Drive (2011)

Get your motor runnin'...
The Driver is an auto mechanic who also drives Hollywood stunt cars.  In his spare time, he is a getaway driver for hire.  Ryan Gosling gives an eerily powerful performance as as the morally ambiguous Driver.  As a getaway driver, he helps people commit crimes but has a strong sense of right and wrong, abiding by his own ethical code.  He will do whatever he can to protect those he cares about, even if it means murder. It plays like a hybrid of a neo-noir thriller and an 80s action film.  The title font screams early 80s action (think Beverly Hills Cop or Miami Vice).  The story is gripping and there were several scenes that really got my RPMs racing - my heart was literally pounding because the action was so tense.   The first five minutes of this film are as exciting as any action scene in any film.This is one of those crazy good films that should stand the test of time. 

Drive revved up to 5 out of 5 Poblanos!

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writer: Hossein Amini
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Metacritic: 79 out of 100

Bunraku (2010)

Vengeance is dish best served cold
A mash up between a comic book, a Tarantino flick, Natural Born Killers, and The Science of Sleep, Bunraku plays out like a dystopian fairly tale. I love the mix of animation, origami, and live action. The sets are fantastic as are the costumes. There are some really amazing shots (be on the lookout for Josh Hartnett's jail break-in). Very watchable, very enjoyable, and very fun. 

Bunraku knocks me over with 4 out of 5 Poblanos!

Director: Guy Moshe
Writer: Boaz Davidson (story), Guy Moshe (screenplay)

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Demi Moore, Ron Perlman and Woody Harrelson

Rotten Tomatoes: 16%

Metacritic: not reviewed