The Last House on the Left (2009)

After kidnapping and brutally assaulting two young women, a gang unknowingly finds refuge at a vacation home belonging to the parents of one of the victims: a mother and father who devise an increasingly gruesome series of revenge tactics.

More a reimagination than a remake of Wes Craven's classic shocker this version is effectively produced (on a larger budget) and delivers some gritty shocks of its own.

Maltin*1/2: "Remake of the 1972  horror film is better made but lacks its crude, direct power; this wastes such good actors as Dillahunt and Goldwyn. Not as violent as the original, but still more gruesome than some recent slasher movies."

Conviction (2010)

A working mother puts herself through law school in an effort to represent her brother, who has been wrongfully convicted of murder and has exhausted his chances to appeal his conviction through public defenders.

Straightforward, unspectacular crime drama which convinces due to its great cast.

Maltin***: "Trumps many films based on true stories by avoiding cliches and spotlighting its two talented stars, who give sincere and solid performances. What's more, the saga turns out to have more surprises than you might expect."