DRAMA THRILLER. “Locked.” / “The Neighbor.” / “Under the Silver Lake.” / “Shot Caller.” / “Drone.”

“Locked” (2025, Hulu) psychological thriller, follows a petty thief and deadbeat dad who breaks into a state-of-the-art SUV, only to be trapped inside and played with by the sadistic owner. Bill Skarsgård versus Anthony Hopkins in a battle of nerves, daring, and wits. It started and carried on with panache and grit, until it went gung-ho that David Yarovesky didn’t seem to find the plug to end it all. Of course, it ended. Predictably. 
It was a fine ride, still. Not so bad. 🎥💻📽



“The Neighbor” (2018, Roku) psychological thriller about a technical writer who sees his life shaken by the arrival of new, younger neighbors. 



       Aaron Harvey's minimalist but controlled direction, anchored on William Fichtner’s timid technical writer Mike, kept the narrative interesting although we knew the inevitable ending. But would you suspect a “happy” denouement? Nope, not me. Yet it isn’t tragic anyhow. But the slow-burn “thriller” is plausible enough to warrant a focused watch. 🎥💻📽


“Under the Silver Lake” (2018, Plex) surrealist neo-noir black comedy thriller. Set in 2011 Los Angeles, the story follows a young man investigating the sudden disappearance of his neighbor, only to stumble upon an elusive and dangerous conspiracy. 



       I must say writer-director David Robert Mitchell's an ambitious nut but a good nut though. True to any A24 project, this indie is eerily bonkers but deliriously spaced-out, all good to me. Andrew Garfield's paranoid curiosity or consistent bewilderment as slacker Sam is fun to watch. He is deeply involved, which is, of course, a good thing. 🎥💻📽


“Shot Caller” (2017, Roku) crime thriller, chronicles the transformation of a well-to-do family man into a hardened prison gangster, which he undergoes to survive California's penal system after he is incarcerated for his role in a deadly DUI car accident.



       This is a gangster genre drill so expect theatrical violence, dirty talk, and not so much on sex cliches. Despite all these, there’s some honesty in this feature; authenticity that isn’t explored in cinema that much. The involved performance of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jacob "Money" Harlon a.k.a. The Shot Caller is worth notice. And my favorite bad guy/good guy Jon Bernthal is here as Shotgun, Money's former prison buddy and associate. Mr Bernthal  as always fits in every role that is assigned to him. 

       Writer/director Ric Roman Waugh, a former stuntman, should get more projects. 🎥💻📽


“Drone” (2017, Pluto TV) Canadian thriller about an American drone pilot who is confronted by a Pakistani businessman in his hometown. Background: In March 2016, a drone strike in Pakistan killed the intended target but it also resulted in collateral damage, taking the lives of several innocents who found themselves at the wrong place at the wrong time.



       Sean Bean is the pilot Neil Wistin. Plus other family-related issues, Neil suddenly faces the father of the wife and daughter who were wasted by the drone attack. Mr Beans is always a fine actor and he delivered the goods here, as well with Patrick Sabongui as Imir, the Pakistani father.

       But this little supposedly highly-strung political/cultural encounter ran around in tired motions that I simply wanted it ended yet the resolution kept me interested, anyhow. 🎥💻📽


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