Sure-Fire Streaming: Killer Elite, Back Roads, Black Or White, and more
By Jordan Parker
https://parkerandpictures.wordpress.com/
The best in TV and film from your living room.
Killer Elite– Available On Netflix
I’m not going to sit here and tell you Killer Elite is some masterpiece, but it’s one you watch for the fantastic cast assembled.
It follows an assassin who heads on a rescue mission when his mentor is kidnapped by an Arab sheik.
He’s given a mission to kill three British Special Air Forces members who are responsible for deaths of the sheik’s sons.
It all gets a bit muddled, but the action moves briskly and you get exactly what you bargained for.
With Jason Statham, Robert De Niro and Clive Owen among the principle cast, it’s hard to turn away from the magnetism on display.
They’re at their charming best in this gritty action thriller, and they make it all worthwhile.
The Tinder Swindler – Available On Netflix
This is every dater’s worst dream, and tells the true story of women who are victims of fraud by a suave conman.
Each of them meet a man on Tinder who they believe is the son of a diamond magnate, and are quickly entranced by his good looks and lavish spending.
Once he has them in his sights, our swindler then takes these women for all the money he can squeeze from them.
The terrifying ordeals are told in detail by the brave women in the documentary, and investigation into who exactly our “rich” bachelor is reveal some incredible insights.
This is an eye-opener for sure, and you’ll never look at online dating the same, for better or worse.
Back Roads – Available On Prime Video
I was a big fan of this one, despite the fact is has more flaws than I can count on two hands.
It can be overdramatic, overwrought and really, really difficult to watch, but it’s also one of the most affecting endeavours I’ve seen in years.
Set in 1993, it follows Harley, a young man caring for his three sisters as he works a dead-end job. His abusive father was shot dead by his mother, who sits in a prison cell.
He harbours rage at his lost future, and the intensely awkward man begins to realize there’s more to discover surrounding the events from years back.
As suppressed memories and family trauma begin to reach the forefront, Harley fights not to spin out of control.
For whatever reason, the supremely talented Alex Pettyfer made someone in Hollywood angry, and his rise to superstardom was abruptly halted.
Here, he directs this flick and nabs the lead role with an affecting turn as he adapts Tawni O’Dell’s novel. He’s joined by Juliette Lewis, Jennifer Morrison, Robert Patrick, and Nicola Pelz, all who have fantastic turns.
It does get to be a bit much at times, but that ending makes it all worth it.
47 Meters Down: Uncaged – Available On Netflix
The original shark film was a huge surprise success, and spawned this sequel just a few years later.
While it’s unfortunate the sequel doesn’t live up to expectations, it still has some pretty great frights, and a B-movie sensibility that is pretty fun.
It follows two sisters who go diving with a few friends. They discover an underwater city and become trapped in a labyrinth of caves with a number of killer sharks.
The daughters of Jamie Foxx and Sylvestere Stallone – Corinne and Sistine Rose – are among the stars, with Sophie Nelisse turning in a great lead performance.
Director Johannes Roberts returns for the sequel, but just can’t light the same fire. This one does, however, have a pretty interesting ending. If you like shark movies, give it a shot.
Black Or White- Available On Prime Video
I’m a huge proponent that Kevin Costner’s major comeback began in 2014, years before Yellowstone even began.
He did Draft Day and this fantastic little drama within the same six-month span, and cemented himself as a veteran actor to be reckoned with.
While it threatens to jump into melodrama territory at times, this story of a grieving widower in a bitter custody battle of his granddaughter is also really, really beautiful.
Costner plays Elliott, a well-off lawyer who cares for his half-black granddaughter Eloise. His daughter died during childbirth, and the girl’s father Reggie has substance abuse issues and took off.
When his wife – the primary caregiver for the child – passes suddenly, Elliott becomes embroiled in a custody battle with the newly-returned Reggie and his mother Rowena, who contend the cultural influences Eloise would have with her black relatives is crucial.
Writer-director Mike Binder does well with the material, even if it feels oversimplified at times.
What really elevates this one is the performances, namely from Costner and the scene-stealing Octavia Spencer. Young Jillian Estell did a great job also, as do Anthony Mackie, Bill Burr, Gillian Jacobs, and Andre Holland.
It’s a character drama that does an admirable job with some truly difficult subject matter.