My Brother the Devil (2012)

Gangsters, guns, and drugs

Mohammed (Mo) and his brother Rashid (Rash) are the children of Egyptian immigrants living in the London neighborhood of Hackney.  Rashid is part of a street gang which mainly sells drugs.  Mo wants to be a part of that life, but Rash doesn't want him in it.  The director gives us a realistic glimpse into life in the English ghetto, which seems to have taken its cues from the worst parts of American culture.  This film had me hooked from the first five minutes.  It is one of those rare movies that is so well made that I got lost in the story and forgot that the rest of the world existed.  Can't wait to see more from Sally El Hosaini!

My Brother the Devil gets 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Director: Sally El Hosaini
Writer: Sally El Hosaini
Starring: James Floyd, Elarica Gallacher, Fady Elsayed, Saïd Taghmaoui (Lost Season 6)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Metacritic: 72%

Movie Review: Kill List (2011)

When things go from bad to worse to weird

Jay, combat veteran hooks up with his friend, Gal, to do a job.  As contract killers, the two have a list of people who need to get gotten.  The jobs start out fairly run of the mill but become more bizarre as they work their way through them.  This film is tense, funny, gruesome, and surprising.  Mr. Wheatley, who also directed Down Terrace as well as he upcoming A Field in England, is definitely one of my new favorite directors.

Kill List gets 4 out of 5 stars.

Director: Ben Wheatley
Writer: Amy Jump, Ben Wheatley
Starring: Neil Maskell, MyAnna Buring, Michael Smiley
Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
Metacritic: 67%