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Two half wit criminals, Frankie (Scoot McNairy) and Russell (Ben Mendelsohn) are set up by a light roller named Johny Amato (Vincent Curatola) to knock over a mob protected card game run by Markie Trattman (Ray Liotta). Post heist the local gambling economy is looking bleak, to rectify things the mob calls in a regulator known as Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt). It’s Jackie’s job to solve the crime and restore order to the otherwise lawless underbelly of organized crime. Economy, politics, committees, mobs, it all ties together, just how close? Political Satire in the guise of a criminal drama mob flick, Director and co-writer Andrew Dominik clearly has a message to deliver about capitalism, the American economy, and state of affairs our nation is in. A message that gets louder and louder right up to the bitter end. Aside from the obvious though, the carrier of the message is still this dark and intriguing tale, well crafted, acted, and laced with ambiance tracks that add to flavour nicely. Performaces from Richard Jenkins, and James Ganlofini are also of note. Giving you plenty to chew on and mull over, this one’s worth your consideration. Killing Them Softly is rated R.

After escaping the clutches of a mysterious psycho killer known as the Collector (Randall Archer), Arkin (Josh Stewart), a known criminal and badass is forced to re-enter the killer’s den with a band of mercenaries in search of the Collector’s latest prize, Elena (Emma Fitzpatrick) the daughter of a rich so and so. In the booby trapped hideout are horrors of the flesh unparalleled and grotesque to the point of almost…comedy? Save the girl, survive the house, and dispatch the killer, seems legit? Completely implausible torture porn appears to be the name of the game here, combining 1 part SAW, 1 part Madame Tussauds, 1 part Halloween, and 1 part Seven. So that is to say, we’re not really seeing anything horribly new here, but there does appear to be a loosely stitched together creative vision based on previous visions. Acting, I’m not sensing anything amazing here, makeup and FX get a nod, but sadly I’m just not sure I can back this horse. As Vonnegut says…”So it goes” The Collection is rated R.

Based on the famous work of Leo Tolstoy, Director Joe Wright has re-imagined the tale of Anna Karenina. Set in the late 19th century of Russia’s high society, Anna (Kiera Kightley) is married to and has a child with Karenin (Jude Law). But, after a trip to visit family across the country and a brief encounter with Count Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), her life is turned upside down as a fiery romance burns between the two, a romance that ultimately stands to undo her marriage to Karenin causing even greater upset in society. What’s a girl to do? Meticulously planned out, and choreographed from start to finish director Wright has created nothing short of amazing for cinema and theatre buffs. While capturing any piece of classic literature for the screen will no doubt always have some glitches to it, the creative vision that is employed to finesse a number of difficult concepts (time, distance, location, social structure, etc.) works to pull the viewer further into the narrative. Acting from the ensemble all feels strong, combined with the afore mentioned artistic direction and you’ve got the makings of a modern classic. Anna Karenina is rated R for awesome!