Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[Takoma11]

The Appearance
(2018)
3.5/5

This movie follows along the lines of one of the ways women were actually accused of witchcraft during the Inquisition. [/CENTER]

Have you seen Haxan?

[Fabulous]

Aquarius (2016)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/nB43fedXBzwx7Xv8OWKjfaMzpQF.jpg

[Dog Star Man]

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ol0iqbUlN0g/Tl9KiFKH9zI/AAAAAAAAARE/iEoYlbM-HWw/s1600/The+Atomic+Submarine_2.bmp

The Atomic Submarine (1959)

4/5

I fell in love with this film. Avant-garde, underground, experimental stuff is my schtick, but cheesy cult and camp films from the 50's holds a place in my heart too. I especially like the stuff that has a "EC Comics" feel to it, which this film almost has and had it really gone all the way and followed through with that aesthetic it would have been rated higher for me. (Films like The Incredible Shrinking Man is an example.) Anyway, onto the next film.

[Dog Star Man]

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NTW4tcMDOU8/T-24JCOXNcI/AAAAAAABHoY/Ijpv2QPxG7A/s1600/FManISpace%2B%252818%2529.jpg

First Man into Space (1959)

4/5

I'll be honest, this wasn't my favorite "cult" feature but the ending really sealed it for me. The ending is at once powerful, frightening and sad. It also begs the viewer to question human limitations on progress all done in the name of a "greater good." While the feature had some "lull" moments for me, and maybe not as engaging as The Atomic Submarine, this film did provide that "EC Comics" feel I so whole-heartedly enjoy.

[MovieGal]

Have you seen Haxan?

Yes...

[Tequila]

Adore (2013) - Naomi Watts and Robin Wright star in a tale about two best friends and their sons. Well acted and nice cinematography, but the characters are not likable due to the subject matter of the story. 2
Heroes of Telemark (1965) - Interesting War movie based on a true story. I enjoyed this as I'm a fan of Kirk Douglas and Michael Redgrave, plus the action was good and the story kept me intrigued. 3.5

[Takoma11]

The Atomic Submarine (1959)

4/5[/center]

I fell in love with this film. Avant-garde, underground, experimental stuff is my schtick, but cheesy cult and camp films from the 50's holds a place in my heart too. I especially like the stuff that has a "EC Comics" feel to it, which this film almost has and had it really gone all the way and followed through with that aesthetic it would have been rated higher for me. (Films like The Incredible Shrinking Man is an example.) Anyway, onto the next film.

I liked it, but I felt like the whole first half meandered. Everything that happened once they were on the spaceship was amazing! The abstract set-pieces, and the special effects were excellent.

Yes...

Just wondering. It's one of my favorite witchcraft/with hunt films.

[pahaK]

If.... (1968)

The notoriety seems unwarranted by the modern standards but apparently it was quite a hot potato back in the late 60s. I can't say that I enjoyed it very much (in a way it's as hollow as Mick's rebellion), but there are at least two things I have to respect; it didn't feel preachy (I think that depending on the viewer it's quite easy to see opposite messages in it) and 52 years later it still felt relevant (the ending is like it's written during the last month). It's like an essay turned into a film. Not bad, not good, kind of odd.

2.5

[Takoma11]

If.... (1968)

The notoriety seems unwarranted by the modern standards but apparently it was quite a hot potato back in the late 60s. I can't say that I enjoyed it very much (in a way it's as hollow as Mick's rebellion), but there are at least two things I have to respect; it didn't feel preachy (I think that depending on the viewer it's quite easy to see opposite messages in it) and 52 years later it still felt relevant (the ending is like it's written during the last month). It's like an essay turned into a film. Not bad, not good, kind of odd.

2.5

I didn't see Mick's rebellion as hollow so much as something that came from a place of helplessness. In the context of how power works in the school, the boys are sort of funneled into violence as the only way to fight back.

To me that's actually kind of a powerful message, even if Mick's motivations could be read as immature or short-sighted. Even if you think that violence isn't the answer, you have to admit that from Mick's point of view it feels like his only recourse.

I think that the main issue I had with it is that the Whips and the school administration are a bit thinly drawn.

[Citizen Rules]

If.... (1968)

The notoriety seems unwarranted by the modern standards but apparently it was quite a hot potato back in the late 60s. I can't say that I enjoyed it very much (in a way it's as hollow as Mick's rebellion), but there are at least two things I have to respect; it didn't feel preachy (I think that depending on the viewer it's quite easy to see opposite messages in it) and 52 years later it still felt relevant (the ending is like it's written during the last month). It's like an essay turned into a film. Not bad, not good, kind of odd.

rating_2_5I actually seen that one, and mostly liked it. I probably respected the guts of it more than enjoyed it. Personally it seems more of a 'dangerous' movie today than when it was made.

[Mr Minio]

It's very good, but I like O Lucky Man! better.

[MovieGal]

[QUOTE=Takoma11;2100548

Just wondering. It's one of my favorite witchcraft/with hunt films.[/QUOTE]

I have the Criterion copy.

One of my favorites is Tulen Morsian from 2016 but I do enjoy others.

[Takoma11]

I have the Criterion copy.

Nice. I'm jealous!

One of my favorites is Tulen Morsian from 2016 but I do enjoy others.

That's funny--I hadn't heard of it and then just a month ago someone recommended it to me and said they thought I'd really like it. I had been waiting for it to pop up somewhere streaming, but it just dropped down to being a $1 rental on Amazon. . .

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZDlkOGE4YTUtYWRlZS00YjFkLWE3NmUtNzNlNjdiZTk2NzdhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDY2MjcyOTQ@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,67 4,1000_AL_.jpg



3.5

[GulfportDoc]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjU3MTNjZGEtYWQ4Ny00ZTMxLThkOWItNjE1YzcyNGUwN2YzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzkwNDA1Nw@@._V1_.jpgrating_3
Good recommendation. Thinking I'd seen it, I started it last night, but I hadn't recalled watching it before. It pretty much covers all the highlights of Spielberg's life and films, which has been an incredible ride. He's one of the best directors of all time.

I personally could have done with more about the mechanics and production of his movies. Although there was much of that, there were equal amounts of private stuff: religion, family, marriages, children, and the like.

One gets their money's worth, at 2-1/2 hours. It's a very enjoyable and illuminating bio/doc.

[Gideon58]

I, too would have preferred more interviews with people who worked with him and less footage from the films, way too much footage of film we've all seen a million times. And it had no business being 2 1/2 hours long.

[MovieGal]

Nice. I'm jealous!



That's funny--I hadn't heard of it and then just a month ago someone recommended it to me and said they thought I'd really like it. I had been waiting for it to pop up somewhere streaming, but it just dropped down to being a $1 rental on Amazon. . .

I know many scandiavian films. Its what I enjoy most.

[Olivier Parent]

black narcissus 2.5/5 color was beautiful but the movie was boring

[AgrippinaX]

black narcissus 2.5/5 color was beautiful but the movie was boring
I had very high expectations and was a bit disappointed too.

[MovieGal]

65474

De Behandeling
(2014)
3.75/5

This is a great Dutch Euro crime film. It may not be for everyone as the premise of the film can be considered a sensitive topic.

Harjunpää & Pahan Pappi will always be my favorite but this is running 2nd compared to the rest of the Euro crimes I have seen.

[Takoma11]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcTLO23eSA4ZMI04Uuwb7YXEM-66kWlAS-6G88Pnsjava6naIho5&usqp=CAU

Guns Akimbo (2020, first viewing)

If it seems like my ratings are sometimes a bit generous, that's partly because I often rate films kind of relative to what I'm expecting from them.

This is a movie about a keyboard warrior who ticks off the wrong people and wakes up with guns literally bolted to both of his hands and forced into a viral real-world video game in which he must kill a psychopathic woman called Nix before she offs him.

I quite like Daniel Radcliffe, and specifically I think that he's pretty funny. This film plays to his strengths of physical comedy and line delivery, whether it's him trying to put on on a pair of pants with the guns in his hands or the innocent enthusiasm in the way he says "Yay!" when Nix tells a gang "No one kills him."

Likewise, Samara Weaving leans fully into her role as Nix, someone who is extremely damaged and extremely dangerous. She's a high energy character, but her gonzo personally is a nice counter-balance to Radcliffe's panicking character.

The whole film is very, for lack of a better words, cutesy. It's brightly colored and intentionally shoots scenes at strange or swirling camera angles. It repeatedly plays with action movie tropes, such as when Radcliffe defiantly tries to spit blood into an enemy's face, only for the blood to land on his own face.

This movie is the ultimate twinkie film. It's sugary and empty (don't think too hard about the premise!), but fun while it lasts.

3

[MovieBuffering]

Hostiles - 2017

Need some time to process this one. Bale is aces in this role, sort of criminal he wasn't nominated. The whole cast is really good. I enjoyed that the movie seemed to justify both perspectives of the Native American and American soldiers. Shows brutality both ways. The strength of the film is it never gets preachy, which is becoming the downfall of Hollywood itself. I don't think you make good art when it becomes heavy handily preachy.

The story itself keeps you very invested as they make their journey from New Mexico to Montana. It is pretty brutal to watch at moments. You have to take a huge breathe after the first scene which is pretty hard to watch but sets the tone of the flick. Rosamand Pike's character adds a bit of a wrinkle to the proceedings which gives it an added interest. The movie itself I think boils down to finding common humanity even with people you dislike. It's a nice sentiment, especially in today's climate. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I thought the body count was a bit much, seems like every turn they were in danger. I suppose it was really that dangerous, but with as big a group as they had maybe it wouldn't have been as dangerous as they made it seem. But that's just nitpicking probably. I can also see people being split on the end but I was quite satisfied with it. I can see it aging badly but I won't go into it to spoil it. Worth wild watch.

3.5

https://occ-0-114-116.1.nflxso.net/art/f616b/e384e8b3486709bec24d41e2d3da73ecda7f616b.jpg

[Olivier Parent]

cure by kurosawa 4/5

[Fabulous]

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/iRYy7d8sk4SlrLYuLwD0DpCQpVf.jpg

[mark f]

City of Ghosts (Matt Dillon, 2002) 2.5 6/10
Story of a Junkie AKA Gringo (Lech Kowalski, 1985) 2 5/10
Space Captain: Captain of Space! (Jeremy Mather & Lindsey Sproul, 2014) 2.5 6/10
Sleeping Dogs (Roger Donaldson, 1977) 2.5 6/10
https://blog-imgs-17.fc2.com/s/i/m/simplydead/sleeping-dogs_morning.jpg
Framed New Zealand revolutionary Sam Neill tries ti keep one step ahead of those looking for him.
Diamonds of the Night (Jan Nemec, 1964) 2.5 6/10
Silhouette (Mitch McLeod, 2019) 2 5/10
The Bone Box (Luke Genton, 2020) 2.5.5.5/10
Zombi Child (Bertrand Bonello, 2019) 2.5 6/10
https://i0.wp.com/alarencontreduseptiemeart.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Zombi-Child-1.jpg?resize=640%2C280&ssl=1
At a French boarding school, a voodoo ceremony has some unforeseen ramifications.
The Owls (Cheryl Dunye, 2010) 2 5/10
Politics (Charles F. Riesner, 1931) 2.5 6/10
The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story (Christopher Bird & Simon Lupton, 2019) 3 6.5/10
Water Lilies (Céline Sciamma, 2007) 2.5 6/10
https://roijoyeux.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/adl03.jpg?w=584
French teenagers undergo the pangs of first love.
She Loved a Fireman (John Farrow, 1937) 2.5 6/10
Luminous Motion (Bette Gordon, 1998) 2.5 5.5/10
Down There (Chantal Akerman, 2006) 2 5/10
The Day After I'm Gone (Nimrod Eldar, 2019) 2.5 6/10
https://eternalitytancom.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/a2-11.jpg?w=640
In Israel, a Jewish father has to decide whether his daughter has the right to end her life.
Good Boy (Tyler MacIntyre, 2020) 2.5 6/10
7500 (Patrick Vollrath, 2019) 2.5 6/10
Force of Nature (Michael Polish, 2020) 2.5 6/10
You Should Have Left (David Koepp, 2020) 2.5 6/10
https://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/you-should-have-left-kevin-bacon-daughter-social.jpg
On a vacation, a family is haunted by the nightmares of the father (Kevin Bacon).

[Gideon58]

https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5dae0ad2c538200007810d63/960x0.jpg?fit=scale



1st Re-watch...I didn't think it was possible but this movie was even more powerful than the first time I saw it. What really came through for me during this re-watch was the masterful direction by Todd Phillips. His recreation of 1970's New York is en pointe not to mention his skill at creating onscreen suspense...I mean, Hitchcock-calibre suspense...watch the scene in the subway with the three guys or Joker's appearance on the Murray Franklin Show...even knowing what was going to happen, I was literally holding my breath during both of these scenes. Bong Joon Ho definitely deserved the Best Director Oscar for Parasite but Phillips definitely would have been my second choice for the award. And what can be said about Joaquin Phoenix that hasn't already been said? A post graduate acting course in one performance...one of the most richly deserved Outstanding Lead Actor winners ever.



4.5

[Osiris]

https://anempireofwords.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/detriot-movie-poster-trailer-2017.jpg
4.5
I wrote an angry tirade in reaction to not the movie specifically, but to the bleak reality we live in currently which mirrors a lot of the film's aspects. But I scrapped it and just decided to give it a rating. I don't want to stir up any hornet nests, especially in sensitive times like this.

But damn, it's a real hard-hitting movie with frank truths about America both in the '60s and today, albeit using speculative facts.

Can't believe he only got a f***ing fine of $5,000.

[Marco]

The Panic in Needle Park (1971)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Original_movie_poster_for_the_film_The_Panic_in_Needle_Park.jpg

Gritty drama about the ill effects of drugs. In microcosm about a couple but also wider in their group of friends that frequent said Park. It's low-key, it's realistic and it's pretty much a bummer. The performances are note perfect. Pacino as Bobby and Kitty Win (what happened to her?) as his GF are excellent.

4

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fe/1917_%282019%29_Film_Poster.jpeg

4

Snooze factor = Z



[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it

[Bretfromhope]

The Doll 6/10 - Had some good bits. Indonesion horror movie with English subtitles. The Doll 2 . . . I turned it off after first 10 minutes. I don't like seeing kids getting hurt in movies. Especially horror movies. Totally unnecessary in any kind of movies.

[Stirchley]

The Panic in Needle Park (1971)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Original_movie_poster_for_the_film_The_Panic_in_Needle_Park.jpg

Gritty drama about the ill effects of drugs. In microcosm about a couple but also wider in their group of friends that frequent said Park. It's low-key, it's realistic and it's pretty much a bummer. The performances are note perfect. Pacino as Bobby and Kitty Win (what happened to her?) as his GF are excellent.

4

Excellent movie.

[Stirchley]

65483

Enjoyed this movie, but no clue what it was about. Huge fan of Andrew Garfield & Riley Keough is always good.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTMxYmVmZTgtZjc5Yi00N2VmLThmNGUtOGNiM2QwODJmMzY2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUwNzk3NDc@._V1_.jpg



4

[rambond]

https://i.ibb.co/N12hjxS/Millers-Crossing-Suite-Lrg.jpg (https://ibb.co/YDB9k2Z)
9/10

[HollowMan]

The Panic in Needle Park (1971)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Original_movie_poster_for_the_film_The_Panic_in_Needle_Park.jpg

Gritty drama about the ill effects of drugs. In microcosm about a couple but also wider in their group of friends that frequent said Park. It's low-key, it's realistic and it's pretty much a bummer. The performances are note perfect. Pacino as Bobby and Kitty Win (what happened to her?) as his GF are excellent.

4


An overlooked little gem of a film. Early Al Pacino brilliance.

[HollowMan]

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)


http://i.huffpost.com/gen/880986/thumbs/o-SILVER-LININGS-PLAYBOOK-facebook.jpg



Entertaining romantic comedy drama about two people who are struggling with mental health issues and trying to regain their footing in life after personal trauma. Strong performances all round and a smart, quirky and funny script. Predictable ending but this is a rom-com so I'll let it pass.


3.5/5 Stars

[Stirchley]

⬆️ Seen this twice. Really liked it.

[Gideon58]

Mean Girls. (2004)


https://shelbybourgeois.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/mean-girls-blog.jpg



The best high school movie of the past twenty years? Shut up!


I haven't seen this in a few years and forgot how enjoyable it was. Excellent screenplay by Tina Fey, very well paced with plenty of great moments. The cast is great but this is really Lohan's film, she carries it with ease and a genuine natural performance. In fact watching this was bittersweet, to see her back in her prime before all the personal troubles sent her off the rails and tanked her career. You can tell she had that movie star quality and the potential to go on to great things. She was damn good looking as well. Such a shame to see all that talent go to waste.


4/5 Stars.

Totally agree with you on this one...Tina Fey's screenplay should have earned her an Oscar nomination.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWVkMzY5NzgtMTdlNS00NjY5LThjOTktZWFkNDU3NmQzMDIwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODk2NDQ3MTA@._V1_.jpg


It was okay...I kept waiting for the movie to kick into a second gear it never did. No clue as to how Regina King won an Oscar for this.


Regina King won an Oscar for this to make up for the Oscar she should have won for Jerry Maguire

[Gideon58]

An overlooked little gem of a film. Early Al Pacino brilliance.

Saw this for the first time a couple of months ago...excellent movie...think I rated it the same you did.

[Marco]

Barry Lyndon (1975)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ee/Barry_Lyndon_A.jpg
First time watch. Sumptuous movie that structurally was almost perfect (seems to be on a lot of directors favourite lists). The story of the rakish Lyndon was good but I just got a cold feeling watching it. Maybe just me, it's a great achievement of a film and the cinematography and music are sublime.

3

[GulfportDoc]

Hostiles - 2017

Need some time to process this one. Bale is aces in this role, sort of criminal he wasn't nominated. The whole cast is really good. I enjoyed that the movie seemed to justify both perspectives of the Native American and American soldiers. Shows brutality both ways. The strength of the film is it never gets preachy, which is becoming the downfall of Hollywood itself. I don't think you make good art when it becomes heavy handily preachy.
...

Excellent comments, and I agree 100%!

[Dog Star Man]

https://eofftvreview.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/corridors-of-blood-2.jpg

Corridors of Blood (1958)

4.5/5

I had a really great time with this film. From seeing Boris Karloff in yet another fantastic role huffing opium gas to a young sociopathic Christopher Lee in the part I guess he was born to play. Quite a thrill and a joy ride. Even the no name actor Francis De Wolff playing "Black Ben" provides a terrific performance. Although it was categorized as a "Double Feature" film in my Criterion Set... this film really seems to hold it's own.

[Dog Star Man]

Barry Lyndon (1975)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ee/Barry_Lyndon_A.jpg
First time watch. Sumptuous movie that structurally was almost perfect (seems to be on a lot of directors favourite lists). The story of the rakish Lyndon was good but I just got a cold feeling watching it. Maybe just me, it's a great achievement of a film and the cinematography and music are sublime.

3

It's supposed to be really cold. Barry Lyndon is like a shiny apple with a rotten core. Meaning, it's a beautiful film. Perhaps one of the finest films in regards to its cinematography. But most, if not all, of the characters in play are horrid to each other. Which when you go into a Kubrick film you kind of come to expect that. His view of humanity is rather bleak. I'd say knowing this, give it another go sometime if your so interested. Personally Barry Lyndon happens to be one of my favorite Kubrick films 5/5 for me.

[Gideon58]

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2

[Sholow]

Unlawful Entry. I loved it!

[MovieGal]

https://theplaylist.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/the-quake-exclusive-clip-750x400.jpg

Skjelvet
(2018)
3.75/5

This film had scenes that made me a nervous wreck!

[Dog Star Man]

https://d3lp4xedbqa8a5.cloudfront.net/s3/digital-cougar-assets/streetmachine/2017/07/19/Misc/midnight-spares-2.jpg

Midnite Spares (1983)

4/5

I went into this expecting a low-grade plot and wanting carsploitation and ozploitation... I got it. And seeing this is my first VHS purchase for my collection and hearing the sweet hum of a VCR... bliss. Loved my experience!

https://i.ibb.co/SPV6yQs/IMG-3136.jpg

Even the old "Be Kind, Please Rewind."

[MovieGal]

https://trailers.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/the-commune/images/thumbnail_25779.jpg

Kollektivet
(2016)
3.5/5

[Fabulous]

Rising Sun (1993)

1

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/hWHeq3jlEOOcucLqUN5KJmmNuGO.jpg

[mojofilter]

http://images.flickdirect.com/movies/thelma-and-louise/thelma-and-louise-poster.jpg
THELMA & LOUISE
(1991)

Re-watch. Classic road trip flick with a feminist touch. Performances were all solid.
3.5

[mojofilter]

https://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/923/455/EightMenOUt_original.jpg?1304900915
EIGHT MEN OUT
(1988)

First viewing. This is the second baseball movie I've seen this week- the first being A League of Their Own. I am not a fan of baseball, by the way. This film features an all-star cast, all of whom delivered excellent performances under the direction of John Sayles.
4

[Fabulous]

The Assassin (2015)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/oHX5Abgjy7GLZWJaqQ54p8GsQvl.jpg

[HollowMan]

8mm. (1999)


https://bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/8MM_7_2_12.jpg



It starts off interesting enough. Nicholas Cage is a PI paid to investigate who the girl is in a snuff film found in the safe of a recently deceased wealthy man. The investigation eventually leads him to LA where he meets up with Joaquin Phoenix's struggling musician who's stuck working in a xxx store to make ends meet. Cage recruits him to be his guide into the seedy world of the extreme porn industry. They find the men responsible for the snuff film, but this is where the movie seems to slip off course and degenerates into a hyper violent poor quality revenge b-movie. It's like the writer couldn't be bothered any more and just gave up.


There are a lot of problems with this film. Nicholas Cage was just phoning in his performance, playing a character that really has no depth or development. The chemistry with his wife is non-existant and the whole storyline with her and his daughter is a waste of time. The film wastes about 20 minutes on him phoning her to tell her he loves her and he misses her. Pointless, shallow writing. Phoenix is an entertaining presence but is then pointlessly killed off. The last third of the movie is just torture and revenge porn basically. It's like they ran out of ideas, talent and money.


A bit of a rant I know but films that start off with promise and then crumble into disappointment always annoy me. I guess I feel betrayed. If you're going to be a bad film, just be bad from the start so I can turn you off and not waste my time; don't tease me with the possibility of quality only to turn out rubbish. OK, end of rant.


2/5 Stars.

[Zotis]

https://www.par30dl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%84%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%81%DB%8C%D9%84%D9%85-Gwen-2018-%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86.jpg

Gwen (2018)

A bleak and dreary glimpse into life on a remote farm in Wales some time during the Industrial Revolution (late 1700's - early 1800's), Gwen managed to hide a sparce amount of content amidst thick melodic atmosphere and the strong performances of it's leading ladies, Eleanor Worthington Cox and Maxine Peake. Cox played Gwen, the central figure which the camera focused on primarily, and Peake played the mother who owned the second largest amount of screentime. What was going on in the story was often ambiguously hinted at rather than explained. I was glad the movie did not use exposition to explain what was going on. I always prefer it that way, and see exposition as almost always a crutch used by writers who don't know how to visually or indirectly convey the story and plot. Of course there are exceptions, but generally I see exposition as a thing to be avoided. So that was one of the things I really liked about this movie. On the downside, and I have nothing against quiet movies or quiet people, there was a lack of conversation in this movie. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I felt that a little more needed to be conveyed somehow to fully immerse the audience and make the story and characters gripping. The atmosphere created tension, but it seemed little was done with it. I would have preferred if there had been more meaningful dialogue. There wasn't a single real conversation between any two characters in the movie, and almost nothing besides Gwen's perspective was shown. This left me wondering what exactly was going on, and by the end I still had unanswered questions about what was happening. That wouldn't necessarily have been a bad thing if the characters were in the same predicament, but they seemed to understand what was going on. It did feel like to some extent the writing lacked the ability to convey the same level of understanding that the central character had. If that was a desired effect, then I have the feeling that something else was missing. At the very least there was a lack of substance.

https://www.filminquiry.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Gwen-film-William-McGregor.jpg

Cox's performance was one factor that carried the movie. I didn't notice much in the way of cinematography, but the framing never felt off, and the angles didn't give me the impression of being too conventional. The only shot I really noticed was one of the first shots in the movie, a side silhouette of Cox's pretty face with her hair trailing in the wind. It was an image of perfect youthful feminine beauty. The meekness of their poverty, and humble religious modesty, only added to that beauty. It reminded me of something I've often longed for, but have only attained for brief moments in my own life. I think it's surrendering to life, and finding simple joy in responsibility, hard work, and gracefully enduring hardships and sorrows. There was a scene where Gwen was trying to sell vegetables to get enough money to pay for medicine. Despite the desparation of her situation, and nobody being willing to buy from her, she never waivered in her composure. This scene was also an example of the lack of substance though, because I could only speculate at the reason why no one would buy from her, though she seemed to have a deeper understanding than I. Perhaps it could be argued that I missed the clues, but I don't think the needed clues were really there.

3.5

[Dog Star Man]

https://cnet2.cbsistatic.com/img/jLAz0n3RdNLFpN76NZv4uBydi-E=/940x0/2019/12/25/68560b81-04d0-4427-a409-3c789bd944bc/starwarsholiday.jpg

The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

5/5

Oh sweet Jesus... this is bloody gorgeous. From the 10+ minutes of Wookie dialogue, to grandfather Wookie's "porn machine," to Carrie Fisher's A Cappella song... I was ****ing dying of laughter. Not for everyone sure, but I had a good time.

[chawhee]

Da 5 Bloods (2020)
https://www.cordcutters.com/sites/cordcutters.com/files/styles/large/public/field/image/2020/06/da-5-bloods-8.jpg?itok=FHHBFj3z
3
This was fine, but I honestly thought it would be better. Some of the storyline felt too conventional, though it definitely has it's Spike Lee touches. It's over 2 hours long, but it didn't seem to drag at all. It has it's powerful moments, yet it didn't draw much emotion out of me (like 1917 did, for example).

[Fabulous]

A Hidden Life (2019)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/7OcLrFT8VkrMTUUwLQISJOwzz0n.jpg

[matt72582]

Seduced and Abandoned - 6/10
Not a bad movie, but too silly. Not funny, but then again, I never found "comedies" to be funny, or even good.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/02/Seducedabandoned.jpg

[Zotis]

I wanted to see A Hidden Life in theaters, but missed it.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjE3ZGU1MTUtZWEyMi00YjYzLWE4Y2QtNDUzYzRhMDZiOGYzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc0MzMzNjA@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,66 6,1000_AL_.jpg



3.5

[Takoma11]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjE3ZGU1MTUtZWEyMi00YjYzLWE4Y2QtNDUzYzRhMDZiOGYzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc0MzMzNjA@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,66 6,1000_AL_.jpg



3.5

I watched this one recently, and I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would. I liked the first half and then it felt like the second half got kind of scattered. I also felt like there was some chemistry lacking between March and Lake, something that feel exacerbated by the 25 year age gap between them.

Honestly, I wanted more witch stuff! Even the effects of them traveling around as smoke or sneaking in and out of the bottles was enjoyable and I just wanted more.

[Marco]

The Leather Boys (1964)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/The_Leather_Boys_movie_poster.jpg
Down to earth 60s film about bikers and relationships. A premature distant marriage leads to problems. All do well in this and, I suppose, it was shocking at the time with allusions to homosexuality (in the UK). Even more interestingly, seems put down to Reggies "confusion".
The dialogue is frank and it's really shot well. Dreamers on bikes getting away from all day to day responsibilities. It is painted well though and has real depth. Liked the performances.

3

[Marco]

https://cnet2.cbsistatic.com/img/jLAz0n3RdNLFpN76NZv4uBydi-E=/940x0/2019/12/25/68560b81-04d0-4427-a409-3c789bd944bc/starwarsholiday.jpg

The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

5/5

Oh sweet Jesus... this is bloody gorgeous. From the 10+ minutes of Wookie dialogue, to grandfather Wookie's "porn machine," to Carrie Fisher's A Cappella song... I was ****ing dying of laughter. Not for everyone sure, but I had a good time.

I've heard stories that Princess Leia would have been better cast in "Trainspotting" in this one :)

[Zotis]

I'm still having nightmares from mere glimpses of The Star Wars Holiday Special. I went in thinking, "Oh cool, I've heard about this!" Within 30 seconds I was traumatized for life.

[MovieGal]

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hrb6aaBpAkA/maxresdefault.jpg

Se7en
(1995)
3.75/5

65509


Tom of Finland
(2017)
3.5/5

[Dog Star Man]

I'm still having nightmares from mere glimpses of The Star Wars Holiday Special. I went in thinking, "Oh cool, I've heard about this!" Within 30 seconds I was traumatized for life.

Lol! ;)

[Takoma11]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcR0LrJIlRpxpYWAux7ezuw4HdUX77-rnDLeGyjj22kDwYMEp1zI&usqp=CAU

Knife + Heart (2018, first watch)

Anne is a director producing gay porn films who struggles to figure out who is killing off her actors and why. When Anne decides to go meta and make a new film about the murders, things get weird and fiction and reality start to blend.

To start with the good, the first half of the film is really strong. The whole movie is a giallo throwback, and there is some truly excellent imagery (such as an eye watching a character through a peephole positioned inside a painting of a mouth) and deliciously garish color schemes in both setting and costume. And unlike almost every other horror movie that portrays sequences of gay or kinky characters, there's nothing scary about the different fetish clubs or scenes. The characters making the porn films know that the scenes are over the top and ridiculous, and many takes end with them laughing at the absurdity. There are some really memorable set pieces, like a burlesque show that ends with a person dressed as a bear "mauling" a dancer, complete with gushing fake blood.

But around the second half, the film switches gears. Anne goes on a jaunt to the countryside to investigate and the movie becomes a lot more concerned with delving into the backstory of the killer. But here's the problem: we only need a few seconds of a flashback to understand the killer and their motives. Yet a lot of screen time goes in to developing that simple backstory. At a certain point it almost feels like padding and it slows down the momentum of the film.

There's style to spare here, and Anne is an interesting and messy protagonist, but I wish that the middle act had been streamlined a bit and that the film had found a way to end with a bit more punch.

3.5

[Zotis]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/E1Lp11vGe_dDDoSi4sD-2ZjDnOQgV7P_mvDI6Eh0O6RCLfJCGwQSR3pU1mcg-F4NP8NV8BE4KJyWu6Ijgr3SGzBG

Endorphine (2015)

Another bleak movie, this one was about a disorienting sense of time, questioning the nature of reality, and dealing with trauma. Sophie Nelisse, a French-Canadian rising star, shared the lead role with Mylene Mackay. They played the same character, Nelisse playing the younger teenage version, and Mackay playing the 20-something adult version. Their character, Simone, moved through time out of order as she pieced together her life and came to terms with witnessing her mother's murder when she was 13. The cinematography was nice, with a lot of smooth and pretty dolly pans. The movie communicated a lot with feelings and images rather than explicit words. It was a little hard to understand what was going on, but I got the sense that she dulled her senses to cope with the pain of seeing her mother die, and that made her loose touch with reality.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZTE2OGZkOTQtM2Y0Ny00NTFhLTg3ZDUtMjE2ZWNhMzgwOWZhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTA1NDY3NzY@._V1_.jpg

3.5

[Nemanja]

Seduced and Abandoned - 6/10
Not a bad movie, but too silly. Not funny, but then again, I never found "comedies" to be funny, or even good.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/02/Seducedabandoned.jpg

let's try this one:

Bread and Chocolate (1974)
The Tiger and the Pussycat (1967)

[Dog Star Man]

https://phantomplayhouse.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/haunted_strangler_1958_0.jpg?w=1000&h=435&crop=1

The Haunted Strangler (1958)

4.5/5

This film was making a whole lotta sense until what the f*cking sh*t happened.

[Dog Star Man]

https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/blob-58-2.jpg

The Blob (1958)

5/5

Cheesy and campy as this film is, it left me with a huge smiling grin of joy on my face.

Definitely a keeper.

[matt72582]

let's try this one:

Bread and Chocolate (1974)
The Tiger and the Pussycat (1967)
Uh oh, it's a "comedy"... We'll see. I'll try to try them out :)
Thanks!

[this_is_the_ girl]

https://filmability.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/orange.gif
Cube (1997, Vincenzo Natali)
2.5
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Y-ziQP_geg/XqhK52J3u0I/AAAAAAABuMU/6Q5CSunCTWs2Q9I5Rmerqh0yzMRPa9G0ACEwYBhgL/s1600/w2.gif
When Worlds Collide (1951, Rudolph Maté)
2

[Takoma11]

https://phantomplayhouse.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/haunted_strangler_1958_0.jpg?w=1000&h=435&crop=1

The Haunted Strangler (1958)

4.5/5

This film was making a whole lotta sense until what the f*cking sh*t happened.

I mostly enjoyed this one (and Karloff's physical dedication jumps out at you), but I felt like it was missing some oomph.

https://filmability.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/orange.gif
Cube (1997, Vincenzo Natali)
2.5

I have a visceral memory of Cube. I was like 15 and dog-sitting. The dog had been sick, so I ended up staying up all night with it. Cube was on at like 2am. There was something about rooms having prime or not prime numbers, and there was a part where they came to a room and the number was even and I was like "So it's not prime," but the characters took a while to figure that out and I was disproportionately upset about that.

Whenever I see or hear someone talk about Cube I get a visceral flash of cleaning up dog vomit and being all bleary eyed like "EVEN NUMBERS AREN'T PRIME!!!! :mad::mad:"

There's a very Canadian sequel called Hypercube that somehow makes even less sense than the original.

[GulfportDoc]

65514

The Mandela Effect (2019)

Despite its low budget and use of comparatively unknown actors, this is an absorbing and clever sci-fi film that probes the parallel universe theory.

A computer game designer (Charlie) and his wife tragically lose their young daughter in a freak accident. Later the man starts noticing a series of false memories (the Mandela effect). He, his wife, and brother-in-law experience an additional series of false memories which bring up a dichotomy between their memories and facts which they know to be true.

Charlie eventually seeks out the advice of a famous scientist who has been ostracized by many of his colleagues from suggesting that life is simply a computerized simulation. This concept leads Charlie to believe that his daughter may not have died, but it simply living in a parallel universe.

After Charlie probes the potential operation of such simulation clandestinely via a university's quantum computer, he attempts to interrupt the simulation so as to bring about the reality of their lives prior to the daughter's death.

I was surprised at the quality of the production, given its micro budget. Director/writer David Guy Levy deftly pulls together all elements to fashion an interesting and suspenseful sci-fi movie. One can imagine this film as a major release if it had a bigger budget.

Available for free on Amazon, or rental from YouTube.

Doc's rating: 6/10

[GulfportDoc]

The Blob (1958)

5/5

Cheesy and campy as this film is, it left me with a huge smiling grin of joy on my face.

Definitely a keeper.

I've loved this movie ever since I first saw it in the theater upon its release. It's ridiculously tame today, but at the time I thought: "There's nothing that could ever stop this blob from outer space!!" That is exactly what producers are hoping for. Had the same feeling in War of the Worlds (1953).

It was Steve McQueen's first lead role in a feature film, and already he had the presence and the "cool" that would characterize him for his full (but way too short) career.

What was wonderful about all those early horror/sci-fi films is that they had a basic good-naturedness-- a certain common morality that has completely vanished in our modern times. They all had it, and one left the theater impressed, and in a good mood!

~Doc

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a2/Jojo_Rabbit_%282019%29_poster.jpg

3.5

Snooze factor = Zzz


Also watched the latest Tomb Raider this evening that had its premiere on one of the main channels here. I really like it but I couldn't enjoy it this time around because I was sat there annoyed most of the time because the stupid channel really cut it to shreds!

I don't know why they bothered.



[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it

[AgrippinaX]

‘Accident Man’, 2018

3/5

Entertaining, fight choreography not too bad. However, predictable and something of a John Wick rip-off. A nice satirical touch about stalking a contract killer and getting him to teach the trade to the protagonist, though.

[Takoma11]

‘Accident Man’, 2018

3/5

Entertaining, fight choreography not too bad. However, predictable and something of a John Wick rip-off. A nice satirical touch about stalking a contract killer and getting him to teach the trade to the protagonist, though.

When it comes to B-movie action, Scott Adkins is one of my go-tos. Seeing Michael Jai White pop up was a bonus (and I really liked their character dynamics).

I do think that the name is a bit unfortunate--like it's a film about a guy constantly peeing in his own pants.

[mark f]

Wasp Network (Olivier Assayas, 2019) 2.5 6/10
Children of the Night (Tony Randel, 1991) 2 5/10
Mr. Jones (Agnieszka Holland, 2019) 2.5+ 6/10
Jeremiah Johnson (Sydney Pollack, 1972) 3.5 7/10
https://i0.wp.com/www.rebeatmag.com/wp-content/uploads/nod2.gif?resize=524%2C241
The mountain man expresses a quiet form of affirmation.
Black Sabbath: Up Close and Personal (Bob Carruthers, 2007) 3 6.5/10
Lost Bullet (Guillaume Pierret, 2020) 2.5.6/10
Corpus Christi (Jan Komasa, 2019) 3 6.5/10
Babyteeth (Shannon Murphy, 2019) 2.5 5.5/10
https://66.media.tumblr.com/060b8cc8a7b36f604aeee3783d78fc20/tumblr_px2mx8rWFU1vwexiwo7_540.gifv
When sick teenager Eliza Scanlen brings her boyfriend Toby Wallace home, her parents are confused.
The Case of the Black Parrot (Noel M. Smith, 1941) 2.5 5.5/10
Disclosure (Sam Feder, 2020) 3.5 7/10
The Imagemaker (Hal Weiner, 1986) 2.5 5.5/10
The Chase (Arthur Penn, 1966) 3 6.5/10
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/EdibleColorfulAmphibian-size_restricted.gif
Sheriff Marlon Brando tries to protect accused murderer Robert Redford from a group of rednecks.
Bowery to Bagdad (Edward Bernds, 1955) 2.5 6/10
Roger Waters - Us + Them (Sean Evans & Roger Waters, 2019) 3 6.5/10
Mob Town (Danny A. Abeckaser, 2019) 2.5 5.5/10
Fisherman's Friends (Chris Foggin, 2019) 3 6.5/10
https://66.media.tumblr.com/ad86ef88fe0f8734b58ecba45bc95b1b/tumblr_pqfiwaTnLx1vsvwv3o2_500.gifv
Cornish fidhermen turn their band of brothers into a singing group with the help of music exec Daniel Mays.
Feel the Beat (Elissa Down, 2020) 2.5 6/10
I Am Vengeance: Retaliation (Ross Boyask, 2020) 1.5+ 4.5/10
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (Roy Rowland, 1945) 3 6.5/10
Mope (Lucas Heyne, 2019) 2.5 6/10
https://i0.wp.com/www.nightmarishconjurings.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/0fe5b35d.jpg?resize=640%2C360
Tom Dong (Kelly Sry) and Steve Driver (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) are obsessed with making it big in porn but mental illness has other ideas.

[Fabulous]

Allied (2016)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/vRAzmqPHPlRd8FUHqbpLJb1bru3.jpg

[Zotis]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4b/6d/2b/4b6d2bd77f885d4abaf45da0096ec823.jpg

1:54 (2016)

I'm not sure exactly when Sophie Nelisse caught my attention, but it was before Mean Dreams came out in 2016. She hadn't done a lot yet, but I remember anticipating Mean Dreams, and it turned out to be a pretty decent film. Before that I had seen The Book Theif, which wasn't anything special, and Monsieur Lazhar which was brilliant, but Nelisse was only 10 in it. Her performance in Monsieur Lazhar, though small, was possibly the most powerful performance I've seen from someone under the age of 12. Now that a few years have passed I've noticed that she's been doing a lot of acting. It looks like she has a very promising career ahead of her. After not paying attention to her for a few years, I'm glad to see that she's been thriving. 1:54 came out in 2016, the same year as Mean Dreams. Nelisse played a supporting role, Jennifer. Antoine Pilon played the lead, Tim, a high-school student struggling with homosexuality and being bullied. He fuled his stress and anger into running, breaking a school record that earned him the admiration of Jennifer and the bane of a bully named Jeff, played by Lou-Pascal Tremblay. The movie dealt with issues of depression and suicide. There were quite a few beautiful shots that stood out to me. Overall I thought the cinematography and acting were really good, but it didn't really hit me with anything potent on the subjects of bullying and suicide.

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/visuel1-copy.jpg?w=702

3.5

[MovieGal]

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2010/01/06/arts/06winter_CA0/articleLarge.jpg

Im Winter ein Jahr
(2008)
3.5/5

[Cobra]

Oblivion (2013):
A pretty good movie with some good effects, simple plot, and well told storyline, some things could’ve been better though.
8/10

[MovieBuffering]

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - 1989

I've seen all the Jones movies but all when I was extremely young. I know enough to probably get by but they were having a marathon of Indiana Jones on Paramont channel Saturday. Caught half of Temple Of Doom and all of The Last Crusade. This was the only one released when I was actually alive, I was 2. I respect them all. Landmark films in cinema for sure. Inspired a lot of films to follow. I just don't think they have aged terribly well. There was a ton of cringy scenes in Temple Of Doom. Crusade was a little better aged.

I thought Connery was pretty good in the flick. Just feels like a veteran of movies and his character comes off as such. Spielberg shot the movie and made it feel like it came out in the 50s. It just has an older look to it, not that it's bad at all, just unique. I enjoyed it but the Indy franchise was just made for the generation before and doesn't resonate with me as much. I'd say I admire the films more then I enjoy them. Quintessential cinema viewing though.

Also read they were suppose to film another one this year....if the virus allows I suppose. But Harrison won't let anyone else be Indy and that when Ford dies Indy dies. That's kind of lame. I don't really have the desire to see a Ford pushing 80 running around with a whip dodging boulders. It's going look bad haha. Be nice to see him pass the torch...even since they failed with the 4th one. But I am not terribly excited anyways, like I said, it's just wasn't for my generation.

3

https://resizing.flixster.com/W8AaR8nilu5W52AcwjPBVrfCXjs=/206x305/v1.bTsxMTIxMzY0NDtqOzE4NTM0OzEyMDA7MjU1MzszNDA0

[Takoma11]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcTm66jk-pIdtHhUTNPgUNHKybKKA4Bc_qpo0N0-5ydxoRSdVj0J&usqp=CAU

Christine (2016, first viewing)

Hat tip to AgrippinaX for the nudge to watch this one. It's been kicking around my watchlist for a while, and when I saw that it was on Hulu it just felt fortuitous.

The film follows Christine Chubbuck, a reporter working in a local television station. Christine struggles with depression and possibly other unspecified mental health issues. As her career, romantic life, and health all take blow after blow, Christine begins to spiral.

I really liked this one. It does a great job of portraying how when someone is on their own frequency (and in Christine's case a frequency informed by depression) everything filters through a lens. At the same time, even by objective measures Christine is going through a lot. Her "stress pains" turn out to be an ovarian cyst that will diminish her chances at conceiving a child. Her sensibilities seem to push her further from her goal of working for a national news organization. And her workplace crush asks her out to dinner just so that he can take her to group therapy---a well-intentioned act that is also, understandably, kind of heart-breaking for Christine.

What's also kind of great about the film is that it makes it clear the degree to which the depression fractures Christine's perception. Christine is funny, and we see that interview subjects and children at the local hospital where she volunteers like her. Her co-workers respect her and are friendly with her. But you can see how their respect and kindness--such as the weatherman Steve's compliment of her work and asking her out to lunch--just don't register with her. All Christine can see is her own failure, and she turns her anger at that failure both outside and, eventually, back at herself.

Rebecca Hall's performance is strong, as are the supporting roles from Michael C. Hall and Maria Dizzia as Christine's co-workers. The set design and costuming evoke the 1970s, as does the interesting portrayal of how film and camera work went down on the set of the show.

4

[Fabulous]

The Princess Bride (1987)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/kKJD2hpZ8V20VI4mxEXNrrmAPu1.jpg

[Zotis]

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7valMEdr-_NzWJLbPjrz5KC3UHQ=/1400x1400/filters:format(jpeg)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19039592/miles_47_meters_down_entertainmentstudios_getty_ringer.jpg

47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)

Sophie Nelisse played Mia who was bullied at school. She was the stepsister to Corinne Foxx's character, Sasha. Mia's bullying was a bit cliche, and served as an obvious plot device to inspire simpathy from the audience towards her character. There was little dynamic between the characters, and the whole movie felt like an excuse for a frightening and exciting adventure plot violence. Accompanying the sisters on their trip to fear and death were their two friends. Brianne Tju played Alexa, and Sistine Stallone played Nicole. Worth noting is that Sistine Stallone is actually Sylvester Stallone's daughter, but unfortunately her acting, as well as her character, was pretty generic and forgettable. Tju's character, Alexa, had stronger dynamics to make her character interesting, and her acting was pretty solid. The story was simple enough, four friends decided to go cave diving in some ancient aztech cavern ruins, but what they didn't know was that the caves were shark infested. It was one of those movies where a bunch of people get killed off, and you spend most of the movie wondering who will survive if anyone. Basically this movie was a less scary knock-off of The Descent with a Jaws theme. Everything was realistic enough until the sharks appeared, then dramatic effect took presidence. I really don't like these type of movies, and probably would have turned it off 20 minutes in if I wasn't invested in Nelisse. I got the impression they were trying to be realistic in everything except the way that shark's behaved. I think the writer and director probably couldn't think of a realistic way to make the movie exciting without doing things for dramatic effect that made no logical sense. Just like they couldn't think of a way to make a movie scary without jump scares.

https://i.ibb.co/W0RSd7z/maxresdefault.jpg

This was a sequel to the 2017 movie, 47 Meters Down, which starred Mandy Moore sinking to the bottom of shark infested waters trapped in a cage. There didn't appear to be any story related connection, and "uncaged" was presumably in the title because it didn't feature a cage like the first movie. I haven't seen the first movie, but based on the trailer and what I read there was no connection.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/horrormovies/images/7/79/Meter-down_d.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190908065517

2.5

[Fabulous]

The Southerner (1945)

2

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qVgP6MDPscPnt9LGQo0OuJctDcA.jpg

[Marco]

You Should Have Left (2020)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/73/You_Should_Have_Left_Poster_2020.jpeg
Entertaining little thriller but a bit predictable. Kevin Bacon has aged well!
2.5

[mojofilter]

https://www.movieartarena.com/imgs/monster.jpg
MONSTER
(2003)

First viewing. I've wanted to watch this film for the longest time. Just as I expected, it was excellent. Charlize Theron deserved the accolades, including the Oscar for Best Actress, she received for her intense performance. I also really liked Christina Ricci's performance and believe she was snubbed out of an Oscar nomination for Supporting Actress.


rating_4

[Stirchley]

65526

Re-watch of an American classic that is still relevant today.

[Gideon58]

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1416/8662/products/I_Heart_Huckabees_2004_original_film_art-f_2000x.jpg?v=1580330886



2.5

[Stirchley]

⬆️ Added this to my Netflix Q since for some reason I have never seen it.

[Truman]

funi
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjE0ODIzNjkzMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODQ3MzU4NDM@._V1_.jpg

[Fabulous]

Five Easy Pieces (1970)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/AvhlgJO4fDYydBKHZTM0RkbIVXA.jpg

[HollowMan]

Five Easy Pieces (1970)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/AvhlgJO4fDYydBKHZTM0RkbIVXA.jpg


Love this film. Some parts haven't aged particularly well but it has one my favourite Nicholson performances. He's brilliant as Bobby; a lost soul, running from job to job, place to place, woman to woman, from his past and his family, ultimately from himself, whoever that is.

[Stirchley]

⬆️ I need to see this again. Cannot remember a single scene.

[HollowMan]

High Noon (1952)


https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/58acb711c41f737fae52801f/master/pass/high-noon-gary-cooper-excerpt.jpg



Classic western. Gary Cooper is great as the sheriff who's the only person with the righteous courage to confront a gang of criminals. One by one he's abandoned by the townfolk; his friends, neighbours, colleagues, even his wife, all turn their back on him, whether from cowardice, pragmatism, greed or religion. The noble warrior stands alone to fight evil. Great tense buildup to the gunfight including the iconic crane shot of Cooper walking alone down the street. However, the fight itself is a bit anticlimactic since Cooper dispatches his enemies with little trouble, and the ending is way too abrupt but the rest of the film is very well made.


3.5/5 Stars.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTU0MTkzMDI0MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODI5NTAxNzE@._V1_.jpg



4

[Fabulous]

A Patch of Blue (1965)

2

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/d57P9AVGgVlv7HWfnkLes8ASrTM.jpg

[Stirchley]

High Noon (1952)

I often wonder if there’s another movie in history that has a man & woman almost break up on their wedding day?

[Marco]

Love this film. Some parts haven't aged particularly well but it has one my favourite Nicholson performances. He's brilliant as Bobby; a lost soul, running from job to job, place to place, woman to woman, from his past and his family, ultimately from himself, whoever that is.

I liked the film a lot, probably mostly due to Bobby (Nicholson).

[Takoma11]

http://basementrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/five-deadly-venoms-assassins-lizard-review-kung-fu.jpg

The Five Deadly Venoms (1978, first viewing)

The films of the Shaw Brothers are a huge blindspot for me, and something I've been slowly trying to remedy over the last few years. This one was a real delight, and probably a great starting point for anyone who hasn't seen much "classic" kung fu.

As the film opens, the master teacher of the Poison Clan is dying. He tells his pupil about five of his former students (Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad--ie the Five Venoms) who have gone out in to the world. The master is worried that some of them may be using their powers for evil and directs his student to take out those who are doing wrong. Because the students always wore masks around each other, they do not know each others' faces.

The plot of this film is complex, and yet at the same time pretty easy to follow. It's not simply a case of good guys and bad guys--there are multiple allegiances at play with the prize of both money and honor hanging in the air. There are crosses and double-crosses, and all of it takes place in the scope of a justice system where seemingly everyone from witnesses to judges are for sale. Once a murder is committed, the process of finding and punishing the guilty party turns the court into a playground for the different students to seek out and attack each other.

I was a bit nervous about watching this on Amazon, because some of their prints are absolutely garbage. But this was a really nice transfer, and the colors of the film pop nicely. The dubbing was also really solid and expressive, which compliments the acting in the film. The actors bring some strong physicality to their characters, and I especially liked Meng Lo's swagger as Toad.

The big question, of course, is how is the action? The answer is really good. The actors in the lead roles are very acrobatic and perform their choreography very well. There are some really inventive uses of wire-work and sequences where characters work together in battles.

I would put this pretty close to the top of Shaw Brothers films that I've seen so far. I think that I still would put Come Drink with Me at the top, but this one really gives it a run for its money. This one was directed by Cheh Chang, who also directed The One-Armed Swordsman and Golden Swallow. This one is definitely highly recommended.

4.5

[gbgoodies]

I often wonder if there’s another movie in history that has a man & woman almost break up on their wedding day?


The closest I can think of offhand is in the movie Private Benjamin (1980), Judy Benjamin's husband dies on their wedding night.

[MovieGal]

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OWHK9lJib4c/maxresdefault.jpg

Landet af Glas
(2016)
3/5

[Fabulous]

The Westerner (1940)

2

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/cp1QQPnRsPxzUbdAWURD1U0b0mv.jpg

[Takoma11]

I often wonder if there’s another movie in history that has a man & woman almost break up on their wedding day?

Almost break up or actually break up? I can only think of Arsenic and Old Lace, The Corpse Bride, In and Out, I Married a Witch, Father of the Bride, The Devil's Eye, and maybe the western Decision at Sundown?

If you want a kind of tongue-in-cheek answer, Ready or Not.

[Fabulous]

Carnal Knowledge (1971)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/bfUNaGJIIjafKYHcwjuWvCTKrPA.jpg

[cricket]

Mid90's (2018)

3.5

https://66.media.tumblr.com/b2727f5a3a8c34c7e02b3fc20b80ffc4/ab26db05c4ff06f6-8d/s500x750/8946997d2ffded1ed6406d83efff102b41003f7e.gifv

Quick little coming of age tale that felt very authentic. I could relate to it as I had older teen friends when I was 13. Great work by the cast of mostly unknowns, especially the teens. It's not exploitive or over dramatic, but it is occasionally hilarious. I look forward to Jonah Hill's next project.

[Ultraviolence]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmIzYzUyZTktODVlYy00ZTdjLWFkYzEtNTMyZTY3MWVhNzQ0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMxODk2OTU@._V1_.jpg

rating_3

Good movie with some tense moments and some weak segments.

[Marco]

Bobby Deerfield (1977)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c6/Bobby_deerfield.jpg
Lifeless romantic melodrama starring Al Pacino as a racing driver who falls for an enigmatic terminally ill woman. Its pretty hilarious at some of the obviously meant-to-be-profound bits so a few unintentional laughs to he had :) Just seen Sydney Pollack directed it...well I never!!

2

[Fabulous]

Summer and Smoke (1961)

2

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/yjkxPcfjw1YUt1SHrizfxLTqibE.jpg

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMWE3MjViNWUtY2VjYS00ZDBjLTllMzYtN2FkY2QwYmRiMDhjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODQzNTE3ODc@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,67 5,1000_AL_.jpg



4

[Gideon58]

A Patch of Blue (1965)

2

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/d57P9AVGgVlv7HWfnkLes8ASrTM.jpg


Why only a 2 rating for this movie?

[Fabulous]

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/tastycTYBJkloAVcZgjdeYnc1Fo.jpg

[Takoma11]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMWE3MjViNWUtY2VjYS00ZDBjLTllMzYtN2FkY2QwYmRiMDhjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODQzNTE3ODc@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,67 5,1000_AL_.jpg



4

I really liked The Farewell. Great performances, and a film that was sensitive to multiple points of view and avoided leaning toward there being a "right" answer in a complex situation.

[Cobra]

Fast and Furious (2009):

I am a fan of this series myself, and just out of boredom I decided to watch this, good popcorn movie, not everyone’s type of film though
7.5/10

[cricket]

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972)

3

https://www.filmfreakcentral.net/.a/6a0168ea36d6b2970c01b7c8947364970b-800wi

In the first part of the series, our hero and the rest of the girls spend most of the movie in prison. In this second part the gals are on the loose after an escape. It's pretty good but definitely a step down in both action and style. The influence on Tarantino is still apparent. Looking forward to part 3.

[Takoma11]

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972)

3

https://www.filmfreakcentral.net/.a/6a0168ea36d6b2970c01b7c8947364970b-800wi

In the first part of the series, our hero and the rest of the girls spend most of the movie in prison. In this second part the gals are on the loose after an escape. It's pretty good but definitely a step down in both action and style. The influence on Tarantino is still apparent. Looking forward to part 3.

I've only seen Beast Stable. I quite liked it, but generally speaking this brand of exploitation isn't super my thing. I do have a few movie friends who like them, but out taste doesn't always align.

[cricket]

I've only seen Beast Stable. I quite liked it, but generally speaking this brand of exploitation isn't super my thing. I do have a few movie friends who like them, but out taste doesn't always align.

Beast Stable is part 3 next up for me, heard it was a good one.

[Takoma11]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/The_Bed-Sitting_Room_%28film%29.jpg

The Bed-Sitting Room (1969, first viewing)

This is a film adapted from a stage play.

In an undefined future, a short-lived accidental nuclear war has wiped out most of the population. The film takes place in the UK, and is deliberately surreal. The title comes from the fact that one man is experiencing a side-effect of . . . turning into a bed-sitting room. Another woman turns into a wardrobe.

Yeah, it's a weird one.

The main joke of the film is the way that different characters cling to the patterns of their old lives, even as things go crazy around them. For example, one character insists on knocking on a door . . . even though the door is free-standing in the desert. One family lives on the subway, willfully oblivious to the pregnancy of their daughter.

I have to admit that the film was funnier than I expected. One sequence in particular where a woman falls into a man's home through the ceiling. He begs her to "do what my wife used to do". She agrees--and instantly begins throwing cups at him while he pleads with her that he isn't having an affair. When they "finish", he growls "Get out of here, you slut!". I love the idea that these people are desperate for their "normal", even if that normal wasn't pleasant.

There are numerous other absurdities. A man monitors things from a hot air balloon. An old BBC presented carries around a broken television that he can stand inside to deliver "news". Two characters carry around a nuclear bomb so that they can call themselves a "nuclear power". A single man on a bicycle provides all of the nation's electricity.

I'm not sure about recommending this film. I think many people would find it boring or too off-kilter. But if you enjoy absurdity, there are some really funny line-readings, and the film does actually manage to arrive at a satisfying ending.

3

[GulfportDoc]

[A Patch of Blue]Why only a 2 rating for this movie?
Elizabeth Hartman was stunning in this film as the blind girl. She was so good in just about anything she was ever in. What a shame that her career ended so young at her own hand.

[Marco]

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/tastycTYBJkloAVcZgjdeYnc1Fo.jpg

Id've went higher Fabulous but it's been 20 years since I saw it so that's purely from memory.

[Takoma11]

Beast Stable is part 3 next up for me, heard it was a good one.

I was skeptical about the series, and Beast Stable was the one that my friends most strongly recommended.

[MovieGal]

cricket

Have you seen The Beast in Heat? I have seen a lot of Naziexplotation. I own several on DVD.

[cricket]

cricket

Have you seen The Beast in Heat? I have seen a lot of Naziexplotation. I own several on DVD.

No and just looked it up and it sounds good. I will watch!

[MovieGal]

No and just looked it up and it sounds good. I will watch!

cricket

Have I ever lead you down the wrong path?

Have you found Gudsforladt yet?

[cricket]

cricket

Have I ever lead you down the wrong path?

Have you found Gudsforladt yet?

Not yet and I've looked a few times

[Fabulous]

Along the Great Divide (1951)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/utO9qIZZghb0NZQWnQoRISro0v3.jpg

[MovieBuffering]

Hail, Caesar - 2016

Love the Coen Brothers. Meant to watch this one a few years ago. It has a great cast. A good premise. Coen Brothers behind the camera. It was beautiful looking. It just didn't resonate with me like some of their other movies for some reason. Just hit a lull and never recovered. The characters were kinda of dull. I think the "bad guys" were sort of lame and not that interesting. Just not memorable like most Coen Brothers movie. I don't know just sort of a let down. Not horrible but not up to their general bar to me.

2.5

https://www.gstatic.com/tv/thumb/v22vodart/12017808/p12017808_v_v8_ab.jpg

[Zotis]

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972)

3

https://www.filmfreakcentral.net/.a/6a0168ea36d6b2970c01b7c8947364970b-800wi

In the first part of the series, our hero and the rest of the girls spend most of the movie in prison. In this second part the gals are on the loose after an escape. It's pretty good but definitely a step down in both action and style. The influence on Tarantino is still apparent. Looking forward to part 3.

It's really cool seeing other MoFo's go down these cult paths. The first one in the Female Prisoner Scorpion trilogy is easily the best, but they're all definitely worth watching. You'd probably also like Rica (1972), again there is a trilogy.

Have you seen Sympathy for Lady Vengeance?

[mojofilter]

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1123/6364/products/0000293203.jpeg?v=1466105230
HOOSIERS
(1986)

First viewing. The movie's got heart and excellent performances by the entire cast.

rating_3_5

[AgrippinaX]

I do think that the name is a bit unfortunate--like it's a film about a guy constantly peeing in his own pants.

Ha, very true!

[Hey Fredrick]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpisces.bbystatic.com%2Fimage2%2FBestBuy_US%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2F2535%2F25355414_sa .jpg%3BmaxHeight%3D500%3BmaxWidth%3D500&f=1&nofb=1
2.5

From the official description: "Two dorky Nevada worm wranglers are kidnapped by a gang of beautiful women as part of a hairbrained scheme to steal plutonium from the Mafia." That's a little wrong as they are not trying to steal plutonium. They are after platinum. Why? Who knows/cares. A total micro budget, so bad it's good flick with an attractive group of actresses who cannot act. The guys can't act either, although the lead did remind me a little of Jimmy Stewart and he's got some crazy to him. In the movie trivia it says he really took a shotgun blast to the chest while wearing a BPV. Yeesh! When your budget ain't all there ya gotta improvise. It tries to be funny and succeeds occasionally. There isn't anything in here that you hope to see with a movie like this yet it's strangely watchable. If I had made this with my drunk buddies in the midst of a weekend black out I would have been very happy with the results.

[Dog Star Man]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpisces.bbystatic.com%2Fimage2%2FBestBuy_US%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2F2535%2F25355414_sa .jpg%3BmaxHeight%3D500%3BmaxWidth%3D500&f=1&nofb=1
2.5

From the official description: "Two dorky Nevada worm wranglers are kidnapped by a gang of beautiful women as part of a hairbrained scheme to steal plutonium from the Mafia." That's a little wrong as they are not trying to steal plutonium. They are after platinum. Why? Who knows/cares. A total micro budget, so bad it's good flick with an attractive group of actresses who cannot act. The guys can't act either, although the lead did remind me a little of Jimmy Stewart and he's got some crazy to him. In the movie trivia it says he really took a shotgun blast to the chest while wearing a BPV. Yeesh! When your budget ain't all there ya gotta improvise. It tries to be funny and succeeds occasionally. There isn't anything in here that you hope to see with a movie like this yet it's strangely watchable. If I had made this with my drunk buddies in the midst of a weekend black out I would have been very happy with the results.

Looks like my kind of movie. :cool:

[Monteratu]

Hereditary 8/10 I found this to be the most dread filled horror film I've seen in years, loved it.


Crawl 3/10 (Only slightly ashamed of having watched this to begin with)


Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 7/10 (Fantastic until the alternate history crap similar to Inglourious Basterds)

[AgrippinaX]

Hereditary 8/10 I found this to be the most dread filled horror film I've seen in years, loved it.

I agree, it’s brilliant. I’ve been trying to find something like it since it came out, to no avail. I don’t think Midsommar is similar at all.

[Takoma11]

Hereditary 8/10 I found this to be the most dread filled horror film I've seen in years, loved it.

Yeah, Hereditary is great.

Crawl 3/10 (Only slightly ashamed of having watched this to begin with)

I . . . still plan to watch this movie.

[Takoma11]

I agree, it’s brilliant. I’ve been trying to find something like it since it came out, to no avail. I don’t think Midsommar is similar at all.

Have you seen Mandy?

For me that's one of the only films that managed to evoke both dread and over-the-top craziness that was comparable. They are different films, but Mandy evoked some really similar emotions in me.

[AgrippinaX]

Have you seen Mandy?

For me that's one of the only films that managed to evoke both dread and over-the-top craziness that was comparable. They are different films, but Mandy evoked some really similar emotions in me.

Yes! That’s actually a 100% match, I absolutely loved Mandy. Thank you for reminding me about it, I’m overdue a rewatch.

[Takoma11]

Yes! That’s actually a 100% match, I absolutely loved Mandy. Thank you for reminding me about it, I’m overdue a rewatch.

It was the only "true match" I could think of.

Although, actually, I think that Possession (1981) also fits that mold of intensity and strangeness and STRONG FEELINGS.

Some other honorable mentions might be:
Some episodes of Hannibal
Antichrist
Videodrome
A Tale of Two Sister
Kill List
Lake Mungo
Santa Sangre
Cure
Images
God Told Me To
Who Can Kill a Child?
In a Glass Cage
Shelley
Demon

[this_is_the_ girl]

https://everythingmoviereviews.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/bourneidentity1.jpg?w=1140&h=578
The Bourne Identity (2002, Doug Liman)
rating_4
I've never seen the Bourne trilogy in its entirety - only snippets here and there. Finally sat down and watched the first film today, and I'm glad I did. Liked the mystery, the tight plot, the action/fight scenes - just an all-around solid spy thriller.

[Gideon58]

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91LMyYd62-L._SL1500_.jpg




3

[Stirchley]

https://everythingmoviereviews.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/bourneidentity1.jpg?w=1140&h=578
The Bourne Identity (2002, Doug Liman)
rating_4
I've never seen the Bourne trilogy in its entirety - only snippets here and there. Finally sat down and watched the first film today, and I'm glad I did. Liked the mystery, the tight plot, the action/fight scenes - just an all-around solid spy thriller.

Love the Bourne Trilogy.

[cat_sidhe]

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bf01d4e45776e0bd497a6fa/1589975129012-4B9Y9I84HZ859UJFPY8N/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kAoTp_pTpNcOwUKTnHz7X9x7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLf rh8O1z5QHyNOqBUUEtDDsRWrJLTmgbBA9KfxWpJIziZzus6eiOdtQCi2nmNEenNlwU3mMWXGKOfhCIdxowtBt8xmEXzJ/Becky+Movie+Poster.jpg?format=1000w

3.5


A lot more fun and gorier than I expected. Kinda loved it. The girl had some Cage rage in her and I liked Kevin James in a bad guy role. Some good kills!

[Marco]

On Chesil Beach (2017)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f0/On_Chesil_Beach_%28film%29.png
Low key adaptation of an Ian McEwan novel(la?). For me it captures the book perfectly with the underlying yearning and regret. Good job by both main actors but I never felt the film personified the mutual attraction that well.

3

[HollowMan]

Clueless (1995)


https://s-i.huffpost.com/gen/1374654/images/o-CLUELESS-facebook.jpg



Iconic 90s high school movie. Dripping with 90s style. Alicia Silverstone is adorable as the spoilt, naive but kind hearted Cher. One of the few examples in teen films of the popular girl who's not a complete bitch. But it's the fashion that's the real star of the film; from the sublime to the ridiculous, every scene is a visual feast. There's nothing dramatic or profound about the story but it's a pleasure to watch. Funny, charming, feel-good entertainment.


4/5 Stars.

[cricket]

Adam's Apples (2005)

4

https://66.media.tumblr.com/58e052bb395be20bff63373a0e469c2c/7132cfc74d100790-48/s500x750/b5d881d23712f6fd0a4de4268e4d9c543b04bd2d.png
https://66.media.tumblr.com/d97a9f1cfb073987e8f1d69a74178946/tumblr_nvnjagw1181us57u5o2_500.gifv

Outrageous without being silly, this is one of the best dark comedies I've ever seen. If you think rape, molestation, handicapped children, and racism is funny, then this is the movie for you. Great rec by MG and MM since I never would have watched it on my own.

[GulfportDoc]

65583

Targets (1968) --Peter Bogdanovich

This much discussed first major film by Peter Bogdanovich (PB) suffered from poor release timing, following the assassinations of ML King and Bobby Kennedy. The public was not in the mood for a movie about a mass murderer, despite the fact that it was a very good picture.

There are two parallel stories: in the first, an aging horror film star, Byron Orlok (Boris Karloff) has shocked and frustrated all his management people by announcing he's decided to quit acting in films. With much prodding by a young director (Bogdanovich) he agrees to make a publicity appearance at a special presentation at the Reseda Drive In theater in the Los Angeles San Fernando Valley.

At the same time a young clean cut Vietnam War vet gradually has a break from reality, causing him to murder his wife and mother, and then to position himself atop an oil storage tank along a freeway where he shoots a number of people as they drive along the highway. He escapes and eventually takes refuge in the Reseda Drive In theater, where the two stories converge and lead to a gratifying ending.

The sniper portion of the story was partially fashioned after the "Texas Tower Sniper" incident in 1966 where a deranged 25 year old murdered 17 people from atop a tower on the campus of U.T. at Austin.

Karloff steals the show with his gravitas and fine acting. It was his next to last film before he died, and no one could have played the role more convincingly. Tim O'Kelly turned in a realistic performance as the sniper, Bobby Thompson. And PB fit his role perfectly as the young director. He had wanted another actor for the role, but the actor became unavailable, so PB simply took over the part himself. There was first rate cinematography by the great Laszlo Kovacs. Notably there was no film score.

The picture got good reviews at the time, but because of the overshadowing national news events, it quietly faded. Undaunted, PB went on to make The Last Picture Show, What's Up, Doc?, and Paper Moon.

Made on a shoestring budget, produced by the very frugal Roger Corman, the film has come down as a minor classic. Despite the restrictions and scrambling production, Bogdanovich gave the world an inkling of his savvy and brilliance early in his career.

Doc's rating: 7/10

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZGIwM2JhNmQtYzQ5ZC00NzdkLTgwZjItMDRiN2QxM2ViMzk0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTIzOTk5ODM@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,65 5,1000_AL_.jpg



4

[MovieGal]

https://cdn-1.filmpulse.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/16165410/wildling-film-2018.jpg

Wildling
(2018)
3.5/5

Had a good feel to it but it would have been better if it was Scandinavian as it seems it could be based on one of their folklore characters.

[chawhee]

3.5


A lot more fun and gorier than I expected. Kinda loved it. The girl had some Cage rage in her and I liked Kevin James in a bad guy role. Some good kills!

I remember seeing the trailer for this and thinking there is no way Kevin James can sell me as a bad guy. Maybe I'll check this out.

[MovieGal]

Adam's Apples (2005)

4

https://66.media.tumblr.com/58e052bb395be20bff63373a0e469c2c/7132cfc74d100790-48/s500x750/b5d881d23712f6fd0a4de4268e4d9c543b04bd2d.png
https://66.media.tumblr.com/d97a9f1cfb073987e8f1d69a74178946/tumblr_nvnjagw1181us57u5o2_500.gifv

Outrageous without being silly, this is one of the best dark comedies I've ever seen. If you think rape, molestation, handicapped children, and racism is funny, then this is the movie for you. Great rec by MG and MM since I never would have watched it on my own.

How can I give you 1,000 reps?... It's one of my favorite dark comedies and you know my love for Mads but I am a fan of Ulrich and Nikolaj. Here is one of my favorite scenes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osS8uOac6Jg

"Let's stop with the accusations. It was an old cat. He just happened to fall down while we were shooting. If you want to discuss it now we can".

Now I recommend both Blinkende lygter and De grønne slagtere. All three films are directed by Anders Thomas Jensen.

[Fabulous]

The Big Sky (1952)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/yEd5NKs9Nnrjf3ha8cA58bL0qKS.jpg

[AgrippinaX]

It was the only "true match" I could think of.

Although, actually, I think that Possession (1981) also fits that mold of intensity and strangeness and STRONG FEELINGS.

Some other honorable mentions might be:
Some episodes of Hannibal
Antichrist
Videodrome
A Tale of Two Sister
Kill List
Lake Mungo
Santa Sangre
Cure
Images
God Told Me To
Who Can Kill a Child?
In a Glass Cage
Shelley
Demon

Thank you for the gorgeous list, I’m all set for the rest of the week.

[mark f]

Looks That Kill (Kellen Moore, 2020) 2.5 6/10
It's a Bikini World (Stephanie Rothman, 1967) 1.5 4/10
Miss Juneteenth (Channing Godfrey Peoples, 2020) 2.5 6/10
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (Charlotte Zwerin, 1988) 3.5 7/10
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D9udeWOjjls/hqdefault.jpg
The influential jazz pianist toiled in obscurity for much of his life.
Shadows (John Cassavetes, 1958) 2+ 5/10
The Dead and the Others (João Salaviza & Renée Nader Messora, 2018) 2.5 6/10
Mickey One (Arthur Penn, 1965) 2 5/10
Jazz on a Summer's Day (Aram Avakian & Bert Stern, 1959) 3 6.5/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgNOzKsTRT0&list=PLTov5XVmeorK9BnFyonN4eo66f6ac34Zd&index=13
Louis Armstrong in one of several highlights of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival.
A Serial Killer's Guide to Life (Staten Cousins-Roe, 2019) 2 5/10
The Etruscan Smile (Oded Binnun & Mihal Brezis, 2018) 2.5+ 6/10
Selfie Dad (Brad J. Silverman, 2020) 2 5/10
Athlete A (Bonni Cohen & Jon Shenk, 2020) 3.5 7/10
https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/athlete-a-movie-review-2020/athlete-a-movie-review-2020.jpg
In-depth presentation of the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal.
Western Heritage (Wallace A. Grissell, 1948) 2.5 6/10
Stampede (Lesley Selander, 1949) 2.5 5.5/10
1 Dimension (Lü Yue, 2013) 3 6.5/10
The Wild Goose Lake (Yi'nan Diao, 2019) 2.5 6/10
https://giopep.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/nyff57_mainslate_thewildgooselake_01-1.jpg?w=584
Chinese gangsters search for one of their crew when he hides out from them.
Timber Stampede (David Howard, 1939) 2.5 6/10
Goldie (Sam de Jong, 2019) 2 5/10
The Big Trees (Felix Feist, 1952) 2.5 6/10
Blazing Saddles (Mel Brooks, 1974) 3.5 7/10
https://media2.giphy.com/media/3oz8xTl6sGKbuRPDDW/giphy-downsized-medium.gif
Hell yeah, it's a western.

[Fabulous]

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/zdUi5MfItd0hO593sHUR8k1QGuH.jpg

[Chypmunk]

Môjû [Blind Beast] (Yasuzô Masumura, 1969) 3
Captivating up to a point

[mojofilter]

https://i1.wp.com/moviesandmania.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Come-to-Daddy-movie-film-poster-.jpg?resize=400%2C594&ssl=1
COME TO DADDY
(2019)


First viewing. Original dark comedy with some crazy violent scenes. I feel this film will turn out to be a cult classic.

3.5

[cat_sidhe]

I remember seeing the trailer for this and thinking there is no way Kevin James can sell me as a bad guy. Maybe I'll check this out.


He was surprisingly good as a neo nazi *******. It's not the first time a person who normally does comedy surprises me with a dramatic role.


It's a fun movie. Quite violent though, so expect a couple of gruesome scenes. :)

[James D. Gardiner]

Targets (1968) --Peter Bogdanovich


Thanks very much for the interesting review Doc. Well and truly added to the list of films I need to see. Cheers.

[Takoma11]

https://i1.wp.com/moviesandmania.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Come-to-Daddy-movie-film-poster-.jpg?resize=400%2C594&ssl=1
COME TO DADDY
(2019)


First viewing. Original dark comedy with some crazy violent scenes. I feel this film will turn out to be a cult classic.

3.5


And from the guy who wrote The Greasy Strangler, so I'd expect it to be pretty weird.

I entirely approve of the film choices Elijah Wood has made in the last few years, especially Over the Garden Wall and I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore.

[Takoma11]

Thank you for the gorgeous list, I’m all set for the rest of the week.

They are all movies that I love to discuss, so if you do watch and enjoy any of them, I will happily chat about them.

[pahaK]

Stagecoach (1939)

The first serious adult western and the film that made John Wayne a star (at least according to our public broadcast company's introduction). I think the cheap children's B-movie past of the westerns is still too much visible here but it has its moments. Surprisingly I liked Wayne on this one too. Not the worst important film of the past, but rather mediocre as a western.

2.5

[Takoma11]

Stagecoach (1939)

The first serious adult western and the film that made John Wayne a star (at least according to our public broadcast company's introduction). I think the cheap children's B-movie past of the westerns is still too much visible here but it has its moments. Surprisingly I liked Wayne on this one too. Not the worst important film of the past, but rather mediocre as a western.

2.5

I liked it a hair more than you did (maybe a 3/5 for me), but overall I agree. There are some interesting character dynamics, but it's more of a drama than a Western, despite the action setpiece of the chase.

[Mr Minio]

Stagecoach is the best western from the conception of the genre up until 1962 when The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was released.

And don't even mention The Searchers. Just like Ford himself said: "It's just a western". Then again, who could take the guy seriously when his favourite of his own movies is The Long Gray Line, a half-assed, poor man's The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp.

[Takoma11]

Stagecoach is the best western from the conception of the genre up until 1962 when The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was released.

I prefer almost all of Boetticher's work to Stagecoach, especially in the way that the action/violence connects so strongly with the arc of the characters in the films.

That said, I've read several articles about Stagecoach and I understand why some people value it so highly.

[Mr Minio]

I prefer almost all of Boetticher's work to Stagecoach Fair enough. I haven't seen any Boetticher film as I'm not really that much into classical westerns, preferring some spaghetti on my plate. I'll watch his arguably best known Ride Lonesome sometime in the future, though, for sure.

Still, I doubt it can top Stagecoach which is a film of beauty. The scene in which the baby is about to be born, and the men just stand there in a room is forever engrained in my mind. It's the blocking and their faces:

https://i.imgur.com/mpyUyes.png

Or this zoom and John Wayne's eyes:

https://e.snmc.io/i/fullres/w/c2244f15622b2451d1fe88fa7146923f/7212421

I don't know why critics love it. Probably for some inane reason like: "OMG, look, deep focus before Citizen Kane! I must love it!", but I love it just for things like this.

What's really interesting is that every single black and white John Ford film I saw was at least a great one. His black and white filmography is overflowing with masterpieces. His color ones, however, always leave me disappointed.

[matt72582]

Greenwich Village Story - 7/10
One of the early movies about beatniks. Surprised it only has 17 votes on IMDB, despite it being available in full on YouTube (link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMowELssDLs

[matt72582]

I liked it a hair more than you did (maybe a 3/5 for me), but overall I agree. There are some interesting character dynamics, but it's more of a drama than a Western, despite the action setpiece of the chase.


Was that the prostitute became the hero, despite her being shunned early on in the movie.

[hell_storm2004]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjRkNjFhZTgtMGMyZi00NzAwLTkxNDUtYThjOTQxMjQxNmY2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDE5MTU2MDE@._V1_.jpg




El Habitante Incierto (The Uninvited Guest) (2004) - 6.5/10. Watched this two weeks ago. The movie is good, but not great. It kept the suspense really well, but didn't really culminate in anything jaw dropping. The humour elements were nicely woven in. The acting and direction was good. Watchable for sure.

[Fabulous]

Merrill's Marauders (1962)

2

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/qZfvsSWTOL6MkRWWwfSXBbAR1so.jpg

[MovieMeditation]

Adam's Apples (2005)

4

https://66.media.tumblr.com/58e052bb395be20bff63373a0e469c2c/7132cfc74d100790-48/s500x750/b5d881d23712f6fd0a4de4268e4d9c543b04bd2d.png
https://66.media.tumblr.com/d97a9f1cfb073987e8f1d69a74178946/tumblr_nvnjagw1181us57u5o2_500.gifv

Outrageous without being silly, this is one of the best dark comedies I've ever seen. If you think rape, molestation, handicapped children, and racism is funny, then this is the movie for you. Great rec by MG and MM since I never would have watched it on my own.
So happy to see it worked for you, cricket! :up:

[Gideon58]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ae/ed/97/aeed973cee5d29843aa41b1bcfe614dd.jpg


4

[GulfportDoc]

[Targets]Thanks very much for the interesting review Doc. Well and truly added to the list of films I need to see. Cheers.
Well thanks, James. I think you'll like it. It's a very interesting film in a number of ways.

[MovieGal]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjRkNjFhZTgtMGMyZi00NzAwLTkxNDUtYThjOTQxMjQxNmY2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDE5MTU2MDE@._V1_.jpg




El Habitante Incierto (The Uninvited Guest) (2004) - 6.5/10. Watched this two weeks ago. The movie is good, but not great. It kept the suspense really well, but didn't really culminate in anything jaw dropping. The humour elements were nicely woven in. The acting and direction was good. Watchable for sure.



I will need to find this.. I enjoy spanish films.. I have a close friend in Argentina that I used to watch these with all the time. Im a huge Ricardo Darin fan thanks to him.

[Derek Vinyard]

The House that Jack Built (2018) - Lars von Trier
https://moviepaws.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/house-jack-built.jpg
- 2nd rewatch. One of the best movie of the decade and one brilliant movie from a director I've never really appreciate before this film. Matt Dillon is absolutely amazing and the ending is unique and awesome.
4.5

[HollowMan]

Scarecrow (1973)


https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2013/04/26/10/AN19778650The_Scarecrow.jpg



Hackman and Pacino both deliver compelling performances in this early 70s road movie about two men who team up to hitchhike across America and develop a deep bond of friendship. Hackman plays Max, the tough ex-con, mistrustful and always ready for a fight. Pacino plays 'Lion', the young, funny, energetic but vulnerable man who's just completed five years at sea. The two make their way across the country via car and freight train, from city to city, blue collar bar to bar, spurred on by their mutually unrealistic dreams; Max's to open a car wash business and Lion's to reunite with his girlfriend and the five year old child he abandoned.


This is a great little character study of two damaged, dislocated and lonely men, driven on by their dreams and their bond with each other. Funny, poignant and tragic. It's great to see Pacino and Hackman on screen together on top form.The ending is heartbreaking as both of their dreams are crushed.

4/5 Stars

[MovieGal]

The House that Jack Built (2018) - Lars von Trier
https://moviepaws.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/house-jack-built.jpg
- 2nd rewatch. One of the best movie of the decade and one brilliant movie from a director I've never really appreciate before this film. Matt Dillon is absolutely amazing and the ending is unique and awesome.
4.5

Derek Vinyard

I agree with you.. I gave this film 4/5 stars and it is one of my favorite Von Trier films.

[Guaporense]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/altered-carbon/images/2/22/Altered_Carbon_Resleeved_Japanese_poster.png/revision/latest?cb=20200312124737

Perhaps the most mediocre movie I ever watched, it's this computer animated prequel to altered carbon. It is not bad but it is not good, instead it is perfectly mediocre.

[Takoma11]

Fair enough. I haven't seen any Boetticher film as I'm not really that much into classical westerns, preferring some spaghetti on my plate. I'll watch his arguably best known Ride Lonesome sometime in the future, though, for sure.

Ride Lonesome and The Tall T are my two favorites of his. There's something about the way that he explores the morality and vulnerability of his main character's that I really like.

Still, I doubt it can top Stagecoach which is a film of beauty. The scene in which the baby is about to be born, and the men just stand there in a room is forever engrained in my mind. It's the blocking and their faces

I agree that it's the strongest stretch of the film. I also think that, more than any action sequence, it shows the beauty of people coming together in a time of stress.

Was that the prostitute became the hero, despite her being shunned early on in the movie.

Yes--the whole concept of equality and putting people in an environment where social norms don't necessarily apply.

El Habitante Incierto (The Uninvited Guest) (2004) - 6.5/10. Watched this two weeks ago. The movie is good, but not great. It kept the suspense really well, but didn't really culminate in anything jaw dropping. The humour elements were nicely woven in. The acting and direction was good. Watchable for sure.

I agree with your review and rating. It does feel like it's missing some "oomph" in the final act.

[MovieGal]

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/02/07/arts/cometodaddy1/merlin_168171849_7a168620-ae39-40be-a325-79c7714b9afb-superJumbo.jpg

Come to Daddy
(2019)
2.75/5


MPO, Elijah Wood needs to stop with horror. He's not any good. The movie was very predictable.

[cricket]

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable (1973)

3.5

https://www.avforums.com/styles/avf/editorial/block//78d5dc16c0fbef145a402ce87cc00e07_3x3.jpg

The darkest and least cartoonish of the series, it may be my favorite but it's close with the first one. Still have to see part four.

[Fabulous]

Rollerball (1975)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/mSFJCc7TtaWtOn99SpoPXPLBwOo.jpg

[MovieGal]

65602


Chrieg
(2014)
3.5/5

[Takoma11]

https://silvermoonwithexitwounds.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/I.Am_.Not_.A.Witch_.2017.1080p.BluRay.x264-YTS.AM_.mp400002-768x320.png

I Am Not A Witch (2017)

Shula is a little girl who one day has the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time--a woman in the village falls and looks up to see Shula watching her. From there it's just a hop, skip, and a jump to Shula being accused of witchcraft, found "guilty" through the results of a dubious witch doctor ceremony, and shipped off to a labor camp full of convicted "witches". Told that she must either agree that she is a witch or be turned into a goat, Shula declares herself a witch. Her face is scarred with three slashes, and she is put to work.

The "witches", conveniently, are all older women. And rather than become a burden on their families, they are taken away to perform unpaid manual labor. Shula is the only child in the camp (the other witches react with disgust on her arrival because they disapprove of someone so young being sent there), and the government official in charge of the camp soon realizes that Shula may be the key to more successful endeavors.

The film is taking on a lot: child labor, superstition, slavery, poverty tourism, and more. And yet despite its plate being so full, the film manages to make several potent points with just a handful of scenes. For example, we are several times shown that the women are part of a tourist trip. From behind a flimsy metal railing, international travelers take photos of the witches. When one tourist discovers Shula in a garish container, she seems genuinely concerned at Shula's clear depression and alarmed on learning that Shula has been in there for two days. "I know what will make you feel better," the tourist says. "Let's take a picture together and I'll send it to you!". Thus all the help that Shula gets is an unwanted selfie.

In another excellent sequence, the government official takes Shula on to a TV program to promote both her powers of prediction (that she can summon rain), and also to advertise a new line of eggs with Shula's name on them. When a caller to the TV show berates him for profiting off of a child and questions why Shula isn't in school, the government official blusters that the criticism is a "misuse of free speech".

Aside from the writing, the film also contains some very potent imagery, most specifically the way that the witches are controlled. Each woman, and Shula, has a harness on her back attached to a long white ribbon that is fed from a spool. These ribbons obviously stand for the degree of freedom (or lack thereof) of the women. Shula is told several times that she should be grateful because the ribbon is so long. In the entire 90 minute runtime of the film I never got tired of the staging of the ribbons or the spools. Such an elegant, powerful representation of the limits that are put on certain people.

On the one hand, the film goes scene after scene making different points about Shula's predicament, and yet to me it never felt superficial. Each sequence felt like its own story, and I felt that it added up to more than the sum of its parts. Writing this review I keep thinking of different scenes I want to describe and discuss and why they struck me. I only meant to watch a bit of the film (because I have work early tomorrow) but I couldn't stop watching.

The only thing that I felt negative about was an abrupt plot element in the final act. But this film had me captivated from the first frame to the last.

4.5

[Fabulous]

Harry and Tonto (1974)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/sUOP9zEz55uPggkxp1IGhGEbjt.jpg

[Thunderbolt]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcR5E3EzZl9M5G44FCwbG1K_TEt_Z6l2RUwoOQ&usqp=CAU
The Mole People (1956)

Not the most enjoyable of 1950's Sci Fi but worth a look.

rating_2_5

[xephangbongdaanh]

saw 2003 it is best movie for me

[cricket]

Vigilante (1982)

2.5

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNOrjp7XgSs/XaXrQ79XEII/AAAAAAABJhI/qY-Sw7bmlGQEe7a-nhoL4E-Az1kBst8JgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/72635888_804991683263343_6573479353840041984_n.jpeg

I realized early on that I had already seen this, and looking at my records it was in 2017. It seems I feel much the same way. It's not quite trashy awesomeness but it is trashy fun.

[AgrippinaX]

Possession (1981)

5/5

Thanks again, Takoma11, this was just as fantastic as I remembered it. Isabelle Adjani is perfect for the part. I’m now nostalgic for other Satanic-themed Sam Neill films.

[GulfportDoc]

Hail, Caesar - 2016

Love the Coen Brothers. Meant to watch this one a few years ago. It has a great cast. A good premise. Coen Brothers behind the camera. It was beautiful looking. It just didn't resonate with me like some of their other movies for some reason. Just hit a lull and never recovered. The characters were kinda of dull. I think the "bad guys" were sort of lame and not that interesting. Just not memorable like most Coen Brothers movie. I don't know just sort of a let down. Not horrible but not up to their general bar to me.

rating_2_5
Just re-watched it. You make some good points. I actually enjoyed it more the second time from knowing before hand that it was a somewhat flat film, because it allowed me to concentrate on the better parts of the production. Sometimes a "black" comedy ought to be over the top to keep it from being too dull or droll. That may have been the case here.

I did think the acting was good. IMO Baird Whitlock is the best kind of role for George Clooney, who IMO was never a heavyweight actor. It was really Josh Brolin's show as the "fixer", Eddi Mannix, and he did a great job.

I didn't even recognize Frances McDormand. There were some fine performances and a few laughs, but as you say, not the best Coen Bros. I did however enjoy this film more so than The Ballad of Buster Scruggs...:cool:

~Doc

[Takoma11]

Possession (1981)

5/5

Thanks again, Takoma11, this was just as fantastic as I remembered it. Isabel Adjani is perfect for the part. I’m now nostalgic for other Satanic-themed Sam Neill films.

I got to see this (twice!) in the theater and it's one of my favorite movies, period. Just about every minute of it make me uncomfortable in the best way. I know that the "subway sequence" is what's most often shown/referenced, but I think it's packed with interesting and disturbing imagery from beginning to end.

[Thunderbolt]

65612
The Land Unknown (1957)
Loved the monster effects in this movie. So bad but just so good.

3.5

[Marco]

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a6/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_Hollywood_poster.png
Thought this was good, decent chemistry between the main players. The storyline, not so sure about especially the ending....would have been nice to explore Rick Dalton's character more after his trailer wig-out and subsequent acting made him look like an interesting character.

The whole Family thing, didn't really see the need to shoehorn it so directly into Rick and Cliffs story, could have been a backdrop in a kinda "end of the love generation" motif....to make it so unnecessarily central to the story's ending was a bit daft I thought. Enjoyed this though!

Oh, learned that the Family *did* actually kill a Stuntman at the ranch!
3.5

[Stirchley]

65622

Moderately interesting. I had to wiki first to see what it was all about.

A great scenery-chewing rôle for Pacino & he was amazing. Helen Mirren holding her own against him.

[FromBeyond]

Hitchcock (2012)

Love movies about movies and loved Anthony Hopkins performance of Hitchcock so was a win for me and not sure why it took so long for me to watch, I guess I'm not a big Hitchcock fan, I enjoyed this more than the two Hitchcock film I have seen

4

[Gideon58]

https://dyn1.heritagestatic.com/lf?set=path%5B1%2F4%2F5%2F4%2F1454579%5D%2Csizedata%5B850x600%5D&call=url%5Bfile%3Aproduct.chain%5D



4

[GulfportDoc]

The Land Unknown (1957)
Loved the monster effects in this movie. So bad but just so good.
rating_3_5
Wow. Jock Mahoney. As a kid I used to love him in the TV series Yancy Derringer. I'll have to pull this up and re-watch it...:cool:

[Fabulous]

The Firemen's Ball (1967)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/uRL5wXDflYwoe4WUzkGojOZg1hF.jpg

[MovieBuffering]

Just re-watched it. You make some good points. I actually enjoyed it more the second time from knowing before hand that it was a somewhat flat film, because it allowed me to concentrate on the better parts of the production. Sometimes a "black" comedy ought to be over the top to keep it from being too dull or droll. That may have been the case here.

I did think the acting was good. IMO Baird Whitlock is the best kind of role for George Clooney, who IMO was never a heavyweight actor. It was really Josh Brolin's show as the "fixer", Eddi Mannix, and he did a great job.

I didn't even recognize Frances McDormand. There were some fine performances and a few laughs, but as you say, not the best Coen Bros. I did however enjoy this film more so than The Ballad of Buster Scruggs...:cool:

~Doc

I agree. I'd probably enjoy it the 2nd time more. There were great performances. Just fell flat compared to Coen Bros other movies. Just was not memorable. The communist angle just didn't work for me. It was fine production and acting wise even writing wise for dialogue. The plot was just dull and boring too me. Didn't give a sh*t about the characters.

[hell_storm2004]

I will need to find this.. I enjoy spanish films.. I have a close friend in Argentina that I used to watch these with all the time. Im a huge Ricardo Darin fan thanks to him.

You need to look for it in the Cough... Cough... Cough... sources!

[Takoma11]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTUzM2JmMWUtNGY3YS00MjcxLWJhODktNjdiNjBmZTFmYTRiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDc4NDYwOA@@._V1_UX182_CR0,0,182 ,268_AL_.jpg

The Amazing Jonathan Documentary (2019)

There is a subgenre of documentaries where the film itself becomes a major plot point (I am Another You, Grizzly Man, etc). They can kind of cut both ways, because it can feel like the ego-centrism of the filmmaker has taken over the film.

This one, however, is pretty successful. Ben Berman is a director filming a documentary about the Amazing Jonathan, a popular comedy magician who has been given a terminal diagnosis and is only expected to live another year. Jonathan decides that rather than dying at home, he wants to go out swinging and embarks on a mini-tour. Berman dutifully covers the tour and then . . . the other crew shows up.

It's frustrating to try and sell people on certain documentaries, because most of the joy from them comes from the way that the story unfolds in unexpected ways. Much like another recent documentary I loved (Three Identical Strangers), I was completely blindsided by several developments. I won't give anything away, but every 10 minutes or so it felt like something significant was revealed.

Something that helps is the cheeky presentation of the film. In one example, Jonathan offers to show the crew his routine for "smoking speed" (spoiler, it's not speed, it's meth). As he raises the pipe to his mouth, they muse about showing it on camera, and suddenly the film freezes and we hear a phone call in which they decided it isn't a good idea, and a large black box appears, censoring the pipe on screen.

It also helps that Berman doesn't try to frame himself as a victim or a hero. He makes a lot of mistakes, and interviews with other people involved help contextualize how personally he's taking things. There are a lot of moving pieces in this film, and I think they are juggled pretty well.

Also, this movie is funny. Jonathan himself is funny, and the way that the movie is edited plays to this as a strength. I laughed out loud at several points. The movie uses the same technique several times (showing a scene and then flashing back to hours earlier to provide context, such as when someone says something controversial and then a flashback shows that the person was actually an actor paid by the filmmakers to say it), but it worked pretty much every time.

I was, so-to-speak, on the edge of my seat the whole time. This one is streaming on Hulu.

4

[AboveTheClouds]

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91s1cp9REUL._RI_.jpg


4

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGFlZDgyY2MtZTZiMy00NGMxLWE3ZDUtNmM5YTEzNWI1YTU0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTEyMjM2NDc2._V1_UY1200_CR90,0,6 30,1200_AL_.jpg



4.5

[MovieGal]

https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/449/835/04cbf5d2241dbcb75a30b549437855d4ca-eurovision-review.rsquare.w700.jpg

Eurovision Song Contest: The Fire Saga
(2020)
3/5

It was a bit entertaining but silly as well. It was nice to see Mikael Persbrandt in it. Dan Stevens character was a bit flamboyant. Also, it had actual Eurovision contestants in it.

[this_is_the_ girl]

https://blog.walloh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bourne-supremacy-movie-screencaps.com-12069-768x315.jpg
The Bourne Supremacy (2004, Paul Greengrass)
4
Just as good as the first one - and wow, the car chases in these films are just insane.
And, needless to say, watching Bourne literally running circles around everybody is incredibly satisfying.

[Takoma11]

https://blog.walloh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/bourne-supremacy-movie-screencaps.com-12069-768x315.jpg
The Bourne Supremacy (2004, Paul Greengrass)
4
Just as good as the first one - and wow, the car chases in these films are just insane.
And, needless to say, watching Bourne literally running circles around everybody is incredibly satisfying.

It's a really solid trilogy. I can't speak to the later films, but original three are great and I've rewatched all three several times. The supporting casts are really good as well.

[AgrippinaX]

I can't speak to the later films, but original three are great and I've rewatched all three several times.

I liked the originals too. I saw The Bourne Legacy (2012) with my father in the cinema and was extremely confused. I usually avoid reading spoilers, so I expected Matt Damon and narrative continuity... it didn’t impress me enough to remember anything at all.

Don’t really plan on seeing the 2016 instalment.

[Takoma11]

I liked the originals too. I saw The Bourne Legacy (2012) with my father in the cinema and was extremely confused. I usually avoid reading spoilers, so I expected Matt Damon and narrative continuity... it didn’t impress me enough to remember anything at all.

Don’t really plan on seeing the 2016 instalment.

Yeah, this kind of sums it up for me. I think I watched about 30 minutes of Bourne Legacy on a streaming service and it was just too by-the-numbers for me.

The original trilogy stands alone so well. (Though I can understand why the studio didn't want it to be over!).

[Fabulous]

Loves of a Blonde (1965)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/jGwZRoK9wRJyufcx9qIQnsTxoyu.jpg

[matt72582]

Maedchen in Uniform - 7/10
Not a good start, but picks up after a while, and turns out to be a pretty good movie. Would definitely fall into the "Early Taboo Movies" category.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1c/M%C3%A4dchen_in_Uniform_%28video_cover_-_1931_original%29.jpg

[MovieGal]

https://www.goodnewsfinland.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Ikitie.jpg

Ikitie
(2017)
3.5/5

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWJhOTIwMjEtY2NkOC00ZDUyLTg0ZDgtZTM5OTI3YjViYTNmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA0MjU0Ng@@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,66 5,1000_AL_.jpg



3.5

[Monteratu]

The Hunt - 6.5/10
I enjoyed this more than I expected to, although many of the actors I like had little more than cameo roles. Always great to see Hilary Swank though.



Not a film but I finally watched the last episode of Game of Thrones today and after the show diverged from the source books (season 6) it started right down hill and picked up speed until the really bad 8th season. It shouldn't have surprised a Hollywood cynic like me but even I was stunned at how typical, melodramatic and even corny it got. It felt like after Martin's influence was over they got Shonda Rhimes or worse The Walking Dead staff writers to finish it...crushing.

[manram24]

Rewatched Magic (1978) with Anthony Hopkins and Anne Margaret 4/5

[Marco]

It's a really solid trilogy. I can't speak to the later films, but original three are great and I've rewatched all three several times. The supporting casts are really good as well.

This 100x, interesting and well put together. A vibrancy and momentum that laid the marker for modern espionage films.

[Marco]

The Green Inferno (2013)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/54/The_Green_Inferno_poster.jpg
Graphic mix between modern scare movies and cannibal numbers of the 70s. I thought all around OK and it kept me watching...nothing that new but the violence is gleeful! :)

3

[Marco]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWJhOTIwMjEtY2NkOC00ZDUyLTg0ZDgtZTM5OTI3YjViYTNmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA0MjU0Ng@@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,66 5,1000_AL_.jpg



3.5

Aye, a good one Gideon...that atmospheric I forgot about the plot sometimes.

[Dog Star Man]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/RAxRHcAwkttapajXsGIDwNIXWWkuV3n_vpNbgQ5u8IGpL0iUIFMeSf9nsALrSK7peIT6Ep_iIQlopulNVUyKR6ztCkECFPCWDpZI m6VLG3pBmn41StKxBmO9CEwNTg6_cgkGusRrzMXOGmJuEIvUbUof5-oCNxio

The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

2.5/5

As a thriller, I wasn't thrilled. As a horror film, perhaps I was a bit disgusted. I've never been a huge fan of child/infant exploitation in horror films. I kind of draw the line there. It just makes me feel really uncomfortable. Maybe it's a personal thing, (and maybe it is), but I don't like watching children and infants being taken advantage of—even if it's "staged/make believe." Not really my cup of tea. On the other hand, I did see this film on VHS and some of the old VHS-Horror-Aesthetic was there which did bring me back in some way which did have it charms— (and perhaps the reason it scored as high as it did with me). But I'm dropping this off at the drop box at my local library and forgetting this. Wasn't a fan all and all.

[Mr Minio]

Ride Lonesome (1959) - 1
The Tall T (1957) - 2
Seven Men From Now (1956) - 1
Decision at Sundown (1957) - 1
Comanche Station (1960) - 1
Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) - 1
Westbound (1959) - 1

https://i.imgur.com/7H3hltS.jpg

Takoma11 inspired me to watch a film by Budd Boetticher, so I watched Ride Lonesome. The film was very good, but I disliked the rushed ending and ended up desiring more, so I thought what the hell, I'll watch more, and watched The Tall T, which turned out to be my favorite of all Budd Boetticher & Scott collaborations. Brutal and very gripping with Henry Silva playing one helluva bastard! I still craved for more, so I decided to watch all 5 remaining films. None of them topped the first two, but all were enjoyable watches. I watched 7 westerns in 2 days. I can't look at a western now! I need a break from the genre!

功夫 [Kung Fu Hustle] (2004) - 2

https://i.imgur.com/6n21R3r.png

So here's my well-deserved break. A Stephen Chow martial arts comedy. Silly, yes, but also quite cute, and endlessly entertaining.

姉妹坂 [Four Sisters] (1985) - 3.5

https://i.imgur.com/WEjTlNI.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dIUGTsi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/L5C3KdK.jpg
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https://i.imgur.com/9Jc8dhc.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Om2E9BI.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/VHjXqHq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wPlk4UX.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/4kRzRk9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/lJF06Kf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kkLT2za.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/99mXoZa.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dCJj4mZ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/KdFFlOw.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ssCFSsE.jpg

Let me paste my Letterboxd "review":

A bond stronger than blood ties and great love under the auspices of the star fisherman. Peace to him who comes to the world and peace to those who leave it. The perfect melodrama.

This and the screens should suffice, I guess. I could also tell you about Obayashi's outstanding swan song Labyrinth of Cinema, but let's be real, nobody here cares about Obayashi.

[Takoma11]

Ride Lonesome (1959) - 1
The Tall T (1957) - 2
Seven Men From Now (1956) - 1
Decision at Sundown (1957) - 1
Comanche Station (1960) - 1
Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) - 1
Westbound (1959) - 1

Takoma11 inspired me to watch a film by Budd Boetticher, so I watched Ride Lonesome. The film was very good, but I disliked the rushed ending and ended up desiring more, so I thought what the hell, I'll watch more, and watched The Tall T, which turned out to be my favorite of all Budd Boetticher & Scott collaborations. Brutal and very gripping with Henry Silva playing one helluva bastard! I still craved for more, so I decided to watch all 5 remaining films. None of them topped the first two, but all were enjoyable watches. I watched 7 westerns in 2 days. I can't look at a western now! I need a break from the genre!

I'm sorry you didn't like them more (or maybe a 2 is a decent score for you?), but I appreciate that you checked them out! I feel like I'd never really heard Boetticher mentioned in terms of Westerns (admittedly not my area of expertise), but once I watched one of his movies I felt like he should always be in the conversation. Like I said before, I really enjoy the way that his characters are developed and that there's a lot of emphasis on their character and not so much their "skills".

If you'd like a really weird, surreal western (when you've recovered from your Western overdose!), I highly recommend Django Kill! If you live . . .shoot!.

功夫 [Kung Fu Hustle] (2004) - 2

https://i.imgur.com/6n21R3r.png

So here's my well-deserved break. A Stephen Chow martial arts comedy. Silly, yes, but also quite cute, and endlessly entertaining.

This is one of maybe 5 movies that I can always watch, and specifically that I turn to if I'm feeling a bit down.

This and the screens should suffice, I guess. I could also tell you about Obayashi's outstanding swan song Labyrinth of Cinema, but let's be real, nobody here cares about Obayashi.

I won't pretend I've seen more than one of his films. But this is the shirt I wore to workout today:

https://dtpmhvbsmffsz.cloudfront.net/posts/2017/11/27/5a1cd7c0bcd4a7ef050f75e0/s_5a1cd80a5a49d0338d0f5f95.jpg

[pahaK]

‘人魚伝説’ (1984)
aka Mermaid Legend

Japanese revenge film where corrupt businessmen kill a fisher and his wife makes them pay. I think this is the first Ikeda film I've seen. Based on this, he kind of reminds me of Miike; slow and "normal" start with escalating violence towards the end. It's a rather somber and beautiful film, but the climax is technically somewhat poorly executed. Quite entertaining film still and makes me want to check out the Evil Dead Trap at some point.

3

[Cobra]

Under Siege (1992):
A good Steven Seagal movie, well done action scenes and Gary Busey being himself.
8/10
65641

[pahaK]

Under Siege (1992):
A good Steven Seagal movie, well done action scenes and Gary Busey being himself.
8/10

Action scenes are fine (like in all old Seagal films) EXCEPT for the awful knife fight. It just looks ridiculous.

[Cobra]

Action scenes are fine (like in all old Seagal films) EXCEPT for the awful knife fight. It just looks ridiculous.
Agreed, Andrew Davis is a good director, Seagal hasn’t made a good movie since Glimmer Man though.

[Mr Minio]

I'm sorry you didn't like them more My new rating system is a mess. I'm still working on it. Anyway, I enjoy films I rate 1. Can you say the same?
I highly recommend Django Kill! If you live . . .shoot! Watched it years ago. My expertise in spaghetti westerns isn't small. I've seen more than sixty of them!
This is one of maybe 5 movies that I can always watch, and specifically that I turn to if I'm feeling a bit down. It's amazing. I wish they developed the lollipop substory a little bit more. So adorable! Still can't decide if this, From Beijing with Love, or King of Comedy is my favorite Chow.
I won't pretend I've seen more than one of his films. But this is the shirt I wore to workout today: Yeah, Hausu is an outstanding film, don't get me wrong, but Obayashi is too accomplished an artist to be only known through the lenses of this one film. Plus he has at least half a dozen better films.

[Fabulous]

Voyage of the Damned (1976)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/tavkTMq1K6GGAnwuVb7JsX07xZe.jpg

[Takoma11]

My new rating system is a mess. I'm still working on it. Anyway, I enjoy films I rate 1. Can you say the same?

Well, for me a rating is usually a grade of my overall enjoyment, and largely a way to help me organize what I've seen. I enjoy most of what I watch. While I do use the IMDb to organize in this way, usually something I've written about a film is a much better metric. (Which is partly why I appreciate it when people write up their films instead of just putting a numerical score. If you hadn't written your paragraph I would have thought you hated all of them.).

Yeah, Hausu is an outstanding film, don't get me wrong, but Obayashi is too accomplished an artist to be only known through the lenses of this one film. Plus he has at least half a dozen better films.

He's just one name of a very long list of directors whose films I need to see in a more complete way. I know some people who can work methodically through a filmography (and I can see why such an approach would be fun and immersive), but it's not how I prefer to approach things. I like to pinball from an action movie to a documentary, to a few days of watching a TV show, to a drama, ping, ping, ping.

[Mr Minio]

Takoma11, I hate the methodical approach to movie-watching, too, but sometimes you're just inspired to go on a binge. :) I could never get into IMDb. RateYourMusic and Letterboxd is the way to go for me.

[Osiris]

https://impaled.ws/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/jfk.1991.movie_.jpg
3
It took me around two to three days to finish this film because I was too distracted from the director's cut three hour runtime and poor pacing. In what I had hoped to be a film that explores the scars that Kennedy's murder had left America, I instead experienced scene after scene after scene of who did this and who said that. Granted, such detailed examinations and investigations of the intricate details surrounding the witnesses and suspects involved in the cover-up are significant parts of history. But as a film, as a form of media entertainment, it's unfortunately draggy and overstuffed, resulting in the dilution of otherwise heartbreaking scenes that reminiscent on the great loss the American people suffered, the loss not being just a literal loss of a great man and a great (but flawed) president, but also the kind of loss Americans had to suffer as a result of the Vietnam War's withdrawal efforts (as pushed by John Kennedy and his also assassinated brother, Robert Kennedy) being invalidated upon John's assassination, ultimately leading to Vietnamese women and children being slaughtered by American soldiers in the 1968 My Lai Massacre. All in the name of money.

I'm not one for conspiracy theories. I don't care much about them. I care about facts and truths that are backed by hard evidence rather than the circumstantial kind. That being said, if a large portion of what is proclaimed in the film was true, specifically the eyewitness accounts, then the JFK conspiracy could hardly be labeled a mere baseless conspiracy. That's too much smoke to claim a lack of fire. Then there's The Zapruder Film. It was disturbing enough imagining that the president could be assassinated in broad daylight, but it's an understatement to say that witnessing the footage in Oliver Stone's film and Kennedy's head being blown open again (and again and again) was upsetting. But there it is, quite clear even with its dated quality, that the killing shot was indeed from the front, not the back, where the book depository was located. The magic bullet did not exist. Many men have probably combed over such a blatant and sloppy cover-up attempt over the years prior to '91, but Stone conveyed to his audience (albeit just as sloppily) the kind of power the government could potentially have over its people through lies and deceit... even if it's mostly made-up.

Putting aside the kind of attention on our government the film brought to the audience, I still have to return to my initial point - it is an overstuffed film full of meandering. There were a number of things that should have rightly been cut, if it hadn't already in the theatrical release, such as Bill Broussard (Michael Rooker)'s whole subplot that didn't go anywhere significant, and many of the "key witnesses" to Garrison's case could have had their screentime shortened to a montage, especially when their testifying led to a pointless trial against Clay Shaw anyway, as history would remember. And the bad pacing is the least of the problem in this overdramatized retelling of the Garrison trial.

Speaking of the glaringly dated portrayal of the gay man, this was probably the biggest misstep in Stone's film, including his portrayal of Garrison as a typical heroic white man in search of the truth. The real life Garrison investigation was a sloppy mess, as the media would describe it today in 2020. But whether if Garrison was truly what Stone and Costner would have us believe, a hero so unbelievably cliched in his staunchness for truth, justice and the American way or just a hypocrite with something against homosexuals is irrelevant; what's more important is Stone's handling of Shaw's portrayal, particularly tying his homosexuality to the more tasteless elements like Hitler. I just feel that, looking back today in 2020, with the LGBTQ community recently receiving a big win in Congress, that such a portrayal seems incredibly dated in hindsight. But you know what they say about hindsight.

So when it comes down to it, JFK is unfortunately a product of its time, a sensationalized piece that might have been produced with good intentions, but filled with cliches and exaggerations that cheapen its value as a reflection of such a historical event.

[Olivier Parent]

im no longer here 3/5
65644

[Fabulous]

Save the Tiger (1973)

2

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/iKRUOex2tI0fZ1kDUdOE3K0ej22.jpg

[Thunderbolt]

65648
Whirlpool (1949)
Another gem from the classic period.

4

[Citizen Rules]

Whirlpool (1949)

Another gem from the classic period.rating_4
Oh yeah! I've seen that a couple times, Gene Tierney is usually good in noir. Have you seen her in the technicolor noir Leave Her to Heaven? It's in my top 10 profile.

[Thunderbolt]

Oh yeah! I've seen that a couple times, Gene Tierney is usually good in noir. Have you seen her in the technicolor noir Leave Her to Heaven? It's in my top 10 profile.
I haven't seen Leave Her to Heaven. I'll have to check it out. I have seen Gene Tierney in Laura and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Both solid movies.

[Citizen Rules]

I haven't seen Leave Her to Heaven. I'll have to check it out. I have seen Gene Tierney in Laura and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Both solid movies.Seen both and Laura a number of times, solid stuff. Gene Tierney plays a very different character in Leave Her to Heaven...the kind of girl one hopes to meet...and prays that they never do!

[Thunderbolt]

Seen both and Laura a number of times, solid stuff. Gene Tierney plays a very different character in Leave Her to Heaven...the kind of girl one hopes to meet...and prays that they never do!

Ok I’m intrigued now. I love movies with a great femme fatale.

[Citizen Rules]

Ok I’m intrigued now. I love movies with a great femme fatale.Oh yeah, she's a wickedly good femme fatale in this one...hope you love aqua:)
65654

[Monteratu]

I just watched Tropic Thunder (8.5/10) for the second time, I still found it hilarious as I did when it first came out. I think it has some brilliant performances usually not found in absurd comedies, obviously Downey Jr. also Nick Nolte and Jack Black did nice work but I save the hightest praise for Tom Cruise. I have always felt he doesn't get the proper amount of love anymore because he seems a bit off but he's a top notch actor and this is some of my favorite work by him.

[Dog Star Man]

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jDkiloK6EJM/maxresdefault.jpg

Suicide Commando (1968)

4.5/5

I had the pleasure to watch this film on a VHS, and there's something to be said about that. There are films like The Thin Red Line and Saving Private Ryan that benefit from HD transfers like DVD/Blu-Ray. They are essentially "designed" to look good and have quality audio... but then there's a film like Suicide Commando. It's based off a war novel I've never heard of and I imagine they got this novel at a dime store with it's cover badly damaged, the pages aged and missing, and with perhaps a few coffee stains to boot. Needless to say, a novel such as this and the rights to it were easily obtained. To watch something like this in the quality of VHS... *muah* bliss. I think if I had seen a restoration HD version of this film it may have scored lower. But there is something to be said about tape degradation and low-budget/cinema obscura. In fact, this film is so obscure you can't buy a legit DVD/Blu-Ray copy of of it in the States. If you want to get your hands on it in DVD you have to order the title from amazon's German branch or watch said "clean" version of it on YouTube but "yuck." So VHS was a no brainer for me.

About the film though, it plays out much like a off-Dirty Dozen film. Although in some way I felt more attached to the characters in this film than I did in The Dirty Dozen. In The Dirty Dozen there are relatable characters and I do care for them... but the ones I really care for don't get enough screen time. Whereas this film there are six and one is immediately killed off and one soon after so I really only have time to invest in four which in a way is nice. The mission is even similar except it's a base they are blowing up. All and all as an essentially a "lower-standard" Dirty Dozen, Suicide Commando provided quite a thrill of enjoyment for me and I'd definitely recommend it...

... only on VHS though.

[Captain Spaulding]

http://basementrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/five-deadly-venoms-assassins-lizard-review-kung-fu.jpg

The Five Deadly Venoms (1978, first viewing)

The films of the Shaw Brothers are a huge blindspot for me, and something I've been slowly trying to remedy over the last few years. This one was a real delight, and probably a great starting point for anyone who hasn't seen much "classic" kung fu.

As the film opens, the master teacher of the Poison Clan is dying. He tells his pupil about five of his former students (Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad--ie the Five Venoms) who have gone out in to the world. The master is worried that some of them may be using their powers for evil and directs his student to take out those who are doing wrong. Because the students always wore masks around each other, they do not know each others' faces.

The plot of this film is complex, and yet at the same time pretty easy to follow. It's not simply a case of good guys and bad guys--there are multiple allegiances at play with the prize of both money and honor hanging in the air. There are crosses and double-crosses, and all of it takes place in the scope of a justice system where seemingly everyone from witnesses to judges are for sale. Once a murder is committed, the process of finding and punishing the guilty party turns the court into a playground for the different students to seek out and attack each other.

I was a bit nervous about watching this on Amazon, because some of their prints are absolutely garbage. But this was a really nice transfer, and the colors of the film pop nicely. The dubbing was also really solid and expressive, which compliments the acting in the film. The actors bring some strong physicality to their characters, and I especially liked Meng Lo's swagger as Toad.

The big question, of course, is how is the action? The answer is really good. The actors in the lead roles are very acrobatic and perform their choreography very well. There are some really inventive uses of wire-work and sequences where characters work together in battles.

I would put this pretty close to the top of Shaw Brothers films that I've seen so far. I think that I still would put Come Drink with Me at the top, but this one really gives it a run for its money. This one was directed by Cheh Chang, who also directed The One-Armed Swordsman and Golden Swallow. This one is definitely highly recommended.

4.5

Since you enjoyed Five Deadly Venoms so much, definitely check out Crippled Avengers, which is even better. And any venture into the Shaw Brothers catalogue is incomplete without The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the greatest martial-arts film of all time, in my opinion.

Also wanted to say that I think you've been an excellent addition to the forum in your short time here. I've enjoyed reading your posts, whether you're intelligently arguing a point or providing insightful analysis of a film. Your taste seems quite varied as well, which is always a plus. I hope you stick around. :)

If interested, before posting reviews like the above, you should click the box that says "Suggest this post for inclusion in the Reviews area." That way your reviews can be added to the database and easily found via the search instead of being lost within the pages of this thread.

[Takoma11]

Takoma11, I hate the methodical approach to movie-watching, too, but sometimes you're just inspired to go on a binge. :) I could never get into IMDb. RateYourMusic and Letterboxd is the way to go for me.

Honestly, my appreciation for the IMDb is largely about how well their different search features work and the ability to sort their database in different ways. If someone asks me for a horror movie recommendation or a film starring a specific actor, it takes three clicks for me to see a list of every horror movie I've rated 7 or higher, or to see a list of every Nicholas Cage film I've seen. I'm also absolutely AWFUL at remembering the names of films ("It was that one . . .with the guy . . . and the stuffed animal . . .") and so the keyword/plot summary search features easily let me find those films.

Since you enjoyed Five Deadly Venoms so much, definitely check out Crippled Avengers, which is even better. And any venture into the Shaw Brothers catalogue is incomplete without The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the greatest martial-arts film of all time, in my opinion.

Both are on my watchlist! Thanks for the extra nudge!

Also wanted to say that I think you've been an excellent addition to the forum in your short time here. I've enjoyed reading your posts, whether you're intelligently arguing a point or providing insightful analysis of a film. Your taste seems quite varied as well, which is always a plus. I hope you stick around. :)

Thank you! I've gotten a few friendly welcomes and I really appreciate it.

If interested, before posting reviews like the above, you should click the box that says "Suggest this post for inclusion in the Reviews area." That way your reviews can be added to the database and easily found via the search instead of being lost within the pages of this thread.

Yeah, I was nervous at first because I wasn't sure quite what the standard was for a "review" (and mine are sometimes kind of rambling or tangential), but I think that you're right that stuff like the one you quoted qualifies. And thank you again for the welcome!

[mark f]

My Spy (Peter Segal, 2020) 2.5 6/10
Four Kids and It (Andy De Emmony, 2020) 2+ 5/10
Manhattan (Woody Allen, 1979) 3.5 7/10
Hyenas (Djibril Diop Mambéty, 1992) 2.5 6/10
https://supamodu.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-30-at-11.21.54-PM.webp
Rich celebrity Ami Diakhate returns to her poor Senegalese hometown and visits her former love Mansour Diouf.
Short Skin (Duccio Chiarini, 2014) 2.5 6/10
Daddy Issues (Amara Cash, 2018) 2.5 5.5/10
Mädchen in Uniform (Leontine Sagan, 1931) 2.5 6/10
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (Nathan Juran, 1958) 3- 6.5/10
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/10/92/9d/10929de91c949b8f3a2f0abf35a83520.gif
The Cobra Woman makes an appearance among many Harryhausen faves, such as the Cyclops, the Roc and another sword-fighting skeleton.
The Hall of Lost Steps (Jaromil Jires, 1960) 3 6.5/10
The Transformation (Susana Aikin & Carlos Aparicio, 1995) 2.5 6/10
Riding Faith (Paco Aguilar, 2020) 2 5/10
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (David Dobkin, 2020) 2.5+ 6/10
https://www.scandipop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/firesagavolcano.gif
Icelandic best friends and singers Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams surprisingly advance through the contest but what effect will it have on their relationship?
The Age of Reason (Jordan Harris & Andrew Schrader, 2014) 2.5 6/10
Bottom of the World (Richard Sears, 2017) 2 5/10
Nobody Knows I'm Here (Gaspar Antillo, 2020) 2.5 6/10
Irresistible (Jon Stewart, 2020) 2.5+ 6/10
https://66.media.tumblr.com/67267a2c2f6ad2c17d5681a83c41d022/c942b38011466bec-62/s640x960/84a814e7c6604965815472a67fb83f0c966105c1.gifv
Retired colonel Chris Cooper is convinced by Democratic strategist Steve Carell to run for mayor in a small Wisconsin town which takes on national implications. Political satire is effective but many of its points are obvious.
The Joke (Jaromil Jires, 1969) 2.5 6/10
Top Gun (Tony Scott, 1986) 3 6.5/10
Black Magic (Gregory Ratoff, 1949) 2.5 6/10
A Hard Day's Night (Richard Lester, 1964) 3.5+ 7.5/10
https://68.media.tumblr.com/dbc10117069473ecd4091c356c50a0f5/tumblr_omq9hnJp5w1vfevtto1_500.gif
"Turn left at Greenland,"

[MovieGal]

65657

The Super
(2017)
3/5

Meh......

[HollowMan]

Under Siege (1992):
A good Steven Seagal movie, well done action scenes and Gary Busey being himself.
8/10
65641


An action movie classic. Seagal was never better. Gary Busey improves every film he's in by about 20%. He should be in everything.

[HollowMan]

Mulholland Drive. (2001)


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This is a weird one. Up until about 30 minutes from the end I thought it was a compelling, sinister, slightly disturbing film noir and I was intrigued to see how all the plot threads fitted together. But then the film just loses the plot... literally. I mean what the actual f**k? They open the empty little blue box and the story just disintegrates, morphing into a nonsensical tangent where nothing makes sense. Is Naomi Watts meant to be playing another character? Both characters? Is it a dream? A flashback? A flash forward? Who's the chick with the black hair? Very frustrating and disappointing.


I mean who makes a film like this? Characters are introduced and then disappear without explanation. Plot threads are developed and then discarded. For instance the guys in the Pulp Fiction-esque scene in the diner who are talking about a nightmare: Who are they? What are they doing? Why is an entire scene of character development devoted to them when they never appear in the film again? And who is the girl the mob wants cast in the film? Why do they want her cast so badly? Who's the weird guy sat in the chair in the room by himself? He is controlling events, but to what purpose? Why does he have so much power when he seems like a freak? What's the deal with the blue box?


So many unresolved questions, I could go on forever. The film has its positives; Naomi Watts delivers a good performance, the score is good, and the film is compelling enough but ruined by its ending. It's regarded by many to be an excellent film (the BBC even rated it the best film of the 21st century!) so perhaps I'm missing something but I found it an infuriating, bizarre, confusing and disappointing film.


2/5 Stars.

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