Sixty Minutes (2024)

 

 

Streaming Service: Netflix

Movie Name/Year: Sixty Minutes (2024) 

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama 

Length:  1h 28min 

Rating: TV-MA

Director: Oliver Kienle 

Writers: Philip Koch, Oliver Kienle 

Actors: Emilio Sakraya, Dennis Mojen, Marie Mouroum, Paul Wollin, Florian Schmidtke, Aristo Luis, José Barros, Vassilis Koukalani, Janna Striebeck, Morik Heydo, Livia Matthes, Mehmet Atesci, Eniko Fulop, Bruno Salgueiro, Tatjana Sojic, Georg Blumreiter 

 

IMDb Blurb: Desperate not to lose custody, a mixed martial arts fighter makes dangerous enemies when he ditches a matchup to race to his daughter's birthday party. 

 

 

Selina’s Point of View: 

Sixty Minutes was so much better than it had any right to be.

 

The trailer for the film was fine. It looked like Sixty Minutes would be a solid action flick. Something along the lines of Run Lola Run (1998). Not bad footsteps to follow in, but usually those movies tend to be basic. They’re a dime a dozen and rarely have anything setting them apart from the others.

 

For that reason, I stuck Sixty Minutes in the 15th position of my Top 20. Not high, but respectable. 

 

In the interest of transparency, my ADHD was acting up, so I had to default to a dubbed version. Due to that, I won’t be talking about the script acting. I will say that there was nothing in the dubbing that interrupted my immersion. I was zoned into my screen the whole time, without fail.

 

 

Despite my personal issues, I found myself feeling everything I was meant to during the runtime. Instead of the cookie cutter, semi-solid action flick I was expecting – I got a pulse-pounding, character-driven, well-choreographed film.

 

When I say ‘well-choreographed’ I’m not talking about the John Wick (2014) style. Weapons, and creative use of the setting, is not really a factor. Nor am I talking about the Extraction (2020) method, where the cinematography becomes a character of its own in the battle. Instead, Sixty Minutes utilized a more realistic choreography. Everything that any character does is something a well-trained fighter could do. There was a touch of acrobatics, but it was mostly boxing/MMA. Fans of watching real fights would get a kick out of it.

 

I think realism is something that sets Sixty Minutes apart from its contemporaries. It allows for deeper immersion because nothing really comes out of left field. It’s all perfectly reasonable. The main character never seems invulnerable.

 

Sixty Minutes was amazing. It smashed through every single expectation I had for it and then some.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View: 

I remember being intrigued by Sixty Minutes when I saw its trailer last month. I am a big fan of action thrillers and this movie seemed to tick all those boxes on paper. I was initially a little concerned whether or not I would become invested in it enough that keeping up with subtitles and the action at the same time would mesh well, as the production was filmed in German. I was thrilled to discover this was one of the foreign films coming to Netflix that they had an English dub for, so that became a non-issue.

 

While I don’t generally follow MMA fighting, such as UFC, I do have a love of watching martial arts combat on the screen and a deep respect for the sport. That being said, the entire story of Sixty Minutes stems from the fact that the main character doesn’t make it into the ring for the scheduled fight. The structure of MMA matches and the octagon they take part in aren’t even a factor as the action flows organically through the whole city of Berlin. 

 

The stunt work here was crazy good and the fight choreography was on point. Sixty Minutes was an excellent vehicle for lead Emilio Sakraya (Warrior Nun, Tribes of Europa, One Night Off) to lean into his background of martial arts and parkour and really shine. Even the supporting cast in his proverbial corner were kicking serious ass. A stand-out for me was one Octa’s head trainers, Cosima, played by Marie Mouroum (Berlin Station, Black Panther, Tribes of Europa). She has an extensive background in cinema stunts and has worked on many heavy-hitting action pieces from Marvel Cinematic Universe to Bond films. She had a meatier role here where she got to show off her fighting chops and had a meaningful part to play as well.

 

The premise of this story didn’t have a lot of bells and whistles to it, but it didn’t need to. I was emotionally invested from the get-go and I could feel Octa’s pain and frustration as he embarked on this roller-coaster of MMA madness. I was right there with him feeling his emotional exhaustion as it seemed the whole world just wanted to get in the way of him achieving his all-important goal of saving his relationship with his daughter. I also appreciated that Sixty Minutes leaned into the realistic toll that the journey’s events took on his body and mental state -- keeping him human rather than the seemingly invincible hero trope that Hollywood often banks on.

 

If you’re looking for a fast-paced adrenaline ride with a lot of heart behind it, Sixty Minutes wouldn’t be a bad choice and I would encourage fans of the genre to check it out.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 60% 

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 78% 

Metascore – None 

Metacritic User Score – None

IMDB Score – 5.7/10 

 

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4.5/5 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5 

 

Movie Trailer:

Kate (2021)

 

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Kate (2021)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
Length:  106 minutes
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: 87North, Screen Arcade, Netflix
Director: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan
Writer: Umair Aleem
Actors: Amelia Crouch, Ava Caryofyllis, Elysia Rotaru, Eoin O'Brien, Jun Kunimura, Mari Yamamoto, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Michiel Huisman, Miku Patricia Martineau, Miyavi, Patrick Newall, Tadanobu Asano, Ulf Pilblad, Woody Harrelson
 
Blurb from IMDb:  A female assassin has 24 hours to get vengeance on her murderer before she dies.

Cat’s Point of View:
Kate landed at my #6 pick on September’s Top 20 Movies to Look Out For list. (Selina had Kate listed as her #4.) Based on the trailer and my research for the article, I had some pretty solid expectations for this production.
 
Did Kate live up to what I built up in my mind? Absolutely. Let’s break it down into my primary realms of anticipation.

 
First, the cast looked outstanding. 

Woody Harrelson (The Glass Castle, The Highwaymen, The Freak Brothers) is generally a solid bet, whether you’re looking for a lunatic or a calculating strategist. He’s excelled at roles that cover the full spectrum. When you pair him up with Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane, Fargo, Birds of Prey), who plays the titular character in Kate, it absolutely delivers a winning dynamic.
 
Winstead has already proven to be an action badass, but the level of fight and stunt choreography that she pulled off, while making it look easy, was unreal. I bought 100% of what she was selling and then some. Her struggles with her past and the rapid downslide of her health were in every moment, even while she was kicking ass.

 
Tadanobu Asano (47 Ronin, Midway, Mortal Kombat), Jun Kunimura (Shin Godzilla, Fullmetal Alchemist, Midway), and Miyavi (Unbroken, Bleach, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) really stood out. Miyavi took part in one of the most brutal fight scenes of the movie, while Asano and Kunimura skillfully embodied their roles within the Yakuza echelon.
 
I really appreciated Miku Patricia Martineau (Carl's Car Wash, Finny the Shark) in her supporting role, as well. She embodied the heart of the story to a T and gave some much-needed comedic moments to this otherwise brutal thrill ride. Kudos to her, since this was her full-length cinematic debut.

 
The second factor I had high expectations for revolved around the production quality, itself. With Cedric Nicolas-Troyan’s (The Ring, Snow White and the Huntsman, The Huntsman: Winter's War) background in visual effects, I had no doubt that Kate was going to be gorgeous. I loved the way the city with all its neon glow and cultural nuances worked into the landscape of both the scenes and the story. I got a kick out of recognizing an anime playing on the facing of a skyscraper in the background. The car with pink neon shown in the trailer was a nice touch, too. Little things like that, added up with the larger aspects of the action and narrative and made an overall well-rounded entertainment experience.
 
Of course, I honestly shouldn’t have expected anything less from the get-go considering Kate was helmed by the 87North production company. Of course, that name might sound familiar to some, but slightly off. That’s because they were formerly called 87Eleven, which was the company behind the John Wick (2014) franchise and other kick-ass titles like Atomic Blonde (2017) and Ninja Assassin (2009).

 
Critics have been quick to bash Kate because it’s another female assassin movie following a familiar trope. There’s a new spin to it this time, and I think all of the elements that come together to create the big picture (no pun intended) elevate Kate to the top of the genre.
 
If you’re looking for an action-thriller to get your blood pumping at a breakneck pace, yet also a story of revenge and redemption, I can’t recommend Kate enough. It had all the bells and whistles and then some. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score –40%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 55%
Metascore – 47%
Metacritic User Score – 6.3/10
IMDB Score – 6.3/10
 
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5
 
Movie Trailer:

Mortal Kombat (2021)

Streaming Services: HBO Max
Movie Name/Year: Mortal Kombat (2021)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Length: 110 minutes
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: New Line Cinema, NetherRealm Studios, Atomic Monster, Broken Road Productions, Karo Premiere, Universal Pictures International, Warner Bros. Pictures Germany, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Singapore, Warner Bros., HBO Max
Director: Simon McQuoid
Writer: Greg Russo, Dave Callaham, Oren Uziel, Greg Russo, Ed Boon, John Tobias
Actors: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Joe Taslim, Mehcad Brooks, Matilda Kimber, Laura Brent, Tadanobu Asano, Hiroyuki Sanada, Chin Han, Ludi Lin, Max Huang, Sisi Stringer, Mel Jarnson, Nathan Jones, Daniel Nelson, Ian Streetz, Yukiko Shinohara, Ren Miyagawa, Mia Hall, Angus Sampson, Damon Herriman
 
Blurb from IMDb: MMA fighter Cole Young seeks out Earth's greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.

Selina’s Point of View:
I’m so glad I didn’t see this in theaters for my first watch.
 
Don’t get me wrong, seeing it on the big screen would be a hell of an experience, but I was 100% unable to control my excitement the whole time. I was whooping, and laughing, and making all sorts of noises that would have been unacceptable at the theater.
 
I get my second vaccine in a couple of days, then I’ll be hitting my local theater for a second viewing.
 
This right here is the R-rated masterpiece that fans always deserved.
 
I’ll admit that it’s not perfect. There are a few bits that felt awkward or strangely acted. Like it tried to be campy in those parts but missed the mark. Those moments were noticeable, but not nearly enough to ruin the effect of the entire thing.
 
Cole Young, the main character of the film – portrayed by Lewis Tan (Sacrifice, Mortal Kombat X: Generations, Iron Fist), has not appeared in any games. He adds an unknown factor, and I’m glad they included him. However, it does mean there’s a bit of an ‘origin story’ feel at times.
 
Mortal Kombat, like the games, pulled no punches. It was brutal. Fatalities were included, and they were just as insane as they are in the games. There was blood, gore, and death. It was glorious.
 
The graphics were such an upgrade. Obviously, that was expected. The original film was made in the 90s. Technology has come a long way. Still, it was nice to see that the production company, and creative team, took the flick seriously enough to put together such a gorgeous film.
 

Any time there was lightning, flames, ice, or any other ability, on screen – it appeared flawlessly. Even Goro looked really realistic.
 
Most of the actors perfectly fit their characters.
 
I raved about the images of Sisi Stringer (Bloody Hell, Children of the Corn, Matt Gaffney Must Die) as Mileena before the film came out. She could have used a bit more screen time, and she was great, but she certainly wasn’t the best of them.
 
Mehcad Brooks (Supergirl, True Blood, A Fall from Grace) as Jax was absolutely perfect. In pictures, I wasn’t sure how well he translated into the character, but in motion he was Jax. There was no one else who could have been more Jax.
 
Josh Lawson (The Little Death, Long Story Short, Holly Slept Over), also, fully embodied Kano. He added a much-appreciated dose of comedy. Without that, the brutality might have been a bit much. Joe Taslim (Star Trek Beyond, The Raid: Redemption, Fast & Furious 6) did great at making Sub-Zero threatening and terrifying. He had the intimidation aspect down. Max Huang (Police Story: Lockdown, Time Raiders, Sense8) brought Kung Lao to life and humanized him. Huang made the character feel relatable, but still almost untouchable.
 
I could go on and on about the cast. I wasn’t overly in love with the way Liu Kang was portrayed, but there were no other flaws that I could see.
 
It was a good film. It honored the feel of the controversial Mortal Kombat series. It didn’t seek to remove that controversy, and it gave fans what we wanted.
 
It paid complete respect to the games while still bringing a new life to the story. This is what a video game movie should be.
 
Production companies should take note.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
I have been giddily anticipating the release of this new Mortal Kombat since I first heard about it. I have been a fan of the franchise for a long time.
 
While I was lacking gaming consoles in my youth (unless using a friend or relative’s), I did enjoy playing the original Mortal Kombat game when I found it in arcade settings. It was an iconic and controversial game that had fans clamoring for it and parents railing against the graphic violence. When the original movie released in the summer of 1995, just before my senior year of high school, it was the hot ticket in town. I still listen to some of the songs from the soundtrack today.
 
Of course, that first movie, while satisfying at the time, did have significant room for improvement. I’ve often questioned the casting choice for Lord Raiden. I love Christopher Lambert (Bel Canto, Shadow of the Wolf, The Blacklist), but really? Of course, his signature raspy voice was what likely garnered him the role. He’s still voicing the iconic character in subsequent iterations of the game – most recently Mortal Kombat 11 (2019). I was over the moon when I saw that this new production was getting a more culturally appropriate upgrade with Tadanobu Asano (Battleship, Thor: Ragnarok, Midway) in the electrifying role.
 
Honestly, hats off to the casting of this movie. They really hit it out of the park with this one. I could prattle on about them forever. I’ll spare you that, though, and hit the highlights.
 
First, the martial arts talent is off the chart. Both Ludi Lin (Power Rangers, Aquaman, The Ghost Bride) and Max Huang, playing Liu Kang and Kung Lau respectively, are both former members of Jackie Chan’s (Rush Hour, The Foreigner, Iron Mask) stunt team ‘family.’ Their training with Chan was a considerable asset to the film, especially since Huang was able to draw on that training background in order to assist in making the fight choreography better. While I wasn’t able to dig up the information on the whole cast, I can confirm that they, as well as the actors for Sub-Zero, Hanzo Hasashi, and Cole Young all have extensive martial arts backgrounds and perform their own fight scenes and stunts.
 
Cole Young is an original character introduced by this movie, but I am a huge fan of the actor that plays him already. Lewis Tan caught my attention during Into the Badlands (2015-2019) and Wu Assassins (2019-). He is well-deserving of this role here. While some of the iconic characters from the video game franchise didn’t make it into this movie, I think the reboot benefited from a little bit of ‘fresh blood’ with a new take on the story.
 

I was also doing fangirl cartwheels internally when I saw that Hiroyuki Sanada (47 Ronin, Helix, The Catcher Was a Spy) was cast here as Hanzo Hasashi. He’s one of my favorite Japanese actors and his range is phenomenal – both dramatically and in action scenes.
 
As I said, I could ramble forever. Though, I’ll try to reign myself in by switching up here. Let’s talk setting and special effects.
 
This Mortal Kombat film is said to be the biggest budgeted movie to film in South Australia, and I think they got a lot of bang out of those budget bucks because of the location. The use of the scenery to give a remote and otherworldly feel to the film was amazing. Further, the special effects weren’t too over-the-top. They enhanced the supernatural aspects of the film – such as Raiden’s lightning, Sub Zero’s ice, and Liu Kang’s fire, etc. – without making things cheesy. It’s said that the director wanted to use as little green-screen as possible.
 
Some might wonder about the well-known brutality of the fatalities involved with the fighting. Mortal Kombat pulled no punches with those. There’s a lot of blood and gore to be had with some of these fights. This film is definitely deserving of its R-rating. Keep the little kids out of the room when you watch this one.
 
I am seriously impressed that this was Simon McQuoid’s directorial debut. Of course, he did have a great team of producers to back him up – including James Wan (Insidious, Furious 7, Aquaman). I’m definitely looking forward to what he has in store for us in the future, and hope that there is a sequel in the works, at the very least.
 
For anyone that had any doubts about this new iteration of the beloved game franchise translating to the movie screen, I can assure you that this movie didn’t disappoint at all. I’m not even mad about the characters that were absent from this story – because that leaves room for more stories in the future. The ending here certainly left room for that to happen. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
 
I have a feeling that this is going to be the next movie to break pandemic box office records, considering the trailer alone has already smashed streaming records. If you have the chance to safely see it on the big screen, I encourage you to do so. Otherwise, HBO Max is an excellent alternative.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 56%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 89%
Metascore – 44/100
Metacritic User Score – 6.1/10
IMDB Score – 6.8/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5
 
Movie Trailer: