'Standoff At Sparrow Creek' Is A Confident, Strong Debut & An Early 2019 Genre Movie Gem [AYT Podcast]

On this episode of Adjust Your Tracking, Joe and I officially dig into the 2019 cinematic release calendar with a chat about “Standoff At Sparrow Creek,” a small but well-made one-location thriller that’s packed with a great bunch of character actors chewing up tough-guy dialogue and spitting it out with verve, but not too much overt stylization.

READ MORE: The 25 Best Films Of 2018

The Playlist review out of TIFF (where the film premiered as part of the popular Midnight Madness section of the fest) found the film to be just okay, slapping it with a C- grade, but we’d beg to differ. There’s a lot to appreciate here, starting with newcomer Henry Dunham‘s smart, confident direction, sneaky, stylish (but just the right amount) framing and moody cinematography that takes advantage of digital cameras’ ability to shoot at night with very little light source, and again, that awesome cast (led by James Badge Dale, who’s very good here). It’s getting a small release but look for it on VOD this Friday, especially if you like good serious-minded genre cinema.

READ MORE: Favorite 2018 Moments, Top 10 Films & Plenty Of Time To Gush Over ‘Beale Street’ [AYT Podcast]

Rounding out the second half of this episode, we bring back our favorite segment, HOLD UP, for a revealing and fun chat about 1989’s cop thriller “Dead-Bang” starring Don Johnson and directed by John Frankenheimer. The film was referenced last week during our chat on “Destroyer,” so we’re glad to present it to you, dear listener. And so, we discuss,

LISTEN: Does Netflix Really Care That Audiences Are Showing Up At Cinemas For ‘Roma’ & ‘Buster Scruggs’? [Adjust Your Tracking]

All episodes of Adjust Your Tracking are part of The Playlist Podcast Network and can be found on Overcast, iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher or right here on the podcast section of The Playlist. You can stream or download the podcast via the Soundcloud embed below or up top. Or, feel free to dig even deeper into our recent archives. Leave us a review and rating there if you’re so inclined and help spread the word on our podcast. Find and follow AYT on TwitterFacebook and of course, do the same for The Playlist.