Equalizer

Respected actresses get older and they play bitter divorcees, on the verge of a life changing moment. Respected actors get older and they play solitary bad aces, on the verge of shoving a corkscrew under a Russian mobster's chin. Denzel, Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan: they all seem to be starring in these (let's face it) upscale exploitation movies with "spy" or "thriller" attached to them. Here Denzel acts as an avenging angel, resourceful in his use of household items. Whether corkscrewed, barbwired, or nail gunned, he gives the mobsters that piercing, Glory stare. Ultra-violent and absurd, sure. But that stare...

Walk Among Tombstones

There's no disputing Liam Neeson kicks ace. Following the death of his wife, his movies are ultra-violent and dark, as he plays the brooding ex-mercenary/cop/spy. His characters are kind of broken, but "possess a particular set of skills" that allow him to...kill a whole bunch of people. I can go along for the ride because, in the end, it's fiction. But why do movies like Tombstones have to include torture and mutilation to set things in motion? It's become a necessity for thrillers and we're so numb to it, we just move on to the next one.

The Drop

Tom Hardy is the man. He's this generation's Marlon Brando. His character reminded me a lot of Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront--subtle, sad, but with this undercurrent of rage. If you follow that movie template, James Gandolfini filled in for Charlie (smart & shiftless) and Noomi Rapace for Edie (noble & broken). The Drop has the same gritty blend of working class crime with a fallen protagonist. That's probably the character type I am most drawn to: the guy who knows there's something better, but doesn't quite know if he deserves it.

Calvary

A brutal, unflinching metaphor on how society punishes religious faith for the sins of the world. Cheese-and-rice. It's gonna take me a few episodes of Saved by the Bell to get over this one.