Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[Takoma11]

PHOENIX
(2014, Petzold)
-- recommended by Sylvie (https://slywit.wordpress.com/) --

http://p9.storage.canalblog.com/97/82/363481/101959737_o.jpg




Phoenix follows Nelly (Nina Hoss), a former singer trying to pick up the pieces of her life after the end of World War II. A survivor of a concentration camp, Nelly was left for dead after being shot in the face, but undergoes reconstructive surgery in an attempt to regain her normal life. "How do you want to look?", asks the doctor, trying to give her the option to start life anew, but Nelly wants to look "exactly like I used to". But sometimes, the wounds are too deep, too severe, "it's never quite the same".

Phoenix a slow burner, as director and co-writer Christian Petzold takes his time to set the story, and build the characters. The fire you can feel from the three main performances also doesn't let the story feel stuck, but rather keeps it moving, wondering what will happen next. The film is not a thriller, but a more introspective character study as we see them each pondering their next steps, and what to do. How can we reconstruct, or recreate after... this?

Grade: 4


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2233397#post2233397)

I really love Phoenix. I like the integration of the thriller and drama elements--not only figuring out what has happened in the past, but also deciding how long you can go while pretending not to know a truth that will radically change your own sense of self.

[CringeFest]

Murmur (Heather Young, 2019) rating_2_5 6-/10
Iron Warrior (Al Bradley [Alfonso Brescia], 1987) rating_1_5 4/10
Nathalie... (Anne Fontaine, 2003) rating_2_5+ 6/10
Annette (Leos Carax, 2021) rating_2_5 6/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/45c6c69b1f61a06851cb0f0c78c981c9/da61333a10d0e465-7a/s400x600/dcd58492c3a05cfbbd5655b7e09edf259a79c644.gifv
Narcissistic singer Adam Driver uses his "daughter" in more ways than one in a darkly bizarre musical.
Track of the Moon Beast (Richard Ashe, 1976) rating_1_5 4/10
Out of My League (Alice Filippi, 2020) rating_2_5 6/10
In Pursuit of Silence (Patrick Shen, 2015) rating_3 6.5/10
The Green Knight (David Lowery, 2021) rating_2_5 5.5/10
https://www.pajiba.com/assets_c/2021/05/unnamed-thumb-700x394-234664.gif
Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) "slays" the Green Knight and then travels on a year-long journey after which he may confront him again.
My Love, Don't Cross That River (Jin Mo-young, 2014) rating_2_5 6/10
Invasion from Inner Earth (Bill Rebane, 1974) rating_1_5+ 4.5/10
Clambake (Arthur H. Nadel, 1967) rating_2_5 5.5/10
PAW Patrol: The Movie (Cal Brunker, 2021) rating_2_5 6/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/826db88264f96d34e89a2a95c9bd18d4/712b6e6403dad9d8-f6/s500x750/9af410132869e75f2327de85a8dc2ab60b2d8c12.gifv
Yep, the Doggy Police are cute, but they're the most-competent public service employees in Adventure City.
The Wanting Mare (Nicholas Ashe Bateman, 2020) rating_2_5 5.5/10
The Alpha Incident (Bill Rebane, 1978) rating_2 5/10
Chloe and Theo (Ezna Sands, 2015) rating_2_5 5.5/10
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (Kwang Il Han, 2021) rating_3+ 6.5/10
https://c.tenor.com/w59QOGc224MAAAAC/sword-fight-vesemir.gif
Mercenary swordsman fights monsters including a new, more-dangerous one.
Blood Harvest (Bill Rebane, 1987) rating_2 5/10
Tales of Dracula (Joe DeMuro, 2015) rating_2_5 6/10
Wicked Blood (Mark Young, 2014) rating_2+ 5/10
Vampire (E.W. Swackhamer, 1979) rating_2_5 6/10
https://www.allhorror.com/public/uploads/2018/03/dfffdsf.jpg
Although he's still being aided by retired cop E.G. Marshall, architect Jason Miller here is at the mercy of vampire Richard Lynch in San Francisco.




So much dissapointment inherent in your ratings...

[GulfportDoc]

A buddy of mine is friends with Bruce Willis. Willis was at my buddy's wedding... and was a complete ******* to anyone who even tried to speak to him. But what I learned from my friend is that Willis doesn't give one **** anymore. He does an endless stream of movies where he gets paid a bunch of money to show up for one day of shooting or three days of shooting or whatever and then he's free again to do whatever the hell he wants. He has little if any interest in acting anymore except as a way to keep all the bills paid so he just churns out Red Box fare when it suits his schedule and he really doesn't care what anybody thinks about it.
Strange but it is what it is. Personally, having met him and feeling that he was a real douchebag, I enjoy seeing his public shame even if he doesn't care at all (and he doesn't).
Yeah, that seems to be the case. He likely doesn't give a damn any more. He's never one a significant award, so since it's not going to happen now, maybe that influences his attitude. On the other hand he might just be a pr*ck...:D

[SpelingError]

A quiet Place part 2

I can't even be bothered to use bigger fonts and a graphic/gif

1

I also didn't care for it.

[GulfportDoc]

https://i.postimg.cc/Ls87rfsG/Fallen-Idol-Poster-1948.jpg
By David O. Selznick Productions - Source, Public Domain

The Fallen Idol - (1948)

Terrific film from Carol Reed based on a short story by Graham Greene. The film takes place in an Embassy in London, from the point of view of a child (the son of important diplomats) who idolizes butler Baines (Ralph Richardson) - when Baines is discovered by the child having an affair there starts a series of secrets, lies and trouble - eventually leading to someone's death. The kid finds himself in a world he doesn't understand - with potentially tragic results. Reed and Greene would be nominated for Oscars for directing and adapted screenplay. I enjoyed every minute.
7.5/10
I loved it too. Great atmosphere and wonder, even if the kid got a little too whiny... Here's my commentary:


The Fallen Idol(1948)

One of Carol Reed's finest, based on a short story by Graham Greene. Released a year before his masterpiece, The Third Man, Reed's penchant for mysterious street scenes and unusual camera angles are on full display in this captivating suspense drama.

There was a fine performance by Ralph Richardson as Mr. Baines, the butler, harassed by his nasty and dominating wife wonderfully acted by Sonia Dresdel. The young boy was played by Bobby Henrey, who was believable and well casted. His dialogue was written with a little too much nattering neediness, but the approach of moving along the plot primarily through his eyes draws the viewer into the drama.

There were excellent supporting roles by Michele Morgan as the mistress and Denis O'Dea as the chief inspector. The film won the BAFTA award that year for best picture.

Doc's rating: 8/10

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ad/Movie_poster_for_%22Witness_for_the_Prosecution%22.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7086640

Witness for the Prosecution - (1957)

The end credits forbade me to talk about this film (the first time I can ever remember that happening.) Considering that it's 64 years old and based on a story that's nearly 100 years old I could be excused for loosening that restriction a little bit. Fine performances and quirky humour turn what might have been an average courtroom thriller into something more. I've always liked Charles Laughton - from Ruggles of Red Gap to Spartacus, he never lets me down. Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich (especially) hold up their end of the bargain well.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0f/Mulholland.png
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7728162

Mulholland Drive - (2001) - rewatch

Discerning dream (or nightmare) from reality has never been as difficult or fun as in this. It helps that this film is so inscrutable it lets me off the hook, allowing for myriad interpretations and theories. There's a monster living behind a diner, a disfigured freakish boss figure meddling in a Hollywood film and various hopefuls dreaming and becoming unglued as their dreams become reality and their reality becomes a dream.

silencio

8/10

[Wooley]

The subscribing splash comes up, but you can close it in the X and still read the article. At least that's how I read it.

Apparently I've read my limit of free articles this month, I'll save it for the 1st.

[Wooley]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e9/3a/42/e93a42bfe87bfc2a9c4b3df54418bd90.jpg

2nd-Re-watch...Ben Stiller created his masterpiece as the director, co-screenwriter, and star of this dead on satire of Apocalypse Now and the documentary Hearts of Darkness which finds five actors working on a big budget action film turned into real soldiers through a bizarre series of events. The Oscar-worthy screenplay combines an on-target look at the Hollywood machine as well as the behind the scenes turmoil that surrounded the Coppola classic. Stiller's cast is perfection with standout work from Robert Downey Jr, who earned an Oscar nomination as an arrogant Australian actor who undergoes a "pigmentation augmentation" so that he can play a black character, Matthew McConaughey as Stiller's agent, and especially Tom Cruise, who buries his sex symbol image to be believable as the hard-assed producer of the movie. Cruise should have received an Oscar nomination too. Research revealed that Cruise came up with the look for his character completely, including prosthetic hands. Funny, smart, and richly entertaining...still. 4

Sadly, this movie was not for me. Most of the humor, outside of Cruise and RDJ, completely missed for me, with specific focus on Danny McBride's part and the Simple Jack reenactment/brainwashing parts for Stiller. Did like Cruise, though, which I usually don't.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOWY4ZGM4MWEtOTYxMC00OWE4LTllNWMtYzNjNWIxMTFlYjliXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjg4MDY0MDM@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg



2.5

[Nausicaä]

https://www.sonyclassics.com/aquarela/img/share.jpg
Aquarela


3

SF = 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

[GulfportDoc]

Witness for the Prosecution - (1957)

The end credits forbade me to talk about this film (the first time I can ever remember that happening.) Considering that it's 64 years old and based on a story that's nearly 100 years old I could be excused for loosening that restriction a little bit. Fine performances and quirky humour turn what might have been an average courtroom thriller into something more. I've always liked Charles Laughton - from Ruggles of Red Gap to Spartacus, he never lets me down. Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich (especially) hold up their end of the bargain well.

8/10

Mulholland Drive - (2001) - rewatch

Discerning dream (or nightmare) from reality has never been as difficult or fun as in this. It helps that this film is so inscrutable it lets me off the hook, allowing for myriad interpretations and theories. There's a monster living behind a diner, a disfigured freakish boss figure meddling in a Hollywood film and various hopefuls dreaming and becoming unglued as their dreams become reality and their reality becomes a dream.

silencio

8/10
Oh, man! You've picked out a great one in Witness for the Prosecution. I watch it every couple of years just to remember what a great film looks like. I agree 100% with what you said about Laughton. His role was one of the most enjoyable pieces of acting I've ever seen-- and he's had many of them. Elsa Lanchester wasn't too shabby either!

Everyone was cooking with gas on this film-- even Una O'Connor as the housekeeper who testified in court. And directed by the great Billy Wilder?? Heaven, baby!

I've stayed away from watching Mulholland Drive for 20 years now because....... well, I'd better keep that to myself. But on your recommendation I might fire it up tonight since I'm "batching" it (my wife is away for the night), and I can take a look at what they're all cooing about...:) If I make it through, I'll let you know my opinion.

[xSookieStackhouse]

4.5
https://teaser-trailer.com/wp-content/uploads/Candyman-movie-2021-poster.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7d/RollerballPoster.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24951061

Rollerball - (1975)

Not bad. Another dystopian future for us, with corporations ruling the world and a violent sport the main source of entertainment (and a lesson for us.) Jonathan E. (James Caan) - a superstar of the game, is being pressured to retire for reasons which are obvious but still somewhat spoiler-rated. He refuses, even when rule-changes dump fouls meaning that players can just outright start killing each other. The carnage inside and outside of the stadium mixes well with a world we really don't want. A good thing then that corporations aren't on the way to domin......ohhhh

6.5/10

https://i.postimg.cc/2SCkcxgm/fortapache.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from RKO., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17245606

Fort Apache - (1948)

Pretty old but still pretty good John Ford Western with Henry Fonda as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday - a character that somewhat resembles George Custer by the time the plot reaches it's climax. For 1948, this is a magnificent opus, and one where the Indians are thankfully not relegated to villain status.

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8b/GetSmartAgain.jpg
By http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTUxMjA1MzMzNl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzM4MTU1MQ@@._V1__SX646_SY555_.jpg, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43199172

Get Smart, Again! - (1989)

In 1980 Get Smart got the (belated) feature film treatment in The Naked Bomb. I despise that movie, I'm sorry to say. Nearly a decade later, poor old typecast Don Adams was dusted off, oiled and rolled out again for this television movie. It's slightly better than The Naked Bomb - and at least has quite a few original cast members. It's not bone-shatteringly funny, but has it's little moments.

4/10

I've stayed away from watching Mulholland Drive for 20 years now because....... well, I'd better keep that to myself. But on your recommendation I might fire it up tonight since I'm "batching" it (my wife is away for the night), and I can take a look at what they're all cooing about...:) If I make it through, I'll let you know my opinion.

Feel free to let your anger rip if that's how it makes you feel :cool:

[Siddon]

https://pics.filmaffinity.com/Tennessee_Johnson-172053652-mmed.jpg



Andrew Johnson is one of the worst Presidents in american history...so it was interesting to see a quality biopic. Yes the film is tone-deaf and made cheaply but it's nice to watch the anti-case against a terrible person. But the villain is Thaddeus Stevens...who was played by Tommy lee Jones in Lincoln...here he's Lionel Barrymore and he's brilliant in it.



2.5

[Marco]

Edmond (2005)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cb/Edmondposter.jpg
William H. Macy plays a staid middle aged man who is compelled to change his life after a tarot card reading. Interesting, episodic and sometimes very funny from the pen of David Mamet. As Edmond spirals more out of control his crack--pot outbursts about the meaning of life become scattier. Bit of violence in this and some *very* racist language.

3

[Torgo]

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky - 4

If you're a fan of Stephen Chow's movies, Big Trouble in Little China or fantastical, over-the-top martial arts movies in general, you owe it to yourself to see this. Part Shawshank Redemption and part Mortal Kombat - which this movie inspired - the titular character is a man whose strength makes him impossible to detain since he can pull chains apart and whose punches shred human flesh to hilariously gory effect. Luckily, Ricky faces many worthy adversaries on his way to liberating the for-profit prison where he is incarcerated: besides the Gang of Four, there's Dan the gluttonous, glass-eyed assistant warden and of course the main warden, who must have been inspired by Judge Doom from the equally cartoonish Who Framed Roger Rabbit. At the risk of seeming like I want to finish this review early, it's a movie I'm hesitant to say any more about because mere words cannot do justice to how crazy it is. It's better, not to mention more efficient, to just say that you should see it instead of praising its merits. The best way I can describe it is if Sam Raimi, Stephen Chow and Frank Darabont went on a drunken bender and then wrote a script, this is what it would look like if someone filmed it. Oh, and again, if the evils of capitalism are on your mind lately, the mere sight of Dan's typical meal and his pornography-laden office as well as the warden's spoiled, child-like adult son are bound to provide just as much catharsis as the blood and guts.

[Marco]

Oleanna (1994)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/aa/Oleanna_film_poster.jpg
Another Mamet written (and directed) film. Told in 2 distinct parts and it's a tale of sexual politics, pride, revenge between a college professor and a rather withdrawn student of his.

Not great but watchable: 2.5

[M.L.]

Boogie Nights - 5

This movie is fantastic. Feels in some ways like a precursor to Magnolia, but this is definitely it's own thing. I'll need to re-watch this at some point.

[Stirchley]

Boogie Nights - 5

This movie is fantastic. Feels in some ways like a precursor to Magnolia, but this is definitely it's own thing. I'll need to re-watch this at some point.

Terrific movie.

[WHITBISSELL!]

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky - rating_4

If you're a fan of Stephen Chow's movies, Big Trouble in Little China or fantastical, over-the-top martial arts movies in general, you owe it to yourself to see this. Part Shawshank Redemption and part Mortal Kombat - which this movie inspired - the titular character is a man whose strength makes him impossible to detain since he can pull chains apart and whose punches shred human flesh to hilariously gory effect. Luckily, Ricky faces many worthy adversaries on his way to liberating the for-profit prison where he is incarcerated: besides the Gang of Four, there's Dan the gluttonous, glass-eyed assistant warden and of course the main warden, who must have been inspired by Judge Doom from the equally cartoonish Who Framed Roger Rabbit. At the risk of seeming like I want to finish this review early, it's a movie I'm hesitant to say any more about because mere words cannot do justice to how crazy it is. It's better, not to mention more efficient, to just say that you should see it instead of praising its merits. The best way I can describe it is if Sam Raimi, Stephen Chow and Frank Darabont went on a drunken bender and then wrote a script, this is what it would look like if someone filmed it. Oh, and again, if the evils of capitalism are on your mind lately, the mere sight of Dan's typical meal and his pornography-laden office as well as the warden's spoiled, child-like adult son are bound to provide just as much catharsis as the blood and guts.I seem to remember a poster that had a gif from this movie as their avatar. I'm thinking it might have been at RT and it's a pretty recognizable shot. Or ... (and this is a big or) ... I'm actually thinking of the The Daily Show when Craig Kilborn was hosting. He used to have this closing segment whenever he interviewed a celebrity that was called "Five Questions" and the gif was in the intro to that.

Anyway, I hope this isn't too much of a spoiler but I've always liked this ...

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3h182JgIf1qg39ewo1_500.gif

[WHITBISSELL!]

Come to think of it that movie is filled with gif worthy moments and someone could start a pretty decent thread because a Google search turns up loads of hilarious gifs.

[Torgo]

I seem to remember a poster that had a gif from this movie as their avatar. I'm thinking it might have been at RT and it's a pretty recognizable shot. Or ... (and this is a big or) ... I'm actually thinking of the The Daily Show when Craig Kilborn was hosting. He used to have this closing segment whenever he interviewed a celebrity that was called "Five Questions" and the gif was in the intro to that.

Anyway, I hope this isn't too much of a spoiler but I've always liked this ...

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3h182JgIf1qg39ewo1_500.gifHa, I remember that! Someone on RT also said it was one of the best movies they've ever seen, and while I wouldn't go that far, they both inspired me to check it out, which I finally did.

As you discovered on Google, that scene you spoilered is actually one of the tamer moments.

[Rockatansky]

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky - 4

If you're a fan of Stephen Chow's movies, Big Trouble in Little China or fantastical, over-the-top martial arts movies in general, you owe it to yourself to see this. Part Shawshank Redemption and part Mortal Kombat - which this movie inspired - the titular character is a man whose strength makes him impossible to detain since he can pull chains apart and whose punches shred human flesh to hilariously gory effect. Luckily, Ricky faces many worthy adversaries on his way to liberating the for-profit prison where he is incarcerated: besides the Gang of Four, there's Dan the gluttonous, glass-eyed assistant warden and of course the main warden, who must have been inspired by Judge Doom from the equally cartoonish Who Framed Roger Rabbit. At the risk of seeming like I want to finish this review early, it's a movie I'm hesitant to say any more about because mere words cannot do justice to how crazy it is. It's better, not to mention more efficient, to just say that you should see it instead of praising its merits. The best way I can describe it is if Sam Raimi, Stephen Chow and Frank Darabont went on a drunken bender and then wrote a script, this is what it would look like if someone filmed it. Oh, and again, if the evils of capitalism are on your mind lately, the mere sight of Dan's typical meal and his pornography-laden office as well as the warden's spoiled, child-like adult son are bound to provide just as much catharsis as the blood and guts.
How did you see this?


Been on my radar since I watched a bunch of guess HK girls with guns movies last summer and realized Yukari Oshima was in it.

[doubledenim]

It was Kilborn.

[Torgo]

How did you see this?


Been on my radar since I watched a bunch of guess HK girls with guns movies last summer and realized Yukari Oshima was in it.I found a reasonably-priced DVD on Amazon. If you're a fan, you should definitely move it up on your watchlist since her role is one of the best things about the movie. She's the Gang of Four member I loved to hate the most.

[crumbsroom]

How did you see this?


Been on my radar since I watched a bunch of guess HK girls with guns movies last summer and realized Yukari Oshima was in it.


Pretty sure they rent it out at Eyesore, if you are willing to venture a few stops west of your usual haunt.

[Rockatansky]

Pretty sure they rent it out at Eyesore, if you are willing to venture a few stops west of your usual haunt.

Ah, will keep that in mind. I placed an order with Bay Street Video a few months ago (which is where I got that I Spit On Your Grave box set I keep bringing up) but haven't been thereabouts in person in over a year and a half.


Actually went downtown for the first time in a while this last weekend... and remembered why I generally avoided going there outside of workdays. Smelled like piss and **** everywhere.

[Rockatansky]

I found a reasonably-priced DVD on Amazon. If you're a fan, you should definitely move it up on your watchlist since her role is one of the best things about the movie. She's the Gang of Four member I loved to hate the most.

I've found her to have a very offbeat screen presence, so your description jives with my experience.

[Thief]

THE BLACK ORCHID
(1958, Ritt)
-- recommended by Tom (https://twitter.com/deafheaven) --

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/The_Black_Orchid_%281958%29_trailer_1.jpg


"It takes somebody bad to tell you what it is like in the bottom of hell."



The Black Orchid follows the relationship and dilemma between Frank and Rose. You see, Rose's husband was a gangster and her son is held at a work farm for juveniles, while Frank's wife suffered from mental illness and depression, which left him to raise their daughter Mary (Ina Balin) alone. But when Frank starts dating Rose, Mary refuses to accept his decision, which also endangers her own relationship with her fiancée. This, in turn makes Frank wonder if she's about to follow her late wife's path.

My Twitter friend Tom recommended this to me after we had a conversation about Quinn, and the truth is that he's the greatest asset the film has. He portrays Frank with a mixture of confidence and giddiness that you would expect to see in a middle-aged man that hasn't dated in a while. There's a certain playfulness to how his relationship with Rose evolves that evokes the feelings of "puppy love", with nervous dancing and ice cream dates.

Grade: 3


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2233872#post2233872)

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81B6tH1BDXL._SX342_.jpg



3.5

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://randommusingsmovie.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/riki_oh_10.gif

https://randommusingsmovie.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/riki_oh_12.jpg


Riki Oh: The Story of Ricky - Okay. Immediately after conversing with Torgo I googled the title + full movie and had zero trouble finding a streaming version online. It's everything he said it was and more. Plus lot's of evil cackling and more than a few instances of spitting in reaction to the recently killed. Because when it comes to bad guys I don't want them mailing it in. It's ... I don't know ... I guess intentionally hilarious? Nothing this batsh*t gonzo could have possibly been designed to be taken seriously. Or maybe *gulp* it was. There are certainly moments where you're not sure. The shot of the inmates gamely trying to play basketball. The bit where Riki is pulling the spike out of his hand and it sounds like a cork being pulled out of a champagne bottle. The way Riki screams and jackrabbits out of the room after seeing his girlfriends dead body. A dog literally getting kicked in half. Okay, that last one was more of a horrified laughter moment. And I honestly wasn't sure if the person playing Rogan was a guy or a girl or just asexual. I guess what I'm trying to say is that for all those movies that try to shock or labor to be ironically edgy the best advice is to just be true to yourself. But only if your true self has jacuzzi loads of blood and hamburger and eyeballs and fingers and intestines and an industrial sized meat grinder handy. I think everyone on this site should watch this. And then start some kind of Riki Oh craft project. Maybe a quilt.

rating_4

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWQxODE4MWQtMTZlMi00N2UwLWEzNGEtOGVkZWVmMzgwYTg5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODk2NDQ3MTA@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


3.5

[Allaby]

For some reason, I decided to watch the new movie He's All That on Netflix. Of the 51 films I have seen that were released this year, this one is the worst. The screenplay was terrible, predictable, and cliched. The characters were one dimensional stereotypes that were very poorly developed. The acting was pretty bad from several of the main actors. Also, most of these people look too old to be playing high school students. The best performance was the cute little sister. This film was not very entertaining and not funny or romantic. Skip it. My rating is a 1.5

[Fabulous]

Bridesmaids (2011)

2.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/1pkpV7a02phSfAPeGVmpHaQd99J.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://i.postimg.cc/RFH4dfjz/dontlookback.jpg
By Designer unknown. The film was directed by D. A. Pennebaker and distributed independently by Leacock-Pennebaker, Inc. - Scan via csfd.cz., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86250532

Bob Dylan : Dont Look Back - (1967)

Absorbing documentary which takes a look at Bob Dylan's tour of England in 1965 - at a time when he was still an acoustic folk singer. You get a real sense of history in the making, with Dylan's entourage taking note of what the English press was saying about him at the time. He often takes an argumentative posture with deliberate effect, but never stoops to closing himself off to what interviewers say. This turned out to be one of the most influential music films ever made.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a7/Drugstore_Cowboy.png
By IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56565108

Drugstore Cowboy - (1989)

Good second feature from Gus Van Sant - a critical success that preceded My Own Private Idaho. Four drug addicts, led by Bob (Matt Dillon) rob pharmacies and hospitals - both using and dealing what they get away with. Will it be redemption or disaster for Bob in the final act? The film gets down and dirty without really getting as down or dirty as it could. I think it holds back a bit simply due to the rating it would have got if if didn't, but it's a decent film regardless.

6.5/10

[WHITBISSELL!]

I still won't throw a hat on a bed because of Drugstore Cowboy. I watched it years and years and years ago and that one thing has stuck with me all this time.

[Wooley]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7d/RollerballPoster.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24951061

Rollerball - (1975)

Not bad. Another dystopian future for us, with corporations ruling the world and a violent sport the main source of entertainment (and a lesson for us.) Jonathan E. (James Caan) - a superstar of the game, is being pressured to retire for reasons which are obvious but still somewhat spoiler-rated. He refuses, even when rule-changes dump fouls meaning that players can just outright start killing each other. The carnage inside and outside of the stadium mixes well with a world we really don't want. A good thing then that corporations aren't on the way to domin......ohhhh

6.5/10



I'm a big fan of this one.
Jon-a-than! Jon-a-than!

[this_is_the_ girl]

https://fathersonholygore.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/the-haunting.jpg
The Haunting (1963, Robert Wise)
3.5
Loved the setting (gorgeous!), the cinematography (check out the camera movement, the weird angles, the use of mirrors, etc), and just the overall classic horror vibe of it all.
But... I sorely missed the scares. Throughout the film, I found myself admiring the visuals more than being actually creeped out by what was going on.
It's still a very good film, and I definitely enjoyed it a lot.

[Allaby]

I went and saw Candyman (2021) today. I thought it was an intelligent, socially conscious horror film that I enjoyed. I thought Nia DaCosta did a very good job directing the film, building on the legacy of the original Candyman and putting her own spin on it. The story was told in a smart and satisfying way. I felt the cast, especially Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Colman Domingo, gave effective and engaging performance For me, this is the 5th best film of the year so far. 4.5

[Fabulous]

Lethal Weapon (1987)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/guTNnSWS3CaH71jasY8W1FMptjG.jpg

[mark f]

Purple Sea (Amel Alzakout & Khaled Abdulwahed, 2020) 1.5 4/10
Troma's War (Michael Herz & Lloyd Kaufman, 1988) 2.5 6/10
Spider-Man 2 (Sam Raimi, 2004) 3.5 7/10
Sweet Thing (Alexandre Rockwell, 2021) 3- 6.5/10
http://www.elespectadorimaginario.com/assets/MV5BY2NjZDBjY2YtZDgzMi00YTVhLTg2YmUtNGU4YWJhNGEwYjcwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTgwNTI4NTE@._V1_SX1777_CR001777 989_AL_.jpg
Brother Nico Rockwell, sister Lana Rockwell and new friend Jabari Watkins have picaresque adventures when they run away from home.
Werewolves Within (Josh Ruben, 2021) 2.5+ 6/10
Deadbeat at Dawn (Jim Van Bebber, 1988) 2+ 5/10
Rare Beasts (Billie Piper, 2019) 2.5 5.5/10
Buddy (Heddy Honigmann, 2018) 3 6.5/10
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/idfa-buddy-h_2018.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
Guide dog and its blind human show great love for each other.
Aquarela (Viktor Kosakovskiy, 2018) 3- 6.5/10
The Last Matinee AKA Red Screening (Maximiliano Contenti, 2020) 2.5 6-/10
Roadkill: The Last Days of John Martin (Jim Van Bebber, 1994) 1.5 4/10
The Scarlet Pimpernel (Harold Young, 1934) 3+ 6.5/10
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/79/41/99/794199b541f028ba5dd9e281c5c21350.gif
"That damned elusive pimpernel" - Leslie Howard.
Vacation Friends (Clay Tarver, 2021) 2.5+ 6/10
The Stairs (Peter 'Drago' Tiemann, 2021) 2+ 5/10
Rushed (Vibeke Muasya, 2021) 2.5+ 6/10
Brian Eno: 1971-1977 - The Man Who Fell to Earth (No Director Listed, 2011) 3+ 6.5/10
http://www.discdish.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/brianeno.jpg
Eno, here with Roxy Music founder Bryan Ferry, was one of the most innovative music makers of the 1970s.
Los Reyes (Iván Osnovikoff & Bettina Perut, 2018) 2.5+ 6/10
Behemoth (Peter Szewczyk, 2020) 2+ 5/10
The Old Ways (Christopher Alender, 2020) 2.5 5.5/10
The Wild One (Laslo Benedek, 1953) 3.5 7/10
https://dominiquerevue.weebly.com/uploads/3/2/1/0/3210008/the-wild-one-whaddya-got-marlon-brando.gif
- Johnny (Marlon Brando), leader of the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club.

[Gideon58]

https://www.kinolorber.com/media_cache/images/full/738329252977.jpg




3.5

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/47/Fear_of_Rain_poster.jpg

3

SF = 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

[Takoma11]

I went and saw Candyman (2021) today. I thought it was an intelligent, socially conscious horror film that I enjoyed. I thought Nia DaCosta did a very good job directing the film, building on the legacy of the original Candyman and putting her own spin on it. The story was told in a smart and satisfying way. I felt the cast, especially Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Colman Domingo, gave effective and engaging performance For me, this is the 5th best film of the year so far. 4.5

This is great news! I am a huge fan of the original, but I also think it's a premise that could be great for a reimagining, so I was both excited and nervous when I heard about the new version. I've heard enough positive things that I'm excited to see it.

[GulfportDoc]

80721
Mulholland Drive (2001)

Responding to Phoenix74, I finally sat down to watch this picture after avoiding it for 20 years. There were several enjoyable elements, chiefly the superb acting of Naomi Watts in a role that demanded the use of a wide range of her acting chops; but also the production’s obvious technical achievements, such as Lynch’s use of Crayola type colors in his sets, and also the first rate cinematography by Peter Deming. The art and production designers certainly had a work out as well.

The film is basically a lesbian fantasy wrapped in an abstract and often incoherent neo-noir mystery. At times the primitive scenes are morphed into something entirely new with no explanation. The actors played against a dream-like but pretentiously incongruous or muddled narrative made it seem like someone’s graduate film school project. During other passages the action and suspense were very Hitchcockian. Yet at no time did I feel as if I were watching a great motion picture.

Some of the film is very comparable to abstract painting, as it is in other segments of Lynch’s movies: make of it what you will. There is no “right” answer, which allows endless speculation and intellectualization. The story starts as a mystery with the common noir trope of amnesia, and ends with a disquieting thud, followed by a mysterious uttered coda. The film has dream-like quality for sure, but it’s not surrealism. Some find the picture endlessly hip, while others might consider it artsy bunco. I lean toward the latter. It’s likely that Lynch has not revealed its meaning simply because it has no meaning.

The cast was enjoyable, from the brief cameos by Robert Forester and Dan Hedaya, to the smoldering sensuality of Laura Harring (in her best Rita Hayworth impersonation). Naomi Watts, who puts me in mind of a 20th Century Teresa Wright (Shadow of a Doubt), is the keystone of the movie, and she came through in spades. Justin Theroux as the director Adam Kesher was put through the hoops, and provided some of the minimal comedy. It was delightful to see the great Ann Miller as Coco, the landlady, in her last film screen role.

In the final analysis I experienced the film much the same as when listening to a great jazz solo. I enjoy it, notice several outstanding portions, but resist analyzing it any further.

Doc’s rating: 6/10

[GulfportDoc]

Drugstore Cowboy - (1989)

Good second feature from Gus Van Sant - a critical success that preceded My Own Private Idaho. Four drug addicts, led by Bob (Matt Dillon) rob pharmacies and hospitals - both using and dealing what they get away with. Will it be redemption or disaster for Bob in the final act? The film gets down and dirty without really getting as down or dirty as it could. I think it holds back a bit simply due to the rating it would have got if if didn't, but it's a decent film regardless.

6.5/10
I really enjoyed that film. Very real. And I loved seeing the "Beat Generation's" William S. Burroughs as "Father Tom" Murphy, a natural talent.

[GulfportDoc]

https://www.kinolorber.com/media_cache/images/full/738329252977.jpg
rating_3_5
Very clever movie. Brando is nearly always good, and I really love Richard Boone as a bad guy-- one of the best. The twist puts me in mind of The Woman in the Window (1944) with Edward G. Robinson.

[ThatDarnMKS]

I watched HOLY MOTORS after my distaste for ANNETTE set a fire under me. As I expected, I liked it far more than ANNETTE in virtually every single way except that, for a movie about life as an acting performance, it doesn’t contain a performance nearly as strong as Adam Drivers, instead asking Denis Lavant to rely more heavily on make-up than performance as he mimes his way through bizarre cinematic scenario after bizarre cinematic scenario. I don’t mean to sound as though it is a poor performance, as it is both daring and the correct approach for this material, it’s just lesser next to Driver.

I’m gonna chalk my dislike for Annette almost entirely on Sparks at this point.

4

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDkzYmNiOWYtNzZkNi00NzNiLTk2MzktY2VmMGY4MmI1NDMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjMxOTE0ODA@._V1_.jpg


4

[Thief]

I watched HOLY MOTORS after my distaste for ANNETTE set a fire under me. As I expected, I liked it far more than ANNETTE in virtually every single way except that, for a movie about life as an acting performance, it doesn’t contain a performance nearly as strong as Adam Drivers, instead asking Denis Lavant to rely more heavily on make-up than performance as he mimes his way through bizarre cinematic scenario after bizarre cinematic scenario. I don’t mean to sound as though it is a poor performance, as it is both daring and the correct approach for this material, it’s just lesser next to Driver.

I’m gonna chalk my dislike for Annette almost entirely on Sparks at this point.

4

I think that rating is more or less where I fell on my first viewing; it has improved a bit for me, because of how much it stuck with me. Anyway, not sure if I shared this with you, but this is something I wrote (https://discover.hubpages.com/entertainment/Holy-Motors-What-did-I-just-saw) back when I saw it.

I really enjoyed Lavant's performance(s). I really felt him immersed in the different scenarios, all of which are wildly different. But putting the dramatic part of the performance, I doubt there would've been another actor with the athleticism that Carax required for the role.

[Thief]

80721
Mulholland Drive (2001)

Responding to Phoenix74, I finally sat down to watch this picture after avoiding it for 20 years. There were several enjoyable elements, chiefly the superb acting of Naomi Watts in a role that demanded the use of a wide range of her acting chops; but also the production’s obvious technical achievements, such as Lynch’s use of Crayola type colors in his sets, and also the first rate cinematography by Peter Deming. The art and production designers certainly had a work out as well.

The film is basically a lesbian fantasy wrapped in an abstract and often incoherent neo-noir mystery. At times the primitive scenes are morphed into something entirely new with no explanation. The actors played against a dream-like but pretentiously incongruous or muddled narrative made it seem like someone’s graduate film school project. During other passages the action and suspense were very Hitchcockian. Yet at no time did I feel as if I were watching a great motion picture.

Some of the film is very comparable to abstract painting, as it is in other segments of Lynch’s movies: make of it what you will. There is no “right” answer, which allows endless speculation and intellectualization. The story starts as a mystery with the common noir trope of amnesia, and ends with a disquieting thud, followed by a mysterious uttered coda. The film has dream-like quality for sure, but it’s not surrealism. Some find the picture endlessly hip, while others might consider it artsy bunco. I lean toward the latter. It’s likely that Lynch has not revealed its meaning simply because it has no meaning.

The cast was enjoyable, from the brief cameos by Robert Forester and Dan Hedaya, to the smoldering sensuality of Laura Harring (in her best Rita Hayworth impersonation). Naomi Watts, who puts me in mind of a 20th Century Teresa Wright (Shadow of a Doubt), is the keystone of the movie, and she came through in spades. Justin Theroux as the director Adam Kesher was put through the hoops, and provided some of the minimal comedy. It was delightful to see the great Ann Miller as Coco, the landlady, in her last film screen role.

In the final analysis I experienced the film much the same as when listening to a great jazz solo. I enjoy it, notice several outstanding portions, but resist analyzing it any further.

Doc’s rating: 6/10

I'm a huge fan of the film so obviously I disagree with your dismissal of it, but at least I'm glad you got some enjoyment out of it.

As far as I'm concerned, I find it mesmerizing. I think I've said it before here but when I first rented it back in 2001, I saw it three times back-to-back-to-back, and have seen it several times afterwards. I think that once you get the drift of the story, it's fairly "straightforward", but regardless of that, I don't think the enjoyment is in "understanding" the film, but in "feeling" it, as cliché as it might sound.

If you're interested, here's what I wrote about it (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2218613-mulholland-drive.html) last time I rewatched it (a couple of months ago), and if you want to dive further, here's a special episode of my podcast (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8768663) that I dedicated to one scene from the film.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fca-times.brightspotcdn.com%2Fdims4%2Fdefault%2Fc6e288a%2F2147483647%2Fstrip%2Ftrue%2Fcrop%2F1223x688%2B 0%2B0%2Fresize%2F840x473!%2Fquality%2F90%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%252F68%252F95%252F0b7720ac6c86cc134384947d7f5e%252Fla-1492788497-2tqm7wcwiu-snap-image&f=1&nofb=1

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, 1997

Romy (Mira Sorvino) and Michele (Lisa Kudrow) are high school best friends, still living together a decade after graduating high school. When they learn that their 10-year high school reunion is approaching, they take a stark look at their lives and begin to panic. Together they decide to put of a fake front of success at the reunion.

This is one of those films where I can vividly remember it being released. Specifically, I can remember the trailer playing on TV ("We're not the ones who got fat." "We're pregnant, you idiot!"). I was never super interested, but actually watching it I was pleasantly surprised.

Now, is this an all-time great comedy? Nah. But I found it solidly entertaining from beginning to end. The structure is kind of an enjoyable mess, with long flashbacks, interludes, and an extended dream sequence.

The biggest delight, for me, was Mira Sorvino and her excellent chemistry with Lisa Kudrow. Sorvino was one of the women named as someone who was knowingly blacklisted after enduring harassment from Harvey Weinstein. I've only seen her in a few things, and I really enjoyed the way that she played her character and her comedic timing.

Romy and Michele are interesting main characters. They walk this line between two stereotypes: the dumb blondes and the high school misfits. In a way, it's kind of neat. A lot of movies show attractive, charismatic people as "outsiders" in movies and it just never feels real. Romy and Michele are pretty and thin and all that, but they are also just really weird. (To up the misfit-status, Romy is overweight and Michele wears a huge back-brace).

The film does lack a compelling villain. The mean girls who tormented Romy and Michele in high school are, of course, just as awful at the reunion. Ultimately, though, the film is about the relationship between the two leads. In a moment of discord, they turn on each other as the reason that they haven't "made it." the nature of both their split and their reconciliation makes a lot of sense from an emotional point of view, even if they are wrapped in an absurd story about inventing post-it notes and synchronized dancing.

Aside from lacking a great villain, there's also something a bit off about a romantic subplot between Michele and a guy named Sandy (Alan Cumming). Sandy has a huge crush on Michele in high school, which she knows about but ignores (not unkindly, but also not . . . super kindly). The final act is very ridiculous and over-the-top, but I still found it a bit icky that Michele changes her mind about someone because he is now handsome and rich. It's literally what Romy and Michele thought they'd need to be loved and respected by their peers. It's just a very strange double standard. Again, the absurdity of the last act does mitigate this, but it kind of bugged me and it puts sort of a negative spin on the main characters, especially Michele.

In a week where I really needed some goofy joy, this was the perfect film.

3.5

[crumbsroom]

I like Romy and Michelle. It's one of those movies that doesn't have to be a fully good movie to be good. It lives or dies with those two characters, and even though I don't remember anything in particular about them, I remember liking watching them. Which is sometimes enough.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbestmoviecast.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F08%2FUntold-1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Untold: Malice at the Palace, 2021

In this documentary, several players (mainly Ron Artest/Metta World Peace, Reggie Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, and Stephen Jackson), coaches, and other related witnesses recount the ugly 2004 brawl between the Indiana Pacers, the Detroit Pistons, and Pistons fans in the Detroit stadium. The documentary sets up the internal team dynamics, the bigger picture of the league at that time, and then dissects the event and the aftermath.

I am not a huge sports fan, and I run very hot and cold with different sports. For example, sometimes I will watch a ton of a hockey season or basketball season, or whatever. But I definitely do not have a great sense of the game.

So it is always interesting to me to watch documentaries like this one, because I really don't have my own perspective, memories, or opinions on the events. In fact, I'd be interested to hear what someone more familiar with the players and the situation thinks of the events as they are presented.

The thing that stuck out to me the most in this documentary is just how many different pressures were placed on this group of men. Don't get me wrong: I think that professional athletes (like any group of people with a lot of money and power) can be the absolute worst, But there's an apparent honesty to the way that the players reflect on their behaviors that I found really compelling. Metta World Peace, in particular, and the way that he describes the dynamics of his depression and anxiety is very interesting to watch. The guy is dealing with some serious mental health issues (seriously, look no further than how borderline distraught he is after winning a championship, describing himself as a coward and looking like something horrible has happened). One of the most compelling things to me was when he describes that ANY extreme--whether it's scoring a winning layup or getting in a fight--is not a good mental state for him. So often, one of the things that is idolized when it comes to professional athletes is their intensity. But what the interviews seem to show is that intensity can come from a healthy place or an unhealthy place.

I was also very interested in the discussion of fan culpability. I was an athlete in high school and in college, and I coached a middle school team for seven years and the absolute worst part of it all is the fans. There is this bizarre cultural acceptance of really despicable, cruel behavior (some of it barely-veiled or just explicitly bigoted). While I didn't approve of a lot of the behavior from the players, I found myself absolutely disgusted by the behavior of the fans. Throwing everything from beers to a chair, dumping food and drinks over the players, coming down to the court to confront the players, and so on. The documentary interviews a fan who came onto the court (and I'll be real--watching Artest punch him out was a highlight of the documentary) and the man who instigated the fan fight by throwing a beer, and they were easily the worst. Just the worst. Like, the smirk on the face of the man who threw the drink as he says he has zero remorse about the wrong fan being attacked by a player was just . . .ugh. At least the players have the excuse of high emotion and adrenaline from a competition.

And the third most interesting aspect for me was the examination of the aftermath. Everything from the racialized language used against the players who were involved (the word "thugs" and "hip-hop" are thrown around to an absurd degree), to the fact that Stern, the commissioner of the NBA, acted alone in determining who was suspended and for how long. Even the disclosure from the prosecutor that the NBA basically requested that the players be charged and that the prosecutor had to push back and assert that he was also going to go after the fans. There's also the absurd moment of a police officer preparing to mace Reggie Miller, asserting he didn't know who he was, immediately followed by Jackson's disbelieving "How do you not know Reggie Miller from the Pacers?!?!".

There wasn't much that I felt was missing from this. Whether the interviewees were honest with the interviewer (or honest with themselves) is something that others would be more qualified to say. I really enjoyed listening to all of the men speak. They are at an interesting place where they have some distance from the events and have had some time to come to terms with the aftermath, and yet a lot of it is still clearly very raw.

4.5

[Thief]

Hmm, I might have to check that one out.

[Takoma11]

I like Romy and Michelle. It's one of those movies that doesn't have to be a fully good movie to be good. It lives or dies with those two characters, and even though I don't remember anything in particular about them, I remember liking watching them. Which is sometimes enough.

Exactly.

[Thief]

I like Romy and Michelle. It's one of those movies that doesn't have to be a fully good movie to be good. It lives or dies with those two characters, and even though I don't remember anything in particular about them, I remember liking watching them. Which is sometimes enough.

Yeah, I haven't seen it in a long time, don't remember much about it, but do remember having fun with it.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nme.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F10%2FAmerican_Murder_Netflix.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The Family Next Door, 2020

This documentary uses police bodycam footage, text messages, Facebook posts, news reports, and other primary sources to document the investigation following the disappearance of a woman named Shanann Watts and her two young daughters.

About three minutes into this one, I realized that I'd seen some of the footage already. The case of Shanann Watts is actually pretty big-profile, and so I did have a sense of where things were going. But with 90 minutes to fill, there was a lot more background, context, and aftermath than I'd ever been aware of.

WARNING! The rest of this review discusses the true-crime case of Shanann Watts and the outcome of the case!!! So SPOILERS, sort of, because I think most people are probably actually familiar with this case and how it ended.

It's apparent (or seems apparent, more about this later) as Chris Watts smirks his way through various interviews that Shanann and the kids are dead. What the documentary does, quite well in my opinion, is layer Chris's unraveling story with text messages and videos that illuminate the nature of the conflicts in his relationship with Shanann.

It's very dangerous, of course, to look at someone and declare that they are guilty because of the way that they behave. Different people have different responses to trauma or anxiety, and saying that a smile or fidgeting is an automatic indicator of guilt can obviously lead to great harm. And yet, it is bizarre to watch the way that Watts behaves at different moments. In particular, a moment in which he "confesses" to his father at a police station, and seems to be choosing his words with very specific design and intent.

The most grueling part of the film comes after Watts gives his version of events: that Shanann killed their children, and so he had to kill her. It's a disturbing (and improbable) story, but what's more disturbing is the way that so many people flock around to defend him. It goes as far as people declaring that even if Watts did kill all three (as well as Shanann's unborn fetus), it was because she drove him to it. "How can you say that?" someone asks on a radio show or maybe a podcast. "She made him do it. She's a b*tch.". In fact, the theme of women being at fault is a thread that runs through the film. Did Chris do what he did because Shanann was controlling and crazy? Or because his mistress didn't want him to have the "burden" of kids? Or because his mother indulges him? Repeatedly--whether by people on social media, in the news, or from Chris himself--there's this idea that his hand was forced. (Don't you just hate it when people around you are unreasonable and you have to murder three people?)

The biggest revelation for me is the fact that Watts later gave a more complete confession, in which he actually admits to all three killings. The last I had heard of the story (admittedly, something I was only peripherally aware of), Watts was still claiming that Shanann has smothered the children and he killed her in a rage. Hearing him confess to the actual sequence of events is utterly chilling.

This documentary is different from most others I've seen because the creators are incredibly "invisible". Everything on screen (aside from title cards that tell us the date of whatever we are about to see) is a primary source. There are no interviews. In some ways, this is neat. You are just seeing "real" footage. There is a moment at the end of the film where the creator "personality" asserts itself, as two different title cards announce that on average, three women are killed every day in the US by their current or ex-partner; then that these crimes are mostly committed by men and are premeditated. These two title cards practically ooze with offense at the way that Chris attempted to cast Shanann as the killer of her own children and himself as the righteous protector.

This is a well-curated mix of primary sources. Simply as a timeline of a crime, what led up to it, and what came after, it works very well.

3.5

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/What_Price_Glory-1952-poster.jpg
By Derived from a digital capture (photo/scan) of the Film Poster/ VHS or DVD Cover (creator of this digital version is irrelevant as the copyright in all equivalent images is still held by the same party). Copyright held by the film company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33716722

What Price Glory - (1952)

Catching up with a few John Ford films - this one, a slightly strange World War I comedy backed with some beautiful cinematography in technicolour. While the humour is often endearing, I'm a little taken aback by how fun the First World War looks in this film - and I have to wonder what veterans of that conflict would have thought of it (Ford himself had seen conflict from 1942 to 45 granted.) The horrors of war only make a very brief interlude in the pranks and jokes going on. Other than that sense of the wrong tone - the film is actually quite good and at times like a glorious colourful painting.
Corinne Calvet is gorgeous - but falls prey to early 20th Century gender roles when two officers decide who will marry her in a game of poker. To be fair to them though, her character, Charmaine, had a chance to choose herself - and couldn't decide.

This could have been a truly great film, but it seems there was a lot of pandering to audiences and executives. That said, I like it.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/My_Own_Private_Idaho.png
By Box Office Mojo, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56552686

My Own Private Idaho - (1991) - rewatch

Gus Van Sant's bittersweet and daring follow-up to Drugstore Cowboy really put his name on the map. River Phoenix is a street hustler with narcolepsy called Mike Waters and Keanu Reeves his closest friend and lover Scott Favor. Waters has a tortured history which includes abuse and abandonment, Favor is just rebelling while waiting for his father to die to collect his massive inheritance - after which he plans to go straight and turn over a new leaf. It's the relationship these two have, along with father-figure bum Bob (William Richert) that provides the crux of the film.

It's a somewhat sad ode to free spirits and the search for greater meaning in our lives - whether that be in the past or the future. Being this upfront about homosexuality was quite a risk even though that taboo had thawed somewhat by the beginning of the 1990s. Other themes might be slight spoiler territory. Good on New Line Cinema for picking this up.

7/10

80721

Mulholland Drive (2001)

In the final analysis I experienced the film much the same as when listening to a great jazz solo. I enjoy it, notice several outstanding portions, but resist analyzing it any further.

Doc’s rating: 6/10

I like your jazz analogy. If I were to critique the film on it's faults my mind always goes to the unevenness between alternate realities. Approximately two hours for one, twenty minutes for the other - but it is so uneven that it's obviously deliberate. I call them alternate realities - but they exist together which is another interesting element to the film. I agree with you not so much that Lynch made a film with no meaning, but that he made one with no solution.

I fall somewhere between you and Thief in how much I like the film - but my appraisal has gone up as the years have gone by.

[GulfportDoc]

80755
Return to Babylon (2013)

Right from the opening credits, as arpeggio chords of the enchanting and mysterious The Aquarium by Camille Saint-Saens washed over me, I was drawn into the wonderful era of silent films, and Hollywood of the early 20th Century. For nearly 30 years the public was treated to a fantasy realm by silent moving pictures that really would not have been possible in the same way by talking films. The dramatic and mystical were adorned by stylized Egyptian, Oriental, and Art Deco elements which contributed to their fascination and other-wordly appeal.

The film’s beginning reinforced those feelings due to its use of 16 mm black and white film shot with a vintage hand cranked camera. This replicated the exact look of a film produced during the mid silent era. The techniques and staging rang true, and were a joy to watch. The genuine location settings were very effective in representing the silent era.

The film was basically a series of short vignettes featuring biographies (both fictional and real) and sketches of a number of famous film stars from the era: Clara Bow, Lupe Velez, Gloria Swanson, Josephine Baker, Alla Nazimova, Mabel Normand, Fatty Arbuckle, Erich von Stoheim, Douglas Fairbanks, Rudolph Valentino, and many more.

Yet there were two detractions for me. The first was the film’s frequent slide into campiness and hackneyed frank sexual innuendo in the title cards-- and the overuse of dialogue intertitles in general. The second was the choice of actors to portray some of the famous figures. The portrayal of Fatty Arbuckle in particular was cringeworthy, as the stuffing used to increase his girth was obvious, which was not matched by the rest of his body. The actor who played Valentino was all wrong. On the other hand Maria Conchita Alfonso as Lupe Velez, Rolonda Watts as Josephine Baker, Laura Harring as Alla Nazimova, Michael Goldman as Adolph Zukor, and Phillip Bloch as Ramon Novarro, were very well cast, and portrayed their characters in a believable manor.

Directed by little known Alex Monty Canawati, and written by Canawati along with Stanley Sheff, the project was on a shoestring budget, and was developed from 2001 to 2008, only getting enough post production money to have it released in 2013. It never found a distributor, and was finally released on You Tube, where it continues to be viewable in full. Certainly a project of this type would have benefited greatly from a much larger budget. I have a hunch that it was Alfonso and Sheff who kicked in some of the production financing, and were both instrumental in acquiring money piecemeal for the project. As it remains, it strikes me that this was a fun project whose participation in it by several late middle aged actresses was fueled by their desire to strut their stuff portraying some of the great silent film stars.

I’d had hopes for another film approaching the quality of The Artist (2011), which is solidly in my list of top 100 films. Unfortunately that was not to be. However at only 75 minutes Return to Babylon is a fun and absorbing watch, and has enough excellence to impress the viewer for what it is and for what it could have been.

Doc’s rating: 6/10

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/z6NPBxuaydvPF2X4Rp3OUz8clQ.jpg

Attack! - 1956 WWll drama directed by Robert Aldrich and adapted from the play 'Fragile Fox' by Norman Brooks. It stars Jack Palance at his Jack Palanciest. He plays the intense and brooding platoon leader Lt. Joe Costa of Fox Company. Costa has major beef with his CO, Captain Erskine Cooney (Eddie Albert). Cooney is ill-suited to a wartime command and has cost the lives of numerous men in the company by freezing up at critical times. It's common knowledge within the company that Cooney owes his command to his longtime friend, battalion commander Lt. Colonel Clyde Bartlett (Lee Marvin). Bartlett has postwar political aspirations and Cooney's father is a powerful judge and runs the political machine back in their home state.

Costa is at the end of his rope and after Cooney's latest failure decides to do something about it but holds off when the Company XO, LT. Harry Woodruff (William Smithers) assures him that the company is due to stand down. But a German offensive that signals the start of the Battle of the Bulge changes things and Fox company is ordered to take and hold the nearby Belgian town of La Nelle. Cooney decides on a needlessly risky plan to send in a solitary platoon to determine the number and strength of whatever German forces might be there. Costa extracts a promise from Cooney and assurances from Woodruff that they are to send in reinforcements and threatens to come back and kill Cooney if any more of his men die needlessly. As it turns out the town is heavily defended by SS troops with mortars and tanks and only five of Costa's men make it to a small farmhouse on the outskirts. Cooney again folds under pressure and refuses to send in any help leading the remaining survivors to try a hasty retreat through withering fire. Costa is also wounded and his fate is left undetermined as the Germans break through American lines and enter the town held by Fox Company.
With it's static staging and dialogue heavy scenes it's origins as a stage play are plain to see in the film's first act and for some reason it put me in mind of a Twilight Zone episode. But once the film branches out and the battle action heats up the true scope and implications are easier to grasp and allow you to be drawn in. This turned out to be a really effective almost noirish drama which, given Aldrich's talent shouldn't be too surprising. Brooks' play is decidedly anti-war, bleak and cynical with the brutality about as credible as the times allowed. After reading the script the Defense Department wanted nothing to do with it and refused access to any equipment or locations. The cast is first rate with WWII veterans Jack Palance, Eddie Albert and Lee Marvin lending an air of authenticity to the proceedings.

rating_4

[GulfportDoc]

I'm a huge fan of the film so obviously I disagree with your dismissal of it, but at least I'm glad you got some enjoyment out of it.

As far as I'm concerned, I find it mesmerizing. I think I've said it before here but when I first rented it back in 2001, I saw it three times back-to-back-to-back, and have seen it several times afterwards. I think that once you get the drift of the story, it's fairly "straightforward", but regardless of that, I don't think the enjoyment is in "understanding" the film, but in "feeling" it, as cliché as it might sound.

If you're interested, here's what I wrote about it (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2218613-mulholland-drive.html) last time I rewatched it (a couple of months ago), and if you want to dive further, here's a special episode of my podcast (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8768663) that I dedicated to one scene from the film.
Oh yes, I agree 100%, hence my analogy of listening to a jazz solo.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F02%2Fshutterstock_9727754g.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The Show Must Go On, 2019

This documentary follows the successful collaboration between singer Adam Lambert and the surviving members of the band Queen.

I quite enjoyed this documentary, and specifically the way that it tells two different stories--the story of how the members of Queen coped with the loss of their friend and front man Freddy Mercury, and the story of how Adam Lambert went from his time on American Idol to find himself as an artist. I found both stories equally compelling, and the intersection between their experiences was quite heartwarming.

I found myself very interested in the experience of the members of Queen. As they explain quite well in their interviews, they still love their music and the experience of performing, and yet they aren't sure how to move forward from the loss of Mercury. They chart the various ways that they re-engaged with their music and their fanbase: a musical, some appearances on television shows, a tour with a different singer, and finally their collaboration with Lambert. They are very clear that they were not looking to emulate or replace Mercury, but rather looking for someone who could engage with their music in an authentic way.

In Lambert's story, we see the way that a young artist intersects with the pop culture landscape. As one of the band members notes, as soon as they see him on American Idol they realize that he's very talented but won't win because he's obviously gay. (Lambert almost being shut down in his Idol audition because he's too "theatrical" is an ominous indicator of this). I will unabashedly admit that I like Adam Lambert. I think his voice is amazing, "What Do You Want From Me?" is one of my favorite songs to pop up on the radio, and he was EASILY the best thing about the ill-fated Rocky Horror TV special. He's a very honest and engaging interview subject, and the way that he connects with Mercury while at the same time contrasting with him is pretty cool.

The meshing of Lambert and Queen is maybe the most engaging part of the documentary. Here you have two very different generations of musicians, and yet the respect and collaboration between them feels so incredibly genuine. The elder-statesmen musicians have respect for Lambert's presence and it's clear that they empathize with his struggles. The elephant in the room is obviously the idea that Lambert is "replacing" Mercury. Roger Taylor in particular is blunt about the criticisms of Lambert stemming from a lack of imagination. And on Lambert's side of things, he has found a band that is wonderfully eclectic and works very well with his "theatricality".

There are so many ways that artistic endeavors can go off the rails. For me, the question of whether or not this combination is "as good" as the original band composition totally misses the point. Here are two parties that were needing something and found it in each other. I think it's really sweet and totally charming.

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

Literally the only downside to this documentary is the (in my opinion, unnecessary) presence of Simon Cowell. A few of the other interview subjects--such as some random XFM radio host?--felt a bit out of place. But for the most part the interview subjects are knowledgeable and engaging.

4

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.tmdb.org%2Ft%2Fp%2Fw780%2Fcnl95VtUon66J1PLRPpsgYgwHF7.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Night and Fog, 1956

This documentary, filmed ten years after the end of WW2, recounts the creation of the concentration camps and the suffering of those unfortunate enough to end up in them.

Despite the mostly sedate tone of the narrator, this film is like a howl against the cruelties that people can inflict on each other.

Watching this film, I felt the way that I often do when confronted with cruelty on this scale and scope---it is almost beyond comprehension, and it's like looking into a nightmarish abyss. My grandfather was present at the liberation of one of the concentration camps (I want to say Buchenwald), and my mother said that he was never the same after what he saw there.

There is almost nothing that I can say about this film. It is heartbreaking in the sense of the the entire scale of it but also down to little details, like footage of a man carrying a nude, emaciated corpse slung over his shoulder. The outraged question at the end of the film--"Who is responsible?" feels like an indictment that reaches far beyond the Nazi leadership.

5

[Guaporense]

The Matrix (1999)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pt/c/c1/The_Matrix_Poster.jpg

Re-watched it thanks to the family suggestion since the last time I watched it was in the movie theater back in 1999. They don't make blockbusters like these anymore. :p

5

[SpelingError]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.tmdb.org%2Ft%2Fp%2Fw780%2Fcnl95VtUon66J1PLRPpsgYgwHF7.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Night and Fog, 1956

This documentary, filmed ten years after the end of WW2, recounts the creation of the concentration camps and the suffering of those unfortunate enough to end up in them.

Despite the mostly sedate tone of the narrator, this film is like a howl against the cruelties that people can inflict on each other.

Watching this film, I felt the way that I often do when confronted with cruelty on this scale and scope---it is almost beyond comprehension, and it's like looking into a nightmarish abyss. My grandfather was present at the liberation of one of the concentration camps (I want to say Buchenwald), and my mother said that he was never the same after what he saw there.

There is almost nothing that I can say about this film. It is heartbreaking in the sense of the the entire scale of it but also down to little details, like footage of a man carrying a nude, emaciated corpse slung over his shoulder. The outraged question at the end of the film--"Who is responsible?" feels like an indictment that reaches far beyond the Nazi leadership.

5

It's probably the most horrifying film I've ever seen, barely edging out Come and See. While most war films/documentaries avoid showing the most harrowing bits to war, Resnais straight up presents them in their true, raw fashion and it makes for a truly powerful effect. It's not something I could see myself rewatching for obvious reasons, but I have a lot of respect for it. Glad you loved it!

[Takoma11]

It's probably the most horrifying film I've ever seen, barely edging out Come and See. While most war films/documentaries avoid showing the most harrowing bits to war, Resnais straight up presents them in their true, raw fashion and it makes for a truly powerful effect. It's not something I could see myself rewatching for obvious reasons, but I have a lot of respect for it. Glad you loved it!

It is truly a painful viewing experience. I think that the film strikes just the right balance of showing the horrors but with clear empathy for the victims. When people want to minimize (or flat out deny) the Holocaust, the image of buckets full of skins or decapitated heads says all that is needed.

I followed it with The House is Black, which was also hard to watch, but at least more hopeful.

[PHOENIX74]

https://i.postimg.cc/BnwqZjkX/Stagecoach-1939-poster.jpg
By "© 1939 by United Artists Corporation." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from the original image., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=85709464

Stagecoach - (1939)

Cheating a bit here, because Stagecoach wasn't in the queue of films I'm watching, but considering I'm going on a bit of a John Ford journey here I wanted to add this in. Previous times I've tried to watch this, I haven't been able to give it all my attention - and intended to really immerse myself in a film that's considered to be one of the greatest of all time. One that really revitalized the Western genre, which would dominate the film landscape for decades after. I don't have the best copy of it - but fortunately there's a Criterion edition which I'll get later on down the track.

For the first time I really got sucked into the excitement of it all. This film builds up tension for a good while. From the outset we know that the titular stagecoach will be travelling through Apache territory and that they're on the warpath. The danger is continually brought to our attention - and in the meantime the myriad characters in the film are sketched out. A gambler, alcoholic doctor, prostitute, pregnant soldier's wife, driver, sheriff, whisky salesman, banker and the outlaw Ringo Kid (John Wayne in his big breakthrough role - he became a real star after this film.) All the characters have reason to push ahead to their destination, despite the peril.

The music is marvelous (and won an Oscar,) as is the cast. The grand view of the Arizona and New Mexico plains is somewhat muted by the decaying print my copy was made from. When the action starts you can almost hear the screams and shouts a 1939 cinema audience would have been making. It's superb - to this day. Thomas Mitchell won an Oscar for his portrayal of the perpetually drunk doctor, but when it came to it's nomination for best picture it was up against The Wizard of Oz, Of Mice and Men, Wuthering Heights, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and eventual winner Gone With the Wind.

8.5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/3_Godfathers_1948_poster.jpg
Copyright held by the film company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34291972

3 Godfathers - (1948)

This John Ford film got pretty heavy-handed with the Bible allegories, and swayed from absolutely brilliant at times to not so great at others. Three bank robbers on the run are being chased by a posse who keep beating them to places where they can get water to drink. This leads them to a ruined water tank and a dying woman giving birth. They promise to look after the child, and make a perilous journey to New Jerusalem, keeping the child alive at any cost.

Some scenes are breathtaking, as is expected in a film like this. There's a bizarre scene where the three cover the baby with grease - I don't know if you're supposed to do that or not, but they take great pleasure in it. The baby transforms the three from desperate fugitives to loving fathers and it's this transformation which provides the best part of the film.

A good movie, but not a great one.

6/10

[Torgo]

Ride the Eagle - 3

This is an upbeat yet slight comedy starring Jake Johnson - who also wrote the screenplay - as Leif, who is underemployed, leisure-seeking; in short, not far removed from Matthew McConaughey's public persona (with much less to show for it, however). After his estranged mother (Susan Sarandon) dies, he receives her video will, which contains tasks he must complete before he can inherit her Yosemite cabin. Johnson is likeable in the role, as is the supporting cast, which like Sarandon includes always-welcome faces. J.K. Simmons plays Carl, a fellow cabin dweller, D'Arcy Carden plays Leif's old flame Audrey, and then there's Luis Fernandez-Gil, who is the standout as Leif's fussy bandmate Gorka. I also like the movie's depiction of Yosemite, which - while not hard to do - accentuates the park's natural beauty while providing just the right peaceful and therapeutic vibes the story requires. The movie also shifts tones between serious and funny in a deft and mature way. There's not a whole lot to it, though: when it ended, I had a slightly empty, "that's it?" reaction. Also, the lessons Leif learns, while valuable, are a tad clichéd and the payoff is not as satisfying as it should be since Leif isn't all that interesting or developed of a character. I'm still glad I watched it, especially since positivity and optimism are in short supply lately. The movie was filmed during the pandemic, and as someone whose only getaways in the last couple years have also been in cabins and rental houses, it shows. It has more of a reason to exist than other such movies, though (I'm looking at you, Locked Down).

[Marco]

Beckett (2021)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/Beckett_%28film%29.jpg
This was okay, nothing more, it leant on other films a bit too much and failed to make it's own mark. The action was really good I thought and John David Washington really shines. Just a shame it's so derivative.
2.5

[M.L.]

A Hard Day's Night - 4

I may be a little biased because I like The Beatles, but as it stands this is definitely a good movie. It wasn't perfect, but there were some genuinely funny comedic bits, and it was very charming. (And of course, the music is good.)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit - 4

I've seen bits and pieces of this over the years and only just now watched it from beginning to end, and yeah, it's a good movie. I can't imagine the work that must've went into making this. Still, it's not entirely my cup of tea, but I still like it quite a bit.

All That Jazz - 5

This is a re-watch. I really, really like this movie. It's (kind of) like a musical biopic, but written and directed by the subject, and (interestingly) very self-criticizing. Roy Schneider is great in the lead role, and the music and choreography are fantastic. It's not something I can just put on anytime, however, as it can be a bit draining. It's still a fantastic movie in my eyes, and I'll be looking forward to my next re-watch.

[SpelingError]

All That Jazz - 5

This is a re-watch. I really, really like this movie. It's (kind of) like a musical biopic, but written and directed by the subject, and (interestingly) very self-criticizing. Roy Schneider is great in the lead role, and the music and choreography are fantastic. It's not something I can just put on anytime, however, as it can be a bit draining. It's still a fantastic movie in my eyes, and I'll be looking forward to my next re-watch.

Masterpiece. Glad you also loved it!

[Wooley]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fca-times.brightspotcdn.com%2Fdims4%2Fdefault%2Fc6e288a%2F2147483647%2Fstrip%2Ftrue%2Fcrop%2F1223x688%2B 0%2B0%2Fresize%2F840x473!%2Fquality%2F90%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%252F68%252F95%252F0b7720ac6c86cc134384947d7f5e%252Fla-1492788497-2tqm7wcwiu-snap-image&f=1&nofb=1

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, 1997

Romy (Mira Sorvino) and Michele (Lisa Kudrow) are high school best friends, still living together a decade after graduating high school. When they learn that their 10-year high school reunion is approaching, they take a stark look at their lives and begin to panic. Together they decide to put of a fake front of success at the reunion.

This is one of those films where I can vividly remember it being released. Specifically, I can remember the trailer playing on TV ("We're not the ones who got fat." "We're pregnant, you idiot!"). I was never super interested, but actually watching it I was pleasantly surprised.

Now, is this an all-time great comedy? Nah. But I found it solidly entertaining from beginning to end. The structure is kind of an enjoyable mess, with long flashbacks, interludes, and an extended dream sequence.

The biggest delight, for me, was Mira Sorvino and her excellent chemistry with Lisa Kudrow. Sorvino was one of the women named as someone who was knowingly blacklisted after enduring harassment from Harvey Weinstein. I've only seen her in a few things, and I really enjoyed the way that she played her character and her comedic timing.

Romy and Michele are interesting main characters. They walk this line between two stereotypes: the dumb blondes and the high school misfits. In a way, it's kind of neat. A lot of movies show attractive, charismatic people as "outsiders" in movies and it just never feels real. Romy and Michele are pretty and thin and all that, but they are also just really weird. (To up the misfit-status, Romy is overweight and Michele wears a huge back-brace).

The film does lack a compelling villain. The mean girls who tormented Romy and Michele in high school are, of course, just as awful at the reunion. Ultimately, though, the film is about the relationship between the two leads. In a moment of discord, they turn on each other as the reason that they haven't "made it." the nature of both their split and their reconciliation makes a lot of sense from an emotional point of view, even if they are wrapped in an absurd story about inventing post-it notes and synchronized dancing.

Aside from lacking a great villain, there's also something a bit off about a romantic subplot between Michele and a guy named Sandy (Alan Cumming). Sandy has a huge crush on Michele in high school, which she knows about but ignores (not unkindly, but also not . . . super kindly). The final act is very ridiculous and over-the-top, but I still found it a bit icky that Michele changes her mind about someone because he is now handsome and rich. It's literally what Romy and Michele thought they'd need to be loved and respected by their peers. It's just a very strange double standard. Again, the absurdity of the last act does mitigate this, but it kind of bugged me and it puts sort of a negative spin on the main characters, especially Michele.

In a week where I really needed some goofy joy, this was the perfect film.

3.5

I think my wife and I walked out of this.
But I think it was because it was mis-marketed. It's a much quirkier film than the studio was trying to sell it as and we just weren't prepared or in the mood.
I've been meaning to give it another go, I may follow your rec and do so.

[Wooley]

The Matrix (1999)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/pt/c/c1/The_Matrix_Poster.jpg

Re-watched it thanks to the family suggestion since the last time I watched it was in the movie theater back in 1999. They don't make blockbusters like these anymore. :p

5

Never gets old for me.
Watched it again recently and, despite the effects now looking pretty dated, we still just found it utterly enthralling.

[Wooley]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5a/3_Godfathers_1948_poster.jpg
Copyright held by the film company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34291972

3 Godfathers - (1948)

This John Ford film got pretty heavy-handed with the Bible allegories, and swayed from absolutely brilliant at times to not so great at others. Three bank robbers on the run are being chased by a posse who keep beating them to places where they can get water to drink. This leads them to a ruined water tank and a dying woman giving birth. They promise to look after the child, and make a perilous journey to New Jerusalem, keeping the child alive at any cost.

Some scenes are breathtaking, as is expected in a film like this. There's a bizarre scene where the three cover the baby with grease - I don't know if you're supposed to do that or not, but they take great pleasure in it. The baby transforms the three from desperate fugitives to loving fathers and it's this transformation which provides the best part of the film.

A good movie, but not a great one.

6/10

I have seen the original but not this one, I am wondering if it ends the way the original did or if, given the time and The Duke, they flinched. Might have to check it out and see.

[WHITBISSELL!]

I have seen the original but not this one, I am wondering if it ends the way the original did or if, given the time and The Duke, they flinched. Might have to check it out and see.I watched this '48 version but not the original '36 one but just read the synopsis for that one on Wikipedia and no it doesn't end the same way at all. That version sounds pretty good. A lot darker. I need to watch it.

[Wooley]

I watched this '48 version but not the original '36 one but just read the synopsis for that one on Wikipedia and no it doesn't end the same way at all. That version sounds pretty good. A lot darker. I need to watch it.

I liked it, not like a great movie but certainly a good one and yes, darker.

[Takoma11]

I think my wife and I walked out of this.
But I think it was because it was mis-marketed. It's a much quirkier film than the studio was trying to sell it as and we just weren't prepared or in the mood.
I've been meaning to give it another go, I may follow your rec and do so.

Yeah, it's weird. And also it's (deliberately?) fractured and has some strange pacing and beats. Again, not a great film. But just something that was goofy and ridiculous in a moment where that was what I needed. Go in with tempered expectations and just enjoy what you can.

[Thief]

WATERSHIP DOWN
(1978, Rosen)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #8 (#748)
-- recommended by kgaard --

http://decentfilms.com/uploads/articles/watership-down.jpg


"All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies. And whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first, they must catch you... digger, listener, runner. Prince with the swift warren. Be cunning and full of tricks... and your people will never be destroyed."



Watership Down follows a group of rabbits as they flee from human "advance" in order to establish a new warren. The group is led by Hazel (John Hurt) and his younger brother Fiver (Richard Briers), who foresees the destruction of their current warren, inspiring them to leave. In the way, they encounters numerous obstacles, from various animals trying to hunt them to other rabbits attempting to enslave them. But what the rabbits have in their favor is their cunning.

But beyond its symbolism, the film manages to be engaging and thrilling as you find yourself invested in the fate of this group of rabbits. For the 1970s, the animation is great, and the voice-over work is very effective. There are instances where the pace is a bit off and the story meanders a bit, especially as it transitions from the second to the third act, but nothing that detracts much from it all. These rabbits are still full of tricks.

Grade: 3.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2234546#post2234546)

[Takoma11]

WATERSHIP DOWN
(1978, Rosen)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #8 (#748)
-- recommended by kgaard --

http://decentfilms.com/uploads/articles/watership-down.jpg




Watership Down follows a group of rabbits as they flee from human "advance" in order to establish a new warren. The group is led by Hazel (John Hurt) and his younger brother Fiver (Richard Briers), who foresees the destruction of their current warren, inspiring them to leave. In the way, they encounters numerous obstacles, from various animals trying to hunt them to other rabbits attempting to enslave them. But what the rabbits have in their favor is their cunning.

But beyond its symbolism, the film manages to be engaging and thrilling as you find yourself invested in the fate of this group of rabbits. For the 1970s, the animation is great, and the voice-over work is very effective. There are instances where the pace is a bit off and the story meanders a bit, especially as it transitions from the second to the third act, but nothing that detracts much from it all. These rabbits are still full of tricks.

Grade: 3.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2234546#post2234546)

The book is really something. Highly recommended.

[Stirchley]

The book is really something. Highly recommended.

I don’t think I’ve read the book. I think I’ve seen the movie. Not my fave thing to watch IIRC, but I did finish.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.pastemagazine.com%2Fwww%2Farticles%2F100documentaries-dark-days.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Dark Days, 2000

In this documentary, the director follows a community of homeless individuals who live in the subway tunnels underneath New York City. The film follows their day-to-day survival, their struggles, and eventually what happens when Amtrak decides it doesn't want them there anymore.

This was a solid, compassionate look at the people in the heart of a complicated issue. Further, it presents a compelling portrait of just how hard it can be to move forward against certain obstacles.

Something that I liked about this film is that it doesn't pretend at objectivity. The director--who had befriended this community before filming them--clearly has a lot of affection for his subjects. He allows them to share their own stories--letting them say as much or as little as they want. The short, sterile interview with an Amtrak suit (whose concern about the wellbeing of the homeless people in the tunnels seems, um, much less than genuine) is almost all the time that is given to anyone who might oppose their presence in the tunnels.

By giving time and space to understand the personalities of these people and their concerns and aspirations, the film diffuses a lot of very obvious criticisms. Many of the people in the tunnels emphatically do not want to go to shelters--they do not want to deal with the theft or drug availability that they think they might find there. Whatever kind of "beggars can't be choosers" mentality you might have about people who are homeless, there is no denying that these people have worked hard to create the best environment they can for their needs.

At the same time, the film doesn't shy away from some of the choices that were made by the film's subjects. In some ways, this is where I wanted more background at times. One young man opens about having left home at the age of 16 due to severe physical abuse from his father. Other people have serious addictions, mainly to crack cocaine. (It is not always clear if the addiction came before or after the homelessness). Some of them allude to having spent a lot of time in jail. But you know what? Maybe it doesn't matter. Whether the people in the tunnels were victims of their own poor choices or victims of poor circumstances, or some mix of the two, they are here now and they are trying to survive.

I really became invested in many of the stories of the people in the film. I wanted the best for them and every time they took a positive step forward--like going to rehab or getting a job--I really wanted them to succeed. I would love to know what became of many of them. I know it might not all be happy endings.

I'd certainly recommend this one.

4

[Takoma11]

I don’t think I’ve read the book. I think I’ve seen the movie. Not my fave thing to watch IIRC, but I did finish.

I'm a big fan of the novel. It gets more into the rabbit religion/culture and way of life than the film.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-GCI9CFv-K_U%2FWN0yJQ7FZRI%2FAAAAAAAALDc%2F_5bM00GuPlolTvv9Rl3ceJscsO8IxU70QCLcB%2Fs1600%2Fhb1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The House is Black, 1963

This short documentary film captures glimpses of the lives of men, women, and children living in a leper "colony" in Iran.

This is a very brief, but moving portrait of the lives of people living with a disfiguring, frightening disease. While there are a few isolated shots of the effects of leprosy, most of the images of the people are in action: children in a classroom, a woman nursing a baby, men smoking pipes or cigarettes against a wall. The drooping eyelids, missing noses, and mangled fingers are all normal in this setting.

Underneath it all, there is narration consisting of religious text and poetry from the woman who made the film. There is an undercurrent of irony as the chanting students thank God for giving them eyes . . . even as leprosy is robbing them of their vision.

The final shots, however, give a call to action. Leprosy is treatable. If the poor are treated well, the disease can be eradicated. It is a push for compassion, to replace fear with love and caring.

4.5

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.rogerebert.com%2Fuploads%2Freview%2Fprimary_image%2Freviews%2Fdick-johnson-is-dead-movie-review-2020%2Fdick-johnson-is-dead-movie-review-2020.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Dick Johnson is Dead, 2020

When her father, Dick, begins showing signs of dementia, his daughter and documentary filmmaker Kirsten, asks if he'd be willing to stage a film where they repeatedly film his death. The movie is a mix of footage of Dick's changing life, the staged fake deaths, sequences of Dick on a staged set of the afterlife, and reminisces on the family's loss of Dick's wife to Alzheimer's disease.

Oh, golly. This one got me right in the feels.

Something that is apparent all the way through the film is just how beloved Dick is by his family and friends. Beyond them going along with the very strange documentary requests, you can tell that he has had a genuine impact on them. Dick worked for decades as a therapist, and it's clear that his compassion has come back to him in the form of the people he's helped and nurtured.

The great heartbreak of the film is watching a kind, gentle man go through the progression of dementia. Having lost his wife (and the filmmaker having lost her mother) to progressive dementia just years earlier, the whole family is essentially reliving a horrible trauma. As a mental health worker, Dick knows what to expect and is able to analyze it, but this does nothing to ward off the confusion and fear that he begins to feel as the disease progresses. If anything, there is something particularly cruel and utterly devastating about Dick's awareness of what is happening to him.

This movie could have easily been a tearjerker from opening to closing credits, but what makes this film really special is an impish strain of humor that runs through it all. This humor shows up in very overt and also very subtle ways. The "heaven" sequences are a great example. As Dick plays a clarinet, lithe young dancers wearing oversized black and white photos of Dick and his late wife in their youth twirl and spin. An actor playing Jesus looks on in exasperation as the pair tears up the dance floor. But the humor can also be more nuanced and even sneaky. You can never be 100% sure in this film what is real and what isn't. That uncertainty, that literal fear of "is this really happening?" puts you in the shoes of Kirsten and her father in a way that is slow-burn but powerful.

I spent the last 30 or so minutes of this film crying almost non-stop. The humor and heartbreak are pitch-perfect, and yet that doesn't stop the tragedy of it all from punching you right in the gut. It's not just the literal loss of Dick's impending decline and death, it's the process of it all.

A friend who lost her mother recently posted something that I thought was amazing. (I'm not sure if these were her own thoughts or something she found somewhere else). She wrote that losing a loved one (and specifically a parent) is like falling in love. For a while, you have to let yourself be totally swept away with emotion for this person, and accept that your emotional life is going to revolve around them for a while.

Anyway, I thought that this was absolutely amazing. No complaints. If loss is a fragile subject for you (especially the loss of a parent or of someone elderly), approach with caution.

5

[Guaporense]

Never gets old for me.
Watched it again recently and, despite the effects now looking pretty dated, we still just found it utterly enthralling.

I think the effects look very good. They are more measured than in current movies so they feel more natural in my opinion.

[Wooley]

WATERSHIP DOWN
(1978, Rosen)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #8 (#748)
-- recommended by kgaard --

http://decentfilms.com/uploads/articles/watership-down.jpg




Watership Down follows a group of rabbits as they flee from human "advance" in order to establish a new warren. The group is led by Hazel (John Hurt) and his younger brother Fiver (Richard Briers), who foresees the destruction of their current warren, inspiring them to leave. In the way, they encounters numerous obstacles, from various animals trying to hunt them to other rabbits attempting to enslave them. But what the rabbits have in their favor is their cunning.

But beyond its symbolism, the film manages to be engaging and thrilling as you find yourself invested in the fate of this group of rabbits. For the 1970s, the animation is great, and the voice-over work is very effective. There are instances where the pace is a bit off and the story meanders a bit, especially as it transitions from the second to the third act, but nothing that detracts much from it all. These rabbits are still full of tricks.

Grade: 3.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2234546#post2234546)

I love this movie so much.

"There's a dog loose in the woods!"

[Wooley]

The book is really something. Highly recommended.

Agreed.

[Wooley]

I'm a big fan of the novel. It gets more into the rabbit religion/culture and way of life than the film.

You're right of course, but I liked the way the movie captured it given the limited time. But I did love the rabbit mythology. Felt as real as anything.

[Wooley]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.rogerebert.com%2Fuploads%2Freview%2Fprimary_image%2Freviews%2Fdick-johnson-is-dead-movie-review-2020%2Fdick-johnson-is-dead-movie-review-2020.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Dick Johnson is Dead, 2020

When her father, Dick, begins showing signs of dementia, his daughter and documentary filmmaker Kirsten, asks if he'd be willing to stage a film where they repeatedly film his death. The movie is a mix of footage of Dick's changing life, the staged fake deaths, sequences of Dick on a staged set of the afterlife, and reminisces on the family's loss of Dick's wife to Alzheimer's disease.

Oh, golly. This one got me right in the feels.

Something that is apparent all the way through the film is just how beloved Dick is by his family and friends. Beyond them going along with the very strange documentary requests, you can tell that he has had a genuine impact on them. Dick worked for decades as a therapist, and it's clear that his compassion has come back to him in the form of the people he's helped and nurtured.

The great heartbreak of the film is watching a kind, gentle man go through the progression of dementia. Having lost his wife (and the filmmaker having lost her mother) to progressive dementia just years earlier, the whole family is essentially reliving a horrible trauma. As a mental health worker, Dick knows what to expect and is able to analyze it, but this does nothing to ward off the confusion and fear that he begins to feel as the disease progresses. If anything, there is something particularly cruel and utterly devastating about Dick's awareness of what is happening to him.

This movie could have easily been a tearjerker from opening to closing credits, but what makes this film really special is an impish strain of humor that runs through it all. This humor shows up in very overt and also very subtle ways. The "heaven" sequences are a great example. As Dick plays a clarinet, lithe young dancers wearing oversized black and white photos of Dick and his late wife in their youth twirl and spin. An actor playing Jesus looks on in exasperation as the pair tears up the dance floor. But the humor can also be more nuanced and even sneaky. You can never be 100% sure in this film what is real and what isn't. That uncertainty, that literal fear of "is this really happening?" puts you in the shoes of Kirsten and her father in a way that is slow-burn but powerful.

I spent the last 30 or so minutes of this film crying almost non-stop. The humor and heartbreak are pitch-perfect, and yet that doesn't stop the tragedy of it all from punching you right in the gut. It's not just the literal loss of Dick's impending decline and death, it's the process of it all.

A friend who lost her mother recently posted something that I thought was amazing. (I'm not sure if these were her own thoughts or something she found somewhere else). She wrote that losing a loved one (and specifically a parent) is like falling in love. For a while, you have to let yourself be totally swept away with emotion for this person, and accept that your emotional life is going to revolve around them for a while.

Anyway, I thought that this was absolutely amazing. No complaints. If loss is a fragile subject for you (especially the loss of a parent or of someone elderly), approach with caution.

5

Wow. You have my curiosity.

[Wooley]

Jesus, Jaws is so damn good.

[ScarletLion]

'Timbuktu' (2014)
Dir.: Abderrahmane Sissako

https://i.imgur.com/JCxrGK4.gif

Poignant, topical drama set in Mali about a family of cattle herders whose lives are torn apart by a brutal regime of Jihadist fundamentalists that impose themselves on the village. Stunningly shot in the Director's home country of Mauretania, it's a real achievement.

4

[ScarletLion]

'Lorelei' (2021)

https://pics.filmaffinity.com/Lorelei-865569158-large.jpg

I enjoyed it. It has something of a Blue Valentine vibe plus something Neo-realistic like I, Daniel Blake or The Florida Project. A man released from prison attempts to start a new life after a chance encounter with an old flame.

Maybe it has an ending that touches on an ambiguous slightly magical realistic tone, but the 2 lead performances shine.

It is not 'too bleak' or 'too miserable'. Don't listen to reviewers who label any art like that.

3.5

[AngeliqueDeWill]

https://cdn.tvpassport.com/image/show/240x360/36139.jpg
9/10
...only because the movie doesn't last longer...

[SpelingError]

Wow. You have my curiosity.

I also recommend it. It's really good.

[SpelingError]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-GCI9CFv-K_U%2FWN0yJQ7FZRI%2FAAAAAAAALDc%2F_5bM00GuPlolTvv9Rl3ceJscsO8IxU70QCLcB%2Fs1600%2Fhb1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The House is Black, 1963

This short documentary film captures glimpses of the lives of men, women, and children living in a leper "colony" in Iran.

This is a very brief, but moving portrait of the lives of people living with a disfiguring, frightening disease. While there are a few isolated shots of the effects of leprosy, most of the images of the people are in action: children in a classroom, a woman nursing a baby, men smoking pipes or cigarettes against a wall. The drooping eyelids, missing noses, and mangled fingers are all normal in this setting.

Underneath it all, there is narration consisting of religious text and poetry from the woman who made the film. There is an undercurrent of irony as the chanting students thank God for giving them eyes . . . even as leprosy is robbing them of their vision.

The final shots, however, give a call to action. Leprosy is treatable. If the poor are treated well, the disease can be eradicated. It is a push for compassion, to replace fear with love and caring.

4.5

Probably my favorite short documentary. If you're curious, here's what I wrote on it last year or so:

https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5529951/?ref_=ur_urv

[mark f]

Walpurgis Night (Gustaf Edgren, 1935) 2.5 5.5/10
Demonic (Neill Blomkamp, 2021) 2+ 5/10
A Coffee in Berlin (Jan-Ole Gerster, 2012) 2.5 6/10
Cat Ballou (Elliot Silverstein, 1965) 3.5 7+/10
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/CraftyIncompleteBlacklemur-size_restricted.gif
At the wake, Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin) sings "Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Dear Frankie, Happy Birthday to You!"
Defining Moments (Stephen Wallis, 2021) 2.5 5.5/10
Count Me In (Mark Lo, 2021) 3 6.5/10
Affair in Havana (Laslo Benedek, 1957) 2+ 5/10
Raintree County (Edward Dmytryk, 1957) 3 6.5/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/7a952d1b2384721c169ed1ec47a3b7ce/b13ba0f43cdb9f4d-e7/s400x600/2d4e9e298f80080e697c0d3b0a4229842291eb93.gifvhttps://4.bp.blogspot.com/--2rXAgufssE/WZoCrw-Fc4I/AAAAAAABUD4/6Fw5PnkNOxQOM8LLEeBO7lJs03zF6MUewCLcBGAs/s640/tumblr_lmva4cUsQy1qcrlhuo1_500.gif
Indiana student Montgomery Clift gets the hots for troubled Southern belle Elizabeth Taylor.
About Us (Stefan Schwartz, 2020) 2.5 6/10
Risen (Eddie Arya, 2021) 1.5+ 4.5/10
Goodbye Again (Anatole Litvak, 1961) 2.5 6/10
No Man of God (Amber Sealey, 2021) 3 6.5/10
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/No-Man-of-God_Still-1.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
Claustrophobic, intense, symhiotic relationship develops between serial killer Ted Bundy (Luke Kirby) and FBI analyst/profiler Bill Hagmaier (Elijah Wood) on Death Row.
Stromboli (Roberto Rossellini, 1950) 2.5 6/10
Arch of Triumph (Lewis Milestone, 1948) 2 5/10
Picture Snatcher (Lloyd Bacon, 1933) 2.5 6/10
Francofonia (Aleksandr Sokurov, 2015) 3 6.5/10
https://d1nslcd7m2225b.cloudfront.net/Pictures/480xAny/4/0/1/1225401_Francofonia.jpg
Weird history of the Lourve, partially seen by despots throughout history including Nazi occupiers.
12 Mighty Orphans (Ty Roberts, 2021) 2.5 6/10
Hell Boats (Paul Wendkos, 1970) 2 5/10
Howl from Beyond the Fog (Daisuke Sato, 2019) 2.5 6/10
Days of Rage: the Rolling Stones' Road to Altamont (Tom O'Dell, 2020) 3+ 6.5/10
https://culturemixonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Rolling-Stones-Mick-Jagger--1024x593.jpg
Basically a retelling of what happened in Gimme Shelter with an emphasis on the Hells Angels' involvement.

[edarsenal]

https://www.patten.lib.me.us/wp-content/uploads/The-Buccanner-e1547579181757.jpg
http://cdn5.movieclips.com/paramount/t/the-buccaneer-1958/0488697_42766_MC_Tx360.jpg


The Buccaneer (1958) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051436/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1)

Generally speaking 3.5++
All out enjoyment and genuine pleasure at just how much better it was than anticipated 4++++

As Anthony Quin's only directing stint, this theatrical, Hollywoodized bit of Historical cinema using mostly Studio Sets centers on Captain Jean Lafitte's eventual assistance in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812 with General Andrew Jackson.
Though the funding and studio assistance did not allow a full realization, thereby bringing a truly epic sense to this film, it still made one helluva a run for it regarding the leading cast.
With all the charm, eloquence, and presence that Yul Brynner seems to ooze without even trying, playing the romantic idealism of a rogue pirate (excuse me, as he says at one point, in jest - Privateer) Lafitte.
Secondly, with an equal knack, Charlton Heston towers as General Andrew Jackson, who becomes the seventh president a decade or so later. Instilling equal moments of stoic grit, pride, and at times, away from others, moments of frailty.
Wrapping up this trifecta, doing what he does best, Charles Boyer plays a charming Number Two to Brynner's Lafitte. A cavalier exterior hiding the humble man beneath, he, like the other two, captivates us, the viewers, as he strides through every scene.
Backing them up is a surprisingly large cast of pirates, citizens of New Orleans, American and British troops. Including a small cameo of TV Western Bonanza (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052451/?ref_=nm_knf_i1) fame, Lorne Greene.

I was hooked from the opening with a professor giving a short oratory of the importance of New Orleans and its part of the recent Louisiana Purchase to the winning British forces who had already taken Washington DC and burnt the White House down. His playful last words about what Lafitte had to do with all of this and how "That is our story" continually grew and grew as their story played out. Causing me to fall completely in love with this film.

Utterly f@ckin charming, amusing, intriguingly tons of fun, an ideal Afternoon or evening of popcorn chomping enjoyment.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjhiZmYwMWEtZmZiOC00NDhhLWFhMjQtZmQ5Mjc0NjZhZjFmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMxMTY0OTQ@._V1_.jpg


3.5

[Takoma11]

You're right of course, but I liked the way the movie captured it given the limited time. But I did love the rabbit mythology. Felt as real as anything.

I think it's a great adaptation and manages to capture a lot of what is special about the book while still coming in at a reasonable runtime.

[AgrippinaX]

The Debt (2010) (rewatch)
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQafhOkP_P_GoEgSQbWjs9jSS5cz3aQej-m3o-uiqFUs_dNoVXS

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.denofgeek.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2Ffear-street.jpg%3Fresize%3D768%252C432&f=1&nofb=1

Fear Street: 1994, 2021

Set in 1994 (duh :)), the film follows a group of teenagers living in a town called Shadyside who begin to experience frightening and strange events. Deena (Kiana Madeira) is dealing with a break up with her girlfriend, Sam (Olivia Welch). Deena's younger brother, Josh (Benjamin Torres) is obsessed with the town's violent and murderous past (Shadyville has been dubbed Murder Capital, USA). Also along for the ride are blunt drug dealer Kate (Julia Rehwald) and her oddball friend, Simon (Fred Hechinger).

I think I'm probably just about the ideal target audience for this film: I grew up in the 90s, read the Fear Street books, and I'm into horror. That said, I found this movie really strange and I think a lot of it comes down to the film trying too hard. It all starts with the first ten or so minutes of the film, which include something like 8 or 9 separate needle drops. There's an unbecoming desperation to it. "Hey!!!! Do you remember this song?! What about this song? And this one?!?!?!" It feels like a commercial for a "greatest hits of the 90s" album or something.

Style aside, I honestly struggled with the characters. Like, A LOT. I know we've discussed before that characters don't need to be likable for a film to work. But a lot of the heft of the film depends on the viewer caring whether or not the main characters do or do not get skewered by a masked killer. But darn if they weren't all just so whiny, or amoral, or just flat personalities. Only the character of Simon manages to achieve a level of oddness that approaches being endearing. The rest of the crew mostly seemed obnoxious to me.

I was also kind of baffled by the film's portrayal of the central lesbian couple. I don't know how the creators of this film remember the 90s, but a casual gay couple. In high school?! Aside from a few smirks from some jocks and a disapproving glare from Sam's mom, there is no hint that these girls experience any friction. Shadyside isn't exactly portrayed as some very progressive community, and the general acceptance of their romance frankly doesn't feel right. I'm not saying that the film needed a bunch of scenes of gay bashing or bigoted behavior--the film is about the supernatural horror plot, not their romance--but there's something almost misleading about the way that their relationship is portrayed. For example, when they have a big fight about their break-up, it's never even mentioned that their sexuality was a source of stress. I dunno. It also leads to this weird dynamic where Simon, who clearly would normally be the gay best friend-type sidekick, is just stranded in this strange undefined/asexual zone (because two lesbians and a gay man would clearly be too much!). It's not offensive, to be clear, just . . . .confusing.

As for the horror itself, there were a few effective sequences. The ghost-mask killer is frightening in certain parts. I was surprised at how violent and brutal some of the killing sequences were. Because I am at heart a very superficial person, I did enjoy the way that some of the scenes were lit with neon blue and red lighting. It added a surreal note that the film should have pushed much more strongly.

I'll definitely finish the trilogy, but much in the same way that I read some of the less impressive Fear Street books--just to find out how it all ends.

3

[Thief]

SAMSON AND DELILAH
(1949, DeMille)
A film from Cecil B. DeMille
-- recommended by Caroline (from Defining Disney (https://definingdisneypodcast.com/) --

https://i.imgur.com/fk78i9f.jpg


"Your arms were quicksand. Your kiss was death. The name Delilah will be an everlasting curse on the lips of men."



Samson and Delilah follows the two titular characters as they develop a troubled and fractured relationship. Samson (Victor Mature), a Hebrew struggling between the enslavement of his people and his commitment to a Philistine woman, ends up a fugitive when he's seduced by Delilah (Hedy Lamarr), who's resolved to avenge her scorn.

Most people will probably know the story, so it's up to Mr. DeMille to fill the screen with his accustomed spectacle, and I'm happy to say that he delivers in that aspect. The production values, set design, and special effects on this film are top-notch. There is a particular seamlessness to how the fights and the action setpieces occur that is impressive for the time.

Grade: 3.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2234953#post2234953)

[PHOENIX74]

https://i.postimg.cc/zGJ4yYb4/Rio-Grande-poster.jpg
By Republic Pictures - source, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45102952

Rio Grande - (1950)

Okay film about a Cavalry Regiment protecting settlers against Apache attacks, and a daring raid across the U.S./Mexico border to rescue kidnapped children. Seeing this after Fort Apache and Stagecoach makes me a little weary of Indians getting shot and falling off horses. This film was made out of necessity as Republic Pictures wanted Ford to make another Western before embarking on his next labour of love, The Quiet Man.

6/10

https://i.postimg.cc/qvJM4Ykv/Poster-Quiet-Man-The-01.jpg
By May incorporate artwork by Clement Hurel - see Nollen, Scott Allen (2013) Three Bad Men: John Ford, John Wayne, Ward Bond, McFarland, p.*352 ISBN: 9780786458547. - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18565484

The Quiet Man - (1952)

Stunningly beautiful in more ways than one - a film about a man who returns to his birthplace, allured by it's serene perfection, but somewhat nonplussed by all the traditions, rules and customs he's met by. I would have said John Wayne is a little miscast as Sean Thornton, but Danny Peary awarded him the (alternate) Oscar for best Actor - it's a great role and I'm sure he appreciated it. The Oscars it did win in all actuality were for cinematography and Ford as best director. Great love story and comedy. Really enjoyed it.

8.5/10

https://i.postimg.cc/50WgTwVL/The-Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance-1962-poster.jpg
By "Copyright © 1962 Paramount Pictures Corporation and John Ford Productions, Inc." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped and lightly retouched from original image; see upload history below for unretouched original., Public Domain.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - (1962)

Wow - this might actually go down as one of my favourite Westerns, competing against the likes of 3:10 to Yuma, High Noon and Unforgiven. James Stewart plays Ransom Stoddard, a senator and lawyer returning to a town he once lived in - just in time for the funeral of old friend Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Here, he's waylaid by reporters sniffing out a story, and he finally decides it's time to come clean about something he's famous for - the shooting of Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Stewart and Wayne are terrific as two opposite ends of a spectrum - a person who believes in the law, and the other in frontier justice - but the real standout is Marvin, oozing an evil, threatening aura to the extent that I can nearly smell his sweat along with the booze and tobacco he probably reeks of. It all comes together with great meaning and drama, the tension leaving one on the edge of their seat. The end of my little John Ford festival reaches it's climax with what I believe will be my favourite of all his films - though Stagecoach and The Quiet Man are right up there.

10/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1c/The_Grand_Budapest_Hotel.png
By IMP Awards / 2014 Movie Poster Gallery / The Grand Budapest Hotel Poster (#2 of 17), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56637353

The Grand Budapest Hotel - (2014)

My pick for a little movie day yesterday with a friend, she hadn't seen it and this in indeed one I love more than many others - charming, wonderful and oh so pretty. The best Wes Anderson has produced so far in my reckoning. More to say about this one at a later date.

10/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/af/Fantastic_mr_fox.jpg
By Impawards.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24228730

Fantastic Mr. Fox - (2009)

I was delighted she chose to watch this next, because it's been on my watchlist for ages. A really charming family film with awesomely cute stop-motion animation. Based on the children's novel by Roald Dahl. She liked this, but felt there were some scenes that were unnecessarily extraneous. It never drags though, at a fast-paced 87 minutes. I'd love to know what kids think of this one - though it really is a film for any age.

7/10

https://i.postimg.cc/KvTVYrGk/antonia.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3906669

Antonia's Line - (1995)

Her pick - this time one she knows and loves and which I'd never heard of. Antonia's Line won the best foreign language Oscar in 1996. It takes place in a village which is home to Antonia (Willeke van Ammelrooy) - and to which she returns after the Second World War with her daughter. It's a strange village - it's populated by the insane (one lady howls at every full moon, one man never leaves his apartment,) the intellectually disabled and the cruel. Her mother (who is apparently all three of these things) dies and her daughter delights in imagining all the statues and religious icons coming to life. We follow Antonia's family as her daughter has a child of her own, and that child grows up and in turn has her own daughter. Being such a crazy village, there is no end of drama and death - but Antonia seems to find peace in such a place, and she dies content (that's no spoiler - the film begins with her last day on Earth.)

I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about this film - the kind of film (like Legends of the Fall) which takes place over a great deal of time. It never drags, and is always eventful. Antonia seems a little aloof, but her family, at the very least, is a sane anchor in such an unusual place. It's worth rewatching and enjoying.

6.5/10

[gbgoodies]

https://i.postimg.cc/50WgTwVL/The-Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance-1962-poster.jpg
By "Copyright © 1962 Paramount Pictures Corporation and John Ford Productions, Inc." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped and lightly retouched from original image; see upload history below for unretouched original., Public Domain.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - (1962)

Wow - this might actually go down as one of my favourite Westerns, competing against the likes of 3:10 to Yuma, High Noon and Unforgiven. James Stewart plays Ransom Stoddard, a senator and lawyer returning to a town he once lived in - just in time for the funeral of old friend Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Here, he's waylaid by reporters sniffing out a story, and he finally decides it's time to come clean about something he's famous for - the shooting of Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Stewart and Wayne are terrific as two opposite ends of a spectrum - a person who believes in the law, and the other in frontier justice - but the real standout is Marvin, oozing an evil, threatening aura to the extent that I can nearly smell his sweat along with the booze and tobacco he probably reeks of. It all comes together with great meaning and drama, the tension leaving one on the edge of their seat. The end of my little John Ford festival reaches it's climax with what I believe will be my favourite of all his films - though Stagecoach and The Quiet Man are right up there.

10/10


I'm usually hit or miss with western movies, but The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is one of the best. It made it onto my list for the Westerns Countdown.

[xSookieStackhouse]

4.5https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Mallrats.jpg/220px-Mallrats.jpg

[Wooley]

https://i.postimg.cc/qvJM4Ykv/Poster-Quiet-Man-The-01.jpg
By May incorporate artwork by Clement Hurel - see Nollen, Scott Allen (2013) Three Bad Men: John Ford, John Wayne, Ward Bond, McFarland, p.*352 ISBN: 9780786458547. - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18565484

The Quiet Man - (1952)

Stunningly beautiful in more ways than one - a film about a man who returns to his birthplace, allured by it's serene perfection, but somewhat nonplussed by all the traditions, rules and customs he's met by. I would have said John Wayne is a little miscast as Sean Thornton, but Danny Peary awarded him the (alternate) Oscar for best Actor - it's a great role and I'm sure he appreciated it. The Oscars it did win in all actuality were for cinematography and Ford as best director. Great love story and comedy. Really enjoyed it.

8.5/10


One of my favorite movies ever. Just gives me the happiest.

[pahaK]

The Old Ways (2021)
2
Kind of an interesting premise, but the execution is quite shabby. No good scares, and even if the ways are old, the film is definitely modern in a bad way.

--
Aram (2002)
2.5
A (slightly) political thriller about Armenians and Turks. It has its moments, but it's quite uneven. The family drama feels forced. Not a very popular film in Turkey, I'd guess.

--
Hell Night (1981)
1.5
A silly B-horror with Linda Blair (sadly, no nudity). Far too long and a good example of a bad American horror from the 80s.

[Siddon]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.denofgeek.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2Ffear-street.jpg%3Fresize%3D768%252C432&f=1&nofb=1

Fear Street: 1994, 2021

Set in 1994 (duh :)), the film follows a group of teenagers living in a town called Shadyside who begin to experience frightening and strange events. Deena (Kiana Madeira) is dealing with a break up with her girlfriend, Sam (Olivia Welch). Deena's younger brother, Josh (Benjamin Torres) is obsessed with the town's violent and murderous past (Shadyville has been dubbed Murder Capital, USA). Also along for the ride are blunt drug dealer Kate (Julia Rehwald) and her oddball friend, Simon (Fred Hechinger).

I think I'm probably just about the ideal target audience for this film: I grew up in the 90s, read the Fear Street books, and I'm into horror. That said, I found this movie really strange and I think a lot of it comes down to the film trying too hard. It all starts with the first ten or so minutes of the film, which include something like 8 or 9 separate needle drops. There's an unbecoming desperation to it. "Hey!!!! Do you remember this song?! What about this song? And this one?!?!?!" It feels like a commercial for a "greatest hits of the 90s" album or something.

Style aside, I honestly struggled with the characters. Like, A LOT. I know we've discussed before that characters don't need to be likable for a film to work. But a lot of the heft of the film depends on the viewer caring whether or not the main characters do or do not get skewered by a masked killer. But darn if they weren't all just so whiny, or amoral, or just flat personalities. Only the character of Simon manages to achieve a level of oddness that approaches being endearing. The rest of the crew mostly seemed obnoxious to me.

I was also kind of baffled by the film's portrayal of the central lesbian couple. I don't know how the creators of this film remember the 90s, but a casual gay couple. In high school?! Aside from a few smirks from some jocks and a disapproving glare from Sam's mom, there is no hint that these girls experience any friction. Shadyside isn't exactly portrayed as some very progressive community, and the general acceptance of their romance frankly doesn't feel right. I'm not saying that the film needed a bunch of scenes of gay bashing or bigoted behavior--the film is about the supernatural horror plot, not their romance--but there's something almost misleading about the way that their relationship is portrayed. For example, when they have a big fight about their break-up, it's never even mentioned that their sexuality was a source of stress. I dunno. It also leads to this weird dynamic where Simon, who clearly would normally be the gay best friend-type sidekick, is just stranded in this strange undefined/asexual zone (because two lesbians and a gay man would clearly be too much!). It's not offensive, to be clear, just . . . .confusing.

As for the horror itself, there were a few effective sequences. The ghost-mask killer is frightening in certain parts. I was surprised at how violent and brutal some of the killing sequences were. Because I am at heart a very superficial person, I did enjoy the way that some of the scenes were lit with neon blue and red lighting. It added a surreal note that the film should have pushed much more strongly.

I'll definitely finish the trilogy, but much in the same way that I read some of the less impressive Fear Street books--just to find out how it all ends.

rating_3


Yeah...this is one of those series that color blind/gender blind hurts it. The first part is by far the weakest part, I sincerely hope they do another trilogy but don't make the same mistakes.

[Siddon]

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/i4/xf/8o/4a/sea-fever-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg?k=410b67072f

Sea Fever (2019)


My favorite movie is The Thing, Sea Fever is basically a remake of The Thing pretty much plot point to plot point. Even though we're talking about basically a video game with changed skins it's still a solid well made film for several reasons.

1. CGI is limited, the monster is borderline animated and would likely have the same effect.

2. The kill order is solid...it's not a predictable order of cast mates leaving the story.

3. The acting/characters are fine...even though we get some diversity (I don't think Irish fishing boat would normally just have the two Irishmen on it) however the cast did work and the lead is serviceable.

The bad part is the plot has a massive hole in it that ruins it a bit. And it's very much like The Thing.


rating_3_5

[Hey Fredrick]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.cnews.fr%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fimage_640_360%2Fpublic%2F063_5 1768149gi0016_pacers_pisto_5dbac29915fb4.jpg%3Fitok%3D89emmPPC&f=1&nofb=1

Malice in the Palace

Didn't really learn anything new. Seemed like a project that tries to clean up one of the Ex. Prod.'s name - Jermaine O'Neal, which I don't think really needs cleaning up. I never understood his suspension. Don’t want to get decked by a monster of a man in a melee stay off the court in the middle of a melee. The first part covers O'Neal's early career and how the Pacers team was built with a bunch of talented but slightly off kilter players. Pretty much creating a bomb of personalities. All you need to do is mix in a rivalry with some red ass Detroit Pistons and it's ready to blow. The second half is about the fight which is and always has been the Ron Artest show which never should have happened except that the coaches wanted to make a point. Why were the starters still in? I've always liked Artest but good lord every decision he makes at the end of that game was wrong starting with fouling Wallace. I think Wallace overreacted but something tells me Artest was the kind of guy that brings things out of you that other players might not. Frustration and a couple other things (which they go into) obviously played a part in Wallace reacting how he did but why do you hard foul that guy, in that situation, unless you’re looking to start something? The one thing the show gets into that I've always agreed with was the treatment of the players by the media and the league after it happened. It was bad. I'm not suggesting the players should have roughed up a few fans but, as Chris Rock would say - "I understand."

[James D. Gardiner]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=80755
Return to Babylon (2013)

Hey, just to let you know I watched this the other night after reading your post on it. Found it very fun and enjoyable!

I think the best thing is just how well they did with the look of the film technically, given the proper tools they used. They really captured the authentic look of the films of that time, and I think there was a heartfelt desire from the makers to pay a genuine tribute to the films and stars of that time. I particularly loved the soundtrack. My only complaints were the tendency for it to become somewhat repetitious from about the midway point, and of course some factual oversights. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed it as did those watching it along with me. For what it was I say they did a great job and I think they deserve a higher recognition. In other films, the only thing I know that really comes close in quality to my mind in this genre would be Woody Allen's Zelig, which I really enjoyed also.

Thanks very much Doc for bringing this to my attention. Really enjoyed it. :up:

7/10

[Aidanc]

The Ipcress File
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRw9MxY8XYO1zW222h4bBfrODCLIYlDOrxmFy7WDbwEz0hOTcGJ


Great cold war, spy thriller. rating_4

[Torgo]

Blood & Donuts - 3

After waking up from a 20-year slumber, a vampire, Boya (Gordon Currie), gets wrapped up in the lives of Molly (Helene Clarkson), a donut shop waitress and Earl (Louis Ferreira), a mob-pursued taxi driver in a movie I obviously don't have to describe as quirky. Another case in point: what genre does this movie belong to? Is it a horror? Is it a dark comedy? Is it a noir? Is it a romance? The answer is yes to all four and it does a pretty good job at each one.

Boya, like Angel - who the character reminded me of - is approachable and terrifying when he needs to be, the latter thanks to makeup and special effects that hold up despite the movie's low budget and age. I was also pretty invested in the gangster subplot, and even though it's not totally clear why they are so interested in Earl, I appreciate that the movie let me fill in the blanks. This subplot also provides most of the comedy, as does the hapless Earl himself - whose unusual accent may be the actor's natural one but sounds like what would happen if Christopher Walken spent a few weeks vacationing in Madeira - as well as whenever Boya pursues rodents, his preferred source of food. As for the romance between Boya and Molly, it's not my favorite aspect of the movie, mostly because it's not as developed, but I at least enjoyed the performances of Currie - who I liked in general - and Clarkson whenever they were together, and I believe they have good chemistry.

After all of the blood has been drank and the donuts have been eaten, does this movie have anything to offer besides quirk? It does for how it ends up having a decent take on a theme common to vampire stories: the cost of immortality. Besides Currie's strong performance indicating that it's more curse than blessing, there's the character of Rita (Fiona Reid), one of Boya's victims from the last time he was awake, who's essentially the movie's true villain for how she constantly reminds Boya that what he did to her hardly improved her situation. Also, as Rita and Boya's preference for mice indicates, being a vampire is hardly a boon to forming and maintaining healthy and meaningful relationships. I still wouldn't rank this as one of the very best vampire movies I've seen, but it's far from the worst. It's the most unique one, if anything. Oh, and David Cronenberg makes a rare acting appearance as one of the gangsters and he's very good in it.

[Gideon58]

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/markandtoddcast/assets/2021/07/20024224/Pig-poster-1-e1623947993373-1.jpeg


3.5

[Takoma11]

Yeah...this is one of those series that color blind/gender blind hurts it. The first part is by far the weakest part, I sincerely hope they do another trilogy but don't make the same mistakes.

I don't think that the colorblind/gender-blind aspect is the problem. I think it the fact that they did it in a way that didn't make sense. (Unless that's maybe what you mean).

Blood & Donuts - 3

After waking up from a 20-year slumber, a vampire, Boya (Gordon Currie), gets wrapped up in the lives of Molly (Helene Clarkson), a donut shop waitress and Earl (Louis Ferreira), a mob-pursued taxi driver in a movie I obviously don't have to describe as quirky. Another case in point: what genre does this movie belong to? Is it a horror? Is it a dark comedy? Is it a noir? Is it a romance? The answer is yes to all four and it does a pretty good job at each one.

I still wouldn't rank this as one of the very best vampire movies I've seen, but it's far from the worst. It's the most unique one, if anything. Oh, and David Cronenberg makes a rare acting appearance as one of the gangsters and he's very good in it.

I have a huge soft spot for this film. Like you say, it has some issues. But I think it's really special and I find it very memorable. It's deft handling of the blend of genres and the likable central cast are its strengths.

[GulfportDoc]

Hey, just to let you know I watched this the other night after reading your post on it. Found it very fun and enjoyable!

I think the best thing is just how well they did with the look of the film technically, given the proper tools they used. They really captured the authentic look of the films of that time, and I think there was a heartfelt desire from the makers to pay a genuine tribute to the films and stars of that time. I particularly loved the soundtrack. My only complaints were the tendency for it to become somewhat repetitious from about the midway point, and of course some factual oversights. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed it as did those watching it along with me. For what it was I say they did a great job and I think they deserve a higher recognition. In other films, the only thing I know that really comes close in quality to my mind in this genre would be Woody Allen's Zelig, which I really enjoyed also.

Thanks very much Doc for bringing this to my attention. Really enjoyed it. :up: 7/10
Glad you enjoyed it, James. I was immediately taken in by the mood and style of the film, which lasted to about midway as you mentioned. Too bad about the mini budget, and I hope others will take a stab at silents, because it's almost a separate art form in comparison to talkies.

When I lived in Hollywood during the late '60s, there was a wonderful Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax Ave., which exclusively showed movies, shorts, and other material from that wonderful era. For a $1.50 you could watch a one reeler, a feature, perhaps a specialty film-- all in one evening. And the popcorn was the best. I saw some of the great silents, and was bowled over.

I used to read up on the films by studying Joe Franklin's Classics of the Silent Screen book. This was 30 years before the internet. Then I'd go down to view the films live at the theater-- all shown with the proper camera on the proper sized screen. What a thrill that was! I doubt that the theater is still there, but it ought to be!

[Torgo]

I have a huge soft spot for this film. Like you say, it has some issues. But I think it's really special and I find it very memorable. It's deft handling of the blend of genres and the likable central cast are its strengths.I did like it, but 3 popcorns seems about right. Had the relationship between Boya and Molly been better written and developed, I would have rated it higher. Plus - correct me if I'm wrong about it being good, fellow donut lovers - but Boya orders a kiwi donut? Eww.

[GulfportDoc]

Samson and Delilah [1949] follows the two titular characters as they develop a troubled and fractured relationship. Samson (Victor Mature), a Hebrew struggling between the enslavement of his people and his commitment to a Philistine woman, ends up a fugitive when he's seduced by Delilah (Hedy Lamarr), who's resolved to avenge her scorn.

Most people will probably know the story, so it's up to Mr. DeMille to fill the screen with his accustomed spectacle, and I'm happy to say that he delivers in that aspect. The production values, set design, and special effects on this film are top-notch. There is a particular seamlessness to how the fights and the action setpieces occur that is impressive for the time.

Grade: rating_3_5
Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2234953#post2234953)
Wow, what a great blast from the past! Believe it or not my mother took me to see it when I was 6 years old (general release in 1950). In those days all films were either G or PG. I'll never forget it. But I was so shocked and saddened when "Vic Manure" pushed those pillars apart and brought down the temple and killed everyone including himself. They all deserved it but he...:cool: Hedy Lamarr was one of the most gorgeous women to ever appear in films. And Mature was at the height of his popularity. Great film.

[GulfportDoc]

https://i.postimg.cc/qvJM4Ykv/Poster-Quiet-Man-The-01.jpg
By May incorporate artwork by Clement Hurel - see Nollen, Scott Allen (2013) Three Bad Men: John Ford, John Wayne, Ward Bond, McFarland, p.*352 ISBN: 9780786458547. - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18565484

The Quiet Man - (1952)

Stunningly beautiful in more ways than one - a film about a man who returns to his birthplace, allured by it's serene perfection, but somewhat nonplussed by all the traditions, rules and customs he's met by. I would have said John Wayne is a little miscast as Sean Thornton, but Danny Peary awarded him the (alternate) Oscar for best Actor - it's a great role and I'm sure he appreciated it. The Oscars it did win in all actuality were for cinematography and Ford as best director. Great love story and comedy. Really enjoyed it.

8.5/10

https://i.postimg.cc/50WgTwVL/The-Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance-1962-poster.jpg
By "Copyright © 1962 Paramount Pictures Corporation and John Ford Productions, Inc." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped and lightly retouched from original image; see upload history below for unretouched original., Public Domain.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - (1962)

Wow - this might actually go down as one of my favourite Westerns, competing against the likes of 3:10 to Yuma, High Noon and Unforgiven. James Stewart plays Ransom Stoddard, a senator and lawyer returning to a town he once lived in - just in time for the funeral of old friend Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Here, he's waylaid by reporters sniffing out a story, and he finally decides it's time to come clean about something he's famous for - the shooting of Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Stewart and Wayne are terrific as two opposite ends of a spectrum - a person who believes in the law, and the other in frontier justice - but the real standout is Marvin, oozing an evil, threatening aura to the extent that I can nearly smell his sweat along with the booze and tobacco he probably reeks of. It all comes together with great meaning and drama, the tension leaving one on the edge of their seat. The end of my little John Ford festival reaches it's climax with what I believe will be my favourite of all his films - though Stagecoach and The Quiet Man are right up there.

10/10
Both thumbs way, way up for these two films. I agree with your assessment on both, although "Quiet" was a 10 for me. Both films are always good for re-watches.

[Marco]

Hallam Foe (2007)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5a/Hallam-foe.jpg/330px-Hallam-foe.jpg
Jamie Bell is just so good in this film - could be annoying but is not. A great performance of strong-headedness and vulnerability.
4

[Takoma11]

I did like it, but 3 popcorns seems about right. Had the relationship between Boya and Molly been better written and developed, I would have rated it higher. Plus - correct me if I'm wrong about it being good, fellow donut lovers - but Boya orders a kiwi donut? Eww.

Their relationship is actually one of my favorite parts of the film, specifically his awareness that much of her attraction is not fully in her control and how can he distinguish what is real from what is his influence.

But it's also been a while since I've watched it and I think I'd need a refresher in order to be more specific.

[rauldc14]

https://i.postimg.cc/zGJ4yYb4/Rio-Grande-poster.jpg
By Republic Pictures - source, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45102952

Rio Grande - (1950)

Okay film about a Cavalry Regiment protecting settlers against Apache attacks, and a daring raid across the U.S./Mexico border to rescue kidnapped children. Seeing this after Fort Apache and Stagecoach makes me a little weary of Indians getting shot and falling off horses. This film was made out of necessity as Republic Pictures wanted Ford to make another Western before embarking on his next labour of love, The Quiet Man.

6/10

https://i.postimg.cc/qvJM4Ykv/Poster-Quiet-Man-The-01.jpg
By May incorporate artwork by Clement Hurel - see Nollen, Scott Allen (2013) Three Bad Men: John Ford, John Wayne, Ward Bond, McFarland, p.*352 ISBN: 9780786458547. - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18565484

The Quiet Man - (1952)

Stunningly beautiful in more ways than one - a film about a man who returns to his birthplace, allured by it's serene perfection, but somewhat nonplussed by all the traditions, rules and customs he's met by. I would have said John Wayne is a little miscast as Sean Thornton, but Danny Peary awarded him the (alternate) Oscar for best Actor - it's a great role and I'm sure he appreciated it. The Oscars it did win in all actuality were for cinematography and Ford as best director. Great love story and comedy. Really enjoyed it.

8.5/10

https://i.postimg.cc/50WgTwVL/The-Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance-1962-poster.jpg
By "Copyright © 1962 Paramount Pictures Corporation and John Ford Productions, Inc." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped and lightly retouched from original image; see upload history below for unretouched original., Public Domain.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - (1962)

Wow - this might actually go down as one of my favourite Westerns, competing against the likes of 3:10 to Yuma, High Noon and Unforgiven. James Stewart plays Ransom Stoddard, a senator and lawyer returning to a town he once lived in - just in time for the funeral of old friend Tom Doniphon (John Wayne). Here, he's waylaid by reporters sniffing out a story, and he finally decides it's time to come clean about something he's famous for - the shooting of Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin). Stewart and Wayne are terrific as two opposite ends of a spectrum - a person who believes in the law, and the other in frontier justice - but the real standout is Marvin, oozing an evil, threatening aura to the extent that I can nearly smell his sweat along with the booze and tobacco he probably reeks of. It all comes together with great meaning and drama, the tension leaving one on the edge of their seat. The end of my little John Ford festival reaches it's climax with what I believe will be my favourite of all his films - though Stagecoach and The Quiet Man are right up there.

10/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1c/The_Grand_Budapest_Hotel.png
By IMP Awards / 2014 Movie Poster Gallery / The Grand Budapest Hotel Poster (#2 of 17), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56637353

The Grand Budapest Hotel - (2014)

My pick for a little movie day yesterday with a friend, she hadn't seen it and this in indeed one I love more than many others - charming, wonderful and oh so pretty. The best Wes Anderson has produced so far in my reckoning. More to say about this one at a later date.

10/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/af/Fantastic_mr_fox.jpg
By Impawards.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24228730

Fantastic Mr. Fox - (2009)

I was delighted she chose to watch this next, because it's been on my watchlist for ages. A really charming family film with awesomely cute stop-motion animation. Based on the children's novel by Roald Dahl. She liked this, but felt there were some scenes that were unnecessarily extraneous. It never drags though, at a fast-paced 87 minutes. I'd love to know what kids think of this one - though it really is a film for any age.

7/10

https://i.postimg.cc/KvTVYrGk/antonia.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3906669

Antonia's Line - (1995)

Her pick - this time one she knows and loves and which I'd never heard of. Antonia's Line won the best foreign language Oscar in 1996. It takes place in a village which is home to Antonia (Willeke van Ammelrooy) - and to which she returns after the Second World War with her daughter. It's a strange village - it's populated by the insane (one lady howls at every full moon, one man never leaves his apartment,) the intellectually disabled and the cruel. Her mother (who is apparently all three of these things) dies and her daughter delights in imagining all the statues and religious icons coming to life. We follow Antonia's family as her daughter has a child of her own, and that child grows up and in turn has her own daughter. Being such a crazy village, there is no end of drama and death - but Antonia seems to find peace in such a place, and she dies content (that's no spoiler - the film begins with her last day on Earth.)

I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about this film - the kind of film (like Legends of the Fall) which takes place over a great deal of time. It never drags, and is always eventful. Antonia seems a little aloof, but her family, at the very least, is a sane anchor in such an unusual place. It's worth rewatching and enjoying.

6.5/10


Quiet Man and Liberty Valence are two excellent films.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTUyZWRhZmItNWMzYi00NzE0LTk2Y2UtNjMyOGM3ZmJkMWU1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg



3

[Siddon]

I don't think that the colorblind/gender-blind aspect is the problem. I think it the fact that they did it in a way that didn't make sense. (Unless that's maybe what you mean).




I think it's one of those things where' when it's done properly it works...but the fact that Netflix last major horror series Bly Manor did the exact same thing makes it redundant to me.

[Takoma11]

I think it's one of those things where' when it's done properly it works...but the fact that Netflix last major horror series Bly Manor did the exact same thing makes it redundant to me.

Having just finished the trilogy, I feel like the whole thing was marked with various degrees of laziness.

I really should write up reviews of the second two movies but, um, I don't wanna!

(Liked the second one, generally, and thought the third was about on par with the first).

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/23/IsleOfDogsFirstLook.jpg
By [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53476946

Isle of Dogs - (2018)

This was a bit of a mixed bag for me personally. The animation and score are great. The story a little one-note and tiresome. I might give it another go one day - it's certainly not hard to look at or listen to.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/82/Brittania_Hospital.jpg
By not known, multiple sites have this available - most likely was from http://daily.greencine.com/archives/2005_05.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2452722

Britannia Hospital - (1982)

Yikes. The wrong Lindsay Anderson film to start with I think. To get across how much certain idiosyncrasies in British life and politics irk him, Anderson creates a microcosm of Britain in the form of a hospital and sets about irking us - but people don't generally want to be annoyed when they watch a film. A lot of this film is tedious - especially the constant strikes and picket-lines and the compromises put into desperate effect to pull of a royal visit. In amongst all that tedium is a plot strand of a mad-scientist kind where Professor Millar (Graham Crowden) is recreating Frankenstein's Monster, and long-time Anderson character Mick Travis (Malcolm McDowell) is trying to capture his unethical behaviour on film. There's almost too much going on in each scene - and too many famous actors (some yet to be) distracting us. The film has a bravura ending (as do all Lindsay Anderson films) but that's not enough to save it from it's faults.

4/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cb/If_British_poster.jpg
Copyright held by the film company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34624727

if.... - (1968) - rewatch

It was the artistic success of this film (and O Lucky Man!) for Lindsay Anderson that paved the way for the excesses seen in Britannia Hospital. It had been ages since I'd last seen this, and I remembered it as being more surreal than it actually is. The depiction of the hazing and bullying that runs rampant in English high-class boarding schools is unsettling, along with the constant switch from colour to black and white imagery. It's the unreal ending that stayed with me the most vividly, and must have taken a lot of courage to go with. Overall you get the sense of quiet rage that has festered in the minds of people who have had to run the gamut through all the peculiar rules and traditions that British upper-class institutions enforce on those unlucky enough to become part of them.

Spectacular first role for Malcolm McDowell, and fantastic performance. The film wouldn't be as good as it is without him in it.

7/10

[Marco]

Naked (1993)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/02/Naked_poster.jpg
It's been years since I've seen this film but it's an absolute powerhouse performance by David Thewlis in his first major part. It's darkly comic but also has very strong points to make about society. I don't think Mike Leigh has ever done better work.
4.5

[AngeliqueDeWill]

http://filmmusicreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/in-darkness.png

I actually enjoy this movie, but can't stand all hate that Americans presents against Serbians!
So 6/10

[Chypmunk]

Jason And The Argonauts
Don Chaffey, 1963
Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
DVR - Film4
https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w220_and_h330_face/hrg4DdCO9Ct2DP10Z9czCRQL0IR.jpg

Childhood favourite with great effects work from the legendary Ray Harryhausen (Talos, the harpies and the children of the Hydra being the standouts). Despite umpteen watches though I'm still yet to spot the character Juan Sandle that Pelias is warned Jason will turn up with :shrug:

3.5+

[xSookieStackhouse]

4.5
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWY1MDJkZGUtZTE2OS00ODZiLTlmNzQtMDZjNzM2ZjkwM2QxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMxODk2OTU@._V1_.jpg

[Ultraviolence]

https://johto.legiaodosherois.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/legiao_eV5UdbrHDGzk.jpg
2.5

It looks like one of the old OVAS that used to came with special manga editions. Thus, the animations were not concerned with explaining the world or developing any character, since the target audience was the reader of the work. It's a fun MK animation but I don't recommend it for anyone who doesn't follow the games. It's just fight, blood and more blood. Better than the last (awful) live action, at least this one looks and feels like MK, the characters really do look like themself (miracle).

[Aidanc]

Jason And The Argonauts
Don Chaffey, 1963
Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
DVR - Film4
https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w220_and_h330_face/hrg4DdCO9Ct2DP10Z9czCRQL0IR.jpg

Childhood favourite with great effects work from the legendary Ray Harryhausen (Talos, the harpies and the children of the Hydra being the standouts). Despite umpteen watches though I'm still yet to spot the character Juan Sandle that Pelias is warned Jason will turn up with :shrug:

rating_3_5+


Love Jason and the Argonauts. Those skeletons scared the life out of me as a kid. They're still pretty terrifying now

[this_is_the_ girl]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FNKFmJehRERUM8%2Fgiphy.gif&f=1&nofb=1
Island of Lost Souls (1932, Erle C. Kenton)
3.5
Charles Laughton's wacky, comical portrayal of Dr Moreau was probably what struck me most about this film - but not necessarily in a bad way. I didn't expect it for sure as it is a significant reimagining of the original novel (as was the addition of the main character's love interest who arrives on the island to rescue him) but it certainly does add an element of dark hilarity to the story. Overall, I thought the film had its strengths and weaknesses - there were some creepy moments (camera cutting away from Dr Moreau's grisly demise makes it none the less effective, leaving it to the viewer to fill in the rest), some silliness, some parts that worked and some that didn't. Keep in mind also that it's a very short movie so naturally it didn't have time for elaborate build-up and plot development.
A unique if uneven slice of Hollywood's pre-Code horror.

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://immortalephemera.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/11/024-eyes-on-captain.jpg


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7seqnalDYyk/UtpthGNIDnI/AAAAAAAABvk/62ZhSy4HcDg/s1600/El+mar+no+perdona+1.jpg

Abandon Ship! (Seven Days from Now or Seven Waves Away) - Somber and uncompromising 1957 drama focusing on the events immediately following the sinking of a luxury cruise ship. No time is spent on setting up this survival thriller, with a brief shot of an old and abandoned naval mine floating in the water followed by an explosion and terror-stricken shouts of abandon ship! The movie stars Tyrone Power as the doomed Crescent Star's Executive Officer Alec Holmes who ends up on a dangerously overcrowded lifeboat with 26 other survivors.

After his badly wounded Captain passes on his command to Alec and succumbs to his injuries it is up to Holmes to follow the proper course of action in order to save as many people as he can. Those parameters however shift drastically when the ship's radio operator informs him that there was no chance to send any kind of notification or S.O.S to the nearest vessel to their location. It now becomes a matter of dispassionately weighing the odds and calculating which of their group gives them the best chance of surviving a protracted crossing in the hopes of reaching the coast of Africa. There are a number of injured passengers and those either too elderly or frail to literally pull their own weight and it falls to the tormented Holmes to make those judgements.
This is one of if not the best performance of Powers career. The rest of the cast are also able to accomplish wonders in what amounts to a truly claustrophobic setting and this is in no small part due to the screenplay by director Richard Sale. The marvelous cast includes Moira Lister, Lloyd Nolan, Mai Zetterling and Stephen Boyd but suffice it to say that there are invaluable contributions from everyone involved. This is an unassuming yet outstanding movie and I think it invites favorable comparisons with Hitchcock's Lifeboat. Highly recommended.

rating_4_5

[Citizen Rules]

Abandon Ship! (Seven Days from Now or Seven Waves Away) -
This is one of if not the best performance of Powers career. The rest of the cast are also able to accomplish wonders in what amounts to a truly claustrophobic setting and this is in no small part due to the screenplay by director Richard Sale.

rating_4_5Hey! Finally another fan of this great movie. It was my nomination in the 18th HoF and sadly did poorly. Link to the member's reviews of Abandon Ship (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1983919#post1983919)

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FNKFmJehRERUM8%2Fgiphy.gif&f=1&nofb=1
Island of Lost Souls (1932, Erle C. Kenton)
rating_3_5
Charles Laughton's wacky, comical portrayal of Dr Moreau was probably what struck me most about this film - but not necessarily in a bad way. I didn't expect it for sure as it is a significant reimagining of the original novel (as was the addition of the main character's love interest who arrives on the island to rescue him) but it certainly does add an element of dark hilarity to the story. Overall, I thought the film had its strengths and weaknesses - there were some creepy moments (camera cutting away from Dr Moreau's grisly demise makes it none the less effective, leaving it to the viewer to fill in the rest), some silliness, some parts that worked and some that didn't. Keep in mind also that it's a very short movie so naturally it didn't have time for elaborate build-up and plot development.
A unique if uneven slice of Hollywood's pre-Code horror.I really enjoyed this when I watched it and I remember thinking how oddly sexual Laughton's performance was. Equal parts flirtatious and almost predatory.

[WHITBISSELL!]

Hey! Finally another fan of this great movie. It was my nomination in the 18th HoF and sadly did poorly. Link to the member's reviews of Abandon Ship (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1983919#post1983919)Wow. This is a very diverse forum with plenty of differing opinions. And that's all I'm saying on that particular subject.

[Takoma11]

Naked (1993)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/02/Naked_poster.jpg
It's been years since I've seen this film but it's an absolute powerhouse performance by David Thewlis in his first major part. It's darkly comic but also has very strong points to make about society. I don't think Mike Leigh has ever done better work.
4.5

Yeah, it's pretty amazing on a lot of levels. There's a really great director's commentary out there (it's on the DVD of it that I own) well worth tracking down if you can.

[Gideon58]

https://mandmatthemovies.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/mv5bmza1mddmytktyzayzc00odm3ltgxzgytnme3ntgxmty2ntdixkeyxkfqcgdeqxvyndgyodgxnje40._v1_.jpg


2nd Re-watch...Woody Allen's crisp and caustic morality tale filled with the morally bankrupt characters you expect from a Woody Allen movie, except for the fact that they all have English accents. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays a tennis pro who marries his way into a wealthy family and just as he is becoming accustomed to his comfortable life, he begins an affair with his brother-in-law's fiancee (Scarlett Johansson) which complicates his life beyond recognition. This is one of Woody's edgiest and most challenging films and one of the first times he approached a concept that he would explore in other movies...the concept of getting away with murder. The film features exquisite production values, with a special nod to the operatic music score, which frames the story perfectly. The performances are wonderful, with standout work from Johansson who, despite double Oscar nominations last year, has never been better than she was here IMO. This film seems to get better with each re-watch. 4

[matt72582]

Je Tu Il Elle - 5.5/10


I gave it a 6/10 on IMDB for the nudity. I think many would consider this boring. I was kinda in the mood for something slow, having barely slept in the last two days, and then smoking a ton of kif, etc., but the script is bad. I only see this from French movies. You'll have mostly silence, and when someone does talk, it's neither interesting, or realistic, and instead will critique how a man's hair is parted and that kind of talk is 40% of the script.. Then there will be the critics and viewers (middle-class Democrats probably) who think they're supposed to admire it to sound cool.


As John Lennon said, "Avante-garde is French for bull****" because most of it isn't avante-garde at all. These movies are industry "avant-garde", but it's not even unique. "Buffalo '66" is unique, without the pretension.



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7b/Je%2C_tu%2C_il%2C_elle_poster.jpg

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c6/Jungle_Cruise_-_theatrical_poster.png/220px-Jungle_Cruise_-_theatrical_poster.png

3.5

SF = 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

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fprod.cdn.bbaws.net%2FTDC_Blockbuster_-_Production%2F910%2F868%2FTO-0870_bd-w-superhigh_orig-1630396448188.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Hostage House, 2021

Real estate agent Susan (Jennifer Taylor) is showing a gorgeous 70-acre property when her daughter, Heather (Julia Terranova) decides to drop by. Unfortunately for them both, a pair of criminals, Natalie (Emily Sweet) and Keith (Justin Schilling) also decide to make an appearance.

This movie is terrible. Of course it is. Of course it is. It's called Hostage House, it has like a 3.8 IMDb rating, and I definitely ate half a chocolate bar while watching it.

At the same time, this film was exactly what I needed it to be.

The four actors must have gathered around a hat before filming and each one drew a single method for conveying emotions. Susan drew jutting her jaw. Heather got exasperated sighs. Natalie got narrowed eyes/eye-rolling. Keith drew letting hair drape vulnerably over eyes. (By the way, Keith is that "good guy" criminal you get in these films, and if you weren't sure, just look at the way his hair boyishly flops over his face).

Susan is a delightful enigma. Did I miss a line where she was, like, formerly a combat nurse who personally dealt with terrorist negotiations? She sews up bullet wounds ("Oh good," she casually remarks, "the bullet went straight through!"), and ominously declares that she's "seen too many deals go wrong." Who are you, Susan?!

Also, quite charmingly, despite the film taking place in 2021, Susan loftily brags to the millionaires viewing the home that it comes equipped "with Wi-Fi. For streaming!".

The only genuinely unpleasant note comes in literally the last scene of the film as (SPOILERS, but do you actually care?) Natalie, imprisoned, gives birth to her baby, who is then taken away from her by an indifferent prison nurse. As she screams for her baby, a male guard looks at her and smirks.. Such a weird and borderline cruel way to end the film.

Anywho, I can't imagine recommending this, per se. But if you ever need a film that's garishly, soothingly predictable, with lots of questionable acting, please consider Hostage House. If you have Wi-Fi, it's streaming!

2

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f3/Blue_Thunder.jpg
By POV - Impawards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18729584

Blue Thunder - (1983)

This was above average fare - a fast-paced conspiracy-minded action thriller that was so common in the 1980s and 90s (director John Badham himself helmed the likes of Wargames and Short Circuit along with this.) It doesn't require a whole lot from Roy Scheider acting-wise, but the real star of the movie is the helicopter - and as always, the villain (this time Malcolm McDowell as an old comrade/rival of Sheider's character) is memorable - albeit somewhat subdued. Great action scenes and a very easy-to-understand plot makes this quite enjoyable.

The "He's Out There..." on the poster is interesting. This was initially going to be a film about some insane person going on a kill-crazy rampage in the technologically advanced helicopter. It feels like the poster is advertising the film this was originally going to be.

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/07/Kiki%27s_Delivery_Service_%28Movie%29.jpg
By CineMaterial, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3754912

Kiki's Delivery Service - (1989)

This was a foreign language countdown film at #94 - and I saw it going for $2 in a shop so I bought it and watched it. It's outside the range of what I'd normally watch, but was charming, funny and looked good. I imagine kids would love it.

7/10

Foreign Language Countdown films I've seen : 38/101

[xSookieStackhouse]

5
https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/images/au_marvel_shang-chiandthelegendofthetenrings_payoff_mov_cc4c0527.jpeg?region=0%2C0%2C540%2C810

[Ultraviolence]

Mobile Suit Gundam I ~ 劇場版 機動戦士ガンダム
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZGEzOGEwZWMtODI0MC00NjU5LThlMzItNmJlMGFiNDEwM2RhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA3NTQwNDU4._V1_.jpg
The classic!
It's still amazing after all these years. This movie is basically the TV series reissued into a movie. The funny thing is, it works perfectly. It's not as deep as the TV series, but great on its own.
4

[Jinnistan]

As John Lennon said, "Avante-garde is French for bull****"
McCartney had a better joke. "Knock knock. Who's there? Avant-garde. Avant-garde who? Avant-garde a dime."

[Allaby]

Just finished watching the new movie Karen. I honestly enjoyed this. Taryn Manning does a great job and I liked her performance a lot. The film is entertaining, fast paced, and has something worthwhile to say. Keep an open mind and give Karen a shot. You just might like it. My rating is 4. (For real, no joke.)

[matt72582]

Paul McCartney: 3, 2, 1
This is good. I love any studio stuff. Wished Paul would have gone over "Old Siam, Sir".... I signed up for a free trial on Hulu for this, but man, I might cancel it today or tomorrow. It's full of junk, and about 2-3 movies I've already seen and liked.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/McCartney321.jpeg

[Stirchley]

… except for the fact that they all have English accents.

Seems unlikely that an actor from the Republic of Ireland (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) would need an English accent in this movie. But, if you say so. (Not to mention Scarlett J.)

[Wooley]

4.5
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWY1MDJkZGUtZTE2OS00ODZiLTlmNzQtMDZjNzM2ZjkwM2QxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTMxODk2OTU@._V1_.jpg

Love this movie.
Saw it in the theater, alone, after leaving the gym, because I knew none of my friends would go see it with me (buncha 20 year-old boy-men).
Thought it was excellent. Exactly what it should be.

[Wooley]

5
https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/images/au_marvel_shang-chiandthelegendofthetenrings_payoff_mov_cc4c0527.jpeg?region=0%2C0%2C540%2C810

You gotta give me more than that.
I was so excited for this movie and then my city got hit by a ******* hurricane and now I can't see it.

[xSookieStackhouse]

You gotta give me more than that.
I was so excited for this movie and then my city got hit by a ******* hurricane and now I can't see it.

well it was amazing movie with great soundtrack :), wait u serious that must suck alot :(

[xSookieStackhouse]

Love this movie.
Saw it in the theater, alone, after leaving the gym, because I knew none of my friends would go see it with me (buncha 20 year-old boy-men).
Thought it was excellent. Exactly what it should be.

same here i saw it long time ago cant remember with who tho lol. that sucks alot cause its a good movie ofcourse people would love to see a chick flick

[GulfportDoc]

You gotta give me more than that.
I was so excited for this movie and then my city got hit by a ******* hurricane and now I can't see it.
Are you in Nawlins?

[Fabulous]

Deathtrap (1982)

2.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/gejWBVHhvTefEsoy5FCKoiBE3l3.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6e/Roger_and_me.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from Warner Bros.., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1042805

Roger & Me - (1989)

Anyone who has seen a Michael Moore film will be very familiar with his style of filmmaking, which can be traced all the way back to his debut - a documentary about his own efforts to interview General Motors CEO Roger Smith. Smith was shutting plant after plant and sacking tens of thousands of workers to enable General Motors to open plants in Mexico and pay workers a pittance. It's the grimmest dark side to capitalism, and Moore somehow coaxes some awful points of view from the wealthy people he interviews. Roger Smith had every opportunity to set the record straight - and no matter how biased and creative Moore is in creating the world we see through his eyes, this is a damning indictment of destructive greed.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cd/The_Bounty.jpg
By The Bounty - UK poster. impawards.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16069339

The Bounty - (1984)

Don't let the fact that this was a box office flop or that Dino De Laurentiis produced it put you off - this version of the mutiny on the Bounty is pretty good - which made it's 126 minutes fly by for me. We have Anthony Hopkins as Lt Bligh, Mel Gibson as Fletcher Christian - plus Laurence Olivier and Edward Fox along with a very young Liam Neeson and Daniel Day-Lewis. They built a replica Bounty just for this film and shot it around French Polynesia and New Zealand. Hopkins regarded it as a "botched job" - and if so I would really have loved a non-botched effort because this alone is quite enjoyable.

7/10

[Takoma11]

Deathtrap (1982)

2.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/gejWBVHhvTefEsoy5FCKoiBE3l3.jpg

This could have been such a fun twist on the Diabolique type plot. But the writing isn't quite there and the total lack of chemistry (and honestly, the palpable discomfort at the gay content) with Caine and Reeves just sinks the whole thing. Too bad.

[mark f]

The Protégé (Martin Campbell, 2021) 2.5 6/10
Sentimental Journey (Walter Lang, 1946) 2.5 5.5/10
The Black Raven (Sam Newfield, 1943) 2 5/10
Yellow Cat (Adilkhan Yerzhanov, 2020) 2.5 6/10
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/62224-zheltaya_koshka__yellow_cat__-_official_still__11_-e1600343583449.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
Azamat Nigmanov and Kamila Nugmanova are in trouble with the Kazakh mafia in the remote steppes where he wants to express his love for the cinema by building a movie theatre.
Relentless (Lee H. Katzin, 1977) 2.5+ 6/10
Astraea (Kristjan Thor, 2015) 2.5 5.5/10
Hollywood and Vine (Alexis Thurn-Taxis, 1945) 2.5 6/10
Pleasantville (Gary Ross, 1998) 3.5+ 7.5/10
https://www.militaryspouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/giphy-1.gif
When brother and sister Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon get zapped into the "Pleasantville" TV show, trouble starts.
Crooks and Coronets AKA Sophie's Place (Jim O'Connolly, 1969) 2.5 6/10
The Biggest Bundle of Them All (Ken Annakin, 1968) 2+ 5/10
Vendetta for the Saint (Jim O'Connolly, 1969) 2.5 6/10
Afterlife of the Party (Stephen Herek, 2021) 2.5 6/10
https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1436491865ra/15467785.gif
Popular Victoria Justice dies on her birthday but is allowed to come back to try to make amends to a few close people.
The Great Niagara (William Hale, 1974) 2.5 6/10
Search and Destroy (William Fruet, 1979) 2 5/10
Nightmare (William Hale, 1974) 2.5 6-/10
Dave (Ivan Reitman, 1993) 3.5 7/10
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PzxyDbjByrY/WA4cIMVpB0I/AAAAAAADLu8/U_xLzryewkAxjgYHpuB2hZsWNa2FAO2eQCLcB/s1600/kevin%2Bkline%2Bshower.gif
First Lady Sigourney Weaver first recognizes that lookalike replacement Dave (Kevin Kline) is not her philandering husband when she sees his dick.
How I Spent My Summer Vacation (William Hale, 1967) 2.5 6/10
Slow Machine (Joe Denardo & Paul Felten, 2020) 2 5/10
Visit, or Memories and Confessions (Manoel de Oliveira, 1993) 2.5 6/10
Worth (Sara Colangelo, 2020) 3 6.5/10
https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/SJM-L-MOVIEPICKS-0902-01.jpg?w=524
Washington D.C. lawyer Ken Feinberg (Michael Keaton) is appointed Special Master of the U.S. government's September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and is helped in doing the right thing for the families of the victims by Charles Wolf (Stanley Tucci).

[Fabulous]

Dolores Claiborne (1995)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/lzudhrdLWKRWHtAjIVjjA02PbC3.jpg

[Wooley]

Are you in Nawlins?

Yup.
And I been through a LOT of hurricanes. But that one legit gave me the shivers.

[Wooley]

Deathtrap (1982)

2.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/gejWBVHhvTefEsoy5FCKoiBE3l3.jpg

I like this one a lot. Makes me sad for Christopher Reeve not being able to get good roles outside of Superman. He makes a great sociopath.

[Wooley]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cd/The_Bounty.jpg
By The Bounty - UK poster. impawards.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16069339

The Bounty - (1984)

Don't let the fact that this was a box office flop or that Dino De Laurentiis produced it put you off - this version of the mutiny on the Bounty is pretty good - which made it's 126 minutes fly by for me. We have Anthony Hopkins as Lt Bligh, Mel Gibson as Fletcher Christian - plus Laurence Olivier and Edward Fox along with a very young Liam Neeson and Daniel Day-Lewis. They built a replica Bounty just for this film and shot it around French Polynesia and New Zealand. Hopkins regarded it as a "botched job" - and if so I would really have loved a non-botched effort because this alone is quite enjoyable.

7/10

Oh man, I agree completely.
Gibson is what he is now, but back in his youth he was a powerful, James Dean/Marlon Brando type (I'm not gonna debate whether he was on their level but he was in that vein, that style of acting), and he verily sizzles in this role and brings as much, in my opinion, to the conflicted mind of the character as his predecessors, Gable and Brando, ever did.
Obviously Hopkins is great, as good a Captain Bligh as he was a Hannibal Lecter. And early DDL and Liam Neeson appearances are a nice treat.
Yeah, I don't think I have anything negative to say about this film, it absolutely captures the story as it should be captured.

[Wooley]

This could have been such a fun twist on the Diabolique type plot. But the writing isn't quite there and the total lack of chemistry (and honestly, the palpable discomfort at the gay content) with Caine and Reeves just sinks the whole thing. Too bad.

I respectfully disagree almost across the board.
I agree that the writing could have been a little better but given the gimmick that they are trying to twist it up as a stage-play being filmed to a degree, there are certain allowances I was wiling to make.
Loved Reeves, it's easily my favorite performance of his. Thought their chemistry was actually really good given that they were supposed to have bad chemistry - I thought all their awkwardly edgy little exchanges were not a fault but the intention of two very good actors. I don't know what to say about the gay content, it's one of my closest friend's, who is gay, favorites because of the gay content in its day. Can't quite imagine what's problematic about it, it's a gay relationship that's also toxic because one is a sociopath but it's not always totally clear which one.

[EsmagaSapos]

https://br.web.img3.acsta.net/pictures/14/09/13/00/01/359083.jpg

2

Rocky Marciano, my favorite boxer of all time. I didn't knew why this film wasn't talked about, since it's a very well known fighter. Well, that was clear the minute I started watching it. The cinematography was awful, the acting wasn't bad, the script wasn't that bad, certain things didn't make much sense, you can't loose fingers in a shoe factory, even in those days, but I get the point. This movie had a dramatic pull to it, it made a very sentimental portrait of Rocky Marciano, the people's champion, no doubt. I think they made it accurate, needed a better director that's all.

[EsmagaSapos]

https://i.postimg.cc/BvcZmpTQ/MV5-BMWZk-Zj-Rk-OTYt-Mm-Vh-ZC00-NGFh-LWE0-Zm-Ut-OGFh-OTg4-Zm-Rk-NDY3-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QXVy-MTMx-ODk2-OTU-V1.jpg

2

When I first saw the trailer with Jason Clarke playing Reinhard Heydrich and Rosamund Pike as his wife in 2017, I got the impression this could be a good movie. It started well, the acting was good, the actors were rightfully picked, maybe I couldn't see Stephen Graham as Heinrich Himmler, but moving passed it.

The first part of the film was very good, I liked it, has soon has I saw Jack O'Connell I knew where they'd lead this film, Hollywood, hero and villain, I knew right away I shouldn't even end the film, managed to do it out of respect for Jason Clarke performance. It's Hollywood.

[Thief]

Yup.
And I been through a LOT of hurricanes. But that one legit gave me the shivers.

Glad you're ok, man.

[skizzerflake]

It's not really my kind of movie, but I didn't have a better suggestion and someone else was interested - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - a martial arts movie. According to Wikipedia - "Thousands of years ago, Xu Wenwu finds the Ten Rings, ten mystical weapons that grant their user immortality and great power. Wenwu amasses an army of warriors called the Ten Rings and conquers many kingdoms and topples governments throughout history."

True love intervenes and an insufficiently combative son recruits another fighter and his girlfriend. There's a lot of fighting. And, then more fighting. There's a dragon and some creature even bigger than a dragon that needs to be dispatched and then order is restored to the universe.

What surprised me is that it's mainly an American movie. The cast is racially Asian, with a few noteworthy exceptions (you will definitely see that guy), but production and locations are in the US, shot around the Bay area in California by a crew that, based on names, was not plainly Asian. A significant number of fans were in the theater (the busiest theater I have been in for a while) and they were very pleased with the movie. I liked it better than I generally like these sort of movies. There's lots of FX, lots of fighting, improbable stunts, miraculous recoveries from huge falls onto rocks, and a helpful dragon. I did leave thinking that I'd like to have my own dragon. A helpful dragon would be preferable to endless fighting.

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

[skizzerflake]

https://i.postimg.cc/BvcZmpTQ/MV5-BMWZk-Zj-Rk-OTYt-Mm-Vh-ZC00-NGFh-LWE0-Zm-Ut-OGFh-OTg4-Zm-Rk-NDY3-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QXVy-MTMx-ODk2-OTU-V1.jpg

2

When I first saw the trailer with Jason Clarke playing Reinhard Heydrich and Rosamund Pike as his wife in 2017, I got the impression this could be a good movie. It started well, the acting was good, the actors were rightfully picked, maybe I couldn't see Stephen Graham as Heinrich Himmler, but moving passed it.

The first part of the film was very good, I liked it, has soon has I saw Jack O'Connell I knew where they'd lead this film, Hollywood, hero and villain, I knew right away I shouldn't even end the film, managed to do it out of respect for Jason Clarke performance. It's Hollywood.

Were I an actor, I could see playing all sorts of villains, but Heydrich would go beyond me. I recall when this movie was released, was curious but never got there. I do recall seeing Downfall, where Bruno Ganz portrayed a deteriorating Hitler, but Heydrich would be more difficult since he's not that well known to movie audiences and it would be hard to get that level of evil into a character without lapsing into melodrama. I'd be minimally curious but I don't see anywhere to stream it.

[Takoma11]

I respectfully disagree almost across the board.
I agree that the writing could have been a little better but given the gimmick that they are trying to twist it up as a stage-play being filmed to a degree, there are certain allowances I was wiling to make.
Loved Reeves, it's easily my favorite performance of his. Thought their chemistry was actually really good given that they were supposed to have bad chemistry - I thought all their awkwardly edgy little exchanges were not a fault but the intention of two very good actors. I don't know what to say about the gay content, it's one of my closest friend's, who is gay, favorites because of the gay content in its day. Can't quite imagine what's problematic about it, it's a gay relationship that's also toxic because one is a sociopath but it's not always totally clear which one.

There are piece of it that work (and I totally agree that seeing Reeves as a sociopath is an incredibly fun subversion of expectations).

And I agree that the winning dynamic should come from a situation where you have two manipulative people and you're not totally sure what each of them is after and who will ultimately triumph.

However. Given the dearth of gay representation--and especially of lead characters--I agree that it's exciting to even have that in a film. But the stilted nature of the acting between Reeves and Caine is off. The moment that they kiss is a reveal. Oh my God, they're lovers!!!! That kiss--which is also a moment of triumph for the pair--should be passionate. The stilted stuff should creep in later as we begin to see the cracks. Which is to say that the idea that these two men are in any kind of relationship (sexual or romantic) never feels in any way real.

Consider this: "An article in Variety described how the script is not overtly gay at all: "Bruhl and Anderson are implied to be lovers in Levin's play - they've conspired to get Bruhl's wife, Myra, out of the picture, after all - but that's not made explicit. Still, Imparato noted that the 1982 movie version of "Deathtrap," which starred Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve, contains a scene with the two men kissing." The Ira Levin estate objected to any gay representations of the play, insisting Clifford and Sidney "were just friends, and it should be represented that way.""

Then there's the trivia that the two lead actors had to drink a bunch before filming it. And honestly, that's how the scene struck me the first time I saw it: like two straight dudes reluctantly doing something. I remarked to my viewing companion at the time that it was the least convincing kiss. And the huge problem with that is that if someone is manipulative and planning to possibly betray or off their lover, they should be kissing them in a way that conveys passion.

It's not all bad, and there are parts that I enjoy, but the lack of chemistry (not just sexual, but like, character chemistry) between the two leads bumps it down to second-tier for me. (Though I just looked at my shelf and I do own it, LOL). If I'm going to watch Michael Caine and Christopher Reeves in a play adaptation, I turn to Noises Off!.

[SpelingError]

Yup.
And I been through a LOT of hurricanes. But that one legit gave me the shivers.

Glad you're safe, man.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fpfqb097tCFw%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The Girl Without Hands, 2016

This film follows a young woman (Anaïs Demoustier) who is lusted after by a demon (Philippe Laudenbach). The demon follows and torments the young woman in an attempt to make her his.

I watched this film as part of the Criterion Channel's "Avante-Guard Animation" collection and I thought it was pretty neat.

The animation style is very cool. The whole film has a very painted look, and the characters seem to pulse and ebb on the screen. At times, a character might be nothing more than a hint of a face or a hand. Other times, characters are drawn in much more detail, usually in moments of emotional intensity.

The story is a mix of classic fairy tale tropes, but certainly with a dark edge to them. Right from the beginning, the demon tries to buy the woman from her father. The father agrees. When the girl is "too clean" for the demon to touch her, the man trees the girl so that she cannot bathe. When she weeps onto her hands (making them too pure), the father complies with the demon's directions to cut off her hands.

In the second half of the film, the young woman finds herself married to a handsome prince. But thanks to mischievous misdirection caused by the demon, their marriage--and the life of their child--is threatened.

The story on its own is not incredibly original, but the marriage of the narrative and the visuals is really exceptional. Despite the "simple" style of the film, quite a few of the scenes manage to be genuinely horrifying or emotional.

4

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zekefilm.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F08%2FSon-of-the-White-Mare_1-1024x553.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Son of the White Mare, 1981

In this mash-up of different Eurasian fairy tales, the three sons of a powerful white mare must set out to rescue princesses who have been kidnapped by fearsome dragons.

When I was younger, I had a huge book of Russian fairy tales, and I recognized a lot of elements of those stories here.

The main thing to recommend with this film is the animation style. To begin with (and this is something I couldn't articulate until I read the trivia about the film), the choice to use very little black outlining has a really cool effect. There's also a vibe to the animation that I really liked. It made me think of things like Watership Down or The Last Unicorn, where the choice of angles and colors creates an atmosphere that is both intriguing and foreboding.

I was very taken with the way that the film chose to portray the dragons in particular. They are almost explicitly industrial or robotic. There's this one really great shot of the hero reflected in the many faces of one of the dragons. One of my favorite images actually came at the very end when, in a seemingly unconnected moment, one of the brothers strides through a modern city, towering above the buildings and the smog.

Unsurprisingly, while the brothers have a lot of personality and playful banter and competition, the princesses are pretty poorly developed. They're hot. They're mostly helpless. I did appreciate that they were at least slightly differentiated in personality and animation style, but they are little more than trophies. Thank goodness the dragons are so interesting, because the princesses are so one-dimensional that it slightly detracts from the sequences that take place in the underworld.

This was a very cool and unique animated film. It is also in the Criterion Channel's animation collection.

4

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.caps.media%2F199%2F6-hunchback%2Ffull%2Fhunchback-of-the-notre-dame-disneyscreencaps.com-2884.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1996

Physically deformed Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) has lived his entire life in the church, where he is the bellringer, under the cold eye of his patron, Frollo (Tony Jay). But things change when he meets a beautiful Romani woman named Esmerelda (Demi Moore) and a kind Captain of the Guard, Phoebus (Kevin Kline). But Frollo's hatred of the Romani people coupled with his lust for Esmerelda puts everyone on a dangerous trajectory.

Boy, talk about a tale of two movies. Watching this film was like being witness to a creative tug-of-war, leading to a movie with some incredible highs and some baffling lows.

To begin with the positive, I think that the film goes a lot further than you'd expect from a Disney movie in terms of the portrayal of characters and events. Yes, the film makes some MASSIVE changes to the story (as in, entirely changing major plot points), but I appreciate that it keeps some of the themes present.

The strongest---and darkest--aspect of the film is Frollo's demented relationship to Esmerelda. He lusts after her, explicitly, and yet the only way that he can cope with these feelings is to condemn her as a witch who has manipulated him. In what I found to be shockingly on-point lyrics to the song "Hellfire", he actually prays that either she will be his or that she be destroyed or damned. "My greatest hope is that I get to have sex with her OR she be brutally killed. Either or." It's such an effective portrayal of the resentment that people can have toward those they find attractive (but can't have), and the way that the resentment can morph into anger and the desire to punish. Frollo is disgusted at himself for feeling lust for someone who is "lesser", and because he has power, he is able to turn that disgust outward to punish those around him.

The okay part of the film is the main plot involving Quasimodo and Phoebus and the rest of the city. This is where the cracks begin to show in terms of the film trying to make the story one of acceptance and friendship. Kevin Kline is fine as Phoebus, but his character is very much the glib, wise-cracking Disney hero of the 90s. If only the film had had the courage to play his character a little straighter, as a horrified witness to Frollo's abuses of power. Instead, this is where the film begins to feel a little stranded. One moment, Phoebus is risking his life to save a family from being burned alive by Frollo, the next he's talking to his horse with a funny name.

But the dregs of the film are the gargoyles. In any other Disney film, these characters would not be all that out of place. They are the perpetual goofy sidekicks wearing impromptu silly costumes, making period-inappropriate jokes, and doing armpit farts. But here they make so little sense that it made my brain hurt. Their potty humor clashes horribly with the emotional heart of the movie. I'm sorry but this:
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehunchblog.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F06%2Fd-gang-hulceref-71.png&f=1&nofb=1

does not belong in a film that also contains this:
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.6qEnM90Vt7oRGttvGasbJAHaEK%26pid%3DApi&f=1.

Overall I liked the animation and the voice performances. The music wasn't amazing (though "Hellfire" was certainly the best), but neither was it wholly forgettable. In the end, this feels like a movie that has unresolved conflicts between artistry and commercial appeal. Better than I expected, but certainly nowhere close to how powerful and compelling it could have been.

3.5

[Wooley]

There are piece of it that work (and I totally agree that seeing Reeves as a sociopath is an incredibly fun subversion of expectations).

And I agree that the winning dynamic should come from a situation where you have two manipulative people and you're not totally sure what each of them is after and who will ultimately triumph.

However. Given the dearth of gay representation--and especially of lead characters--I agree that it's exciting to even have that in a film. But the stilted nature of the acting between Reeves and Caine is off. The moment that they kiss is a reveal. Oh my God, they're lovers!!!! That kiss--which is also a moment of triumph for the pair--should be passionate. The stilted stuff should creep in later as we begin to see the cracks. Which is to say that the idea that these two men are in any kind of relationship (sexual or romantic) never feels in any way real.

Consider this: "An article in Variety described how the script is not overtly gay at all: "Bruhl and Anderson are implied to be lovers in Levin's play - they've conspired to get Bruhl's wife, Myra, out of the picture, after all - but that's not made explicit. Still, Imparato noted that the 1982 movie version of "Deathtrap," which starred Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve, contains a scene with the two men kissing." The Ira Levin estate objected to any gay representations of the play, insisting Clifford and Sidney "were just friends, and it should be represented that way.""

Then there's the trivia that the two lead actors had to drink a bunch before filming it. And honestly, that's how the scene struck me the first time I saw it: like two straight dudes reluctantly doing something. I remarked to my viewing companion at the time that it was the least convincing kiss. And the huge problem with that is that if someone is manipulative and planning to possibly betray or off their lover, they should be kissing them in a way that conveys passion.

It's not all bad, and there are parts that I enjoy, but the lack of chemistry (not just sexual, but like, character chemistry) between the two leads bumps it down to second-tier for me. (Though I just looked at my shelf and I do own it, LOL). If I'm going to watch Michael Caine and Christopher Reeves in a play adaptation, I turn to Noises Off!.

Well, you're citing a bunch of off-screen stuff to criticize what is on the screen. I was actually a young teenager when that movie came out and I can tell you that it was a world-changing representation of gay relationships for a young man. Here are two grown men, represented by really famous actors, who are in a gay adult relationship... and it's not something weird. They're not deviants throwing their AIDS at everybody. They're the main characters. They have strengths and weaknesses and serious flaws. They're smart and even devious. They're wearing sweaters, for god's sake. And the fact that within that relationship could exist something more complex than just "they're gay", that plays huge in 1983. Mainstream culture was really afraid of homosexuality at that time, trust me I was there, but this movie portrays it where it is a just an unexpected fact of the situation, not this thing the movie has to leer and linger over or vilify. I still think back on it, and I've watched it fairly recently, as a very positive representation for the time.
Also, I thought the kiss worked exactly because it was so stilted. Yeah they're lovers but they're also totally putting each other on. The kiss says that.
Finally, on them drinking a lot before the scenes, while again that is not a commentary on what's actually on the celluloid in any way, that is unsurprising given the context of the time. They were risking a good bit and doing something that, in the context of the time, they were probably very uncomfortable with. They did it anyway.

[Takoma11]

Well, you're citing a bunch of off-screen stuff to criticize what is on the screen.

The off-screen stuff is all what I learned after watching the film. And honestly, it explains a lot of what I felt when I first watched the movie.

I was actually a young teenager when that movie came out and I can tell you that it was a world-changing representation of gay relationships for a young man. Here are two grown men, represented by really famous actors, who are in a gay adult relationship... and it's not something weird. They're not deviants throwing their AIDS at everybody. They're the main characters. They have strengths and weaknesses and serious flaws. They're smart and even devious. They're wearing sweaters, for god's sake. And the fact that within that relationship could exist something more complex than just "they're gay", that plays huge in 1983. Mainstream culture was really afraid of homosexuality at that time, trust me I was there, but this movie portrays it where it is a just an unexpected fact of the situation, not this thing the movie has to leer and linger over or vilify. I still think back on it, and I've watched it fairly recently, as a very positive representation for the time.

My mom (who maybe recommended the film to me?) also gave me this context. It's not that I disagree. And I think it's really cool, honestly, that Reeves especially (with his All-American image) would play a gay character.

I give the film vague props for the representation.

But I'm not arguing that the portrayal is problematic or offensive. I'm arguing that I find it cautious and unconvincing in some ways, and I think that this undercuts the story and the dramatic tension. I think that both of their character lack humanity. They feel like chess pieces being moved around. In some ways, their homosexuality is just a part of the twists of the film. But it doesn't feel essential to any part of the story. Absent the kiss, these guys could just be friends, right? And I think that feels kind of disingenuous.

Also, I thought the kiss worked exactly because it was so stilted. Yeah they're lovers but they're also totally putting each other on. The kiss says that.

But it should't say that in that moment, because in that moment we are supposed to be taking in the fact that they were in on it together. Insincerity between them should develop later.

Finally, on them drinking a lot before the scenes, while again that is not a commentary on what's actually on the celluloid in any way, that is unsurprising given the context of the time. They were risking a good bit and doing something that, in the context of the time, they were probably very uncomfortable with. They did it anyway.

It confirms my original impression (which, again, was an impression I had before I read a single piece of background or trivia about the film), which is that there was a vibe of discomfort and a total lack of passion that does not gel with what should be happening in that moment on screen.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjJiYjdjNWEtODNiMS00MTBiLWE4NTAtNGNjMDgxZWQzMTgyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA3MDk2NDg2._V1_.jpg


4.5

[this_is_the_ girl]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTc2NzkyODM4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTQ3ODk5NA@@._V1_.jpg
The Brøken (2008, Sean Ellis)
2.5
A poor man's 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' without the 'evil conspiracy' element. We get a vague idea of what's going on with the mirrors and doppelgangers but nothing is explained or elaborated. Not horrible, with some decent moments here and there, but the plot and execution definitely lacked originality and depth.

[Wooley]

The off-screen stuff is all what I learned after watching the film. And honestly, it explains a lot of what I felt when I first watched the movie.



My mom (who maybe recommended the film to me?) also gave me this context. It's not that I disagree. And I think it's really cool, honestly, that Reeves especially (with his All-American image) would play a gay character.

I give the film vague props for the representation.

But I'm not arguing that the portrayal is problematic or offensive. I'm arguing that I find it cautious and unconvincing in some ways, and I think that this undercuts the story and the dramatic tension. I think that both of their character lack humanity. They feel like chess pieces being moved around. In some ways, their homosexuality is just a part of the twists of the film. But it doesn't feel essential to any part of the story. Absent the kiss, these guys could just be friends, right? And I think that feels kind of disingenuous.



But it should't say that in that moment, because in that moment we are supposed to be taking in the fact that they were in on it together. Insincerity between them should develop later.



It confirms my original impression (which, again, was an impression I had before I read a single piece of background or trivia about the film), which is that there was a vibe of discomfort and a total lack of passion that does not gel with what should be happening in that moment on screen.

I understand what you're saying a little more clearly now.
I disagree because I think they both acted very much how sociopaths actually do and that's actually the thing I like so much about the movie. During my downtime as a doctor I've made a pet-study of sociopathy, psychopathy, narcissism, and borderline personality disorder, and I'm always interested in movies that play those conditions accurately, and I felt, revisiting it, like this film did that.

[CharlesAoup]

War of the Worlds, 2005, 3rd watch (C+)

There's undeniable craftsmanship in this movie, and the tripods are some of the greatest aliens put to film, though I reckon that mostly has to do with Wells' original story more than this version. It has a lot of problems past that though.

The original story was written at one of the peaks of the British Empire. One of, if not the original Invasion Fiction stories. A commentary and a critique of the British tendency to beat mercilessly down anyone who had anything they wanted and take it for themselves. I can fully appreciate the attempt to tweak the story to fit a post 9/11 America, but it just doesn't work. The original tripod's exit from the ground is the peak of the movie, because it's really the only part where the action starts and the attempt doesn't fall apart.

Having the tripods come out of the groud, as this threat that was always there everywhere, ready to be activated at any moment is a smart way to turn the aliens into terrorists. Afterwards however, you're stuck with the original concept from the book. An invincible, world-invading alien force bent on total human genocide. This doesn't fit into a terrorist narrative, but you need to deal with it nonetheless. The movie doesn't do that good.

Spielberg has the same problem here and in Minority Report. It's a high concept, intelligent and intellectually grounded story that he doesn't seem know how to adapt and make evolve intelligently. Both movies start with a core concept, and degenerate into a series of chases and encounters that ignore the original theme so much that it might as well never have been there in the first place. I believe the bacteria ending from the book had to do with the fact that diseases kept Europeans out of Africa until the 1800s, and so it doesn't fit here at all either.

[Takoma11]

I understand what you're saying a little more clearly now.
I disagree because I think they both acted very much how sociopaths actually do and that's actually the thing I like so much about the movie. During my downtime as a doctor I've made a pet-study of sociopathy, psychopathy, narcissism, and borderline personality disorder, and I'm always interested in movies that play those conditions accurately, and I felt, revisiting it, like this film did that.

From a storytelling point of view, I don't mind them both being sociopaths. But I still argue that if the kiss is meant to show that aspect of the story, it comes way too soon.

It also really doesn't make sense that they'd be tipping their hands to each other this soon. If I am a sociopath and I know I am going to betray you, how do I kiss you? Coldly and hesitantly? Or passionately in order to maintain the illusion?

I think that some combination of the actors' hesitations and maybe even the filmmaker being willing to put a gay kiss on screen but not a sexual gay kiss on screen undercut that specific moment and also lead to a degree of sterility in their interactions that overall turns the film into a more mechanical and less human story. As a result, I was neither very surprised by nor very invested in what happened. (I also think that this "cold" vibe can frequently be the result when stage plays are adapted into films--something about the rhythms of the two different mediums not quite fusing right).

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcaps.pictures%2F199%2F7-anastasiaa%2Ffull%2Fanastasia-disneyscreencaps.com-5260.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Anastasia, 1997

An evil Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) sells his soul for the powers to allow him to destroy the Romanov family. But unbeknownst to him, Anastasia (Kirsten Dunst, then Meg Ryan) escapes the massacre and grows up as an orphan with little memory of her childhood. She eventually crosses paths with Dmitri (John Cusack), a con artist who actually knew the Romanovs. They set out to pass Anastasia as the lost princess, not realizing she's actually the real deal.

Now this was a pleasant surprise.

Coming off of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, this one really stood out for its willingness to ditch many of the most obnoxious Disney trappings. Is there a degree of slapstick? Yes, mainly courtesy of Rasputin's decaying body. Is there the obligatory sidekick? Yes, in the form of Rasputin's pet bat, Bartok (Hank Azaria). But the goofy stuff is largely incidental, and the film maintains an admirable focus on its central story.

The real star of the film is the animation. It's gorgeous. It recalls the best of other Disney movies, with the sweeping ballroom scenes evoking some of the magic of Beauty and the Beast, but also showcasing thrilling action scenes such as an epic train crash. This is a movie that looks good on both the large and small scale.

The story itself is also straightforward but strong. Anastasia and Dmitri fall for each other, but the fact that he's using her for financial gain is inevitably going to drive a wedge between them. Meanwhile, Anastasia's grandmother is in a protracted state of hope and mourning, wanting to believe that her long-lost granddaughter is still alive somewhere. The musical numbers are all good. No instant favorites, but I liked them all.

The only pall over the film isn't really its fault. After the film's release, research and new evidence showed that Anastasia Romanov actually had been executed along with the rest of her family. With that hope and uncertainty put to rest, this film seems like a sad "What if?". Anastasia never made it past 8 years old, and it adds some sadness to the film.

4

[ScannerDarkly]

Really shallow horror movie not something i expected from the director but i havnt watched his earlier stuff. The characters were just props and the enemy wasnt scary. Someone whos more into horror films would probably give it more sympathy but i will say the pacing was good, there was alot of action "pun maybe" right away and consistently thru-out to keep you entertained, i just wanted more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯Has cronenbergs themes of sex , body horror, violence.. but was very immature.


4/10
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/813tsOyXOvL._RI_.jpg

[John W Constantine]

Re-Animator - 1985

4.5

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.dailyforest.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F02%2F19142330%2FThe-Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance-1962.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, 1962

A man named Ransom Stoddard (Jimmy Stewart) gets caught up in a violent stagecoach robbery attempting to defend a widow. Badly beaten by an outlaw named Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), Stoddard is shocked to learn when he gets to town that Valance is basically allowed free range of behavior outside the town limits. As Stoddard, a lawyer, tries to come up with legal ways to justify trying Valance for his crimes, he attracts the attention of local woman Hallie (Vera Miles). His blossoming relationship with Hallie brings him into conflict with Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), a local man.

This was a delightfully complex, interesting film.

I really enjoy stories that examine what it means to be a good and honorable person in different situations. I think that Westerns are often a great medium to explore this question, as the "wild west" existed for a while in a liminal state between untamed and unregulated communities and the encroachment of more traditional "civilization".

In the case of this film, you have Ransom and Tom existing on two different sides of the "good man" coin. Ransom is a lawyer by trade. He believes in law and order, but he also believes in the ideals if his country. When he learns that Hallie cannot read, he offers to teach her, which turns into teaching a whole crew of locals to read and write. Not insignificantly, in addition to some local men, his students include women, immigrants, and a free Black man. Reading, writing, the law, and rights are not just for a select group. And despite his bookish status, Ransom is no coward. Despite not having the skills or athleticism of a fighter, he repeatedly stands up to Liberty, even at gunpoint.

Tom, on the other hand, is much more of a traditional "man's man." He's quick with a gun. He's building a home for himself and Hallie. He also believes in doing what's right. For example, when Liberty comes after Ransom at a local restaurant, Tom inserts himself between Liberty and Ransom to avoid bloodshed.

What I maybe found most interesting about this film was the way that it doesn't really take sides between the two men. Each have their strengths and their shortcomings. Really, it's the combination of their skills and inclinations that are what is needed to help the town survive and flourish. For Tom, his shortcoming is maybe being a little too old fashioned. For example, he has decided that he's going to marry Hallie---without a tremendous amount of care as to whether that's what she actually wants. For Ransom, his shortcoming is the fact that he has to trade on someone else's accomplishments to make a name for himself. In the end, I don't think it's really a strike against either man. They are complimentary of each other.

Stewart and Wayne are pretty perfect in their roles. Stewart has such a gift for portraying men who are idealists and willing to put their lives on the line for them. He seems incredibly genuine about wanting to improve the lives of the community members. He shows a respect for Hallie. Wayne, in contrast, carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone who knows his own abilities. Despite his conflict with Ransom over Hallie, he is willing to teach Ransom to shoot and gives him good advice about dealing with Liberty.

If I had one tiny criticism, it would maybe be that I'd have liked a little more explicit thoughts from Hallie. Especially in the last third of the film, I really wanted to know what she was thinking.

Overall, one of those films that more than earns its reputation as a classic.

4.5

[Gideon58]

https://le0pard13.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/thunderbolt-lightfood.jpeg?w=600



4

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmovieberry.com%2Fstatic%2Fphotos%2F698%2F38_midi.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Open Range, 2003

Cattlemen Charley (Kevin Costner) and his boss (Robert Duvall) are free grazing their cattle along with two younger cowhands when they come into the territory of a land baron (Michael Gambon) who doesn't approve of free grazing. When neither side is willing to back down, the conflict quickly turns to bloodshed. Complicating things further are the feelings Charley begins to develop for a local nurse (Annette Bening).

Another solid western, this one with a pretty straight-forward plot with some interesting little embellishments.

Costner (who also directed) is solid as a man living with some sort of traumatic past, reluctantly returning to violence. Once things kick off, though, he sometimes has trouble walking away. Duvall is a nice counterpoint as the mostly-sanguine boss, though it's interesting to note that his pride--not wanting to take the baron's threats seriously and move their cattle out--is what leads to the escalating confrontation.

The scenery looks really amazing, and the sequences where the men are herding the cattle through wide open landscapes are really breathtaking and must have looked fantastic on the big screen.

I don't have too much to say about this one, aside from the fact that I really enjoyed it.

4

[Wyldesyde19]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmovieberry.com%2Fstatic%2Fphotos%2F698%2F38_midi.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Open Range, 2003

Cattlemen Charley (Kevin Costner) and his boss (Robert Duvall) are free grazing their cattle along with two younger cowhands when they come into the territory of a land baron (Michael Gambon) who doesn't approve of free grazing. When neither side is willing to back down, the conflict quickly turns to bloodshed. Complicating things further are the feelings Charley begins to develop for a local nurse (Annette Bening).

Another solid western, this one with a pretty straight-forward plot with some interesting little embellishments.

Costner (who also directed) is solid as a man living with some sort of traumatic past, reluctantly returning to violence. Once things kick off, though, he sometimes has trouble walking away. Duvall is a nice counterpoint as the mostly-sanguine boss, though it's interesting to note that his pride--not wanting to take the baron's threats seriously and move their cattle out--is what leads to the escalating confrontation.

The scenery looks really amazing, and the sequences where the men are herding the cattle through wide open landscapes are really breathtaking and must have looked fantastic on the big screen.

I don't have too much to say about this one, aside from the fact that I really enjoyed it.

4
I love this film. Just a quick aside, it isn’t Boss Spearmints pride that leads to the escalation, but the understanding that, as he puts it when Button suggest they push on, “Wouldn’t do any good Button, I’ve seen men like Baxter before. He aims to take this herd, or scatter it the winds.” And “He wants us all in one place, so he can take care of us all at once.” There is no other alternative in his eyes. *

The herd is his property, and later on he states that a man has a right to protect his property, which in the times of the west, often ended up in a gunfight.

He does state, later on, that he aims to kill Baxter, for what they did to Mose, but this is well after he understood Baxter’s intentions.

He literally saw it as having no choice. Which is how it’s presented in the movie.

[Fabulous]

Angela's Ashes (1999)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/nMdALaHWzShkvinJCg6CgaJrAZf.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://i.postimg.cc/Z5vdSGG2/Poster-Meet-John-Doe-01.jpg
By Employee(s) of Warner Bros. - http://www.doctormacro.com/Movie%20Summaries/M/Meet%20John%20Doe.htm, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18512811

Meet John Doe - (1941)

A fired newspaper reporter, Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck), fires off a fake letter from a 'John Doe' - in which he says he's about to commit suicide because of how lousy he thinks general attitudes are. The story gathers momentum, and as such the paper finds it necessary to drag in some random bums to make them into the John Doe from the letter. Things get out of control when a whole new political party is formed on the back of Doe's fake musings - leading to intrigue from dark, wealthy interests. Not bad, but could have done with another 15 minutes or so cut from it - at over 2 hours, the film feels slow and loses momentum by the halfway mark. Gary Cooper is fine as always. Lofty, serious and ambitious.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8d/Delta_force_poster.jpg
By MGM - Impawards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12073057

The Delta Force - (1986)

What a strange creature this is. When you talk about Chuck Norris and 1980s action the last person that will come to mind is Shelley Winters, but this is the kind of movie that has slight reminders of pre-1980s disaster-type action fare. Winters is part of a cast of unfortunate characters involved with the hijacking of a plane by Middle Eastern terrorists. The passengers include George Kennedy as a Father O'Malley and Joey Bishop as one of a slew of unfortunate Jewish people on the flight. The main terrorist is played by Robert Forster - which is in keeping with a film that has such an unusual cast. Lee Marvin shows up in his last ever role as the commander of 'The Delta Force' - which is sent in to kill the terrorists and rescue the hostages. Marvin was in his 60s at the time, but looks like he's in his 80s.

The plot pretty much mirrors true events of the day - in particular the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 in 1985. I think it was meant to be more than just an action film - it's running time of 130 minutes suggests something grander and it has the cast and gravity that recalls such films as The Poseidon Adventure or The Dirty Dozen. Unfortunately, this is a Golan-Globus production (Menahem Golan himself directed) - so you know it's not going to be particularly intelligent and you know it's budget will be stretched thin. There are no great ideas - just stereotypes with guns and grenades as the movie gets more and more predictable and we're forced to watch on with a godawful electronic score repeating over and over in the background. Filmed in Israel and obviously with some personal feeling. A shame it all goes awry - it showed a little promise at the start.

4/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7d/MMT_poster.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13592269

Magical Mystery Tour - (1967)

I needed something that ran around 1 hour and didn't need my full concentration - so I watched this. I couldn't quite believe what I'd seen so I watched it again anyway. John Lennon once derided this as "the most expensive home movie ever made" and I agree with him. None of the ad-libbing or ideas worked out - and without the great music this would be unwatchable.

1/10 as an experimental film if you discount the music
6/10 if you take into account the awesome, awesome songs

[gbgoodies]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcaps.pictures%2F199%2F7-anastasiaa%2Ffull%2Fanastasia-disneyscreencaps.com-5260.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Anastasia, 1997

An evil Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) sells his soul for the powers to allow him to destroy the Romanov family. But unbeknownst to him, Anastasia (Kirsten Dunst, then Meg Ryan) escapes the massacre and grows up as an orphan with little memory of her childhood. She eventually crosses paths with Dmitri (John Cusack), a con artist who actually knew the Romanovs. They set out to pass Anastasia as the lost princess, not realizing she's actually the real deal.

Now this was a pleasant surprise.

Coming off of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, this one really stood out for its willingness to ditch many of the most obnoxious Disney trappings. Is there a degree of slapstick? Yes, mainly courtesy of Rasputin's decaying body. Is there the obligatory sidekick? Yes, in the form of Rasputin's pet bat, Bartok (Hank Azaria). But the goofy stuff is largely incidental, and the film maintains an admirable focus on its central story.

The real star of the film is the animation. It's gorgeous. It recalls the best of other Disney movies, with the sweeping ballroom scenes evoking some of the magic of Beauty and the Beast, but also showcasing thrilling action scenes such as an epic train crash. This is a movie that looks good on both the large and small scale.

The story itself is also straightforward but strong. Anastasia and Dmitri fall for each other, but the fact that he's using her for financial gain is inevitably going to drive a wedge between them. Meanwhile, Anastasia's grandmother is in a protracted state of hope and mourning, wanting to believe that her long-lost granddaughter is still alive somewhere. The musical numbers are all good. No instant favorites, but I liked them all.

The only pall over the film isn't really its fault. After the film's release, research and new evidence showed that Anastasia Romanov actually had been executed along with the rest of her family. With that hope and uncertainty put to rest, this film seems like a sad "What if?". Anastasia never made it past 8 years old, and it adds some sadness to the film.

4



Anastasia is one of my favorite animated movies. I think Bartok is adorable. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72U-m7qAz0s

[Wooley]

From a storytelling point of view, I don't mind them both being sociopaths. But I still argue that if the kiss is meant to show that aspect of the story, it comes way too soon.

It also really doesn't make sense that they'd be tipping their hands to each other this soon. If I am a sociopath and I know I am going to betray you, how do I kiss you? Coldly and hesitantly? Or passionately in order to maintain the illusion?

I think that some combination of the actors' hesitations and maybe even the filmmaker being willing to put a gay kiss on screen but not a sexual gay kiss on screen undercut that specific moment and also lead to a degree of sterility in their interactions that overall turns the film into a more mechanical and less human story. As a result, I was neither very surprised by nor very invested in what happened. (I also think that this "cold" vibe can frequently be the result when stage plays are adapted into films--something about the rhythms of the two different mediums not quite fusing right).
It's an interesting point but a subtle one now. I will actually have to re-watch the movie to be able to carry this forward given the subtleties you're talking about like the timing of the kiss and whether or not it was sufficiently passionate to fool anyone.
I guess what I'm looking at is that neither of these two characters are world-class sociopaths, they're both basically amateurs which is why they both think what they're selling is fooling the other because each of them takes the other for a fool, played out evidently in the movie. So, how convincing the kiss was, I just don't know that a really convincing kiss does anything other than make them seem like either better sociopaths or undermine the important fact of the movie, that they actually don't even like or respect each other.
I prefer to focus on Christopher Reeve's performance, honestly.

[Wooley]

Really shallow horror movie not something i expected from the director but i havnt watched his earlier stuff. The characters were just props and the enemy wasnt scary. Someone whos more into horror films would probably give it more sympathy but i will say the pacing was good, there was alot of action "pun maybe" right away and consistently thru-out to keep you entertained, i just wanted more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯Has cronenbergs themes of sex , body horror, violence.. but was very immature.


4/10
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/813tsOyXOvL._RI_.jpg

Oh man, you have wounded me. I'm a pretty big fan of this film.

[Wooley]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.dailyforest.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F02%2F19142330%2FThe-Man-Who-Shot-Liberty-Valance-1962.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, 1962

A man named Ransom Stoddard (Jimmy Stewart) gets caught up in a violent stagecoach robbery attempting to defend a widow. Badly beaten by an outlaw named Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin), Stoddard is shocked to learn when he gets to town that Valance is basically allowed free range of behavior outside the town limits. As Stoddard, a lawyer, tries to come up with legal ways to justify trying Valance for his crimes, he attracts the attention of local woman Hallie (Vera Miles). His blossoming relationship with Hallie brings him into conflict with Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), a local man.

This was a delightfully complex, interesting film.

I really enjoy stories that examine what it means to be a good and honorable person in different situations. I think that Westerns are often a great medium to explore this question, as the "wild west" existed for a while in a liminal state between untamed and unregulated communities and the encroachment of more traditional "civilization".

In the case of this film, you have Ransom and Tom existing on two different sides of the "good man" coin. Ransom is a lawyer by trade. He believes in law and order, but he also believes in the ideals if his country. When he learns that Hallie cannot read, he offers to teach her, which turns into teaching a whole crew of locals to read and write. Not insignificantly, in addition to some local men, his students include women, immigrants, and a free Black man. Reading, writing, the law, and rights are not just for a select group. And despite his bookish status, Ransom is no coward. Despite not having the skills or athleticism of a fighter, he repeatedly stands up to Liberty, even at gunpoint.

Tom, on the other hand, is much more of a traditional "man's man." He's quick with a gun. He's building a home for himself and Hallie. He also believes in doing what's right. For example, when Liberty comes after Ransom at a local restaurant, Tom inserts himself between Liberty and Ransom to avoid bloodshed.

What I maybe found most interesting about this film was the way that it doesn't really take sides between the two men. Each have their strengths and their shortcomings. Really, it's the combination of their skills and inclinations that are what is needed to help the town survive and flourish. For Tom, his shortcoming is maybe being a little too old fashioned. For example, he has decided that he's going to marry Hallie---without a tremendous amount of care as to whether that's what she actually wants. For Ransom, his shortcoming is the fact that he has to trade on someone else's accomplishments to make a name for himself. In the end, I don't think it's really a strike against either man. They are complimentary of each other.

Stewart and Wayne are pretty perfect in their roles. Stewart has such a gift for portraying men who are idealists and willing to put their lives on the line for them. He seems incredibly genuine about wanting to improve the lives of the community members. He shows a respect for Hallie. Wayne, in contrast, carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone who knows his own abilities. Despite his conflict with Ransom over Hallie, he is willing to teach Ransom to shoot and gives him good advice about dealing with Liberty.

If I had one tiny criticism, it would maybe be that I'd have liked a little more explicit thoughts from Hallie. Especially in the last third of the film, I really wanted to know what she was thinking.

Overall, one of those films that more than earns its reputation as a classic.

4.5

Oh this is great, I think it's a real pleasure when you read someone's response to a film and it's pretty much exactly what you felt. I finally saw this movie about 8 years ago and it struck me in every way you've said.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Anastasia is one of my favorite animated movies. I think Bartok is adorable. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72U-m7qAz0s

same here one of my fav Disney animated movies <3

[EsmagaSapos]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3c/Joe_%282013_film%29_poster.jpg/220px-Joe_%282013_film%29_poster.jpg

4

Joe is the boss of a small crew of lumbers in the southern part of America. Their job is to poison trees so the lumberjacks can cut it legally. The way they relate and talk to each other had a realness to it, almost like Cassavetes's A Woman Under the Influence, obviously, the latter is a masterpiece. A young boy shows up asking for a job and Joe, in the same harsh manners, hires the kid. The rest of the film is Joe taking this kid under his wing, while a abusive father does his thing.

Cage said this was the character more in tune with him in real life, so I had to see it. So much of what I see in this characters I can relate deeply. The cinematography is great, the script is simple and genuine. How they carried the story and the character study is all that mattered. The most important thing about the film is understanding each character, not one character, but every single character in the film.

[Takoma11]

I love this film. Just a quick aside, it isn’t Boss Spearmints pride that leads to the escalation, but the understanding that, as he puts it when Button suggest they push on, “Wouldn’t do any good Button, I’ve seen men like Baxter before. He aims to take this herd, or scatter it the winds.” And “He wants us all in one place, so he can take care of us all at once.” There is no other alternative in his eyes. *

The herd is his property, and later on he states that a man has a right to protect his property, which in the times of the west, often ended up in a gunfight.

He does state, later on, that he aims to kill Baxter, for what they did to Mose, but this is well after he understood Baxter’s intentions.

He literally saw it as having no choice. Which is how it’s presented in the movie.

No, I did definitely understand that from their point it was an "us or them" moment. I still think that they had the opportunity to cut and run. I'm not saying at all it was the wrong choice. It would have meant giving up all of their livelihood. I think that the movie is more interesting and impactful if there is a degree of choice. They choose to stand their ground at a great risk and at a great price.

[EsmagaSapos]

https://i.postimg.cc/wBFtqxgN/MV5-BYWYw-M2-I0-NGUt-Mj-Vh-OC00-NTI1-LWJi-Mz-It-Mjg2-Ym-Yz-OGFm-NTc2-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QXVy-MTA4-Nj-E0-Nj-Ey-V1.jpg

2

Anyone who's into American politics knows JFK was loved and LBJ was kinda... hated. Woody was the man for the job, a difficult job that he managed to do successfully, it's very easy the empathize with a guy like Woody, he's a very fun guy to watch, there's at least two scenes that made me laugh extensively, the one about badly manufactured trousers that needed more space between the balls all the way to the as-hole and the one about the wakened after three days drunk Lincoln, saying: freeing the wha...?

The film went all the way to the Civil Rights Act and his magnificent speech, we could all see LBJ trough a new bright lenses, but obviously, it didn't talked about the Vietnam War or the deal would be messed up. A movie just about LBJ wouldn't be a movie, lets face it, it had to be a documentary, and had to be talking about the whole thing, thing which this movie didn't do. Leaving all that aside, a very entertaining and fun film to watch, like all Woody's films.

[Takoma11]

Anastasia is one of my favorite animated movies. I think Bartok is adorable. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72U-m7qAz0s

I think that (aside from the literal historical inaccuracy) it has aged really well, mostly due to keeping the "cute comedy" to a minimum. It really was interesting watching this back-to-back with Hunchback of Notre Dame where the "cutting the cheese" type jokes gave it a dated vibe. I think that the humor from Bartok really works because he is adorable and the jokes are all relevant to the plot itself.

It's an interesting point but a subtle one now. I will actually have to re-watch the movie to be able to carry this forward given the subtleties you're talking about like the timing of the kiss and whether or not it was sufficiently passionate to fool anyone.

Since it's literally sitting on my shelf, I might pop it in the DVD player this weekend.

Oh this is great, I think it's a real pleasure when you read someone's response to a film and it's pretty much exactly what you felt. I finally saw this movie about 8 years ago and it struck me in every way you've said.

Not to rehash our absurd "masculinity in Jaws" debate (please no), but I really like films that explore the idea that there's not one right way to be a ______ (man, woman, parent, leader, fill-in-the-blank). Knowing and understanding the law and using that to empower people is really cool. Being able to wrangle horses and fire a gun accurately from a distance in the dark is also really cool.

I'm also still trying to figure out how to write up a review of The Ox-Bow Incident because that movie was amazing but also incredibly upsetting.

[Citizen Rules]

https://i.postimg.cc/wBFtqxgN/MV5-BYWYw-M2-I0-NGUt-Mj-Vh-OC00-NTI1-LWJi-Mz-It-Mjg2-Ym-Yz-OGFm-NTc2-Xk-Ey-Xk-Fqc-Gde-QXVy-MTA4-Nj-E0-Nj-Ey-V1.jpg

rating_2

Anyone who's into American politics knows JFK was loved and LBJ was kinda... hated. Woody was the man for the job, a difficult job that he managed to do successfully, it's very easy the empathize with a guy like Woody, he's a very fun guy to watch, there's at least two scenes that made me laugh extensively, the one about badly manufactured trousers that needed more space between the balls all the way to the as-hole and the one about the wakened after three days drunk Lincoln, saying: freeing the wha...?

The film went all the way to the Civil Rights Act and his magnificent speech, we could all see LBJ trough a new bright lenses, but obviously, it didn't talked about the Vietnam War or the deal would be messed up. A movie just about LBJ wouldn't be a movie, lets face it, it had to be a documentary, and had to be talking about the whole thing, thing which this movie didn't do. Leaving all that aside, a very entertaining and fun film to watch, like all Woody's films.I really was surprised at how much the film got right.
https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=44302&stc=1&d=1525742476
LBJ (2017)

Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: Joey Hartstone (screenplay)
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Stahl-David, Richard Jenkins
Genre: Biography, Drama

"The story of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson from his young days in West Texas to the White House."


A frank look at the man who took over the U.S. Presidency after the Kennedy assassination in 1963. Lyndon Johnson, otherwise known by his initials LBJ, is put under the director's microscope in this often overlooked film from 2017.

Director Rob Reiner who's known for his left leaning liberal views, presents LBJ in a surprisingly humane way. While the darling of left wing politics, Robert F. Kennedy is shown as a strong willed, ass hole. At least he's an ass hole to LBJ. I've seen a number of documentations on LBJ and RFK and this film and the way it represents RFK's extreme disdain for LBJ has been documented.

So while I usually wouldn't get my history from a movie, this movie at least mostly gets it right. LBJ could bust balls with the best of them, but that doesn't make him a bad man. In this reviewer's opinion LBJ was OK.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=44303&stc=1&d=1525742483


The film mainly focuses on the time frame of LBJ's early days. It starts with John F. Kennedy's decision to have LBJ be his running mate. A decision that his younger brother, Robert Kennedy is pissed about! RFK ends up in a very powerful position in his brothers cabinet, he's the Attorney General.

The actual assassination is only covered in a slight way and through what is suppose to be archival film footage, hence the quality of the above screen shot.

Most of the film deals with Lyndon Johnson's transition to the Presidency in the days following the assassination. RFK is constantly a thorn in his side, and the film comes to an emotional head with President Johnson's decision to support and help pass JFK's Civil Rights Act. And if you don't already know what happens, then you really need to watch this film!

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=44304&stc=1&d=1525742490

That's Woody Harrelson as LBJ complete with facial prosthetics. And if you look real hard at the First Lady, Ladybird Johnson you will see Jennifer Jason Leigh.

rating_3_5

[CharlesAoup]

Karen, 2021 (F)

A lady is horrified as a... DUN DUN DUN... black couple movies into her white neighborhood. Her racist ass and her racist ass cop brother proceed to commit all the racisms. If you've seen some of these karen videos, you know what's in the movie, pretty much. You'll watch this entire thing wide-eyed, mouth agape at how egregious and stupid the whole thing is. It's just all the headlines mashed together into a succession of scenes barely strung together by the lady's racism.

[Fabulous]

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/tY6zVyt0OubPgCapbXFJLKhQqSu.jpg

[WHITBISSELL!]

Karen, 2021 (F)

A lady is horrified as a... DUN DUN DUN... black couple movies into her white neighborhood. Her racist ass and her racist ass cop brother proceed to commit all the racisms. If you've seen some of these karen videos, you know what's in the movie, pretty much. You'll watch this entire thing wide-eyed, mouth agape at how egregious and stupid the whole thing is. It's just all the headlines mashed together into a succession of scenes barely strung together by the lady's racism.Yes yes, but is she ... racist?

Kidding. I had trouble getting through the trailer because the message it was trying to get across was apparent in the first few seconds. And if that ham fisted approach isn't enough the title is there to elbow you in the ribs. I can't imagine what sitting through the whole movie would be like.

[ScannerDarkly]

Oh man, you have wounded me. I'm a pretty big fan of this film.


Sorry :p

As a straight horror movie i think it was ok so kind of my fault. Should have just said i didnt like it lol

[matt72582]

The One and Only Dick Gregory

One of my favorite comedians. The documentary is available for free (Showtime is free for a limited time) but a friend saw it on Hulu.

There's a lot of stuff that wasn't included, especially from Dick's later years because it didn't fit the stereotype. He would say repeatedly, "Obama's going to cancel the election in 2016" or how Trump's choice of tie (blue vs. white) would be an indicator of which side of the issue he'd be on.... and a lot of other stuff. But, his family was involved, so they're going to make their dad appear they want him to be.

The best part is when Dick is talking, or archival footage. I don't wanna hear from ****ing Lawrence O'Donnell. There's too many who love to latch on, with that "justice by association" because it's usually just lip service while doing the opposite for humanity.. By saying they admire Dick Gregory (while not sticking their neck out for anything), it allows them to get trendy justice points while collecting the paycheck.

It's also unfortunate that I live in a black-majority city, but all I get is, "Never heard of him". When I mention the name Nipsey Russell, they incorrectly try to correct me by saying, "No, it's Nipsey Hustle".. It's also unfortunate that they mention that in 2015 he supposedly had early onset Alzheimer before some fellow comedians saying the crazy things he would say, and he did say some crazy things, but then suddenly they say how he became funny again and back on stage. Of course they omitted all the work he did regarding the JFK assassination, something he mentioned a million times, but because he blamed the CIA, I guess they thought it would be better to leave it out. If you're going to make this documentary about activism, HOW could you leave that part out? And a lot of other things.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/20/The_One_and_Only_Dick_Gregory.jpg

[Fabulous]

The Blues Brothers (1980)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/bk2fTuIhQIvdAA3RbnrnvLvuaTc.jpg

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moveitmag.gr%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fsc_1160x680%2Fpublic%2Fdead1_ 8.jpg%3Fitok%3DhTC2qeZM&f=1&nofb=1

Dead Man, 1995

Accountant William Blake (Johnny Depp) travels across the country for a new job, only to find that he's too late to claim it. Things only go from bad to worse when he ends up in the middle of a deadly confrontation between two lovers, a confrontation in which he is mortally wounded. Carrying a soon-to-be-fatal bullet in his chest, Blake wanders into the wilderness where he is cared for by an indigenous man called Nobody (Gary Farmer) and pursued by a slew of bounty hunters.

I have spent literal decades thinking that I'd find this film too pretentious or too slow, and I am very pleased to say that I was wrong on both counts.

I have been struggling to articulate what I found so great about this movie, and what I can settle on right now is the way that both the main character and the film itself seem to pick up momentum as things go on. Blake starts out as a timid, nebbish character, but as the weight of his impending death presses against him, he transforms into something more akin to a force of nature.

I have enjoyed performances from Johnny Depp before (in particular his manic turn in Ed Wood), but, wow, to me this film seemed to fit him like a glove. And the longer the movie went on, the more compelling and magnetic I found his performance. Sometimes I think there's a strong synthesis between writing and an actor, and that's really how it felt to me here. The line delivery just seemed to perfectly fit the dialogue and the overall vibe of the film. (The scene above---"You know my poetry"--is a great example of this).

Depp (along with Farmer) is a solid anchor for the film, but the cast is chock-full of an almost absurd list of actors. Alfred Molina, Gabriel Byrne, Billy Bob Thornton, Lance Henrickson, Michael Wincott, John Hurt, Jared Harris, ROBERT MITCHUM. I often find myself kind of annoyed and distracted by excessive numbers of recognizable faces, but this film is so weird anyway that sure, why not have Iggy Pop show up as a cross-dressing cowboy named Sally?

There really is something thrilling about a film way exceeding your expectations. This film really charmed me, and I found it to be the rare delight where the final act is actually the strongest. Very glad I finally gave it a chance.

4

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.lz77RBmMr3WHvTn-vI2seAAAAA%26pid%3DApi&f=1

Les Horizons Morts, 1951

In this debut film short from Jacques Demy, a young man contemplates self-harm after his girlfriend leaves him for someone else.

This is just an 8-minute short, but it's good for what it is. A young man debates drinking poison, and we see a flashback/nightmare about his lover being with someone new. The short makes good use of just two settings (the apartment and an outdoor location). The jagged wall mirror and the use of lighting add to the slightly off-kilter feeling of the whole thing. Not necessarily groundbreaking, but stylish and I'm glad I watched it.

3.5

[Thief]

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN
(1957, Arnold)
A sci-fi film

https://criterion-production.s3.amazonaws.com/carousel-files/e2c309e2d53f7a11b718515a1e192d74.jpeg


"I felt puny and absurd, a ludicrous midget. Easy enough to talk of soul and spirit and existential worth, but not when you're three feet tall. I loathed myself, our home, the caricature my life with Lou had become. I had to get out. I had to get away."



The Incredible Shrinking Man follows Scott Carey (Grant Williams), who after being exposed to a strange mist in the ocean, begins to gradually shrink in size. This obviously causes serious issues in his daily life, including straining his relationship with his wife, Louise (Randy Stuart) and leading him into emotional distress.

I don't think one can talk about this film without praising the special effects. Like I said above, they are indeed ground-breaking and impressive, but in a way that's not overpowering and in-your-face, but rather to benefit the story. The story follows a seemingly simple premise, but it's quite a feat to see a film like that executed in such an engaging way, while also being as thought-provoking as this.

Grade: 4


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2236156#post2236156) and on the PR HOF4 (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2236157#post2236157)

[Takoma11]

THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN
(1957, Arnold)
A sci-fi film

https://criterion-production.s3.amazonaws.com/carousel-files/e2c309e2d53f7a11b718515a1e192d74.jpeg




The Incredible Shrinking Man follows Scott Carey (Grant Williams), who after being exposed to a strange mist in the ocean, begins to gradually shrink in size. This obviously causes serious issues in his daily life, including straining his relationship with his wife, Louise (Randy Stuart) and leading him into emotional distress.

I don't think one can talk about this film without praising the special effects. Like I said above, they are indeed ground-breaking and impressive, but in a way that's not overpowering and in-your-face, but rather to benefit the story. The story follows a seemingly simple premise, but it's quite a feat to see a film like that executed in such an engaging way, while also being as thought-provoking as this.

Grade: 4


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2236156#post2236156) and on the PR HOF4 (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2236157#post2236157)

I was shocked by how thought-provoking and poignant I found this movie. A lot of what I knew coming into it was just, like, "and he has to fight a spider!!". But there is so much more depth to it. I think that I'd count its final line as a great all-time "last line of a film".

[Thief]

I was shocked by how thought-provoking and poignant I found this movie. A lot of what I knew coming into it was just, like, "and he has to fight a spider!!". But there is so much more depth to it. I think that I'd count its final line as a great all-time "last line of a film".

Yeah, the more I think of it, the more I like it. I might consider bumping it to 4.5 in time.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.rogerebert.com%2Fuploads%2Freview%2Fprimary_image%2Freviews%2Fthe-straight-story-1999%2Fhero_straight-story-image.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The Straight Story, 1999

An older man named Alvin (Richard Farnsworth) lives with his adult daughter, Rose (Sissy Spacek). When Alvin learns that his estranged brother, Lyle has had a stroke, he sets out on his riding mower to trek the 370 miles to his brother's home.

I'm not crying, you're crying!

Okay, so most people probably know this film as the G-rated David Lynch film. But don't let the mild rating fool you--there's a lot of depth to this one.

I spent seven years living in Iowa, and this film was like a little piece of nostalgia. The various anecdotes rang some very familiar notes. While I definitely felt the most kinship with the distraught woman having a breakdown after hitting a deer (gesturing at the wide open fields she bellows "Where do they even come from?!?!?!?! And I LOVE DEER!"), it all felt absolutely correct. The disillusioned pregnant teenager, the bickering brothers running tractor repair, the small town people willing to offer accommodation to a stranger.

Farnsworth (who tragically died of suicide after filming this movie, a reaction to a terminal and painful cancer diagnosis), totally own the film as the spirited Alvin. Struggling with lower-body pain, Alvin does everything with a measured but solid sense of determination. You can feel his humor and warmth, and totally understand why others want to help him to succeed.

The film's most compelling sequence, however, comes when Alvin stops at a bar and strikes up a conversation with another old-timer (the scene pictured at the top of this review). The two talk about their time in the second world war, and Alvin relates a painful, harrowing story about one of the actions he took as a sniper. He reflects on the fact that his lost comrades are all still young men in his memory, and that the older he gets, the more years it means they have lost. The conversation is brutal and, again, harrowing. This scene alone more than justifies Farnsworth's Oscar nomination.

All in all this is just a delightful, funny, and genuine film.

4.5

[Thief]

Yeah, that film is a delight indeed.

[Takoma11]

Yeah, that film is a delight indeed.

I wonder how many people missed out on it because of the G rating.

Or maybe it's the opposite and more people checked it out because a G-rated Lynch is such a novelty?

[Thief]

I wonder how many people missed out on it because of the G rating.

Or maybe it's the opposite and more people checked it out because a G-rated Lynch is such a novelty?

I think it's the latter. It definitely is an outlier in Lynch's filmography, but most Lynch fans I know are pleased with it. On the other hand, I've read a bunch of people that would never watch Eraserhead praise this one.

[SpelingError]

Yeah, The Straight Story is great. Even though it's an outlier in Lynch's filmography, it still holds up as one of his best films.

[Fabulous]

Felicia's Journey (1999)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/eK9g9CUSljsC8rlIecTuuFAUZjr.jpg

[ScannerDarkly]

I thought it was original in how it depicted a slice of life but was bored

5/10


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/812J4p3b98L._RI_.jpg

[StuSmallz]

I thought it was original in how it depicted a slice of life but was bored

5/10


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/812J4p3b98L._RI_.jpgI've heard similar sentiments about Mean Streets before, but I've never agreed (https://letterboxd.com/stusmallz/film/mean-streets/) with them; I mean, sure, it doesn't have the laser-like focus of a Goodfellas (then again, very few movies do), but the messiness of Street's style still ends up working in its favor for the most part, since it's that aspect that gives it the overwhelming sense of energy and life that it possesses:

https://youtu.be/qkGDaroLl_M

[PHOENIX74]

https://i.postimg.cc/6pNQ10sx/afistful.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/ZnpWCDkj/forafewdollarsmore.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/qvM7T771/thegoodthebadandtheugly.jpg

A Fistful of Dollars - (1964)
For a Few Dollars More - (1965)
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - (1966)

Just finished watching all three of Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood's 'Dollars' trilogy, only having seen the last one in it's entirety before. I was surprised by how low-key the first film was - each film gets a little longer, and has more main characters than the one before, I guess this happened as the films grew more popular and successful - although they weren't released in the United States until 1967 (all three.) In A Fistful of Dollars Clint Eastwood's loner character is the most ambiguous as far as morality goes. He arrives in a town beset with violence due to two rival families making money trading in arms and booze - and decides to make a great deal of money working both sides. Although somewhat incidentally, he does end up helping a young woman held against her will, along with the friendly barkeep and the coffin-maker. I liked it without really loving it.

The second film was a great improvement on the first - as if Leone had learned many lessons, honed his skill and had a bigger budget. I was about to check out who wrote the actual screenplays - but the story from the first is basically Kurosawa's Yojimbo so it's hard to compare the two. In this Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef play bounty hunters going up against a murderous bunch of bank robbers. I thought Van Cleef brought a lot to this film and I enjoyed watching Klaus Kinski as a suitably crazy gunslinger. There's a much bigger scope to this one, and the characters are much more fully drawn. The character Eastwood plays is still in it for himself, but he's much more sympathetic - especially after forging a partnership with Col. Douglas Mortimer, who in turn lets Eastwood (I refuse to name him, he's supposed to be 'the man with no name') keep the bounty. Mortimer was in it for personal reasons, and looks kindly upon him when everything is over.

The third film is truly epic and grand. Set against the American Civil War, it portrays the competition between three men in finding a hidden pile of loot amounting to $200,000. Lee Van Cleef is back again with Eastwood - but this time we also have the delightful Eli Wallach as Tuco. All three characters are pretty cut-throat, only forming alliances out of necessity. Eastwood's character and Tuco have a nice little scam going where Eastwood continually turns him in for a bounty, only to rescue him again over and over. This film is different than the other two inasmuch as there are no big villains - the three characters alone have enough bad traits to fill that void. There are many impressive scenes involving Civil War battles, and some wonderful cinematography to boot. It's by far the best film out of the three - and now I feel left out not having seen Once Upon a Time in the West, where Leone finally got Charles Bronson and and Henry Fonda to star in one of his Westerns. After watching this trilogy, I also want to find out a lot more of the story behind why Sergio Leone made these films, and his reaction to their success.

I wonder if these films were eligible for the Foreign Language Movie Countdown...

A Fistful of Dollars - 6/10
For a Few Dollars More - 8/10
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - 9/10

[xSookieStackhouse]

5 my 2 favorite people <3
http://assets.nflxext.com/us/boxshots/hd1080/80173524.jpg

[ScarletLion]

5 my 2 favorite people <3
http://assets.nflxext.com/us/boxshots/hd1080/80173524.jpg

Good film that. Lovely score by Nick Cave too.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Good film that. Lovely score by Nick Cave too.

i agree

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2526_D046_00032R-H-2020-1603380886.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1



https://c.tenor.com/PxRSGISH6zUAAAAd/small-village-news-of-the-world.gif


News of the World - British director Paul Greengrass is best known for helming two of the original Bourne trilogy but apparently directing a western was always a dream of his. He does a pretty good job of it, capturing not only the boundless prairie vistas but the claustrophobic ambience of the Texas frontier towns that Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) regularly visits. Kidd is a Civil War veteran and makes his living traveling from town to town, charging a dime and reading the latest newspapers to his information starved audiences.

On his travels he happens upon a body, left with a warning that he was hung solely because of the color of his skin. He also discovers a young girl of ten who the dead man was escorting. According to some documents Kidd finds, her name is Johanna Leonberger (Helena Zengel) and she was raised by the Kiowa after her parents were killed in a raid. After meeting up with a Union Army patrol Kidd is instructed to take the girl to the Red River Army outpost and talk to the agent for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Once there, he is informed that the agent is making his rounds and won't be back for three months. Kidd eventually leaves the girl in the care of a fellow veteran and his wife but she quickly runs away and tries to rejoin some of her tribe. The Captain realizes that it's up to him to get Johanna back to her only living relatives, an aunt and uncle in the hill country of south Texas. The rest of the movie deals with the arduous 400 mile trek in which the aging war veteran and young girl are beset by all manner of adversity including predatory gangs, racist militias, equipment malfunctions and also natural calamities.
It's a good movie and well worth watching especially if you're a fan of westerns. Hanks is his usual dependable self and first time actress Zengel is especially good as the vulnerable but resourceful Johanna. She more than holds her own in her scenes with Hanks.

While filled with images and themes of the harsh and unforgiving reality of a postwar frontier it is ultimately a straightforward showcase for decency and honor and does end in a prescribed yet gratifying way. You'll be satisfied. Unless, of course, you prefer your westerns more somber with a dose of ambiguity or cynicism.
rating_4

[Stirchley]

I thought it was original in how it depicted a slice of life but was bored

5/10


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/812J4p3b98L._RI_.jpg

Love this movie.

[Stirchley]

81016

Good movie though the book (because it’s a book) has loads more detail.

Could not quite buy Frank Langella as a sex-hound, but he did grow on me a bit. Carrie Snodgress was brilliant &, as usual, so was Benjamin.

A very New York movie, which I love.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi2.wp.com%2Faftercredits.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F07%2FNoSuddenMoveFeat.jpg%3Ffit%3D1500%252C750&f=1&nofb=1

No Sudden Move, 2021

Recently released from prison, Curt (Don Cheadle) can't resist the offer of a well-paying job. Hired by a man named Jones (Brendan Fraser), Curt is paired with two other hires: Ronald (Benecio del Toro) and the coldly-sociopathic Charley (Kieran Culkin). The men take a family hostage, waiting for the father of the family, Matt (David Harbour) to retrieve a document from his office building. When things go off the rails, all parties must fight to survive as they discover that there's a lot more to the job than they first thought.

Where to begin?

Okay, overall I did enjoy this film. The actors are all clearly loving playing their characters, though Cheadle does a really good job of giving the film an emotional anchor so that there is still a sense of stakes and consequences. I really enjoyed Amy Seimetz as Matt's wife, Mary. There's a whole slew of actors popping out of the woodwork in this film, and they all do a fine job.

The first act of the film, with the tension of the hostage situation and the characters only just beginning to understand that there may be betrayals afoot, was my favorite. But once the hostage situation resolves (trying to stay vague here), I thought it went a little bit sideways.

Thrillers with multiple loyalties, crosses and double-crosses, and big power players are all well and good. But around the middle of the film it started to feel like there were a few subplots too many. Too many characters to keep track of. Too many relationships to connect. And it's not that I didn't understand what was happening in the film. But so many moving parts meant that scenes felt a bit too short. The film spends so much time showing you every ball it's keeping in the air, and the momentum and character arcs kind of get lost along the way.

Generally speaking I'd say this was a solid film--with the talent in front of and behind the camera it would be hard for it not to be--but it falls a bit short.

4 (but honestly somewhere between that and 3.5)

[GulfportDoc]

81019
Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)

A great example of late ‘40s hard boiled noir, the production was peppered with heavyweights: Otto Preminger directed; Ben Hecht wrote the screenplay; the DP was Joseph LaShelle (Laura). It starred Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney, Gary Merrill, and featured Karl Malden and Craig Stevens (Peter Gunn) in lesser parts.

Dana Andrews plays a detective who can’t control his temper, and he takes it out on suspects. Consequently he is demoted one rank by his chief. Meanwhile local mobster Gary Merrill, tries to set up a Texas tycoon at a floating crap game using an unawares Gene Tierney as bait. But instead the tycoon wins, ultimately resulting in his murder. Andrews gets involved and eventually falls for Tierney. That sets up further crimes and 3-way development between the principals.

The tawdry story of a compromised cop was a great example of the later style of noir which eventually was pushed aside to assuage the moral minded censors and critics of the 1950s. Andrews was a natural in his role, as was the entire cast. The one exception was Gary Merrill, who, as good as he would be later that year in All About Eve, he was miscast here, and seemed to be over acting. He didn’t have the intimidating or threatening manor to be a believable bad guy. Also it was interesting to see Craig Stevens perform well in an earlier role before he became internationally famous as the suave and jazzy-cool Peter Gunn in the popular TV series from 1958-1961.

This is a first rate Otto Preminger noir, at the time unfairly compared in quality and type to his earlier Laura (1944) which had also starred Andrews and Tierney. The films couldn’t be more different however.

Doc’s rating 7/10

[Raven73]

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings
7/10.
Great action sequences. I love the mythical Chinese creatures, especially the guardian lions and the dragon. They also bring back some characters from previous Marvel movies, including an unexpected one. I look forward to seeing the Shang-Chi character in a future Avengers movie.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/74/Shang-Chi_and_the_Legend_of_the_Ten_Rings_poster.jpeg/220px-Shang-Chi_and_the_Legend_of_the_Ten_Rings_poster.jpeg

[FromBeyond]

The Exorcist III

Such a bizarre movie full of weird horror and religious imagery, even better than I remembered. Blatty wanted to call movie “Legion” same as his book but studio were insistent on it being called “The Exorcist III” for obvious reasons and much of the film was rewritten to include a 4 million dollar exorcism scene and introduce a new priest, George C Scott said they would only be happy if Madonna came out and sung a song at the end! I quite like the intense white haired new priest but he feels unfinished and doesn’t have much point other than to perform this cartoonishy exorcism at the end, Brad Dourif called the original script much purer and he liked it a lot more, a shame we never got to see that film but this is still a good time. Jeffery Dahmers favourite film 🤷🏻*♂️

It Follows

A modern horror movie I think really works and find genuinely quite creepy, would love a sequel to this that delves further into the story and what “It” is

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heyuguys.com%2Fimages%2F2016%2F12%2FBlade-Runner-2049-Movie-Images-ryan-gosling.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Blade Runner 2049, 2017

About 30 years after the events of Blade Runner, K (Ryan Gosling) is part of a new breed of replicant. Working for the police, K helps to track down the same generation of rogue replicants from the original film. But after a perplexing discovery at the home of one of his targets, K finds himself chasing down a long-buried mystery, some of which involves Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford).

It still slightly boggles my mind that someone had the nerve to make a sequel to Blade Runner. I mean, I know that money talks, but the potential to create something laughable . . .oof.

So maybe one great wonder of this film is that it isn't terrible, and the other great wonder of it is that it's actually pretty good?

I usually start with positives, but in this case I think I'll start with really the only thing that bothered me: some of the story didn't entirely hold together for me, especially in the final act. I can't be specific because of spoilers, but I'll just say that there were moments that seemed to signal "closure" when there were actually a lot of indicators to the contrary. This is ultimately, for me, not the biggest deal. While the plot does have complex narrative elements, the focus of the story is actually character-driven, and on that front I think that the film was very successful.

So on to the positives, namely the way that the characters were handled.

The world that was established in the previous film already brings with it the loaded question of what is real and even the nature of reality. This theme is carried forward and extended by putting a character front and center who is explicitly questioning the nature of his own life and reality. K knows that he is a replicant, but even within the confines of that fact, who is he really?

It's a neat trick: a character who explicitly introduced as being artificial is forced to question that artificiality. K shrugs off his own memories---sure that they are fake--until he begins to wonder if maybe they aren't. K has an artificial intelligence companion--a woman named Joi--and through the film every moment in which she seems to be acting on her own then circles back to us wondering if it was programmed into her.

The even bigger question, of course, is if it matters. Are emotions that are brought about through manipulation any more or less real?

The look of the film is also gorgeous, somehow marrying the retro-futurism of the original with some truly fabulous landscapes and color schemes.

On the acting front, I thought that the film was pretty strong. Ryan Gosling has sort of an . . . endearing blankness about him (maybe "subdued" is a nicer word?). I think that it serves him well when his characters are set apart from the world around them. Ford slides nicely back into his role as Deckard. The supporting cast are all pretty good, as well.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this film. I look forward to revisiting it some point in the future.

4.5

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.rogerebert.com%2Fuploads%2Freview%2Fprimary_image%2Freviews%2Fma-raineys-black-bottom-movie-review-2020%2FMRBB_Unit_09315_R.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, 2020

This film, adapted from August Wilson's play, follows a single day in which singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) is set to record an album at a recording studio. But tensions between the band, sparked by impetuous trumpet player Levee (Chadwick Boseman), and larger racial tensions between the musicians and the white studio owners and managers, threaten the success of the day.

For a short period of time I was part of a group that did play readings a few times a month. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is one of the plays that we read together, and it was really interesting seeing it as a film.

All of the things that are great about the play translate into what is great and what's a little spotty about the film.

To start with the good, I really like this play. Yes, it's highly allegorical for the power structure in the United States and how that power is split along racial and socio-economic lines---but the music industry is a great choice for such a microcosm. The white people in power need the labor of the Black musicians, and that need provides just the tiniest bit of leverage for those who are most indispensable (like Ma). But life isn't so great for the others, who fall into a much more disposable category.

I imagine that the performances would be where most people would be split on this film. In my opinion, the actors skew more toward the theatrical side of the material. But honestly--I didn't mind. I think that the performances fit the rhythm and the scale of the material, and there's something to be said for the way that the musicians are able to speak bigger and bolder when they're in the band room on their own. There's more musicality to their conversation when they are away from the watchful eye of those in power.

This is a good example of a film where I could see things (like the very on-the-nose ending) that would rub other viewers the wrong way, but they just didn't bug me.

4

[mark f]

Trigger Point (Brad Turner, 2021) 2+ 5/10
The Story of the Dancing Frog (Michael Sporn, 1989) 3 6.5/15
Alcatraz Island (William C. McGann, 1937) 2+ 5/10
Gunga Din (George Stevens, 1939) 3.5 7+/10
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/OrangeMessyEquine-size_restricted.gif
During a Thugee revolt, Sergeant Cutter (Cary Grant) sees what his British Army cohorts are up against - water bearer Gunga Din (Sam Jaffe) is there too.
Brother to Brother (Rodney Evans, 2004) 2.5 6/10
Voodoo Black Exorcist (Manuel Caño, 1974) 1.5 4/10
Soup to Nuts (Benjamin Stoloff, 1930) 2.5 6/10
Bad Luck Blackie (Tex Avery, 1949) 3.5+ 7.5/10
http://i.imgur.com/oTOHz.gif
Bad Luck Blackie is player as a piano by the cat whom he terrorizes.
Court (Chaitanya Tamhane, 2014) 2.5 6/10
Bad, Black and Beautiful (Bobby Davis, 1975) 1.5 4/10
Rock & Rule (Clive Smith, 1983) 2.5 6/10
Osama (Siddiq Barmak, 2003) 3 6.5/10
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTE5MTM0Mjg4Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzMzNDY2._V1_.jpg
When her all-female family needs to earn some money, Osama (Marina Golbahari) agrees to pose as a boy, which is a very dangerous thing
Les horizons morts (Jacques Demy, 1951) 2 5/10
The Girl from Rio (Jesús Franco, 1969) 1.5 4/10
Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist (Saul J. Turell, 1979) 3.5 7/10
Fear of a Black Hat (Rusty Cundieff, 1993) 3- 6.5/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/63e509d59de18ff2c8bf91dc5eb01c4a/8c74a378cd869946-62/s540x810/e59f5d70939718269f7585f00e2074672b689d86.gifv
NWH (Niggaz With Hats) rapper Ice Cold (Rusty Cundieff) with his first music video.
Brian Wilson: Songwriting 1961-1969 (Elio Espana, 2010) 3.5- 7/10
Speedway (Norman Taurog, 1968) 2.5 5.5/10
Mama (Li Dongmei, 2020) 2 5/10
Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie & Tupac (Nick Broomfield, 2021) 3- 6.5/10
https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/last-man-standing-movie-review-2021/LAST-MAN-STANDING-Abacus-Media-Rights.jpg
Basically a continuation of Biggie and Tupac with more evidence that wasn't available at the time, highlighting the Suge Knight/LAPD connedtion.

[Fabulous]

Presumed Innocent (1990)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/fjUEH4crGm3JgLriJlvnNFEbPfs.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://i.postimg.cc/vZVXJH9C/spiritedaway.jpg
By IMDb, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56309697

Spirited Away - (2001)

I'm getting much better acquainted with Studio Ghibli films now - having seen Kiki's Delivery Service last week. Last night I arrived at what everyone seems to think is Hayao Miyazaki's pinnacle of artistic success, Spirited Away. Being set in a shadowy 'spirit world', this film employs the full force of human imagination in creating bizarre characters that can do all manner of things and change their appearance. Chihiro becomes trapped their after her lousy parents are lured by their curiosity and then hunger, and she must navigate many new rules and strategies humans are unaccustomed to. She actually finds she's quite adept at adapting to a crisis, and has the heart to help out new friends - even when they cause all manner of trouble.

I've never come across anything quite like this before. What on Earth is going on in the mind of Hayao Miyazaki? I really like these films and want to explore further - they're not my favourite things of all time, but nonetheless pretty unusual and enjoyable.

8/10

Foreign Language Countdown films I've seen : 39/101

[WHITBISSELL!]

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The Hot Rock - I love the Donald Westlake Dortmunder books. He wrote 14 and this was his first and the first to get the big screen treatment. It's also the only decent adaptation and the only one worth watching. There was also Bank Shot (1974), Jimmy the Kid (1982) and What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001). Trust me, they're all crap. There's also some European attempts I haven't bothered with.

This 1972 offering stars Robert Redford as John Dortmunder and even though he looks nothing like Westlake's description of the balding, stoop shouldered and perpetually gloomy professional thief, Redford is such a natural star that it really doesn't matter. George Segal costars as John's fellow thief and longtime friend locksmith Andy Kelp. Getaway driver Stan Murch (Ron Liebman) and explosives expert Allan Greenberg (Paul Sand) round out the robbery crew. They're hired by Dr. Amusa (Moses Gunn) to retrieve a diamond from the Brooklyn museum that was stolen during colonial times from his country in Africa. This being a Dortmunder caper things go south from the getgo and the well planned but ill-fated heist ends up turning into several well planned but ultimately ill-fated heists. Director Peter Yates is an old hand at suspenseful tales featuring criminal endeavors like Bullitt and The Friends of Eddie Coyle and he handles his cast and the pacing with aplomb. The colorful characters and NYC locales are more than enough to keep you engrossed but then about a third of the way through Zero Mostel shows up and just takes it to another level. Funny, clever and steeped in 70's era NYC atmosphere this is well worth a watch. Just stay away from all the other adaptations.

rating_4

[Fabulous]

Bomb City (2017)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/1OLFv5g814jprFhbAdWwMWYVQ2H.jpg

[StuSmallz]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heyuguys.com%2Fimages%2F2016%2F12%2FBlade-Runner-2049-Movie-Images-ryan-gosling.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Blade Runner 2049, 2017

I usually start with positives, but in this case I think I'll start with really the only thing that bothered me: some of the story didn't entirely hold together for me, especially in the final act. I can't be specific because of spoilers, but I'll just say that there were moments that seemed to signal "closure" when there were actually a lot of indicators to the contrary.You mean like when it seems like K just casually lets himself bleed to death for no real reason?


https://i.ibb.co/K96Fmvb/theyareontome.gif (https://imgbb.com/)

[EsmagaSapos]

https://i.postimg.cc/nLp7RK6Z/bf17.jpg

3

The life of three police officers in New York City.

Eddie (Richard Gere), a patroller, seven days to retire and a teaching program falls on his lap, he has to teach youngsters how to do the job, he doesn't want to be a hero, he doesn't want to make the job his life, he doesn't want to show his authority as a police officer. A very interesting characters in the sense of showing loneliness, what that job takes from a person, a thankless job with no retribution. The scenes with the prostitute are incredible, my favorite character in the film.

Sal (Ethan Hawke), a detective with two sons and twins on the way. Finds his job isn't enough to support his family, has to find ways. This is a story of "what they made me do", a honest cop that has to do what it takes to guarantee his family safety. This characters shows why good people sometimes have to do bad things. This is a perspective of Serpico's corrupt cops, sometimes is not just about the money, it's about what is fair.

Tango (Don Cheadle), an undercover cop that wants out. The system has him by the balls, his used so others can climb the ladder, and that means betray everyone that ever did something good to him. The life he left behind slowly banishes, while the only hope he has left is tied to promises he cannot trust. A crossroad between what the law says, and what his conscience tells him. Sick BMW 745i E65 too.

[pahaK]

Suffer Little Children (1983)
2.5
https://www.americangenrefilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SufferLittleChildren1.jpg
There's (at least) half-a-star for the effort there. Being a children's drama school project, it's sort of awesome that it's managed to carve itself a place in cinematic history. In a way, that story is more interesting than the film, but there's at least an inkling of potential here (I wouldn't mind a remake, honestly).

It's easily below B-tier, and especially the sound mixing is awful (you really can't make half of the dialogue as it's drowned by the music or background noise). Still, the kids chanting "Come, Devil, come" in the midst of the Satanic panic is amusing, and the same is true for this to have been caught in the British video nasty debacle. Truly a film for horror fans, by the horror fans.

Not for everyone, and not very good, but an interesting relic of its time.

[SweetBonanza]

Molly's Game: 10/10
Spiderman Homecoming: 6/10
Ocean's Eleven: 10/10
Demon Slayer: 7/10

[Torgo]

Solaris (2002) - 4

Even though I enjoyed Soderbergh's adaptation of Stanislaw Lem's novel much less than Tarkovsky's, I still consider it to be a great movie. Not to discount the performances in the 1972 one, but what the 2002 one lacks in flair, it makes up for in the strength of its performances. Clooney gives one of his best as psychologist Chris Kelvin for how he makes his regrets about lost love Rheya (the also great Natascha McElhone) and his dilemma about Solaris's seemingly too good to be true chance to cope with them believable and palpable. I also like Jeremy Davies' neurotic, Crispin Glover-adjacent performance that he could probably do in his sleep by now as the space station's more right-brained officer as well as Viola Davis' as the all-business left-brained one. I prefer the look and feel of the 1972 movie, but I can’t say anything bad about this one’s visuals, which manage to ride a fine line between looking contemporary and futuristic at the same time. As for the scenes with Chris and Rheya, they're just as resonant as those in the original, and while I'm not the biggest fan of flashbacks in general, the accompanying ones that show the evolution of their relationship are efficient and well-timed enough to enhance these scenes rather than detract. While the movie is more exposition heavy than I remember Tarkovsky's being, it's hard for me to criticize this difference since I already know the story. I prefer how the 1972 movie describes the science behind Solaris, but would its approach mesh with this movie's? Maybe not. Again, even though it's leaner, more efficient and not as much of a visual marvel as Tarkovsky's version, Soderbergh's is also bound to make you stare at the screen in awe and devastation as the credits roll.

[xSookieStackhouse]

Molly's Game: 10/10
Spiderman Homecoming: 6/10
Ocean's Eleven: 10/10
Demon Slayer: 7/10

make sure to watch ocean 12 and ocean 13

[WHITBISSELL!]

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Dial M for Murder - This isn't tip top shelf Hitchcock but it's right up there and still very watchable. The featured blonde this time is Grace Kelly and she plays Margot Wendice, a rich socialite type married to ex-pro tennis player Tony (Ray Milland). He's quit touring and found a 9 to 5 job in London in hopes of saving his troubled marriage. Margot has had a past affair with crime fiction writer Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings) and one of their love letters has been stolen amd used to blackmail Margot. The letter plays a pivotal role in the customary Hitchcock intrigue with the usual duplicitous behavior and murderous intent on display. The small cast is exemplary with Kelly as the victimized and vulnerable Margot and Milland as another Hitchcock staple, the dissolute sociopath hiding behind a veneer of refinement. Plus there's also cagey Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector Hubbard (John Williams) as the cat (I'm assuming) in the cat and mouse equation.

It's all very sordid and sophisticated and compelling.

rating_4

[Wooley]

I've heard similar sentiments about Mean Streets before, but I've never agreed (https://letterboxd.com/stusmallz/film/mean-streets/) with them; I mean, sure, it doesn't have the laser-like focus of a Goodfellas (then again, very few movies do), but the messiness of Street's style still ends up working in its favor for the most part, since it's that aspect that gives it the overwhelming sense of energy and life that it possesses:

https://youtu.be/qkGDaroLl_M

Wow. I mean, I been meaning to watch Mean Streets forever but if I'd known it prominently featured "Rubber Biscuit" I'd have done it a long time ago.

[Wooley]

https://i.postimg.cc/6pNQ10sx/afistful.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/ZnpWCDkj/forafewdollarsmore.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/qvM7T771/thegoodthebadandtheugly.jpg

A Fistful of Dollars - (1964)
For a Few Dollars More - (1965)
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - (1966)
...and now I feel left out not having seen Once Upon a Time in the West, where Leone finally got Charles Bronson and and Henry Fonda to star in one of his Westerns. After watching this trilogy, I also want to find out a lot more of the story behind why Sergio Leone made these films, and his reaction to their success.



Yeah, you should definitely watch that, it's most enjoyable, even if the scope of it is so large it could maybe be described as "sprawling".

[Wooley]

5 my 2 favorite people <3
http://assets.nflxext.com/us/boxshots/hd1080/80173524.jpg

I was a pretty big fan of this.

[Wooley]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heyuguys.com%2Fimages%2F2016%2F12%2FBlade-Runner-2049-Movie-Images-ryan-gosling.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Blade Runner 2049, 2017

About 30 years after the events of Blade Runner, K (Ryan Gosling) is part of a new breed of replicant. Working for the police, K helps to track down the same generation of rogue replicants from the original film. But after a perplexing discovery at the home of one of his targets, K finds himself chasing down a long-buried mystery, some of which involves Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford).

It still slightly boggles my mind that someone had the nerve to make a sequel to Blade Runner. I mean, I know that money talks, but the potential to create something laughable . . .oof.

So maybe one great wonder of this film is that it isn't terrible, and the other great wonder of it is that it's actually pretty good?

I usually start with positives, but in this case I think I'll start with really the only thing that bothered me: some of the story didn't entirely hold together for me, especially in the final act. I can't be specific because of spoilers, but I'll just say that there were moments that seemed to signal "closure" when there were actually a lot of indicators to the contrary. This is ultimately, for me, not the biggest deal. While the plot does have complex narrative elements, the focus of the story is actually character-driven, and on that front I think that the film was very successful.

So on to the positives, namely the way that the characters were handled.

The world that was established in the previous film already brings with it the loaded question of what is real and even the nature of reality. This theme is carried forward and extended by putting a character front and center who is explicitly questioning the nature of his own life and reality. K knows that he is a replicant, but even within the confines of that fact, who is he really?

It's a neat trick: a character who explicitly introduced as being artificial is forced to question that artificiality. K shrugs off his own memories---sure that they are fake--until he begins to wonder if maybe they aren't. K has an artificial intelligence companion--a woman named Joi--and through the film every moment in which she seems to be acting on her own then circles back to us wondering if it was programmed into her.

The even bigger question, of course, is if it matters. Are emotions that are brought about through manipulation any more or less real?

The look of the film is also gorgeous, somehow marrying the retro-futurism of the original with some truly fabulous landscapes and color schemes.

On the acting front, I thought that the film was pretty strong. Ryan Gosling has sort of an . . . endearing blankness about him (maybe "subdued" is a nicer word?). I think that it serves him well when his characters are set apart from the world around them. Ford slides nicely back into his role as Deckard. The supporting cast are all pretty good, as well.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this film. I look forward to revisiting it some point in the future.

4.5

Well, you definitely liked it a lot more than me.
For all the good, I just thought the negative, particularly the final act as you mention, which felt lost and shoehorned and dissonant and probably a few other not-so-great adjectives to me, was heavy enough to bring it down to a movie that I will probably never want to invest that much time in again. Like, if it was an hour shorter - which maybe it should have been - I might go back and re-watch parts for all the good they had but, well honestly, as a film overall the narrative did not work for me. Not the overall narrative and not several individual parts of the narrative. Despite all the things I liked about it, the cinematography, the pacing, the acting, the design... the narrative was just a slog for me.
I guess, to riff off of what you said, despite assembling an impressive filmmaking team, if they were gonna have the nerve to make a sequel to Blade Runner... they should have had a better script.

[Thief]

BLACK NARCISSUS
(1947, Powell & Pressburger)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #9 (#93)

https://images.mubicdn.net/images/film/632/cache-8260-1557310340/image-w1280.jpg


"I remember things before I joined our Order. Things I wanted to forget. I never thought of them until now. I’ve been 21 years in the Order and now they come back to me. I think you can see too far."



Set sometime after World War I, Black Narcissus follows a group of Anglican nuns sent to set up a school and a hospital in the Himalayas on behalf of an Indian General. Led by young and ambitious Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr), the group is expected to take over an abandoned "palace" set on a high cliff where one of the former rulers kept his harem.

But their stay there is not without hardship, as evidenced by the above quote from Sister Philippa (Flora Robson). All the other sisters seem to be suffering in some way from their stay there. Most notably, Clodagh spends nights remembering a failed relationship from before she joined the order, and Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) seems to be infatuated with Mr. Dean (David Farrar), the intermediary agent between the nuns and the Indian General, while also losing her grip on reality.

Through all the film, directors and co-writers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger make a point of emphasizing the impact and effect of the altitude. From the difficulties to reach the palace to its inherent isolation. Most of the more iconic shots of the film feature the nuns standing on cliffs, looking into the vast horizon, perhaps farther than they're willing to look. But their current situation has somehow forced them to look beyond their current life and work, and face things and desires they all had tried to keep repressed, hidden, and under wraps.

Grade: 4


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2236771#post2236771) and the PR HOF4 (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2236770#post2236770)

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmU0ZTA3OTktMmI3MC00OWM1LWJmMzgtZDIyN2ZmNDk2YjYwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDM2NDM2MQ@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg



2