10 Cent Pistol (2014) |
BUY IT |
General | Extras | ||
Category | Crime | Trailer-x 2 for other titles | |
Rating | |||
Year Of Production | 2014 | ||
Running Time | 86:51 | ||
RSDL / Flipper | Dual Layered | Cast & Crew | |
Start Up | Ads Then Menu | ||
Region Coding | 4 | Directed By | Michael C. Martin |
Studio
Distributor |
Gryphon Entertainment | Starring |
Damon Alexander JT Alexander Jena Malone Joe Mantegna |
Case | Alpha-Transparent | ||
RPI | ? | Music | James Dooley |
Video | Audio | ||
Pan & Scan/Full Frame | None | English Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s) | |
Widescreen Aspect Ratio | 2.35:1 | ||
16x9 Enhancement |
|
||
Video Format | 576i (PAL) | ||
Original Aspect Ratio | 2.35:1 | Miscellaneous | |
Jacket Pictures | No | ||
Subtitles | None | Smoking | Yes, a joint |
Annoying Product Placement | No | ||
Action In or After Credits | No |
10 Cent Pistol owes a lot to The Usual Suspects (1995) since it starts by showing part of the crime caper climax before switching frequently backwards and forwards in time using different voiceover narrators and providing additional information, and indeed different sections of the climax. Without giving too much away, low level criminal brothers Easton and Jake (real brothers Damon Alexander and JT Alexander) did a job for crime boss Punchy (Joe Mantegna) which did not go according to plan. Easton ended up in gaol while Punchy ripped off the $5 million in bonds Easton had stolen. Thirteen months later Easton is released and with his girlfriend Danneel (Jena Malone) and Jake they decide to rob Punchy’s house to get the bonds back. But who can be relied upon in a caper where trust is an unknown commodity and turning your back at the wrong time can get you very dead.
10 Cent Pistol is written and directed by Michael C. Martin; it is his first film as director although he does have previous writing credits, including Brooklyn’s Finest (2009). As first time director he thankfully tries nothing too flashy, allowing the complex plotting and the good acting to carry the film. Damon and JT Alexander are both fine, neither overplaying their parts, and Joe Mantegna is good value in a small role, but the standout is Jena Malone who takes the bimbo girlfriend character into very interesting territory.
10 Cent Pistol may deliver little that is new although the non-linear storytelling keeps things interesting throughout the short, 86 minute running time, the main characters are likeable and there are a couple of surprises. The film may not be up to The Usual Suspects standard, but it is well worth a look.
10 Cent Pistol is presented in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and is 16x9 enhanced.
10 Cent Pistol was shot using the Aaton XTR Prod 16 mm camera. The result is a film of clean, natural colours and generally good detail, although some early scenes look very dark with obvious grain and indistinct shadow detail. However, scenes later in the film are fine, with solid blacks, consistent brightness and contrast and natural skin tones.
There were no obvious marks although aliasing occurred against vertical lines and there was ghosting with movement against broken backgrounds. There was also slight shimmer during the end titles.
There are no subtitles available.
The layer change was not noticeable.
Sharpness | |
Shadow Detail | |
Colour | |
Grain/Pixelization | |
Film-To-Video Artefacts | |
Film Artefacts | |
Overall |
English Dolby Digital 5.1 at 448 Kbps is the sole audio option.
The dialogue was clear and centred. Gunshots had some depth and the surrounds and rears were used regularly for directional effects such as knocking, footsteps and voices outside of the frame. The score by James Dooley added nicely to the tone of the film and was well represented in the mix. The subwoofer provided some bass to the music and gunshots.
Lip synchronisation is fine.
Dialogue | |
Audio Sync | |
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts | |
Surround Channel Use | |
Subwoofer | |
Overall |
Trailers for Tell (1:25) and There’s Always Woodstock (2:05) play on start-up. They cannot be selected from the menu.
NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.
There is a Region 1 US release of 10 Cent Pistol but I cannot find any reviews so I cannot say if it has any extras. There is no Region 2 UK version at present.
I like convoluted storytelling and so enjoyed 10 Cent Pistol. It may not be the most original of films but writer / director Michael C. Martin has provided an interesting script and got decent performances out of the cast with Jena Malone being especially enjoyable. The film is fast flowing and good fun so is worth a look for those interested in the genre.
The video and audio are fine. Trailers for other films are the only extras.
Video | |
Audio | |
Extras | |
Plot | |
Overall |
Review Equipment | |
DVD | Sony BDP-S580, using HDMI output |
Display | LG 55inch HD LCD. This display device has not been calibrated. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 1080p. |
Audio Decoder | NAD T737. This audio decoder/receiver has not been calibrated. |
Amplification | NAD T737 |
Speakers | Studio Acoustics 5.1 |