Identity (2003)

How have I never written a review of this movie?!  This is such a sleeper flick that's such a blast.  So many great actors, slick storyline, and awesome filming.  Not to mention an excellent twist.

Malcolm Rivers (Pruitt Taylor Vince) is about to be executed for murder.  His lawyers have tried to plead insanity, but there is not enough evidence to that.  Until, in the middle of the night before his execution, a diary is discovered, detailing numerous personalities, one of which his doctor believes is the actual killer.  Being the night before his death penalty, they call an emergency hearing to revisit the case.

Meanwhile, there are many different stories going on at once which culminate in a large group of people gathering at a middle-of-nowhere motel.  A couple (John McKinley and Laila Kenzle) is traveling with their child (Brett Loehr), around the same time that a young woman, Paris (Amanda Peet) is racing away from Vegas.  Caroline (Rebecca DeMornay) is fleeing a movie set, being driven by Ed (John Cusack).  Another couple (Clea DuVall and William Scott) become stranded due to a flash flood.  There's also two escaped convicts (Ray Liotta and Jake Busey) and a guy running a motel (John Hawkes). 

While in this motel, people keep getting picked off one by one, their deaths being accompanied by the appearance of a room key, which seems to mimic a countdown.  Everyone wants to blame each other, but it quickly becomes confusing who is involved or responsible.  Every time they think they've found the suspect in the killings, they turn up dead as well. In the meantime, we continue to check in with the "midnight hearing," which seems inexplicably associated with the events at the motel.

This is one of those movies where you can't say too much about it without giving away the whole story.  But trust me that this is just a cool, tight and compact thriller with lots of good acting, and a great story and twist.  Available now on Netflix instant.

Death Row (2006)

Jake Busey gets top billing on this flick, so I guess we know what type of movie Death Row is.  Originally premiered on the Sci-Fi channel, you now access this one on Netflix instant.  I can't say no to a movie that involves Danny Trejo, so on a lazy afternoon I decided to give this a shot.

So there's two sets of people in this movie, both unfortunately involved with a haunted prison.  Apparently some guards went nuts one day and started shooting at the inmates of the prison.  Then, in a strange turn of events, they opened all the cells and let the inmates out.  Of course, a bloody battle ensued, leaving, presumably only one survivor.

A documentary crew is interviewing the survivor to get his story on what the hell went down.  He tells them the story and shows them his stumps, which are a result of him having to (literally) hack his way out of the battle to save himself.  Not satisfied with simply the interview, the crew decides to check out the abandoned prison.

On the other hand, we have a group of cons on the run.  They've robbed a jewelry store, and with one of their group wounded by a security guard, they rush to safety.  Apparently the closest safe place is the prison, where they plan on holing up for the night.

Of course, none of this works out as planned, as both crews encounter each other and discover that the prison is haunted by the ghosts of the inmates and guards.  From the first awesome death of a guy being squeezed through a chainlink fence, this movie pretty much goes downhill from here.  People argue, they wander around the prison, and badly rendered ghosts provide half-assed threats.  There is some T&A, when the "hot chick" of the group uses the bathroom, is promptly covered in feces, and force to take a shower.  I think they could have squeezed the sex element in here in a more enticing manner, but this movie doesn't really make much sense anyway.

Danny Trejo, apparently on his quest to be in the most movies ever, is in the flick for about three minutes, playing a laughable priest that only made me think of Machete.  Jake Busey seems to be adapting the same batshit crazy look of his father, so maybe his career in horror will work out after all.  Skip this one though.  It was born on the Sci-Fi channel, and probably should have stayed there.

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