tomasdiaz Reviews

Street Kings (2008)

Great action wrapped in a confusing story

[7/10 · 29 August 2008]

Street Kings by Director David Ayer is loaded with great action scenes. Other than that the story was too damn confusing littered with Hollywoods typical idea of the mean streets.

The Good on this one was great action. Pleny of shootings filled with blood. I can't remember a recent movie that has done it better. Actor Chris Evans (Det. Disco) was great. He stole every scene he was in.

The Bad was the story. It was confusing and made no sense. Felt like an after thought compared to the action. It was like some Hollywood bigwig decided they didn't a story if the action was there. Action won't hide a bad story. The twists and turns were totally forced. Any viewer with half a brain cell knew who the bad guy was right at the start. Movie audiences are smarter than this one gave them credit for being. A give away the story was going to be bad was 3 writers listed in the credits because it felt like 3 different storys thrown together.

The Ugly was Jay Mohr as a tough guy dirty detective. Jay Mohr LOL! Totally wrong for the movie. The pointless love interest of Det. Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) played by Martha Higareda. Am I only the viewer that wondered why her character was in the movie?

The most unbelievable BS was that a Mexican gangbanger named Quicks played by Noel G. would have inside information on a a black gangbanger Grill (The Game). Street Kings being set in LA should have known better. Racial tension between blacks and mexicans unfortunately is real on the streets of LA. Wrtiters took easy way to get a piece of information out.

I ranked this one as high as I did strictly on the action.

Street Stars: Game Over (2007 Video)

The real story is finally told

[10/10 · 19 August 2008]

Street Stars Game Over by Director Troy Reed is a masterpiece documentary with a blistering urban feel. I read the great book Game Over by Azie Faison, Jr. The honesty of the man can not be down played. His life story was shown in the movie Paid in Full. In the book Game Over Azie shares his feelings about how his story was watered down in the movie.

Street Stars Game Over shows the real story straight from the mouths of people that lived it. I was moved by this one. Hearing Patricia Porter speak about losing two brothers to the streets sends a message to pursue life with dignity and not easy money. This is not a hip hop video or an episode of MTV Cribs for people to flash their wealth. This a documentary with a heavy message if you listen.

The archival footage takes you back to a time in Harlem where players were kings.

Cold Heart Canyon (2008 Video)

Not erotic enough

[3/10 · 19 August 2008]

Cold Heart Canyon is an erotic thriller that's not very erotic or thrilling. Renting this one from Blockbuster I had expectations of a late night offering from Cinemax with steamy scenes. The sensual mood music from known composer Herman Beeftink could not save this one. His early music can be found on many late night Cinemax offerings that have simulated sex. I know this because I am a fan of well done erotic movies.

The story itself was basic with a wife leaving her marriage after discovering her husbands infidelity. She moves to Laurel Canyon where she gets swept up in sexual situations.

My problems with Cold Heart Canyon is the abuse recycled clips to stretch out the movie for no reason. There was not enough nudity in this one to be the erotic thriller is was most certainly was trying to be. It's hard to understand why Director and Writer Janine Gosselin would skimp on showing more skin. This story could not stand by itself as a thriller. The plot is too bland with no spice.

I agree with reviewer Chas77 from Los Angeles who commented.....

This isn't good enough for the worst Cinemax late night entry. There is a little nudity -- none by the South African hottie and, hilariously, none by lead Caldwell, which makes you wonder -- why bother making a pseudo-porn without the porn?

Viewers can see this was made on video. To me the look of the movie was fine. cinematographer Blain Brown gave a worthy effort. Where the movie suffered was in direction and editing. Wonder if editor J.C. Beeftink is related to Herman Beeftink??? He had not other IMDb credits for editor. Guess we can cut him a break on this one.

Cocaine Cowboys 2 (2008)

Disappointing

[5/10 · 15 August 2008]

Cocaine Cowboys II was disappointing. If you watched any documentaries about the Miami cocaine wars you'll see the same tired recycled stock footage and photos. The story of Griselda Blanco is interesting. She was drug kingpin that is attributed to over 200 hundred murders. I can't fault Director Billy Corben. It's hard to tell a story that has been done to death.

Charles Crosby rode to the top of the Oakland drug trade by becoming the kept man of Griselda Blanco. He has charisma in front of the camera has he tells his story. To break up the talking head factor of this DVD cartoonish reenactments are shown as he recalls past events. It looked like something out of Sin City. I didn't like reenactments.

If you've never heard of Griselda Blanco then this DVD could be worth a rent. If you watched other documentaries on the Miami drug trade this one will be a snoozer.

Alpha Dog (2006)

Alpha Dog worth watching

[7/10 · 12 August 2008]

Alpha Dog is worth watching alone for the performance of Ben Foster as rebel skinheaded drug dealer Jake Mazursky. This character stole the film hands down. The story is based on real life story behind middle class drug dealer Jesse James Hollywood who was a fugitive for a murder that was finally caught.

Alpha Dog's plot is about a Jake's brother who is kidnapped over his overdue drug debt. Justin Timberlake was much better in the film then I expected. He can act. It would have been better to me if former boxer Fernando Vargas had a bigger part.

This is a film that is worth watching if you like a story about young drug dealers acting out. Writer and Director Nick Cassavetes should be praised for the direction of the film.

Sunday School (2008 Video)

Sunday School is charming

[6/10 · 11 August 2008]

Sunday School was a refreshing break from the horror films that are hoping to become the next Saw. This film does have a message you might agree with or might not. Looking beyond the religious make up of the story is a touching tale of love. Overall the production quality is lacking. It falls below what one expect even from a low budget offering.

The story itself was interesting. A young woman who wants to pursue a Hollywood life while finding love and religion. Jerome Hawkins is the main highlight in the film. His charisma comes clearly across.

No pun intended. This is a good rent for a lazy Sunday afternoon with family.

Mad Bad (2007 Video)

Mad Bad pretty cool

[8/10 · 11 August 2008]

I thought Mad Bad was a pretty cool film. Director Jon Keeyes delivers a quality low budget action story. Vincent Riverside as Gino is excellent. The soundtrack added a lot to Mad Bad. It was a fun story about a female rock stars dream being funded by her brother's criminal activity of stealing cars. Then as expected he steals the wrong person's car packed with smack.

A violent heroin dealer is not happy about his car full of drugs being stolen. Then all hell breaks loose. I rented this one at Blockbuster and was not disappointed. I like to give Indy films a chance. Maverick Entertainment released this one. They have a pretty good history for Indy films. Vincent Riverside is a star in the making. Check this one out for his performance alone.

Toxic (2008)

Toxic is a mess

[2/10 · 10 August 2008]

Toxic was difficult to watch. Director Alan Pao loaded this one with special effects and jump cuts on too many scenes. In one part a janitor is mopping then the picture splits into an effect that makes it look there are 5 janitors with mops. It got more messy during action scenes. Someone went completely effect happy.

It was to bad because the cast included Danny Trejo with Tom Sizemore. Two of my favorite character actors. After 20 minutes the effects were too much to bare. I used the menu to check out scenes later in the film to see if the effects stopped. They did not. I turned it off.

Every one has different film tastes. For me this was a visual mess. It could be compared to being on a mushroom trip with the look of the picture. I can't recommend this one.

In with Thieves (2008 Video)

In with Thieves plenty of drama and nudity

[8/10 · 9 August 2008]

In with Thieves was one of the most original low budget films I've seen. The story itself was bold by including the Albanian Mafia, a voodoo driven Cuban cartel, African blood diamond smugglers, and American burglars. There is a lot going on in this film to keep viewers guessing which way things will turn out. The plot does get slightly muddled at points, but not enough to get distracting.

There were a few excellent unknown actors in this one. Including Edward Gusts who plays a junkie and Jennifer Day as a spoiled wife. I will admit the sexiness factor of Jennifer Day is hard to over look. The curious angle on this film is the unabashed nudity. I'm not sure how much was planned originally, but there is a lot of skin in this one. So much so a review is featured on Mr. Skin. Personally I am not against gratuitous nudity. I don't fancy myself as a prude.

There were many highly dramatic scenes in this one. A good old fashioned hardboiled gangster film. I felt that the lines were sharp and smart. I would have liked to see more venues for action to happen in this low budget offering. Oceans this is not. I was entertained through out. The opening and ending are memorable. I purchased this on Amazon without any regret. This is the type of film I could watch more than once.

The only negative I really can mention is a long speech by an Albanian gangster. There seemed to be an audio problem that was distracting to me. Otherwise this one is a winner in my book.

Consignment (2007 Video)

Consignment is action packed

[7/10 · 9 August 2008]

Consignment is a action packed low budget film about drug dealing. There has been a flood of gangster films like these recently. The strong point of this film was the feel of realism in the story. I enjoyed watching a story about drug dealers and gangsters that did not have a housing project as a setting. Consignment did not show the typical inner city side of drug dealing often portrayed on screen. I liked the fact Writer and Director Sid Kali showed a different side to things. Drug dealers do live in the suburbs as well as the big city.

I think Jerome Hawkins gave a break out performance as trigger happy gangster Carmelo. It was surprising to me that an unknown actor could be as good as he was in the film. One thing I really enjoyed seeing was a wide mix of characters through out. That's not the norm in straight to DVD gangster films. Extremely colorful cast.

I liked the story. Most of all it wasn't too long. It was crisp and to the point. It didn't waste my time as a viewer. One of the more sexy parts has an extended striptease done by a curvy latina with a great rear. I don't think I ever recall seeing that long of striptease in another film. Clearly not a scene for the kiddies to watch. This ranked high as a low budget for me. The overall production quality was better than many straight to DVD offerings. Like another reviewer commented the soundtrack was really good. Exceptionally good.

Low budget films can be hard to judge because we are all used to expensive Hollywood offerings with stars. I viewed Consignment a with a critical eye and was not disappointed in renting it. As a latino I appreciated the realism of a few of the words spoken in slang Spanish. It wasn't clichéd or cheesy to fit the mold of what you expect to get from a low budget gangster film. Writer and Director Sid Kali understood his subject enough to deliver an entertaining film.

I was highly disappointed in a few of the scenes that involved the main character Tommy and his wife. I never felt that they had a connection that expressed true love. I did feel for Tommy when he was struggling. Tim Beachum as Tommy was believable and likable even though he was a drug dealer. It could have been making him laid back while dealing with panic disorder. Overall this wasn't in the league of Hustle & Flow, but still worth renting.

Juarez, Mexico (2005 Video)

Juarez Mexico has problems

[3/10 · 9 August 2008]

Juarez, Mexico is one of those films that can be easily trashed. It's like fighting a boxer with no arms. How hard can it be to tee off? There is no mistake that this film is bad on many levels. To make this more challenging I'll attempt to comment on it's good point. Juarez, Mexico is an extremely interesting premise for a film since it is based on a true story. Many young women disappear around Juarez. It's a story that has been covered by the news. Writer and Director and Star James Cahill was smart to try to tell the story.

Many reviewers are extremely critical of indy films made for little money for some reason. If the expectation is to get a film made for peanuts to be like a 100 million dollar blockbuster then you will be greatly disappointed. I know the steak at Sizzler won't taste like the one at Mortons. When I rented Juarez, Mexico I was taken in by the box cover and what was written on the back. Looked and sounded like a good watch.

What fell flat was the action. James Cahill casting himself as a martial arts action star hurt the film. The fight sequences were completely unbelievable all around. In films viewers will suspend reality because they know it's only entertainment. How believable are any of the Die Hard or Mission Impossible films? What makes Juarez, Mexico outlandishly unbelievable is the silly way the fights happen in very real settings. Most of us have seen bar fights between people or been in them. In this film bad looking guys with muscles basically stick there chins out for James Cahill to tee off on. Total nonsense.

I did not find the production quality bad for a no budget indy film. It was more than acceptable to me. What I did find bad was James Cahill as Johnny Cash crime fighter. This could have been better if he stayed behind the camera.

The Babysitters (2007)

The Babysitters is original

[10/10 · 9 August 2008]

The Babysitters is a completely original film. What a great plot. It doesn't hurt that John Leguizamo is in this one. He's an actor that can carry a film. I though the story was hip with a dark undercurrent. A teenager turns madam after her babysitting service gets sexy. The sex was secondary to the plot. At the core it was a drama about the human condition of getting older. At one time you're in high school then you find yourself married with children looking back and wanting back those youthful days of freedom. I highly recommend The Babysitters to add to your DVD collection. Writer and Director David Ross delivers an outstanding film. One of the best I've watched recently.

Splinter (I) (2006)

Splinter hit and miss

[6/10 · 9 August 2008]

Splinter tells the story of Paradise Gardens and Greenville rival gangs in the setting of a rough part of Los Angeles. A cheating girlfriend ignites violence between the two gangs. There was a heavy emphasis on the cheating girlfriend. One could easily expect to see passion burn up the screen. Instead the sexy love scenes in this film could be described as an after school special romance. It did not fit with the overall gangster style that is down and dirty.

Veteran actor Tom Sizemore as corrupt Detective Cunningham lit up every scene he was in. Great to see the man back in films instead of the now canceled reality TV show "Shooting Sizemore". He gave a strong performance in this one. The kind of shady Detective that is more gangster than cop. Another stand out performance was Enrique Almeida who played Dreamer. Keep an eye out for this actor.

The main reason I did not give this one a higher score was because the worst lines I've experienced in a film happened. The corrupt cop played by Tom Sizemore forces the viewer to listen to a long and painfully bad speech about how gang war is like Chinese food take out. Using Orange Chicken, Beef Broccoli, and rice to make his point. It was awful. The rest of the writing in the film was good and then this scene happens. I was watching the film with a group of friends and it was agreed that might have been one of the worst scenes we've ever watched. Splinter it a hit and miss. It has an interesting plot that might keep most viewers tuned in.

Loaded (I) (2007)

Get Loaded

[7/10 · 9 August 2008]

Loaded is a slick film about drug dealing in the fast lane. Don't get this one confused with the other Loaded with the actor from Desperate Housewives. This one is better even though it was made for less money. The flow of the story was fun to watch. There is enough action to keep you interested through out. My one disappointment with this film was the tease effect. I'm assuming the Director wanted to bring the audience inside the flashy world of successful drug dealers by showing beautiful women in club settings. Never does the tease turn in to a payoff of nudity or sexy love scenes. If you are going to show viewers eye candy deliver it. Playing up a skin angle without showing any was the only fault I had watching this film. Otherwise it was well worth the rental cost.

Player 5150 (2008)

Good gambling drama

[8/10 · 9 August 2008]

Player 5150 is a gem of a film. It is a nice break from all those splashy special effects used nowadays to entertain audiences. This was a good character driven story about a degenerate gambler that pushes it too far. Anyone that has been involved with the rush of sports betting can relate to the plot and characters. Ethan Embry delivers a stand out performance lead role JOEY. His delivery combined with facial expressions made him seem like a true everyman caught up in a bad situation. I felt for the guy even though it was only a film. Kathleen Roberston was amazing. I only knew her from her days on Beverly Hills 90210.

Bob Sapp makes a worthy cameo. Despite not being an actor he wasn't terrific or terrible. Overall I was entertained by Player 5150. Writer and Director David Michael O'Neil delivers a good film about the life of a gambler going out of control. If you enjoy character driven dramas give this one a chance.