Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[Takoma11]

Bill Paxton, as the local sheriff, was meant to be the central character, but I don't think he quite rose to the task. He was often convincing, but at other times, his attempts at an AR accent and good old boy traits seemed inauthentic. Likewise the white L.A. cop character was okay at the beginning, but then later seemed lost in the part and made it superficial

I don't actually feel as if he is meant to be the central character. I think that in most films he would be. But this is Fantasia's story. It's part of what I liked about it. You take this character (the small town, good-hearted Sheriff) who should be the heart of the film and turn it on its side a bit.

But then consider his reaction to finding out about his child. And especially when she mentions his wife finding out he has a half-black child. There's that earlier scene where he uses the racial slurs and the wife is like "Oh, heh, that's just how he was raised." But actually there clearly is some prejudice there, and the fallout from it is what ends up spelling his doom.

[GulfportDoc]

74844
Mank(2020)

The film is a dramatization of Herman J. Mankiewicz and his background leading up to, and of the circumstances surrounding, the writing of the screen play to Citizen Kane (1941). The story Is told in non-linear fashion, alternating back and forth between, for example 1930, when Mankiewicz supposedly met Marion Davies, to 1942, when he and Orson Welles won best screenplay Oscars.

The movie uses as a basis several actual facts: Mankiewicz did get to know Marion Davies, then William Randolph Hearst through the writer Charles Lederer who was Davies’ nephew; Mank may have been a house guest at Hearst’s San Simeon (although Hearst’s rule of no one having more than one cocktail likely would have prevented Mankiewicz’s visiting); he was an alcoholic; he did break his leg in 1939, and was later approached by Orson Welles to help with the screen play of Citizen Kane; and he and Welles did win Oscars for that screenplay.

Beyond that the film’s writing took quite a few liberties. For example it’s not known whether Mankiewicz was a supporter of the socialist Sinclair Lewis. The scene in which Mankiewicz staggers drunk into the dining hall at the Hearst castle and offends everyone, bragging about an upcoming screenplay dissing Hearst, until most get up and leave the table-- likely never occurred. Several other scenes strained credulity.

However most every other facet of the production was first rate: the acting, direction, cinematography, production and set design, costuming, etc. The editing was also tricky but well done.

But it was the writing --especially of the dialogue-- that bothered me. Much of it was almost Shakespearean: perfectly formed unhesitating spoken sentences, even those expressing several conflicting thoughts. Mankiewicz’s clever repartee, jokes, and zingers rolled off his tongue as if he were reading them. It was all too perfect. At times one could almost track the actors marching up to the camera seemingly with the invitation, “Okay, it’s your scene. Let’s have your speech.” In other words some of the dialogue did not seem natural. In Mankiewicz’s several drunk scenes, it made no sense that he could belt out perfectly constructed dialogue.Occasionally the picture felt nearly surrealistic.

Still, apart from some of the writing, Mank is a top of the line effort, deserving of awards consideration, especially for Gary Oldman’s acting, and also for David Fincher’s direction.

Doc’s rating: 7/10

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://images.mubicdn.net/images/film/125816/cache-153570-1565121661/image-w1280.jpg

The Night Holds Terror - 1955 thriller based on a 1953 hostage case. The Courtiers, the actual family this happened to, allowed their names to be used in the movie. Gene Courtier (Jack Kelly) is on his way home when he picks up hitchhiker Victor Gossett (Vince Edwards) who almost immediately takes him captive. He forces Gene to join up with the other two members of his gang, Robert Batsford (John Cassavetes) and Luther Logan (David Cross). After finding out he's only carrying ten dollars they decide to kill him but Gene manages to talk them into waiting until he sells his car and turns over the money. Events lead them to take shelter at the Courtier home where they hold the family at gunpoint. Desperate to buy time Gene confides in Logan, the only one of the gang to show him any semblance of compassion, that his father owns a chain of department stores. The plan quickly morphs from a hostage situation into a kidnap plot.

This is a low budget affair and it shows in certain scenes but director Andrew L. Stone was a firm believer in shooting his films on location as opposed to studios and using props. This and the stentorian narration lends an almost documentary style feel to the proceedings. And despite some of the subpar supporting performances most of the lead cast do a good job of selling the story. A very young Cassavetes in his big screen debut does a pretty good job of playing the vicious leader of the gang and Edwards is also solid as the brawny and libidinous wild card. It might be a B-movie but Stone does know how to ratchet up the tension so that by the end you find yourself fully invested in the outcome.

rating_3_5

[shahatboy]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1GkqJm3uTL._SS500_.jpg


Ive been a lurker in this forum for a while ,,just reading and stuff,,i haven't watched a film in awhile ,,so this week decided to watch two light movies,,just to get back at it,,,


I really enjoyed the kid detective,,calm sad atmosphere with a character i relate to and a good mystery ,,there's a bit of sadness there and I love it.,,I will definitely be re watching in the future ..


7/10




https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iggAAOSwTC1eUo~3/s-l600.jpg


just finished this one an hour ago,,I got out of it what I expected ,,a light drama,nothing great or anything you can see how it ends 10 mints in,,billy bob thornton was whispering instead of talking and freeman had a weird accent/voice.,,anyway I loved the relationship between kirsten's character and bob's.


5/10


and finally I would like to apologize if there were any grammatical errors,,English is n;t my 1st language ..

[edarsenal]

https://i.makeagif.com/media/8-18-2015/38LDhv.gifhttps://thumbs.gfycat.com/FlakyPoorHyena-max-1mb.gif

Pickpocket (1959) 4.5 This as been my introduction to Robert Bresson and it's got me pretty excited to explore even more of his work.

Michel, a young man who lives in squalor, with a superior indifference for "normal life", has become a pickpocket. To the disappointment of his best friend, Jacques, and to Jeanne, a caring neighbor of his dying mother. As well as the Police Inspector who suspects him and continually follows him in an attempt to catch him in the act.

What I found captivating, or rather, the multiple aspects that resulted in my captivation is the sheer genius of a minimalist director who so successfully creates suspense without the usual "tricks" of the trade, such as an intense musical score to provoke emotions or even an intensity in the characters' actions and emotions. Instead, using very clever camera angles and close-ups of the pickpocketing. Speaking of, Bresson also incorporates a few lessons and thereby, bringing a technical deftness to Michel's growing craft, that adds to the suspense of every time his hand slips into someone's purse, their coat jacket, or takes hold of someone's wrist to steal their watch.
While one could argue that the lack of emotion of the characters may be seen as a negative, it does add, for me, an additional layer to the emotional distance that grows wider with every scene between Michel and his friends as he goes deeper and deeper into his new livelihood.

A truly exceptional film that creates far more with incredibly far less than many films of this genre.

[Takoma11]

https://content.internetvideoarchive.com/content/hdphotos/6668/006668/006668_1280x720_628490_020.jpg

Underworld: Awakening, 2012

After the events of the first three films, humankind discovers vampires and werewolves. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) wakes up years after the first film and finds that her lover, Michael, is gone. She must contend with an evil scientist (Stephen Rea) and angry lycans in order to protect a young girl who is the result of scientific experimentation.

I rented this film as sort of a guilty pleasure. I had seen the first one and enjoyed the chemistry between Beckinsale and Scott Speedman (who plays Michael). So imagine my disappointment when, in the prologue, they were like, "So anyway a grenade went off and Michael has disappeared, so . . . .". Speedman is not in the film at all (aside from reused footage from the first film), and his replacement, a character played by Theo James, just doesn't have that same easy banter with Selene.

The actors, overall, are fine. Beckinsale and Rea are at ease in their roles. But the whole thing is plagued by the overuse of CGI and kind of a fractured sense of purpose. The illicit love affair between Selene and Michael was the center of the first movie, and in trying to pivot to a new dynamic, the film stumbles a bit. We've all seen a hundred movies where the stone-cold killer/assassin suddenly finds themselves protecting a child. It's not a bad formula, but there's nothing in the movie to rise above that basic level of plot. The film has an interesting looking actor named Kris Holden-Ried in a supporting role (he is also on the show Lost Girl, which I've seen one or two episodes of), and I wish they'd found a better way to use his slightly off-kilter presence. Instead he gets swallowed by CGI.

In the end this just turned into a bit of a time-waster, and about halfway through I kind of half-paid attention to it while I did some cleaning. Nothing bad or offensive here, just unremarkable mediocrity.

2.5

[ueno_station54]

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Aaron Sorkin, 2020)
An entertaining an fairly engaging retelling of events (no idea how accurate) and that's all. Well paced and structured, hits a few distinctly Hollywood moments that pulled me out of it but nothing serious.
rating_3

Mank (David Fincher, 2020)
Another cold, unfeeling, vibeless film from Fincher. Shocker.
rating_2

[xSookieStackhouse]

https://content.internetvideoarchive.com/content/hdphotos/6668/006668/006668_1280x720_628490_020.jpg

Underworld: Awakening, 2012

After the events of the first three films, humankind discovers vampires and werewolves. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) wakes up years after the first film and finds that her lover, Michael, is gone. She must contend with an evil scientist (Stephen Rea) and angry lycans in order to protect a young girl who is the result of scientific experimentation.

I rented this film as sort of a guilty pleasure. I had seen the first one and enjoyed the chemistry between Beckinsale and Scott Speedman (who plays Michael). So imagine my disappointment when, in the prologue, they were like, "So anyway a grenade went off and Michael has disappeared, so . . . .". Speedman is not in the film at all (aside from reused footage from the first film), and his replacement, a character played by Theo James, just doesn't have that same easy banter with Selene.

The actors, overall, are fine. Beckinsale and Rea are at ease in their roles. But the whole thing is plagued by the overuse of CGI and kind of a fractured sense of purpose. The illicit love affair between Selene and Michael was the center of the first movie, and in trying to pivot to a new dynamic, the film stumbles a bit. We've all seen a hundred movies where the stone-cold killer/assassin suddenly finds themselves protecting a child. It's not a bad formula, but there's nothing in the movie to rise above that basic level of plot. The film has an interesting looking actor named Kris Holden-Ried in a supporting role (he is also on the show Lost Girl, which I've seen one or two episodes of), and I wish they'd found a better way to use his slightly off-kilter presence. Instead he gets swallowed by CGI.

In the end this just turned into a bit of a time-waster, and about halfway through I kind of half-paid attention to it while I did some cleaning. Nothing bad or offensive here, just unremarkable mediocrity.

2.5

i didnt like it at all aswell. underworld and underworld 2 always my favorites

[pahaK]

Война и мир (1966-67)
aka War and Peace
3.5

Bondarchuk's adaptation of Tolstoy's massive novel is certainly epic. As a whole, I liked it, but it's not without its issues.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/2ac080658c4f9c2ba505e71a9a8fed78/tumblr_p7ubn6MkpV1x7jjbwo1_500.gifv

Part I is the weakest of the bunch. It's almost an hour longer than any other part, but it still fails to properly introduce the characters. The pacing is all over the place, and the result is quite confusing at times. Part II is much more focused. Despite being slow, its pacing works much better. It also doesn't hurt that it's centered around two of the best-acted characters, Andrei and Natasha.

Part III is the most epic of the individual films. It's also very tightly paced and has the least fluff of all the parts. The war sequences are a sight to behold. Part IV is more like an epilogue, concentrating on cities in flames and lives ruined. Again, the scenes in burning Moscow are hellishly beautiful. The way the Russians are portrayed gets a bit out of hand toward the end (almost a nation of saints).

Technically War and Peace is surprisingly clunky at times (like the poorly made overhead tracking shot in the ball in Part II, I think), and at the same time, it does a marvelous job with its massive battles. Acting is uneven as well (I really didn't like Bondarchuk's work in front of the camera), but that's something I've come to expect from Russian cinema. Settings and costumes look great, and they help in making the film eye-candy too.

I haven't read the book, but I guess it's safe to assume that there have been changes to appease the Soviet authorities. There's nothing too bothersome, though. The specifics about the war campaign, especially in the last film, are left extremely vague and, at least to me, give a somewhat false impression of the events. Many of the philosophical narrations feel out of place. I think seven hours is too short, and many of the issues could have been fixed by adding a part or two.

Overall, a good film. Not going to make my foreign language ballot, though.

[Fabulous]

Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012)

2.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/fKyKSmvxwMpT0qe6B0m2vbyzAOk.jpg

[mark f]

Rage in Heaven (W.S. Van Dyke II, 1941) 2.5 5.5/10
Grand Isle (Stephen S. Campanelli, 2019) 2 5/10
Dark Web: Cicada 3301 (Alan Ritchson, 2021) 2.5 5.5/10
The Atlantic Records Story (John T. Davis & Uri Fruchtmann, 1994) 4 8/10
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZDZkM2ViN2EtMWMzZC00ZjdlLWFlM2UtZjAzM2QzZmFkZmIxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjI3MDczMjI@._V1_.jpg
Ahmet Ertegun, songwriter and founder of the company, reminisces about how they brought black music to the forefront of American society in heavily-racist times.
I Married a Woman (Hal Kanter, 1958) 2.5 6/10
Insight (Ken & Livi Zheng, 2021) 2.5 5.5/10
A Colony (Paul Reddish, 2012) 2.5 6/10
Women Hell Song (Mamoru Watanabe, 1970) 3 6.5/10
https://www.fareastfilm.com/Archivi/FEFJ/Img/0005/5382.jpg
Visually-striking version of hell as a non-stop cycle of violent, sex-filled adventures in a "playground".
Brothers (Arthur Barron, 1977) 3 6.5/10
Dreamcatcher (Jacob Johnston, 2021) 1.5 4/10
Hummingbirds: Jewelled Messengers (Paul Reddish, 2012) 3.5 7/10
Stump the Guesser (Guy Maddin and Evan & Galen Johnson, 2020) 3 6.5/10
http://media.curtas.pt/festival_program/2020/CI_StumpTheGuesser_2.jpg
Adam Brooks can guess anything at a carnival until something crazy happens in this even crazier silent short.
The Block Island Sound (Kevin & Matthew McManus, 2020) 2.5 6/10
The Parish (David S. Hogan, 2019) 2 5/10
The Steel Fist (Wesley Barry, 1952) 2.5 6/10
The Seventh Walk (Amit Dutta, 2013) 3.5 7/10
https://d3hm29ff6fmegm.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Dutta_Seventh-Walk_002.jpg
Mind-boggling experimental "documentary" places artist Paramjit Singh within his own artwork in a sorta modern-day Maya Deren [with intense sound] color fever dream.
Kontroll (Nimród Antal, 2003) 3 6.5/10
The Mole Agent (Maite Alberdi, 2020) 2.5+ 6/10
Come True (Anthony Scott Burns, 2020) 2+ 5/10
The Chekist (Aleksandr Rogozhkin, 1992) 3 6.5/10
https://img.movieo.me/gbWMZDk2aUH36CWFrTt9FJyLtN4=/767x460/center/top/http://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/sS0nNoU9V7zuy0DVBG2s5F9RL02.jpg
A seemingly-endless number of executions are piled into an endless number of truck beds as part of the Soviet revolution's mass murder of millions.

[xSookieStackhouse]

27 Dresses (2008) 10/10 loved this movie and katherine heigl is one of my favorite actresses and loved her on greys anatomy <3
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzI5OTM0OTg2MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjAyMTU1MQ@@._V1_.jpg

[ueno_station54]

Promising Young Woman (Emerald Fennel, 2020)
So this movie is almost perfect in what its setting out to do and as a result it feels kind of weird giving it the only somewhat positive score that I am. It manages to capture the vibe of classic revenge girl films without every feeling indebted to the past, which modern schlock never pulls off and despite being specifically engineered as popcorn flick, has a handful of real artful shots sprinkled throughout. Also of note is the banging soundtrack (kicking off with that killer Charli XCX track was a choice) and especially of note, that reinterpretation of [FAMOUS SONG] is pure modern cheese in a way that hits so good.

Now to get into what doesn't work, even though it all works, and why this is such an awkward thing to assign a rating to. The more objective one is the story structure. I thought it was heading towards the conclusion when I paused it (because so much had already happened by that point) only to discover there was still an entire hour left. This is a problem I have with lots of modern films, most even, but what makes hard for me here is that I don't know what you could cut out and still have it function as intended. You'd have to scrap the whole movie to fix that and I don't want that because the film is also important and its specifically important in its current state. This is very much a message first type film and it nails that message 110% in a blunt, unambiguous and genuinely affecting way AND is presented in a way where people are actually going to see it. That is such an impressive feat and doesn't do a thing for me as piece of art. I'm very much an "art-for-the-sake-of-art" type and see art and ethics as different, almost conflicting things. In terms of how I view this as a piece of art, its a good popcorn flick with the some of the same potholes most modern films have with some strong aesthetics. Probably would have went up half a star if the ending didn't feel like a complete cop-out, but then again, even though its not what I want the ending is necessary for what the film is. F**k it, this film is perfect. rating_3.

Judas and the Black Messiah (Shaka King, 2021)
Based on true events type movies have limited appeal to me unless they're going way left field with it but this has its merits for sure. The score is incredible though perhaps underutilized and there's some really strong mood to it. Good performances too.
3

[Tugg]

Southpaw (2015) 3.5
https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/65077b6c-4565-448b-ad41-7025f28d5d0a/ddtnuwi-83799684-fb2a-4744-82a9-5dfe6636c1ea.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvNjUwNzdiNmMtNDU2NS00NDhiLWFkNDEtNzAyNWYyOGQ1ZDBhXC9kZHRudXdpLTgz Nzk5Njg0LWZiMmEtNDc0NC04MmE5LTVkZmU2NjM2YzFlYS5wbmcifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.kjXB0RImz3woVx7tjqfeMc76DQD7D2xrWZk8JUQwhyw

[Gideon58]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/40/Hillbilly_Elegy_%28film%29.png


3.5

[xSookieStackhouse]

A Walk to Remember (2002) rewatched 10/10 one of my favorite drama romance movies and love shane west and mandy moore <3 and loved the soundtrack <3
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzU3NTYxM2MtNjViMS00YmNlLWEwM2MtYWI2MzgzNTkxODFjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_.jpg

[pahaK]

Ladri di biciclette (1948)
aka Bicycle Thieves
3
Just checking some classics for the countdown. This isn't my kind of film, but it was more entertaining than I expected. Even at its modest length, some scenes seemed to go on for too long (like the one in the market checking the bikes and parts). Mostly a good-looking and well-acted piece of (neo)realism. I was about to rate it a half star less, but the ending deserves an extra nod.

[Thief]

As a counterpoint (well, more just a counter-opinion), I really liked this and so did the people I watched it with.

I think that it certainly helps if you have also seen Thunder Road (which I would consider slightly superior to this one) and have a handle on Cummings' specific brand of dramedy.

It is a very off-kilter vibe, so I can see someone just not clicking with it.

I haven't seen it, but one of my older brothers liked it. I've also read a lot of Twitter friends praising it. I have it on my watchlist.

[Takoma11]

I haven't seen it, but one of my older brothers liked it. I've also read a lot of Twitter friends praising it. I have it on my watchlist.

It's the kind of vibe/humor that is very distinct. I imagine most people would either be amused or annoyed, and I don't see many people landing in the middle.

[Marco]

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/Judas_and_the_Black_Messiah_poster.png
This was an interesting film and I knew a lot about the background of the Black Panthers beforehand. It drums that down into the story of an inspirational leader of the black revolutionary spokesman, Fred Hampton, and a grass who inveigled himself into the Black Power movement under duress from the "fuzz".

All the performances are great, and the film really flows. I must say, it's a good way to show the racial struggle depicting it in this way. It's non-judgemental but very informative.

3.5

[mojofilter]

https://www.kino-zeit.de/sites/default/files/styles/plakat/public/2020-12/stallone_frank_that_is.jpg?itok=IAOMXgEd
STALLONE: FRANK, THAT IS
(2021)

First viewing. A candid look at one of the most famous celebrity siblings. Frank Stallone's career as a musician, actor, and boxer are highlighted in this insightful and quite entertaining documentary film that was recently added to the Amazon Prime streaming service.

3.5

[Fabulous]

Woyzeck (1979)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/b75q4t7EAS1hcW5Gl24uFhcuQ2O.jpg

[beelzebubble]

The Last Blockbuster Video is reigning supreme right now on Netflix. Very enjoyable. There was a guy in the movie who laughed at everything. Then I found out he created Super High Me. No wonder he was so f-ing jolly.


3/5

[ScarletLion]

'The Wind Will Carry Us' (1999)

Probably the least accessible Kiarostami I've seen, which would normally not be a factor in how I view a film, but I did find the repetitive nature of our main character driving around the hills of Kurdistan somewhat challenging. He's there to photograph a funeral ceremony. But has to wait for the old woman to die. In the meantime we see him observe daily life in a tiny village.

The rewards are there, especially towards the end. And the landscapes look beautiful, but you really have to look hard.

6.9/10

[xSookieStackhouse]

Hairspray (2007) 9/10 loved the music <3
https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/movie_poster/hairspray-2007/large_pm3RyR3BZtqX9ea66NUseXFsfSq.jpg

[Ultraviolence]

https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/791373/movieposter/zack-snyders-justice-league-603fdb873f474.jpg
3
Not as good as B v S in my opinion.
It's funny, Wonder Woman was so badass in B v S but here she looks like a filler. All her scenes sucks.
I was on board 'cause I wanted to see Superman and it was worth. Hope they make another film with Henry, the man is so good. Also, Amy Adams is a sweet Lois Lane. Really hope Ben gets a chance with his solo Batman film too. The rest I just don't care.

[SpelingError]

'The Wind Will Carry Us' (1999)

Probably the least accessible Kiarostami I've seen, which would normally not be a factor in how I view a film, but I did find the repetitive nature of our main character driving around the hills of Kurdistan somewhat challenging. He's there to photograph a funeral ceremony. But has to wait for the old woman to die. In the meantime we see him observe daily life in a tiny village.

The rewards are there, especially towards the end. And the landscapes look beautiful, but you really have to look hard.

6.9/10

I watched it earlier this year and I found myself really drawn to the film's lyrical qualities, with how the reoccurring shots of the landscapes had subtle differences here and there. It's currently my second Kiarostami, and I'm not sure I liked it more than Taste of Cherry, but I was impressed by both films.

[Marco]

Sound of Metal (2019)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/11/Sound_of_Metal_poster.jpeg
This was a good drama set around a punk drummer that obviously put 100% into his every performance...then his hearing goes AWOL. It's pretty broad brushstrokes from then on in but Riz Ahmed is pretty darn good in this....no road to Damascus but you can understand the characters actions and motivations.

4

[Stirchley]

74914

Disturbing & unpleasant movie. Tilda Swinton excellent as per usual.

[LifeLowdown]

Literally just finished watching 2016's Nocturnal Animals starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams. Have to say I watched it in the cinema and really disliked it but my taste has massively changed. A really interesting movie and really well filmed. Jake in particular is fantastic as usual and I found the movie much better the second time around! I would give it a solid:

6/10

[Tugg]

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) 3.5
https://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/snyders-justice-league.jpg

[Dog Star Man]

Woyzeck (1979)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/b75q4t7EAS1hcW5Gl24uFhcuQ2O.jpg

I always felt Woyzeck to be very underrated, it's one of my personal favorite Herzog. I find the film, (like other Herzogian works), to be enthralling based on its sheer ability to be honest with itself despite budget or technical bravado. I disagree with the rating, but to each their own. ;)

Eastern Promises

https://lwlies.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/eastern-promises-viggo-mortensen-1108x0-c-default.jpg

4

While I like this film and "good" to see Cronenberg play something relatively straight-forward, I do find it lacks the flavor, spice, and zest of his other oeuvre. Cronenberg is one of those filmmakers which I find myself in extremes with. Either he's "terrible," "brilliant," or just "meh." I find this film to be of the opinion of the latter. I find that perhaps there was some outside influence, whether in the script itself or the producers, (haven't dug into the special features yet) ... but it seems like he could have gone any other way than he did up going with this film and it would have turned out to be a masterpiece. Hopefully that makes sense to some degree. It's a "good" munch on popcorn and watch film, but I do find the film to be narratively predictable and lacking in aesthetic innovation. While not my "type" of film personally based on the things I enjoy, but I would recommend this film as perhaps an "intro" into Cronenberg's body of work... especially since some of his other films opt on the side of more philo-visual complexity... but what can I say, it's just "good."

[matt72582]

Listen To Me, Marlon - 10/10


Even a high school kid could have made this great just by allowing Brando to do the talking, which is exactly what this is.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d0/Listen_to_Me_Marlon_poster.jpg

[Stirchley]

Dog Star Man, very briefly (please) what is this movie about? It looks ghastly, but I’m curious.

74929

[Siddon]

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fxee-ZHj9y0/VQbJ219n_GI/AAAAAAAAAkI/fHj8eHfZGaE/s1600/the_magnificent_ambersons_7_welles.jpg



The Magnificent Ambersons (1943) (Original Cut)


I liked it, I don't think I ever saw the under 2 hour version so I'll likely have to revisit Welles' darker version but for what it was it was very good.


4

[Dog Star Man]

Dog Star Man, very briefly (please) what is this movie about? It looks ghastly, but I’m curious.

74929

It's a German New Wave film with Herzog as a director so its merits meet at two junctions:

One - Of the German New Wave:

Whereby directors of this movement sought cinema with a higher "aethetical and artistic" purpose in reaction to post-WWII German film. (Very much so influenced by their French predecessors who sought similar purposes who viewed their own cinema.) The films are usually either political commentaries, or commentaries on a post-WWII Germany... a "broken home." Often, (in the case of Wenders or Herzog), this idea of "broken home/identity" is revealed through concepts of madness, setting their narratives outside Germany, (such as the Americas for example), or both.

Two - Werner Herzog:

Werner Herzog of this very movement primarily paints his canvas with concepts of madness, (although also setting his films outside the stage of his native German land too, but for this film not the case.) He often utilized Kinski as an actor, (much to Herzog and his crew's dismay), primarily because of Kinski's already unraveled psyche in real life.

Three - Woyzeck:

The film is about precisely these two aesthetics... but mainly about a man's decent into madness when his own homeland and everything in it turns against him, (alluding to the Nazi occupation.)

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://ayearinthecountry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Robin-and-Marian-1976-Sean-Connery-Robert-Shaw-film-still.jpg



https://images.radiotimes.com/remote/images.atlas.metabroadcast.com/pressassociation.com/webANXRobinAndMarian.jpg?quality=60&mode=crop&width=700&height=422


Robin and Marian - I hadn't seen this in years and after watching it for a few minutes I was struck by how much it reminded me of The Three Musketeers films from the early 70's. No big surprise then when I found out all three movies had been directed by Richard Lester. He had a way of making it seem like you were eavesdropping on actual conversations and events from that time period. His storytelling had a loose, knockabout way to it and his action sequences were polar opposites of the slick and choreographed fight scenes so common in movies these days.

This tells the story of Robin Hood in the twilight of his life. When the movie opens he's in France and he's had a falling out of sorts with King Richard the Lionhearted (a marvelous Richard Harris). After a historically accurate calamity befalls Richard, Robin and his loyal sidekick Little John (Nicol Williamson) find themselves at loose ends. After a lifetime spent fighting and Crusading by the King's side Robin decides to go home to England. Once there he goes in search of Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn in her first role in eight years) who is now the Abbess of the local monastery. Because of King John (Ian Holm) and his feud with the Roman Catholic church, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) has ordered her arrest.

This has so many things going for it not the least of which is that towering cast. Denholm Elliot and Ronnie Barker round out the principal characters and Connery and Hepburn are as good together as any right thinking fan could imagine. They seem tailor made for the roles and it's no surprise that Hepburn came out of retirement to do this movie. But it's smaller, shining roles like Harris as Richard the Lionheart that truly elevate the story. And Robert Shaw also turns in an invaluable performance as the surprisingly rational and sober minded Sheriff. It's not a perfect movie but with all that talent on display any shortcomings are easy to overlook.

rating_4

[xSookieStackhouse]

Sweet Home Alabama (2002) 10/10 love patrick dempsey :love: and reese witherspoon my 2 favorite people <3
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjEwMjIwMDQ4OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzc3OTY3._V1_.jpg

[shahatboy]

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/cd/2f/d7/cd2fd7b5b311bc29f52fbc1fc6ff12c3.jpg


rating_3



Not knowing anything about the film other than the cast and the time period it was set in ,,which I love,,it ended up been a disappointment,the shoot out at the end was especially not good ,,anyway I enjoyed the film ,,I wanted it to be more depressing and to see more oldman.


not sure how forrest survived the neck cut and the bullets wound,,then again it's based on a true story




https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BN2M0YWM1OTgtMDY1Ni00Y2RkLTkxNzktODUyNDU0YWFkYjQyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1009_.j pg


rating_3


it had sad parts but not enough for me,,and I did not like how it ended,,murphy and martin were great in it and I enjoyed it very much.

[Stirchley]

Sure has a good cast.

74930

[MovieMeditation]

Zack Snyder’s JUSTICE LEAGUE aka THE SNYDER CUT! The Snyder What? The Snyder Lot. Lots and lots and lots of... A LOT!

Listen, just rewatch the 2 hour cut twice and call it day... Maybe put up some cardboard on either side of the television to achieve the full SNYDERVISION!!!

Is this better than the first cut? I guess. Don’t really remember the first cut to be fair. Was the four hours needed? Definitely not. Because throwing even more stuff at a weak fundament doesn’t exactly help things.

I blame corona for the love for this film. People finally get a sip of water and suddenly they all call it champagne...


Fun fact: both cuts are actually the same length. Snyder just slowed down 80% of the movie.

[Allaby]

I watched Fallen Angels (1995), directed by Wong Kar-wai and starring Leon Lai, Michelle Reis, and Takeshi Kaneshiro. I found this somewhat underwhelming. Although the film is reasonably well crafted, I didn't find the story very engaging or interesting. I had a hard time caring about the characters. I thought the performances were fine, but the film was not very compelling or satisfying for me. There are some strong moments, but I felt it dragged on at times and felt longer than it is. I wouldn't consider it a bad movie, but I can't say that I enjoyed it. My rating is a 3.

[ThatDarnMKS]

Zack Snyder’s Justice League effectively fixes the Saturday Morning cartoon/Frankenstein’d to random grim dark monstrosity that was the almost unwatchable Whedon cut.

The film restores every character, discovers new themes, and despite it's gargantuan length, flows far better than the butchered version.

It still has issues of being a Macguffin hunt (seemingly the go-to for tentpole films) and lacks the foundation laid by a competent MCU that made Infinity War/Endgame so satisfying. It also is the victim of some dialogue clunk ("smell of a motherbox" should only be uttered in a comedy) that I assumed wouldn't be in this version.

However, it nails it's depiction of it's characters (Cyborg and Flash are completely transformed, while Superman allows Cavill to more closely align with the idealized version) and Snyder is a master of spectacle, operating somewhere as a combination of Wong Kar Wai and the Watchoskis.

It's messy and slips here and there but it's also often great genre filmmaking that is always ambitious.

4

[Siddon]

Sure has a good cast.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=74930


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMMyvL0KR5s


good movie just a shade under a classic

[pahaK]

La Funeraria (2020)
aka The Funeral Home
1.5
Pointless and boring Argentinian horror. The plot is quite senseless, none of the characters deserve the viewer's sympathy, and there's very little atmosphere or scares. It doesn't look awful, though.

[Thief]

NOMADLAND
(2020, Zhao)
A film directed by a woman

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8b24000/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1200x600+0+0/resize/840x420!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7c%2F9c%2F8e2ea5034b78b97803972f6de93a%2Fnomadland-02.jpg


"No, I'm not homeless. I'm just houseless."



Nomadland follows Fern, whose nomadic lifestyle takes her from the coldness of Northern Nevada and the deserts of Arizona to the remoteness of South Dakota and the relative "comforts" of California. Through all that, we get to see her struggles to survive and scrape by, whether it's enduring a particularly cold winter in her van or not knowing how to pay for a costly repair to her home/van. In the process, she meets a group of fellow nomads which she befriends and learns from.

The film manages to effectively convey how hard it is to ultimately make ends meet for regular people; people that have been sometimes reluctantly pushed towards this lifestyle for lack of any other choices. The way that the film shows the way that America's economic system pretty much abandons hard-working, elderly people to their own luck, was mostly on point. I also thought that putting her at work at an Amazon fulfillment center was particularly clever, considering the fact that Amazon's pretty much the biggest company right now and its CEO is close to become the world's first trillionaire.

Grade: 4


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2188693#post2188693)

[Thief]

Sure has a good cast.

74930

This film was so weird. Still not sure what to make of it. There were many things I liked, but overall... I don't know. It felt like the director wasn't even sure of what he wanted the film to be.

[Marco]

[QUOTE=WHITBISSELL!;2188642]https://ayearinthecountry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Robin-and-Marian-1976-Sean-Connery-Robert-Shaw-film-still.jpg

Didn't think I'd get into it's film with it's wistful style but I did.

[Marco]

Sure has a good cast.

74930

I've watched 2 times and it's a solid movie with great performances.

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/53/Becky_poster.jpg/220px-Becky_poster.jpg

3

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

[Olivier Parent]

Chicago the musical. I hate musical but adored this one

[xSookieStackhouse]

Chicago the musical. I hate musical but adored this one

is it this one? cause if so i loved that movie. one of good musical movies. i dont like musical also:rolleyes:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BN2E3NDU1ZTktNzZjNy00MWU3LWI4YmMtMjdjNTIzMDU0MDdiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMxODk2OTU@._V1_.jpg

[xSookieStackhouse]

Sure has a good cast.

74930

i agree loved their movies

[urkillinmesmalls]

The Father 10/10 :'(

[pahaK]

Snowpiercer (2013)
2.5
After watching the series, I wanted to check the movie as well. So, the movie compared to the show:

+ the train looks more like a train
+ political allegory isn't as much in your face
+/- it feels much more like an old-school SciFi
+/- it's way more over the top and goofy in a Korean way
- the train doesn't look like it could sustain the people
- all the characters are boring
- the ending is just plain stupid

I think season one of the show is better than the film. Season two is struggling a bit, but even it's really close. Just like The Host, I don't understand why this is considered so good.

[Fabulous]

The Yearling (1946)

2

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/tj6Un3zhB9KWcPYjMqGSaOnH0YQ.jpg

[xSookieStackhouse]

Justice League 1/10 didnt like it at all. only good dc movie is suicide sqaud. gal gadot shes an amazing actress loved her fighting skills and i like henry cavill his a good actor loved some of his movies. but to be honest marvel makes better movies then DC
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjI3NDg0ZTEtMDEwYS00YWMyLThjYjktMTNlM2NmYjc1OGRiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTEyMjM2NDc2._V1_.jpg

[StuSmallz]

Just finished Zack Snyder's Justice League, and at the risk of damning it with faint praise, I have to say that at least it's somewhat better than Whedon's cut... but that's such an incredibly low bar to clear in the first place, it's really not that big a deal. Yes, it's a more dramatic, fleshed-out experience than the original version was, and Snyder does have a more striking personal aesthetic than Whedon, but he's still a mixed bag of an auteur, (https://letterboxd.com/stusmallz/tag/snyder/reviews/) putting in the most obvious needle drops, desaturating the look of the film to an almost absurd length (no wonder the poster for this version is in black-&-white), and insisting on making everything feel as grim and over-dramatic as he possibly can, which lessens the overall impact the film should've had. Plus, it turns out indulging him with an over-extended four hour runtime did nothing to correct his already poor grip on pacing and story structure, it only exacerbated it; who would've thought? I mean, I hate to sound like a glass half-empty type, as it's a decent film now, but just barely (and even then, that may be just because I can't help but compare it to the original version), and when the combined budget that WB & HBO spent on the different versions of this film make it the second most expensive movie ever made, and all that money, time, and public hooplah got us in the end was a barely decent film, and you can't help but wonder how many other, more worthy projects they could've spent it on, projects that lacked the franchise name recognition or the unreasonably rabid fanbase of this one.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Save the Last Dance (2001) 10/10 one of my favorite dance movies <3 loved the music <3
http://www.movienewsletters.net/photos/025990R1.jpg

[Hey Fredrick]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwalter.trakt.tv%2Fimages%2Fmovies%2F000%2F022%2F258%2Fposters%2Fthumb%2F9fafa94bb7. jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Fake documentary where former members recall their times living with the Family. Nothing new if you've seen or read anything about the cult but it does go where few films about Manson have gone before. There's plenty of sex, drugs and violence. Going off of memory, but it seemed to follow the facts of the case pretty accurately so you end up with an exploitation bio pic. Very low budget, hard to say if it was goofy acting because most involved were goofy to begin with and it does have a silly sub-plot about a new Family emerging but overall it wasn't too bad. 3

[Torgo]

Miami Blues - 3

An early '90s crime story with Alec Baldwin as Junior, a thief who targets other crooks - think Omar in The Wire, but without the code - Jennifer Jason Leigh as Susie, a sweet, naive prostitute who falls for him and Fred Ward as Hoke, the detective who pursues them. It's an odd little movie that's very much a product of the Reagan & Bush era for how it posits that going home and being a family man has taken a backseat to lying, cheating and stealing your way to success. Besides a robbery comically and coincidentally occurring in pretty much every establishment Junior enters, you see it in his failed attempts to settle down with Susie and go straight. The movie is successful at making this point, but the comedy doesn't rise above sensible chuckle, so it doesn't succeed as a dark comedy, and the action is not bad, but not exciting enough for it to succeed as as a neo-noir. Like a lot of early '90s efforts from Orion pictures - remember Clifford? - it's a movie that is best described as curious. Oh, and that's not just because Susie makes something in it called vinegar pie.

[WHITBISSELL!]

Miami Blues - rating_3

An early '90s crime story with Alec Baldwin as Junior, a thief who targets other crooks - think Omar in The Wire, but without the code - Jennifer Jason Leigh as Susie, a sweet, naive prostitute who falls for him and Fred Ward as Hoke, the detective who pursues them. It's an odd little movie that's very much a product of the Reagan & Bush era for how it posits that going home and being a family man has taken a backseat to lying, cheating and stealing your way to success. Besides a robbery comically and coincidentally occurring in pretty much every establishment Junior enters, you see it in his failed attempts to settle down with Susie and go straight. The movie is successful at making this point, but the comedy doesn't rise above sensible chuckle, so it doesn't succeed as a dark comedy, and the action is not bad, but not exciting enough for it to succeed as as a neo-noir. Like a lot of early '90s efforts from Orion pictures - remember Clifford? - it's a movie that is best described as curious. Oh, and that's not just because Susie makes something in it called vinegar pie.The Hoke Moseley novels by Charles Willeford are really good. Miami Blues was his first and probably best but all four are worth reading.

[CharlesAoup]

Pacific Rim Uprising, 2018 (D)

Much, much, much weaker than the first one, regardless of what you think of the first one. Every scene between characters feels like any scene between any characters in any military movie you've ever seen. Every character arc is predictable to a T.

Overall, this is basically a fanfiction sequel of the first one. The difference is that the first movie had a thing. PF1 was inspired, just inspired and inspired by Japanese Kaiju movies, and driven forward by Del Toro's directing. This movie is entirely unremarkable in its directing, but more importantly, every single new element is the most obvious rip off you've ever seen of anything. Every new element is peeled right off of End Of Evangelion, complete with a Gendo replacement, the Mass Production Evas, and the exact same role they had in Evangelion, and the movie's own version of the Third Impact. It could have used all the same names and it would not have been more obvious.

The fights are weak and the movie makes itself too heavy for any of them to be actually fun.

[Wooley]

https://ayearinthecountry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Robin-and-Marian-1976-Sean-Connery-Robert-Shaw-film-still.jpg



https://images.radiotimes.com/remote/images.atlas.metabroadcast.com/pressassociation.com/webANXRobinAndMarian.jpg?quality=60&mode=crop&width=700&height=422


Robin and Marian - I hadn't seen this in years and after watching it for a few minutes I was struck by how much it reminded me of The Three Musketeers films from the early 70's. No big surprise then when I found out all three movies had been directed by Richard Lester. He had a way of making it seem like you were eavesdropping on actual conversations and events from that time period. His storytelling had a loose, knockabout way to it and his action sequences were polar opposites of the slick and choreographed fight scenes so common in movies these days.

This tells the story of Robin Hood in the twilight of his life. When the movie opens he's in France and he's had a falling out of sorts with King Richard the Lionhearted (a marvelous Richard Harris). After a historically accurate calamity befalls Richard, Robin and his loyal sidekick Little John (Nicol Williamson) find themselves at loose ends. After a lifetime spent fighting and Crusading by the King's side Robin decides to go home to England. Once there he goes in search of Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn in her first role in eight years) who is now the Abbess of the local monastery. Because of King John (Ian Holm) and his feud with the Roman Catholic church, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) has ordered her arrest.

This has so many things going for it not the least of which is that towering cast. Denholm Elliot and Ronnie Barker round out the principal characters and Connery and Hepburn are as good together as any right thinking fan could imagine. They seem tailor made for the roles and it's no surprise that Hepburn came out of retirement to do this movie. But it's smaller, shining roles like Harris as Richard the Lionheart that truly elevate the story. And Robert Shaw also turns in an invaluable performance as the surprisingly rational and sober minded Sheriff. It's not a perfect movie but with all that talent on display any shortcomings are easy to overlook.

rating_4
I really like this movie.

[Allaby]

I watched Come and See (1985) today. I had heard a lot about the film and had been wanting to watch it for a while. I had bought the Criterion blu ray but hadn't got around to watching it, so I'm glad someone nominated it for me. Masterfully directed by Elem Klimov, this powerful drama is about a boy named Flyora who joins the Soviet resistance and witnesses and experiences the horrors and brutality of war and the evil that humanity is capable of. Aleksey Kravchenko is excellent as Flyora and gives a hauntingly intense performance. The cinematography is really well done and very effective. Come and See is a captivating and engaging film, disturbing and unforgettable, an essential film. It's not an easy watch, but I'm glad I experienced it. My rating is a high 4.5.

[Takoma11]

I watched Come and See (1985) today. I had heard a lot about the film and had been wanting to watch it for a while. I had bought the Criterion blu ray but hadn't got around to watching it, so I'm glad someone nominated it for me. Masterfully directed by Elem Klimov, this powerful drama is about a boy named Flyora who joins the Soviet resistance and witnesses and experiences the horrors and brutality of war and the evil that humanity is capable of. Aleksey Kravchenko is excellent as Flyora and gives a hauntingly intense performance. The cinematography is really well done and very effective. Come and See is a captivating and engaging film, disturbing and unforgettable, an essential film. It's not an easy watch, but I'm glad I experienced it. My rating is a high 4.5.

Normally with films I like, there are maybe one or two images/moments that come to mind when I think of them.

With Come and See, it's like a tidal wave of images, all of them attached to strong emotions.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.images.express.co.uk%2Fimg%2Fdynamic%2F36%2F590x%2FLoving-Vincent-review-865915.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Loving Vincent, 2017

In this film, filmed with live actors and then each frame hand-painted and animated, a young man named Armand (Douglas Booth) is tasked by his father (Chris O'Dowd) with delivering a note from Vincent Van Gogh to his brother, Theo. Theo has since passed away, and Armand must figure out who to give the letter to. Along the way he encounters various people who interacted with Van Gogh in the time before his death, including his doctor (Jerome Flynn) and some of the locals.

The movie itself is absolutely gorgeous. I know that some people are not fans of rotoscoping (filming live actors then drawing over them), but I do not mind it and I think it gives some neat opportunities for creativity. In this case, the use of paintings in Van Gogh's style was a cool touch.

I also loved the conceit of the film--someone having conversations with all these different people and coming to understand the various relationships and interactions that defined Van Gogh's final year of life.

I think that what I found most touching--and something that has always touched me when it comes to Van Gogh--is the way that you get the sense of the struggle in Van Gogh's life. He dealt with mental health issues all of his adulthood, and the tragedies in his life came despite his efforts to deal with them. So often, it is tempting to treat the eccentricities of artists as these fun little stories. But here you really get the sense of the pain that he endured and the way that those around him, especially Theo, tried to offer him support.

I really enjoy films that are biographical but focus on a very specific time period. I thought that this film was very moving and visually engaging. The acting is solid, and the longer it went on, the more I felt myself drawn into it.

4

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fgfx.videobuster.de%2Farchive%2Fv%2FcZxJv5DlgZDqXNptD0YaJvgcz0lMkawMDklMkYwNyUyRmltY ZklMkZqcGVnJTJGMGRkY2LPNmLSY8hkOGU5YjliZmZj12HLZWExLmpwZyZyPWi_MA%2Fotomo.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Otomo, 1999

In 1989, a man who was being hunted by the police wound up in a confrontation that ended badly (keeping that vague to avoid spoilers). This film imagines what his day may have been like between the incident that incited the manhunt and that final confrontation. Otomo (Isaach De Bankole) is an immigrant to Germany, having come from Liberia. Living on very little money, his situation is complicated by the limitations of his temporary passport which keeps him from getting even a minimum wage job. After encountering repeated incidents of racism all day, Otomo is finally pushed over the edge when a train inspector (possibly falsely) accuses him of riding on a bad ticket.

A Black man committing (or possibly not even committing!) a minor crime and having the weight of the police come down on him has become something of a refrain of many stories in the US in the last few years--something that has always happened but has particularly come to the forefront as more frequently there are witnesses able to take video footage of the encounters. So it is fascinating and jarring to see so many of those same notes in a German film from 20 years ago.

What I liked about the film was the way that it shows that while people are complicated, the system (and especially the justice system) under which they live is not. There are people who are racist to Otomo and there are people who are kind--sometimes incredibly kind--to him, but there is no question that the overall system is decidedly stacked against him. And even some of those who are sympathetic choose not to contradict their friends or partners. For example, Otomo's "crime" is riding the subway on a ticket the inspector says is not good. His partner, however, says she thinks the ticket is good. Yet when he tells her to call the police (at this point Otomo is just trying to get off the train), she does. When the man tries to block Otomo repeatedly from exiting and grabs him, Otomo headbutts the man. Later when the file the report for the assault, the woman again notes that the ticket was actually good, something she keeps to herself as they are interviewed by the police. Of the two officers who end up in pursuit of Otomo, one has these grand visions of hunting him down (peppered with racist or borderline racist remarks), and while his partner is clearly uncomfortable, he does nothing to stop it.

This film could be said to be on Otomo's side, but it doesn't glamorize his acts of violence. When Otomo strikes out at those around him, it is because he is cornered. He is already living life on the edge. What will it do to his chances to earn money or get a job if he is arrested? It is a situation where even the best choice is a bad one, and you can understand why making a run for it might seem like the right thing to try. The film also shows that Otomo is willing to use intimidation to get what he wants. It's a kind of circular path. Everyone acts afraid of him, so why not use that? In one of the film's more direct moments, Otomo is by the water when a little girl offers him a flower in a direct lift from the sequence in Frankenstein. It speaks to how many in the society see him---as a danger and a monster before he even says a word or moves an inch. His actions are his choice, of course, but the fear he feels as he is cornered by 5 white police officers on a bridge is palpable. So much about the staging had echoes of the George Floyd footage that I felt very emotional watching it.

I really like Isaach De Bankole (especially after watching him in The Limits of Control), and he creates a very nuanced character here, often walking the line between charismatic and threatening. You get the sense of a man who wants to live a good, uncomplicated life, but who has been pushed past a breaking point.

As with any "based on a true story" film, you have to take everything with a grain of salt. I actually admired that Frieder Schlaich, who wrote and directed, resisted adding sequences that would seem to push you one way or the other. He shows both kind and inappropriate behavior from Otomo. To me it felt very even-handed, and most of the fictionalization seems to come from other characters who are intended to reflect the way that different people (employers, public servants, everyday citizens) react and respond to someone who is different. I saw the film not so much as trying to tell the "real" story, as examining the social dynamics that lead to such tragedies.

This film only has a handful of ratings on IMDb. I had never heard of it before, but I would highly recommend it.

4

[Allaby]

I watched Father of the Bride (1950) on dvd. I enjoyed it. It was a charming and pleasant film. Spencer Tracy did a good job and Elizabeth Taylor looked beautiful. My rating is a 4.

[WHITBISSELL!]

I really like this movie.So do I. It's elegiac. There's an element of melancholy running throughout.


It's also a worthy and sincere coda.

[pahaK]

Akelarre (2020)
aka Coven
1.5
A theater-like film about a group of girls, who are accused of witchcraft by an inquisitor. Not a proper historical drama, not exploitation, and certainly not horror. Very little to keep me interested (there's the "spider-walk" scene with nice side boop, though).

[Gideon58]

https://i2.wp.com/highschool.latimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/marypoppins.jpg?fit=1600%2C900&ssl=1



1st Re-watch...Pretty sure it was the longest gap between a film and its sequel (54 years), but for some reason this sequel seemed to be something that was going to happen sooner or later, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Honestly, I couldn't be truly objective because the 1964 film is my favorite movie of all time, but fans of that film will notice that the basic structure of the screenplay for this film is pretty much identical. Rob Marshall and company couldn't really decide if they were doing a sequel or a remake and that's why the film is occasionally frustrating, especially for fans of the original. I actually think people who have never seen the original film will enjoy this film more. Admittedly she is no Julie Andrews, but there isn't anyone else who could have taken on the daunting task of replacing Julie Andrews but Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda is a lot of fun as Jack. And I LOVED Ben Whishaw as the adult Michael Banks. This is also the first film since Chicago where Marshall got to show off his skills as a choreographer...that "Trip a Little Light Fantastic" number is brilliant. 3.5

[Thief]

WRECK-IT RALPH
(2012, Moore)

https://d2rd7etdn93tqb.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/wreck-it-ralph-vanellope-car-articleH-111918.jpg

"I'm bad, and that's good! I will never be good, and that's not bad!... There's no-one I'd rather be... than me."



Wreck-It Ralph introduces us to a world inside and "behind" classic arcade games. A world where video game characters travel from game to game and mingle in a surge protector that acts like a "train" station to each game. When Ralph, the "bad guy" in a game called Fix-It Felix, Jr. gets tired of rejection, he sets out to win a medal in another game, any game, to prove to the residents of his game that he can be a hero.

My main issue with the film comes up in the last act. The motivations of King Candy and the "twist revelation" about Vanellope ends up feeling like an unnecessary deus-ex-machina, and it ultimately muddles what seemed to be the main message of the film of accepting outcasts for who they are, which Ralph proudly proclaims in the end ("there's no one I'd rather be than me"). Unfortunately, in order to be accepted and "win" her place, Vanellope is forced to become someone else which feels like a betrayal.

Grade: 3


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2188936#post2188936)

[Takoma11]

My main issue with the film comes up in the last act. The motivations of King Candy and the "twist revelation" about Vanellope ends up feeling like an unnecessary deus-ex-machina, and it ultimately muddles what seemed to be the main message of the film of accepting outcasts for who they are, which Ralph proudly proclaims in the end ("there's no one I'd rather be than me"). Unfortunately, in order to be accepted and "win" her place, Vanellope is forced to become someone else which feels like a betrayal.

You see, poor people who are nice were really rich people all along!!

[Wyldesyde19]

WRECK-IT RALPH
(2012, Moore)

https://d2rd7etdn93tqb.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/wreck-it-ralph-vanellope-car-articleH-111918.jpg




Wreck-It Ralph introduces us to a world inside and "behind" classic arcade games. A world where video game characters travel from game to game and mingle in a surge protector that acts like a "train" station to each game. When Ralph, the "bad guy" in a game called Fix-It Felix, Jr. gets tired of rejection, he sets out to win a medal in another game, any game, to prove to the residents of his game that he can be a hero.

My main issue with the film comes up in the last act. The motivations of King Candy and the "twist revelation" about Vanellope ends up feeling like an unnecessary deus-ex-machina, and it ultimately muddles what seemed to be the main message of the film of accepting outcasts for who they are, which Ralph proudly proclaims in the end ("there's no one I'd rather be than me"). Unfortunately, in order to be accepted and "win" her place, Vanellope is forced to become someone else which feels like a betrayal.

Grade: 3


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2188936#post2188936)

Huh. I never even thought of that. That’s pretty interesting.
Overall, I felt the same about it as you did, minus that insightful revelation.

[Fabulous]

Murder, My Sweet (1944)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/dR7NcWkMF2LkiMCR0oOjvec84SG.jpg

[xSookieStackhouse]

https://i2.wp.com/highschool.latimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/marypoppins.jpg?fit=1600%2C900&ssl=1



1st Re-watch...Pretty sure it was the longest gap between a film and its sequel (54 years), but for some reason this sequel seemed to be something that was going to happen sooner or later, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Honestly, I couldn't be truly objective because the 1964 film is my favorite movie of all time, but fans of that film will notice that the basic structure of the screenplay for this film is pretty much identical. Rob Marshall and company couldn't really decide if they were doing a sequel or a remake and that's why the film is occasionally frustrating, especially for fans of the original. I actually think people who have never seen the original film will enjoy this film more. Admittedly she is no Julie Andrews, but there isn't anyone else who could have taken on the daunting task of replacing Julie Andrews and Lin-Manuel Miranda is a lot of fun as Jack. And I LOVED Ben Whishaw as the adult Michael Banks. This is also the first film since Chicago where Marshall got to show off his skills as a choreographer...that "Trip a Little Light Fantastic" number is brilliant. 3.5

i was gonna watch this movie when it first release and everytime i see the poster it wanted me to watch it soon

[Wooley]

Miami Blues - 3

An early '90s crime story with Alec Baldwin as Junior, a thief who targets other crooks - think Omar in The Wire, but without the code - Jennifer Jason Leigh as Susie, a sweet, naive prostitute who falls for him and Fred Ward as Hoke, the detective who pursues them. It's an odd little movie that's very much a product of the Reagan & Bush era for how it posits that going home and being a family man has taken a backseat to lying, cheating and stealing your way to success. Besides a robbery comically and coincidentally occurring in pretty much every establishment Junior enters, you see it in his failed attempts to settle down with Susie and go straight. The movie is successful at making this point, but the comedy doesn't rise above sensible chuckle, so it doesn't succeed as a dark comedy, and the action is not bad, but not exciting enough for it to succeed as as a neo-noir. Like a lot of early '90s efforts from Orion pictures - remember Clifford? - it's a movie that is best described as curious. Oh, and that's not just because Susie makes something in it called vinegar pie.

I saw this in the theater in its day. Enjoyed it but have never tried it again. Maybe I'll give it a spin.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mondo-digital.com%2Fbutcherbakerblu3.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (aka Night Warning), 1981

Billy (Jimmy McNichol) is adopted at the age of 4 by his aunt Cheryl (Susan Tyrrell) after his parents are killed in a horrific car accident. Fourteen years later, Billy is a senior in high school and thinking about going away to college with his girlfriend Julie (Julia Duffy). Aunt Cheryl has grown overly (and very unhealthily) attached to Billy, and she becomes emotionally disturbed, eventually killing a repairman who refuses her advances. Billy becomes the main suspect in the killing, pursued by the aggressively homophobic Detective Carlson (Bo Svenson).

I have heard this title before, but had always dismissed it as just another dopey 80s film with a 10/10 title that would probably be a 6/10 experience. Much to my surprise, I borderline loved this movie.

To begin with, Billy is a likable protagonist, as is his girlfriend. He comes across as a pretty normal teenager, but one who is moral when it counts. When Carlson decides that the killing is all part of some gay murder plot (more about this later), Cheryl tells Billy that gay men are all "sick", and Billy stands up for the person he cares about. Billy has only ever been raised by his aunt, and the film does a good job of of showing a kid who believes his life is normal. It doesn't occur to him that most kids aren't awakened by someone purring like a cat and running their hands over your unclothed body. And the film makes a wise choice in giving Billy two other decent characters--girlfriend Julie and his basketball coach (Steve Linden)--to provide a counterbalance to the extreme behavior from Cheryl. It all makes Billy feel more real and makes it easier to root for him.

The film does a nice job of pushing this inappropriate intimacy in several scenes. And, wisely, it's mostly done as something that we the viewer notice, but does not register for the characters. Cheryl is constantly touching, kissing, or holding onto Billy. And while he does not reciprocate, he does not pull away from the attention--it is his normal. In one sequence Billy and Cheryl argue . . . as Billy stands naked in front of the shower. The whole thing lends an uncomfortable air, and it is interesting to see a younger male character on the receiving end of the more exploitative portrayal.

And then there's the detective. This, to me, is the brilliance of the film. Cheryl is unhinged. And from the beginning it isn't hard to see that she is the antagonist of the film . . . until Detective Carlson walks into the frame. Right from the get go, Carlson rubbed me the wrong way. Cheryl claims the repair man tried to rape her, something that Carlson sees through immediately. But it's the way that he dismisses her allegations, and the utterly callous attitude he takes toward the whole thing that is off. Then, when he discovers that the victim was a gay man, he hones in on Billy and crafts a bonkers theory about Billy and the repairman being gay lovers. Carlson might be right that Cheryl is lying, but his main interest doesn't seem to be in finding the truth. He just wants to punish--hurt--everyone who he thinks deserves it. In one scene, which has nothing to do with the main plot, we see Carlson bring in a Mexican suspect. He forces the man to sit on the floor, then points his gun in the man's face. Carlson is a homophobic, racist bully. Some films would have him be the lovable grouch, but this film recognizes him as the danger he really is. It is a frightening performance, and it adds to the danger because the person who in theory would help Billy is so blinded by hatred that he is more likely to do harm than good. (Sidenote: Keep an eye out for a young Bill Paxton as one of Billy's basketball teammates who is more than ready to jump on the gay-bashing bandwagon).

This is my favorite kind of horror film, something along the lines of Brain Damage, where you have an over the top story (with many MANY elements that, on paper, would sound ridiculous) that still manages to retain a human element. I cared about Billy, Julie, and coach Landers. And the more the film piled on absurdities and improbabilities, the more interested I was in seeing them through the storm.

So, yeah, this is my kind of film. I'm sure someone somewhere has complaints about this movie, but I dug it from opening credits to ending credits. It is over the top and full of ridiculous 80s-style bloodletting with decapitated heads and severed limbs and more blood splatter than you can shake a stick at, but all with a beating human heart at the center. It's blatant condemnation of homophobia--especially within the horror genre--feels ahead of its time. Highly recommended, especially for horror fans.

4.5

[mark f]

The Legend of the Stardust Brothers (Makoto Teduka, 1985) 3 6.5/10
The Viking (R. William Neill, 1928) 2.5 6/10
Man in the Wilderness (Richard C. Sarafian, 1971) 3 6.5/10
The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952) 4.5 8.5/10
https://footeandfriendsonfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/The-Quiet-Man-IV.jpg
Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne wave goodbye to all their friends in Ireland in this sparkling romantic comedy.
By the Way, Woody Allen Is Innocent (Rick Worley, 2020) 3 6.5/10
Dealer (Benedek Fliegauf, 2004) 2.5 6/10
Ice Station Zebra (John Sturges, 1968) 2.5 5.5/10
From Morn to Midnight (Karl Heinz Martin, 1920) 2.5 6/10
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ANGo5Q5Bpco/UJx9nGWMHGI/AAAAAAAABPw/wnf3BS79zcU/s1600/From+Morn+to+Midnight+house.jpg
Comparable to Caligari with a touch of Dogville in its art direction, this follows a bank embezzler searching for the "good things in life".
Silence Has No Wings (Kazuo Kuroki, 1966) 2.5 6/10
Zack Snyder's Justice League (Zack Snyder, 2021) 3 6.5/10 243 min
This Transient Life (Akio Jissôji, 1970) 2.5 6/10
Max Richter's Sleep (Natalie Johns, 2019) 3 6.5/10
https://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/5ddf/AAA.jpg
Electronic composer Richter performs his eight-hour symphony overnight for customers to get a good night's sleep.
The Great Train Robbery (Michael Crichton, 1978) 3.5 7/10
The Watts Towers Arts Center (No Director Listed, 2020) 3+ 6.5/10
Nanami: The Inferno of First Love (Susumu Hani, 1968) 2.5+ 6/10
Fragment of an Empire (Fridrikh Ermler, 1929) 3 6.5/10
https://eltestamentodeldoctorcaligari.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/las-ruinas-de-un-imperio-1929-3.jpg?w=584
Losing his memory during WWI, a man recovers it ten years later and searches for his wife and finds he's odd man out [well, actually millions did] in Russian Revolution.
Street Girl (Wesley Ruggles, 1929) 2.5 6/10
Fleshpot on 42nd Street (Andy Milligan, 1973) 2 5/10
Promise of the Flesh (Kim Ki-young, 1975) 2.5 6/10
Pictures of the Old World (Dusan Hanák, 1972) 3.5 7/10
http://2015.casffa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Obrazy_29-835x500.jpg
Moving film about elderly Czech/Slovak people remembering their family and friends, living their lives as simply and honestly as possible.

[xSookieStackhouse]

WRECK-IT RALPH
(2012, Moore)

https://d2rd7etdn93tqb.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/wreck-it-ralph-vanellope-car-articleH-111918.jpg




Wreck-It Ralph introduces us to a world inside and "behind" classic arcade games. A world where video game characters travel from game to game and mingle in a surge protector that acts like a "train" station to each game. When Ralph, the "bad guy" in a game called Fix-It Felix, Jr. gets tired of rejection, he sets out to win a medal in another game, any game, to prove to the residents of his game that he can be a hero.

My main issue with the film comes up in the last act. The motivations of King Candy and the "twist revelation" about Vanellope ends up feeling like an unnecessary deus-ex-machina, and it ultimately muddles what seemed to be the main message of the film of accepting outcasts for who they are, which Ralph proudly proclaims in the end ("there's no one I'd rather be than me"). Unfortunately, in order to be accepted and "win" her place, Vanellope is forced to become someone else which feels like a betrayal.

Grade: 3


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2188936#post2188936)

loved this movie

[pahaK]

Blood Vessel (2019)
1.5
This Ozzie horror begins like a joke, "American, Brit, Ozzie and Russian are on a lifeboat... " It looks okay for a modern B-movie, but otherwise it's just bad. Probably the most original idea in the film is to bring Die Hard's bare-footed joke to WW2 horror.

[Wooley]

The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952) 4.5 8.5/10
https://footeandfriendsonfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/The-Quiet-Man-IV.jpg
Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne wave goodbye to all their friends in Ireland in this sparkling romantic comedy.



I love this movie.

[mark f]

I've loved everything about it since I first saw it at UC Irvine in 1976. The audience laughed so hard I couldn't make out many of the funniest lines. Of course, it's only grown better each year since I watch it at least once a year, and it also looks and sounds more beautiful now than when I originally saw it.

[Marco]

Triangle (2009)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Triangle_%28Christopher_Smith%29.jpg
Following a few recs on here (thanks guys) I searched this one out.

Damn, its good! Eerie and well thought out.

4

[Thief]

You see, poor people who are nice were really rich people all along!!

Ugh, don't get me started. I mean, it was baffling because the revelation was ultimately unnecessary and pointless...


I mean, she had already managed to control her glitch, she had won the race, King Candy was defeated... why did they have to come up with that? It kinda reminded me of Allison in The Breakfast Club or *sigh* Rey in Rise of the Skywalker. But anyway, if the overall film weren't so much fun and clever, I would've been more harsh, but that certainly took it down a notch for me.

[Takoma11]

Ugh, don't get me started. I mean, it was baffling because the revelation was ultimately unnecessary and pointless...


I mean, she had already managed to control her glitch, she had won the race, King Candy was defeated... why did they have to come up with that? It kinda reminded me of Allison in The Breakfast Club or *sigh* Rey in Rise of the Skywalker. But anyway, if the overall film weren't so much fun and clever, I would've been more harsh, but that certainly took it down a notch for me.


I think that there's this thing in pop culture that totally dates back to very very outdated notions about class/race/ethnicity that people who are good must actually belong to a certain demographic.

I think it's nuts that kids are still getting the message "maybe you were born a princess/the chosen one!" instead of something more like "Go out and make yourself a princess/the chosen one!".

[Wooley]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mondo-digital.com%2Fbutcherbakerblu3.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (aka Night Warning), 1981

...
I have heard this title before, but had always dismissed it as just another dopey 80s film with a 10/10 title that would probably be a 6/10 experience. Much to my surprise, I borderline loved this movie...

The film does a nice job of pushing this inappropriate intimacy in several scenes. And, wisely, it's mostly done as something that we the viewer notice, but does not register for the characters. Cheryl is constantly touching, kissing, or holding onto Billy. And while he does not reciprocate, he does not pull away from the attention--it is his normal. In one sequence Billy and Cheryl argue . . . as Billy stands naked in front of the shower. The whole thing lends an uncomfortable air, and it is interesting to see a younger male character on the receiving end of the more exploitative portrayal...

This is my favorite kind of horror film, something along the lines of Brain Damage, where you have an over the top story (with many MANY elements that, on paper, would sound ridiculous) that still manages to retain a human element. I cared about Billy, Julie, and coach Landers. And the more the film piled on absurdities and improbabilities, the more interested I was in seeing them through the storm.

So, yeah, this is my kind of film. I'm sure someone somewhere has complaints about this movie, but I dug it from opening credits to ending credits. It is over the top and full of ridiculous 80s-style bloodletting with decapitated heads and severed limbs and more blood splatter than you can shake a stick at, but all with a beating human heart at the center. It's blatant condemnation of homophobia--especially within the horror genre--feels ahead of its time. Highly recommended, especially for horror fans.

4.5

Color me intrigued.

[Books and bumrolls]

I watched Father of the Bride (1950) on dvd. I enjoyed it. It was a charming and pleasant film. Spencer Tracy did a good job and Elizabeth Taylor looked beautiful. My rating is a 4.
So very strange that i haven't seen it, it goes right to my list. Thanks for the reminder, i love Spencer Tracy

[matt72582]

The Caine Mutiny - 7.5/10
3rd watch.. First hour is very slow. One of my favorite scenes is when Queeg (Bogart) asks for help, but gets none. By the time I finish it, I feel more for Queeg, mostly thanks to that one scene (and the conversation about it afterwards), but also the end. It seems the movie wanted you to be against Queeg initially, but then emphasize with him. I do love how Queeg comes into all this, which begs the question -- an officer can't be too lax, but he also can't be too strict. I love finding that line, and the disparity, cause and effect.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/Mutiny_0.jpg

[matt72582]

I've loved everything about it since I first saw it at UC Irvine in 1976. The audience laughed so hard I couldn't make out many of the funniest lines. Of course, it's only grown better each year since I watch it at least once a year, and it also looks and sounds more beautiful now than when I originally saw it.


Which movie?

[mark f]

The Quiet Man

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://bingeddata.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/12/on-borrowed-time-3.jpg

On Borrowed Time - This 1939 fantasy/drama is a bit of a two hankie movie. Lionel Barrymore plays Julian Northrup, the grandfather of recently orphaned Pud (Bobs Watson). He and his wife Nellie (Beulah Bondi) have taken in the little boy after death personified Mr. Brink (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) hitches a ride with his mother and father. There's also Demetria Riffle, (a very effective Eily Malyon) his villainous spinster aunt who's after the generous trust fund that was left to Pud by his physician father. When Mr. Brink shows up to collect souls Julian tricks him into climbing his magical apple tree where he remains trapped until such time the old man should decide to free him. This leads to some interesting side commentary on the pros and cons of not having the Grim Reaper around to balance the scales. The cast is uniformly excellent with Barrymore as the roguish old man who delights at thumbing his nose at propriety and the kid actor doing an especially fine job as his adoring grandson. It would have been easy for the kid's performance to cross the line into obnoxious but he manages to walk that fine line. Hardwicke is also especially memorable as the urbane and ultimately pitiless Brink. This could be considered melodrama but it acquits itself well and avoids being cloying.

rating_4

[GulfportDoc]

The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952) rating_4_5 8.5/10
https://footeandfriendsonfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/The-Quiet-Man-IV.jpg
Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne wave goodbye to all their friends in Ireland in this sparkling romantic comedy.

Wow, Mark. I don't think I've ever seen you rate a movie this high before, especially one that's traditional..;) But I agree with your rating. No weaknesses in this film. They simply don't make 'em like that anymore.

[GulfportDoc]

The Caine Mutiny - 7.5/10
3rd watch.. First hour is very slow. One of my favorite scenes is when Queeg (Bogart) asks for help, but gets none. By the time I finish it, I feel more for Queeg, mostly thanks to that one scene (and the conversation about it afterwards), but also the end. It seems the movie wanted you to be against Queeg initially, but then emphasize with him. I do love how Queeg comes into all this, which begs the question -- an officer can't be too lax, but he also can't be too strict. I love finding that line, and the disparity, cause and effect.
I was always fascinated by that movie ever since I saw it in the theater in 1954, and have re-watched it 4-5 times. It had a sensational effect on moviegoers then.

Few name actors in the '50s had the guts that Fred MacMurray did in playing a character who was such a heel and a coward. Just goes to show what a craftsman he was. I'm also surprised that the Edward Dmytryk picture didn't win any awards.

And Bogart was sensational as Queeg-- almost as crazy as his Fred C. Dobbs in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. I was so impressed with his character that I got a couple of ball bearings and used to imitate how he'd roll them around in his hand..:D [BTW "begs the question" or begging the question does not mean the same as, say, raising the question.]

[shahatboy]

rating_1 8MM 1999

nothing special,,I watched it only for Gandolifini.


https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTNiMzAxZGMtZGYwZi00NWVmLTgyNmYtMGIwZGJhNzE0NmJjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzkwMjQ5NzM@._V1_FMjpg_UY862_.jp g


rating_3 Destroyer 2018


https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODI4MTI2OTAyMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNjY3NDY1NjM@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg


1 Rememory (2017)

interesting premise ,,I cant say the same for the characters.


https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjE2YmFmZjUtYThhZS00YWVjLTg3N2MtMzg1Yjc2M2I0MzY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA4NjE0NjEy._V1_FMjpg_UX1131_.j pg


rating_3_5 rewatch


https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWU2YjdlN2ItNTk2OS00MzMwLTlhYjctNDI0MDI0NTQ3OWY0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzI1NzMxNzM@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


One of my favorite films,,makes me feel all warm,calm and good inside,,I love everything about it,,and Chris eigman
is very charismatic and captivating as usual.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.collider.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F03%2Fsorry-to-bother-you-tessa-thompson-lakeith-stanfield.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Sorry to Bother You, 2018

In an alternate-present, a man named Cassius (LaKeith Stanfield) gets a job at a telemarketing firm to help support himself and his artist girlfriend, Detroit (Tessa Thompson). On the advice of an older worker, Cassius begins using a "white voice" (voiced by David Cross) and suddenly encounters a lot of success. As Cassius begins to rise in the ranks, he is put in a hard place between financial success and the unionization attempts of some of his co-workers (Jermaine Fowler and Steven Yeun).

I am so glad that I didn't know much about this film (aside from some positive word of mouth from trusted friends) going into it. The entire world of the movie is a heightened version of our own world, and I loved the exaggerations--both small and large--of aspects of our culture. We frequently see clips of a popular TV show, "I Had the Sh*t Beat Out of Me", in which contestants are simply assaulted for the enjoyment of the audience. One of the best aspects of the film is the way that some of these gags that seem as if they are throwaway jokes eventually come to play an important part of the plot.

It would be easy to assume, especially based on the plot summary, that the only commentary happening in this film is racial. And while it is true that race is an essential part of the plot, the overarching critique is actually based on class and the dynamic between citizens, workers, large corporations, and the government. At one point Cassius attends a party thrown by the company's founder. After an encounter with the party-goers (which I will not spoil, but which is certainly one of the funniest and most depressing moments of the film) leaves Cassius in despair, a fellow employee tells him, "There's no use being sad about what should be. We only have to take what we can with what is." The problem is not that Cassius can't be successful--it's about what he has to do and who he has to be to achieve that success.

The performances across the board are incredibly strong. Stanfield anchors the film as a man who is under pressure from all sides. We feel his anxiety over what he must do at work, but we also understand the allure of financial success. Thompson is strong as his girlfriend, Detroit, a woman who considers herself an activist and yet must pander to a wealthy white audience. I have also never really seen much of Steven Yeun, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover just how charismatic he is as a performer. I'd also give a nod to Omari Hardwick, as one of the other "high rollers" in the company who takes Cassius under his wing.

This is a film that is bold and weird. So often I didn't anticipate what was coming next, and that was really delightful. Broad cultural critiques can be hard, and I felt that the film really walked the line between telling a personal story and a larger one about social issues. I'm not entirely sure it stuck the landing, but it was a heck of a ride. This is the kind of film that makes you want to be sure you know when the creator's next film hits the theater.

4

[Thief]

Sorry to Bother You, 2018

This is a film that is bold and weird. So often I didn't anticipate what was coming next, and that was really delightful. Broad cultural critiques can be hard, and I felt that the film really walked the line between telling a personal story and a larger one about social issues. I'm not entirely sure it stuck the landing, but it was a heck of a ride. This is the kind of film that makes you want to be sure you know when the creator's next film hits the theater.

4

Yep. I pretty much agree with this. Crazy to think that it was Riley's first film.

[Takoma11]

Yep. I pretty much agree with this. Crazy to think that it was Riley's first film.

And that he has nothing in production right now!!

I mean, don't get me wrong. I don't want people making movies just because. But the film's voice was SO distinct and different.

[Fabulous]

Lord of the Flies (1963)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/chEIFJpFS8D6srbptxrgm1ebtWT.jpg

[xSookieStackhouse]

Mamma Mia (2008) 8/10 good movie with amazing music and great casting <3
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a6/MammaMiaTeaserPoster.JPG/220px-MammaMiaTeaserPoster.JPG

[gbgoodies]

Mamma Mia (2008) 8/10 good movie with amazing music and great casting <3
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a6/MammaMiaTeaserPoster.JPG/220px-MammaMiaTeaserPoster.JPG


I love Mamma Mia!, but the sequel wasn't very good.

[xSookieStackhouse]

I love Mamma Mia!, but the sequel wasn't very good.

i havent seen the 2nd one yet D=

[this_is_the_ girl]

https://th.bing.com/th/id/Reaf1770ef3f0a36a97b5afbe20739bb5?rik=RUJ5jX6YPP5iwA&pid=ImgRaw
Onibaba (1964, Kaneto Shindô)
4.5
While this film is described as horror, there really isn't much actual horror in it - I saw it more as a medieval folk fairy tale that utilizes the fantasy horror element as a metaphorical subtext in its exploration of the themes of family relations, lust, jealousy and human passions in general (a short version of it would have fit right in on something like Kwaidan). It takes a while to get really going but it gets better and better as the story unfolds, building up to a crescendo at the end. This is not horror for horror's sake, but horror used brilliantly to tell a story and create an atmosphere.

[Nux]

https://movieassetsdigital.sgp1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumb/6a09e6fd3a42cc28a33bdd4a4fb6e84de6b35f8e
3.5

https://www.podnapisi.net/thumbnails/moviedb/normal/9c/92/2d/2f/b8/36/f917bba064d4f5120356/rQ.jpg
3

https://www.uwatchfree.mu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Happy-Together-1997.jpg
4

https://china-underground.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/1970/01/yQUjZTzwgskqOJdr3jhwQ4yTkvb-200x300.jpg
4.5

https://deepfocusreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/in-the-mood-for-love-poster.jpg
4

[xSookieStackhouse]

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) 10/10 loved this movie and great casting <3
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/07/HowToLoseAGuyimp.jpg

[Thursday Next]

And Then We Danced (2019)

https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article20662323.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_AND-THEN-WE-DANCED.jpg

I don't think I have ever seen a Georgian film before and don't know much about Georgia as a country, so it was a really interesting film just from a cultural perspective. The story is a coming-of-age type story about a dedicated young dancer who is trying to make it into the main dance company, with a strict dance teacher, a job as a waiter, a feckless brother and no money - and then he develops feelings for his new dance rival which disturbs his focus. There is a lot of dancing, both in and outside of the dance company which added to the way the story was told. Altogether I thought it was a good film.

4

[Sedai]

Did some viewing with my daughter, who has just recently turned two...

Cinderella
Branagh, 2015

4

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59e512ddf43b55c29c71b996/1508700867495-QAZCIBY9QLX4RO39LABT/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kDsVye9PtWyCaNxc-alovawUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYxCRW4BPu10St3TBAUQYVKcmZWX4DIU9 dO0LRl7DyGeByG7RXgf__MqvVk-NH5XiiklnbVHc-tx1lQVELtZ1_Ku/cinderella-1024x652.jpg?format=1000w

This was much better than I thought it would be. I figured it would be yet another bland live-action retread of a classic animated film. For instance, I had attempted to watch the remake of Beauty and the Beast a couple of weeks ago, turning it off before the 10 minute mark. Anyway, my whole family just adored this movie. Sure, it doesn't do anything new with the material, but it really brought the whole thing to life, keeping the spark of magic alive from the original. This is a good thing, in my book. My daughter was mesmerized.


My Neighbor Totoro
Miyazaki, 1988

4_5

https://prod3.agileticketing.net/images/user/fsc_2553/fs_my_neighbor_totoro_800.jpg

What a wonderful film. I had gone through Miyazaki's stuff back in the late 90s, and I don't recall this making much of an impression at the time. I was a much different person at that time, much preferring stuff like Perfect Blue and Ghost in the Shell. I am always amazed at Miyazaki's ability to keep his art clean and vibrant while also maintaining an incredible level of detail and density. My daughter just loved this, and had a big smile on her face every time Totoro would appear.


Spirited Away
Miyazaki, 2001

3_5

https://i1.wp.com/thespool.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/0_S6BD6E2-IldA21J-.jpg?resize=1024%2C577&ssl=1

This one has a lot going for it, as well, but I do feel like some of this went over my head as far as the cultural references etc. The art was superb, and the score was fantastic, but I didn't find it as charming as Totoro. I will probably watch this one again fairly soon, to see if it lands a bit better for me. I understand that many feel this is one of Miyazaki's best, or perhaps his best film, but after seeing it once, I would rank it in the middle of the pack. Of course, that is still better than many films of its ilk, and probably falls more on my ignorance of Japanese culture as a whole, as opposed to some fault of the film.

[LChimp]

https://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/alone-movie-poster.png

Pretty good, considering the budget.

[Thief]

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET
(2018, Moore & Johnston)

https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ralph_breaks_the_internet_easter_eggs.jpg?resize=768%2C432


"All friendships change. But the good ones, they get stronger because of it."



In Ralph Breaks the Internet, our characters have to deal with two fears. Vanellope is burdened by the monotony and routine of her game, while Ralph is afraid of losing her. When the Sugar Rush game is broken, they both decide to use the newly plugged-WiFi router to get into the vastness of the Internet to find the broken part. As a result, they end up exploring the world beyond their arcade.

You gotta hand it to directors Moore and Johnston, and co-writer Pamela Ribon. Like the original film, they find immensely clever ways to build this imaginary world and how the characters interact with them. I particularly enjoyed their integrations of the "search bar", eBay, YouTube, and online ads and pop-ups. The creativity with which these technologies are integrated into the story is amazing, most of which happens during the first half of the film.

Grade: 3


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2189222#post2189222)

[Stirchley]

75075

Re-watch. Still a classic after all these years.

[Torgo]

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence - 4

While not the classic the first movie is, the sequel is still a worthy follow-up. A tale that is as much about feminism as it is transhumanism, it follows lone wolf and dog lover Batou and fabulously coiffed family man Togusa as they find out why a line of mechanical geishas are killing their owners. Their investigation culminates in a showdown at the headquarters of Locus Solus, the geishas' manufacturer, which is so trippy and mind-bending that I honestly thought something was wrong with my disc. This might just be a way of saying that I really enjoyed it, but this sequence could have lasted a bit longer and had more room to breathe. Also, even though the philosophical discussion is one of my favorite things about Ghost in the Shell, some conversations border on parody in that they’re just series of trading quotations. The movie still has the trademarks of the anime franchise that made it one of my favorites, i.e. exciting action, though-provoking debate and spectacular visuals, the latter of which combines CGI and hand-drawn animation and looks so good that the movie might as well have come out this year rather than 2004.

[matt72582]

I was always fascinated by that movie ever since I saw it in the theater in 1954, and have re-watched it 4-5 times. It had a sensational effect on moviegoers then.

Few name actors in the '50s had the guts that Fred MacMurray did in playing a character who was such a heel and a coward. Just goes to show what a craftsman he was. I'm also surprised that the Edward Dmytryk picture didn't win any awards.

And Bogart was sensational as Queeg-- almost as crazy as his Fred C. Dobbs in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. I was so impressed with his character that I got a couple of ball bearings and used to imitate how he'd roll them around in his hand..:D [BTW "begs the question" or begging the question does not mean the same as, say, raising the question.]


Before the movie, it mentioned how Dmytryk wanted to make it almost 4 hours long, and I wonder how it would have been. I think a main reason I watched it was because I told my parents to see it, and they did. My mom liked it, my dad seemed to dislike it only because he was against the mutiny, and told me about his time on a (civilian) ship.



I think it's Bogart's best, as well as "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (in my Top 10) because unlike most of his other movies, he's not smooth and "perfect" in this one... My favorite scene of this movie was when he asked the guys for help, and no one said a thing.

His facial mannerisms were great, too. His eyes, how they moved around, even the quiver of his lip at times, his speech.. He died only a couple of years after this, and I always have the "what ifs", wondering what movies he could have done, and if his acting would change. It was cool to see Mitchum being able to transition into the character in say "Friends of Eddie Coyle", where the 70s didn't shy away from the more taboo stuff. I just laughed inside at the thought of Bogart as "Dirty Harry", or just saying the word, "m-o-t-h-e-r-f-u-c-k-e-r" for example.



I read somewhere that the book and movie influenced the 25th amendment.

[matt72582]

David and Lisa - 9/10 (original score)


This was on TCM, and I had seen it before, so I "kinda" watched it again. I did do a few things online, thinking it wasn't a big deal since I saw it before. I'm a little surprised of the high score, but when I rated this, I could have been in a drought, or in a certain mood, but I didn't want to rate it today, since it was just something to do... A big part of me posting this is for people to remember this, talk about it, or to check it out, since TCM usually have movies on for a while (on-demand) after showing it live.


This was made right after "A Child Is Waiting" (Cassavetes) which I gave a 10/10, one of my favorites.. Burt Lancaster is the male lead, but the movie seemed to be made for Judy Garland, whose vulnerability is perfect for the movie.


Seems like every movie made in the 60s has a mention of Freud.. I watched a movie about a black family, and the 17-year old protagonist even says (in a cool way), "I've read Freud"



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/ff/David_and_LisaB.jpg

[Gideon58]

https://posterspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Pieces-of-a-Woman-HIGHRES-1500x1875.jpg



4

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/mast_image_landscape/public/mastimages/8cd344b36771344ee508bfd5771d7d70.jpg?itok=bGuMUkxC

Anatomy of a Murder - 1959 courtroom drama that, owing to it's two hours and forty minute long runtime, is meticulously detailed in it's depiction of a murder trial in a small, upper peninsula Michigan, army base town. Lt. Frederick Manion (Ben Gazzara) is accused of shooting and killing the man who raped his wife Laura (Lee Remick). She's a beautiful, bored and flirtatious young housewife who may or may not have known the victim well. Enter ex-DA Paul Biegler, (Jimmy Stewart), now reduced to a private practice. Laura Manion begs him (in her own fashion) to take on her husband's case. With the help of old friend, boozy attorney Parnell Emmett McCarthy (Arthur O'Connell) and loyal secretary Maida (Eve Arden) Biegler takes on the thorny, ambiguous case.

The courtroom proceedings take up most of the film and director Otto Preminger never lets the momentum flag. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it couldn't have done with some judicious editing here and there. George C. Scott also turns up eventually as Claude Dancer, a prosecutor from the State Attorney General's office and he and Stewart's character are responsible for most of the films captivating, tension filled moments. I did wonder though how this film was even allowed to be made and released in 1959 given it's methodical breakdown of the actual act and it's numerous references to rape. This is a very sober and grown up sort of picture and one that simply doesn't jibe with Eisenhower era mores.

The cast is first rate with Gazzara and Remick simultaneously upfront and restrained in suggesting that the Manions aren't your typical young couple. Scott and Arden also do a fine job in their supporting roles and all four actors are so proficient in their work that IMO Stewart as star and protagonist is left with not much to do but Jimmy Stewart it up. There's an outstanding soundtrack by Duke Ellington who makes a cameo as, you guessed it, a musician. Oh and lastly, you also get to see Floyd the Barber say the word "sperm" several times.

rating_4

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-WqM2FATFXrk%2FUgNfCqMlpnI%2FAAAAAAAAAKU%2Fpzm21px62yA%2Fs1600%2FDSCN2144.JPG&f=1&nofb=1

The Grissom Gang, 1971

Heiress Barbara Blandish (Kim Darby) is kidnapped by the Grissom Gang, led by the brutal Ma Grissom (Irene Dailey), who intend to ransom Blandish but then kill her so that she cannot inform on them. Things get complicated when the simple-minded Slim (Scott Wilson) falls in love with Barbara and comes into conflict with his family, especially the ambitious Eddie (Tony Musante).

Sometimes I get a film from Netflix and I just wonder . . . how did this end up in my queue? I see that the film has some buzz as one of those "best films you've never heard of", but it really didn't do much for me.

To begin with the positive, the film does a good job of portraying the unhealthy family dynamics of the gang. The family are totally ruthless, and they often feel more like a pack of predatory animals than people. Eddie in particular comes across as a particularly calculating sociopath. Slim isn't that bright, but he can be just as brutal as the rest of the family, and it makes the character--who spends a lot of time whining and crying and fussing--uncomfortably dangerous. His attentions toward Barbara are gross, and her disgust at having to capitulate to his desires because he is the closest thing she has to an ally is palpable.

The film also does a decent job at portraying some of the contradictions of people who would act this way. They believe that they deserve the money, case closed. In one scene, Eddie says that he intends to go upstairs and rape Barbara, to which another member of the gang protests, "She's just a kid." And yet this man doesn't blink at the plan to kill Barbara once they have the money. It really is a case of a group of people creating their own code of morals.

Unfortunately, there isn't enough going on to justify the long running time. There are a lot of story elements being juggled, and even the best developed ones don't feel totally baked. For example, Slim coerces Barbara--who has also been brutally beaten up--into sex in exchange for protecting her. At some point in the film they imply that she has developed some real feelings for him, but we don't see this during their interactions. In fact, Barbara is given very little to do aside from gasping in disbelief at the cruelty of the Grissoms and screaming in terror. Barbara is pretty under-developed as a character. She's an entitled rich girl and she doesn't like being kidnapped. That's about it. She isn't strong enough (in a nice way or a villainous way) to make much of an impression. Her entire journey through the film is very passive, and the interactions with the other characters don't generate much spark.

I also felt myself underwhelmed with the time-consuming subplot about the detectives trying to track down Barbara. They were all incredibly unmemorable, and the scenes involving a showgirl named Anna (Connie Stevens) who may have information about the kidnapping just feel sort of . . . blah. Anna is blond! And kind of dumb! As a whole the characters lack development and it becomes more of a problem as the film throws more and more of them on stage.

Also, and I know this might sound weird, but whatever make-up effect they used to try and make it look like everyone was sweaty was so bad. Everyone looks like they've just been sprayed with oil and from a visual point of view it makes the film kind of gross to look at.

The desire to know how it would all end kept me watching, but on the whole this was a let-down.

2.5

[GulfportDoc]

75110
The Underworld Story (1950)

This is a nicely written screenplay by Henry Blankfort, starring Dan Duryea in one of his finest portrayals. Also starting is the perky Gale Storm, and the durable Herbert Marshall. Mary Anderson plays a black woman who is falsely accused of murder. Anderson does not remotely look black, but she turns in a good performance protesting her innocence, and refusing to buckle under to a scheming attorney and a greedy reporter. Howard Da Silva shines as a mobster boss.

Duryea plays a big city reporter --ala Ace in the Hole-- whose lust for a juicy story causes a crime which benefits a local mob king. He’s subsequently blacklisted from big city newspapers, so he repairs to a small town where he buys his way into an editorship of the local paper owned by Storm, while trying to stir up headlines by hook or by crook. He seizes on the local murder as an opportunity for big sales, and to further his career. We learn early on that the murder is actually committed by a local wealthy man’s (Marshall) son, and the son tries to frame Anderson.

Midway through Duryea’s hawking of Anderson’s guilt, he has a change of heart, and works to establish her innocence. He made a career out of playing heels and creeps, but here he carries the picture with a full palette of emotions ranging from cheap schemer to good guy.

Interestingly, despite it’s title, the picture has little to do with the underworld, and it really isn’t a film noir, although it’s sometimes billed that way. The movie was somewhat dissed by reviewers at its release due to its negative portrayal of newspapermen. It has gained stature since then as a timely well written, well acted drama.

Doc’s rating: 7/10

[ThatDarnMKS]

Another Round

It's close to perfect. It tightropes the tonal line between drama and comedy and turns what could've easily been an after-school special on the dangers of alcohol into something that is multidimensional, introspective and authentic.

It also has the best ending I've seen in a very long time.

Perhaps my favorite film and performance of 2020.

5

[Fabulous]

Overboard (1987)

2

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/yo9rdfwzGuvaoCyUHmeeQhGMu9D.jpg

[GulfportDoc]

Anatomy of a Murder - 1959 courtroom drama that, owing to it's two hours and forty minute long runtime, is meticulously detailed in it's depiction of a murder trial in a small, upper peninsula Michigan, army base town. Lt. Frederick Manion (Ben Gazzara) is accused of shooting and killing the man who raped his wife Laura (Lee Remick). She's a beautiful, bored and flirtatious young housewife who may or may not have known the victim well. Enter ex-DA Paul Biegler, (Jimmy Stewart), now reduced to a private practice. Laura Manion begs him (in her own fashion) to take on her husband's case. With the help of old friend, boozy attorney Parnell Emmett McCarthy (Arthur O'Connell) and loyal secretary Maida (Eve Arden) Biegler takes on the thorny, ambiguous case.

The courtroom proceedings take up most of the film and director Otto Preminger never lets the momentum flag. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it couldn't have done with some judicious editing here and there. George C. Scott also turns up eventually as Claude Dancer, a prosecutor from the State Attorney General's office and he and Stewart's character are responsible for most of the films captivating, tension filled moments. I did wonder though how this film was even allowed to be made and released in 1959 given it's methodical breakdown of the actual act and it's numerous references to rape. This is a very sober and grown up sort of picture and one that simply doesn't jibe with Eisenhower era mores.

The cast is first rate with Gazzara and Remick simultaneously upfront and restrained in suggesting that the Manions aren't your typical young couple. Scott and Arden also do a fine job in their supporting roles and all four actors are so proficient in their work that IMO Stewart as star and protagonist is left with not much to do but Jimmy Stewart it up. There's an outstanding soundtrack by Duke Ellington who makes a cameo as, you guessed it, a musician. Oh and lastly, you also get to see Floyd the Barber say the word "sperm" several times.

rating_4
Both thumbs way up for this one. It's probably my favorite Jimmy Stewart role, and everyone in the cast was perfect. I'm a big Eve Arden fan, and I love her supercilious and wisecracking asides. And Lee Remick... wow!

This film put George C. Scott on the map. Then he followed it up with a great performance in The Hustler in 1961, and he was off to the races.

It was interesting that they used a real U.S. Senator to play the judge. He had no acting experience, but he was perfect. His "panties" admonitions were memorable..:) I still think it's one of the best courtroom drama movies ever made.

[Thief]

Another Round

It's close to perfect. It tightropes the tonal line between drama and comedy and turns what could've easily been an after-school special on the dangers of alcohol into something that is multidimensional, introspective and authentic.

It also has the best ending I've seen in a very long time.

Perhaps my favorite film and performance of 2020.

5

I've been reading nothing but great things about that film. I've gone a bit overboard with the "freebies" on my challenge this month :laugh: so I don't know if I can make time for it, but I'll see if I can sneak it in early April (hope Hulu doesn't sack it before the Oscars!)

[Thief]

Both thumbs way up for this one. It's probably my favorite Jimmy Stewart role, and everyone in the cast was perfect. I'm a big Eve Arden fan, and I love her supercilious and wisecracking asides. And Lee Remick... wow!

This film put George C. Scott on the map. Then he followed it up with a great performance in The Hustler in 1961, and he was off to the races.

It was interesting that they used a real U.S. Senator to play the judge. He had no acting experience, but he was perfect. His "panties" admonitions were memorable..:) I still think it's one of the best courtroom drama movies ever made.

Pretty darn good film. Wrote something about it back when I saw it (read it here (https://letterboxd.com/thief12/film/anatomy-of-a-murder/)).

[Pippo]

Overboard (1987)

rating_2

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/yo9rdfwzGuvaoCyUHmeeQhGMu9D.jpg




:(

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fchrishallamworldview.files.wordpress.com%2F2021%2F03%2Fmoxie-1024x587-1.jpg%3Fw%3D1024&f=1&nofb=1

Moxie, 2021

Vivian (Hadley Robinson) lives a subdued life with her mother (Amy Poehler, who also directs). The arrival of a new student named Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Pena) shakes things up, especially when Lucy begins calling out the rampant sexism at the school. Inspired by her mother's past, Vivian begins an anonymous zine called Moxie. But as Vivian and other girls in the school push back against sexism, they go up against the administration and, at times, each other.

This was a fun little flick, and it did a much better job of exploring its ideas than I expected. If anything, the film takes on more than what can reasonably fit into one film. Intersectional feminism is incredibly important, and the film strains at the seams trying to tell a lot of stories. I appreciated that the film wanted to acknowledge multiple points of view. We get a look at Vivian's best friend's (Lauren Tsai) home life, and the way that she doesn't feel she has the same freedom as her white, "fully American" friends.

The film also takes time to acknowledge the struggles of men who want to be allies to their female classmates. Seth (Nico Hiraga) is a good friend to Vivian and he unabashedly supports the girls of Moxie. But when Vivian becomes upset at the way that she and her friends are constantly pushed down in their efforts, she vents her anger at every male in range, including Seth and her mother's soft-spoken boyfriend (Clark Gregg). In this moment, Seth can't win. It's a nice moment because you feel for Vivian, and yet Seth doesn't deserve to be treated the way that Vivian does. Part of what Vivian has to figure out is how to accept help and support and not see men as a unilateral enemy.

There are several moments in the film that are well-observed, ranging from large to small moments. As a former high school and college athlete, I really felt the criticism about how boys' sports teams (and especially football) reap all of the support and money, even when they are far less successful than their female counterparts. This is something I see in my own community (including a student whose boyfriend wanted her to skip an important soccer game so that she could come cheer for him . . . at his practice). It includes the way that school administrators will play interference for popular students, while at the same time aggressively enforcing policies against others when it suits them. There are boys who show up to my school in Hooters shirts, while girls are constantly asked if the straps on their shirts follow the 3-finger rule.

The performances all range from good to pretty good, and I found the core group of girls (and Seth!) to be very likable. Patrick Schwarzenegger is perfectly smarmy as lead antagonist Mitchell, the star football player.

The negatives to the film are very predictable in this kind of girl-power comedy/drama. The film wants to swing big, and that means that characters often take dramatic actions or have changes of heart that don't feel totally earned. For example, the only teacher we really see in the school is Mr. Davies (Ike Barinholtz). In a very funny and on-point sequence, he and Mitchell fanboy over The Great Gatsby to the exclusion of the other people in the room. But later in the film, Davies shows support for the Moxie girls. But . . . why? We have seen zero awareness from this character, and he has even nodded along when Mitchell accused the Moxie girls of "bullying" him. So from whence comes the change of heart?

Likewise, there are several subplots that, due to time, do not get the depth they really need. Two of the girls in Moxie are gay, and yet this is literally revealed almost as a throwaway. The intersection between feminism and LGBTQ+ activism can be fraught and yet the film just sort of nudges it into the corner. Even a subplot about Vivian's mom starting to date again feels like it needed a fair more screen time to have narrative coherence with the rest of what happens in the movie.

This is a film that tries to take on a lot more than it can handle. I appreciate its effort to be inclusive, even if the number of characters and subplots threaten to overrun its sub-two hour runtime. I liked its messages about solidarity and the different version of allyship, and how easy it is to accept the way things are. At times its messages come off a bit cliche and surface level, but I think its heart is in the right place.

3.5

[Wooley]

75075

Re-watch. Still a classic after all these years.

Yup.
If anyone ever doubted Jane Fonda as an actress, this should clear that right up.

[Wooley]

https://theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/styles/mast_image_landscape/public/mastimages/8cd344b36771344ee508bfd5771d7d70.jpg?itok=bGuMUkxC

Anatomy of a Murder - 1959 courtroom drama that, owing to it's two hours and forty minute long runtime, is meticulously detailed in it's depiction of a murder trial in a small, upper peninsula Michigan, army base town. Lt. Frederick Manion (Ben Gazzara) is accused of shooting and killing the man who raped his wife Laura (Lee Remick). She's a beautiful, bored and flirtatious young housewife who may or may not have known the victim well. Enter ex-DA Paul Biegler, (Jimmy Stewart), now reduced to a private practice. Laura Manion begs him (in her own fashion) to take on her husband's case. With the help of old friend, boozy attorney Parnell Emmett McCarthy (Arthur O'Connell) and loyal secretary Maida (Eve Arden) Biegler takes on the thorny, ambiguous case.

The courtroom proceedings take up most of the film and director Otto Preminger never lets the momentum flag. But that doesn't necessarily mean that it couldn't have done with some judicious editing here and there. George C. Scott also turns up eventually as Claude Dancer, a prosecutor from the State Attorney General's office and he and Stewart's character are responsible for most of the films captivating, tension filled moments. I did wonder though how this film was even allowed to be made and released in 1959 given it's methodical breakdown of the actual act and it's numerous references to rape. This is a very sober and grown up sort of picture and one that simply doesn't jibe with Eisenhower era mores.

The cast is first rate with Gazzara and Remick simultaneously upfront and restrained in suggesting that the Manions aren't your typical young couple. Scott and Arden also do a fine job in their supporting roles and all four actors are so proficient in their work that IMO Stewart as star and protagonist is left with not much to do but Jimmy Stewart it up. There's an outstanding soundtrack by Duke Ellington who makes a cameo as, you guessed it, a musician. Oh and lastly, you also get to see Floyd the Barber say the word "sperm" several times.

rating_4

Yeah, I thought this movie had an intensity that really surprised me. Remick especially but also Gazzara really excel in this picture.

[Wooley]

... I'm a big Eve Arden fan, and I love her supercilious and wisecracking asides.

Ok, this was not a thing I ever expected to share with anybody else but... cheers!

[WHITBISSELL!]

Yeah, I thought this movie had an intensity that really surprised me. Remick especially but also Gazzara really excel in this picture.They're my favorite part in this movie. Gazzara with his carved ivory cigarette holder and Remick with her intrinsic flirtatious nature. Their performances allows the viewer to fill in the blanks. Do they have an open marriage? Some sort of cuckold foreplay thing? I like how it doesn't bother to try and explain it away. An unapologetic and levelheaded tale. Definitely ahead of it's time.

[mojofilter]

https://mycima.life/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/tt0332047--694x1024.jpg
FEVER PITCH
(2005)

First viewing. I've known of this film for years but never really had an interest in watching it. I found it on Prime recently and thought, "What the heck?" I like Jimmy Fallon and I've always thought Drew Barrymore was cute, and their chemistry in this light romantic comedy was very good. I was also surprised to find that the makers of the film are the Farrelly brothers of Dumb & Dumber and There's Something About Mary fame, a tidbit I didn't realize. Not the best of its genre but an enjoyable watch nonetheless.

3

[xSookieStackhouse]

Overboard (1987)

2

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/yo9rdfwzGuvaoCyUHmeeQhGMu9D.jpg

THERES A REMAKE OF OVERBOARD (2018). DONT WATCH IT ITS NOT THAT GOOD :D
oops caps on didnt mean to yell lol

[StuSmallz]

I did wonder though how this film was even allowed to be made and released in 1959 given it's methodical breakdown of the actual act and it's numerous references to rape. This is a very sober and grown up sort of picture and one that simply doesn't jibe with Eisenhower era mores.Yeah, but it's isolated (though significant) examples like Anatomy that lead to the breakdown of Hays Code censorship on Hollywood during that era, along with others like Psycho & Some Like It Hot (I kid you not about the latter), which eventually lead to the rating system in the 60's. Anyway, as far as legal dramas go, the movie itself is basically just an extended episode of Law & Order in cinematic form, but it was a good "episode" anyway, so I ended up liking it regardless.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Enchanted (2007) 9/10 amazing cast and music <3
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2a/Enchantedposter.jpg

[chawhee]

Love and Monsters (2020)
https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w780/lA5fOBqTOQBQ1s9lEYYPmNXoYLi.jpg
3
A poor man's Zombieland in my eyes...it never charmed me, but the world itself was pretty cool. It doesn't dive too heavily into any genre (comedy, action, romance, etc), and everything was just okay.

[ThatDarnMKS]

I've been reading nothing but great things about that film. I've gone a bit overboard with the "freebies" on my challenge this month :laugh: so I don't know if I can make time for it, but I'll see if I can sneak it in early April (hope Hulu doesn't sack it before the Oscars!)
Its worth going more overboard.

[Captain Terror]

Throne of Blood, yall.
Holy jeez :eek:

4.5

[SpelingError]

Throne of Blood, yall.
Holy jeez :eek:

4.5
I didn't give it nearly enough credit when I first watched it, but I've warmed up to it by a lot.

Ona a side note, if you're currently in a Kurosawa binge, you should watch Yojimbo next.

[Captain Terror]

Ona a side note, if you're currently in a Kurosawa binge you should watch Yojimbo next.

Thanks, but my not-quite-OCD brain has decided I must go chronologically. This rule can not be broken, I'm afraid. :shifty:

[SpelingError]

Thanks, but my not-quite-OCD brain has decided I must go chronologically. This rule can not be broken, I'm afraid. :shifty:
Fair. For what it's worth, The Hidden Fortress would probably be my second rec.

[Thief]

Throne of Blood, yall.
Holy jeez :eek:

4.5

Probably my favorite Kurosawa so far (Only seen 4). That might change when I watch Ran in the next weeks. Who knows.

[Captain Terror]

The Hidden Fortress would probably be my second rec.

That one is on deck for Wednesday. Looking forward to it.

[DocHoliday]

Yojimbo is one of the few Kurosawa's films that I didn't really care for. I'm not at all discouraging anyone from seeing it, I just didn't personally care fof it.

The one Kurosawa film that isn't talked about enough is High and Low. A great, great, great movie. IMO his third best film behind Seven Samurai and Rashomon.

[DocHoliday]

So, I watched A Woman Under the Influence yesterday. A 70s classic I had yet to see.

Wow! Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk both gave tour de force performances. Really, really spectacular acting from both. And of course, Cassavetes' direction was flawless.

10/10

[Marco]

75075

Re-watch. Still a classic after all these years.

Yeah, I thought it tapped into the suspicion of the era well. CAn't remember rating but wouldn't have been far different.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BN2VkNmY5OGItZDkwMi00MGQyLTgzNzAtOTk1MmU2NGZkZjRjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTY2NzQwMzU@._V1_.jpg



2

[Thief]

DOGTOOTH
(2009, Lanthimos)
A film from Greece

https://signsinspace.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/dogtooth-kids.png


"I hope your kids have bad influences and develop bad personalities. I wish this with all my heart."



Dogtooth follows a Greek couple (Christos Stergioglou and Michelle Valley) that keep their three "teenage" children isolated from the outside world. They live in an enclosed estate in the outskirts of the city, where the children are subjected to routines of exercise and bizarre language lessons (i.e. "shotgun" is a bird, "keyboard" is the vagina). Good behavior is rewarded with stickers or other meager benefits, and bad behavior with harsh violence.

Although the film is not graphically explicit or gory, Lanthimos succeeds in creating an exceedingly disturbing atmosphere in everything we see; from something as banal as the family dancing to something unsettling as the father paying a security guard at his job to have sex with his son (the fact that he invests in satisfying his son's sexual urges, but not the daughters, should tell you a bit of his frame of mind). The children are only allowed to watch home videos of themselves on the TV, while the parents secretly watch porn in their room. This is all natural to them, and yet there is nothing natural about what we see.

Grade: 4.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2189630#post2189630)

[mark f]

Juliet in Love (Wilson Yip, 2000) 2.5 5.5/10
Lenz (Alexandre Rockwell, 1982) 1.5 4/10
Hurricane Season (Tim Story, 2009) 2.5 6/10
Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan (Julien Temple, 2020) 3.5 7/10
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EpDi2uMUUAAGBZf.jpg
After his 60th birthday concert and celebration, MacGowan sits for an interview with the director, accompanied with home movies, concert footage and stock footage of the era.
Go, Johnny, Go! (Paul Landres, 1959) 2+ 5/10 About 15 minutes of essential song performances
Burying Old Alive (Kim Ki-young, 1963) 2.5 6/10
Trust (Brian DeCubellis, 2021) 2 5/10
Pastoral: To Die in the Country (Shûji Terayama, 1974) 2.5 6/10
http://filmint.nu/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Pastoral-2.png
Kantarō Suga seems a plaything in the hands of the director - both in the film and of the film.
A Moment of Innocence (Mohsen Makhmalbaf, 1996) 2.5 6/10
Curse of the Blind Dead (Raffaele Picchio, 2020) 1.5+ 4.5/10
Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets (Shûji Terayama, 1971) 2.5 6/10
David and Lisa (Frank Perry, 1962) 3.5- 7/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/1c172368b94b3479dac31ae756b45522/e58c58a6448eb469-22/s500x750/6862a82ced8a0ecee5d798a385ece862050846a1.gifv
Early depiction of mental illness is quite humane and poetic, with standout debut performances by the leads (Keir Dulles and Janet Margolin).
The World to Come (Mona Fastvold, 2020) 2.5 6/10
SAS: Red Notice (Magnus Martens, 2021) 2+ 5/10
Autumn Leaves (Robert Aldrich, 1956) 2.5 5.5/10
The Fifth Seal (Zoltán Fábri, 1976) 3 6.5/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/a755a1f69daf432ec5f8d420250696df/tumblr_ouydk7GSjD1s8iz6oo4_r1_400.gifvhttps://64.media.tumblr.com/8ec91bf53541680dcde698040bf4136d/tumblr_ouydk7GSjD1s8iz6oo7_r1_400.gifv
Budapest, WWII. While awaiting the Apocalypse, Freedom and the Devil are present, but not so much of the former.
The House (Sharunas Bartas, 1997) 2+ 5/10
Song of Norway (Andrew L. Stone, 1970) 2.5 6/10
Sacrilege (David Creed, 2020) 2- 5/10
Oleg (Juris Kursietis, 2019) 2.5+ 6/10
https://d1nslcd7m2225b.cloudfront.net/Pictures/480xany/0/2/6/1303026_oleg_254321.jpg
Latvian butcher Valentin Novopolskij gets a job in Brussels where he becomes the literal slave of Polish madman (Dawid Ogrodnik).

[ueno_station54]

Watching the Ann Arbour Film Fest rn so here's a list of shorts I just saw.

The Long Fall (Cade Mirabitur, 2021)
rating_3_5

Teatro Principle (Bryan Konefsky, 2020)
rating_1_5

Usambara Violet (Aman Wadhan, 2020)
rating_4

In the Hands of Puppets (Sarah & Charles, 2020)
rating_3

Kim Gordon: Earthquake (Loretta Fahrenholz & TRLLM, 2020)
rating_3

Lumen (Sarah Seene, 2019)
rating_3

Encounters in Light (Devin Jie Allen, 2020)
rating_4

Queen of Dots (Michael Lyons, 2020)
rating_4

Valpi (Richard Tuohy & Dianna Barrie, 2019)
rating_4

Stunting C*nts (Gina Kamentsky, 2020)
rating_4

[Wooley]

Throne of Blood, yall.
Holy jeez :eek:

4.5

Yup.

[Takoma11]

Yojimbo is one of the few Kurosawa's films that I didn't really care for. I'm not at all discouraging anyone from seeing it, I just didn't personally care fof it.

The one Kurosawa film that isn't talked about enough is High and Low. A great, great, great movie. IMO his third best film behind Seven Samurai and Rashomon.

High and Low is my favorite Kurosawa, tied with Seven Samurai.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic1.colliderimages.com%2Fwordpress%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F01%2Fmap-of-tiny-perfect-things-social-image.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, 2021

Mark (Kyle Allen) is a high school student trapped in a time loop, repeating the same day over and over. Devoting a lot of time to engineer a meet-cute with an attractive young woman, Mark is one day thrown off of his game by the appearance of Margaret (Kathryn Newton), another young person stuck in the time loop. Together they set out to discover all the delights their small town has to offer, all of the little "perfect moments".

Okay, who doesn't love a good Groundhog's Day retread? After all, the last few years have even seen some really fun twists on the trope, such as the winning rom-com Palm Springs or the horror take of Happy Death Day.

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things isn't a bad movie. But it also isn't a very good one either.

On the plus side, Allen and Newton are both perfectly amiable at the lead characters. These kinds of films offer ample opportunities for slickly choreographed routines in which the time-looping characters move with dancer-like ease, anticipating every moment and easily catching falling mugs, spinning out of the way of passing skateboarders, or knowing to the second when to reach for the toast. These sequences are fun because, well, of course they are.

But there is an unfocused element to the film. There is a great mystery about where Margaret goes every night after she hangs out with Mark. The film saves this reveal as a twist for the end of the film, but in my opinion it should have been front and center about halfway through the movie. The film wants to put the emotional weight of the story on Margaret, so why does it force us to sit around with Mark while he mopes about her for almost 80 minutes?

Nothing against Kyle Allen, who does a good job. But Allen is in his mid-20s and he REALLY looks it. This is not a teenager, this is an adult man. And, sorry, but he is also incredibly conventionally attractive and decently charismatic. So every time the film tries to tell us that Mark is a total nerd and has no luck with girls, like, no. Just no. He's a nice male model, and we are supposed to believe he can't get a date? This is maybe meant to offer an opportunity for character development, but Mark doesn't really grow as a character. He maybe gets a bit less selfish at the end, but the character lacks a compelling arc.

The film also spends way too much time on the (nonsense) "science" behind the time loop. I wouldn't mind a few throwaway sentences to explain things, but way too much dialogue is spent on character talking about the 4th dimension or singularities. The mechanics aren't what is important, so why give over so much run time?

Again, not a bad movie. But it's hard to recommend it when there is a far superior time-loop romance that just came out over a year ago.

3

[ueno_station54]

The second block of films:

Happy in the Gap (Lucas H. Rossi dos Santos, 2020)

Psychic Meat (Stephen Wardell, 2020)

Mercury's Retrograde (Zohar Dvir, 2020)

Another Horizon (Stephanie M. Barber, 2020)

-force- (Jenny MaryTai Liu & Simon Liu, 2020)

I'm Free Now, You Are Free (Ash Goh Hua, 2020)

Eidolon (Mike Rollo, 2020)

BUTTERFLY BIRTH BED (Virginia Lee Montgomery, 2020)

Everything was a rating_4, great block of programming.

[pahaK]

Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (1972)
aka Aguirre, the Wrath of God
3.5
Quite intense jungle adventure. It's sort of odd that it wasn't really that odd at all. The production itself must have been an adventure in itself. Maybe I should watch more Herzog.

[DocHoliday]

High and Low is my favorite Kurosawa, tied with Seven Samurai.

Same here. It's a terrific movie. One of the best detective films ever made, and I'm with you, it's my second favorite behind SS.

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/6f/Doorman_teaser_poster.jpg/220px-Doorman_teaser_poster.jpg

2

Snooze factor = Zzz



[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

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Fo2tvseriesz.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F03%2FSentinelle-2021Movie-Download.jpg%3Fresize%3D300%252C169%26ssl%3D1&f=1&nofb=1

Sentinelle, 2021

Klara (Olga Kurylenko) is a French soldier who returns home from a traumatizing experience in the middle east, where she is instead drafted into a domestic counter-terrorism military group. Klara is suffering from PTSD and drug addictions that she uses to cope with her trauma. Shortly after her return, she goes out clubbing with her sister, who is later found raped and beaten. Klara sets out to find the man/men who victimized her, which puts her in conflict with a powerful Russian millionaire.

This movie is just a very paint-by-the-numbers revenge action thriller. A family member is victimized and our protagonist uses their very special set of skills (sorry) to seek revenge.

On the positive side, the action is decent. In terms of believing that one person, and especially a more petite woman, could take out several hulking male antagonists, the film is wise to choose settings (like a compact bathroom) and styles (a lot of dudes get kicked in the crotch) that make her success believable enough.

On the other hand, the film's action lands in a strange middle ground between realism and total unbelievability. This is the kind of film where someone can take several damaging blows to their head and be in good fighting shape the next day not, you know, throwing up and passing out from multiple concussions. At times it makes it hard to know how concerned to be when, say, someone is stabbed in the gut. Like, is this a movie where that is fatal? Or is this a movie where that's just something that happens and they'll be alright in like an hour?

My main complaint had to do with the whole set up. What kind of person goes to a club with another woman and just leaves her there alone?! The film has Klara leave her sister in order to go hook up (and conveniently provide the film with a racy lesbian sex scene) and I found this really hard to believe. It made me feel alienated from the character of Klara. She is obviously not to blame for her sister's attack, but such selfish behavior is off-putting in a protagonist. And while we do see Klara struggle with her mental health--mostly in the form of nightmares and her drug use--I never felt as if we got much insight into her as a person.

This film is barely 80 minutes long, and yet it feels like there is a fair chunk of padding. You come into this film to watch a few scenes of a person kicking rapists and evil henchmen in the face. And while the movie delivers on this front, it seems lost as to how to fill the gaps between butt-kickings.

There are worse films to give 80 minutes to. But there are also much better ones.

2.5

[xSookieStackhouse]

Crossroads (2002) 8/10 loved britney spears old school music
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/Crossroads_poster.JPG

[pahaK]

A couple of rewatches.

自殺サークル (2001)
aka Suicide Club, Suicide Circle
4
It has one of the greatest opening scenes ever. The mood reminds me a lot of Kairo. A crazy horror about Japanese suicide culture (quite easy to relate to this as a Finn), the rigid roles offered by the society, technology replacing real social interaction, pop idols, and many other things. The ending is a little disappointing, though, but I guess it still deserves its rating.

--
ゆけゆけ二度目の処女 (1969)
aka Go, Go Second Time Virgin
3.5
Another Japanese oddity. It drags a bit at times, but it has enough silly philosophic dialogues and over-the-top twists to keep it entertaining. With better acting, it might even deserve a half-star more. At least it has a great ending.

[xSookieStackhouse]

A couple of rewatches.

自殺サークル (2001)
aka Suicide Club, Suicide Circle
4
It has one of the greatest opening scenes ever. The mood reminds me a lot of Kairo. A crazy horror about Japanese suicide culture (quite easy to relate to this as a Finn), the rigid roles offered by the society, technology replacing real social interaction, pop idols, and many other things. The ending is a little disappointing, though, but I guess it still deserves its rating.

--
ゆけゆけ二度目の処女 (1969)
aka Go, Go Second Time Virgin
3.5
Another Japanese oddity. It drags a bit at times, but it has enough silly philosophic dialogues and over-the-top twists to keep it entertaining. With better acting, it might even deserve a half-star more. At least it has a great ending.

is that the battle royal movie suicide club? cause people say the hunger games is like that movie

[Chypmunk]

is that the battle royal movie suicide club? cause people say the hunger games is like that movie
No it's a Sion Sono fillum. Fukasaku's Battle Royale is from the year before and completely different.

[xSookieStackhouse]

No it's a Sion Sono fillum. Fukasaku's Battle Royale is from the year before and completely different.

ohhhh okay thank you

[chawhee]

Minari (2020)
https://theupcoming-flmedialtd.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/minari.jpeg
3.5
I don't think it will get the same love as Parasite did in the Oscars as a foreign film, but its still a lovely movie. A simple story that excellently touches on human emotion.

[DocHoliday]

Rewatch of The Seventh Seal.

I'm convinced this is type of classic that only grows on you, and with every re-viewing you gain more and more of an appreciation for how special it is. It's theme is so powerful, and ever-present: How to reconcile the belief in God amid a world of darkness, while simultaneously attempting to reconcile with our mortality, and the fact that death is inevitable.

Brilliant film, and I'm now convinced it's Bergman's best work.

5

[beelzebubble]

I fell asleep During Bugsy Malone. Nothing against the movie. I love the premise of middle school age kids playing gangsters and gangsters molls from a thirties gangster pic. It looked like it would be fun.

[DocHoliday]

Minari (2020)
https://theupcoming-flmedialtd.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/minari.jpeg
3.5
I don't think it will get the same love as Parasite did in the Oscars as a foreign film, but its still a lovely movie. A simple story that excellently touches on human emotion.

I plan on watching Minari next week.

Parasite got so much love because it's a truly extraordinary film. I'm not sure if Minari's gonna be on the level of Parasite, but that's okay, it's not the bar I'll measure it by.

Minari looks like an excellent movie, and I'm sure it is.

[Ultraviolence]

https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/1452/movieposter/superman-returns-565aec8da611f.jpg
Watched this back in the release, I was eleven. Didn't liked (was already a great fan of the comics, a great fan of Donner's Superman, Superman: The Animated Series and Smallville). Never rewatched. I think it's time.

[Fabulous]

The Missouri Breaks (1976)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/3ZIb0qJcx8aK2KpuLiZWO5amsf9.jpg

[Ultraviolence]

I just realized I posted the above on the wrong place, sorry.

[Dr. Badvibes]

https://www.heavenofhorror.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/lucky-shudder-review.jpg

Lucky - ★★☆☆☆
-- Natasha Kermani, 2020 --
----------------------------------

Another "timely" movie full of timely timeliness, although I wasn't entirely clear on what this one was trying to say. The largely cryptic story takes place in one of those "everyone is an a-hole" unrealities/universes, akin to those found in films like The Lobster, High-Rise and The Double. Except here, everything that happens is strictly allegorical, similar to Aranofsky's Mother, meaning all logic and natural laws are casually tossed out the window, in favor of striking imagery or just plain weirdness that attempts to sell a point. I was not enamored with it, to be honest. In fact, it always kind of annoys me when movies rely heavily on the audience giving them a pass for things everyone gets nailed to the cross for.

The core concept and main selling point is creepy enough: a woman is stalked, night after night, by a masked slasher-type. Even when she manages to kill him, which is every time, he still pops up alive and well the following night. One major problem with this, of course, is that the slasher has to be portrayed as particularly inept at killing for the premise to work, which is precisely why this movie lacks the necessary tension. In many scenes, the guy appears to be behaving like a low-energy automaton, which may or may not be the point.

Which brings me to the actual meat of the movie: the sisterhood of women...Or whatever passes for it.....Or maybe the complete lack thereof? I'm not sure what is being argued, but this aspect overwhelms the less-timely-but-more-interesting horror aspects to the point where every scene is just a literalized metaphor for some social ill that is purported to exist.The filmmakers approach this by putting the lead actress in virtually every scene in the movie and making her the brunt of a quasi-satirical onslaught, which, I'm sorry to say, she is badly equipped to handle. I suspect she would've done better if this had been a more straightforward horror movie.

https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Wonder-Woman-Batman-and-Superman-in-Justice-League-Snyder-Cut.jpeg?resize=768%2C432

Zack Snyder's Justice League - ★☆☆☆☆
-- Zack Snyder, 2021 --
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I feel almost compelled to give this two stars, because, let's be honest, it does iron out some of the wrinkles found in the theatrical cut. But at around the halfway mark of this four-hour snoozefest, I began to realize that substituting half-assed Whedon-isms with full-assed Snyder-isms is like brushing your teeth with Nutella. If the 2017 TC is a baffling, mystifying hot mess of over-editing and mindless re-shoots, the 2021 SC is a plodding, self-indulgent bloatfest that thinks too highly of its previously shot material. I guess it works well if you're really invested in these characters and their world and you just want to see as much of them as humanly possible. Hell, I'm like that with some of my own favorite properties, so I totally get it.

But since these are NOT nearly my favorite properties, I found myself frequently pausing or otherwise interrupting my viewing, purely out of necessity. The movie isn't just long, it FEELS long. It never frickin' ends. And I made it through seven hours of Sátántangó just fine, lol. Doubling down on his absolute worst directorial tendencies, Snyder clearly set out to give us the epic story of tacky god worship that he felt we deserve. And the man was right....We do deserve everything he has done to us. Every last, mind-numbing minute of it.

I guess I should give the movie some credit for developing its characters a little better and reinstating the more "serious" tone of the early DCEU, but I'm having a very hard time getting past the boredom factor of this one.

[xSookieStackhouse]

I just realized I posted the above on the wrong place, sorry.

its all good it happens :)

[pahaK]

is that the battle royal movie suicide club? cause people say the hunger games is like that movie

Chyp already answered, but if you're interested, here's my review of Battle Royale (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1922121#post1922121).

[xSookieStackhouse]

Chyp already answered, but if you're interested, here's my review of Battle Royale (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1922121#post1922121).

oh okay thank you i will check it out

[Marco]

Nomadland (2020)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a5/Nomadland_poster.jpeg/220px-Nomadland_poster.jpeg
Bit of a random-ish film selection for a sunny afternoon.

I got along with this for bits then ran out of steam during the longer "deep" sections. Obv a woman in trouble but there were hard edges to the character that seemed over the top.

2

[mark f]

Splinter (Toby Wilkins, 2008) 2.5 6/10
Dancing Sweeties (Ray Enright, 1930) 2+ 5/10
Address Unknown (Kim Ki-duk, 2001) 2.5 6/10
Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (Chris Smith, 2021) 3 6.5/10
https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/client/q_glossy,ret_img,w_750,h_430/https://dailysoapdish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Clipboard-47-750x430.jpg
Hustler Rick Singer (Matthew Modine) [yeah, it's a documentary] spends years getting millions of dollars to get students into prestige colleges.
Fukushima 50 (Setsurô Wakamatsu, 2020) 2.5 6/10
Gushing Prayer: A 15-Year-Old Prostitute (Masao Adachi, 1971) 2 5/10
Ornamental Hairpin (Hiroshi Shimizu, 1941) 2.5 6/10
Raya and the Last Dragon (4 Directors, 2021) 3.5- 7/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/ebc7c05b4c0b5040a80ffd6cb40efd83/efa1ca56098a8a0a-b2/s540x810/109b98d2f18cbbaec817598be5e278a2713f9211.gifv
Raya (voice of Kelly Marie Tran) is aided by Last Dragon Sisu (voice of Awkwafina) in her quest to reunite their land as per her late father's wishes.
Nowhere to Hide (Lee Myung-se, 1999) 2.5 6/10
Spring Is Here (John Francis Dillon, 1930) 2 5/10
The Hot Heiress (Clarence Badger, 1931) 2.5 5.5/10
Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art (Barry Avrich, 2020) 3 6.5/10
https://www.artnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/MYL-Ann-Freedman-2.jpg?w=800
The largest art fraud in American history centers around NYC's art gallery Knoedler and its president Ann Freedman, but there are plenty of supporting players in the wide-ranging scandal.
Standby (Ronan & Ron Burke, 2018) 2.5 5.5/10
She Had to Say Yes (George Amy & Busby Berkeley, 1933) 2 5/10
Flying High (Charles F. Reisner, 1931) 2.5 6/10
Save the Green Planet! (Jang Joon-hwan, 2003) 3 6.5/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/1c0ceb3763e5c0e5ba5852638a79d867/tumblr_n8uwgpvqca1r04g55o3_400.gifv
Traumatized to the point of insanity, Shin Ha-kyun kidnaps businessman Yun-shik Baek to prove he's connected to the royalty of intergalactic alien invaders.
Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers (Ryan Barton-Grimley, 2020) 2+ 5/10
South (Morgan Quaintance, 2020) 3 6.5/10 29 min
Deadly Illusions (Anna Elizabeth James, 2021) 1.5+ 4.5/10
The Naked Island (Kaneto Shindô, 1960) 3.5- 7/10
https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/images/newsite/naked_GhAyYQO_600.jpg
Lyrical film about the harsh life of a Japanese family cut off from others while still surrounded by a naturally-beautiful environment.

[Thief]

THE WHISPERERS
(1967, Forbes)

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5cd39f80b91449614c55bcb4/1607849047325-1803L8K18YKFXHZYVWHE/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kLtVLYkon3M3Xo1NM_JBSwB7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLf rh8O1z4YTzHvnKhyp6Da-NYroOW3ZGjoBKy3azqku80C789l0v6DBRSr_UJKZgxKgWb2TL_VNkTwWyazwhwJ1zjCiyuu5CcJOP7roC_45NsGXlf2rQ/Screen+Shot+2020-12-13+at+12.28.36+AM.png?format=1000w


Radio: "The problem, the major problem of old age is undoubtedly loneliness. A great many old people live entirely alone, unvisited and unwanted, living day in and day out in small rooms without company or friends."
Margaret: "Poor old souls."



The above quote comes from a news article that Margaret Ross (Edith Evans) listens to. A report she dismisses a bit condescendingly while standing alone, unvisited, in her small apartment, as if it had nothing to do with her. Because, even though Ross lives impoverished and alone, in a rundown street of England, she lives mostly detached from her reality, either consciously or subconsciously. That is the focus of 1967's The Whisperers.

The real highlight of the film is Evans' performance. A performance that, even before finishing the film, I felt was among the best female performances I've ever seen. The way Evans conveys the solitude and loneliness of Ross, hidden behind the facade of pretensions and false hopes was nothing short of impressive. The scene where she suddenly comes upon a money stash that was hidden by her son is a spectacle of emotions and non-verbal acting.

Grade: 4.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2190179#post2190179) or in the HOF24 (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2190180#post2190180).

[Weasel]

Pink Floyd - The Wall

75388

I think it's impossible to adequately "review" this film without the context of the album; it is a distinct work and can be viewed by anyone, but its thematic ideas and construction are all based upon a similar framework, one that ends up making this film and the album it's based on so interesting. Therefore, to properly grasp my thoughts and opinions on this film, you will want to have some familiarity with the album.

The Wall is lightning in a cracked bottle, an undoubtedly flawed stroke of genius that ended Pink Floyd's 4 album long streak of making some of the best rock music ever. It is an hour and 20-minute long behemoth detailing the trials and tribulations of a troubled rock star named Pink. Based on the life of bassist Roger Waters (who wrote the vast majority of the album's material, and who came up with The Wall concept) and ill-fated former member Syd Barret, The Wall is not only a story of personal emotions such as alienation and loneliness, it also highlights societal issues like war and education. These two separate themes are woven together in a very non-linear fashion. Songs will reference not only past songs but future ones, and the various themes are often layered over each other simultaneously (The most brilliant of which being connecting an unstable relationship with Pink's father's death in WW2). At times this can make the album feel like a maze, and the constant flip-flopping of different ideas may be a turn-off for some. If you take the time to really dig into it all (for me this was taking notes on each song while listening, for the more astute it may just be listening more closely), however, you'll find something truly spectacular.

With that much out of the way, we can finally take a look at the movie. Pink Floyd - The Wall is a film written by Roger Waters, his first and only screenplay. Directed by Alan Parker, known for films such as Mississippi Burning (which I haven't seen), Pink Floyd - The Wall is kind of hard to describe. It certainly isn't a "normal" movie, being that it has almost no dialogue and is set to the pace of an album, but it still feels distinct enough to not just be a visual aid to the music. It can be enjoyed on its own and knows it's in a visual medium, highlighted by some excellent shots and its interspersed animated sequences by Gerald Scarfe. Even though it can be enjoyed on its own, what makes it great is remarkably similar to what makes the album great. Just like the album, the restriction of time is thrown away, and its non-linear chronology is used to great effect. You'll be lambasted with stark imagery and an unbridled brood and gloom that permeates throughout. Symbolism is thrown out practically every second, and the pace demands repeat viewings. Just like the album, the density here can be intimidating, and its chaotic layering is understandably a turn-off to some. However, if you take the time to wade through it all, what you'll find is worth every second.

Pink Floyd - The Wall is something truly special; it is an undeniably brilliant and beautifully flawed masterwork that is wholly unique and deserves to be experienced by all.

4.5

[Weasel]

Pink Floyd - The Wall

75388

I think it's impossible to adequately "review" this film without the context of the album; it is a distinct work and can be viewed by anyone, but its thematic ideas and construction are all based upon a similar framework, one that ends up making this film and the album it's based on so interesting. Therefore, to properly grasp my thoughts and opinions on this film, you will want to have some familiarity with the album.

The Wall is lightning in a cracked bottle, an undoubtedly flawed stroke of genius that ended Pink Floyd's 4 album long streak of making some of the best rock music ever. It is an hour and 20-minute long behemoth detailing the trials and tribulations of a troubled rock star named Pink. Based on the life of bassist Roger Waters (who wrote the vast majority of the album's material, and who came up with The Wall concept) and ill-fated former member Syd Barret, The Wall is not only a story of personal emotions such as alienation and loneliness, it also highlights societal issues like war and education. These two separate themes are woven together in a very non-linear fashion. Songs will reference not only past songs but future ones, and the various themes are often layered over each other simultaneously (The most brilliant of which being connecting an unstable relationship with Pink's father's death in WW2). At times this can make the album feel like a maze, and the constant flip-flopping of different ideas may be a turn-off for some. If you take the time to really dig into it all (for me this was taking notes on each song while listening, for the more astute it may just be listening more closely), however, you'll find something truly spectacular.

With that much out of the way, we can finally take a look at the movie. Pink Floyd - The Wall is a film written by Roger Waters, his first and only screenplay. Directed by Alan Parker, known for films such as Mississippi Burning (which I haven't seen), The Wall is kind of hard to describe. It certainly isn't a "normal" movie, being that it has almost no dialogue and is set to the pace of an album, but it still feels distinct enough to not just be a visual aid to the music. It can be enjoyed on its own and knows it's in a visual medium, highlighted by some excellent shots and its interspersed animated sequences by Gerald Scarfe. Even though it can be enjoyed on its own, what makes it great is remarkably similar to what makes the album great. Just like the album, the restriction of time is thrown away, and its non-linear chronology is used to great effect. You'll be lambasted with stark imagery and an unbridled brood and gloom that permeates throughout. Symbolism is thrown out practically every second, and the pace demands repeat viewings. Just like the album, the density here can be intimidating, and its chaotic layering is understandably a turn-off to some. However, if you take the time to wade through it all, what you'll find is worth every second.

Pink Floyd - The Wall is something truly special; it is an undeniably brilliant and beautifully flawed masterwork that is wholly unique and deserves to be experienced by all.

4.5

More like The Wall of text

[GulfportDoc]

Nomadland (2020)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a5/Nomadland_poster.jpeg/220px-Nomadland_poster.jpeg
Bit of a random-ish film selection for a sunny afternoon.

I got along with this for bits then ran out of steam during the longer "deep" sections. Obv a woman in trouble but there were hard edges to the character that seemed over the top.
rating_2
I agree. This picture has received (and will receive) awards that IMO it does not deserve, simply because it has McDormand and Chloe Zhao in the production. McDormand pretty much played herself, and Zhao was missing for much of the filming. My review is here:

https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=63402

[Allaby]

I just finished watching the movie Slaxx. It is a Canadian comedy/horror film about a pair of jeans that kills people. It was actually a good movie, well made and entertaining. I would rate it a 4 and recommend it, especially if you enjoy movies about inanimate objects that kill people.

[WHITBISSELL!]

I just finished watching the movie Slaxx. It is a Canadian comedy/horror film about a pair of jeans that kills people. It was actually a good movie, well made and entertaining. I would rate it a rating_4 and recommend it, especially if you enjoy movies about inanimate objects that kill people.Sounds intriguing. I liked Rubber (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1612774/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)when I watched it.

And I haven't seen it but this (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385639/) sounds like it would be right up your alley.

[pahaK]

Sounds intriguing. I liked Rubber (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1612774/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)when I watched it.

And I haven't seen it but this (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385639/) sounds like it would be right up your alley.

Don't forget the German classic Killer Condom (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116791/). It's been too long since I saw it, so can't really say if it was good or not.

[Allaby]

Sounds intriguing. I liked Rubber (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1612774/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)when I watched it.

And I haven't seen it but this (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385639/) sounds like it would be right up your alley.

I enjoyed Rubber too. I haven't seen Death Bed, but it sounds interesting. If you like these sort of films I would recommend Killer Sofa, Killer Piñata, and Attack of the Killer Donuts.

[Gideon58]

https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/2/Open/A24/Program/39618110/_derived_jpg_q90_500x500_m0/Minari_New_PA_27_1610944300713_0.jpg


4.5

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://www.pluggedin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/dredd-1024x768.jpg


https://precinct1313.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/ma-ma-dredd.jpg


Dredd - This is not a popcorn movie. With a body count in the hundreds and loads of grandiose, slo-mo, splattery violence this is a grim and uncompromising film. But then it also comes off as one of the most thoroughly faithful comic book adaptations I've ever seen. "Comes off" because I've never actually read the source material. But much like Blade (another CB I haven't read), it succeeds in throwing an entire, fully formed and realized world at the viewer. A healthy dose of subversive, poker-faced humor also helps it run through it's tight and lean ninety minutes.

The cast is excellent with Karl Urban pulling off what is intrinsically a faceless role as Judge Dredd. Olivia Thirlby as psychic trainee Cassandra Anderson and Wood Harris as gang soldier Kay also contribute mightily. But as with every other successful action flick there has to be a righteous villain and Lena Headey as vicious gang leader Ma-Ma puts this over the top. Depending on your personal tolerance for graphic violence this comes highly recommended.

rating_4_5

[WHITBISSELL!]

I enjoyed Rubber too. I haven't seen Death Bed, but it sounds interesting. If you like these sort of films I would recommend Killer Sofa, Killer Piñata, and Attack of the Killer Donuts.Don't forget Killer End Tables and Killer Entertainment Center. That had an awesome tagline. "Feel free to binge-watch...till you die!" :D

[xSookieStackhouse]

https://www.pluggedin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/dredd-1024x768.jpg


https://precinct1313.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/ma-ma-dredd.jpg


Dredd - This is not a popcorn movie. With a body count in the hundreds and loads of grandiose, slo-mo, splattery violence this is a grim and uncompromising film. But then it also comes off as one of the most thoroughly faithful comic book adaptations I've ever seen. "Comes off" because I've never actually read the source material. But much like Blade (another CB I haven't read), it succeeds in throwing an entire, fully formed and realized world at the viewer. A healthy dose of subversive, poker-faced humor also helps it run through it's tight and lean ninety minutes.

The cast is excellent with Karl Urban pulling off what is intrinsically a faceless role as Judge Dredd. Olivia Thirlby as psychic trainee Cassandra Anderson and Wood Harris as gang soldier Kay also contribute mightily. But as with every other successful action flick there has to be a righteous villain and Lena Headey as vicious gang leader Ma-Ma puts this over the top. Depending on your personal tolerance for graphic violence this comes highly recommended.

rating_4_5

hope u watched the original one from the 80s-90s version?

[WHITBISSELL!]

hope u watched the original one from the 80s-90s version?Stallone? Oh yeah, I watched it.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Stallone? Oh yeah, I watched it.

oh good

[pahaK]

キュア (1997)
aka Cure
4
A film that's been on my watchlist for ages. I honestly don't know why I hadn't watched it before, considering that I loved Kairo. It's slow, bleak, and stylistic. I personally like Kairo's ghosts more than what Cure has to offer, but it's just a subject preference. I'll probably watch Charisma tomorrow.

[AgrippinaX]

キュア (1997)
aka Cure
4
A film that's been on my watchlist for ages. I honestly don't know why I hadn't watched it before, considering that I loved Kairo. It's slow, bleak, and stylistic. I personally like Kairo's ghosts more than what Cure has to offer, but it's just a subject preference. I'll probably watch Charisma tomorrow.

I adore this one. Glad you got to it.

[Captain Terror]

Hidden Fortress was a lot of fun and is just plain gorgeous to look at. Mildly disappointed, however, that Princess Yuki never opened a can of whupass on anybody like I was h̶o̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ expecting.
4

[Wooley]

https://www.pluggedin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/dredd-1024x768.jpg


https://precinct1313.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/ma-ma-dredd.jpg


Dredd - This is not a popcorn movie. With a body count in the hundreds and loads of grandiose, slo-mo, splattery violence this is a grim and uncompromising film. But then it also comes off as one of the most thoroughly faithful comic book adaptations I've ever seen. "Comes off" because I've never actually read the source material. But much like Blade (another CB I haven't read), it succeeds in throwing an entire, fully formed and realized world at the viewer. A healthy dose of subversive, poker-faced humor also helps it run through it's tight and lean ninety minutes.

The cast is excellent with Karl Urban pulling off what is intrinsically a faceless role as Judge Dredd. Olivia Thirlby as psychic trainee Cassandra Anderson and Wood Harris as gang soldier Kay also contribute mightily. But as with every other successful action flick there has to be a righteous villain and Lena Headey as vicious gang leader Ma-Ma puts this over the top. Depending on your personal tolerance for graphic violence this comes highly recommended.

rating_4_5

I really enjoy getting high and watching this film.

[Takoma11]

https://www.pluggedin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/dredd-1024x768.jpg


https://precinct1313.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/ma-ma-dredd.jpg


Dredd - This is not a popcorn movie. With a body count in the hundreds and loads of grandiose, slo-mo, splattery violence this is a grim and uncompromising film. But then it also comes off as one of the most thoroughly faithful comic book adaptations I've ever seen. "Comes off" because I've never actually read the source material. But much like Blade (another CB I haven't read), it succeeds in throwing an entire, fully formed and realized world at the viewer. A healthy dose of subversive, poker-faced humor also helps it run through it's tight and lean ninety minutes.

The cast is excellent with Karl Urban pulling off what is intrinsically a faceless role as Judge Dredd. Olivia Thirlby as psychic trainee Cassandra Anderson and Wood Harris as gang soldier Kay also contribute mightily. But as with every other successful action flick there has to be a righteous villain and Lena Headey as vicious gang leader Ma-Ma puts this over the top. Depending on your personal tolerance for graphic violence this comes highly recommended.

rating_4_5

I LOVE Dredd and I am unrelentingly upset that I failed to see it in the theater.

キュア (1997)
aka Cure
4
A film that's been on my watchlist for ages. I honestly don't know why I hadn't watched it before, considering that I loved Kairo. It's slow, bleak, and stylistic. I personally like Kairo's ghosts more than what Cure has to offer, but it's just a subject preference. I'll probably watch Charisma tomorrow.

There is a lot to appreciate about the film on a rewatch once you "get" what is happening.

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c4e3368/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x900+0+0/resize/840x473!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F32%2Faa%2F36a533e503ddd4b31c456409328d%2Fla-1536773256-08qd3viht2-snap-image

I Think We're Alone Now - I had never really heard of this and went into it cold based on the two stars, Peter Dinklage and Elle Fanning. Despite having seen countless end of the world movies I have yet to tire of the genre. This started out showing a little promise with Dinklage playing Del, the apparent sole survivor of an unspecified apocalypse. The opening few minutes follow him in his daily routine as he methodically combs through neighborhoods, tidying up, scavenging batteries and disposing of whatever bodies he runs across. His continued existence is based on a half formed code of staving off chaos in his little corner of the world. He lives in the library where he worked and adheres as closely as possible to his old life in order to cope. One night he wakes to an explosion and sees fireworks going off. The next morning he follows the sound of a car alarm and finds an unconscious young woman behind the wheel of a wrecked car. This turns out to be Grace (Fanning), a somewhat secretive young woman who is reticent to speak about her previous life. She doesn't want to leave so Del grudgingly allows her to stay on a trial basis. This odd couple situation is never allowed to fully develop before a plot twist takes the movie on an entirely unexpected and somewhat jarring tangent. We're kind of left with two distinct movies and the bottom line is that they don't mesh very well. So in the end we're sort of left doubly unsatisfied. I like Dinklage and Fanning though so there is that.

rating_3

[WHITBISSELL!]

I LOVE Dredd and I am unrelentingly upset that I failed to see it in the theater.I also would have loved to have seen it on a big screen and in it's original 3-D.

[Fabulous]

Gypsy (1962)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/frVo9Q4TCYrH2Hm79SHa27SNYao.jpg

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTkyNzdkOTItZmY0My00OTg3LTk1OTgtZTkyNmUzNzYyOWU2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxODE0MDY@._V1_.jpg



4

[Mr Minio]

男はつらいよ 寅次郎恋歌 [Tora-san's Love Call] (1971) - 3.5

https://i.imgur.com/Oklo33k.png

While I thought the previous two Tora-sans were a significant improvement in quality, this one is the best Tora-san film so far. A true masterpiece. Hiroshi's family bonds and his father played by Takashi Shimura make for a strong first half, but it's the second part where Yamada really pulls out all his cards. Usually, Tora-san falls in love too fast and there isn't really any reason for this apart from the girl being cute. Here he falls in love just as fast but this time the Madonna seems a perfect match for Tora-san, the scenes with them in the middle of the night were so romantic, beautiful, and moving, and when she said she'd like to travel I thought that there is no way this can end in any other way than a she-and-her-son-both-die-in-a-car-accident deus ex machina ending so that Tora can keep being a vagabond and series can continue. But... that wasn't the case. Tora-san decided to leave again... this time running away not with a broken heart but too afraid that his heart will potentially be broken. Also, too afraid to take responsibility and too afraid to change his vagabond ways. He also seems ashamed that he can't help Takako financially when she's in need. The ending is a big disappointment but also adds a lot to Tora-san's psychological portrait. Judging from the cast on Letterboxd, Takako will never appear again (but she might, the cast isn't complete/perfect), which is quite a disappointment, too, because her story wasn't completed either. I get the formula of Madonnas and that every film needs to have one but it's still sad. By now I'm pretty sure Tora-san will never ever settle down. Now I understand why every non-Tora-san Yamada film has a happy ending. And yes, his uncle is right, Tora is a complete fool.

[pahaK]

カリスマ (1999)
aka Charisma
3.5
This is a bit different film by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. It's closer to Miike or Lynch than Kairo or Cure. It's a tad too focused on allegories at the expense of the story and characters, but it's still oddly fascinating. It's a lighter presentation of the same heavy themes Kurosawa deals with in his other films. I just like the darker approach more. Still, haven't seen a bad film from either Kurosawa.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004) 8/10
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTJlNWQxZjctYmE3ZS00OTc0LWE2M2ItNzQwNmYyMjU4NDNmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_.jpg

[ueno_station54]

The Father (Florian Zeller, 2020)
As a movie this is kinda bad but you can definitely see the source material being pretty good. From the get-go you can tell its based on a play because of the presentation and pacing and none of that really works in a film, at least not this one.
2.5

[StuSmallz]

https://www.pluggedin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/dredd-1024x768.jpg


https://precinct1313.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/ma-ma-dredd.jpg


Dredd - This is not a popcorn movie. With a body count in the hundreds and loads of grandiose, slo-mo, splattery violence this is a grim and uncompromising film. But then it also comes off as one of the most thoroughly faithful comic book adaptations I've ever seen. "Comes off" because I've never actually read the source material. But much like Blade (another CB I haven't read), it succeeds in throwing an entire, fully formed and realized world at the viewer. A healthy dose of subversive, poker-faced humor also helps it run through it's tight and lean ninety minutes.

The cast is excellent with Karl Urban pulling off what is intrinsically a faceless role as Judge Dredd. Olivia Thirlby as psychic trainee Cassandra Anderson and Wood Harris as gang soldier Kay also contribute mightily. But as with every other successful action flick there has to be a righteous villain and Lena Headey as vicious gang leader Ma-Ma puts this over the top. Depending on your personal tolerance for graphic violence this comes highly recommended.

rating_4_5Well, I can't rank Dredd that high, due to how stiff and underwhelming a lot of the action scenes were (which is kind of a problem in a, well, Action movie), but it's still a good film besides that flaw; it has some nice aesthetic tricks in its bag, a "refreshingly" nasty, 80's-style throwback tone, and some legitimately intriguing Sci-Fi ideas keeping it from turning into a mindless shoot-'em-up. Plus, Urban never takes off the helmet!

[chawhee]

Promising Young Woman (2020)
https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/promising-young-woman.jpg?w=1024
4
Ok, now I have an Oscar nominee to really cheer for this year! This was a borderline 5/5 until the final 15 minutes, as I might have to wait until a rewatch to confirm how I feel about the ending. The story is rather familiar, but the direction and pacing of the plot is wildly unique.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Promising Young Woman (2020)
https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/promising-young-woman.jpg?w=1024
4
Ok, now I have an Oscar nominee to really cheer for this year! This was a borderline 5/5 until the final 15 minutes, as I might have to wait until a rewatch to confirm how I feel about the ending. The story is rather familiar, but the direction and pacing of the plot is wildly unique.

loved her hair omg

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimages1.westword.com%2Fimager%2Fu%2F745xauto%2F10906541%2Fthe.wolf.house.youtube.jp g&f=1&nofb=1

La Casa Lobo, 2018

A young woman named Maria (Amalia Kassai) runs through the woods, pursued by a wolf (Rainer Krause). Maria seeks shelter in a sentient house, along with Ana and Pedro, two pigs she brought with her when she escaped. But Ana and Pedro soon transform into people, and as the wolf waits outside, the dynamics within the house (and with the house itself) begin to shift in dangerous ways.

Craft alone is not enough to make me love a film, and fortunately this is a movie in which the technical craft on display is in fantastic harmony with the mood and narrative being presented.

The film is shot is a stop-motion style that incorporates multiple art forms: painting, sculpture, line drawing, paper mache, etc. The film, characters, and setting are in a constant state of flux. The rooms and the characters themselves are perpetually being "broken down" and rebuilt, sometimes moving from one artistic format to another. Sculpted hands accompany a face that exists as a picture on a wall, or a character "unfolds" only to be rebuilt in paper and layers of paint. The film is relentlessly kinetic, and if it weren't for how ominous and interesting the story was, I think I would have found it a bit overstimulating and tiresome.

Fortunately, as I said before, I found the mood and story of the film to be really interesting. The film begins with a straightforward dynamic whereby the threat (the wolf) is on the outside. But as the film progresses, things inside the house get just as dangerous. The characters inside of the house are all desperate, and desperation can change a person. There is a vulnerable, baffled nature to Maria that makes the whole thing feel very tenuous. Even when she feels safe, we can sense that she isn't.

This film probably won't be for everyone, but I would encourage you to check it out. Among other things it is relatively short. The craft of the stop-motion alone is worth watching.

4

[Thief]

FANTASTIC PLANET
(1973, Laloux)
A film with a title that starts with the letters E or F

https://indieethos.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/28636id_013_primary_w1600.jpg


"I grew up fast in that slow world, for a Draag week was equal to one of my years. I was just a living plaything that sometimes dared to rebel."



Set in the mysterious planet of Ygam, Fantastic Planet follows the clashes between the human-like Oms and the giant, blue humanoid Draags that are trying to eradicate the former from their planet, while also keeping them as pets. Terr (Eric Baugin) is a young Om that has been kept as a pet since infancy by Tiwa (Jennifer Drake). But when he accidentally starts to absorb knowledge from his captors, he ends up leaving Tiwa and joining a group of rebel Oms in order to oust their captors.

I found this film both amazing and mesmerizing for so many reasons. I'll start by saying that the opening scene was such a perfect way to capture what this world is about, to expose the themes without spelling them out, but rather with haunting and eerie visuals. Second, the animation was so effective, and you feel like it suits the plot and the era so well. The use of colors and certain angles only helped to amplify the eeriness of this world. Third, the creativity with which director René Laloux and co-writer Roland Topor build this planet and set its environment and rules is nothing short of impressive. Finally, the music is so cool and helps to establish the trippy mood extremely well.

Grade: 4


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2190667#post2190667) or in the PR HOF3 (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2190668#post2190668).

[Gideon58]

Promising Young Woman (2020)
https://uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/promising-young-woman.jpg?w=1024
4
Ok, now I have an Oscar nominee to really cheer for this year! This was a borderline 5/5 until the final 15 minutes, as I might have to wait until a rewatch to confirm how I feel about the ending. The story is rather familiar, but the direction and pacing of the plot is wildly unique.
Loved this movie and I'll just say it...I think Mulligan will win Best Actress for her incredible performane

[Citizen Rules]

I'd give her the Oscar just for her hair! It's pretty darn cool.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Loved this movie and I'll just say it...I think Mulligan will win Best Actress for her incredible performane

wait was she on the great gatsby?

[Allaby]

I watched Hitch Hike to Hell on blu ray. Directed by Irvin Berwick, the film stars Robert Gribbin as a seemingly mild mannered laundry delivery driver who lives with his mother. He also has a bad habit of picking up hitchhikers and runaways and killing them. This is definitely a B movie, but it is a satisfying and entertaining one. The story is an interesting one and the performances are effective for this type of movie. If you like 70s/80s cult B movies, then you might like this. My rating is a 3.5.

[GulfportDoc]

Promising Young Woman (2020)
rating_4
Ok, now I have an Oscar nominee to really cheer for this year! This was a borderline 5/5 until the final 15 minutes, as I might have to wait until a rewatch to confirm how I feel about the ending. The story is rather familiar, but the direction and pacing of the plot is wildly unique.
The description of the movie's plot sounds pretty sick. Is it some type of comedy?

[Gideon58]

wait was she on the great gatsby?
''

Yes, she played Daisy

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZGJhNWRiOWQtMjI4OS00ZjcxLTgwMTAtMzQ2ODkxY2JkOTVlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_UY1200_CR90,0,6 30,1200_AL_.jpg



4.5

[Wooley]

FANTASTIC PLANET
(1973, Laloux)
A film with a title that starts with the letters E or F

https://indieethos.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/28636id_013_primary_w1600.jpg




Set in the mysterious planet of Ygam, Fantastic Planet follows the clashes between the human-like Oms and the giant, blue humanoid Draags that are trying to eradicate the former from their planet, while also keeping them as pets. Terr (Eric Baugin) is a young Om that has been kept as a pet since infancy by Tiwa (Jennifer Drake). But when he accidentally starts to absorb knowledge from his captors, he ends up leaving Tiwa and joining a group of rebel Oms in order to oust their captors.

I found this film both amazing and mesmerizing for so many reasons. I'll start by saying that the opening scene was such a perfect way to capture what this world is about, to expose the themes without spelling them out, but rather with haunting and eerie visuals. Second, the animation was so effective, and you feel like it suits the plot and the era so well. The use of colors and certain angles only helped to amplify the eeriness of this world. Third, the creativity with which director René Laloux and co-writer Roland Topor build this planet and set its environment and rules is nothing short of impressive. Finally, the music is so cool and helps to establish the trippy mood extremely well.

Grade: 4


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2190667#post2190667) or in the PR HOF3 (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2190668#post2190668).

I love me some Fantastic Planet.

[Fabulous]

Heart of Glass (1976)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/i3oAgy8mKIoVW9ZWhzYAYV2HxGh.jpg

[Captain Terror]

https://youtu.be/FGj74CRn8xo
https://youtu.be/veMBIWv0ews

Anyone who's on the fence regarding La Casa Lobo is encouraged to check out these shorts to get a feel for the technique involved.

[edarsenal]

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/839/141/96d.gif

Ne Zha (2019) 4+++ This Mandarin gem is filled with humor and an affirming message about love and family, and making your own fate. Set in the world of Chinese Folklore and Sorcery, this is a very well done animation. Not picturesque, but extremely good. As is the story, the characters, and a lot of the humor in the same vein as many Pixar and Dreamworks animation in the States.

It is currently on Netflix, and I highly recommend the subtitled version since the director made sure to find perfect voice actors for each of his characters, and they do nail it.
I laughed, I was captivated, I shed tears near the end -- a fun, entertaining animation with a positive message.

[mojofilter]

https://www.northbendgalleries.com/webshare/ebay_photos/11998Death0.JPG
DEATH PROOF
(2007)

Re-watch. I consider this movie Quentin Tarantino's weakest film. But as I re-watched it this evening, I found myself enjoying it much more than I did last time I watched it which was years ago.

3.5

[xSookieStackhouse]

''

Yes, she played Daisy

thought so cause liked her in that film

[xSookieStackhouse]

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/839/141/96d.gif

Ne Zha (2019) 4+++ This Mandarin gem is filled with humor and an affirming message about love and family, and making your own fate. Set in the world of Chinese Folklore and Sorcery, this is a very well done animation. Not picturesque, but extremely good. As is the story, the characters, and a lot of the humor in the same vein as many Pixar and Dreamworks animation in the States.

It is currently on Netflix, and I highly recommend the subtitled version since the director made sure to find perfect voice actors for each of his characters, and they do nail it.
I laughed, I was captivated, I shed tears near the end -- a fun, entertaining animation with a positive message.

gosh that creeped me out lol

[pahaK]

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/839/141/96d.gif

She looks like Gollum's girlfriend.

[mark f]

Danger Pays (Kô Nakahira, 1962) 2.5 6/10
The Stay (Scott Hamm, 2021) 2- 5/10
The Obituary of Tunde Johnson (Ali LeRoi, 2019) 2.5 6/10
Collective (Alexander Nanau, 2019) 3.5 7/10
https://spotmedia.ro/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/95800063_250094163015743_2775984904121352192_n-770x405.jpg
How corrupt is the Romanian health care system? More than you'd ever guess.
Bad Trip (Kitao Sakurai, 2020) 2.5+ 6/10
Doors (Saman Kesh, Jeff Desom & Dugan O'Neal, 2021) 2 5/10
Angels in the Outfield (William Dear, 1994) 2.5+ 6/10
Seaspiracy (Ali Tabrizi, 2021) 3.5 7/10
https://i1.wp.com/horapiko.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/screen-shot-2021-03-26-at-114332-1024x459.png?resize=832%2C373&ssl=1
How corrupt are the fishing industry and the groups meant to monitor them? Mucho.
Happily (BenDavid Grabinski, 2021) 2.5 6/10
The Slumber Party Massacre (Amy Jones, 1982) 2 5/10
The Man with a Shotgun (Seijun Suzuki, 1961) 2.5 6/10
Near Dark (Kathryn Bigelow, 1987) 3.5 7/10
https://31.media.tumblr.com/92b65a3e6db9dde5053bf3a50214d949/tumblr_mgbvnsv34e1qgg2i4o1_500.gif
How corrupt are vampires? For the most part, a lot.
The Foul King (Kim Jee-woon, 2000) 2.5+ 6/10
The Day Sports Stood Still (Antoine Fuqua, 2021) 3 6.5/10
Calling Philo Vance (William Clemens, 1940) 2.5 5.5/10
The Father (Florian Zeller, 2020) 3.5- 7/10
https://thecriticalcritics.com/review/wp-content/images/the-father-still-1-1160x480.jpg
How much does age and dementia corrupt the memory? Imogen Poots, Olivia Colman & Anthony Hopkins know.
Tina (Daniel Lindsay & T.J. Martin, 2021) 3.5 7/10
Cops vs Thugs (Kinji Fukasaku, 1975) 2.5 6/10
76 Days (Weixi Chen & Hao Wu, 2020) 3 6.5/10
Daimajin (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1966) 2.5 6/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/2726ba93cce3816df8eefe89d09cfb80/tumblr_n4vgnvNRtT1qedb29o1_400.gifv
How mad does a corrupt warlord make a stone statue? Take a look.

[pahaK]

จั๊กกะแหล๋น (2011)
aka Jukkalan, This Girl Is Bad-Ass!!
3
After rewatching Chocolate (which is great, by the way), I decided to check some other JeeJa Yanin films. This one is more like a crazy romantic mob comedy with some fight scenes. It has good jokes and mental characters, but the writing just isn't good enough. The action is also considerably weaker than in Chocolate, but still not bad. It's definitely not PC either. Pretty entertaining silliness still.

[xSookieStackhouse]

She looks like Gollum's girlfriend.

omg yes lol

[pahaK]

紅衣小女孩 (2015)
aka The Tag-Along
2
A Taiwanese horror recycling familiar elements mixed with poor CGI and some anti-abortion opinions (I didn't find them too in-your-face, but apparently some have). It's just bland and has nothing to make it stand out. The leading lady is really pretty, though.

[xSookieStackhouse]

4
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjkyMTE1OTYwNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDIxODYzMw@@._V1_UY1200_CR90,0,630,1200_AL_.jpg

[chawhee]

The description of the movie's plot sounds pretty sick. Is it some type of comedy?

It has dark comedic elements, but there is a good portion of drama/romance/thriller thrown in.

[Thief]

LO AND BEHOLD
REVERIES OF THE CONNECTED WORLD
(2016, Herzog)
A documentary film

https://images.justwatch.com/backdrop/11520961/s1440/lo-and-behold-reveries-of-the-connected-world


"It used to be that when you communicated with someone, the person you were communicating with was as important as the information; Now on the internet, the person is unimportant at all."



Lo and Behold opens with the birth of the Internet in 1969, but then branches out to demonstrate the various reaches and effects of a "connected world" in our lives, our society, and our future. From its humble beginnings in a UCLA hallway to the possibilities of connecting with astronauts in Mars; from its advantages in the cure of an illness through a seemingly inoffensive game to its damaging impact in addicted people that have decided to leave gaming and the Internet completely.

Herzog does a good job dividing the film in ten chapters, all of which are relatively self-contained while dealing with the same theme of "connectedness" and the positive/negative impacts it has or could have. There is a certain meandering aspect to it in since there is little connective tissue between each chapter, but it still has the vibes of "daydreaming" that I suppose Herzog wanted. His choice of interviewees also, many of which are quite eccentric, support that "dreamy" vibe.

Grade: 3.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2190842#post2190842)

[Hey Fredrick]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intofilm.org%2Fintofilm-production%2Fscaledcropped%2F444x250https%3A%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fimages.cdn.filmclub.org%2Ffilm__3086-kirikou-and-the-sorceress--hi_res-758a09a5.jpg%2Ffilm__3086-kirikou-and-the-sorceress--hi_res-758a09a5.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Kirikou and the Sorceress

Kirikou is small but he is bold. Pretty good. Was looking for something with a short runtime when I came across this on Criterion. A little boy (and I mean LITTLE) takes on an evil Sorceress. Liked the animation and I loved this little kid. Reminded me of being a tot and going to my elementary schools tv room to watch a little something with a message. 4

[GulfportDoc]

75508 The White Tiger (2021)

The picture is an insight into India’s two caste system, and a story of one ambitious man who ultimately forces through the barrier to become an entrepreneur. Based upon the novel of the same name by Arvind Adiga, and starring Adarsh Gourav in a breakthrough role, The White Tiger unflinchingly displays India’s servant/underclass and its stark poverty.

Told almost entirely in flash back, narrator and protagonist Balram Halwai composes a letter to the Chinese Premiere relating his life story comparing India’s underclass as roosters in a coop awaiting their fate, with no means or desire to better themselves. Balram has left his village to find employment by a wealthy Delhi family as a driver for the Americanized son and his wife. We see Balram’s seemingly unquestioning service to the family as his master, along with the indignities he suffers, before he makes a shocking decision to break out of his caste and to take control of his own destiny. His infectious smile and personality later change to a laser focused determination to achieve success. A “white tiger” is a metaphor for a rare once-in-a-generation talent.

The picture quickly grabs one’s interest, and stays engaging for its entire 125 minute run time. Gourav’s acting is flawless, and is supported by a first rate cast headed by Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra. Gourav has been nominated for Best Male lead in the Film Independent Spirit Award, and was placed on the BAFTA long list for Best Actor.

The filming takes place entirely in India, chiefly in Delhi. The dialogue is mostly in English, with occasional subtitled Hindi. The story and cinematography are so well done that it occasionally feels like a documentary. DP Paolo Carnera perfectly captures the sight and feel of contemporary India. The score by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans effectively ranges from traditional Hindi music to contemporary hip-hop-- which provides a contrast of the upper class on one hand, to the starkness of the villagers on the other.
I have not read the novel, however after reading it’s synopsis the film appears to follow it pretty closely. In fact the screenplay is nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 93rd Academy Awards. It’s hard to imagine that an adapted screenplay could be better done than The White Tiger.

Doc’s rating: 9/10

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intofilm.org%2Fintofilm-production%2Fscaledcropped%2F444x250https%3A%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fimages.cdn.filmclub.org%2Ffilm__3086-kirikou-and-the-sorceress--hi_res-758a09a5.jpg%2Ffilm__3086-kirikou-and-the-sorceress--hi_res-758a09a5.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Kirikou and the Sorceress

Kirikou is small but he is bold. Pretty good. Was looking for something with a short runtime when I came across this on Criterion. A little boy (and I mean LITTLE) takes on an evil Sorceress. Liked the animation and I loved this little kid. Reminded me of being a tot and going to my elementary schools tv room to watch a little something with a message. 4

I haven't written up my review of it yet (I don't think . . . ) but I would also recommend the sequel, Kirikou and the Men and Women. If my avatar doesn't make it very obvious, I am a fan of this film.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcontent.moviery.com%2F01%2F003101%2F3.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Afro Samurai Resurrection, 2009

Afro Samurai (Samuel L Jackson) is forced back into battle when a woman from his past, Sio (Lucy Liu) steals his dead father's body in order to resurrect it. Accompanied by the colorful Ninja Ninja (also Jackson), Afro must go in search of a powerful headband so that he can defeat Sio.

I haven't watched the TV series from which this film comes, but there are a lot of people I like involved in its production (including the RZA, who did the score for the film) so I decided to check it out.

To begin with, the synthesis of the samurai aesthetic with a distinct element of Black culture integrated is done really well. This is true in both the visuals of the characters and in the voice performances from Jackson. The film is overlaid with the RZA's hip-hop soundtrack and in terms of look and mood it is very engaging. The action scenes are also pretty good, hearkening back to the samurai vibe of the 60s and 70s, where every slash of a sword removed a limb and/or resulted in an epic geyser of blood spray.

The downsides are those that I often associate with action type anime films. There isn't a lot of great character development. And, predictably, all of the women are drawn as jerk-off material (including a long and explicit sequence in a strip club). Interestingly, there is one female character, a Black woman, who is drawn (1) wearing clothing and (2) without absurd blow-up doll proportions. But all of the other women look like generic white porn fantasies, including the lead villain with her gravity defying outfit and biology. While it is meant to go along with the "adult" vibe of the film, it had the opposite effect on me, as it seemed eye-rollingly juvenile and reductive.

Jackson's voice acting and the score are the best things about it, but the exploitative portrayal of women and the lack of character development left me with little interest in revisiting this film or exploring the series on which it is based.

3

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/sgp-catalog-images/region_US/ou8pk-JF9Q3N433XG-Full-Image_GalleryBackground-en-US-1524518882619._SX1080_.jpg


https://www.unionstationla.com/images/4/a/c/2/5/4ac251a0b7cb23c709b8abfec5018ca71b8f3f7f-tlft-2-2.jpeg


Too Late for Tears - This 1949 thriller could be considered noirish or noir adjacent. It opens with Jane (Lizabeth Scott) and Al Palmer (Arthur Kennedy) driving through one of L.A.'s canyons on their way to a party. Jane is insistent that they turn around because she feels that the affluent hostess of the party has never liked her and makes her feel inferior. This is a very strong hint as to the rest of the story and when she forces him to pull over, a lone driver apparently mistakes them for the person he's meeting. As they pass each other a satchel that turns out to be full of money is thrown into their backseat. Alan, being the law abiding one, wants to immediately turn it over to the authorities. Jane eventually talks hims out of it and the rest of the plot is a classic example of one of those "Oh what a tangled web we weave" cautionary tales. Dan Duryea shows up as Danny Fuller, the guy the satchel was meant for. But Jane is so hellbent on keeping what she feels is already hers and the life it could finally buy her that she literally stops at nothing to claim it.

It's unique, given the time period, to see such a strong and resolute portrayal by a woman. She calls the shots and isn't dependent on any man to provide either the opportunity or the impetus for her actions. And even though it's ultimately in service to some really sketchy behavior one can't help but feel a little sympathy for Jane. The cast also includes Don DeFore and Kristine Miller and keep an eye out for a really young Denver Pyle in a bit part as yet another guy that Jane uses and loses.

rating_4

[Fabulous]

Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/zEymLjlkN0Re62lcgbuZJwghNTi.jpg

[GulfportDoc]

Too Late for Tears - This 1949 thriller could be considered noirish or noir adjacent. It opens with Jane (Lizabeth Scott) and Al Palmer (Arthur Kennedy) driving through one of L.A.'s canyons on their way to a party. Jane is insistent that they turn around because she feels that the affluent hostess of the party has never liked her and makes her feel inferior. This is a very strong hint as to the rest of the story and when she forces him to pull over, a lone driver apparently mistakes them for the person he's meeting. As they pass each other a satchel that turns out to be full of money is thrown into their backseat. Alan, being the law abiding one, wants to immediately turn it over to the authorities. Jane eventually talks hims out of it and the rest of the plot is a classic example of one of those "Oh what a tangled web we weave" cautionary tales. Dan Duryea shows up as Danny Fuller, the guy the satchel was meant for. But Jane is so hellbent on keeping what she feels is already hers and the life it could finally buy her that she literally stops at nothing to claim it.

It's unique, given the time period, to see such a strong and resolute portrayal by a woman. She calls the shots and isn't dependent on any man to provide either the opportunity or the impetus for her actions. And even though it's ultimately in service to some really sketchy behavior one can't help but feel a little sympathy for Jane. The cast also includes Don DeFore and Kristine Miller and keep an eye out for a really young Denver Pyle in a bit part as yet another guy that Jane uses and loses.

rating_4
Good picture, especially for we Lizabeth Scott fans. It's interesting that in the trailer, reference is made to noir. In 1949 the term must have just started getting usage in the vernacular. Noir was aware of itself by then..:)

[mark f]

The trailer is for the 2014 restoration of Too Late for Tears.

[SpelingError]

The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) - 4

This film is at its best when it explores the impact Liliana Colotto's murder has on the various characters. There are direct effects such as Ricardo waiting at a train station every day in hopes of catching the killer and indirect effects such as the long-term effects the case has on Esposito, which lasts for decades. And, of course, there's Isidoro Gomez's shocking fate which I can't talk about without spoiling it. Watching how the murder case effected the three characters was one of the film's main highlights for me. I found their stories thought-provoking and tragic, specifically Esposito's since his relationship with Irene was handled really well. In addition to their on-screen chemistry, I found their inability to express their attraction to each other quite tragic. Unlike other films I've seen with a romance sub-plot, this aspect didn't feel unnecessary or tacked on. I was also impressed with the camerawork and editing. While the soccer stadium sequence that unfortunately didn't involve a helicopter was the main setpiece for me, I appreciated other scenes as well like the dreamy opening or the way the film handled the flashback structure. Though the film jumped back and forth between 1999 and the mid-1970's a number of times, these cuts were edited into the film quite seamlessly, showing subtle visual cues that the setting changed such as the de-aging effects in Esposito's hair. Overall, not sure how often I would want to revisit this film, but I enjoyed quite a bit about it.

[Fabulous]

Promised Land (2012)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/tGoiwOOqoHhxq4mfNx18woIchug.jpg

[Marco]

Blinded by the Light (2019)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d7/Blinded_by_the_Light_%282019_film_poster%29.png/220px-Blinded_by_the_Light_%282019_film_poster%29.png
Better than I thought it would be and was really apprehensive going in, being a big fan of Springsteen's music....pleasantly surprised!

3.5

[xSookieStackhouse]

4.5
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/The_Wedding_Planner_Poster.jpg

[pahaK]

バトル・ロワイアルII 鎮魂歌 (2003)
aka Battle Royale II: Requiem
1.5
Wow. Less than 20 years ago, I actually was dumb enough to rate this 8/10? It's an action movie for Greta Thunberg and Antifa, that glorifies terrorism (including 9/11) and puts Islamists like Al-Qaeda on the same side as individual freedom/liberty. It's also massively bloated, has more last words than Sean Bean's career, has a shakier camera than a hung-over Paul Greengrass, and has a childish script full of plot holes. Ugh :sick:

[Thursday Next]

The Trial of the Chicago Seven (2020)

Solid courtroom movie, slickly made with a whole raft of good actors. There were a lack of interesting grey areas though and the ending was pure cheese.

3.5

[Kennethk]

Nest of vampires, 2021


It was pretty slow to get to the vampire bit but it had something about it that was a bit different. I liked the setting England if I remember right, over all worth a watch I enjoyed the plot about a dad rescurring his daughter from the bad guy at what ever the cost.


7/10; could've just been more vampire related.

[Torgo]

The Crimson Rivers - 3

A decent French police thriller with Jean Reno as the grizzled veteran who teams up with Vincent Cassel's younger, hot-headed detective. Set in a prestigious and isolated university in a small Alpine town, it's a story featuring elaborately mutilated corpses, eugenics, disturbing photographs and library research. It is thus very much inspired by Se7en, and while it can't hold a candle to it, I enjoyed it well enough. While it would be hard not to make movie set in the French Alps look beautiful, the cinematography is quite good and the mystery is compelling and held my interest. Still, like many of the police thrillers that followed Se7en, you would be better off watching Se7en first if you had never seen it before. Oh, and it has a bonkers video game-like fight sequence that stands alongside the rapping dog in Titanic: The Legend Goes On in the "where did that come from?" department.

[beelzebubble]

Six Minutes to Midnight 2.5/5
I saw it so you don't have to. Formulaic Nazi's threaten England movie with characters as thin as paper. The only thing worthwhile in the movie was Jim Broadbent who had a tiny supporting role. Dollars to donuts Jim improvised most of what his character did. I couldn't imagine the screenwriter having the imagination to think up the bits of business that he does. It is sad when the only fresh thing in a film is 71 years old. Here's to better parts for JIm Broadbent in his golden years.


Black Narcissus 5/5
Must see movie about a group of Nuns who travel to the Himalayas to set up a convent. Oscar winning cinematography highlights a dense script in which every character including the supporting ones have some depth. I never tire of watching it. It is a classic.

[Stirchley]

75526

Re-watch. So good.

[Tequila]

Stan and Ollie (2018)- Great film based on the famous film duo. I went into this doubtful that Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly would be any good but it turned out to be great casting in my opinion. Really enjoyed this one. 4
Frantz (2016) - Saw this listed in the TV guide and thought it sounded interesting. Shot in b&w with glimpses of colour here and there, the story had me hooked from the beginning. I had never heard of Paula Beer and Pierre Niney before and after this I will be looking at watching other films in which they appear. 4.5
Death Note, how L changed the world (2008) This was very different to what I was expecting. I was expecting something involving the Death Note but it went in a very different direction. Kenichi Matsuyama is brilliant as the quirky character 'L' who has 23 days to solve a global threat. I enjoyed this as L is my favourite character from the Death Note films, although it is not as good as the first two live action Death Note films. 3

[matt72582]

Love In The City - 8/10
Nice "fake-documentary" with segments about women in society, usually in trouble. This is the first of this kind I've seen, despite always noticing Italian directors doing these.. I hope to find more movies like this. It's truly a relief to finally see a good movie - the first one of the year.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/88/Amorecit.jpg

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzMwZGRlN2EtMTc1OS00NWE0LWJjYjMtMDdkYzQ0YTVhMjcxL2ltYWdlL2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjQ1OTA0ODQ@._V1 _.jpg



4

[Thief]

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III
(2006, Abrams)
The third part on a film franchise

https://fromtailorswithlove.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/mission-impossible-3-jacket-suede.jpg


"What I'm selling and who I'm selling it to should be the last thing you're concerned about... Ethan."



Mission: Impossible III features a semi-retired Hunt, who is now a trainer of new recruits while enjoying "normal" life with his fiancée Julia (Michelle Monaghan). Unfortunately, when a young trainee (Keri Russell) ends up captured, Ethan is pulled back into action; first to try to rescue her and then to try to stop Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the notorious arms dealer that had captured her. And it is at the hands of Davian that the franchise introduces a concept that seemed foreign to this franchise: a real threat and a real vulnerability to our "hero".

Grade: 4.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2191156#post2191156)