Filmmaker Eamon O’Rourke taps into a different female empowerment angle for her directorial debut in Asking for It from Saban films. In this edgy thriller, Vanessa Hudgens, Kiersey Clemons, and Alexandra Shipp lead a no-mercy all-femme gang. After a small-town waitress (Clemons) is sexually assaulted on a date, she meets Regina (Shipp) and Beatrice (Hudgens) and is recruited into their vigilante group of badass women.
Together they strive to take down a society overpowered by corrupt men and seek the ultimate revenge while getting their version of justice.
The group leader is Sal, and their primary foe is Mark Vanderhill (Ezra Miller), the founder of the “Men First Movement.” The movement is about to hold a major rally in a town protected by corrupt Sheriff Morrill (David Patrick Kelly), inspiring the commune in a war against a powerful enemy.
Asking for It is a different kind of film because it’s not sure how to struggle with the narrative. I enjoyed the acting in the movie, notably Ezra Miller, who makes a wonderful bad guy. The ladies in the film have strong chemistry that is worthy of mention. At its core, Asking for It is an allegory on feminism, which, in that regard, the film succeeds.
Final Grade: C
Martial arts director Xu Haofeng presents his latest action art film, “100 Yards,” released by Well Go USA Entertainment. Haofeng also wrote the screenplay and recruited co-director Xu Junfeng.
Renowned filmmaker Mark Cousins returns with his latest documentary, “My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock.” A century after the release of Alfred Hitchcock’s first feature, he continues to be one of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history. The enduring question remains: How does his extensive body of work and legacy resonate in today’s world?
Aaron Eckhart continues his trend of top lining second-tier action flicks in “Classified” from Saban films. Roel Reiné directs the film from a script by Roel Reiné. Evan Shaw (Aaron Eckhart) is a CIA officer who has spent the last two decades alone in the field. He uses the “Help Wanted” section of the newspapers to get his orders from the agency.