68 Kill

Action, Comedy, Crime

Available on VOD: 10 januari 2019

Director: Trent Haaga

Cast: Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds, (500) Days of Summer), AnnaLynne McCord (90210, Officer Down, Scorned), Alisha Boe (13 Reasons Why), Sheila Vand (Argo)

Scraping by flushing septic systems is not his vision of a perfect life, but Chip (Gubler) is a simple guy and he’s got a great girlfriend in Liza (McCord). Sure, she supplements their income with a sugar daddy, but every relationship has its own complexities. When she suggests that they relieve her sleazy benefactor of a stack of cash, Chip begins to see a side of her he never knew existed…or never wanted to admit. Now he’s got a gun in his hand, a girl in his trunk and less than 24 hours to figure his way out of this mess.

• Variety.com: A zesty black comedy whose nebbish hero gets subjected to a prolonged ordeal of painful misfortunes. viewers and programmers with a taste for midnight-movie outrageousness will cotton to its mix of sleaze, quease and bad-taste absurdism.
• Bloody-disgusting.com: For those seeking a viciously violent, amazingly cast and hilarious thriller, 68 Kill delivers on levels that few recent efforts have. This film’s singular vision of the dark side is brutally entertaining. Its idea of gender and masculinity are more old-fashioned than they need to be, but that doesn’t stop the female leads from giving balls-to-the-wall incredible performances. For this alone, this one is worth watching. This brand of insanity doesn’t come along often.
• Wegotthiscovered.com: This wacky gender standoff rocks and rolls as a late-night siren should. Haaga is back, funny and fucked-up as ever. 68 Kills feels like a short Tarantino story; a bloody late-nighter that features an unstoppable genre role for AnnaLynne McCord.
• Dailydead.com: Charm-Filled, Southern-Fried Caper, a wickedly fun heist movie that subverts genre fan’s expectations by playing around with gender conventions, delivering several impressive storytelling swerves that genuinely kept me guessing up until the very end.
• Filmthrills.com: Part of the beauty of 68 Kill stems from Haaga reversing the gender dynamics we’re used to seeing in this kind of uber violent, modern noir film. Not only Chip is the one in consistent need of rescue by one of the women in his life, but he’s often reduced to cringing and whimpering mess. With 68 Kill, Haaga delivers a crowd pleasing, high octane thriller that is well worth your time and energy.
• iHorror.com: Trent Haaga’s “68 Kill” is a Bloody Masterpiece of Feminism, Anti-Stereotypes and Dark Humor.
• ScreamHorrormag.com: Leaves us with virtually nowhere to hide from its bawdiness, frenzied brutality and kinky, kooky humour; all buoyed by a totally talented, committed and game cast.
• Talkfilmsociety.com: Takes the audience along through a number of wild scenarios, adorned with a series of dimensionalized, grounded characters. While a number of them are deranged psychotics (for lack of a better word), they always capture your attention, and make you wonder just where the story is going to go next. 68 Kill comes well recommended.

Ambushed

Action, Crime

Available on VOD: 8 april 2014

Director: Giorgio Serafini

Cast: Daniel Bonjour (Allan Quatermain and the Temple of Skulls), Carly Pope (Textuality, Young People Fucking, Elysium), Gianni Capaldi (A Certain Justice), Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables 1/2, Universal Soldier, SAF3), Randy Couture (The Expendables 1 & 2), Vinnie Jones (Snatch, Hijacked, X-Men: The Last Stand), Susie Abromeit (World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles)

In the frenetic underbelly of Los Angeles, Agent Maxwell closes in on an international cocaine smuggling operation run by criminal mastermind Vincent Camastra. When Agent Beverly Royce goes undercover with the drug dealers and finds herself deeper then she can handle - the case becomes personal for Maxwell who has to combat ruthless killers and dirty cops in an all-out action filled finale to bring the criminals to justice.

• 1nfluxmagazine.com: Entertains from beginning to end. Kudos to the director on this one.
• Bringthenoiseuk.com: An entertaining action film. We enjoyed Ambushed; there was action, drama and a healthy dose of reality.
• Dansmoviereport.blogspot.nl: the action and interplay between Vincent and Eddie make for a fun 90 minutes.
• Silverscreenslags.com: Ambushed is a slick slice of B-Movie action that is perfect for an evening of switching off and relaxing. Serafini directs with an understated professionalism and there are enjoyable performances from Bonjour and Capaldi, as well as higher-profile stars Couture, Jones, and Lundgren.
• Blu-ray.com: enjoyable character dynamics, decent performances, a fair pacing, and a plot that isn't needlessly complicated
• DVDTalk.com: it ups the sex and violence factor enough that, with a few okay twists thrown in, it's a fine pizza and a six pack movie.. Rent it.
• The-Other-View.com: "Ambushed is an intricate web of greed, loyalty, and betrayal, linking together multiple characters and stories into one climatic and explosive ending."
• DansMovieReport.blogspot.nl: the action and interplay between Vincent and Eddie make for a fun 90 minutes.

Asher

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 7 maart 2019

Director: Michael Caton-Jones

Cast: Famke Janssen (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Taken Trilogy), Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Drive, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Richard Dreyfuss (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Book Club), Peter Facinelli (The Twilight Sagas, Nurse Jackie, S.W.A.T.), Jacqueline Bisset (Miss You Already, Bullit)

Asher (Ron Perlman) is a former Mossad agent turned gun for hire, living an austere life in an ever-changing Brooklyn. Approaching the end of his career, he breaks the oath he took as a young man when he meets Sophie (Famke Janssen) on a hit gone wrong. In order to have love in his life before it's too late, he must kill the man he was, for a chance at becoming the man he wants to be.

• Chicago.suntimes.com: Thanks to the great performances by Perlman and the supporting cast; a knowing and literate script by Jay Zaretsky, and the slick direction of Michael Caton-Jones, this is a sparkling black diamond of film noir.
• Hollywoodreporter.com: Terrific performance by Perlman, who infuses the title character with a compelling, world-weary gravitas. His Asher is so quietly sympathetic that, should the occasion arise, you might almost wish to be done in by him yourself. Janssen is equally good, lending subtle grace notes to what could have been a one-dimensional romantic interest.
• Blu-ray.com: Asher is supported by Perlman’s lead performance, and he’s terrific here with his typical understated ways and intimidation factor. He also plays vulnerability with grace, giving the hardened man a few openings around Sophie, making the most of his unusual chemistry with Janssen.  A commendable performance or intriguing study of the human experience, with director Michael Caton-Jones maintaining impressive control over the tone of the movie.
• Cinemasojourns.com: Perlman and Janssen have great on-screen chemistry.
• Jbspins.blogspot.com: Caton-Jones has the right touch for this material, maintaining a vibe that is dark and serious, yet somehow also light. Despite all of Asher’s brooding and seething, the film moves along at a spritely tempo. This is not a monumental cinematic statement, but it is an entertaining (yet surprisingly honest) film that Perlman’s fans will particularly enjoy.
• Prettyvacantone.com: Thoughtful dramedy Asher offers a killer time.
• Eu.azcentral.com: You'll root for this aging hitman.
• Latimes.com: Perlman has a physical presence that makes him look like he stepped off the cover of a paperback. He brings soul to this old hired gun.

Backtrace

Action, Crime

Available on VOD: 9 mei 2019

Director: Brian A Miller

Cast: Sylvester Stallone (Expendables, Rambo, Creed), Matthew Modine (Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Full Metal Jacket, The Dark Knight Rises), Ryan Guzman (Step Up 4 Miami Heat, Pretty Little Liars), Colin Egglesfield (Something Borrowed, The Client List, All My Children), Meadow Williams (Den of Thieves)

A heist-gone-wrong in a quiet town results in multiple deaths – and a survivor, MacDonald, whose wounds left him unable to remember where the 20 million dollar is stashed. When a mysterious trio break MacDonald out of a mental hospital to recover the cash, they inject him with an experimental serum that sends his mind careening into other eras – and revealing the secrets of his mind. As a local cop (Stallone) and an FBI agent close in, MacDonald fights to recall the robbery before a long-forgotten enemy follows the clues and catches up to him.

• Backtothemovies.com: Sly shines in this compelling flick. Backtrace stands above most of the straight to VOD actioneers with a compelling turn by Matthew Modine with a foundation of Sylvester Stallone’s on-screen gravitas.
• Blazingminds.co.uk: a movie that had me glued to from start to finish, with it opening with all guns blasting with Mathew Modine in a shootout when a heist goes wrong and then moving along with the introduction of Stallone character with the heart-pounding opening soundtrack.

Bent

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 17 mei 2018

Director: Bobby Moresco

Cast: Karl Urban (Star Trek, Thor Ragnarok), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family, Chef), Andy Garcia (The Godfather, The Untouchables, Geostorm)

BENT follows Danny Gallagher (Karl Urban), a discredited narcoticsdetective who, upon his release from prison, makes plans to seekrevenge on the accuser who framed him and killed his partner.Through his quest, Gallagher is forced to confront a ruthless,seductive government agent (Sofi a Vergara), who may or may not beon his side; and his mentor (Andy Garcia), a retired cop who’s fought corruption his entire career.

• Cinemarter.com: It has strong production values, some pretty decent acting, and good cinematography. It’s nice to see Karl Urban get a leading role!
• ThatMomentIn.com: Karl Urban is fun to watch.  The film is loaded with some good performances and direction.
• ThePragueReperter.com: Bent is a serviceable, slickly-produced 90s-style detective thriller.

Beyond the Law

Action, Crime

Available on VOD: 4 juni 2020

Director: James Cullen Bressack

Cast: Steven Seagal (Under Siege, A Dangerous Man, Executive Decision), Johnny Messner (Tears of the Sun, Hostage, Running Scared), DMX (Cradle 2 the Grave, Exit Wounds)

A former mobster turned businessman and a police detective must contend with a dirty ex-cop looking to bring the killer of his son to justice.

• TheActionElite.com: Beyond the Law is one of Seagal's better films of late even if he doesn't do all that much; this is Johnny Messner’s show and he gets to be broody and badass while he’s out for revenge.
• Actionreladed.com: Overall its a solid action thriller featuring a cool cast line up. The story keeps you hooked and has some twists too it.
• Carlosdev.wordpress.com: Seagal still has plenty of presence.
• Monsterhuntermoviereviews.com: Such a clear-eyed approach to the pitfalls of a life of crime could only be dispensed by that braggadocios behemoth, Steven Seagal.

Blue Iguana

Comedy, Crime

Available on VOD: 4 oktober 2018

Director: Hadi Hajaig

Cast: Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Oscar!), Moon), Ben Schwartz (How to Be a Latin Lover), Phoebe Fox (Eye in the Sky), Peter Ferdinando (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), Al Weaver (Love Is Thicker Than Water)

Ex-jailbirds Eddie (Sam Rockwell) and Paul (Ben Schwartz) are on parole and working in a New York diner. They’re best buddies and a team, but their lives are a dead end. That is, until English lawyer Katherine Rookwood (Phoebe Fox) walks into the diner with an offer they can’t refuse.
Her plan takes them to London. The prize they seek is a fabulous gem called the Blue Iguana. Up until this point Eddie and Paul’s outrageous antics have never had serious consequences and they’ve always wriggled out of danger, with a wisecrack, a weapon and a smile. But this time, the man who stands in their way is a psychotic small-time crime boss (Ferdinando). As the story plays along with all the black comic blood-letting, gunplay and danger, the unexpected consequence of Eddie and Katherine’s quest is True Love. 

• De humor is lekker absurdistisch en dat geeft deze film een frisse sfeer. Hajaig probeert echt iets nieuws te doen en dat siert haar. 4/5. Lees de hele review hier.
• RogerEbert.com: Achieves a certain goofball charm. Rockwell and Fox, in particular, do wonderfully well.
• Filmthreat.com: Sam Rockwell can do no wrong in the fast-paced action-caper genre and fans will love his performance. Ben Schwartz, on the other hand, holds his own portraying a decidedly different contrast to Rockwell. His performance is meant to be a little quirky as the hapless criminal. He’s fun to watch and never annoying. It gets a recommendation for Rockwell and Schwartz’s performance alone.
• Carlosdev.wordpress.com: A solidly entertaining and often fun piece of work.
• Thecriticalcritics.com: There are many hilarious aspects at work here, and there is enough creativity and technical know-how awash throughout the film to keep audiences pinned to their seats. Snappy dialogue and technical innovation, enough to garnering several small laughing fits.
• Eyeforfilm.co.uk: The great British crime caper is alive and kicking in the 21st Century. An enjoyable evening's entertainment.Fanboynation.com: Fun to watch this cast as a crew of often inept criminals.
• JBSpins.blogspot.com: A lot of fans will be very curious to see Rockwell in such a different context, so it is nice to be able to assure them that he does not disappoint. Hajaig wrote and helmed a breezy romp that actually skips over the Tarantino era, drawing inspiration from the uber-cool 1980s and the colorfully tacky 1970s. It is a nice balance of attitude and nostalgia that should garner enthusiastic word-of-mouth. Recommended for caper movie fans.
• Punchdrunkcritics.com: The budding romance between Sam's character, Eddie, and Phoebe's character, Katherine, that due to their chemistry is fun to watch.
• Thatmomentin.com: The cast is all up for the gig, with Schwartz working hard and a delightfully unhinged Peter Ferdinando as the mullet-wearing Deacon Bradshaw chewing up every scene he’s in. Rockwell is of course great fun to watch, earning some good moments with Fox and being the best reason to give this a look.

Bring Him To Me

Action, Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 28 maart 2024

Director: Luke Sparke

Cast: Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Thor - Love and Thunder), Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under, Total Control), Barry Pepper (True Grit, Maze Runner 2 and 3)

Under orders from a ruthless crime boss, a getaway driver must battle his conscience and drive an unsuspecting crew member to an ambush execution. There is a long drive ahead.

• Filmink.com.au: Pepper and crew treat their characters with depth.
• Glamadelaide.com.au: Sensational acting by all and the tense script as the drama unfolds in flashbacks where we come to know our main character’s lives, will have you championing for them. An engaging movie well worth the watch!
• Walkdenentertainment.com: Barry Pepper is fantastic playing a skilled getaway driver and gives a solid performance. Naturally, actor Sam Neill carries an enjoyable presence on screen as a ruthless man keen for revenge.
• Livingartscanberra.com.au: The moral imperative is at the forefront of this film – you do need to look behind the blood and gore for it – and Barry Pepper’s understated performance is perfect for the role. This is a film for action junkies.

The Con Is On

Comedy, Crime

Available on VOD: 1 november 2018

Director: James Oakley

Cast: Uma Thurman (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Percy Jackson & the Olympians), Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs, The Hateful Eight), Stephen Fry (Gosford Park, V for Vendetta, A Bit of Fry and Laurie), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family, Chef), Maggie Q (Divergent, Nikita, Mission Impossible III ), Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness, Men in Black 3), Parker Posey (For Your Consideration, Superman Returns, The Oh in Ohio)

HARRIET (Thurman) and PETER FOX (Roth) are a pair of badly behaved British con-artists.  After they suffer a huge loss in poker to a psychotic gangster, IRINA (Maggie Q), they flee to Los Angeles to try and buy time until they can come up with the money.  They concoct a convoluted plan to steal a ring from Peter’s rich ex-wife JACKIE (Alice Eve).  After several failed attempts and crazy shenanigans, the couple manages to evade Irina, fool Jackie, and get the ring.  The two sell the ring and decide to retire to Brazil and give up their life of crime.  However, as they board the plane, a very pricy diamond necklace around a passenger’s neck gives them other ideas...

• LATimes.com: A stylish caper with enjoyably wry, martini-soaked dialogue and a terrific comedic turn by Uma Thurman as a glamorous British scam artist.
• RogerEbert.com: Excellent cast. It's great to see Thurman in a movie star part again.
• Flickeringmyth.com: While the characters are all over-the-top caper archetypes, the cast seems to be having the time of their lives. Tim Roth is trying his hardest to beat Gary Oldman's nicotine poisoning in Darkest Hour by drinking ALL the martinis and straight vodkas in the world, to the point where it seems of if he doesn't have a drink in his hand. He also shatters, drops, and otherwise breaks so many glasses I would not be surprised to hear their alcohol and glassware budget was comparable to the cocaine budget in Blues Brothers. Stephen Fry is a delight as usual, and he seems to be amused by all the other characters to really give a damn about the story.
• Reeltalkreviews.com: Thurman (Kill Bill) oozes so much glamour playing her morality-challenged character that she holds our interest in all of her scenes. Plus, Maggie Q (Divergent) makes a very relentless villain.
• Thatmomentin.com: Good work from Thurman and Roth, who both do well as curiously likable terrible people.

The Corrupted

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 3 oktober 2019

Director: Ron Scalpello

Cast: Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games, Adrift), Timothy Spall (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Denial), Charlie Murphy (The Foreigner, Peaky Blinders), Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Paddington), Noel Clarke (Star Trek Into Darkness, Brotherhood)

 Liam (Claflin), an ex-con determined to win back the love and trust of his family after his future was stolen from him by a crime syndicate led by Clifford Cullen (Spall), a mogul whose empire has infiltrated the highest levels of politics, finance and law enforcement. Liam soon finds himself caught up in a web of conspiracy and corruption, centering around the bloody land grab that took place before the Olympic Games came to the City of London. Forced to confront the past in order to stand a chance at a future, Liam will do anything to save those he loves.

• Hollywoodreporter.com: A stellar cast headlined by Timothy Spall, former Hunger Games regular Sam Claflin and Downton Abbey veteran Hugh Bonneville. A timely and gripping crime thriller.
• Radiotimes.com: oel Clarke stands out as a police detective on Spall's tail. A coherent conspiracy thriller, soaked in blood.
• TheGuardian.com: Strong dramatic scenes and grabby performances, not least from Timothy Spall.
• Emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com: A surprisingly gritty crime drama. 

Crime Story

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 7 oktober 2021

Director: Adam Lipsius

Cast: Richard Dreyfuss (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Book Club), Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite, Attack on Leningrad, The Replacement Killers), Cress Williams (Black Lightning, Fallen), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Bird Box, Gotti)

Ben Myers (Richard Dreyfuss) is an ailing ex-mobster who has lived a life filled with violence, crime, love, and loss. He is quickly taken out of retirement when one day, he comes home to discover that he’s been robbed of all his savings. instead of turning to his police detective daughter (Mira Sorvino), Ben tracks down the thieves in an increasingly brutal quest for answers that drives him to question what his life has been for.

• Blu-ray.com: Richard Dreyfuss finding his big mean again with an aggressive part ... compelling scenes of mental anguish.
• Bulletproofaction.com: qualifies for Old Man Action.
• Markreviewsmovies.com: a rather complex conflict within a family devastated by the sins of the father and the resentment of his children. 

The Deputy

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: TBA Q4 2025

Director: Matt Sukkar

Cast: William H. Macy (Fargo,Shameless, The Lincoln Lawyer), Duke Nicholson (Us, Crisis), Tiffany Haddish (Haunted Mansion, Girls Trip, Night School), Stephen Dorff (Blood for Dust, Immortals, Blade), Jake Weary (It Follows, Zombeavers, Altitude)

In the dead of night, part-time Deputy Toby Sawyer (Duke Nicholson), is jolted awake by Chief Krueger (William H. Macy) to guard a dead body until the coroner arrives. An hour later, the corpse mysteriously vanishes. Though an unlikely hero, Toby's frantic search to find the body exposes decades of wrongdoing, a truck full of immigrants, a freezer stuffed with cash, vengeful siblings, and several cops who have turned a blind eye, including Deputy Billy Banks (Stephen Dorff) who pressures Toby to ignore his findings. Only Deputy Amanda Jackson (Tiffany Haddish) appears trustworthy. Desperate to keep his job and provide for his family, Toby must unravel the town's deep corruption before his career - and himself - end up as dead as the missing victim.
Based on teh novel by Victor Gischler.

End of a Gun

Action, Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 1 november 2016

Director: Keoni Waxman

Cast: Steven Seagal (Under Siege, A Dangerous Man, Executive Decision), Alexandre Nguyen (Exodus to Shanghai), Jade Ewen

Decker (Seagal), an ex-federal agent, comes across a woman, Lisa, being beaten by her boyfriend, Decker, and is forced to kill the enraged man to save her. Instead of congratulations and thanks, Decker faces possible criminal charges. Lisa, knowing his situation, asks him to help her steal $2 million hidden within her boyfriend's car at the police impound lot. They successfully recover the money, but it only puts them in greater danger, as the money was supposed to be delivered to a druglord. He catches wind of their theft and sends a hit squad to recover the money. Meanwhile, a determined cop, alarmed at the number of bodies piling up around Decker, is also hot on his trail. Decker must turn to an unlikely ally to keep the cash, save a now kidnapped Lisa, and survive an epic gun battle with the kingpin's henchmen.

Filth

Comedy, Crime

Available on VOD: 13 juni 2016

Director: Jon S. Baird

Cast: James McAvoy (X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Victor Frankenstein), Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot, Fantastic Four, Snowpiercer, Jumper), Eddie Marsan (Jungle Book, Ray Donovan, Sherlock Holmes), Imogen Poots (Need for Speed, 28 Weeks Later), Pollyanna McIntosh (Filth, The Woman)

Scheming Bruce Robertson (James McAvoy), a bigoted and corrupt policeman, is in line for a promotion and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Enlisted to solve a brutal murder and threatened by the aspirations of his colleagues, including Ray Lennox (Jamie Bell), Bruce sets about ensuring their ruin.

• Cinemagazine 4,5 ster!! Met James McAvoy in de hoofdrol als de verknipte rechercheur Bruce Robertson neemt deze wervelende film je mee op een losbandige rit die gegarandeerd uit de bocht vliegt. De sterke cast is goed op elkaar ingespeeld en de dialogen en woordgrapjes flitsen razendsnel voorbij. Boven alles is het McAvoy die alles geeft, zonder gêne en zonder terughoudendheid, en daarmee 'Filth' naar een hoger niveau tilt. Lees de hele recensie hier.
• Rollingstone.com: McAvoy's bonkers brilliance will blow you away.
• Blu-ray.com: McAvoy's raging performance manages to keep "Filth" grounded with emotion, developing Bruce's ache as crisply as his lawlessness.
• Empireonline.com: A bulked-up James McAvoy dominates the screen in this razor-sharp Glasgow smile of a black comedy, packed with aberrant sex, hard drugs and maximum David Soul. And where Trainspotting was an ensemble piece, this is McAvoy's show, with a delirious, demonic performance that will surely see D. I. Robertson join Malcolm McDowell's Alex DeLarge and Tom Hardy's Charles Bronson in the pantheon of great British sociopaths.
• Influxmagazine.com: If you're a fan of Brit movies, Trainspotting, McAvoy or superb acting, then this is a film that shouldn't be missed. Filth is also a disturbing film, made easier to watch, thanks to the wicked humour and outstanding acting, but even if seen as a drama, it was still a tremendous movie. James McAvoy Gives His Best Ever Performance...
• Totalfilm.com: With McAvoy acting as if his life depends on it, Filth is the Irvine Welsh film we've been waiting years for. Tastier than a deep-fried Mars Bar.
• TheHollywoodReporter.com: Baird can be forgiven for a handful of careless and ham-fisted touches. Filth is still a hugely entertaining breath of foul air fueled by McAvoy's impressively ugly star performance.
• Telegraph.co.uk: Robertson himself is played by James McAvoy; his eyes hooded, his complexion Gollum-like, his beard a tone and texture that suggests it may have been recently used to scour out a deep-fat fryer. McAvoy, on his best form since Atonement, performs what might be the most dangerous balancing act by a leading man this year, teetering crazily between repugnant and pathetic without ever passing through likeable, and yet somehow never loses you in the process. loved every minute of Filth, and couldn't have stomached another second of it.
• Variety.com: Powered by a vigorous, image-shedding lead turn from James McAvoy as a coked-up Edinburgh detective on the fast track to either promotion or self-implosion, this descent into Scotch-marinated madness begins as ugly comedy, segues almost imperceptibly into farcical tragedy, and inevitably - perhaps intentionally - loses control in the process.
• Filmvandaag.nl: Filth is zeker een aanrader. Sarcasme en manipulatie voeren de boventoon, en de rol van James McAvoy is simpelweg briljant. Bovendien is het intrigerend om te weten te komen wat er achter het gedrag van Bruce schuilt. Ondanks de soms ietwat schokkende scènes weet deze film te boeien van begin tot eind.

He Who Dares - Downing Street Siege

Action, Crime

Available on VOD: 24 augustus 2015

Director: Paul Tanter

Cast: Ryan Winsley (Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek, Piggy), Russell Kilmister (The Meaning Of Live, Secret State), Tom Benedict Knight (Kick-Ass 2, White Collar Hooligan 2: England Away), Simon Phillips (He Who Dares)

The film will continue to follow the Special Air Service (SAS) anti–hijacking counter–terrorism team. In the triller, Christopher Lowe finds himself summoned to 10 Downing Street to be dishonorably discharged from the SAS for disobeying a direct order, despite the fact that he saved the Prime Minister's only daughter.

• Themoviewaffler.com: He Who Dares: Downing Street Siege has its niche target audience so tightly in its crosshairs, and caters exclusively and gleefully to it.

Hit by Lightning

Comedy, Crime, Romantic Comedy

Available on VOD: 15 december 2015

Director: Ricky Blitt

Cast: Stephanie Szostak (Iron Man Three, We Bought a Zoo, Dinner for Schmucks), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men, Due Date, Stay Cool), Will Sasso (Movie 43, The Three Stooges)

RICKY MILLER a sweet 40-plus manager of a Denny's type restaurant gets his prayers answered when he joins a dating site and meets DANITA – an impossibly beautiful woman who shares all his interests. He soon learns there's just one little catch – she's married and he has to kill her evil husband. Ricky shrugs – there's always going to be SOME baggage when you're both around 40. Ricky's best friend SETH finds out her monster husband is actually an ex-Rabbi who proves to be generous and affable when they finally meet him. Ricky is torn. Is Danita telling him the truth? Or is Seth right and she's a femme fatale, like Kathleen Turner in BODY HEAT, who's playing Ricky?

• LATimes.com: An offbeat rom-com that ventures down the film-noir path, "Hit by Lightning" manages to make dark comedy fresh by combining two formulas. Cryer and Sasso have impeccable comedic call and response that never skip a beat, which makes the film a pleasure.
• Blu-ray.com: Hit by Lightning features a bravely unglamorous performance from Cryer, who does away with traditional tricks of screen vanity to play Ricky as a soured, balding sad sack with no hope for a romantic future. The screenplay actually has some fun with the character's hair loss, watching Ricky trying to dye his way out of personal issues, hoping to appeal to Danita through the art of illusion. Cryer's comic timing remains sitcom-tight and his interplay with Sasso contributes to the picture's periodic highlights, creating a believable bond with this bullying best friend.
• Wlswarts.blogspot.nl: If one was going to cast a weak-willed patsy character, Jon Cryer is as good a choice as you can get and he delivers exactly that performance.

The Hollow Point

Action, Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 16 december 2016

Director: Gonzalo López-Gallego

Cast: Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring, Insidious, Watchmen, Fargo II), Lynn Collins (X-Men Origins Wolverine, John Carter), Ian McShane (John Wick, Ray Donovan, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ), John Leguizamo (The Lincoln Lawyer, John Wick, Kick-Ass 2, Ride Along), James Belushi (According to Jim, K-9)

An aging retired sheriff (Ian McShane) with violent tendencies and his young replacement with a dark past (Patrick Wilson) must join forces to protect the residents of their town and investigate the source of a botched Mexican arms deal that leaves several dead and a bag of money missing. As the story twists and turns, a mysterious and vicious cartel hit man (John Leguizamo) arrives in search of the missing loot, systematically eliminating anyone who crosses his path. After discovering that the new sheriff's girlfriend is on the hit man's list, the lawmen must abandon their law enforcement ideals in order to even the playing field.

• Hollywoodreporter.com: An over-the-top, heavily stylized B-movie-ish mash-up of modern Western and bloody thriller, The Hollow Point sees U.S.-based Spanish director Gonzalo Lopez Gallego (The King of the Hill) seeking to bring a new angle to the bad men in the badlands genre. As homage, the film is visually striking, littered with moments of real cinematographic intelligence, and always watchable, in a nasty sort of way. Bloody fun in the badlands.
• Variety.com: Wilson is persuasively resolute as the sheriff, and Belushi does sweaty desperation like a pro. But McShane effortlessly overshadows both of them with a flamboyantly mannered performance charged by alternating currents of contemptuous sarcasm and pessimistic gruffness.
• Culturefix.co.uk: A brutally entertaining thriller that allows McShane and Wilson to deliver some badass cool.
• We Got This Covered: a blazing contemporary western that finds pleasure in punishment.
• Thepeoplesmovies.com: Patrick Wilson and Ian McSha take on the cartel in contemporary western meets Mexploitation flick. Director Gonzalo López-Gallego ensures this is a fun, action-packed trip even when navigating through Nils Lyew's overcomplicated narrative. The Hollow Point is nonetheless a brutally entertaining thriller that allows McShane and Wilson to deliver some badass cool. 4 out of 5 stars.
• Kneelbeforeblog.co.uk: Wilson and McShane are the high points of this film. Their buddy chemistry is completely on point and there is lots of great dialogue between the two of them. Each of them can give as good as they get from the other and there are plenty of laughs too be found in their interactions. James Belushi has a memorable turn as a duplicitous used car salesman and John Leguizamo is excellent as a machete wielding Mexican hitman.
• Flickfeast.co.uk: With a number of great lines scattered throughout the script, even if it's just a running joke regarding people uttering the word asshole after their first encounters with Wilsons character (who has just returned to the town after some time away), and a few moments of white-knuckle tension, this is everything you could want from a crime thriller/neo-Western. As well as Wilson and McShane, the film also boasts some excellent performances from Lynn Collins, John Leguizamo, and James Belushi. The last one may be the biggest surprise, but it's possible that this is the sort of role he's just been waiting for over the past few years. Is it worth mentioning that McShane almost steals the movie? Yes, I think it is, because he gets many of the best moments.

The Infiltrator

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 5 januari 2017

Director: Brad Furman

Cast: Bryan Cranston (Argo, Trumbo, Breaking Bad), John Leguizamo (The Lincoln Lawyer, John Wick, Kick-Ass 2, Ride Along), Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds, Unknown, The Bridge), Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality, Traffic, 24: Live Another Day)

Amidst the lavish excess of the 1980s, Robert Musella became a pivotal player for drug lords cleaning their dirty cash. He traded on mob connections, to become the confidant to scores of the international underworld and the bankers who enabled them.

However, Robert Musella was, in fact, the undercover persona of Special Agent Robert Mazur: a US customs official who went further than any before him. Laying his life on the line, he infiltrated the globe's largest cartels and discovered just how deep into society their influence extended. Welcomed into an inner-circle of violence and corruption, Mazur found himself in the tight embrace of those he had promised to take down.

Based on the true story of a fearless undercover agent, THE INFILTRATOR is a heart-stopping account of one of history's most elaborate stings. The operation reeled in key players in a chain stretching all the way to Escobar. Their arrests would lead to the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International and shake the black economy to its core.

• De Telegraaf (★★★1/2): Bryan Cranston maakt die voortdurende innerlijke tweestrijd op een sublieme manier voelbaar. Mazurs gevaarlijke werk The infiltrator bij vlagen angstwekkend spannend.
• De Volkskrant (★★★★): The Infiltrator is op zijn best als die juist doodeng is. De lol van The Infiltrator is te zien hoe Mazur/Musella zich uit de gevaarlijkste situaties probeert te bluffen. Kameleon Cranston is en blijft een dubbelrollenspecialist, die van rol kan wisselen alsof hij een knop omzet.
• Trouw (★★★★): Cranston is uitstekend als de man die in uiteenlopende jaren-tachtig-outfits en met altijd licht bezorgde blik een identiteit aanneemt waar ook ineens een verloofde (Diane Kruger) in moet passen.
• AD(★★★): Bryan Cranston is het sterkste punt in deze thriller vol synthetische maatpakken, donkere pilotenbrillen en vette snorren. Hij speelt wederom overtuigend een man die op de grens van goed en kwaad balanceert.
• Cinemagazine.nl: Cranston is in topvorm, maar ook Leguizamo, Kruger en de cynische Amy Ryan ('Birdman') weten in de bijrollen te overtuigen. Met een speciale, eervolle vermelding voor good old Olympia Dukakis, die opdraaft als een perfect gecaste tante Vicky. Twee uur en zeven minuten entertainment, kom daar nog maar eens om. Het advies? Gaat hem zien on the big screen.
• Filmgeek.nl: Zeker een spannend kijkje in de wereld van 'geld, undercoverwerk en cocaïne'.
  Filmvandaag.nl: Niettemin levert Cranston puik acteerwerk dat alleen wordt overtroffen door John Leguizamo als zijn rechterhand Abreu. Met The Infiltrator levert de regisseur van onder meer The Lincoln Lawyer en Runner Runner zijn beste werk tot nu toe af.
• Empire.com: Often gripping, and elevated by Cranston's superb central performance.
• Variety.com: Bryan Cranston gets a film role worthy of his ability to break bad in a tensely exciting true-life drama of undercover drug agents. The Infiltrator" creates enthralling suspense and intrigue out of the drama of what undercover agents do, but there isn't a moment in it that makes danger looks falsely seductive. The power of Cranston's performance is that he captures the deep torment that deep cover can bring. [He] gives the most authentic and lived-in performance as an agent pretending to be a criminal that I have ever seen. Kruger matches him, beat for anguished beat, and John Leguizamo gives a pinpoint performance as Bob's low-life informer colleague, whose slovenly flakiness turns out to be, itself, a kind of cover.
• Hollywoodreporter.com: Cinematographer Joshua Reis' experience on horror movies serves him well in his first major theatrical feature: from the garish palette of a bowling alley to set-piece interiors of the ostentatiously wealthy to the terrifying murk of a Santeria ritual that ends very badly, he finds the dread in each widescreen composition. Mostly it's in Cranston's eyes, ferociously undimmed. As a U.S. Customs agent leading an undercover sting of his own devising, Cranston turns every moment of duplicity, which is to say nearly every scene of The Infiltrator, into an emotionally textured high-wire act.
• TheWrap.com: Director Brad Furman ("The Lincoln Lawyer") re-creates the mid-1980s with telling fashion and coiffure details, bolstered by a great funk soundtrack. Joshua Reis's terrific cinematography, aided by the authentic-looking production design of Crispian Sallis, intensifies the sense of place and time. Drug thrillers can be among the more predictable genres — plenty of sleaze, nasty threats and grisly whacking, and, of course, the obligatory scenes at strip clubs. "The Infiltrator" follows some of that played-out playbook, but also effectively dials up the nerve-wracking tension. What elevates it to a higher level is the quality of its key performances, by Cranston, Leguizamo, Kruger and Bratt. Amy Ryan is also top-notch in a smaller role as Bonni Tischler, the trio's brassy boss. One of the most memorable supporting performances comes from Yul Vazquez, as sociopathic money launderer Javier Ospina.
• nospoilerreviewz.com: engrossing, well made, extremely well acted and very, very intelligent.

In The Blood

Action, Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 18 november 2014

Director: John Stockwell

Cast: Gina Carano (Deadpool, Haywire, Furious 6), Cam Gigandet (Priest, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn II, Easy A), Stephen Lang (Avatar, Don't Breathe, In The Blood), Luis Guzmán (The Last Stand, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Anger Management ), Danny Trejo (Machete, In the Blood), Amaury Nolasco (A Good Day to Die Hard, Transformers, 2 Fast 2 Furious), Ismael Cruz Cordova (White Alligator)

Gina Carano stars as Ava, a trained fighter with a dark past. When her new husband (Cam Gigandet) vanishes during their Caribbean honeymoon, Ava uncovers a violent underworld of conspiracy in the middle of an island paradise. Armed with a deadly set of skills, Ava sets out to discover the truth – and to take down the men she thinks are responsible for his abduction, one by one.

• 1nfluxmagazine.com: A movie that kept me glued to the screen...and my adrenalin pumping! An exceptional film all around.
• Cinema-crazed.com: The excellent Gina Carano takes her shot at her own version of "Breakdown," and "Frantic," with an action thriller that delivers on all fronts. "In the Blood" is a great vehicle for Gina Carano, it's a tense and exciting action thriller I was very much invested in until the very end, and I can't wait to see more from Ms. Carano.
• CoolAwesomeMovies.com: The bottom line, that is, why "In the Blood" works is the following: Gina Carano is a good action hero(ine). Gina bring that old-school action vibe to the table.
• KungFuCinema.com: Following her debut lead role in HAYWIRE, former mixed martial arts champion Gina Carano proves with this follow-up that she can not only fight, but proves herself to be a good actress.
• TheFilmStage.com: This is her Cobra, her Commando, her Double Team — now she is truly an action star.
• DigitalJournal.com: One of the great things about casting Carano in this role is she is believable. As a former mixed martial arts fighter turned actress, she doesn't need to pretend to know what she's doing in a fight because she actually does.
• Cooltarget.blogspot.co.uk: It's Carano's relentless mission through the seedier side of the Caribbean that gives the film its momentum and the former fighter turn actress proves again she's got the talent to become a leading female action star.
• Cinemadeviant.com: You completely get your money's worth with this one and if you are into action movies or (more importantly) Gina Carano then you WILL NOT be disappointed one bit and I can't wait to see her in more movies like this.
• Variety.com: Ava goes full Death Wish. Not just a martial artist, Ava proves proficient in amateur surgery ("Oh, but you can live without your spleen, can't you?).
• LATimes.com: Action and thrills are 'In the Blood'.
• Examiner.com: [The] star is no shrinking violet unable to fend off her attackers. Instead it's MMA star-turned-movie bad ass Gina Carano, in her first solo lead role since Haywire. When she's doing her thing, namely cracking a few skulls, the film is a fun, gritty throwback. She's not only a physical force of nature, bending her screen foes into pretzels with ease, but she's also quite the beauty and someone who has a natural presence. When Carano is given free reign to break a few bones, you never want to look away. A solid old school action flick.
• Theactionelite.com: Overall, In the Blood really showcases Gina Carano's action hero credentials and if you're looking for a movie with some twists and turns, engaging story and plenty of broken bones then you'll have a blast.
• 7mpictures.com: Fortunately, "In the Blood" is more like the aforementioned "Taken" and less like "Hostel." Still, it's this ripped-from-the-headlines approach to the story that makes it hit home.
• ShowBizJunkies.com: The film's well-paced and if you're into reality-driven action scenes, it's one of the better offerings in what's, thus far, been a disappointing year for the genre.
• Filmschoolrejects.com: Ava breaks more than a few bones on her way to the truth, and that's where Carano shines.
• DVDTalk.com: It's a stalwart reminder of traditional punch-and-kick action flicks standing firm for a tradition of non-CGI stunts.

The Lookalike

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 12 augustus 2014

Director: Richard Gray

Cast: Luis Guzmán (The Last Stand, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Anger Management ), Gillian Jacobs (Hot Tub Time Machine 2, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World), Scottie Thompson (Star Trek: The Future Begins, Skyline, NCIS), Jerry O'Connell (Veronica Mars, Scary Movie 5, Jerry Maguire), Gina Gershon (Killer Joe, P.S. I Love You, Showgirls, Inconceivable), Justin Long (Live Free or Die Hard, Drag Me to Hell, He's Just Not That Into You), John Corbett (Northern Exposure, Sex and the City 2, United States of Tara)

Drug-lord William Spinks has a curious obsession with the beautiful Sadie Hill and uses gangster friends Bobby and Frank to get to her. But when Sadie's murder jeopardizes their profitable arrangement, the two gangsters risk their lives to find a lookalike replacement before Spinks discovers the truth.

• 1nfluxmagazine.com: Director Richard Gray has outdone himself with his latest effort, with no small thanks to scriptwriter Michele Davis-Gray. And backed by such a strong and experienced cast, it's no surprise The Lookalike turned out so entertaining. It was good seeing the prolific John Savage and Scarface co-star Steven Bauer back on form. Another reason I had such a fun time with this somewhat busy film, was down to the fact everyone knew not to take anything too seriously and simply enjoy the ride, as I suggest you also do. Highly entertaining!
• Cinemadeviant.com: complex, full of suspense and had plenty of thrills with a great group of actors.

Manhattan Nocturne

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 25 augustus 2016

Director: Brian DeCubellis

Cast: Adrien Brody (Midnight in Paris, The Pianist, The Darjeeling Limited), Yvonne Strahovski (Dexter, Killer Elite, The Handmaid's Tale), Jennifer Beals (Flashdance, The Book of Eli, Runaway Jury), Campbell Scott (The Amazing Spider-Man 1 & 2, The Exorcism of Emily Rose)

Porter Wren is a Manhattan tabloid writer with an appetite for scandal. On the beat he sells murder, tragedy, and anything that passes for the truth. At home, he is a dedicated husband and father. But when Caroline, a seductive stranger asks him to dig into the unsolved murder of her filmmaker husband Simon, he is drawn into a very nasty case of sexual obsession and blackmail--one that threatens his job, his marriage, and his life.

Based on the New York Times Notable Book of the Year by Colin Harrison.

• Nytimes.com: Adrien Brody is an actor who knows what he's good at. And in "Manhattan Night," a classic film noir set in contemporary New York, his character, Porter Wren, is a scuttling tabloid columnist ensnared in an elaborate story of deception, blackmail, murder and sexual duplicity. In its complexity and zest for evil, the plot rivals that of "Chinatown."
• Hollywoodreporter.com: A largely enjoyable neo-noir.
• Theguardian.com: Adrien Brody plays a crime columnist mixed up with a femme fatale in a steamy drama that manages to entertain.
• AVClub.com: The most compelling character is an eccentric, extravagantly acclaimed film director, Simon Crowley (Campbell Scott), who is seen only in flashbacks tied to his habit of videotaping, sometimes surreptitiously, his encounters with strangers and loved ones alike. There's something disturbing and recognizably contemporary about Simon's DV fetish, and Scott, always a fascinating actor, has the stare of a true voyeur. In its best scenes, the film plays with the tension between its antagonist's insatiable need to transform real life into melodrama and its own relentless narrative gamesmanship. The script plays keep-away with the audience, and the mystery being withheld is so truly, luridly tantalizing that it's almost disappointing that the filmmakers give it up at all.
• Screenspotlight.com: Brody has teamed with director/screenwriter Brian DeCubellis to make a movie that is spellbinding from the first frame and well-beyond its last. Manhattan Night may be labeled as film noire but to assign only one descriptive characterization to this movie is a misstep. Only a flourishing crowd of adjectives and adverbs will draw out the near perfection that is Manhattan Night. Movie lovers, feast your eyes on the macabre dance that is Manhattan Night and quench your appetites for a movie whose nose is always to the grindstone. Let Adrien Brody take you on a journey into the unknown.
• Cutprint.film: Brody is one of the more interesting actors working today, and he gives the part his all, bringing an appropriate weariness and foolishness to his part as we watch him get suckered into one problem after another.
• Azcentral.com: Modern-day film noir is an engrossing showcase for Brody and newbie writer-director Brian DeCubellis. it pulls you in its web, which gets increasingly dense and tangled. Brody's journo is an engaging presence, and the actor knows how to make the wisecracking dialogue snap.

Night Hunter

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 2 januari 2020

Director: David Raymond

Cast: Henry Cavill (Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Man of Steel), Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Shutter Island, Operation Finale), Alexandra Daddario (San Andreas, Percy Jackson, Baywatch), Brendan Fletcher (RV, Arrow), Stanley Tucci (Big Night, Spotlight, A Private War), Minka Kelly (Titans, (500) Days of Summer)

When police trap online predator Simon Stulls, they soon realize that the extent of his crimes go far beyond that of his own psychological trauma. Nothing quite makes sense, that is until people involved in the case, on both sides of the law, start getting murdered...

• Filmliefhebber.com: Night Hunter is dan ook zeker een kijkbeurt waard.
• NWTV.nl: Een sterke politiethriller met uitstekend acteerwerk en een verrassend plot.
• Moviemeter.nl: Het speelfilmdebuut van David Raymond mag er wezen. Op een paar schoonheidsfoutjes na weet hij een degelijke thriller neer te zetten, die af en toe zelfs doet denken aan genregenoot Se7en en aanverwanten. Ondanks dat veel enigszins bekend aandoet, wordt je als kijker toch een paar keer op het verkeerde been gezet.
• Backseatmafia.com: Night Hunter is an entertaining ride into dark heart of evil.
• Empire.com: promising ideas and an impressive cast.
• Nytimes.com: Fletcher’s slobbering performance has to be seen to be believed.
• Hollywoodreporter.com:  Fletcher provides an intensely focused performance as the mentally and emotionally debilitated suspect.
• Radiotimes.com: Kingsley provides gravitas and even a few chills as the vigilante, particularly when he's meting out his own excruciating brand of justice.
• JBSpins.blogspot.com: Succeeds quite nicely as a work of dark suspense. Recommended for fans of psycho-killer thrillers.

Paydirt

Action, Crime

Available on VOD: 3 september 2020

Director: Christian Sesma

Cast: Luke Goss (Hellboy II, Blade II, Death Race II, Blood Out), Val Kilmer (Top Gun, Top Gun Maverick, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot), Mike Hatton (Green Book), Paul Sloan (Vigilante Diaries)

A parolee (Luke Goss) teams up with his old crew determined to find a buried bag of cash stolen a decade ago from a DEA bust gone bad, while being tracked by a retired Sheriff (Val Kilmer).

• Actionreloaded.com: Paydirt is a fun movie which, as I’m writing i have watched twice already.
• Crpwrites.com: Paydirt looks good and is an easy movie made for a half-night’s worth of entertainment.
• Moviesinfocus.com: A fun night at the movies, Paydirt is an entertaining diversion with a game cast. Christian Sesma’s movie features solid acting, a sparkling script along side snappy score and visuals. 
• Worlsfimgeek.com: Paydirt is quite a wild ride with Luke Goss on the verge of retirement with Val Kilmer on the verge of redemption, no matter what it could cost both of them. If you get confused a bit with the twists and turns, wait until the last few minutes where everything is explained. Then, you’ll see why this is a fun and wild ride of a movie.

Plastic

Action, Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 4 mei 2015

Director: Julian Gilbey

Cast: Ed Speleers (Downton Abbey, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Eragon), Will Poulter (The Revenant, We're the Millers, The Maze Runner), Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones, Atonement, John Wick), Emma Rigby (The Counselor, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland), Sebastian De Souza (The Borgias), Thomas Kretschmann (King Kong, Stalingrad, Der Untergang, Eichmann)

High octane from start to finish, PLASTIC is based on the incredible true story of a heist of one of Beverly Hills' top jewelry merchants. Brilliant college student Sam has the perfect credit card scam...until his crew robs the wrong man. Now they have two weeks to repay ruthless gangster Marcel US$2 million or they will be dead. Sam and his team devise a scheme to clear their debt by heading to Miami to poach enough cash and merchandise. But they come up short. So Sam and his gang set their sights on a daring jewelry heist that could make them hugely wealthy for life. Their plan turns sour, however, when the team members start turning on each other. Now it's up to Sam to finish the brazen heist and turn the tables on Marcel before they all go down.

• Critics.associated.com: A great action film with some genuine comedy to it, and yet another opportunity to see Alfie Allen playing a heartless backstabber, Plastic exceeds the expectations.
• Entertainment.ie: Gibley, who impressed with the dark A Lonely Place To Die, does rally the troops for the final half hour.
• Britflicks.com: High octane thriller PLASTIC tells the story of intelligent and brazen Sam (Ed Speleers), who leads a ring of university students to become credit card thieves in order to augment their income. When 'Plastic' ends you'll most likely scratch your head as to how such a super, fantastical crime flew below you news radar. With stick on moustaches, beards and wigs, it's like 'Catch Me If You Can' flung into the internet and mobile phone age.
• Dailystar.co.uk: GREAT performances and a witty script combine to make this one of the better British crime capers of recent years. Director Julian Gilbey (A Lonely Place To Die, Rise Of The Foot Soldier) has a lot of fun with way it's set up and he has a ball with it when it's being executed.The plot, which is supposedly based on a true story but plays out like an episode of Hustle, is deliciously twisty. But it's the clever dialogue and a dastardly turn from Allen that really makes it tick.

Redirected

Action, Comedy, Crime

Available on VOD: 13 januari 2015

Director: Emilis Velyvis

Cast: Oliver Jackson (Entity), Gil Darnell (All Things to All Men), Scot Williams (Clubbed, Dead Man Running), Vinnie Jones (Snatch, Hijacked, X-Men: The Last Stand)

REDIRECTED is an outrageous hangover-meets-guy-ritchie type criminal action-drama-thriller comedy with a distinctive flavor of Eastern European exotic. It tells a story of four friends turned first-time robbers John, Ben, Tim and Michael who accidentally get stranded in a middle-of-nowhere Eastern European country and have to fight their way back home through the land of whores, smugglers, dirty cops, cheap beer and sick fantasies. In order to save their asses, friends must not only overcome an ultimate culture shock experience, but also rediscover their friendship.

The plan seemed 100% bulletproof: They take over an illegal casino in London, get the money, catch a plane to Malaysia and get lost in mind-blowing exotics of emerald jungle, golden beaches, cheap alcohol and teenage sex. The plan was a genius, and it worked. Almost.

They took over a casino and they got the money around one million pounds in cash. But the bad guys started shooting. Michael freaked-out and tried to back away. Tim had no chance but to beat sense into him with a fire extinguisher, which resulted in Michael boarding a plane senseless. The plane took off and And then a volcano in Iceland started spewing ash like crazy and all the flights had to be grounded. This is how John, Ben, Tim and Michael got stranded in some post-soviet Eastern European country with an unpronounceable name and sick attitude towards everything.

That's when all the fun starts.

Read about Redirected's succes in Lithuania here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gangster-comedy-redirected-breaks-box-692162.

• Holland Media Combinatie: Het tempo is vlot, de (Britse) humor gortdroog en de karakters zijn lekker gestoord. Zoals de stereotiepe Oostblokkers: de vrouwen zijn hoerenen de mannen barbaarse oplichters. Liefhebbers van de opbouw van Tarantino en films als 'The Hangover' en 'Lock, stock & two smoking barrels' zullen dit kunnen waarderen.
• Cinemagazine.nl: In Redirected zitten shots en hoofdstukvoering van Tarantino, het tempo van Guy Richie en de hilariteit van The Hangover. Stop ze in een grote kookpot en doe er een goede scheut Litouwen bij en je hebt Redirected. Met grafische elementen om aan te geven waar in het verhaal we zijn, komt een duidelijk Tarantino-gevoel mee. Maar dat is niet het enige: de zwarte humor in het algemeen en wat concreter refereerde een shot met lopende mannen in pakken aan Reservoir Dogs. Alle vooroordelen over Litouwen (overigens in de film uitgesproken als "Lithou-fucking-wania") worden aangehaald en uitvergroot. Iedereen is crimineel, alcoholist, hoer of oud, of alles tegelijk. Kippen lopen gewoon los in huis en in de dorpen is eigenlijk helemaal niets, behalve iets te dikke mensen. Redirected blijft spannend en verrassend tot het eind. De actie volgt elkaar in rap tempo op. In Litouwen is de film een succes, maar Redirected is voor iedereen grappig en herkenbaar. De stereotypen confronteren je met de vooroordelen, ook over de dronken Engelsen. Verder is er niets moeilijks of dieps aan de film, en dat is maar goed ook, dit is puur vermaak.
• Britflicks.com: Redirected is a nicely made film with high production values ans has laughs a plenty. A comic gangster caper that's worthy of a look.

Stockholm

Comedy, Crime

Available on VOD: 12 december 2019

Director: Robert Budreau

Cast: Ethan Hawke (24 Hours to Live, Traing Day, First Reformed), Noomi Rapace (Millennium 1-3, Prometheus, Bright), Mark Strong (Kingsman I & II, Grimsby, Zero Dark Thirty)

Lars Nystrom dons a disguise to raid a central Stockholm bank. He then takes hostages in order to spring his pal Gunnar from prison. One of the hostages includes Bianca, a wife and mother of two, who develops a strong bond with Lars as she witnesses his caring nature. This connection gave rise to the psychological phenomenon known as "Stockholm syndrome".

• Hollywoodreporter.com: His Stockholm, which gently massages actual events to serve as a fine vehicle for Noomi Rapace and Ethan Hawke, is far from the first movie to believably show a crime victim coming to sympathize with a criminal. But it's a funny and agile one, and should work well for art house auds. A tense and sometimes funny exploration of a famous crime.
• Slashfilm.com: Ethan Hawke Steals the Show in a a suspenseful, riotous black comedy interlaced with moments of heartfelt emotion. 8/10.
• JBSpins: It is a tight, energetic period thriller, helmed with a fair amount of flair by Budreau. Highly recommended.
• Solzyatthemovies.com: Led by marvelous performances from Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace, Stockholm is a worthy addition to writer-director Robert Budreau’s resume.
• Moveablefest.com: Budreau crafts “Stockholm” with a reserve and sense of careful composition indicative of the civil veneer that the outlaw so ruthlessly pierces, but the sly fun it has is in line with a film that rewards patience, and although it’s an open question whether that approach will pay off for its central antiheroes, it does so in spades for audiences.
• Filmthreat.com: Stockholm is a strong case that you can do a lot with the tried-and-true trappings of a genre. Budreau has proved that with his propulsive and engaging film.

Tell

Comedy, Crime

Available on VOD: 24 februari 2015

Director: J.M.R. Luna

Cast: Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes, Grace of Monaco, Gamer, Killing Season), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, The Chronicles of Riddick: Dead Man Stalking, Oculus), Jason Lee (Cop Out, My Name Is Earl, Vanilla Sky, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), Alan Tudyk (I Robot, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Knocked Up, 3:10 to Yuma), Faizon Love (The Paperboy, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, Elf), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2, Jayne Mansfield's Car, Flags of Our Fathers, Walk the Line), Oscar Nunez (The Office, The Proposal)

Ethan Tell isn't your average ordinary criminal. With a heart that makes him care too much, but a head that keeps him one step in front of everyone else, he takes part in a bank robbery that, if according to plan, will result in he and his wife Beverly walking away with a cool million dollars, while leaving his co-conspirators in the dust. But as we all know, things never go according to plan... Ethan makes it out with the million in hand, but is followed by police. In a moment of desperation, Beverly shoots him, grabs whatever cash she can carry on her person and takes off. Bleeding to death with no options left in front of him, Ethan lights his house on fire, using it as a diversion to barely escape. But the injury takes his tole and Ethan is found on the side of the road hanging onto dear life. After everything he's been through he's left with no money, no wife and nothing else to his name when the police arrest him and throw him in jail.
Three years later he is released from prison, but soon discovers that he is anything but free. Everyone, and we mean EVERYONE, wants to know where the cash is. Regardless of his insistent claims that it must of burned in the fire, Tell is now being stalked by two corrupt cops, his betrayed ex-partner-in-crime, his parole officer and his greedy ex-wife who are all hoping he will lead them to where he stashed the cash before his arrest. Seems like quite a predicament for a reformed criminal just trying to stay straight and make ends meet.
But remember, Ethan Tell isn't your average ordinary criminal and this is going to be one crazy ride of who's playing who right until the truth is all finally revealed.

• 1nfluxmagazine.com: Tell is Juan M.R. Luna's impressive debut solo directorial effort, with writing by Timothy Williams, whose darkly witty script was one of the highlights of the film. Similar in some respects to Paul McGuigan's 2006 crime caper Lucky Number Slevin, Tell follows the exploits of Milo Ventimiglia's unlucky character, Tell. Like with Slevin Kelevra, Tell goes through the movie being hit in the face by ruthless people who want answers. Tell is played by the hugely talented Milo Ventimiglia, who really nailed his character. If this is a glimpse of things to come from director J.M.R. Luna, then I'll be making a point to see his future efforts. Highly recommended viewing.

Terminal

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 2 mei 2019

Director: Vaughn Stein

Cast: Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad, I Tonya), Simon Pegg (Star Wars Saga, Star Trek, Ready Player One, Hot Fuzz), Dexter Fletcher (Kick-Ass), Mike Myers (Bohemian Rhapsody, Austin Powers), Max Irons (The Wife, Condor)

In the dark heart of a sprawling, anonymous city, TERMINAL follows the twisting tales of two assassins carrying out a sinister mission, a teacher battling a fatal illness, an enigmatic janitor, and a curious waitress leading a dangerous double life. Murderous consequences unravel in the dead of night as their lives all intertwine at the hands of a mysterious criminal mastermind hell-bent on revenge.

• In.ign.com:  Margot Robbie’s found her niche in intelligent, yet manic characters who delight in their homicidal tendencies. Cold and calculating, this role trumps her comic book criminal thanks to a grounded performance and justifiable reasoning for the madness.
• Theplaylist.net: It’s beautiful, if not brilliant, and fun to watch.
• LAtimes.com: Robbie is fascinating to watch.
• Eyeforfilm.co.uk: There's also Margot Robbie, whose film this is. Not just because she's got a producer credit, but because top and tail, ear to toe, she makes it. She's all the best things in the film, her ability to pivot (both figuratively and literally) made good use of in hauteur and heels, in pose and proposal, in all the ways so tragically underused by Suicide Squad.
• Doblu.com: A dazzling swirl of color and light play, saturating this noir with superior abstract visuals.
• Flickeringmyth.com: You can *never* go wrong with an unhinged Margot Robbie. Fitfully entertaining thanks largely to a scene-stealing, against-type performance from Simon Pegg.
• Joblo.com: Quite fun to watch Robbie and Myers mug around in this type of movie.
• UKFilmReview.co.uk: Their chemistry is odd and welcome, and Pegg's delivery is particularly impeccable.

Vincent-N-Roxxy

Crime, Thriller

Available on VOD: 11 mei 2017

Director: Gary Michael Schultz

Cast: Emile Hirsch (Lone Survivor, Killer Joe, Into the Wild), Zoë Kravitz (Mad Max Fury Road, Divergent, Allegiant, X First Class), Zoey Deutch (Dirty Grandpa, Why Him, Beautiful Creatures), Emory Cohen (Brooklyn, The Gambler), Scott Mescudi (Entourage, Need for Speed)

If Hip-Hop and Rock -N- Roll had a love child she would be Roxxy, an inner city girl in trouble. Vincent is a consummate loner from small town America searching for meaning in his life that has become intertwined with dangerous people. One morning, these two lost souls meet when a vicious killer attacks Roxxy on the street in broad daylight before a crowd of witnesses. Vincent tries to save her, forcing Vincent and Roxxy to go on the run for their lives. They soon learn violence will follow them everywhere, even as they unexpectedly fall in love.

• Cinemagazine: In de Amerikaanse pers werd ‘Vincent N Roxxy’ vergeleken met Winding Refn’s wraakthriller ‘Drive’. Qua toon, opbouw en bloederigheid is daar een zaak voor te maken, al is ‘Drive’ beduidend slimmer en met meer finesse gemaakt. Op het platteland wordt nou eenmaal meer met de botte bijl gehakt, zullen we maar zeggen. Toch is ‘Vincent N Roxxy’ niet alleen bruut. De film toont hoe een stelletje ten onder gaat aan keuzes die ze maakten voordat ze elkaar echt kenden. En dat ontroert, want Vincent en Roxxy zijn schattig samen. Lees de hele review hier.
• HollywoodReporter.com: A slow-build love story that takes a hard left turn at the end. Emile Hirsch and Zoe Kravitz, as strangers thrown together by a violent incident, enjoy an easy chemistry here, encouraging viewers to forget the menace that starts the story and, with startling violence, will end it.
• Indiewire.com: When things take a hard left turn and the powder keg of violence finally explodes, the fallout is shocking to a degree that's almost never seen in new American cinema.
• Letterboxd.com: A stiff-lipped, fist-clenched, tragic romance with a gruesome hunger for violence. The final shot echoes Drive in a way that will inevitably draw some comparisons.