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A group of criminals are tasked with the kidnapping of a 12 year old ballerina, Abigail (Alisha Weir), and holding her for ransom in a fortified mansion in the woods; but, as details regarding who her father is come to light, it’s very clear the gang has bitten off more than they can chew. Worse yet, Abigail herself may be more than they bargained for as well.Written by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick and Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett this splatter and spatter fest of a dark ride brings the proper amount of gore to a modern day vampire film with just the right amount of whimsy and lore to keep horror enthusiasts entertained for a jumpy spooky time. Re-treading some previous ground from their earlier work Directors Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett lean in to their successes of Ready or Not and double down on the same, that’s not to say we’re looking at the same film, rather, we’re beginning to see what might be their signature moves, also not bad. Meanwhile, work from the ensemble appears to be stout, ripe with irrationality, and overacting as appropriate, stand outs from Dan Stevens and Melissa Barrera are notable. End result, we’re not breaking new ground in horror or vampire lore but the slick and polished feel, plus the buckets of blood that were required for the journey more than seal the deal in giving this gem a nod. Fun for fans of the genre, running an hour and forty nine minutes, Abigail is rated R.

In the not so distant future, the United States is fractured by succession and split ideologies. Now, as Civil war has raged on with significant casualties on both sides, a group of embedded reporters embark on a journey to Washington D.C. to conduct what could be the President’s last interview, conversely it could also be their own last interview attempt. Navigating complex lands and hostile locals might be too much for this intrepid crew. Written and Directed by Alex Garland this high tension piece effectively puts the audience on notice and edge from the outset holding the viewer in what can best be described as an effective cinematic jujitsu arm bar applying and releasing pressure snaring the victim deeper with each turn. Meanwhile solid acting from the entire ensemble including Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson sells the illusion with an intentionally bipartisan screenplay. Of note, Jesse Plemons appearance at a particularly fevered pitch leaves a haunting impression of the horrors of war, questioning “what’s American, and who’s to say?” The end result is a win for Garland in one respect which is a solid mirroring of what could be, but also comes up glaringly thin and exposing with the specifically non-political stance; scratching beneath the superficial there are way too many unanswered questions, harrumph, more subtext please. Beautifully assembled none the less, and with election season just around the bend, Civil War is poised to serve as a warning conveniently packaged into a one hour and forty nine minutes of runtime. Civil War is rated R.

An anonymous kid (Dev Patel) working in the underground fight club scene of India discovers his own inner power to exact retribution and vengeance against the corrupt political and religious leaders who murdered his mother when he was a young boy. Now, cheered on by the weak and powerless, Kid in fact re-enacts the Hindu tale of Hanuman a devoted companion to the deity Rama…fear his wrath. Written by Dev Patel, Paul Angunawela, John Collee, and Directed by Patel this polished action sits as an interesting amalgam of its predecessors, Fight Club, John Wick, Slumdog Millionaire, Snatch, and Unbreakable; drawing on the known characteristics of each to create this rock and roll assault of the senses. It would seem Patel is paying homage to his cinematic gods as he takes the reins in this directorial debut whilst also palatably weaving eastern philosophy into a tapestry for western audiences. Are molds, stereotypes, and caste systems broken by this film, absolutely not, but that’s not the point, the end result is a romping, stomping good time that has enough whimsy and blood spurting to keep ardent phlebotomists and spatter experts intrigued. It’ll be fun to see where Patel jumps to next as a director, he’s clearly been taking good notes so far. Running a little long at two hours and one minute, this adventure is rated R, for obvious reasons!