K
<< J   ||  Index   ||  L-Lh >>
The Keep [1983] The Kid [2019] Kidnap [2017]
Kill [2023] Kill Bill: Vol. 1 [2003] Kill Bill: Vol. 2 [2004]
Kill Boksoon [2023] The Killer [1989] Killerman [2019]
Killers [2014] Kin [2018] King Arthur: Legend of the Sword [2017]
King of the Ants [2003] The King's Man [2021] Kingsman 1: The Secret Service [2014]
Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle [2017] The Kiss of the Vampire [1963] Kiss the Girls [1997]
KL Zombi [2013] Knives Out [2019] Know Your Enemy [2018]
Kong: Skull Island [2017] Kubo and the Two Strings [2016] Kwaidan [1964]
Kill [2023]

            

A family of bandits plan to rob a train. They didn't plan on a couple of Commandos being on board. For me, the characters never connected so I didn't care about them much. Because of that, those moments of melodrama, which were pretty thick, just annoyed me. However, the action is unrelenting, savage, brutal and gory. Although I did get tired of the constant repetition of people who were seemingly defeated getting back up and fighting again, it certainly wasn't boring and if you like constant claustrophobic, in-your-face bloody violence, this is for you.
Killerman [2019]

            
  
A money launderer finds himself in a catastrophic mess when he gets talked into a drug deal on the side by a close associate. This was an extremely well made thriller with authentic characters, crisp and honest dialog, a few good thrills, a high level of intensity, lots of twists and some scenes of absolutely brutal violence. The beginning and ending are tight with the middle section being a bit drawn out but not badly. It has a great twist ending, although I figured it out via a random thought. Your results may differ. Overall, quite enjoyable with no real negatives. Nice one!
Kiss the Girls [1997]

            
   Watch for FREE right now!
When a Forensic Psychologist's niece goes missing, along with several other women, he teams up with a previous victim to find her. Although this really isn't anything beyond what you'd expect from a typical episode of Criminal Minds, it's very well made and the acting is exceptional all around, especially Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd. Few tense moments and a few minor twists, that you could probably figure out, kept my attention and the pacing is perfect with nary a dull moment. All in all, a very good and, at times, disturbing crime thriller.
Kubo and the Two Strings [2016]

            

A one-eyed boy, a monkey and an insect man go on a quest to stop the machinations of the boy's grandfather and 2 aunts. With that premise, it should be exciting but it's not, really. It should be funny but, beyond a couple chuckles, it's relatively humorless. It should be endearing, but it was actually depressing at times and I didn't really care about any of them. Should have a stupendous climax, but it was sort of ho-hum and sad, actually. Animation was good and the action pieces played out well but the whole thing felt flat and lifeless. Just didn't work for me.
Kill Boksoon [2023]
aka Gil Bok-soon
            

An assassin gets into some major problems with her organization while trying to be a normal single mom to her teenage daughter. The story played out rather well and I liked all the characters. That being said, it's too long; the editing of the side stories and sub plots could have been tightened up. Also, the action wasn't bad but all the stylized tricks they were trying was a more a distraction than a plus and, what appears to be popular these days, most of it was in the dark. I'm getting old. Someone turn a light. Still fun and exciting, though. Boksoon's a bad ass!
The Kid [2019]

         

Actually 2 kids. The story revolves around the last days of Billy the Kid but is really about Rio, a kid, with his own baggage of demons, who witnesses it all and how it affects him. This is not a 'gunfight' style western but solidly a drama with a level of western authenticity I have rarely seen. Long scenes of sharp dialog are actually incredibly compelling. The acting is exceptional from everyone ...and for the short amount of screen time given to Chris Pratt as the evil uncle, he rocks it! Give that man an Oscar! Working on all levels, this film really deserves a view. Bravo!
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 [2003]

         

Shot in the head and left for dead at her wedding, our hero decides she's going to kill the entire Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, of which she was a part, and finish off with their leader, Bill. If you haven't gotten around to seeing this by now, you were probably never interested in the first place. Tarantino at his best bringing us a highly modernized and stylized homage to the Kung Fu films of the past in a delightful, albeit extremely bloody manner. Characters are colorful and exciting. Although, scenes tend to drag beyond their purpose at times, it's exciting and fun.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 [2004]

            

Our heroine continues on her crusade to eliminate all those that killed her wedding party, and left her for dead, until she finally catches up to Bill ...and an unexpected surprise. This one barely makes it higher than my 'Good' banner as, although it is a crafty film with all the elements that makes in an epic endeavor, Tarantino's penchant for dragging things out is clearly evident in this one ...was experiencing plenty of 'let's get on with it moments' and glancing at the time left before it ended. Still a fun watch and deserving of its classic status.
The King's Man [2021]

            

Prequel detailing events during the Great War that led up to the creation of the Kingsman organization. This is an odd one. It certainly has the elements we've come to expect from a Kingsman film but, at least half of the film is far more a personal war drama ...and a really dark one, at that. It all came together to form a cohesive story but the overall tone felt like I was watching two different films that sorta clashed. It was fun how they incorporated a somewhat farcical take on actual historical events and people that made it worthwhile. Good but... odd.
The Killer [1989]
aka Dip huet seung hung
         
   Watch for FREE right now!
After accidentally blinding a singer, an assassin vows one last job to pay for corneal transplants. You can guess how that went. This early, ultra-typical John Woo / Chow Yun-Fat film, with its massive body count and guns with enough ammo to shoot a parade of attackers at least a half dozen times each, still manages to present a good story with real, personal characters and heartfelt relationships. True that they seem forced and kinda rushed but when you'll dealing with a film that's 75% bloody violence, you make the best with what you have left. Good stuff.
Kidnap [2017]

         

When a mother sees her 6-year-old son being abducted, she gives chase. That's pretty much it making this a chase movie. I had a few logic problems with it like, with all that's going on, how is it that half the police in the state aren't in the middle of this. Some misfortunes had me sarcastically commenting, "Gee, didn't see that coming". And, although Halle Berry was excellent, the director focused far too much on her angst at times diffusing the tension. But it is an exciting ride that got better as it went and, overall, a good deal of fun. Certainly worth a watch.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword [2017]

         

Yet another different version of the Excalibur / King Arthur legend. This was a strange one. Director Guy Ritchie is best known for British street gang movies (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels) and, unfortunately, that experience sort of bleeds into this one. The vernacular is all wrong and no one really behaves like you would expect, the editing was odd and didn't feel natural, and, except for the opening sequence, the spec fx were forgettable. It was entertaining but far from feeling authentic.
Kong: Skull Island [2017]

            


Basically, a version of King Kong minus the trip to New York. A very exciting version with loads of quality action, some very impressive spec fx, and some great photography. The creatures, in addition to Kong, were quite cool and the characters were well defined. Just what a grand adventure should be.
The Kiss of the Vampire [1963]

            
   Watch for FREE right now!
A honeymooning couple get stranded in a hotel in the middle of nowhere. They meet the neighbors ...a family of vampires. This is one of those fun early '60's Hammer films with all the usual props and cliches you'd expect. Not all that much really happens as with many of the Hammer films, far more emphasis is placed on the lurking danger than the actual danger itself so you basically have a long setup with a climax. But they're fun and entertaining.
Know Your Enemy [2018]

            
   Watch for FREE right now!
A man invades the house of a young couple because the woman cut him off in traffic. Yes, you heard right, that's exactly what happens ...and it goes downhill from there. Endless philosophical conversations about prejudice, the truth, etc,. with the filmmakers showing us various flashbacks of this man's life in an attempt, I guess, to understand his motivations and to draw sympathy from us by the time it's over. Bottom line is, the guy is a mentally unstable sadist who's decided this couple's a convenient target for his rage. Pathetic film subject, poorly executed.
KL Zombi [2013]

            

Malaysian slapstick comedy of a zombie outbreak. There's a very fine line in slapstick between really funny and really silly. I don't know what they consider funny in Malaysia but for me, this went so far into the really silly area that the line is no longer even in sight. None of the gags worked. Many of the scenes played out way too long. Most of the characters were goofy caricatures that were totally unbelievable. The zombie make-up was exceptionally good. That's the best I can say for it.
The Keep [1983]

            

In Romania, 1941, a group of German soldiers stay in a keep that was built to hold an ancient evil imprisoned ...and it wants out. I read the book around the same time the movie came out but didn't see it until now. I don't remember much from the book but I remember the book being really good and this film, with its bad editing, bad acting, cheap special fx and a soundtrack by Tangerine Dream that seemed completely out of place, came off as a really cheesy b-movie with large gaps in the story. Didn't work for me.
Killers [2014]

         
   Watch for FREE right now!
A frustrated journalist / estranged husband and father, begins corresponding with a serial killer and begins to kill, as well. They managed to make a movie that is both extremely savage and boring at the same time. This movie definitely could have used some trimming from its 137 mins as it spent far too much time on the emotional turmoil of its antagonists - which weren't that interesting to begin with - and on some sort of philosophical reason for everything that's happening that, in the end, for me, it just didn't work.
Kwaidan [1964]
aka Kaidan
            

Four ghost stories based on Japanese folk tales. This incredibly long-winded film is over 3 hours so I would suggest watching a story or two at a time rather than try to watch it in one sitting. The stories are simple and personal. Despite the slow pace, the film had stunning photography and strange discordant music that made it both beautiful and haunting. These aren't really scary ghost stories but rather we have a film that is more artful and elegant than many of today's films and a pleasure to watch ...in small doses. Quite fascinating.
Kingsman 1: The Secret Service [2014]

            

A billionaire believes the way to solve the world's problems is to transmit an audio signal that causes everyone to want to kill each other. In the meantime, the Kingsman are recruiting a new member into their organization of secret agents. Fantastic way to start off a franchise. Supremely colorful characters, involved, compelling story, incredibly well defined and choreographed action scenes (especially the Kentucky church scene ...WOW!) and enough humor to keep you smiling the whole time. Flint and Bond, step aside.
Kin [2018]

         
   Watch for FREE right now!
A 14-year-old boy finds an alien gun. His ex-con brother is being hunted by a psychotic loan shark. What's to do? Road trip! ...and what a long dull trip it's been. Everyone in this film is boring, uninteresting, and/or unlikable. They have no charisma, no humor, and, as such, generates no empathy. The constant attempts at the brothers bonding falls flat and wastes time. No real action to speak of except the climax, which was exciting, albeit somewhat cheesy. It'll have it's fans but not this one.
Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle [2017]

            

The Kingsman agents must team up with the Statesman agents in the USA to save the world from a threat to most of mankind. The imagination of the people involved in this is simply mind-bending. Not only are the action scenes full of unique, unheard of ideas, they are totally outrageous and so far over-the-top, they should come off as being absolutely ludicrous. But, they're so well done, it makes you smile and cheer. Story, heroes, and villains are excellent as well. What a superbly fun experience. Elton John's a riot!
King of the Ants [2003]

            
   Watch for FREE right now!
A guy who takes odd jobs gets hired by a corrupt construction contractor to first follow a city hall accountant and then kill him. Things go downhill from there. A somewhat enjoyable film that I had two issues with. The first... why does everybody make such lousy decisions? The worst being why not just pay the hit man and all this could have been avoided. I guess we wouldn't have a story then, eh?. Second... there were a number of times in this film where I wish they would move it along, which got frustrating.
Knives Out [2019]

            

The world's most famous mystery writer is dead. Is it suicide, murder or something else entirely? Bring in Private Investigator Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to solve the mystery. Director / writer Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper) brings us an all-star cast of some of the most colorful characters to ever grace the screen making this a terribly fun murder mystery. Although it didn't have as many laugh-out-loud moments as I thought it would, it had a perfectly placed, subtle humor that ran throughout and the dialog was extremely well written and precise. Smiles all around!
<< J   ||  Index   ||  L-Lh >>