3 Movies Like Bagman (2024)

Real life violence is usually not a good idea, but when those in power would do anything to gain more power at the expense of those more vulnerable, sometimes those with the strength should wreak violence. After a fruitful action-comedy collaboration with Netflix, writer-director Timo Tjahjanto teams up with them again for a darker crime thriller The Shadow Strays. It’s a straightforward rescue crime thriller that follows the trend set by John Wick, but with Tjahjanto’s insane horror-inspired, gore-filled kills and Aurora Ribero’s dynamic performance, The Shadow Strays is brutal, exciting, and a cathartic watch in a world betrayed by those at the top.

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Actor: Adipati Dolken, Agra Piliang, Ali Fikry, Andri Mashadi, Arswendi Nasution, Arswendy Bening Swara, Aurora Ribero, Chew Kin-Wah, Daniel Eka Putra, Hana Malasan, Kristo Immanuel, Mawar Eva De Jongh, Tanta Ginting, Taskya Namya, Yayan Ruhian

Director: Timo Tjahjanto

Rating: R

Based on a bizarre true story, Woman of the Hour follows Cheryl (Anna Kendrick), a struggling actor, and Rodney (Daniel Zovatto), a serial killer, as they participate in a dating game show. Part of the film is about the tense cat-and-mouse chase that happens between the two, but other parts are less tight. There are flashbacks and flashforwards to Rodney’s other exploits, as well as a subplot about one of the victim's friends seeking justice. Then underlying everything is a potent message about the misogyny that ran rampant in the 1970s. Feminism is supposed to be the throughline that ties everything together, but an imbalance in tone and a clumsy attempt to jam as many stories as possible results in a film that feels sorely undone. It’s admirable that Kendrick, who’s made her directorial debut with this movie, has decentered the focus from the serial killer to the female victims. I’ve had about enough of true crime outings romanticizing the killer. Kendrick is a promising director to be sure. But if only the narrative were tighter, then the film could’ve been memorable, too, instead of just meaningful.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Actor: Andy Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Autumn Best, Bonnie Hay, Daniel Zovatto, Darcy Laurie, David Beairsto, Denalda Williams, Dylan Schmid, Geoff Gustafson, James Yi, Jason Simpson, Jedidiah Goodacre, Jessica Chaffin, Jessie Fraser, Karen Holness, Kathryn Gallagher, Kelley Jakle, Matt Visser, Matthew Kevin Anderson, Matty Finochio, Max Lloyd-Jones, Michael Adamthwaite, Michael Jonsson, Nancy Kerr, Nicolette Robinson, Pete Holmes, Rob Morton, Taylor Hastings, Tony Hale

Director: Anna Kendrick

Rating: R

While morbidly titled, there’s an unexpected playfulness to Sometimes I Think About Dying that makes a fairly mundane office relationship into a charming romance. Writer-director Rachel Lambert and lead Daisy Ridley capture Fran’s introversion in inventive ways, with score and image to make her daydreams of death more surreal than morbid, with quiet wistfulness of someone that hasn’t quite figured out how to create casual connection. Some viewers might not jive with the way the film focuses more on visual ideas rather than plot, but Sometimes I Think About Dying sweetly depicts social awkwardness and the alluring curiosity a crush can sometimes create.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Actor: Ayanna Berkshire, Bree Elrod, Brittany O'Grady, Daisy Ridley, Dave Merheje, Jeb Berrier, Marcia DeBonis, Megan Stalter, Parvesh Cheena

Director: Rachel Lambert

Rating: PG-13