brchthethird

Well, Antoine Fuqua did it. He stuck the landing on this third Equalizer entry, and in a way that meaningfully tied it to at least the first one. And the way he developed character and gradually built tension showed a master at work. Denzel reprising one of his most satisfying characters was almost just the cherry on top. Not gonna lie, I got giddy every time he gave some bad guy what he had coming to him. The subplot with Dakota Fanning's character could have been integrated a little more, but on the other hand the delayed resolution/explanation still worked in keeping my interest throughout. It was also nice to have a little Man on Fire reunion. And there was also a nice little homage to a key scene in Training Day, although this one played out quite differently. Overall, I'd be hard-pressed to choose a favorite out of this trilogy. They weren't carbon copies of each other, so each one has its own unique qualities to appreciate. For this one, the emotional payoff really stood out. Now, as long as they don't ruin the streak with a fourth one...

Another atmospheric, moody erotic film from Gerard Damiano which I also liked a lot. The titular Aggie tries to remember how she and Richard first met, leading to a trio of memory vignettes in which she and Richard are played by different people. I liked how the film explored the fragility and fungibility of memory, how it can be self-serving, or entirely manufactured to repress the truth about ourselves. The different scenarios presented also served the double function of providing some variety in characterization and sexual content, which I appreciated. Even the acting was pretty good across the board this time. And as with The Devil in Miss Jones, the score was essential setting a tone that kept me on edge, particularly as the film approached its final reveal. Modern adult cinema and what it tries to do are one thing, but Memories Within Miss Aggie is an apt encapsulation of what I'm beginning to love about the Golden Age of Erotica. I look forward to more titles like this in the future (and they are coming).