Killer bear flick ‘Backcountry’ puts big-budget thrillers to shame
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We know what Buckley can do on screen, but Flynn is note-for-note her equal in this smart, patient thriller. This isn’t a bare-knuckled story with car chases and other B-movie tics. It’s a character study that throbs with tension just below the surface. And while many modern films don’t stick the landing, the final moments of “Beast” are smart, stark, and satisfying. Buckle in.
(Available free, with ads, on the Roku Channel.)
‘Alone’ (2020)
Cat-and-mouse games never go out of style. Nor do films where a put-upon heroine must do all she can to survive a deranged stalker.
Jules Willcox stars as Jessica, a woman mourning the death of her husband. She gets into a road-rage altercation with another vehicle. The car’s driver (Marc Menchaca) later tries to apologize for the incident, hoping they can put it behind them. The two part amicably.
He seems friendly enough, but tell that to Jessica’s Spidey-sense, which spikes during the apology chat.
When they meet again, Menchaca’s character reveals his true, cruel intentions. Once again, a tiny cast and modest budget can’t restrain a story that’s all meat and zero filler. There are no girl-power flourishes or eye-rolling escapes here, just blood-and-guts storytelling with actors who prove equal to the material.
Slick. Taut. Smart. Engrossing. And, sadly, overlooked by media outlets during its COVID-19-era release date. Streaming can right that wrong.
(Available via VOD platforms like Prime Video and iTunes.)
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