty enough to rise to an internet challenge against my eloquence slapped down in all caps. However, since what counts as Ruthless nowadays is recommending part 8 of the second highest grossing franchise in movie history, part 15 of the highest grossing, version 6 of the 9th, and version 11 of the 5th as if people were not already going to line up to see them means the bar is low enough for me to give it an attempt.
In fairness John Wick 2 doesn’t have the above broad recognition, but does have a solid cult following after the surprisingly good first movie. Heck even the Keanu Reeves gun training clip has around 900,000 YouTube views. And I am not shitting on any of these films, I will likely line up with a billion other customers to watch them all, but something that needs a recommendation on a niche website they are not. Unless the 3 out of 5 superhero movies listed are now considered part of an obscure genre.
So to the meat, the 5 other films I would recommend people look out for in 2017 are as follows:
Firstly to emphasize I am not hating on superhero movies; Guardians, the Russian version of the Avengers will likely not add much startlingly new to the genre. However it has all the silly earnestness of a good comic book film without the mugging for the inside joke or clever reference Marvel is descending into. Also unlike every Marvel film I can’t tell you in advance who is going to survive to the end of the film. Finally appreciation has to be given to a special effects driven film made on 1/10th of Robert Downey Junior’s last paycheck.
It isn’t all about obscure or foreign films either, Dunkirk. Christopher Nolan’s dramatization of the famous evacuation during WWII, this is one to look forward to as it will be the first of Nolan’s features since Insomnia set in the real world without fantastical or science fiction elements, and the first based on real events. It will be interesting to see if a director famous for making the fantastic believable can make a reality entertaining without the addition of those fantastic elements. Its also a tough field to stand out in, with over 70 years of WWII films in the back catalogues, can a film about a story we all know still move us today?
A film worth watching for the title alone is the female version of the Jean-Claude Van Damme starring Bloodsport. Unlike the eye-bleedingly terrible Ghostbusters, Lady Bloodfight is making the wise decision to not hang on its predecessors coat-tails but just use the base story to make a film with its own flavor. The star Amy Johnston you likely will have only heard mention of before as the female stunt double for every superhero movie in the last five years, so I expect her acting talents to be on par with JCVD.
Directed by Greg Mclean of Wolf Creek and written by James Gunn of Guardians of the Galaxy (which makes 4 films in a row with a superhero connection) looks to be a taught Saw style horror thriller. Where an office building of people are forced to murder each other or face random execution themselves. Pleasingly the trailer gives away no explanation beyond that, who is behind it, why it is happening, and is there an out? All are a mystery which is the perfect set up to this kind of film.
https://youtu.be/AJ0x3OS4ML0
Now at mention of that title, I can forgive a raised eye of skepticism, Death Race 1, 2, and 3 released between 2008 and 2013 are dumpster fires of forgettable cinema, and if you have been lucky enough to miss them I couldn’t even recommend as a drinking game. However, Death Race 2050 is unrelated to any of that crap and is the sequel/reboot to one of the greatest cult films ever made, Death Race 2000. as a prime suspect for a worldwide cocaine shortage: DR 2050 appears to have found a new dealer and has been made by the (in)famous Roger Corman and mirrors the style and effects of the original with a couple of minor flourishes for what we expect in future tech. Now in honesty this has a very high chance of failure, it is relying on 40yr old nostalgia and hoping to catch lightning in a bottle twice, but what glorious failure it could be.