One Way Out

Harry Woltz (James Belushi) is the kind of cop who likes to do things his own way.

He wears the best in designer clothes, drives fancy cars and has a gambling problem that has him deep in debt to two gangster brothers.

Instead of killing him, they make him an offer he can’t refuse.

They want him to use his inside knowledge in crime scene investigation to help arrange the perfect murder and he’s teamed up with John Farrow (Jason Bateman), the husband of the business partner the gangsters want eliminated.

Harry and John come up with a plot that’s pretty foolproof, as long as John does what he’s supposed to.

Unfortunately, predictably, John screws up and Harry becomes more entangled in the web of deceit than he really wanted to be.

Making matters worse is Harry’s cop partner Gwen (Angela Featherstone), a young and enthusiastic officer who has been put on the case.

She falls in the love with the chief suspect, John, putting Harry in a tight spot when an anonymous phone call draws him further into the case, first as an investigator and then finally a suspect.

Thriller, 15. Rating: **

Monster's Ball focuses on a fairly dysfunctional family of three generations, all male, who all worked or are working as wardens at the local prison.

The film tackles head-on the complex issue of racial prejudice in America’s deep south, focusing mainly on the relationship between Hank (Billy Bob Thornton), his son Sonny (Heath Ledger) and his father Buck (Peter Boyle), who is the embodiment of bitterness and hatred.

Hank and Sonny are part of the prison’s execution team preparing to electrocute a black inmate, played by Sean Coombs (Puff Daddy), who receives frequent visits from his wife, Leticia (Halle Berry).

Hank ends up having an affair with Leticia and this causes conflict in his otherwise happily racist life.

Berry received a well-deserved best actress Oscar for her role here and her performance alone makes this film worthwhile.

Indeed, all the performances from the main characters are top notch, making the film worth watching, despite the sense of desperation with how society is portrayed.

Drama, 18. Rating: ***