Without Remorse Review: Tom Clancy's Michael B. Jordan

Release date: April 30, 2021
Running time: 110 minutes
Directed by: Stefano Sollima
Written by: Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren London, Brett Gelman, Jacob Scipio, Jack Kesy, Colman Domingo, Todd Lassance, Cam Gigandet, Luke Mitchell and Guy Pearce

An elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, the explosive origin story of action hero John Clark – one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan universe. When a squad of Russian soldiers kills his family in retaliation for his role in a top-secret op, Sr. Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) pursues the assassins at all costs. Joining forces with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell), Kelly’s mission unwittingly exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia in an all-out war. Torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country, Kelly must fight his enemies without remorse if he hopes to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy.

Without Remorse would be your typical military government intrigue film if it didn't also have Michael B. Jordan.  He is basically amazing in everything he does and Without Remorse is no exception.  As John Clark, he gets to be a badass Navy SEAL and show off some of his more tactical side.  The film is a Michael B. Jordan highlight reel as he takes on many elite operatives, defends those around him, and then goes to some darker places to get the mission done.  And all throughout you have his trademark charm and charisma, even if his character delves into some darker places. The rest of the cast are likewise good and everyone plays their roles believable if a little campy, but Jordan is clearly the standout.  It was also nice to see Jodie Turner-Smith as a female operative in a leadership role.  Having strong female characters was much appreciated, especially in a military-focused film.

Without Remorse is also a good action movie.  The film has strong, chaotic action, excellent effects, and immersive sound.  It is a solid action contender and gives Amazon a tentpole film to build on. The movie also feels more based in the military than some other Tom Clancy movies, with a good sense of tactics and good communication between the squad.  Some movies bearing the Tom Clancy brand do lean more on the political intrigue and espionage angle, but without remorse also has strong action.  But that doesn't mean that there isn't any double crossing in Without Remorse.  The story is vintage Clancy, with plenty of intrigue, double crossing, and people playing both sides.  There are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, and although it generally doesn't have too many huge surprises, it keeps the story moving and keeps you entertained.  

Without Remorse is a good action movie made great by Michael B. Jordan, some exciting effects and sound, and a story with plenty of intrigue.

Watch it.

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Without Remorse is available on Amazon Prime Video on April 30, 2020.

Screening: Limbo Tonight (4/29) at 7:30 PM ET

We would like to invite you to a 

VIRTUAL SCREENING 

of Focus Features' Upcoming Release 

LIMBO 

Tonight, Thursday, April 29th at 7:30PM EST 

LIMBO is a wry and poignant observation of the refugee experience, set on a fictional remote Scottish island, where a group of new arrivals await the results of their asylum claims. It centers on Omar (El-Masry), a young Syrian musician who is burdened by his grandfather’s oud, which he has carried all the way from his homeland. 

Director: Ben Sharrock 

Producers: Irune Gurtubai and Angus Lamont 

Cast: Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Ola Orebiyi, Kwabena Ansah, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Kais Nashif. 

  

Running Time: 104 minutes 

Genre:  Drama/Comedy 

RSVP HERE: http://focusfeaturesscreenings.com/FLASHTIXDC 

Tu Me Manques Review: Powerful Human Drama From Bolivia

Release date: April 22, 2021 (Limited Theatrical); May 4 (DVD and Digital)
Running time: 111 minutes
Written and Directed By: Rodrigo Bellott
Starring: Oscar Martinez, Rossy de Palma, Fernando Barbosa, Quim del Rio, Jose Durán, Benjamin Lukovski, Dominic Colón, Rick Cosnett 

Following the death of his son, Jorge travels from conservative Bolivia to NYC to confront Sebastian - his son’s boyfriend. While Jorge struggles to accept the life of his son, Sebastian channels his grief into a bold play honoring his lost love.

Tu Me Manques is Bolivia's official Oscars selection for best foreign film.  It is the film adaptation of a groundbreaking play that debuted in the country in 2015.  That play confronted the stigma of homosexuality, by telling the story of a young man who committed suicide because of who he was.  It is not an uncommon occurrence for LGBTQ youths, many of whom are wracked with shame and guilt over their feelings.  In Bolivia and many Latin American countries, there is little acceptance for this lifestyle even among family.  Tu Me Manques explores this and the life of Gabriel, his time in New York finding who he was, and his untimely death as a result.

Tu Me Manques takes pieces of the play and weaves them in with dramatizations of Gabriel's life.  It seems like the play itself tells this story, but we are generally only shown limited sections of the performance so it is tough to tell.  Regardless, this film tells a beautiful and heart wrenching story of a young man who finds himself only to give into fear at a perceived lack of acceptance at home.  The dramatization sequences are well acted with bold characters and plenty of emotion.  As Gabriel's father learns more about his son's life in New York, he sees the life and friends his son found and the place where he could be himself.  And this journey is painful and emotional for all as the father and Gabriel's boyfriend are forced to remember the young man that is no longer there.  And this is accompanied by some amazing music that will amplify your emotions.  This music is dramatic and sometimes soul-touching.

But Tu Me Manques really shines for how bold it is.  Like the play, this film confronts homosexual stereotypes and stigmas head on, but also shows love and sense of community.  In exploring Gabriel's life, his father meets his friends and goes to his old hang outs, finding out how different his lifestyle was, but also how supportive his friends and members of the community are.  Despite being a Bolivian film, it is not afraid to show the conservative, sometimes toxic culture that it comes from.  And I was most impressed with a series of interviews in the film, where gay men talked about the shame that they had in their feelings in honest, sometimes shocking ways.  They touch on family denial, cultural stigma, personal shame, and the strange ways that they went about trying to hide who they were.  This film also doesn't shy away from Gabriel's relationship and the pure love that these two men experience, both physically and emotionally.  The movie is a beautiful, bittersweet film that concludes with a dramatic, climactic ending.  It is definitely not a movie to be missed.

Tu Me Manques is a beautiful, bittersweet, and poignant look into love, the need to be yourself, and the homosexual stigma in Latino culture.

Watch it.

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Tu Me Manques is available in select theaters on April 22, 2021 and available digitally and on DVD on May 4, 2021. For showtimes, click here.

For additional information about the film and to rent / buy it, check it out at the links below.

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News: Peter Rabbit 2 Final Trailer Drops, Opens in Theaters June 18th

Final trailer available to watch HERE! Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway was one of the movies that was set to release right before COVID shut everything down.  It's finally popping up and attacking your garden this June 18, 2021!

Interview: Ann Marie Allison, Jenna Milly of Golden Arm, Female Arm Wrestling Sports Comedy w/ Mary Holland

Betsy Sodaro, who plays Danny in Golden Arm, discusses the film, how she found the role of Danny, and how much fun she had filming it. We also discuss her plan to make more movies with her friends and get a hint at her next project! So give it a watch and make sure to check out Golden Arm in theaters and digitally on April 30, 2021! Directed By: Maureen Bharoocha Written By: Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly Starring: Mary Holland (Happiest Season), Betsy Sodaro (Trolls World Tour), Olivia Stambouliah (“The Walking Dead”), Eugene Cordero (Kong: Skull Island), Aparna Nancherla (A Simple Favor), Dawn Luebbe (Greener Grass), Ron Funches (Trolls Franchise), Ahmed Bharoocha (“Dream Corp LLC”) with Dot-Marie Jones (“Glee”) and Kate Flannery (“The Office”) Synopsis: When her best friend Danny ropes her into taking her spot at the Women’s Arm Wrestling Championship, nice girl baker Melanie must trade whisks for barbells as she trains to face off with the reigning champ for a chance at newfound badassery and the grand prize.

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Interview: Betsy Sodaro (Danny) of Golden Arm, Female Arm Wrestling Sports Comedy w/ Mary Holland Kate Flannery

Betsy Sodaro, who plays Danny in Golden Arm, discusses the film, how she found the role of Danny, and how much fun she had filming it. We also discuss her plan to make more movies with her friends and get a hint at her next project! So give it a watch and make sure to check out Golden Arm in theaters and digitally on April 30, 2021! Directed By: Maureen Bharoocha Written By: Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly Starring: Mary Holland (Happiest Season), Betsy Sodaro (Trolls World Tour), Olivia Stambouliah (“The Walking Dead”), Eugene Cordero (Kong: Skull Island), Aparna Nancherla (A Simple Favor), Dawn Luebbe (Greener Grass), Ron Funches (Trolls Franchise), Ahmed Bharoocha (“Dream Corp LLC”) with Dot-Marie Jones (“Glee”) and Kate Flannery (“The Office”) Synopsis: When her best friend Danny ropes her into taking her spot at the Women’s Arm Wrestling Championship, nice girl baker Melanie must trade whisks for barbells as she trains to face off with the reigning champ for a chance at newfound badassery and the grand prize.

Please subscribe to be updated on the latest videos!

Golden Arm Review: A Golden Opportunity to Flex Your Funny Bone

Release date: April 30, 2021
Running time: 91 minutes
Directed By: Maureen Bharoocha
Written By: Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly
Starring: Mary Holland (Happiest Season), Betsy Sodaro (Trolls World Tour), Olivia Stambouliah (“The Walking Dead”), Eugene Cordero (Kong: Skull Island), Aparna Nancherla (A Simple Favor), Dawn Luebbe (Greener Grass), Ron Funches (Trolls Franchise), Ahmed Bharoocha (“Dream Corp LLC”) with Dot-Marie Jones (“Glee”) and Kate Flannery (“The Office”)

When her best friend Danny ropes her into taking her spot at the Women’s Arm Wrestling Championship, nice girl baker Melanie must trade whisks for barbells as she trains to face off with the reigning champ for a chance at newfound badassery and the grand prize.

Golden Arm has the vibe of one of the early 2000s Will Ferrell comical sports movies; it takes a strange sport and puts an over the top spin on it.  The film treats arm wrestling like some sort of mix between roller derby and WWE, and we are all the better for it.  The film puts the crazy personas, flashy costumes, and dirty tricks from those sports into what most would consider a mundane sport.  But Golden Arm takes this idea and ratchets it up to 10.  I loved the mostly female cast and their gruff, type-A personalities.  It was really fun seeing Soldaro, Stambouliah, Jones, and Flannery really get to stretch their grungy sides.  And Holland is perfect as an unlikely competitor; her timid demeaner pairs perfectly with the more outspoken characters, and provides plenty of funny and awkward situations.

And Golden Arm also has a fun journey for our main characters.  The plot is a fairly predictable sports movie plot, think Karate Kid, but the spectacle of it all the raunchy humor make for a fun trip.  And it is fun to see Holland grow into her character, from unwilling participant into strong arm wrestling persona.  I loved seeing a sports film with an almost all female cast, written by two women, and directed by another.  It gives the film a different feel than most other sports movies, with characters that are competitive and play dirty, but not exploited.  The antics, the dirty tricks, the thrill of victory and the sting of defeat are all here and make for an entertaining sports drama / comedy. 

And this is what makes Golden Arm such a fun experience.  You have the glitz of an 80s style wrestling fight, with strong female characters, and a story that is so different that you have to take notice.  And it is also fun to see this gang of misfits who have a real sense of community and purpose.  The characters all know each other from this circuit and when they see each other, you have a lot of fun and silly interactions.  You can tell that the everyone involved in this film really loved it and had a blast making it.  It bleeds onto the screen along with the sweat and blood of the characters in the movie, making for a fun, over the top sports comedy.

Golden Arm flexes its movie biceps with its over the top characters, fun cameos, and strong female protagonists, making for a golden opportunity for a good time!

Watch it.

If you liked this review and want to see more from Watch or Pass, please consider 

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Golden Arm is available in theaters and digitally on April 30, 2021.  For showtimes, click here.

For additional information about the film and to rent / buy it, check it out at the links below.

This site contains affiliate links. //Commerce or this site may be compensated when you click through links on our site.