Another Thursday is upon us and this week I’m recommending movies that revolve around revenge. It also just happens that all these movies feature female characters revenging men in one way or the other. One is a bit more fun but the other two are pretty revengy.
1. HARD CANDY (2005)
This is a movie that I’ve seen only once, but I remember watching it and feeling exhilarated. This movie is simple and yet, f*cking scary! Ellen Page takes on a heavy role where she seeks revenge on Patrick Wilson’s character. He happens to be a bad guy, and she takes the law in her own hands. This by no means is an easy film to watch but man, it’s a good one. Page slays the role of an avenging female, and Wilson is just as good. So if you haven’t seen this one yet, I recommend it highly.
2. EX MACHINA (2017)
I picked Ex Machina for this week’s theme because it reflects the revenge of machines. Sure, it’s hard to draw the line between machine and human in this film, but that’s what makes it good. This is also one of the few roles where I actually liked Alicia Vikander. She is believable and doesn’t emote as much as humans, which makes her a believable AI. Also, the movie looks stunning with bold visuals, Oscar Isaac shows some great dance moves and the ending is freaking frightening.
3. DOWN WITH LOVE (2003)
Making this list a bit lighter with a rom-com musical! Renee Zellweger’s ambitious character seeks sort of revenge on Ewan McGregor’s character. It’s amazing! It has a great visual vibe, funny editing and fabulous performances by two great actors. Oh and the songs, the costumes, the hair, the fashion – I love it all. So when I saw this theme, I knew I was going to recommend Down With Love, because it’s a perfect fit for this week! The revenge part of the film ends up being not as gruesome as my other two picks so it’s a great and colourful balance to this list!
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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How have I never heard of Down With Love?! It sounds like so much fun!!
Kicking myself for not picking Ex Machina – love that movie.
It is fun. Don’t go in expecting gold but it’s a great rom-com to pass the time and the style of it is just wonderful. Don’t kick yourself too hard, okay! 😀
I’m kicking myself for not thinking of Hard Candy, that’s perfect! I love Ex Machina too, I haven’t seen Down With Love though.
Hah, people kicking themselves a lot this week – first Allie, now you. 😀 If it’s any consolation, I usually kick myself every week for not having seen the films you guys recommend because they seem awesome! 😀
Ex Machina is the only I’ve seen and I wasn’t crazy about it. I’ve been meaning to rewatch it but I need longer days to do all the stuff I need/want to do haha
Ex Machina is a very serious film and I totally understand not being crazy in love with it. I sometimes rewatch shows that I haven’t liked and suddenly I’m in love because I’m in the right mood. So maybe, with the right mood, Ex Machina will hit harder.
Never got into Down with Love but I do like Hard Candy and Ex Machina.
Great, but I totally get why Down with Love isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. 🙂
Down with Love is such a smart pick! An adorable movie but for some reason it hadn’t even crossed my mind 🙈
My picks: https://thepunktheory.wordpress.com/2019/02/07/thursday-movie-picks-revenge/
Hah, well I just went searching for something with a female revenge angle and remembered it suddenly. Otherwise it doesn’t really cross my mind a lot either. 😀
I guess I walked into Ex-Machina with too high an expectation from everyone praising it to the skies. It was fine and interesting but I was neither riveted nor much moved.
I have a firm aversion to Zellweger but I did go see Down with Love when it came out. I thought it was terribly arch and tried too hard to capture the Doris Day/Rock Hudson rom-com vibe of their Pillow Talk films where the froth was effortless. Ewan McGregor was decent and it was great that they had Tony Randall in it as a hat tip to the originals, and the clothes and sets were great, but overall I thought it fell flat.
I’ve avoided Hard Candy after watching the similar in theme Mysterious Skin, just too soul sucking for me.
I reached back to the land of film noir for mine where revenge was almost always a vital factor of the stories.
No Way Out (1950)-Shot during a robbery lowlife criminal Ray Biddle (Richard Widmark) and his brother Johnny are cared for by young black doctor Luther Brooks (Sidney Poitier) at the local hospital. Ray, a virulent bigot, protests loudly and when Johnny dies on the operating table (from an undiagnosed brain tumor) Ray becomes convinced it was murder and swears revenge. In frustration Luther and his mentor Dr. Wharton (Stephen McNally) turn to Johnny’s ex-wife Edie (Linda Darnell) to try and convince Ray of the truth. But despite being jailed Ray sends messages via another brother, the mute George (Harry Bellaver), to his gang and manages to incite the denizens of his ghetto-Beaver Canal-to attack the neighboring black community. Escaping Ray hunts Luther down leading to a nail biting face-off. Poitier’s first film, he’s good if a bit tentative, and overshadowed by Widmark and Linda Darnell both of whom give award level performances. Director Joseph Mankiewicz lead up to All About Eve is a brutal unfortunately still timely film about racial tensions.
Act of Violence (1949)-Frank Enley (Van Heflin) is regarded as a war hero in his small California town where he lives with his wife Edith (Janet Leigh) and young daughter but one day Joe Parkson (Robert Ryan) appears hell-bent on revenge and Frank’s life starts to spiral out of control. The truth is that Frank aided the Nazis during his interment leading to a thwarting of Joe’s escape and a crippling injury as well as the death of several others. Now Joe plans a deadly vindication. Tough, bleak noir.
Marked Woman (1937) – Mary Dwight (Bette Davis) and her four compatriots-Gabby, Estelle, Florrie and Emmy Lou-work as “hostesses” in a Manhattan nightclub that’s just been converted into a clip joint run by mob boss Johnny Vanning (Eduardo Ciannelli). Shortly afterwards they are pulled in by the crusading DA (Humphrey Bogart) and Mary takes the fall with assurances from Vanning that he will take care of her. But things go wrong and Mary’s innocent sister Betty is pulled into the web and ends up dead. When Vanning tries to weasel out of responsibility Mary tells him that she’ll get her revenge “Even if I have to crawl back from my grave to do it!” In response his thugs disfigure her, making her the Marked Woman of the title, which only strengthens her resolve to even the score
I haven’t seen the movie Down With Love borrows it’s theme but I guess it’s always a little disappointing to see a version of a movie that did something first.
I didn’t think Ex-Machina fit the theme, but I love the way you explain it. Works for me. Besides, it’s a fantastic movie. So is Hard Candy. Love it. Haven’t seen your last pick, though.
Well, I do love to pick movies that fit the theme in between the lines so to say. 🙂
I have not seen Hard Candy and I don’t think I will. Inspired choice for Ex Machina! Down With Love is a fun film bringing back those comedies from the late 50’s with Doris Day and Rock Hudson and Tony Randall.
I do think Hard Candy is a good one to see, but the theme is quite strong, so it might not be suitable for all.
Uffff that dance scene in Ex-Machina 😀 Great movie too!
Yes, that dance scene… yum.