Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[Fabulous]

Saint Maud (2019)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/1WKxsnrhLoKPHcTyph7lhZnAMjR.jpg

[Wooley]

THE BATMAN

About all I could ask for from a Batman adaptation. Finally, the titular character is placed front and center and fleshed out without sacrificing mystique. He, along with Gotham and everything else, feel plucked from the pages of a Miller, Brubaker or Loeb hard-boiled detective Bat story.

Cinematically, Fincher is the clear primary influence. The cat-and-mouse detective thriller set in the omnipresent raining city feel closely akin to Se7en, while Riddler is clearly modeled after Zodiac.

It’s gorgeous, ambitious, thrilling and finely acted. The score is the best superhero score since perhaps Burton’s Batman.

I loved it.

5/5

This pleases me.
I almost went yesterday but it turned out the theater by me is closed still for hurricane repair/renovation.

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d1/Ghostbusters_-_Afterlife_official_theatrical_poster.jpg/220px-Ghostbusters_-_Afterlife_official_theatrical_poster.jpg

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

[LChimp]

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AND

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Fun time with the family, we pulled a double feature. My 3yo daughter loved Cloudy 2, :D

[edarsenal]

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Classe tous risque (1960) 4.5 A taut, intelligently written gangster film with a heart where old loyalties crumble and one man on the run with his family is quickly running out of options as the police swoop in to nab him.

Lino Ventura plays Abel Davos, a ruthless gangster attempting to sneak out of Italy back into France with his wife, two sons, and a fellow gangster (Stan Kohl). Casualties/fatalities begin to pile up, and the Police's heightened search is, literally, on his heels.
When he calls his counterparts in France, they reluctantly send out an outsider (Jean-Paul Belmondo) to help, wanting no part of the catastrophe or an old friend.

Director Claude Sautet takes the time to delve into the emotional side of things, showcasing quiet moments in the storm between Ventura and his sons, and later on including Belmondo, as he does his best to hide them from the extreme danger, they are caught up in.
What some would use as a device or hook, Sautet is more than apt to ply these aspects with significance and heart, creating a broader, fuller, noir-influenced Chase Film.

[Stirchley]

85828

The topic of someone passing for white is extremely interesting & is very personal to Rebecca Hall, the director.

But does this make a good movie? I did finish the movie, but, overall, I thought it rather boring.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyeforfilm.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fnewsite%2Fjames_600.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Harvey, 1950

Elwood (James Stewart) is a middle-aged man who lives with his sister, Veta (Josephine Hull) and niece, Myrtle Mae (Victoria Horne). Elwood frequently converses with a giant, invisible rabbit named Harvey that only he can see. As Veta becomes more and more concerned about finding a good marriage for Myrtle Mae, she explores having Elwood committed to the local asylum, managed by Doctor Sanderson (Charles Drake). But this foray into the world of mental health leads to many unexpected consequences for all involved.

This was an incredibly disrupted, wild week, from the international to the personal and everything in between. Much of what was challenging about this week were things entirely our of my control, and by Wednesday night I felt like I was up to my eyeballs in stress. I needed something gentle and new to watch.

I really enjoyed Harvey, and for the most part it did exactly what I hoped it would do, which was to provide a gentle and engaging 90 minutes of entertainment.

The winning heart of the film is Stewart's performance as Elwood, the kind of person who assumes every new person is just a friend he hasn't met yet. Elwood's easy manner and genial optimism make him very likable, but his sister and niece understandably tense up every time he goes to introduce someone to his giant invisible friend.

The film also does some very fun things with the character of Harvey, playing with the idea that the large rabbit may or may not actually exist. The film is littered with little moments that might seem to confirm Harvey's existence, but Harvey himself is never used as a direct plot device. Instead, it is Elwood's kindness that is the motivating driver behind the character growth of the entire cast.

Stewart is a reliable, affable anchor, but he is well-supported by the rest of the cast, especially Hull's fretful Veta. Her role is a tricky one, because she's about the closest thing that the film has to a villain. But Hull is also very funny, especially in a sequence where she tries to get Elwood committed as her feathered hat bobs hilariously on her head. Drake is good as an overly confident doctor--who diagnoses Veta as a psychopath and Elwood as perfectly sane---and Peggy Dow is also fun as a nurse working at the asylum.

There was one major strike against this film for me, and that was the character of the asylum's orderly, Martin (Jesse White) and a sequence in which he helps to force Veta into the asylum at the direction of the doctor. This entire subplot---in which he physically grabs Veta and carries her into the asylum, later taking all of her clothes off--was incredibly unfunny and uncomfortable for me. Is it kind of funny that Veta is taken to be the crazy one? Sure. But I really found nothing humorous at all about the idea of a woman being forcibly stripped by a strange man. Maybe it's because of an article I read a few years ago about a woman who was marked as a suicide risk when she was arrested and forcibly stripped by a male police officer who then lingered in her cell after she was nude and her fear that she was about to be sexually assaulted. But in any case, this whole sequence really put me off the film. If the character of the orderly had been played as more of a non-sexual buffoon, they might have just pulled it off. But Martin leers at the women in the film. When he first goes to Veta's house, he physically sort of pins Myrtle Mae against a wall. He just seemed like such a creep, and he stays in the story for the whole fiml. And of course Myrtle Mae ends up liking him---her mother's fear of the man every time she sees him is treated as a joke---and Elwood benevolently endorses the pairing and the whole thing is gross.

Overall, though, I found the film charming and fun.

4

[Dr. Badvibes]

https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/batman-3-e1646406084756.jpeg?w=681&h=383&crop=1

The Batman - ★★☆☆☆
-- Matt Reeves, 2022 --
-------------------------------

I thought it was mediocre af. I wasn't really interested in seeing it to begin with, but got a chance to see it for cheapers with friends. The biggest problem is that the core story and direction just aren't very good, which leads to the movie really feeling as long as it is. The plot twists and turns (whenever it decides to move at all), but only ends up in places that made me go "wait, can't we just go back to the previous status quo?". Meanwhile, director Reeves does a VERY poor job of stringing the 11.000 underwritten plot threads together, resulting in a consistently road-blocked slog of a movie. The blissfully few action scenes are sometimes on point, sometimes underwhelming, but fail to truly standout. This part is forgivable, however, because the movie is really desperate to treat the character work as its main course. In that light, the film can bow on a couple decent central performances to underscore this importance, although I'd still say the scripting and staging come up short.

I guess if you're a hardcore fan of Batman/Bruce Wayne, you'll be satisfied with seeing so much of him and you'll be able to take the film's attempt at emo-darkness seriously. But if you're anything like me, you'll probably have a hard time containing your laughter. That said, there is one thing I liked about it, which also happens to be the one aspect of the Batman mythos in general that I appreciate: Gotham City. I may not be a Batman fan, but I LOVE a good shadowy, crime-ridden crap hole full of moody architecture, scheming politicians and fearful peasants. The Batman more or less delivers on this, with appropriately creepy cinematography, a solid score and above average art direction, which already makes it a marked improvement on the city's bland depiction in the TDK trilogy, although still not nearly as good as that in the old 90s cartoon. Still, I'm curious to see where they're going to take this with the sequels.




https://alkony.enerla.net/images/film/Project_Gemini-2022-2.jpg

Project Gemini - ★★☆☆☆
-- Vyacheslav Lisnevsky, 2021 --
-------------------------------
Yet another low-budget Russian sci/fi-horror flick. Of course, the movie is in English, spoken/mouthed by non-native speakers made out to sound native. The result is extremely bad acting across the board, some of which makes those recent Bruce Willis sci/fi miscreants look Shakespearean by comparison.

It has to be said, some fo the space scenes are quite nice to look at and the plot twist, while not earth-shattering, is always an intriguing one. Unfortunately, there's not much else there.

[Torgo]

Oof, giving a negative review for the most anticipated movie of the weekend on a Friday afternoon. Bad vibes, indeed! ;)

[WHITBISSELL!]

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Free Guy - Directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Reynolds as (blue shirt) Guy, an NPC in a Grand Theft Auto type of MMORPG called Free City. He's a bank teller and he and his BFF, bank security guard Buddy (Lil Rel Howery) exist as background characters for never-ending robberies and shootings. But he dreams of more. That is eventually explained of course but it takes a glimpse of mystery woman Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer) to actually prod Guy into action. The real life gamer behind her is Millie, a former employee of Soonami Studio (the creators of Free City) and it's megalomaniacal CEO Antwan (Taika Waititi). Millie has stayed in contact with her former partner Keys (Joe Keery) who still works for Soonami. There's corporate machinations and an enigma to be worked out and injustice to be addressed.

It's a perfectly adequate popcorn flick and as long as you remember that and don't go looking for something more you won't be disappointed.

80/100

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moviehousememories.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F12%2FThe-Bank-Dick-1940-featured.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

The Bank Dick, 1940

Egbert Souse (WC Fields) gets very little respect from his wife or daughter. In an adventure-filled day, Egbert ends up substituting as a film's director, then unintentionally foils a bank robbery. Hired by the bank whose money he saved, Egbert runs into trouble again when he convinces his daughter's suitor, Og (Grady Sutton) to invest some of the bank's money in a scam company.

This film has a tremendous reputation that precedes it, and it's always interesting trying to set expectations for such a movie. In the end I would say that it's one of those films that I appreciated more than I liked.

WC Fields in the lead role is basically a cartoon made corporeal. With his overly-emphasized expressions and startled reactions, talking out of the side of his mouth, and even the way he moves his body---it's more like something animated than a real human being. While there were many moments where this dynamic absolutely sang, I have to admit that it's the kind of character that I enjoy best in small doses. Even at a paltry run-time of 72 minutes, I found myself tiring of Egbert.

Some of the gags a really work, from the larger physical comedy to the smaller moments. I loved a joke where the bank president offers Egbert a "hearty handshake", only to barely graze his palm with a few fingers.

Some of the humor, though, was a real miss for me. Egbert's spoiled daughter being a brat who constantly demanded a role in the movie. A gag where Egbert is alarmed by the appearance of a Black man behind him in the bank is already a bit meh, but then the Black character is a very caricatured bug-eyed, ungrammatical bit and it just feels incredibly dated and lazily racist. I also didn't care for the character "whiplash" jokes---where a character would be sobbing and then incredibly happy in the next beat.

I certainly see why this film has the reputation it does. For me, however, the ratio of the comedy that landed was just a bit below my preferred threshold. Glad I watched it, but not a new favorite, unfortunately.

3.5

[WHITBISSELL!]

Oof, giving a negative review for the most anticipated movie of the weekend on a Friday afternoon. Bad vibes, indeed! ;)The guy actually admitted he didn't even want to see it. So I'm gonna take that review with a grain of salt. But we all have to live up to our usernames. I have to measure up to the man and the myth that was WHIT BISSELL! You yourself have to deal with those problematic legs.

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zD9gh0Ngvs0/UoOeq3qgovI/AAAAAAAAEik/aNyC9kAzTWs/s1600/torgogetluggage.gif


Not to mention getting back into the dating scene and meeting people.



http://i.imgur.com/JkEkV.gif

[ThatDarnMKS]

Oof, giving a negative review for the most anticipated movie of the weekend on a Friday afternoon. Bad vibes, indeed! ;)
Don’t worry. Its great.

[John W Constantine]

Don’t worry. Its great.

really? I dunno

[SpelingError]

I plan to watch the new Batman anyways. Looking forward to it.

[John Dumbear]

”Reign Over Me”(2007)

The only film I’ve seen where Adam Sandler shows some acting chops.

7/10

[Allaby]

I plan to watch the new Batman anyways. Looking forward to it.

Me too. I'm going Monday afternoon.

[Allaby]

”Reign Over Me”(2007)

The only film I’ve seen where Adam Sandler shows some acting chops.

7/10

Have you seen Punch Drunk Love and Uncut Gems? He is great in both of those as well.

[Gideon58]

”Reign Over Me”(2007)

The only film I’ve seen where Adam Sandler shows some acting chops.

7/10


Have you seen Uncut Gems or Punch Drunk Love?

[John Dumbear]

LOL. At the last two posts.

Seen “PDL” upon its release. To be honest, don’t remember a thing about it.

Perhaps, a re-watch is in order. Though Anderson is pretty much hit and miss for me.

[ThatDarnMKS]

really? I dunno
I do. It is.

[WHITBISSELL!]

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The Little Things - Didn't really set out to watch this but kind of drifted in and ended up staying till the end. It's about a hunt for a serial killer and set in 1990's Los Angeles. It stars Denzel Washington as Joe Deacon, a former LA County Sheriff's investigator now working in Bakersfield. He travels to LA to collect some evidence and while there accompanies LACS lead investigator Jimmy Baxter (Rami Malek) on a new murder and notices similarities to a serial murder case he wasn't able to solve.

Baxter learns that Deacon's obsession with the unsolved case led to not only his divorce but also to a heart attack. Despite being advised to keep Deacon at arm's length Baxter teams up with him after Deacon uses his vacation leave to help him investigate. More bodies turn up and their search eventually leads them to Albert Sparma (Jared Leto) who works at a shop close to most of the murders.

There's some standard cat and mouse action with the two detectives attempting to surveil self-proclaimed crime buff Sparma. This all plays out while the events that led up to Deacon's departure from the LA Sheriffs Department are gradually revealed. Add in plenty of "dark night of the soul" moments and a few glimpses of the protagonists home lives and you have your prototypical investigative noir.

It all adds up to less than the sum total though. You would think that a movie featuring three Oscar winners would make more of an impression than this did but there you are. I thought Denzel was his usual dependable self and Leto did okay with an underdeveloped character. I haven't seen either Mr. Robot or the Freddie Mercury biopic so I'm not all that familiar with Malek. But this wouldn't be the first time that a weak script undermined what could have been a more nimble effort.

70/100

[PHOENIX74]

I had a whole bunch of great films lined up, but for some reason I watched this instead :

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0a/Project_X_poster.png
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52199062

Project X - (2012)

I don't know about elsewhere, but where I live parties like the one in Project X are a scourge that have been targeted by introducing new laws to try and curb them. They're parties where, when word gets out, uninvited hooligans arrive to fight, cause damage, hurt people, and eventually engage the police with bricks, knives and bats causing a general riot. The morning after there's damage, hospitalizations and in rare cases even death. Of course, in Project X, something pretty similar occurs, only in this movie it's meant to be awesome and cool. I was actually surprised that director Nima Nourizadeh and writers Matt Drake and Michael Bacall escalated the teen party in their movie to such an extreme. It left me with negative feelings towards all of it's characters, who are obnoxious but may have had some redeeming qualities if they didn't welcome what they wrought on their shell-shocked community. I was stunned where the father of main character Thomas (Thomas Mann) reacts in a way that says, "Wow - My teenage son is really cool," after his house and car are completely destroyed and his son has criminal charges pending against him.

I guess this film exists as some kind of teenage fantasy, involving a party that goes pretty much as far as a party can possibly go. Included in that fantasy are the plaudits the kids who organized the party get from their peers, the girls they win over and the media attention they attract. While I'm glad that the film at least acknowledged that these kids faced criminal charges, overall the message was if you manage to cause this kind of carnage you are some kind of hero. The sex, drugs and music I can accept as part of teenage rebellion - but Project X took things to a level where there needed to be some kind of balance, without which it seems to be encouraging kids to be out of control idiots. Add the extreme misogyny (female characters in this film are treated appallingly) as a cherry on top of a pretty foul tasting cake.

2/10

[Takoma11]

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Riders of Justice, 2020

Markus (Mads Mikkelsen) is a soldier who is away when his wife and daughter, Mathilde (Andrea Heick Gadeberg) are in a serious train accident. On the same train was computer program writer Otto (Nikolaj Lie Kaas), who is convinced that the train collision was no accident. Otto and his partner, Lennart (Lars Brygmann) convey their suspicions to Markus, and the group begins investigating the accident and its connection to a motorcycle gang called the Riders of Justice.

This film is an interesting mix of dark comedy, straight-ahead comedy, thriller, drama, and action. And against all odds---mainly thanks to a group of strong performances--it mostly succeeds.

What I most enjoyed about the film was the endearing brother-husbands/found family aspect of the film. Initially Otto and Lennart are spending time with Markus and Mathilde, but soon that circle expands to include their hacker friend, Emmenthaler (Nicholas Bro), and a young Ukrainian man, Bodashka (Gustav Lindh) who they rescue from sex trafficking. A suspicious Mathilde comes to believe that the men are part of a mental health service for her and her father, and there is a genuine sweetness to the way that they quickly become like a family unit, and even Bodashka seamlessly integrates himself into the fabric of the household.

Mikkelsen is his usual solid self in the lead role as Markus, but the linchpin of the film is Gadeberg as Mathilde. It is largely out of a desire to protect her that the group forms its friendship under the guise of therapy. And Mathilde herself is grappling mightily with the loss of the person who was her primary parent. There is a clear rift between Mathilde and Markus, the latter having spent a lot of time away overseas and even openly expressing that he regrets having Mathilde.

Something that did not entirely cohere for me was the strong emphasis on a sort of "butterfly effect" notion of how events domino into one another. There are repeated conversations about the nature of events and how coincidences are just events whose cause cannot be determined, and so on. This is where you can feel the film trying to hit some more profound notes, and it just kind of fell flat for me. The theme is implicit without the glaring spotlight. Mathilde is well aware that her bike being stolen is why they were on the train in the first place. It is very obvious that Markus is processing his grief through trying to problem-solve. But every time the movie tries to highlight this theme, it just seems like too much.

And speaking of, the film makes a HUGE ask of the audience when (moderate spoilers)it finally reveals the nature of what happened on the train that day. The explanation seems so improbable as to be a bit ridiculous.

Overall this was a fun film. It doesn't get everything right, but the performances are strong and the chemistry of the cast and the genuinely heartwarming domestic sequences carry it through. The poster made it look like some Taken knockoff, which it most certainly is not.

3.5

[Takoma11]

I had a whole bunch of great films lined up, but for some reason I watched this instead

A great one-sentence summary of many of my own Friday nights.

[Wyldesyde19]

A great one-sentence summary of many of my own Friday nights.


Oh man. Me three. I’ll have some highly acclaimed film set up to watch and instead I’ll bump it for some older horror film from the 70’s or 80’s more often then not.

[skizzerflake]

After 20-some Batman movies and TV shows, what's left? I guess it's to keep getting darker and more twisted. This week, it's The Batman. You know it's going to be dark because of the "The" in the title. There's nothing comical about the Riddler, who is a psycopathic serial killer, or the Penguin, a scarred survivor of some godawful beginning.

Robert Pattinson is the latest inheritor of the franchise. Between costume, a digitally altered voice and the way he's shot, the lean actor becomes a nearly invulnerable horror whose anger is directed at the psycho criminals that inhabit a Gotham that's a darker counterpart to the worst view you ever had of New York (a place I actually like), a place overrun by psycho criminals, corruption, constant rain and a masked vigilantes.

It's visually quite a spectacle. Whatever acting happens is lost behind layers of FX and costumes and it's long. I like long movies, so it's OK by me, but some might find dead air in there.

In spite of that, I liked it enough to do it again at some point, since I'm sure I missed a lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqqft2x_Aa4

[Raven73]

Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
8/10.
Everybody falls in love with Maureen O'Hara, including me when I was a kid.
A classic.
https://www.filmsite.org/photos/hunchback2-poster.jpg

[StuSmallz]

Anyway, I did like The Batman a lot on the whole, but another thing I didn't care for was the way that it hinted at yet ANOTHER version of The... ...Joker ready to emerge at the end; not only is it obvious sequel bait (something I'm already tired of in Superhero movies), and another element cribbed off of The Dark Knight trilogy, but I'm just tired of seeing the character at all in general. Like, part of the reason why Ledger's Joker was so impactful was that it had been nearly twenty years since we'd seen that character in a Batman movie, given us time to get eager for a new version, but then they give us Leto's Joker less than a decade later, then Phoenix's Joker, and now we're getting ANOTHER version of the character just a few years after that. It's like, I love the character too, but we need to give him a break for a while; there are other Batbaddies out there, you know!

[Corax]

The Batman


What if the Crow were Batman?



What if we made Riddler into a ZODIAC killer?



What if we had a JAWS type theme that sounded a bit like the first three notes of the imperial march and just pounded the s**t out of it?



What if the Penguin was Bobby Deniro?



What if Batman just welded his stuff together in a garage? You like a kit-car Batmobile? Like Peter Parker in a Bat Cave?



The answers to these questions await you at the other side of a $40 and a bucket of popcorn.

[Fabulous]

Paddleton (2019)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/maoFnW8j7thGdiplQgT5UGNlbHo.jpg

[honeykid]

Oh man. Me three. I’ll have some highly acclaimed film set up to watch and instead I’ll bump it for some older horror film from the 70’s or 80’s more often then not.

And probably enjoy it more than the highly acclaimedd film when you eventually watch it?

[Wyldesyde19]

And probably enjoy it more than the highly acclaimedd film when you eventually watch it?
Sometimes, yeah.

[Yoda]

Watched Mad Dreams again yesterday.
10/10
I think it's Tarantino's best movie.
I'm not aware of Tarantino making (or producing) any film by that name. Not even sure what film you mean, regardless of Tarantino. Are you talking about Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8421278/)? Or Bad Dreams from 1988? :confused:

[Hey Fredrick]

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Wow! You look at Cronenberg's filmography and there is going to be one film that's like WTF was he doing? This is that film. It's not bad a film it's just not at all what you think of when you think of Cronenberg. It's so normal that it's weird. A big name dragster driver is forced by his sponsor to run funny cars while his dragster is being repaired. This takes the spot of a young up and coming funny car driver and creates some conflict between both drivers and the sponsors. Throw in a little BF/GF stuff and you have Fast Company. John Saxon plays the d-bag sponsor rep causing all the chaos by looking to replace his top driver for someone a little more manageable and Claudia Jennings is the star drivers love interest. Those were the two names I recognized. This is Cronenbergs The Straight Story, a little more b movie-ish than that one, but watchable. rating_3

[Wooley]

https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/batman-3-e1646406084756.jpeg?w=681&h=383&crop=1

The Batman - ★★☆☆☆
-- Matt Reeves, 2022 --
-------------------------------

I thought it was mediocre af. I wasn't really interested in seeing it to begin with, but got a chance to see it for cheapers with friends. The biggest problem is that the core story and direction just aren't very good, which leads to the movie really feeling as long as it is. The plot twists and turns (whenever it decides to move at all), but only ends up in places that made me go "wait, can't we just go back to the previous status quo?". Meanwhile, director Reeves does a VERY poor job of stringing the 11.000 underwritten plot threads together, resulting in a consistently road-blocked slog of a movie. The blissfully few action scenes are sometimes on point, sometimes underwhelming, but fail to truly standout. This part is forgivable, however, because the movie is really desperate to treat the character work as its main course. In that light, the film can bow on a couple decent central performances to underscore this importance, although I'd still say the scripting and staging come up short.

I guess if you're a hardcore fan of Batman/Bruce Wayne, you'll be satisfied with seeing so much of him and you'll be able to take the film's attempt at emo-darkness seriously. But if you're anything like me, you'll probably have a hard time containing your laughter. That said, there is one thing I liked about it, which also happens to be the one aspect of the Batman mythos in general that I appreciate: Gotham City. I may not be a Batman fan, but I LOVE a good shadowy, crime-ridden crap hole full of moody architecture, scheming politicians and fearful peasants. The Batman more or less delivers on this, with appropriately creepy cinematography, a solid score and above average art direction, which already makes it a marked improvement on the city's bland depiction in the TDK trilogy, although still not nearly as good as that in the old 90s cartoon. Still, I'm curious to see where they're going to take this with the sequels.



I've actually been waiting for a negative review, I knew this movie couldn't be as good as many are saying.
I mean, rogerebert.com fairly gushed about it, particularly from a filmmaking perspective, and IGN straight-up called it a "masterpiece" and that was when I was like, "Ok, time to check yourself, it is a Batman movie", so I've been waiting to read a negative reaction to get some balance on this.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[Wooley]

https://64.media.tumblr.com/df1bda5d95f965705f1c8bdf68db088a/8701abe37c5690f2-3c/s540x810/eaef80d8e5138335312357fdecb8ed1bf5a982eb.gifvhttps://64.media.tumblr.com/ffb68a740a5812f558246079d6ff3751/c27a00fe2d9587e8-ea/s400x600/aee59c25212a2a30d5827a1a8b57df9e7883a157.gifv

The Little Things - I haven't seen either Mr. Robot or the Freddie Mercury biopic so I'm not all that familiar with Malek. But this wouldn't be the first time that a weak script undermined what could have been a more nimble effort.

70/100

I honestly haven't been very impressed with Malek in what I've seen. To me, he's melodramatic and tends to overact. He's one of those actors who can overact without speaking or moving, you just look at him and it's so obvious he's acting.
I frankly think the Freddie Mercury Oscar was incredibly weak sauce and another example that all you gotta do to win an acting Oscar is play a disabled person or do a biopic.

[Wooley]

A great one-sentence summary of many of my own Friday nights.

Ya know, this is an area where I differ from all (at least most) of you significantly.
I will never watch a movie that hasn't been vetted positively by some source I find credible.
Thousands of movies out there and only so many thousands of hours left in my life, I cannot bear to watch a truly bad movie.

[Wooley]

Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
8/10.
Everybody falls in love with Maureen O'Hara, including me when I was a kid.
A classic.
https://www.filmsite.org/photos/hunchback2-poster.jpg

Ain't that the truth. For me, it was The Quiet Man, which is still one of my favorite films, but I will watch anything with her in it.
And I agree, this is a classic, Laughton is amazing.

[Gideon58]

https://poltronanerd.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/1055863-1-sing2poster-1280.jpg

AND

http://www.magazine-hd.com/apps/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/1361927654.jpg

Fun time with the family, we pulled a double feature. My 3yo daughter loved Cloudy 2, :D

I really enjoyed Sing 2...missed Seth MacFarlane as the white mouse, but it was a lot of fun.

[Takoma11]

Ya know, this is an area where I differ from all (at least most) of you significantly.
I will never watch a movie that hasn't been vetted positively by some source I find credible.
Thousands of movies out there and only so many thousands of hours left in my life, I cannot bear to watch a truly bad movie.

I rarely watch movies that I would call "truly bad."

But sometimes at the end of a long week I need to put on the kind of movie where I can feel zero guilt about not giving it 100% of my attention (or even . . . 43% of my attention).

So given the choice between a film I suspect will be a 4.5 and a film that seems more like a 3, the latter is more likely to get the play button at 9pm on a Friday.

[Citizen Rules]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=85838
Spencer (Pablo Larraín 2021) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12536294/)

Yeah I know, that's an ugly distorted image...but it's fitting for an equally ugly distorted film. Spencer=Diana and that title is about the only clever thing in this poultry movie. Yup I said poultry as in it laid an egg.

Wholly crap Kristen Stewart really can't act, at least in this flop. Kristen does a pantomime imitation of the Princess of Wales. Stewart flops her head back and forth, side to side, until I thought it might fall off and roll away...and her breathy, gulps of line delivery are as monotone as this silly, insipid story is. The tale is all fantasy, made up crap to sell the film. No one could ever confirm all this exacerbated behaviour ever happened. Nor can we confirm Diana once told her parlor maid to inform the Queen that Diana needed time to masturbate before dinner. I guess that spices up this otherwise dull movie. Oh don't get overly excited we don't actually see her doing herself. We don't see much of anything but a film by a director who just shoots s*** and calls it a movie.

Personally I think the toilet should've had a credit in this movie.
rating_1

[ThatDarnMKS]

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=85838
Spencer (Pablo Larraín 2021) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12536294/)

Yeah I know, that's an ugly distorted image...but it's fitting for an equally ugly distorted film. Spencer=Diana and that title is about the only clever thing in this poultry movie. Yup I said poultry as in it laid an egg.

Wholly crap Kristen Stewart really can't act, at least in this flop. Kristen does a pantomime imitation of the Princess of Wales. Stewart flops her head back and forth, side to side, until I thought it might fall off and roll away...and her breathy, gulps of line delivery are as monotone as this silly, insipid story is. The tale is all fantasy, made up crap to sell the film. No one could ever confirm all this exacerbated behaviour ever happened. Nor can we confirm Diana once told her parlor maid to inform the Queen that Diana needed time to masturbate before dinner. I guess that spices up this otherwise dull movie. Oh don't get overly excited we don't actually see her doing herself. We don't see much of anything but a film by a director who just shoots s*** and calls it a movie.

Personally I think the toilet should've had a credit in this movie.
rating_1
Fine film! Impeccably shot, scored and acted. Taking a cue from Cassavettes with Woman Under The Influence and especially Opening Night was an inspired choice for the stuffy Royal cosplay genre.

Stewart gives a great performance but never really feels transformed into Diana.

The real strength is the film’s presentation of the panopticon effect of the guilded cage. The complete lack of privacy and autonomy forced upon her is expertly done.

I have a bias against anything concerning the Royals and can’t help but sense that this and the Crown (which I haven’t seen) is some attempt to humanize them and show the “cost” of royalty, which I don’t buy.

But it’s good cinema!

[Citizen Rules]

Fine film! Impeccably shot, scored and acted. Taking a cue from Cassavettes with Woman Under The Influence and especially Opening Night was an inspired choice for the stuffy Royal cosplay genre.

Stewart gives a great performance but never really feels transformed into Diana.

The real strength is the film’s presentation of the panopticon effect of the guilded cage. The complete lack of privacy and autonomy forced upon her is expertly done.

I have a bias against anything concerning the Royals and can’t help but sense that this and the Crown (which I haven’t seen) is some attempt to humanize them and show the “cost” of royalty, which I don’t buy.

But it’s good cinema!I forgot to mention the score, I loathed it. It was this annoying light jazz score that came at all the wrong times.

[crumbsroom]

Ya know, this is an area where I differ from all (at least most) of you significantly.
I will never watch a movie that hasn't been vetted positively by some source I find credible.
Thousands of movies out there and only so many thousands of hours left in my life, I cannot bear to watch a truly bad movie.


I think for me, the idea that there are all of these movies out there I would love that I would never find if I listened to the opinions of others, is worth the occassional bad movie. It has also made me realize critical consensus is deeply unreliable when trying to find what is tailored to my interests


But I also have never seen what's so bad about watching a movie you don't like anyway. It deepens the appreciation of what I do like. Makes me understand filmmaking considerably more. In some ways, the bad movies are nearly as vital as the good ones

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fa.ltrbxd.com%2Fresized%2Fsm%2Fupload%2Fdg%2F5m%2Ft8%2F1x%2Fpitfall-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg%3Fk%3Db170d84227&f=1&nofb=1

Pitfall, 1962

A miner (Hisashi Igawa) and his young son (Kazuo Miyahara) arrive in a town where there is an ongoing union dispute taking place. The miner is followed by a mysterious man in a white suit (Kunie Tanaka). As events spiral out of control, it seems there are bigger plots at hand, some involving one of the local union leaders (also played by Igawa).

This is a enjoyably strange film that combines drama, thriller elements, and a touch of horror. The main noteworthy element of the film is something that only comes to light about 20 minutes in, so if you haven't seen this film yet, I'd not read the rest of this review and go watch it!

After being followed by the man in the white suit, the miner finds himself inexplicably attacked by his follower. He is stabbed repeatedly and then . . . gets up. As a ghost. Standing by in disbelief, the miner watches as his murder is investigated, quickly discovering that he was probably killed by accident, in place of the union leader. He also discovers that the ghosts of other dead villagers also haunt the town.

The movie's approach to its two stories---that of the living and that of the dead--is fascinating. The ghosts have no power over anything. They can only watch helplessly as events play out. There is a brutal realism to the events in the village. It seems clear that someone in power wants to disrupt the union negotiations, and that the man in the white suit is there to do just that. But even when the ghosts get the chance to learn the truth about what happened---even when the miner has the epiphany that he was probably killed by mistake---it does nothing to change their circumstances.

The film takes time to show us the life of a village woman (Sumie Sasaki) who happens to witness the murder. What happens to her---first at the hands of a local police officer and then at the hands of the man in the white suit---is harrowing and ruthless. Then we also see the unemotional reaction of the miner's son, who takes in his dead father's body with a mostly blank face.

There's something very interesting in the way that the fantastical is made almost banal, and then allowed to sit next to a murder mystery way in such a manner that it all goes a little flat. And not "flat" in a bad way, but rather in that the realism of the living neutralizes the thrill of the ghosts and the dull image of the afterlife casts a "what's the point" feeling over the union murder plot.

Igawa does a nice job in his dual roles, playing the desperate miner and the more composed union leader. Tanaka is nicely menacing as the man in the white suit who never reveals his exact motives to the living or to the dead. But it was Sasaki, as the candy shop owner, who was my favorite. She really embodies the futility of someone with no power trying to simply survive. And we see the way that she is victimized by both the law as she is raped by a police officer and then attacked the man in the white suit, who kills her despite her taking a bribe to stay quiet. Her alternating exhaustion and indignant reactions speak volumes.

A different and interesting film.

4

[ThatDarnMKS]

I forgot to mention the score, I loathed it. It was this annoying light jazz score that came at all the wrong times.
Loved it. Felt like Jonny Greenwood really captured the off-kilter dread and mental instability meets high class. That he did this, Power of the Dog and Licorice Pizza in one year is an astounding achievement.

[Corax]

Nightride (2021)


https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIF.dok8STZgnZ%252b%252bi1w7%252bzt5Bg%26pid%3DApi&f=1


When a film is so committed to a one-shot that it turns into a radio play. Like that shot of our protag through the windshield? I hope so, because that is what you're going to be looking at for 90% of the film. The film tags itself as high-concept (the continuous oner), but the production screams "low budget."

[Siddon]

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Drive My Car (2021)

Drive My Car is an okay film. It reminds me a lot of the Dekalog in that each chapter it's broken up into feels like it's teaching us the viewer a morality lesson. Visually it's good but for me when I look at international films that are three hours long I need to connect with it and it kept putting me to sleep. It basically never got out of first gear, none of the performances stood out to me they are all just superficial stories that never felt like real people which is a shame. It's not the worst of the BP's...and I still have to see Belfast but it's bottom tier of the nominees.

rating_2_5

[SpelingError]

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) - 4.5

Zhang Yimou's Raise the Red Lantern is set in the 1920's in the Republic of China during the Warlord Era. Set several years before the Chinese Civil War, it shows that, in spite of how China seemingly moved beyond its troubling past, it was still held back by patriarchalism, as is seen through a wealthy lord and several women (concubines and servants) who live in his household. Through the complex character dynamics and the setting, Yimou explores the power imbalances amongst gender and class that were engraved into this lifestyle back then.

There's a lot to say about the various characters in the film. Yuru, the first wife, is the oldest of the bunch. She seems cold and distant when Songlian visits her in the opening, she mainly stays out of the conflict between the other mistresses, and (if I'm remembering correctly) the Master doesn't spend any nights with her throughout the film. It's apparent she has accepted she's growing old, is far past her prime, and that the Master prefers the other mistresses over her. Compared to the other three mistresses, she doesn't do or say that much in the film, but I felt like her limited screen time was earned, so I didn't have an issue with it. Zhuoyun, the second concubine, is the nicest of the bunch. She's the only one who acts friendly around Songlian and, as a result, they quickly bond. After she betrays Songlian though (however, I use the word betray very loosely as the detail which sets off the conflict between them could've meant something else), they fall out of touch with each other in one of the most shocking and upsetting scenes in the film. Her character bridges the gap between the somewhat light first half and the comparably darker second half. Meishan, the third concubine, is spoiled and unable to cope with how she's no longer the Master's favorite mistress. It initially seems like she's out to sabotage Songlian's relationship with the Master, but as the film goes on, her ruthlessness is trumped by Songlian, the fourth mistress. Though you may sympathize with Songlian at first, you eventually hate her as the effects her conspiring behavior has on the other people in the household keeps increasing in severity. Other notable characters include Yan'er, Songlian's servant, who's forced to put up with her harsh treatment throughout the film.

Master Chen, however, is the most significant character in the film as he provides the backbone for the film's patriarchal themes. As the one who runs the household, he leaves a bit of power open for his mistresses to vie for it. The mistresses, in turn, compete for the Master's full attention, because having obtained it will result in power, status, and privilege. As we soon learn though, whatever successes the mistresses find throughout the film are ultimately insignificant and short-lived as, whenever things begin to look up for them, the film is quick to remind you of the superiority the Master (and even the other occupants of the household, to a degree) has over them. For instance, whenever the Master spend a night with a mistress, she gets a foot massage, but at one point in the film, the Master says "A woman’s feet are very important. When they feel comfortable, she’s healthier and better able to serve her man", showing that he's still above them in rank. Other examples include how the Master confiscates Songlian's flute and burns it without letting her know, how Yuru, the Master's first wife, is largely ignored by him since she's aging, and how the household has several rules the mistresses must follow, for which breaking them will result in punishment. My favorite extension of the patriarchal themes though is how you never get a clear view of the Master's face (save for at least one shot in the film, where you get a good look at about half his face). This is a great distancing approach which illustrates that, since the competition amongst the mistresses never slows down, the Master is always just out of their reach.

There's also a lot that can be said about the cinematography and the setting. When I was first introduced to the Master's household, I found the houses which the four concubines lived in to be well-designed and pretty to look at. That they could walk on the rooftops was the cherry on top. The more I watched the film though, it soon dawned on me that none of the mistresses ever walked outside of the Master's property. Instead, they appeared to spend their entire time within his walls. Since the rooftops in the Master's household show occasional glimpses of other houses and structures stretching far off into the distance, you're provided with enough of the outside world to show what the concubines are missing out on. Given that, it feels like the concubines are stuck in a prison-like environment. A beautifully designed and roomy prison, but a prison nonetheless. The lone room on the roof where prior women were hung and the various punishments the mistresses could receive for breaking the rules are great touches which cause the mistresses to seem even more ensnared in the household.

Overall, this is a brilliant film, albeit one I watched with a couple small interruptions. While watching it, the film buffered at a couple points in the middle due to my internet acting up, thus breaking the flow a bit. This hopefully won't happen again when I rewatch this film later this year though as I can see myself bumping it up to a 10/10 with a second or a third viewing.

[Citizen Rules]

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) - rating_4_5
Love that film and it was my nom in Raul's Second Chance HoF and it won!

[SpelingError]

Love that film and it was my nom in Raul's Second Chance HoF and it won!

Ah, nice. I watched it for the first time yesterday and it really impressed me.

[rauldc14]

And I liked it more on second watch too

[Wooley]

I think for me, the idea that there are all of these movies out there I would love that I would never find if I listened to the opinions of others, is worth the occassional bad movie. It has also made me realize critical consensus is deeply unreliable when trying to find what is tailored to my interests


But I also have never seen what's so bad about watching a movie you don't like anyway. It deepens the appreciation of what I do like. Makes me understand filmmaking considerably more. In some ways, the bad movies are nearly as vital as the good ones

But, to be clear, I'm not talking about critical consensus. I'm talking about vetting. Basically what I do is find out what kind of a movie it is. Is it a movie to be taken seriously, is it light fun, is it audacious but risky, is it an underground gem, etc. What is the best framing for the movie (because I usually don't want to know what a movie is "about" going in). Then I try to track down the people who seem to have the most exposure to the movie, hopefully who are the target audience or the audience that responded, whose opinions I can validate to some degree. If this is a Horror movie, for example, do fans of Horror (and I mean real fans of Horror) like this movie or do they at least find something valuable/worthwhile about the film that will make it worth my time?
I mean, this is how I came to view, and kinda love movies like:

Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders
Spider Baby
City Of The Living Dead
Messiah Of Evil
Lemora: A Child's Tale Of The Supernatural
Lady Snowblood
Carnival Of Souls
Dead & Buried
Liquid Sky
Hausu
Apple Pie
Vampyros Lesbos
Eaten Alive
Let's Scare Jessica To Death
The Visitor
Viy
Eyes Of Fire
... and so many others.
I mean, I vetted The Being and I knew what to expect going in (though not the plot) and I was not really disappointed even though many might call that a bad movie.

Some of it, maybe, is using the vetting process to set one's expectations appropriately.
But it's also just that I don't wanna watch garbage. I have limited time. Some ******** studio-approved action or comedy or whatever movie is not going to eat 90+ minutes of my life without someone I at least sorta trust telling me it's worth it.
That's what you guys are for.

Oh, one notable exception: I will watch virtually anything if I think the poster is awesome.
This is how I came to see A Virgin Among The Living Dead and am currently watching Murder Mansion.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcriterion-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcarousel-files%2F6b84be13bf42d5c28553a7e5bbb86a1e.jpeg&f=1&nofb=1

The Naked City, 1948

A young woman is murdered in her apartment, leading detectives Muldoon (Barry Fitzgerald) and Halloran (Don Taylor) to investigate the killing. Their chief suspect is a man named Niles (Howard Duff), who was "friends" with the victim. Yet the further they dig, the more seems to be going on beneath the surface.

I tried to watch this movie several years ago and remember totally failing to click with it. I ended up barely paying attention to it and returned the DVD afterward. This time I liked it much more, but I also remembered why it was that I had a less positive reaction the first time I tried it.

There is a lot of really great stuff happening in this film. Some of the visuals are simply stunning, and true to the title, make great use of the sights and geometries of the city.

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themoviedistrict.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F06%2Fthenakedcity17.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

It's also nice to see a film attempting to portray the nitty-gritty of detective work, with montages showing us that talking to all the jewelry stores in town is a huge, huge ask with very little payoff sometimes. There is time given to the forensics, the interviews, the family identifying the body, the impact of publicity, and the dangers involved. The film also takes moments to zoom out, to remind us that the dead woman is just one person out of hundreds of thousands, and one of the most chilling shots is simply a cut from a discarded newspaper with her face on the front being swept into a trash bin to her bereaved parents on their porch back in the countryside.

Fitzgerald is a fun actor (I really like him in And Then There Were None), and Taylor is a good counterpart as the fresh-faced detective just learning the ropes. Duff is a perfect blend of pathetic and smarmy as the deceptive Niles. There's also a good turn from Adelaide Klein as the murder victim's mother, who rails against her daughter's immorality before breaking down in sobs when she finally sees her body.

There were two things that I didn't care for in this film and definitely were the reason I couldn't click with it perviously.

The first is that the movie has some elements that really work against each other. For all of the talk about this being a real look at the process of a murder investigation, complete with some documentary-like flourishes, the murder investigation itself is incredibly outlandish, involving chases, more murders/attempted murders, conspiracy, multiple players, an attempted suicide, scandal . . . and so on and so on. And I absolutely hated the cutesty voice over, which took several sequence into the realm of camp. In one shot, a woman nervously bites her thumb as she looks at a front page headline about the murder. "Don't worry young lady," the voice over intrudes in a chipper tone, "Not many stenographers getting murdered these days!". Just . . . why. Why. I honestly don't mind that the film is a bit over-the-top or improbable, but it goes entirely against the realism it is purporting to show. This persists for the whole film and dinged every scene it was in.

Then very specifically, I HATED a sequence where Halloran goes home and then engages in the world's longest conversation with his obnoxious wife where she just repeatedly insists that he go upstairs and beat their child. (The fact that she does this after offering him "jellied tongue" for lunch makes this easily one of the most repulsive sequences of middle class America I've ever seen). And the scene just does not end. Please someone tell me why this interaction had to last more than 60 seconds. I do not understand.

Overall I enjoyed this, and I finally consider myself as having actually watched it.

4

[ThatDarnMKS]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcriterion-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcarousel-files%2F6b84be13bf42d5c28553a7e5bbb86a1e.jpeg&f=1&nofb=1

The Naked City, 1948

A young woman is murdered in her apartment, leading detectives Muldoon (Barry Fitzgerald) and Halloran (Don Taylor) to investigate the killing. Their chief suspect is a man named Niles (Howard Duff), who was "friends" with the victim. Yet the further they dig, the more seems to be going on beneath the surface.

I tried to watch this movie several years ago and remember totally failing to click with it. I ended up barely paying attention to it and returned the DVD afterward. This time I liked it much more, but I also remembered why it was that I had a less positive reaction the first time I tried it.

There is a lot of really great stuff happening in this film. Some of the visuals are simply stunning, and true to the title, make great use of the sights and geometries of the city.

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themoviedistrict.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F06%2Fthenakedcity17.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

It's also nice to see a film attempting to portray the nitty-gritty of detective work, with montages showing us that talking to all the jewelry stores in town is a huge, huge ask with very little payoff sometimes. There is time given to the forensics, the interviews, the family identifying the body, the impact of publicity, and the dangers involved. The film also takes moments to zoom out, to remind us that the dead woman is just one person out of hundreds of thousands, and one of the most chilling shots is simply a cut from a discarded newspaper with her face on the front being swept into a trash bin to her bereaved parents on their porch back in the countryside.

Fitzgerald is a fun actor (I really like him in And Then There Were None), and Taylor is a good counterpart as the fresh-faced detective just learning the ropes. Duff is a perfect blend of pathetic and smarmy as the deceptive Niles. There's also a good turn from Adelaide Klein as the murder victim's mother, who rails against her daughter's immorality before breaking down in sobs when she finally sees her body.

There were two things that I didn't care for in this film and definitely were the reason I couldn't click with it perviously.

The first is that the movie has some elements that really work against each other. For all of the talk about this being a real look at the process of a murder investigation, complete with some documentary-like flourishes, the murder investigation itself is incredibly outlandish, involving chases, more murders/attempted murders, conspiracy, multiple players, an attempted suicide, scandal . . . and so on and so on. And I absolutely hated the cutesty voice over, which took several sequence into the realm of camp. In one shot, a woman nervously bites her thumb as she looks at a front page headline about the murder. "Don't worry young lady," the voice over intrudes in a chipper tone, "Not many stenographers getting murdered these days!". Just . . . why. Why. I honestly don't mind that the film is a bit over-the-top or improbable, but it goes entirely against the realism it is purporting to show. This persists for the whole film and dinged every scene it was in.

Then very specifically, I HATED a sequence where Halloran goes home and then engages in the world's longest conversation with his obnoxious wife where she just repeatedly insists that he go upstairs and beat their child. (The fact that she does this after offering him "jellied tongue" for lunch makes this easily one of the most repulsive sequences of middle class America I've ever seen). And the scene just does not end. Please someone tell me why this interaction had to last more than 60 seconds. I do not understand.

Overall I enjoyed this, and I finally consider myself as having actually watched it.

4

The voice over in the Naked City is a key element in what makes it the quintessential procedural and a refutation of film noir (a genre in which its often erroneously attributed)*

Essentially, this film is the antithesis of the cynicism of Film Noir and the narrator reflects that. Rather than the hard-boiled, highly subjective POV of a private eye or anti-hero, we’re given a jovial and omniscient perspective. There’s someone watching all of us in this Naked City and he’s not malevolent!

The film further subverts Film Noir with its narrative, implying that through teamwork and rational application of procedure, we can and will overcome the evils of society.

Given that this was eventually turned into a series and lays the framework for countless other procedurals (and planted the seeds to the death of classic Film Noir) makes it a fascinating and important film even when my sensibilities run counter to it.

It’s especially interesting when juxtaposed with the other works Dassin would make after getting blacklisted, especially Riffifi, which is French noir cynicism incarnate. That the man made such a naive and optimistic film about our social systems would become to target is one of cinemas great tragic ironies.

[crumbsroom]

But, to be clear, I'm not talking about critical consensus. I'm talking about vetting. Basically what I do is find out what kind of a movie it is. Is it a movie to be taken seriously, is it light fun, is it audacious but risky, is it an underground gem, etc. What is the best framing for the movie (because I usually don't want to know what a movie is "about" going in). Then I try to track down the people who seem to have the most exposure to the movie, hopefully who are the target audience or the audience that responded, whose opinions I can validate to some degree. If this is a Horror movie, for example, do fans of Horror (and I mean real fans of Horror) like this movie or do they at least find something valuable/worthwhile about the film that will make it worth my time?
I mean, this is how I came to view, and kinda love movies like:

Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders
Spider Baby
City Of The Living Dead
Messiah Of Evil
Lemora: A Child's Tale Of The Supernatural
Lady Snowblood
Carnival Of Souls
Dead & Buried
Liquid Sky
Hausu
Apple Pie
Vampyros Lesbos
Eaten Alive
Let's Scare Jessica To Death
The Visitor
Viy
Eyes Of Fire
... and so many others.
I mean, I vetted The Being and I knew what to expect going in (though not the plot) and I was not really disappointed even though many might call that a bad movie.

Some of it, maybe, is using the vetting process to set one's expectations appropriately.
But it's also just that I don't wanna watch garbage. I have limited time. Some ******** studio-approved action or comedy or whatever movie is not going to eat 90+ minutes of my life without someone I at least sorta trust telling me it's worth it.
That's what you guys are for.

Oh, one notable exception: I will watch virtually anything if I think the poster is awesome.
This is how I came to see A Virgin Among The Living Dead and am currently watching Murder Mansion.


As a fan of horror films, I can't help but imagine as a child you would blind watch all manner of old b horror films that came on television. No vetting necessary. Just a kind of ignorant bliss of seeing what might happen. And sometimes its nothing. But sometimes its revelatory.


It's that kind of adventure of uncharted waters that I still find most exciting of all. Sure, if I hit a long dry patch of real garbage, I might head for a few reliable choices. But to me there is almost nothing better than a sense of discovery. Having no idea what something is, if it is any good, if any one has even seen it, and suddenly coming to the realization that it's amazing. Like said, for me it's worth the shitty movies to get to the good ones. They feel like they are more all mine that way.


But I also have no idea what else I'm supposed to be doing with my time. Other people have kids and professional responsibilites and social obligations, and I'm just a hermit who can afford to waste untold numbers of hours. Exactly as I had always intended.

[Takoma11]

The voice over in the Naked City is a key element in what makes it the quintessential procedural and a refutation of film noir (a genre in which its often erroneously attributed)*

Essentially, this film is the antithesis of the cynicism of Film Noir and the narrator reflects that. Rather than the hard-boiled, highly subjective POV of a private eye or anti-hero, we’re given a jovial and omniscient perspective. There’s someone watching all of us in this Naked City and he’s not malevolent!

The film further subverts Film Noir with its narrative, implying that through teamwork and rational application of procedure, we can and will overcome the evils of society.

Given that this was eventually turned into a series and lays the framework for countless other procedurals (and planted the seeds to the death of classic Film Noir) makes it a fascinating and important film even when my sensibilities run counter to it.

It’s especially interesting when juxtaposed with the other works Dassin would make after getting blacklisted, especially Riffifi, which is French noir cynicism incarnate. That the man made such a naive and optimistic film about our social systems would become to target is one of cinemas great tragic ironies.

I don't mind the idea of moving away from the gritty noir into the procedural. But it felt like the film, at times, wanted to enjoy being gritty. It is, as you say, a fascinating and important movie. But the way it sometimes feels as if it's pulling in different directions kept me from ever really sinking into it.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2NhNmViOTYtYjBjYy00ZDc5LTk3ZDctYjNiMjZiNTcwMGYyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjMyMzI4MzY@._V1_.jpg


4.5

[Wooley]

As a fan of horror films, I can't help but imagine as a child you would blind watch all manner of old b horror films that came on television. No vetting necessary. Just a kind of ignorant bliss of seeing what might happen. And sometimes its nothing. But sometimes its revelatory.

Like said, for me it's worth the shitty movies to get to the good ones. They feel like they are more all mine that way.


I'm too old for all that. I just ask you.

[ThatDarnMKS]

I don't mind the idea of moving away from the gritty noir into the procedural. But it felt like the film, at times, wanted to enjoy being gritty. It is, as you say, a fascinating and important movie. But the way it sometimes feels as if it's pulling in different directions kept me from ever really sinking into it.
I can get that. I think it’s a difficult tightrope to walk when you’re trying to address the same content as Film Noir but ultimately come to a diametrically opposed thematic outcome. Pulling in that different direction is the point but it does lead to tonal dissonance and at the end of the day, I’d rather watch Dassin’s Night and the City or Riffifi. But I still feel a great amount of admiration and love for TNC.

[WHITBISSELL!]

...there are other Batbaddies out there, you know!Eggzackly!

http://deconstructingcomics.com/Batpoles/egghead.jpg

[Allaby]

Jitterbugs (1943) A pleasantly charming Laurel & Hardy film with some fun bits. 3.5 :)

[Allaby]

International House (1933) on the Criterion Channel. :) Directed by A. Edward Sutherland and starring W.C. Fields, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Bela Lugosi, Cab Calloway, Rudy Vallee, and more. Silly shenanigans featuring a fun cast and some funny dialogue. 3.5

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e5/Babyteeth_%28film%29.jpg
By Filmow, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61691615

Babyteeth - (2019)

There could have been many worse ways to spend a Saturday afternoon than watching Babyteeth, Shannon Murphy's directorial debut, that won me over with the charisma of young actors Eliza Scanlen and Toby Wallace, not to mention favourite Ben Mendelsohn returning to an Australian feature after some time overseas. Milla (Scanlen) is 16, and is fighting cancer in a battle she knows she'll eventually lose. When she meets 23 year-old drug addict Moses (Wallace) she knows he's the love of her life, despite his abhorrent behaviour. Her parents Henry (Mendelsohn) and Anna (Essie Davis) are unconventional, and know what Moses means to her, so, Henry offers to support his drug-addled lifestyle if he'll stay with them until Milla passes. Every character in this is going through some kind of immediate life crisis, so the way they all interact with each other is quite interesting, and the performances here are quite good - not to mention the story and screenplay. A pleasant surprise.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7a/Relic_poster.jpeg
By Studio and or Graphic Artist - Can be obtained from film's distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64246866

Relic - (2020)

Relic is pretty good at creating an atmosphere of dread, but don't expect a straightforward horror film. Instead Natalie Erika James wanted to fill her movie with meaning and purpose, which means at a certain stage in the film's final act, all narrative drive is given over to metaphor and pure expression. "It's not Nana anymore!" Nana's daughter and granddaughter shout, which has meaning in a horror-like possession sense, but also inasmuch as this film is about our dread concerning old age and dementia. I'm sure for some people the themes will be a little too stark and obvious, but if you love being spooked out by dream-like surreal imagery and things that go bump in the night (literally) this film at least expertly constructs that kind of ambience.

7/10

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moviehousememories.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F09%2FMy-Favorite-Year-1982-featured.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

My Favorite Year, 1982

Benjy (Mark Linn-Baker) works at a live sketch comedy television show with his girlfriend, KC (Jessica Harper). When the guest star for the week is one of Benjy's childhood heroes, an alcoholic movie star named Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole), Benjy ends up assigned to keep Swann out of trouble in the week leading up to the show.

Much like the central character of the film, I found this movie to be relatively charming, though it never kicked into top gear for me.

There's nothing really wrong with the film. Linn-Baker is a fun and sympathetic lead as he tries to juggle his love life, his professional life, and keep his mother happy. O'Toole looks as if he's having great fun as the ageing, egotistical actor who has a habit of ending up in outlandish situations, coasting on the goodwill he earned during his hayday as an Errol Flynn-style swashbuckling actor.

The supporting cast also does a great job, especially the running joke of silent writer Herb (Basil Hoffman) only ever whispering his ideas to Alice (Anne de Salvo) who then delivers them. Selma Diamond is also very funny as grouchy costume designer Lil.

There were certainly some moments that sparkled, but a lot of the film stayed just under the threshold between fun and funny. Some of the one-liners were excellent, but the film as a whole lacked a bit of punch for me. I thought that the finale, which largely relies on sprawling physical comedy didn't quite hit the climax that the film needed.

Despite not loving this one, there is undoubtedly both a pace and a warmth to it (such as in the scene where Benjy tries to coach KC about how to deliver a joke) that I could see how it would be someone's favorite, or at the very least one of those movies you go back to again and again as a comfort watch.

3.5

[Deschain]

Just got back from The Batman.

https://i.imgflip.com/24wtsw.gif

[CringeFest]

Just got back from The Batman.

https://i.imgflip.com/24wtsw.gif


It was worth it?

[CringeFest]

The Lives of Others (2006)


5


Wow...definitely a good movie for those who like The Wire

[Deschain]

It was worth it?

I’m a big Batman fan but I’ve preferred B:TAS over the live action movies. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the Burton flicks and TDK but even those have their problems, the big one for me is it’s not enough Batman.

And I get it. The suit is unwieldy, impractical and uncomfortable. You want to see your actor’s face and I can’t even begin to fathom trying to shoot a fight scene in it. But still, it’s always disappointing how little Batman is actually in Batman movies.

In The Batman he’s Batman the entire time. Like B:TAS he’s only Bruce Wayne when a scene specifically calls for it, otherwise he’s in the suit, even when he’s just standing around doing nothing, On top of that it’s gorgeously shot and thrillingly paced. Nothing we haven’t seen before from a Batman story but it’s told damn well. I don’t know if it’s the best Batman movie but it’s definitely the most Batman movie and I’m very satisfied.

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://64.media.tumblr.com/d517606e706476d4fde298430303d827/88a2577d821b10c6-79/s540x810/e34f64cd104a9ca752c636bbba17422a7544fbaa.gifv

https://64.media.tumblr.com/ccbc4cdcc4b4e46d593e7b6d574ad75c/460e37f78eeb52af-86/s540x810/d3bf13d967657a9bb9bac388d2282e81851c86c1.gifv
https://64.media.tumblr.com/eeff2d50309083773d5358c9acb734ab/a853ae1cee0dff03-63/s540x810/b3d9f28be50d56f66a4c8778de799f2c807872eb.gifv


The King's Man - Matthew Vaughn loves writing these types of potboilers. Elaborate concoctions they may well be but there's usually a common thread running throughout. Here he doesn't appear to know what he wants this prequel to be with the common thread being the same outlandish component involving the clandestine Kingsman spy agency. Is it a historical epic? Or a grim anti-war polemic? How about a father & son requiem?

It does eventually pick up steam but by that time the movie is half done and once they've moved past Rhys Ifan's Rasputin it sort of gets bogged down again in Vaughn's geopolitical discourse. I've always had a soft spot for history so I knew a lot of the names Vaughn throws at us but I have to wonder if it affected people's enjoyment of it. The audience score at RT is almost double that of the critics score so I guess not.

Ralph Fiennes is the main saving grace. The man has an effortless way of selling anything he's in. He and Ifans don't really steal the movie. They're just the redoubtable stars. I think there's been a perceptible downward trajectory with the Kingsman franchise. But then I suppose it was never exactly my favorite to begin with.

70/100

[Wooley]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7a/Relic_poster.jpeg
By Studio and or Graphic Artist - Can be obtained from film's distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64246866

Relic - (2020)

Relic is pretty good at creating an atmosphere of dread, but don't expect a straightforward horror film. Instead Natalie Erika James wanted to fill her movie with meaning and purpose, which means at a certain stage in the film's final act, all narrative drive is given over to metaphor and pure expression. "It's not Nana anymore!" Nana's daughter and granddaughter shout, which has meaning in a horror-like possession sense, but also inasmuch as this film is about our dread concerning old age and dementia. I'm sure for some people the themes will be a little too stark and obvious, but if you love being spooked out by dream-like surreal imagery and things that go bump in the night (literally) this film at least expertly constructs that kind of ambience.

7/10

Even though I was a little irked that the movie was not what I came for I had to respect it for what it was
Except for one thing, which maybe I just didn't understand. I didn't understand what the daughter getting trapped in the seemingly endless attic-space thing had to do with anything. I'm thinking it's a metaphor I missed.

[Wooley]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moviehousememories.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F09%2FMy-Favorite-Year-1982-featured.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

My Favorite Year, 1982

Benjy (Mark Linn-Baker) works at a live sketch comedy television show with his girlfriend, KC (Jessica Harper). When the guest star for the week is one of Benjy's childhood heroes, an alcoholic movie star named Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole), Benjy ends up assigned to keep Swann out of trouble in the week leading up to the show.

Much like the central character of the film, I found this movie to be relatively charming, though it never kicked into top gear for me.

There's nothing really wrong with the film. Linn-Baker is a fun and sympathetic lead as he tries to juggle his love life, his professional life, and keep his mother happy. O'Toole looks as if he's having great fun as the ageing, egotistical actor who has a habit of ending up in outlandish situations, coasting on the goodwill he earned during his hayday as an Errol Flynn-style swashbuckling actor.

The supporting cast also does a great job, especially the running joke of silent writer Herb (Basil Hoffman) only ever whispering his ideas to Alice (Anne de Salvo) who then delivers them. Selma Diamond is also very funny as grouchy costume designer Lil.

There were certainly some moments that sparkled, but a lot of the film stayed just under the threshold between fun and funny. Some of the one-liners were excellent, but the film as a whole lacked a bit of punch for me. I thought that the finale, which largely relies on sprawling physical comedy didn't quite hit the climax that the film needed.

Despite not loving this one, there is undoubtedly both a pace and a warmth to it (such as in the scene where Benjy tries to coach KC about how to deliver a joke) that I could see how it would be someone's favorite, or at the very least one of those movies you go back to again and again as a comfort watch.

3.5

This is actually one of my favorite movies of my entire life.

[Wooley]

I’m a big Batman fan but I’ve preferred B:TAS over the live action movies. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the Burton flicks and TDK but even those have their problems, the big one for me is it’s not enough Batman.

And I get it. The suit is unwieldy, impractical and uncomfortable. You want to see your actor’s face and I can’t even begin to fathom trying to shoot a fight scene in it. But still, it’s always disappointing how little Batman is actually in Batman movies.

In The Batman he’s Batman the entire time. Like B:TAS he’s only Bruce Wayne when a scene specifically calls for it, otherwise he’s in the suit, even when he’s just standing around doing nothing, On top of that it’s gorgeously shot and thrillingly paced. Nothing we haven’t seen before from a Batman story but it’s told damn well. I don’t know if it’s the best Batman movie but it’s definitely the most Batman movie and I’m very satisfied.

This makes me very excited. Hopefully seeing it Monday.

[CringeFest]

I’m a big Batman fan but I’ve preferred B:TAS over the live action movies. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the Burton flicks and TDK but even those have their problems, the big one for me is it’s not enough Batman.

And I get it. The suit is unwieldy, impractical and uncomfortable. You want to see your actor’s face and I can’t even begin to fathom trying to shoot a fight scene in it. But still, it’s always disappointing how little Batman is actually in Batman movies.

In The Batman he’s Batman the entire time. Like B:TAS he’s only Bruce Wayne when a scene specifically calls for it, otherwise he’s in the suit, even when he’s just standing around doing nothing, On top of that it’s gorgeously shot and thrillingly paced. Nothing we haven’t seen before from a Batman story but it’s told damn well. I don’t know if it’s the best Batman movie but it’s definitely the most Batman movie and I’m very satisfied.


I was just suspicious because the name seemed to be uncreative for a 2022 batman movie, but I'm glad you liked it. I'm not much of a theater goer these days for reasons unrelated to covid

[Fabulous]

The Last Full Measure (2019)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/ekCg33wwIbXPc80i5AwNgoOuqx0.jpg

[sawduck]

Licorice Pizza 7/10

The Wave (2008) 8/10

True Stories 7/10

[Takoma11]

This is actually one of my favorite movies of my entire life.

Like I said, I totally get how it would be a favorite. Not for me, but for others.

[Thursday Next]

Uncharted (2021)

I thought this was stupid, charmless and made Red Notice look like a masterpiece. My 11 year old thought it was 'a good movie with no boring bits'. Teenage girls in the screening seemed to enjoy Tom Holland's shirtless scenes. I do not think I was the target audience.

2

[Corax]

Uncharted (2021)

I thought this was stupid, charmless and made Red Notice look like a masterpiece. My 11 year old thought it was 'a good movie with no boring bits'. Teenage girls in the screening seemed to enjoy Tom Holland's shirtless scenes. I do not think I was the target audience.

rating_2


Welcome to the club. You've been at the carnival long enough to know how all the games are rigged. They no longer need you. There's a sucker born every minute.

[edarsenal]

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ice-e1644940757326.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
https://www.cineuropa.org/imgCache/2022/02/18/1645188592749_0620x0435_26x0x1001x702_1645188644517.jpg


Against the Ice (2021) 3.5++ A slow-burning, but, for me, quite engaging "based on true incidents" film of an 1909 Arctic expedition in Greenland.

It centers on the harsh two years of being lost in the frozen arctic tundra of Greenland. During an expedition to prove that Greenland is not separated by two landmasses, settling a dispute with the U.S. looking to snatch up the northern section of Greenland.

This movie is far from intense. The 400 plus days of the explorer and his greenhorn volunteer is still an intriguing watch for my roommate and me. We enjoyed both the cinematic beauty and the various hardships they endured and fully understood why it is a labor of love by leading actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

[mark f]

After Yang (Kogonada, 2021) 2.5 5.5/10
Isabella (Matías Piñeiro, 2020) 2 5/10
Creation Stories (Nick Moran, 2021) 2.5 6/10
War Party (Franc Roddam, 1988) 3- 6.5/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/d01a37a0465bc7a2d94c8dcc204dbd98/ffa7f86de70fc961-a3/s540x810/81e0dc241a3345625e1a05438c8e42dfe875425c.gifv
In a town full of racial tension near a Montana reservation, a re-enactment of a battle erupts in death with more to probably follow. Young Blackfeet Billy Wirth and Kevin Dillon are in the middle of the trouble.
Nightride (Stephen Fingleton, 2021) 2.5 5.5/10
The Desperate Riders (Michael Feifer, 2022) 1.5+ 4.5/10
Fresh (Mimi Cave, 2022) 2.5 6/10
Tootsie (Sydney Pollack, 1982) 4 8/10
https://img.women.com/images/images/000/024/882/large/J5rNHUK5m.gif?1463701896
Dustin Hoffman poses as a woman to get work as an actor on a soap opera, and his feminism starts to influence others on the show, including Jessica Lange.
American Renegades (Steven Quale, 2017) 2.5 6/10
The Changed (Michael Mongillo, 2021) 2 5/10
Indemnity (Travis Taute, 2021) 2.5 5.5/10
Lucy and Desi (Amy Poehler, 2022) 3.5 7/10
https://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/lucilleballlittlericky.gif
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz made one of the most influential TV shows in history ["i Love Lucy"], and it even extended to having their children as part of the plotline.
A Day to Die (Wes Miller, 2022) 2 5/10
Lions for Lambs (Robert Redford, 2007) 2.5 6/10
They Live in the Grey (Vang Bros., 2022) 2+ 5/10
Rain Man (Barry Levinson, 1988) 3.5 7/10
https://zuts.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/rain-man-k-mart-sucks.gif
Autistic savant Dustin Hoffman finally agrees with his selfish brother (Tom Cruise) after he goes on a road trip with him where they come to learn about each other.
Project Gemini (Serik Beyseu, 2022) 2 5/10
Batman (Leslie H. Martinson, 1966) 2.5 6/10
Asking for It (Eamon O'Rourke, 2021) 2 5/10
Batman & Bill (Don Argott & Sheena M. Joyce, 2017) 3.5- 7/10
https://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Bob_Bill_sketch-500x300_c.jpg
Bill Finger and Bob Kane co-created Batman, but from what's revealed in this doc, and there's no good reason not to believe it, Finger was the main creator of many of the characters and plot points.

[Allaby]

Noah’s Shark (2021) Directed by Mark Polonia. A cheesy B movie. It's not good, but has some fun moments. Could have used more shark scenes. I've seen worse. 2.5

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9b/HoneyBoyPoster.jpg
By IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61470531

Honey Boy - (2019)

I'm often confronted by actors I don't particularly like impressing me with performances and career moves that belie some of their earlier choices. Shia LaBeouf is simply great here as James Lort - a character that is based on Jeffrey LaBeouf, Shia's father. The film takes place during two time periods - an uneasy present, where a 22 year-old Otis Lort - a hugely famous actor - is in rehab after being arrested during a drunken rampage, and a traumatic past when a 12 year-old Lort is emotionally and physically abused by an unbalanced father. That power dynamic - between a son (still a child) with wealth and power and a father who has been to prison for rape, is an alcoholic and suffers from his own trauma - is what makes Honey Boy absolutely riveting. The modern-day scenes don't do as much, but it is well worth watching this film just for the scenes between young Noah Jupe and Shia LaBeouf playing a version of his own father. Otis begins to recognize he has some kind of moral superiority to his father, and when he takes into account he's already outshone his dad career-wise he begins to talk down to him - that sends James into a psychological tail-spin where the abuse starts to escalate and both father and son begin to disintegrate. Soon enough, Otis starts to crave the love that all human beings need - something he searches for with a sad desperation. This is a film I really wouldn't mind seeing multiple times.

https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2019-08/8/18/asset/f64d9635a035/anigif_sub-buzz-3727-1565288649-1.gif?resize=625:256

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/The_Intouchables.jpg
By May be found at the following website: http://www.lecinemaestpolitique.fr/intouchables-2011-lintouchable-domination-masculine-2/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35327302

The Intouchables - (2011)

I completely ruined The Intouchables for myself by watching remake The Upside before it. The former is clearly superior to the latter - but throughout the entire viewing I had the feeling of watching something I'd already seen. I'm never doing that again - it's not something I did on purpose. The Upside just happened to be on and I watched it. I really don't know why it took me over 10 years to get to this popular French film - and I feel slightly robbed. But it was good.

7/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2a/Greenland_%28film%29.png
By http://www.impawards.com/2020/greenland.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66154663

Greenland - (2020)

Basically a combination of Deep Impact and 2012, this film is shallow entertainment, but at least it's decent shallow entertainment. I can't really fault it on much, except perhaps an overreliance on melodrama. Towards the end you really have to put in an extra effort to suspend disbelief. Yeah - things get a little unbelievable, but there are some other big budget disaster epics that are far more fanciful than this. Just a family and a planet-killing comet that's due to hit the Earth in 24 hours - a topic that's been explored enough for one to start making "Top 10" lists about them.

7/10

[Takoma11]

I'm often confronted by actors I don't particularly like impressing me with performances and career moves that belie some of their earlier choices

Shia LaBeouf is such a conundrum for me. I think he's a person with some serious issues (probably at some intersection of mental health and addiction), and he's clearly done harm to many people in his life. But he also does some consistently interesting and brilliant things. I don't know. The stuff FKA Twigs said about their relationship was pretty disturbing and has really distanced me from being able to enjoy watching him.

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fe/House.of.Gucci.film.jpeg

2.5

SF = Zzzz


[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

[PHOENIX74]

Shia LaBeouf is such a conundrum for me. I think he's a person with some serious issues (probably at some intersection of mental health and addiction), and he's clearly done harm to many people in his life. But he also does some consistently interesting and brilliant things. I don't know. The stuff FKA Twigs said about their relationship was pretty disturbing and has really distanced me from being able to enjoy watching him.

He strikes me as the kind of person where if I actually knew him personally I'd dislike him with a quiet kind of intensity. I guess playing that kind of character in Honey Boy clicked, because we're meant to loathe him in it, and he seemed to be saying "I know I'm an awful person and I've started to examine myself in an attempt to change." However much people can really change, I don't know.

[Fabulous]

Leave No Trace (2018)

3.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/mYXiZwHVPsygsk1Akz1AgO93JUu.jpg

[StuSmallz]

I’m a big Batman fan but I’ve preferred B:TAS over the live action movies. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the Burton flicks and TDK but even those have their problems, the big one for me is it’s not enough Batman.

And I get it. The suit is unwieldy, impractical and uncomfortable. You want to see your actor’s face and I can’t even begin to fathom trying to shoot a fight scene in it. But still, it’s always disappointing how little Batman is actually in Batman movies.

In The Batman he’s Batman the entire time. Like B:TAS he’s only Bruce Wayne when a scene specifically calls for it, otherwise he’s in the suit, even when he’s just standing around doing nothing, On top of that it’s gorgeously shot and thrillingly paced. Nothing we haven’t seen before from a Batman story but it’s told damn well. I don’t know if it’s the best Batman movie but it’s definitely the most Batman movie and I’m very satisfied.Well, I did like it a lot on the whole, enough that it's currently my second favorite Batfilm, but I would still have to put it below The Dark Knight (https://letterboxd.com/stusmallz/film/the-dark-knight/) as the high water mark of the franchise; Reeves is a good director in general, but his talent is more at individual setpieces, with a certain amount of "downtime" inbetween, whie Nolan at his best is great at maintaining a consistent intensity throughout, which made his film more impactful for me. I am a fan of both, though!

[Gideon58]

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0057/3728/3618/products/clue24x36_480x.progressive.jpg?v=1616350847


1st Re-watch. I don't know, but I found this movie way funnier on this re-watch. It's really quite brilliant, right up there with stuff like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Airplane. Jonathan Lynn's direction is meticulous and the ensemble cast is perfection. I'm upping my original rating.

4

[Stirchley]

Shia LaBeouf is such a conundrum for me. I think he's a person with some serious issues (probably at some intersection of mental health and addiction), and he's clearly done harm to many people in his life. But he also does some consistently interesting and brilliant things. I don't know. The stuff FKA Twigs said about their relationship was pretty disturbing and has really distanced me from being able to enjoy watching him.

Just saw him in this very excellent movie. I don’t really care what he’s done off-screen: I like him as an actor very much.

I think AgrippinaX would like this movie unless she’s put off by Shia.

85879

[Stirchley]

85880

Rewatch of Trier’s second part of his trilogy. I like this much better than the first part. The final third of the trilogy is not available for streaming, at least right now, so no clue how we’re supposed to see it.

85881

Kinda nutty, but I enjoyed it very much. Amy Adams carried the movie.

[AgrippinaX]

Just saw him in this very excellent movie. I don’t really care what he’s done off-screen: I like him as an actor very much.

I think AgrippinaX would like this movie unless she’s put off by Shia.

85879

You’re right, I really loved the film and I don’t mind Shia at all.

[Stirchley]

You’re right, I really loved the film and I don’t mind Shia at all.

Kirby was brand-new to me. Excellent actress. Ellen Burstyn always a treat.

[Citizen Rules]

Kirby was brand-new to me. Excellent actress. Ellen Burstyn always a treat.Vanessa Kirby was in the first two season of The Crown. She played Princess Margaret.

[ThatDarnMKS]

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD

A fantastic "coming of age" story that asks the question of when exactly does one come of age? In their teens? In their 30s? When tragedy strikes? Or is life an ever shifting, ever evolving state of being until it inevitably ends?

It's a movie as fascinated by the banal intricacies of life as it is with grand dramatic events and treats them with the same microscopic focus and intimacies.

Like most of the Scandinavian films I've seen, it manages to balance it's bleak existential angst with style, quirky, low-key humor and compassion.

I loved it and it's currently one of my favorites or any Oscar nominated films.

5/5

[AgrippinaX]

Kirby was brand-new to me. Excellent actress. Ellen Burstyn always a treat.

Indeed, that she is. Do have a look through Kirby’s filmography, I think there’s a lot you might like.

[this_is_the_ girl]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmetrograph.imgix.net%2F2021%2F07%2FRM.jpg%3Ffm%3Dpjpg%26ixlib%3Dphp-3.3.0&f=1&nofb=1
Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle (1987, Éric Rohmer)
4

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthecinematheque.ca%2Fassets%2Fimages%2Ffilms%2F_large169%2FSpring_web1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1
A Tale of Springtime (1990, Éric Rohmer)
3

[Stirchley]

Vanessa Kirby was in the first two season of The Crown. She played Princess Margaret.

I hated The Crown. Not gonna watch her in it.

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD

A fantastic "coming of age" story that asks the question of when exactly does one come of age? In their teens? In their 30s? When tragedy strikes? Or is life an ever shifting, ever evolving state of being until it inevitably ends?

It's a movie as fascinated by the banal intricacies of life as it is with grand dramatic events and treats them with the same microscopic focus and intimacies.

Like most of the Danish films I've seen, it manages to balance it's bleak existential angst with style, quirky, low-key humor and compassion.

I loved it and it's currently one of my favorites or any Oscar nominated films.

5/5

Isn’t it Norwegian?

Indeed, that she is. Do have a look through Kirby’s filmography, I think there’s a lot you might like.

I did. Nothing resonated.

[Citizen Rules]

I hated The Crown. Not gonna watch her in it.
What did you hate about it? I thought it was well rounded and fair to the royal family.

[Takoma11]

Just saw him in this very excellent movie. I don’t really care what he’s done off-screen: I like him as an actor very much.

I like him as an actor as well.

But killing stray animals as part of his "process", physical abuse, and sexual violence are over the line for me in what I can compartmentalize.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTJiMWFiNzgtMDQxZi00NTFiLWE2YjMtNTA5NzY5YzQxZjNjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTIzOTk5ODM@._V1_.jpg



2

[ThatDarnMKS]

I
Isn’t it Norwegian?




You're right. I even knew that but I'm headachy and crossed my Scandinavians. They have similar cinematic cultures (among others) but an oops is an oops.

[ThatDarnMKS]

I like him as an actor as well.

But killing stray animals as part of his "process", physical abuse, and sexual violence are over the line for me in what I can compartmentalize.
Hadn't heard that one before. Oof. He reminds me of a lot of self-loathing sadists that I knew in my youth. Charming, talented but self destructive with the tendency to harm others along the way. There's a reason I stopped associating with them.

[Stirchley]

What did you hate about it? I thought it was well rounded and fair to the royal family.

Didn’t believe in any of the characters. Always a dealbreaker for me.

I like him as an actor as well.

But killing stray animals as part of his "process", physical abuse, and sexual violence are over the line for me in what I can compartmentalize.

I can understand this.

You're right. I even knew that but I'm headachy and crossed my Scandinavians. They have similar cinematic cultures (among others) but an oops is an oops.

I always mix up Denmark & Sweden. Norwegians I remember since they don’t have a lot of stuff out there.

[ThatDarnMKS]

I always mix up Denmark & Sweden. Norwegians I remember since they don’t have a lot of stuff out there.
My Viking History studies cross contaminated my ability to separate them. Even Iceland gets side eyed into my Scandinavian monolith.

[Takoma11]

Hadn't heard that one before. Oof. He reminds me of a lot of self-loathing sadists that I knew in my youth. Charming, talented but self destructive with the tendency to harm others along the way. There's a reason I stopped associating with them.

It's something he said to FKA Twigs and it certainly sounds like she believed it. And I think it's significant that he hasn't denied any of her accusations.

When what I heard about him was stuff directed inward (like that he had teeth pulled to get in character for a role) I was more sympathetic. But as it starts to direct outward at other people my sympathy really starts to wane. Especially because he seems very aware that he's committing harm.

[Wooley]

https://i.imgur.com/K2M6EXh.jpg?1

I think my expectations were just too high.
Or maybe I was right as I watched it and it's just not that great.
It's not that I didn't enjoy it, I did, I liked Pattinson and Kravitz and Dano, frankly I liked the whole cast, I liked Gotham a lot, loved the car, the score was pretty perfect, cinematography was great, I even noted that I felt the editing was just right... and yet...
I dunno, it just felt like it didn't pay off.
Some characters it felt like we either needed more or less of but not the amount we got (looking at you Alfred and Penguin) and it felt like the movie should have ended, not in terms of run-time but in terms of story, about 15 minutes sooner. Falcone as the guy we were looking for the whole time just didn't play very well for me (though I thought Turturro did a very nice job), in fact that whole mystery about who's-the-rat didn't really come together very well in my opinion. "A falcon has wings"? Please. The stuff with Thomas Wayne was convoluted and all just explained away in expository dialogue. One character tells Bruce who killed his father and why and who his father really was in one scene and in the very next one another character tells him that was all a lie and it was actually the liar who did it and all that... it didn't feel earned at all. And then suddenly the movie's about a Combine killer inspiring other basement miscreants into a deadly act of mass terrorism...
And then of course, there's the Joker cameo. Why? Why was this necessary? Ok, if you were gonna do it, which again was totally unnecessary, could it have actually been good?
I dunno, man, maybe if I saw it again... but then again, I might actually like it even less if I saw it again, considering all the different points I've just come up with writing this that I thought were wrong about the movie.
I liked Pattinson a lot. It wasn't the Bruce Wayne (or Batman for that matter) that we've seen in any of the other films but I liked it even if it was fairly far from canon. But I don't know, I'm just not sure this movie worked and if it did maybe it somehow just wasn't for me.

[ThatDarnMKS]

[CENTER][
I liked Pattinson a lot. It wasn't the Bruce Wayne (or Batman for that matter) that we've seen in any of the other films but I liked it even if it was fairly far from canon. But I don't know, I'm just not sure this movie worked and if it did maybe it somehow just wasn't for me.
Gonna need to see your sources on that. It's far and away the most canonically accurate Batman to the post-Year One interpretation committed to Live Action. And it's not even remotely close.

[Wooley]

Gonna need to see your sources on that. It's far and away the most canonically accurate Batman to the post-Year One interpretation committed to Live Action. And it's not even remotely close.

I've been reading Batman since I was 5. I'm 49. And I can see your point I guess if you throw out everything pre-Miller. Which I can't because I was alive and read it all in real time. I saw Burton's films. I saw TAS happen as it was happening. I've read so many Batman stories I can't even remember what half of them are called anymore (Fugitive, Court Of Owls, all the Miller books, The Long Halloween, No Man's Land, Hush, The Killing Joke, Strange Apparitions, I even read the one where he turns into a vampire, and dozens more). But I think this one took the edgiest interpretation of older Batman and made the entire character that from his start.
What I mean is that there really aren't many versions (although I admit I haven't read Year Two in a long time) where he has completely abandoned any semblance of Bruce Wayne at all and has no public presence whatsoever but is basically a fury-driven recluse that no one even knows... before he even becomes The Bat. A big part of the versions of Bruce Wayne through the years, including the last 40, has been that protecting the Wayne name and his father's legacy is still so important to him that he is willing to keep up a public persona. In this film, there is no human side to him at all. There is no Bruce Wayne. And yes, some of the comics have talked about this idea and suggested that he could lose his fortune because he's too obsessive about being Batman, but in this one, it's all that all the time, there is no Bruce Wayne at all or rather Bruce Wayne simply is The Batman and there is no other version of him, there is no day-face, there is no legacy, he is just utterly consumed with vengeance and seems to have no direction other than his need to fill the hole. Even Year One had him putting on appearances to maintain some other image. In this, he hasn't cast that off, he never had it at all. Most of the Batman stories (excluding the ones that take place later in his life) that have looked at this angle of whether he is more Bruce or Bats have it as a kind of battle for his soul or him losing it. In this, he never had a soul. The day his parents died, he stopped being human.
And that is what I mean by fairly far from canon. I love that they leaned hard into it, to be honest with you, it's an interpretation of the character we haven't seen on screen and frankly I liked it a lot more than whatever Bale was doing. It's just taking the most extreme version of the character and making that the character. Other stuff like him being more of a detective in a bat suit that can also maul a half-dozen criminals, that's all good.

[ThatDarnMKS]

I've been reading Batman since I was 5. I'm 49. And I can see your point I guess if you throw out everything pre-Miller. Which I can't because I was alive and read it all in real time. I saw Burton's films. I saw TAS happen as it was happening. I've read so many Batman stories I can't even remember what half of them are called anymore (Fugitive, Court Of Owls, all the Miller books, The Long Halloween, No Man's Land, Hush, The Killing Joke, Strange Apparitions, I even read the one where he turns into a vampire, and dozens more). But I think this one took the edgiest interpretation of older Batman and made the entire character that from his start.
What I mean is that there really aren't many versions (although I admit I haven't read Year Two in a long time) where he has completely abandoned any semblance of Bruce Wayne at all and has no public presence whatsoever but is basically a fury-driven recluse that no one even knows... before he even becomes The Bat. A big part of the versions of Bruce Wayne through the years, including the last 40, has been that protecting the Wayne name and his father's legacy is still so important to him that he is willing to keep up a public persona. In this film, there is no human side to him at all. There is no Bruce Wayne. And yes, some of the comics have talked about this idea and suggested that he could lose his fortune because he's too obsessive about being Batman, but in this one, it's all that all the time, there is no Bruce Wayne at all or rather Bruce Wayne simply is The Batman and there is no other version of him, there is no day-face, there is no legacy, he is just utterly consumed with vengeance and seems to have no direction other than his need to fill the hole. Even Year One had him putting on appearances to maintain some other image. In this, he hasn't cast that off, he never had it at all. Most of the Batman stories (excluding the ones that take place later in his life) that have looked at this angle of whether he is more Bruce or Bats have it as a kind of battle for his soul or him losing it. In this, he never had a soul. The day his parents died, he stopped being human.
And that is what I mean by fairly far from canon. I love that they leaned hard into it, to be honest with you, it's an interpretation of the character we haven't seen on screen and frankly I liked it a lot more than whatever Bale was doing. It's just taking the most extreme version of the character and making that the character. Other stuff like him being more of a detective in a bat suit that can also maul a half-dozen criminals, that's all good.

When adapting a character like Batman, you have to choose an era to have any coherent sense of the character. Adam West’s version is as canonically valid to his era of Batman but is a far cry from “The Dark Knight,” characterization.

You’re rundown is focused on the handling of Bruce Wayne, but the characterization featured here is in many ways a direct adaptation of Batman Earth One, with an obvious attempt to maintain the way Batman is presented by Miller/Brubaker/Loeb.

In that regard, it’s far more accurate to its interpretations and accepted “universal truths” of the character. It’s odd that you minimize him being a detective (a key defining feature of the character lacking in virtually all live action versions), can fight (a facet only believably executed in BvS), and abides by his ethos of not killing (something all other adaptations, even West, have failed to accurately capture). His Batman behaves absolutely canonically to that interpretation of the character, and that matters a great deal more to the Bruce Wayne, who is clearly on the path to becoming the playboy/philanthropist facade we’re more readily familiar with.

[Wooley]

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0057/3728/3618/products/clue24x36_480x.progressive.jpg?v=1616350847


1st Re-watch. I don't know, but I found this movie way funnier on this re-watch. It's really quite brilliant, right up there with stuff like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Airplane. Jonathan Lynn's direction is meticulous and the ensemble cast is perfection. I'm upping my original rating.

4

I don't know that I'd put it in the rare air you've mentioned here, but I really do think it is better on subsequent viewings and I do like it quite a bit.

[Wooley]

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD

A fantastic "coming of age" story that asks the question of when exactly does one come of age? In their teens? In their 30s? When tragedy strikes? Or is life an ever shifting, ever evolving state of being until it inevitably ends?

It's a movie as fascinated by the banal intricacies of life as it is with grand dramatic events and treats them with the same microscopic focus and intimacies.

Like most of the Scandinavian films I've seen, it manages to balance it's bleak existential angst with style, quirky, low-key humor and compassion.

I loved it and it's currently one of my favorites or any Oscar nominated films.

5/5

I'm very intrigued by this film and your review has intrigued me further.

[Wooley]

When adapting a character like Batman, you have to choose an era to have any coherent sense of the character. Adam West’s version is as canonically valid to his era of Batman but is a far cry from “The Dark Knight,” characterization.

You’re rundown is focused on the handling of Bruce Wayne, but the characterization featured here is in many ways a direct adaptation of Batman Earth One, with an obvious attempt to maintain the way Batman is presented by Miller/Brubaker/Loeb.

In that regard, it’s far more accurate to its interpretations and accepted “universal truths” of the character. It’s odd that you minimize him being a detective (a key defining feature of the character lacking in virtually all live action versions), can fight (a facet only believably executed in BvS), and abides by his ethos of not killing (something all other adaptations, even West, have failed to accurately capture). His Batman behaves absolutely canonically to that interpretation of the character, and that matters a great deal more to the Bruce Wayne, who is clearly on the path to becoming the playboy/philanthropist facade we’re more readily familiar with.
Yeah, I'm not following you here. I don't know what you mean by me minimizing him being a detective (it's a given to anyone who knows the character and was even a huge part of Adam West's Batman among virtually every other one, even in the Arkham video games for that matter, so there is no knowing the character and not knowing that) and I'm pretty certain I didn't say anything about his "ethos of not killing" so you've lost me there.
Best I can understand is that maybe you're saying that a version of the character like this does exist within the accepted texts of the character, you specifically cite Earth One, but if that is your point then we are missing each other. I'm not saying that there's never been a version of the character like this ever represented in the history of Batman, I'm saying it's much nearer the edge of the history of the character.
I ran our discussion by another huge Batman fan that I know who also saw the film in the last 36 hours and he is with me on this so I feel somewhat confident that I haven't overlooked something unless I'm just misunderstanding you. I'm not sure what "canonical to that interpretation" you're referring to here, you may have just lost me somehow.
Do I think this interpretation of him as a detective is canonical? Absolutely, except perhaps that he's not that great of a detective in this (even though maybe the movie is trying to make it seem like he is? Or are they trying to make it seem like he's still developing, it did seem like they tried that but the way the mystery arc plays out just seemed so obvious I didn't even think it was on the table, yet he and everyone else missed it). But yes, literally every Batman fan in the entire world has got to know that he's "The World's Greatest Detective" so that can't be what we're disagreeing on.
Do I think him being able to fight is canonical? Of course I do that's even more obvious than the detective part of him.
The not killing thing, well, again, I didn't mention it so I don't know why we'd be discussing that.
But the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Batman has been teased apart so many times over the decades and the average of it is probably that Bruce would often like to let himself go to the Batman but there is also a human side to him. Some of it is a put on, as in the famous scene from the canon you originally evoked, Year One:

https://i.imgur.com/LnAls5p.jpg?1

... showing that even in his very first year as Batman, he already knew how to be affable, charming, convincing, as the need arose. It was another part of being The Batman, to be able to also publicly be Bruce Wayne even if he internally felt that they were the same. And even that level of duality is almost 50 years in. But so much of the history of Batman over the last 50 years has been about the internal struggle between the man, Bruce Wayne, who exists, and The Batman. He's had love interests, and not just ones that were super-villains, he's cared about people, he's considered giving up the Bat to have a normal life and be Bruce Wayne, in short, Bruce Wayne the man exists in the average of the canon. A version of the character like this, where he is, from the start, only The Batman and has no idea how to even be a Bruce Wayne, how to even act in public, how to care about other people, how to even keep his billions from dwindling before he's 30, how to care about anything other than the crusade, yes, a version like that is out there in the canon, though probably as a combination of a couple/few versions, but it's hardly the average of it. And that was my very small point. If there's a center of the history of the character, this version is near an extreme.
None of that, however, has anything to do with why I didn't particularly love the movie though, as my review, such as it is, makes very clear. To repeat, again, making this the third or fourth time I've said it, I enjoyed seeing this version of the character brought to the screen. It's the story I thought needed work.

[Deschain]

Browsing HBO Max I found the 1997 crime thriller Breakdown starring the legendary Kurt Russell and every character actor in the county. I remember seeing the box for this at Blockbuster when I was a kid but otherwise never heard anyone talk about it. No real surprises with the story as it’s pretty straightforward and fast paced. The villains’ plan doesn’t seem very practical but they were satisfyingly menacing and the final set piece was exciting. I was entertained.

[Siddon]

Browsing HBO Max I found the 1997 crime thriller Breakdown starring the legendary Kurt Russell and every character actor in the county. I remember seeing the box for this at Blockbuster when I was a kid but otherwise never heard anyone talk about it. No real surprises with the story as it’s pretty straightforward and fast paced. The villains’ plan doesn’t seem very practical but they were satisfyingly menacing and the final set piece was exciting. I was entertained.


Sounds like all of Mostow's films I've seen



-Surrogates
-U-571
-Terminator 3

[AgrippinaX]

Sounds like all of Mostow's films I've seen



-Surrogates
-U-571
-Terminator 3

I really like Breakdown for some reason.

[ThatDarnMKS]

Yeah, I'm not following you here. I don't know what you mean by me minimizing him being a detective (it's a given to anyone who knows the character and was even a huge part of Adam West's Batman among virtually every other one, even in the Arkham video games for that matter, so there is no knowing the character and not knowing that) and I'm pretty certain I didn't say anything about his "ethos of not killing" so you've lost me there.
Best I can understand is that maybe you're saying that a version of the character like this does exist within the accepted texts of the character, you specifically cite Earth One, but if that is your point then we are missing each other. I'm not saying that there's never been a version of the character like this ever represented in the history of Batman, I'm saying it's much nearer the edge of the history of the character.
I ran our discussion by another huge Batman fan that I know who also saw the film in the last 36 hours and he is with me on this so I feel somewhat confident that I haven't overlooked something unless I'm just misunderstanding you. I'm not sure what "canonical to that interpretation" you're referring to here, you may have just lost me somehow.
Do I think this interpretation of him as a detective is canonical? Absolutely, except perhaps that he's not that great of a detective in this (even though maybe the movie is trying to make it seem like he is? Or are they trying to make it seem like he's still developing, it did seem like they tried that but the way the mystery arc plays out just seemed so obvious I didn't even think it was on the table, yet he and everyone else missed it). But yes, literally every Batman fan in the entire world has got to know that he's "The World's Greatest Detective" so that can't be what we're disagreeing on.
Do I think him being able to fight is canonical? Of course I do that's even more obvious than the detective part of him.
The not killing thing, well, again, I didn't mention it so I don't know why we'd be discussing that.
But the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Batman has been teased apart so many times over the decades and the average of it is probably that Bruce would often like to let himself go to the Batman but there is also a human side to him. Some of it is a put on, as in the famous scene from the canon you originally evoked, Year One:

https://i.imgur.com/LnAls5p.jpg?1

... showing that even in his very first year as Batman, he already knew how to be affable, charming, convincing, as the need arose. It was another part of being The Batman, to be able to also publicly be Bruce Wayne even if he internally felt that they were the same. And even that level of duality is almost 50 years in. But so much of the history of Batman over the last 50 years has been about the internal struggle between the man, Bruce Wayne, who exists, and The Batman. He's had love interests, and not just ones that were super-villains, he's cared about people, he's considered giving up the Bat to have a normal life and be Bruce Wayne, in short, Bruce Wayne the man exists in the average of the canon. A version of the character like this, where he is, from the start, only The Batman and has no idea how to even be a Bruce Wayne, how to even act in public, how to care about other people, how to even keep his billions from dwindling before he's 30, how to care about anything other than the crusade, yes, a version like that is out there in the canon, though probably as a combination of a couple/few versions, but it's hardly the average of it. And that was my very small point. If there's a center of the history of the character, this version is near an extreme.
None of that, however, has anything to do with why I didn't particularly love the movie though, as my review, such as it is, makes very clear. To repeat, again, making this the third or fourth time I've said it, I enjoyed seeing this version of the character brought to the screen. It's the story I thought needed work.
You minimized all the ways they canonically captured Batman by dismissing it in one paragraph after extrapolating for a page what boils down to “he wasn’t Bruce Wayne enough.”

Even in this expansion, your central focus is on a missing dual identity, as if it grossly misses the mark when*

1) it’s supported by other comics*
2) he’s does still make a public appearance as Bruce in which he’s spoken of as a recluse, which is was even the entire basis of Vicky Vale investigating him in Burton’s film.
3) Batman considering Batman his true self is established lore, from various comics to Batman Beyond. “The real mask is Bruce Wayne” is a recurring concept.

The fact is, no other Batman film has been close to as comic accurate in its presentation of BATMAN. All of them feature him killing, not doing detective work or demonstrating keen intelligence, and usually poorly display his fighting skills/tactics.

[Deschain]

Sounds like all of Mostow's films I've seen



-Surrogates
-U-571
-Terminator 3

Oh right on I like U-571...not so much the other two.

[Wooley]

You minimized all the ways they canonically captured Batman by dismissing it in one paragraph after extrapolating for a page what boils down to “he wasn’t Bruce Wayne enough.”

Even in this expansion, your central focus is on a missing dual identity, as if it grossly misses the mark when*

1) it’s supported by other comics*
2) he’s does still make a public appearance as Bruce in which he’s spoken of as a recluse, which is was even the entire basis of Vicky Vale investigating him in Burton’s film.
3) Batman considering Batman his true self is established lore, from various comics to Batman Beyond. “The real mask is Bruce Wayne” is a recurring concept.

The fact is, no other Batman film has been close to as comic accurate in its presentation of BATMAN. All of them feature him killing, not doing detective work or demonstrating keen intelligence, and usually poorly display his fighting skills/tactics.

I guess I need to go back and re--read my review, I didn't think I said anything like that.
I had one sentence, I think it was only a fragment of a sentence, where I said "it was fairly far from canon" in terms of the portrayal of Bruce Wayne.
Yeah, I just re-read it and I don't know what you're talking about. I feel like you're reading someone else's posts and responding to mine.
I absolutely did not "minimize all the ways they canonically captured Batman by dismissing in one paragraph... 'he wasn't Bruce enough'". I said absolutely nothing of the kind.
I actually said that I liked the portrayal and I liked Pattinson's performance, in fact, and it's right there in black and white, you can go back and read it, that I liked this portrayal of the character "a lot" and that "it wasn't the Bruce Wayne we've seen... in other films".
I specifically said that I liked, and it's all right there in my post, virtually everything about the movie as it relates to the characters. My only complaints against the movie were with the mechanics of the plot. Only complaints were with the plot. NO complaints about Bruce Wayne or Batman. That is not in my post. It is simply not there. Now you have me writing essays defending a statement I never made because I thought I must have missed something somewhere but this is not the case, you are simply having me argue a point I never made.
"Even in this expansion your central focus is on a missing dual identity..." Yeah, because that is specifically what you asked me to focus on. So I did. While wondering, "What the hell is MKS talking about?! I never said that!" And your points above I actually said them in my "expansion". So what the hell are we arguing about?!
The issues with this movie are the plot. Period. Everything else works. Especially Batman/Bruce Wayne. I wish they'd written a better script to showcase it.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjdkZjNjNDItYzc4MC00NTkxLTk1MWEtY2UyZjY5MjUwNDNkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA1OTcyNDQ4._V1_.jpg


4

[ThatDarnMKS]

I guess I need to go back and re--read my review, I didn't think I said anything like that.
I had one sentence, I think it was only a fragment of a sentence, where I said "it was fairly far from canon" in terms of the portrayal of Bruce Wayne.
Yeah, I just re-read it and I don't know what you're talking about. I feel like you're reading someone else's posts and responding to mine.
I absolutely did not "minimize all the ways they canonically captured Batman by dismissing in one paragraph... 'he wasn't Bruce enough'". I said absolutely nothing of the kind.
I actually said that I liked the portrayal and I liked Pattinson's performance, in fact, and it's right there in black and white, you can go back and read it, that I liked this portrayal of the character "a lot" and that "it wasn't the Bruce Wayne we've seen... in other films".
I specifically said that I liked, and it's all right there in my post, virtually everything about the movie as it relates to the characters. My only complaints against the movie were with the mechanics of the plot. Only complaints were with the plot. NO complaints about Bruce Wayne or Batman. That is not in my post. It is simply not there. Now you have me writing essays defending a statement I never made because I thought I must have missed something somewhere but this is not the case, you are simply having me argue a point I never made.
"Even in this expansion your central focus is on a missing dual identity..." Yeah, because that is specifically what you asked me to focus on. So I did. While wondering, "What the hell is MKS talking about?! I never said that!" And your points above I actually said them in my "expansion". So what the hell are we arguing about?!
The issues with this movie are the plot. Period. Everything else works. Especially Batman/Bruce Wayne. I wish they'd written a better script to showcase it.
I asked for you to explain how this wasn’t a “canonical” presentation of the character.

The majority of your points dealt with how it handled the Bruce Wayne side of Batman’s personality.

I dismissed those as minor in the face of the numerous strengths that this film has in presenting the most canonically accurate Batman in live action (except MAYBE Adam West).

And here we are. How did I get here? Letting the days go by. Let the water hold me down.

[Fabulous]

Extraction (2020)

2.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/wLVFj4alWRWzEC5uSdoWzN2BU6O.jpg

[Corax]

Extraction (2020)

rating_2_5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/wLVFj4alWRWzEC5uSdoWzN2BU6O.jpg


This was OK. Some nice action sequences, but not really memorable overall.

[Gideon58]

Sounds like all of Mostow's films I've seen






-Surrogates
-U-571
-Terminator 3


I love Breakdown...one of my guilty pleasures.

[Wooley]

I asked for you to explain how this wasn’t a “canonical” presentation of the character.

The majority of your points dealt with how it handled the Bruce Wayne side of Batman’s personality.

I dismissed those as minor in the face of the numerous strengths that this film has in presenting the most canonically accurate Batman in live action (except MAYBE Adam West).

And here we are. How did I get here? Letting the days go by. Let the water hold me down.

Yes, but that was literally a fragment of a single sentence near the end of my post.
The majority of my points did NOT deal with how it handled the Bruce Wayne side of Batman's personality until you asked me to expound on that. My entire argument about my displeasures with the movie had NOTHING to do with that and had everything to do with plotting, as I clearly described. So I just don't understand. I feel like you're picking literally a fragment of one of my sentences and making this all about that when my review of the movie has essentially nothing to do with that and you are completely ignoring everything I said about the actual movie, which is fine if you don't want to discuss my actual reaction to the movie, but why are we having a multi-page discussion about a red herring?
Actually, I don't wanna know. This is exhausting, let's move on.

[ThatDarnMKS]

Yes, but that was literally a fragment of a single sentence near the end of my post.
The majority of my points did NOT deal with how it handled the Bruce Wayne side of Batman's personality until you asked me to expound on that. My entire argument about my displeasures with the movie had NOTHING to do with that and had everything to do with plotting, as I clearly described. So I just don't understand. I feel like you're picking literally a fragment of one of my sentences and making this all about that when my review of the movie has essentially nothing to do with that and you are completely ignoring everything I said about the actual movie, which is fine if you don't want to discuss my actual reaction to the movie, but why are we having a multi-page discussion about a red herring?
Actually, I don't wanna know. This is exhausting, let's move on.
Bro, I don’t have to take issue with everything you said. I saw one thing I disagreed with that piqued my interest and found I still disagreed with your justification. Not sure what’s mystifying.

If someone said “I love to eat all kinds of meat. Chicken. Beef. Pork. Puppies.” And I said “hold up, what about puppies?” And they’re like “that was just one word out of all the meats I eat!” would you understand what I’m getting at?

[Allaby]

I just finished watching Teenage Hitchhikers (1974) on blu ray. This comedy is about two sassy and adorable young women named Mouse and Bird (Chris Jordan, Sandra Peabody) who hitch hike across the country. They meet interesting people and have wild adventures. This film was a blast! Chris Jordan and Sandra Peabody give fun, energetic performances. The film is playful and has some genuinely funny moments. If you enjoy silly and sexy 70s comedies, then this is worth checking out. My rating is 4.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fopenloading.com%2Fmedia%2Favengement-2019-original-1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Avengement, 2019

As a crew of men sit and chat in a pub, an escaped convict named Cain (Scott Adkins) appears and provokes them into a confrontation. Before long it becomes clear that the crew of guys are the underlings of Cain's brother, Lincoln (Craig Fairbrass). As the evening unfolds, Cain reveals the story of how he was sent to jail, his various trials inside, and the revenge he has already taken and yet plans to take in the very near future.

Scott Adkins is one of my main go-to B-action stars, and I especially appreciate films that make the most out of his incredible gymnastic athleticism. But this film has a lot more going for it than just an actor I like at its center, and it was a really pleasant surprise.

First things first, MKS tipped me onto this film, noting that it was a movie that showed that Adkins has some range as an actor beyond just baseline charisma and an insanely high roundkick. And I have to agree. A lot of action movies try to go the funny route in order to disguise the relative weakness of their stars' acting capabilities. But Avengement has the confidence to let silence and sincere emotion fill its down time. In one sequence, Cain is on the verge of telling his mother that he was betrayed by his brother . . . when his mother drops the bomb that she is seriously ill with cancer. Cain chokes back his words, instead telling his mother he's glad his brother is able to help take care of her. The story is really one of a decent person slowly being ground down by a cruel, stacked system, and Adkins manages to sell the reluctance and eventual unhinged anger of his character.

The film has a really interesting structure, layering multiple stretches of time on top of one another. We start in the present, then divert back to Cain being convinced to commit a crime. Then into prison and Cain's relentless abuse and assault from fellow inmates. But later in the film we go back to the crime that he committed, now with new understanding of just what was at stake. There are a lot of movies that try to do fun or tricky things with time, and often it feels like something that exists just to show off or to clumsily obfuscate some sort of twist. What I admired most about this film and its chosen structure was how easy everything was to follow, and how plot twists were layered into the narrative in a way that continually allowed the characters' motivations to evolve or be cast in a different light. The movie uses the look of Adkins' character as a way to keep track of time, ranging from his unscathed face at the beginning, to a slightly scarred visage, to the metal-dentured, burned man who walks into the pub at the beginning of the film.

The fight sequences are all pretty decent. While I wouldn't necessarily say that any of them were stand-out amazing, the violence all made sense with the plot and there is good fight choreography present in all of them. Cain is introduced as a former fighter, which smooths over the idea that he can handle himself in the different melees. It's a credit to the film and Adkins that Cain manages to look intimidated and unsure of himself in earlier sequences when we all know that a martial arts explosion is on the horizon.

In terms of negatives, well, there was nothing that bothered me too much. That said, I did have my expectations set to "B-action film" mode. Some of the acting on the periphery might be a bit spotty and some of the attempts at comedy might clunk a little. But overall the flow of the film is strong enough that nothing stood out too badly. A few elements strained credulity for me, but I will give the film credit that it at least tried to explain certain things (like why it is that Cain repeatedly gets in trouble for what are clearly pre-meditated murder attempts on his life). A few of the present day sequences in the pub feel a bit redundant in terms of the staging and dialogue, but they do not last very long.

Good stuff.

4

[Wooley]

Bro, I don’t have to take issue with everything you said. I saw one thing I disagreed with that piqued my interest and found I still disagreed with your justification. Not sure what’s mystifying.

If someone said “I love to eat all kinds of meat. Chicken. Beef. Pork. Puppies.” And I said “hold up, what about puppies?” And they’re like “that was just one word out of all the meats I eat!” would you understand what I’m getting at?

Yes, I think now I do. It seemed to me by tenor or context that you were extending my entire reaction to the film from just my brief, off-hand comment that this particular portrayal of the character was a fairly extreme version of the character compared to the entire history of the character, which is a statement I stand by and have made a clear and strong case for, but has nothing to do with my enjoyment of the film. Actually that's not true, it actually enhanced my enjoyment of the film, but I still think the film is plagued with issues. But that is apparently not what you were saying, you just wanted to argue that one point. Is that correct?

[Wooley]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fopenloading.com%2Fmedia%2Favengement-2019-original-1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Avengement, 2019

Good stuff.

4
I guess at some point I'm just gonna have to suck it up and watch a Scott Adkins movie.

[Takoma11]

I guess at some point I'm just gonna have to suck it up and watch a Scott Adkins movie.

I'd make it Avengement or Accident Man (which has a hilariously dumb title and is not as strong as a story, but does have a great cast and strong fight sequences).

[ThatDarnMKS]

First things first, MKS tipped me onto this film, noting that it was a movie that showed that Adkins has some range as an actor beyond just baseline charisma and an insanely high roundkick. And I have to agree.

Oh that sweet, sweet recognition. Glad you dug it! I picked up the dvd at the dollar store the other day and the guy who rang me up was so stoked that I was buying it. So that guy approves too!

But that is apparently not what you were saying, you just wanted to argue that one point. Is that correct?

Correctomundo! I mean, didn’t particularly agree with your issues but the only one I cared to debate was specifically in your description of his characterization because I consider it by far the most comic accurate live action version of Batman.

[Takoma11]

Oh that sweet, sweet recognition. Glad you dug it! I picked up the dvd at the dollar store the other day and the guy who rang me up was so stoked that I was buying it. So that guy approves too!

You. Me. The gut at the dollar store. Avengementmania is sweeping the nation!

[Allaby]

Just finished watching Schoolgirls in Chains (1973). It's a horror film about two deranged brothers and their mother who abduct young women (none of them are schoolgirls though). I thought this was an effective and reasonably well made film. It was sufficiently creepy and sleazy enough to keep viewers interested. There was one part of the story that I thought was too derivative of another film and that part of it was too predictable, but I liked the ending. It's worth watching for fans of 70s horror. My rating is a 3.5

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvenkatarangan.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F07%2FDownfall-2004.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Downfall, 2004

Toward the end of WW2, Traudl (Alexandra Maria Lara) is brought into the Nazi headquarters under Berlin to serve as a secretary to Hitler (Bruno Ganz). As military operations unravel and defeat looms, the underground bunker becomes the site of both absurd normalcy and outrageous, explosive emotions and violence.

This movie is . . . I don't know how to describe it. The opposite of Xanax?

This is a film with a lot of cultural "noise", from the attention it got on its release to the (hilarious) unrelenting memes centered on a sequence where Hitler reacts poorly to bad news. Usually I don't do well with films when I've gleaned so much about them via osmosis, but in this case the strength of the film really rose above all that. (Okay, I did giggle a bit when that meme scene hit, but honestly that might have been out of mental health survival).

There isn't anything here that doesn't deserve praise. Rather than centering on Hitler, as I'd assumed the film would, it is a sprawling, interwoven story that takes in everyone from the secretaries to the children of the Goebbels to a young boy who decides he will fight for his country to the bitter end. By slightly un-centering Hitler, the movie allows for some breathing room in how it shows the bizarre and upsetting events that took place over the ten days following Hitler's birthday.

The acting is strong, and to the film's credit I found it pretty easy to keep track of the absolutely enormous cast of characters. There's a fascinating emotional arc that we see in almost all of the characters where they move from genuine hope, to desperate hope, to delusion, to something like acceptance. This is mirrored in sequences we see outside of the bunker, such as the fact that military officials are still pinning medals of honor on soldiers as surrender and the encroaching Russian military looms.

The movie is also, it must be said, unrelentingly tense and horrifying. Have you ever read one of those articles about some dude who loses his job and just decides to go home and slaughter his whole family before killing himself? That's basically the last HOUR of the movie, and it is relentless. The movie never tries to argue for the innocence of its characters, but there is something unspeakably horrifying about a child resisting drinking something that she suspects isn't really "medicine." Even as you know that the people in the film (well, most of the people) made choices that put them in that position, some strains of basic human empathy can't help but break through.

I'm still debating the length of the film, which felt maybe a touch overlong? But then again, the way that events are drawn out adds to the horror, so I was at least in theory on board with it.

I'm not sure I could watch this movie again. I had to use like four different mental wellness exercises to get through it (thanks, Happify!). But I think it's one of those brilliant films you need to watch at least once. And just in case an argument could be made about the film humanizing the Nazi characters, the movie begins and ends with archive footage of an interview with the real Traudl who ultimately concludes that there is no excuse, not ignorance, and not the folly of youth.

4.5

[Wyldesyde19]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvenkatarangan.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F07%2FDownfall-2004.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Downfall, 2004

Toward the end of WW2, Traudl (Alexandra Maria Lara) is brought into the Nazi headquarters under Berlin to serve as a secretary to Hitler (Bruno Ganz). As military operations unravel and defeat looms, the underground bunker becomes the site of both absurd normalcy and outrageous, explosive emotions and violence.

This movie is . . . I don't know how to describe it. The opposite of Xanax?

This is a film with a lot of cultural "noise", from the attention it got on its release to the (hilarious) unrelenting memes centered on a sequence where Hitler reacts poorly to bad news. Usually I don't do well with films when I've gleaned so much about them via osmosis, but in this case the strength of the film really rose above all that. (Okay, I did giggle a bit when that meme scene hit, but honestly that might have been out of mental health survival).

There isn't anything here that doesn't deserve praise. Rather than centering on Hitler, as I'd assumed the film would, it is a sprawling, interwoven story that takes in everyone from the secretaries to the children of the Goebbels to a young boy who decides he will fight for his country to the bitter end. By slightly un-centering Hitler, the movie allows for some breathing room in how it shows the bizarre and upsetting events that took place over the ten days following Hitler's birthday.

The acting is strong, and to the film's credit I found it pretty easy to keep track of the absolutely enormous cast of characters. There's a fascinating emotional arc that we see in almost all of the characters where they move from genuine hope, to desperate hope, to delusion, to something like acceptance. This is mirrored in sequences we see outside of the bunker, such as the fact that military officials are still pinning medals of honor on soldiers as surrender and the encroaching Russian military looms.

The movie is also, it must be said, unrelentingly tense and horrifying. Have you ever read one of those articles about some dude who loses his job and just decides to go home and slaughter his whole family before killing himself? That's basically the last HOUR of the movie, and it is relentless. The movie never tries to argue for the innocence of its characters, but there is something unspeakably horrifying about a child resisting drinking something that she suspects isn't really "medicine." Even as you know that the people in the film (well, most of the people) made choices that put them in that position, some strains of basic human empathy can't help but break through.

I'm still debating the length of the film, which felt maybe a touch overlong? But then again, the way that events are drawn out adds to the horror, so I was at least in theory on board with it.

I'm not sure I could watch this movie again. I had to use like four different mental wellness exercises to get through it (thanks, Happify!). But I think it's one of those brilliant films you need to watch at least once. And just in case an argument could be made about the film humanizing the Nazi characters, the movie begins and ends with archive footage of an interview with the real Traudl who ultimately concludes that there is no excuse, not ignorance, and not the folly of youth.

4.5


I enjoyed their movie, and it’s been awhile, but thinking back, I don’t get the sense they covered Traudi too often, or at least not enough to really convey her feelings one way or another towards Hitler.
It is quite possible I just don’t remember if they really did.

[Takoma11]

I enjoyed their movie, and it’s been awhile, but thinking back, I don’t get the sense they covered Traudi too often, or at least not enough to really convey her feelings one way or another towards Hitler.
It is quite possible I just don’t remember if they really did.

Her character is more of a witness than an active participant. But we do see in the beginning that she is very charmed by him and flattered that he wants her to work so closely to him.

I am inclined to believe her (the real her) in the end where she says that she did not realize at the time the scope of what was happening. But she also points out that she could have known.

In the film toward the end she is sort of baffled by those who seem determined to stay behind and not try to escape.

I think that she is more of a framing device. A reminder that someone was there and able to give first-hand accounts of what went on.

[Wyldesyde19]

Her character is more of a witness than an active participant. But we do see in the beginning that she is very charmed by him and flattered that he wants her to work so closely to him.

I am inclined to believe her (the real her) in the end where she says that she did not realize at the time the scope of what was happening. But she also points out that she could have known.

In the film toward the end she is sort of baffled by those who seem determined to stay behind and not try to escape.

I think that she is more of a framing device. A reminder that someone was there and able to give first-hand accounts of what went on.

Yeah, my grandfather said the same thing when he fought for Germany. He didn’t know the scope. Information was as easily to attain as it is now. *Not that’s an excuse.
Still hated Americans though, never did approve of my dad as a result. *

Thinking back on Downfall, now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m starting to remember that I felt her character was underwhelming, or at least her part. I seem to remember Ganz dominating the film, which, while really good, occasionally steered into overacting. *

I think it’s definitely a film I should see again to refresh my memory. But I’m in no rush to.

[SpelingError]

I'll have to check out Downfall soon. It didn't seem like the kind of film which would appeal to me when I first heard about it, but the reactions I've seen from some posters here are convincing me otherwise.

[Deschain]

What streaming service can I watch Avengement? Takoma11 ThatDarnMKS

[Takoma11]

What streaming service can I watch Avengement? Takoma11 ThatDarnMKS

Netflix. (EDIT: Or a $3 rental on the major streaming platforms).

[SpelingError]

What streaming service can I watch Avengement? Takoma11 ThatDarnMKS
Just steal the film. That's what I and all the other cool kids are doing nowadays.

Yeah, I'll show myself out.

[Takoma11]

I'll have to check out Downfall soon. It didn't seem like the kind of film which would appeal to me when I first heard about it, but the reactions I've seen from some posters here are convincing me otherwise.

I think it is worth checking out at least once. But it is pretty harrowing and has a long runtime, so make sure you're in the right mood.

Thinking back on Downfall, now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m starting to remember that I felt her character was underwhelming, or at least her part. I seem to remember Ganz dominating the film, which, while really good, occasionally steered into overacting.

I didn't feel that Ganz dominated the film, though he is obviously very central to what is happening. But there are really long stretches where we don't see much of him. And I think that part of the point of the film is the way that he has his public persona that begins to crumble as things don't go his way.

I mean, his dead body is on fire in a ditch when there's still like 50 minutes left in the movie.

I don't think that Traudl is meant to be a very integral part of the film outside of her witnessing events. Though the quiet conversations she has with the other women over lunch as bombs thunder outside drive home this other kind of horror.

[Takoma11]

Just steal the film. That's what I and all the other cool kids are doing nowadays.

Yeah, I'll show myself out.

And end up in jail?

Man, you clearly did NOT learn the valuable lessons Avengement was putting down.

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/80/Mother_film_poster.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22835866

Mother - (2009)

What can I say? Awesome. Bong Joon Ho weaves his particular sense of comedy into a deadly serious film, much like he did in Memories of Murder, constructing a tale of motherly devotion and familial dysfunction that centers of the murder of a young South Korean schoolgirl, and the arrest of a young mentally handicapped fellow who can't even really remember if he's guilty or not. This young guy, Yoon Do-joon (Won Bin) has a mother (Kim Hye-ja) who will turn the entire town upside down in her quest to prove his innocence. Along the way, long repressed family secrets will bubble to the surface, and the facts surrounding the case prove chilling. Kim Hye-ja is amazing and you just can't look away or miss a moment of her dramatics. It's rare to see so much comical absurdity exist side-by-side with real-world murkiness, murder and pain - it's what Bong Joon Ho does so well, but ultimately it's the story and performances rising to match his peerless direction which makes this a film not to be missed. I'd missed out on it for too long.

9/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/Fatima_2020_poster.jpg
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2197936/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63628143

Fatima - (2020)

For those of you who don't know what happened in Fatima in 1917, basically three kids swore to the fact that they were witnessing visions of the Virgin Mary, which brought people flocking. When the time came for a promised miracle, there occurred the "Miracle of the Sun" - which scientists have debated, as when you stare at the sun unusual things do happen to your eyes. There was one of two ways this movie could go - either the "make your own judgement" way, or "there's the Virgin Mary - it was real" way. The film follows the latter, so although I was interested in the real story, this is a kind of fictionalized account that nonetheless gives us an insight into Portuguese society at the time (going through a period when people were moving away from religion) and the trouble these kids got into by sticking by their story. Just personally, I found the Blessed Virgin Mary in this movie to be extremely creepy - like, Samara from The Ring creepy. There is a present-day section where a skeptical professor (Harvey Keitel) questions the lone living witness, Lúcia dos Santos, on what happened. Everything is skewed heavily towards the visions being real, and I was hoping for something a little more impartial.

6/10

[ThatDarnMKS]

What streaming service can I watch Avengement? Takoma11 ThatDarnMKS
What Tak said. But you can also probably find it at your closest Dollar Tree.

[Wooley]

Correctomundo! I mean, didn’t particularly agree with your issues but the only one I cared to debate was specifically in your description of his characterization because I consider it by far the most comic accurate live action version of Batman.

I think it is very comic accurate to that particular interpretation of the character, which I have in fact wanted to see on the screen for some time. Which is probably why I'm so disappointed, because I thought Pattinson and Reeves nailed it, and Reeves and the other actors nailed Gotham and several of the other characters (though no one ever gets Gordon right for me and I'm not totally sold on this Penguin, though I thought it was a good performance), but I thought the script had significant problems and it sounds like (from what I read today) the studio got involved insisting certain things be in there for their sequels and spinoffs that were not necessarily right for the plot of this film.

[ThatDarnMKS]

I think it is very comic accurate to that particular interpretation of the character, which I have in fact wanted to see on the screen for some time. Which is probably why I'm so disappointed, because I thought Pattinson and Reeves nailed it, and Reeves and the other actors nailed Gotham and several of the other characters (though no one ever gets Gordon right for me and I'm not totally sold on this Penguin, though I thought it was a good performance), but I thought the script had significant problems and it sounds like (from what I read today) the studio got involved insisting certain things be in there for their sequels and spinoffs that were not necessarily right for the plot of this film.
Like the characterization of Batman, I felt the plot captured much more about what I love about the comics than any of the live action films before. I’ve mentioned Brubaker and Loeb before and the atmosphere and plotting seemed to be pulled straight from each respectively. The thematic arcs, both of reckoning with the failures of father figures, as well as the futility of vengeance in the face of providing hope, were both well realized and really hit the nail on the head.

It really feels like a Loeb crime-noir mystery akin to Long Halloween and Dark Victory. Something I’ve seen homaged on screen but never replicated with such veracity.

[Wooley]

Like the characterization of Batman, I felt the plot captured much more about what I love about the comics than any of the live action films before. I’ve mentioned Brubaker and Loeb before and the atmosphere and plotting seemed to be pulled straight from each respectively. The thematic arcs, both of reckoning with the failures of father figures, as well as the futility of vengeance in the face of providing hope, were both well realized and really hit the nail on the head.

It really feels like a Loeb crime-noir mystery akin to Long Halloween and Dark Victory. Something I’ve seen homaged on screen but never replicated with such veracity.

Well, I agree with all that, I thought the themes were also very good. As I've said it was the mechanics of the plot that I struggled with. Ok, this is what you were trying to tell and you told it but did you tell it well? You nailed the feeling, of Batman, of Bruce, of Gotham, of the kind of inky, deadly mystery one gets in tLH (which I think was a much better story than this one ultimately turned out to be) and Haunted Knight and McFarlane's work on Year Two and to some degree Miller's Year One , but does the story itself, the one Batman is ultimately just a character in, play? Does it flow, does it hit its beats well? Do all the characters belong and their motivations make sense? Is there studio-fat? Should this film have been 20 minutes longer or 20 minutes shorter? (The answer to both is yes.)
None of that has anything to do with how well Reeves and Co. brought that inky-dark post-Miller/Jeph Loeb Batman, it just has to do with story mechanics and possible studio "notes".
I guess I feel like it "really feels like a Loeb crime-noir mystery akin to Long Halloween and Dark Victory", but one that doesn't hold together nearly as tightly.

[ThatDarnMKS]

Well, I agree with all that, I thought the themes were also very good. As I've said it was the mechanics of the plot that I struggled with. Ok, this is what you were trying to tell and you told it but did you tell it well? You nailed the feeling, of Batman, of Bruce, of Gotham, of the kind of inky, deadly mystery one gets in tLH (which I think was a much better story than this one ultimately turned out to be) and Haunted Knight and McFarlane's work on Year Two and to some degree Miller's Year One , but does the story itself, the one Batman is ultimately just a character in, play? Does it flow, does it hit its beats well? Do all the characters belong and their motivations make sense? Is there studio-fat? Should this film have been 20 minutes longer or 20 minutes shorter? (The answer to both is yes.)
None of that has anything to do with how well Reeves and Co. brought that inky-dark post-Miller/Jeph Loeb Batman, it just has to do with story mechanics and possible studio "notes".
I guess I feel like it "really feels like a Loeb crime-noir mystery akin to Long Halloween and Dark Victory", but one that doesn't hold together nearly as tightly.
I don’t see studio notes on anything in this film except…

The Joker cameo but that was apparently a part of a larger plot in which the Batman investigated personality types that would obsess over him and also pays off the character trait of Riddler’s desperation for a friend.

Virtually everything else is a love-letter to the greatest Batman mystery stories and Fincher films that functions on both narrative and thematic levels.

My only real issues fall into the nitpick category (like the intro showing criminals afraid of the shadows then the gang not knowing who Batman was supposed to be), which pale in comparison to the narrative contrivances I’ve looked past in regards to Batman adaptations and comic book movies in general.

[TheUsualSuspect]

The Batman 4

[Fabulous]

Judy (2019)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/hJXxDoCwchAuJ4K3gwtno2chgr8.jpg

[Deschain]

Netflix. (EDIT: Or a $3 rental on the major streaming platforms).

Suhweeeet Netflix it is then thanks.

And it’s under 90 minutes I love it already.

[xSookieStackhouse]

5 rewatched <3
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWIwODRlZTUtY2U3ZS00Yzg1LWJhNzYtMmZiYmEyNmU1NjMzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

[Corax]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1b/Fatima_2020_poster.jpg
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2197936/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63628143

Everything is skewed heavily towards the visions being real, and I was hoping for something a little more impartial.

6/10


You're not in the target demo. That film is made for people invested in the Fatima story. And those people are invested in the story being real or possible being real.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BY2Y0N2YyOTQtMGNiYy00ZDViLTgxYmItODkxNzlkMWVjNTFkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


2.5

[Takoma11]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BY2Y0N2YyOTQtMGNiYy00ZDViLTgxYmItODkxNzlkMWVjNTFkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


2.5

The correct rating for this film can only be "Ha-ckey-Sack"/5

[Rockatansky]

The correct rating for this film can only be "Ha-ckey-Sack"/5

It was a metaphor for the pressure placed on him by his father Tim Matheson. I will ask that you not make light of his situation.

[mark f]

Murders in the Zoo (A. Edward Sutherland, 1933) 2.5 5.5/10
Phobia (John Huston, 1980) 2 5/10
Faintheart (Vito Rocco, 2008) 2.5 6/10
Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind (Martha Kehoe & Joan Tosoni, 2019) 3+ 6.5/10
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjk3YjJlZDgtY2JhMS00MzAyLTkwOGEtMGE0OGQ3OTg3MzU2XkEyXkFqcGdeQUlNRGJWaWRlb1RodW1ibmFpbFNlcnZpY2U@ ._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,NaN,500,281_.jpg
Lightfoot looks back at his career and songs - we see him sing them in the past and present as well as others who cover them and talk about his influence.
Feast (Tim Leyendekker, 2021) 2.5 6/10
Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times (Don Was, 1995) 3 6.5/10
Autrefois J'ai aime une femme (Edward Owens, 1966) 1.5 4/10
Freud (John Huston, 1962) 3.5 7+/10
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Susannah_York-Montgomery_Clift_in_Freud_%281962%29_trailer.jpg/480px-Susannah_York-Montgomery_Clift_in_Freud_%281962%29_trailer.jpg
Susannah York is a patient who helps Sigmund Freud (Montgomery Clift) come up with his therapy technique and controversial theories which are rejected by the Vienna medical community.
Noah's Shark (Mark Polonia, 2021) 1 3/10
Adventures of Don Juan (Vincent Sherman, 1948) 3 6.5/10
Greetings (Brian De Palma, 1968) 2+ 5/10
The Devil and Daniel Webster AKA All That Money Can Buy (William Dieterle, 1941) 4 8/10
https://i.gifer.com/IKjn.gif
Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston) "gives" Jabez Stone (James Craig) money and all that money can buy in exchange for his soul, but Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) will defend him against a hellish court in my choice for the best film of 1941.
Hi, Mom! (Brian De Palma, 1970) 2 5/10
The Linguini Incident (Richard Shepard, 1991) 2.5 6/10
Black Narcissus (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1947) 3.5- 7/10
Lingui (Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, 2021) 2.5 6/10
https://www.trigon-film.org/de/movies/lingui/photos/540/lingui_03.jpg
In modern-day Chad, teenager Achouackh Abakar Souleymane wants an abortion which is against Muslim law. What ensues is a thriller about how she tries to accomplish it.
The Dead (John Huston, 1987) 2.5+ 6/10
Flesh Is Heir To (Johnson Bros, 2020) 2 5/10
The Bombardment AKA The Shadow in My Eye (Ole Bornedal, 2021) 2.5 6/10
The Defiant Ones (Stanley Kramer, 1958) 3+ 6.5/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/2394af086e755e56bea95604aef74313/a9ed3db013d60674-81/s540x810/a6655b4e23cbba6031bde75347ae865b41eef017.gifv
Two escaped convicts in the Deep South, Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis, don't really like each other, but come to respect and even care for each other on their long journey.

[Takoma11]

It was a metaphor for the pressure placed on him by his father Tim Matheson. I will ask that you not make light of his situation.

You're right. Some things really should not be made fun of, and what teenagers say in poetry slams is definitely on that list.

I hang my head in shame.

[Rockatansky]

You're right. Some things really should not be made fun of, and what teenagers say in poetry slams is definitely on that list.

I hang my head in shame.

He obviously had a fraught, distant relationship with his father Tim Matheson, evidenced by the fact that the father only appears for one scene.

[Torgo]

Zack's dad is only in one scene. The movie has 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. You do the Math...
I'll see myself out.

[Takoma11]

Zack's dad is only in one scene. The movie has 42% on Rotten Tomatoes. You do the Math...
I'll see myself out.

So just two more scenes with Tim Metheson and this could have been the first film ever to be certified 126% fresh?! What an opportunity they missed!

[Corax]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BY2Y0N2YyOTQtMGNiYy00ZDViLTgxYmItODkxNzlkMWVjNTFkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


rating_2_5


Is this one of those films where everyone realizes that the hot girl is hot when she takes her glasses off?

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn-1.filmpulse.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F06%2F16172940%2FFuneral-Still-768x560.png&f=1&nofb=1

Funeral Parade of Roses, 1969

Eddie (Pita) is a transgender woman who works in a gay bar and is having a fling with the bar's owner, Gonda (Yoshio Tsuchiya). This is much to the chagrin of Gonda's current partner, Leda (Osamu Ogasawara). Eddie dreams of being the madame in charge of the bar and plots her ascension with Gonda. But a tragedy from Eddie's past threatens to pop up in an unexpected way.

You know it's a good sign when you like the look of a film so much that you agonize over which image to include in a review.

I believe it was Rock who talked this film up a little while back. While it did leave the Criterion Channel, it was available on Kanopy, and I'm so glad I watched it. Nothing like a film going from not on your radar to a new favorite.

There are a lot of things that Funeral Parade of Roses does that, in the wrong hands, can absolutely sink a film. The story is told out of order. There are many abstract or "experimental" sequences. There's also a fine line to walk when portraying a marginalized community in terms of being honest about the flaws in that community without making it look like you're turning those people into a sideshow.

But with all of these elements, the film lands on exactly the right side. I'll admit that I had a little trouble following the story in the literal sense, but the emotional arc of it all is as plain as day. The more unconventional sections of the film look great and align perfectly with the mood of the moment. The look inside the gay/trans scene of 1960s Tokyo is powerful in just how human its characters are. The characters make mistakes, to be sure. And they are not all nice or kind people. But that is ultimately what makes a film humanizing: we are shown the deepest flaws of these characters and can still care for them.

This is a very stunning film from a visual perspective. The acting is solid---broken up by documentary-style interludes where the actors are interviewed out of character--and the story is very compelling.

No notes! Highly recommended.

4.5

[Rockatansky]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn-1.filmpulse.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F06%2F16172940%2FFuneral-Still-768x560.png&f=1&nofb=1

Funeral Parade of Roses, 1969


I believe it was Rock who talked this film up a little while back.
Not me lol, I've never seen it.

[Gideon58]

Is this one of those films where everyone realizes that the hot girl is hot when she takes her glasses off?


Yeah, something like that.

[StuSmallz]

https://i.imgur.com/K2M6EXh.jpg?1

I think my expectations were just too high.
Or maybe I was right as I watched it and it's just not that great.
It's not that I didn't enjoy it, I did, I liked Pattinson and Kravitz and Dano, frankly I liked the whole cast, I liked Gotham a lot, loved the car, the score was pretty perfect, cinematography was great, I even noted that I felt the editing was just right... and yet...
I dunno, it just felt like it didn't pay off.
Some characters it felt like we either needed more or less of but not the amount we got (looking at you Alfred and Penguin) and it felt like the movie should have ended, not in terms of run-time but in terms of story, about 15 minutes sooner. Falcone as the guy we were looking for the whole time just didn't play very well for me (though I thought Turturro did a very nice job), in fact that whole mystery about who's-the-rat didn't really come together very well in my opinion. "A falcon has wings"? Please. The stuff with Thomas Wayne was convoluted and all just explained away in expository dialogue. One character tells Bruce who killed his father and why and who his father really was in one scene and in the very next one another character tells him that was all a lie and it was actually the liar who did it and all that... it didn't feel earned at all. And then suddenly the movie's about a Combine killer inspiring other basement miscreants into a deadly act of mass terrorism...
And then of course, there's the Joker cameo. Why? Why was this necessary? Ok, if you were gonna do it, which again was totally unnecessary, could it have actually been good?
I dunno, man, maybe if I saw it again... but then again, I might actually like it even less if I saw it again, considering all the different points I've just come up with writing this that I thought were wrong about the movie.
I liked Pattinson a lot. It wasn't the Bruce Wayne (or Batman for that matter) that we've seen in any of the other films but I liked it even if it was fairly far from canon. But I don't know, I'm just not sure this movie worked and if it did maybe it somehow just wasn't for me.Yeah; I liked the movie, but I do agree with a lot of this, and while I appreciated the film's attempt at emphasizing the detective side of Batman's character, too much of that amounted to just Bats and Gordon hanging around in dark rooms and straightforwardly parroting exposition at each other (and us by extension).

[Marco]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Genuinely merde.

No rating, not even worth it.

[ueno_station54]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn-1.filmpulse.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F06%2F16172940%2FFuneral-Still-768x560.png&f=1&nofb=1

Funeral Parade of Roses, 1969

Eddie (Pita) is a transgender woman who works in a gay bar and is having a fling with the bar's owner, Gonda (Yoshio Tsuchiya). This is much to the chagrin of Gonda's current partner, Leda (Osamu Ogasawara). Eddie dreams of being the madame in charge of the bar and plots her ascension with Gonda. But a tragedy from Eddie's past threatens to pop up in an unexpected way.

You know it's a good sign when you like the look of a film so much that you agonize over which image to include in a review.

I believe it was Rock who talked this film up a little while back. While it did leave the Criterion Channel, it was available on Kanopy, and I'm so glad I watched it. Nothing like a film going from not on your radar to a new favorite.

There are a lot of things that Funeral Parade of Roses does that, in the wrong hands, can absolutely sink a film. The story is told out of order. There are many abstract or "experimental" sequences. There's also a fine line to walk when portraying a marginalized community in terms of being honest about the flaws in that community without making it look like you're turning those people into a sideshow.

But with all of these elements, the film lands on exactly the right side. I'll admit that I had a little trouble following the story in the literal sense, but the emotional arc of it all is as plain as day. The more unconventional sections of the film look great and align perfectly with the mood of the moment. The look inside the gay/trans scene of 1960s Tokyo is powerful in just how human its characters are. The characters make mistakes, to be sure. And they are not all nice or kind people. But that is ultimately what makes a film humanizing: we are shown the deepest flaws of these characters and can still care for them.

This is a very stunning film from a visual perspective. The acting is solid---broken up by documentary-style interludes where the actors are interviewed out of character--and the story is very compelling.

No notes! Highly recommended.

rating_4_5
yass! one of my all time favs <3

[Takoma11]

Not me lol, I've never seen it.

Ugh, don't make me do my research on this stuff! I think it was in Crumbsroom's thread. Hmm. Well, anyway, get on it! It's great!

[StuSmallz]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvenkatarangan.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F07%2FDownfall-2004.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

Downfall, 2004Yeah, this was a good one; I only saw it once, in the theater back in 2005, but it's lingered well in my memory since, so I should probably rewatch it soon to refresh my thoughts on it. By the way Takoma, did you ever read this article (https://hyperallergic.com/670982/what-has-become-of-film-and-tvs-many-attempts-to-dissect-hitler/) on the many attempts to analyze Hitler in media? It mentions Downfall (of course), and makes some good points, especially about the portrayals of Hitler's death in this paragraph:

One sequence in The Meaning of Hitler demonstrates this perfectly, as the filmmakers scrutinize how Hitler’s suicide is usually portrayed in film. In scenes from multiple movies and shows, we watch as a camera pans away from him, a door closes, and a distant gunshot is heard; his death is granted a measure of respect and dignity. But what about his regime’s victims? How many gruesome, cruel, explicit deaths have we witnessed in films about the Holocaust? How many indignities are shown in vivid, horrific detail? While the film is contentious and not without its faults, the graphically violent end Hitler meets in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds is more than a shallow revenge fantasy; it highlights the profane picking and choosing of who is and who is not subjected to violence in most Hollywood productions.

[StuSmallz]

Also, this is my all-time favorite "Hitler reacts" video, for obvious reasons:


https://youtu.be/i8ZpJ4lvEs8

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/TheDry2021poster.jpg
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5144174, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66309883

The Dry - (2020)

The Dry manages to be decent, and took me back to an adolescence spent in a small Australian country town, where shocking events really reverberate. Falk (Eric Bana) grew up in Kiewarra and has returned for the first time to attend the funeral of a friend, who has apparently murdered his wife and young son before turning the gun on himself. Things aren't as they seem of course, and either the film is too predictable or I'm really on form, because I immediately guessed the big reveals as soon as they were set up. I'm usually hopeless at that. What I did like about the movie was the added intrigue of Falk having a past - one where he was involved with the death of a young girl, and the fact that he has to face these old memories again - not to mention the wrath of the town, which has unfairly judged him to be the one responsible. Added to that is a mix of environmental disaster and psychological angst, something that might define the age we live in. Anyway, this manages to hold up, much like Robert Connolly's films do (Balibo was right in the same range.)

7/10

[Takoma11]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/TheDry2021poster.jpg
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5144174, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66309883

The Dry - (2020)

The Dry manages to be decent, and took me back to an adolescence spent in a small Australian country town, where shocking events really reverberate. Falk (Eric Bana) grew up in Kiewarra and has returned for the first time to attend the funeral of a friend, who has apparently murdered his wife and young son before turning the gun on himself. Things aren't as they seem of course, and either the film is too predictable or I'm really on form, because I immediately guessed the big reveals as soon as they were set up. I'm usually hopeless at that. What I did like about the movie was the added intrigue of Falk having a past - one where he was involved with the death of a young girl, and the fact that he has to face these old memories again - not to mention the wrath of the town, which has unfairly judged him to be the one responsible. Added to that is a mix of environmental disaster and psychological angst, something that might define the age we live in. Anyway, this manages to hold up, much like Robert Connolly's films do (Balibo was right in the same range.)

7/10

I read and enjoyed this novel on which this film is based, and I've been looking forward to watching it, despite the fact that it mostly seems to get "yeah, it was pretty good" reviews.

Yeah, this was a good one; I only saw it once, in the theater back in 2005, but it's lingered well in my memory since, so I should probably rewatch it soon to refresh my thoughts on it. By the way Takoma, did you ever read this article (https://hyperallergic.com/670982/what-has-become-of-film-and-tvs-many-attempts-to-dissect-hitler/) on the many attempts to analyze Hitler in media? It mentions Downfall (of course), and makes some good points, especially about the portrayals of Hitler's death.

While I agree with the article's assertion that numerous victims of Hitler's actions have had their pain, bodies, and deaths put garishly on display, often as crude spectacle, I think that showing a "real" death of Hitler would risk evoking sympathy.

I liked the approach that Downfall took, which was to allow some pathetic and distasteful stuff (like the killing of his dog) to lead up to the event, but not actually overly humanize his dying.

[Fabulous]

Unknown (2011)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/9CAYTATDzQt9QTKDozdgoAQoSMB.jpg

[pahaK]

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
4
I always scoff at people who say a movie takes itself too seriously. So, obviously, I'm delighted that Zack Snyder's Justice League is a Wagnerian superhero epic that wears its spandex suit without a hint of self-irony and never admits the childishness of its source material. I liked Josh Whedon's version too, but this is a clear step up from it. It doesn't even feel long at its whopping four hours.

In my opinion, DCEU is way better and more consistent in its quality than MCU. This is better than any MCU movie out there. I really, really like Zack Snyder's style. The epilogue was kinda unnecessary, and the final confrontation was a bit too one-linerly. Before the epilogue, I was even considering half a point more.

[Wooley]

Yeah; I liked the movie, but I do agree with a lot of this, and while I appreciated the film's attempt at emphasizing the detective side of Batman's character, too much of that amounted to just Bats and Gordon hanging around in dark rooms and straightforwardly parroting exposition at each other (and us by extension).

Truth.

[SpelingError]

27th Hall of Fame

The Secret of Roan Innish (1994) - 3

Don't have a whole lot to say about this one. I appreciated that the film avoided sentimentality, the flashbacks/stories were kind of intriguing, and some of the scenic shots looked fine (I was only impressed with a few shots though). For the most part though, I felt kin of distant from the film and I don't have a whole lot to praise it for. I think the film was attempting to coast on the strength of its atmosphere - which can work really well if done right - though I wouldn't give much praise to the atmosphere other than "A few scenes are kind of good". I liked the flashbacks of the island a decent bit, the scene with the boat in the fog was cool, the ending was pretty good, and I guess a couple shots of the seals are fine, but that's about it for me. Maybe if I found the story or the characters more compelling, I'd enjoy it more. Who knows. As it stood, it's fine and there isn't a whole lot to criticize it for, but I also wasn't engaged with a lot of the film. If I were to watch it again, I'd suspect I'd either like it a bit more or about the same.

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://64.media.tumblr.com/8de021880febac826bbd1c0314919374/tumblr_o5tpuocYB81ql2w65o1_500.gifv
https://64.media.tumblr.com/1fda20c394885bb1a300427ca7a52b40/tumblr_o5tpuocYB81ql2w65o5_500.gifv

Cast a Dark Shadow - 1955 Brit noir directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Dirk Bogarde as Edward "Teddy" Bare. He's a gigolo/fortune hunter of sorts who's been married to older, well off Monica (Mona Washbourne) for a year. But it's obvious that he's biding his time and spending her money while he works on getting her will rewritten. When she announces that she is indeed getting it amended Teddy assumes that she's writing him out. This drives him to stage an "accident" but he soon finds out she was instead leaving him her entire fortune and all he'll end up with is their home. In the meantime Monica's attorney Phillip Mortimer (Robert Flemyng) suspects him of murder but can't prove it.

Teddy soon has to go in search of his next meal ticket and meets widowed Freda Jeffries (Margaret Lockwood), a former barmaid who married a richer older man. The shrewd, no-nonsense Freda spots Teddy for the opportunist that he is but he convinces her that he has also been left financially set for life. She agrees to wed him with the understanding that both contribute equally to the marriage. It doesn't take long for her to see through his schemes but being such a pragmatist and having developed feelings for him she sets new ground rules. Teddy chafes at his "kept" status and upon making the acquaintance of well to do newcomer Charlotte Young (Kay Walsh) sees a possible way around his predicament. She's looking to purchase an estate to open an equestrian school and, having worked as a realtor, Teddy starts showing her several properties.

This is right around the time where the plot has slowed down and there is a definite lull in the proceedings. But then there's a completely unexpected development that's enough to give anyone whiplash. Maybe some people could have seen it coming but I didn't. It kind of woke me out of my torpor and, since I hadn't bothered to check out the runtime, I figured we were still knee deep in the second act. Nope.

The cast is efficient in that British drawing room mystery kind of way and Bogarde does a fine job as the textbook wolf in (threadbare) sheep's clothing. But it's Lockwood's performance as the fearless, straight-talking Freda that dominates the film. Which is a shame because the movie's failure at the box office was largely blamed on her and led to a two decade absence from the big screen. It's not the perfect noir but I think some might consider it a neglected gem.

75/100

[ThatDarnMKS]

Yeah; I liked the movie, but I do agree with a lot of this, and while I appreciated the film's attempt at emphasizing the detective side of Batman's character, too much of that amounted to just Bats and Gordon hanging around in dark rooms and straightforwardly parroting exposition at each other (and us by extension).
You win the “describe noir like it’s a bad thing” award.

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4e/Let_Him_Go_poster.jpg
By Studio and or Graphic Artist - Can be obtained from film's distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65009691

Let Him Go - (2020)

In a good revenge tale you have small people who have been humiliated, wronged and left in the dust. The perpetrators are usually untouchable, and the odds so stacked against our struggling heroes that a knot begins to form in your stomach when the two enemies are pitted against each other. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are so likeable in this that I felt that knot as they find themselves in a dangerous position - they're trying to rescue their grandson (and ex-daughter-in-law) from the clutches of a maniacal family in North Dakota. Nicely understated, all the performers hit their mark in a film that looks and sounds really good. One I really enjoyed.

7/10

[Fabulous]

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

4

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/tUEBmT7KqteCrK15kYRgvrE34jf.jpg

[this_is_the_ girl]

Continuing on with my Rohmer marathon:
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2F64.media.tumblr.com%2F72da6b447157cf2cbe814e464fdba205%2Fab034c60961850c1-48%2Fs2048x3072%2F3e778151777740c6f20eb997d8c8071dc325c724.png&f=1&nofb=1
A Summer's Tale (1996, Éric Rohmer)
4.5

Absolutely wonderful. Everything you expect from a Rohmer film is here: the beguiling, love-is-in-the-air atmosphere, the breezy, serene beauty of French scenery, the introspective, (self-)analytical dialogue, the oddly non-physical, abstract characters who serve more as "models", vessels for the philosophical and literary ideas of the director, and the choices and dilemmas these characters are faced with. Remember the beautiful Amanda Langlet, Pauline in Pauline at the Beach? You can find her here as well, playing Margot, one of the three girls the protagonist spends the entire film trying to choose between. There are some sweet moments in the film, like the opening 'arrival' sequence, the scene where they sing a song on the boat... I loved the ending too - the parting on the ramp, Margot turning around and leaving, the final shot of the departing ferry with Gaspard on it. As often with Rohmer, outwardly so simple but yet I can't stop thinking about it - it's hard to explain.

[matt72582]

The Lives of Others (2006)


rating_5


Wow...definitely a good movie for those who like The Wire


I liked "The Lives of Others", and if you did as well, you might LOVE this movie like I did.. It's a more natural, domestic version. Banned for 20 years, and finally released in 1990.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnxybrZ6ynw&t=762s

[Deschain]

You win the “describe noir like it’s a bad thing” award.

They don’t get it like us, man. We were born in the dark, they merely adapted to it. :D

[ThatDarnMKS]

They don’t get it like us, man. We were born in the dark, they merely adapted to it. :D
They think we’re in the shadows. We are the shadows.

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/26/My_Spy_poster.jpg/220px-My_Spy_poster.jpg

2.5

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

[Allaby]

I just finished watching Turning Red on Disney+. Directed by Domee Shi, this animated comedy is about a 13 year old Chinese-Canadian girl whose body is changing in exciting and scary ways. That's right...she turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited! Turning Red is cute, funny and has some hilarious moments. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Turning Red is my favourite film of the year so far and I rate it a 4.5.

[Raven73]

Boy Erased
7/10.
Eye-opening movie about conversion therapy of gay youth in America. Excellent cast.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1d/Boy_Erased_%282018_poster%29.png

[edarsenal]

https://www.nydailynews.com/resizer/IRpKSdqUlzYqlEO9RuNgSKBRZVQ=/415x276/top/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/NHFBZVNSLOO2YJBGH52JKXLWNE.jpg
https://c.tenor.com/9CQ8_4uJFIkAAAAC/battle-pal.gif
https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://i.imgur.com/5TDNh9m.gif


The Town (2010) 4++ I am pretty d@mn impressed by this fully developed, gripping heist film that balances its dramatic, emotional scenes exceedingly well with the high-calibered violence that never ventures into the truly outlandish. A tricky endeavor in this modern cinematic blockbuster age of impossible stunts.

Ben Affleck, it seems, has risen from the easy target of scorn into a serious filmmaker, and this is one of those films that has turned the tide, in my opinion. That says something since I was happily on aboard the Scorn Wagon previously.
Using The Departed (2006), Heat (1995), Mystic River (2003), and The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) as influences on this film, Affleck adheres to their standard for real tension and drama with well-rounded characters on all fronts.
I remained engrossed throughout, finding myself more and more impressed with how well Affleck kept everything so well maintained in a cohesive, realistic, and gripping drama with characters you connect with.

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b3/Minamata_%28film%29_poster.jpg
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9179096/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64202293

Minamata - (2020)

This is a hard one to rate - there's two great stories here, the first is W. Eugene Smith's personal story (he was a photojournalist for Life magazine, psychologically scarred from what he went through in the Second World War) and then there is the story of the town of Minamata in Japan. Smith went there in 1971 to cover the mercury poisoning scandal which Japanese corporation Chisso was desperately trying to cover up. The physical effects of the poisoning were devastating on the general populace, and the indifference of Chisso's CEO is absolutely chilling. Smith got to meet the people and photograph much of the suffering in what came to be a famous story in the early 70s. A lot of how much you end up appreciating this movie will depend on how you feel about Johnny Depp playing W. Eugene Smith, which has a flow-on effect since Smith shares a kind of twin-focus and is part of the story. Me personally, I could only see Johnny Depp, which took me out of the story - if Smith had of been played by an unknown actor, I might have rated Minamata as much as 8/10.

Johnny Depp's an actor who I feel has had a lot of overexposure, and that played a large part in how much I enjoyed this film - but check out the trailer below. This isn't such a bad movie - and it's worth seeing. In the end, I was so interested in it's subject I found myself wishing I was watching a documentary rather than this story about Smith's coverage of it. It's ironic that they say "Depp disappears into the role", because I felt the opposite of that. I'm not at all saying that his acting in this is bad - it's quite good - it's just the fact that he's such prolific player we've seen so much of in so many different roles, and I'm a little worn down by seeing him churn out so many performances, even while his star was on the wane.

6.5/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP3pKTssw_E

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/The_Last_Black_Man_in_San_Francisco_%282019_film_poster%29.png
By A24 Films, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60292326

The Last Black Man in San Francisco - (2019)

Interesting film about one man's passion for the house he grew up in, and his determination to possess it, despite having no means to do so. This man, Jimmie Fails, and his friend Mont Allen (Jonathan Majors) work on upkeeping the place, without the permission of it's current owners and people who inhabit it, which makes for some strange situations. When the current owner dies and the house goes through estate proceedings, Jimmie and Mont decide to break in and squat there in the hopes the property can somehow become theirs. The film flows along in an eccentric way, with various unusual characters creating their unique kind of San Francisco, and this makes the film interesting enough to sustain our attention during a sluggish first half.

The friendship Jimmie and Mont share is also a highlight - they're two gentle souls existing within an African-American community that is trying to project toughness amidst sociological struggle. Mont is something of an artist and writer, and cares so much for his friend that it will be up to him to give Jimmie some other kind of sense of identity when heartaches and disaster occur. Jonathan Majors does an amazing job of projecting how much he cares for his friend, just through facial expressions and body language. The other great character, of course, is San Francisco itself.

7.5/10

[Fabulous]

A Simple Favour (2018)

2

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/xRHRTyGt0pceKMTn3EPyRjmHHDt.jpg

[StuSmallz]

I'll have to check out Downfall soon. It didn't seem like the kind of film which would appeal to me when I first heard about it, but the reactions I've seen from some posters here are convincing me otherwise.Why not? Do you have some weird bias against movies based on pivotal historical events, or something?

:D While I agree with the article's assertion that numerous victims of Hitler's actions have had their pain, bodies, and deaths put garishly on display, often as crude spectacle, I think that showing a "real" death of Hitler would risk evoking sympathy.

I liked the approach that Downfall took, which was to allow some pathetic and distasteful stuff (like the killing of his dog) to lead up to the event, but not actually overly humanize his dying.Sure, but it can get repetitive if various works of media keeps portraying his suicide in similar manners. I mean, I get why filmmakers keep directing it that way, since all of us already know what happened in that bunker (hopefully), so there's no need to focus on the obvious, and I know they're not trying to intentionally give Adolf some sort of dignity in death that he denied the victims of the Holocaust, but I definitely think there's a way you could portray it in a more direct way, without accidentally evoking sympathy for him. I mean, unless you were making some sort of sick, pro-Nazi propaganda movie (which Downfall most certainly isn't), there's no way to depict Hitler as a sympathetic figure overall, so I think depicting him killing himself to avoid capture would naturally only play up his cowardice in context, and show how afraid he was of facing justice for all the war crimes he commited, especially if you do stuff like show him whimpering at the sound of Soviet shelling in the distance, you know? Just a thought.

[John Dumbear]

"Dune" - (2021)

Thought it was much better than the Lynch version. I say that because of never having made it through the original. 7/10



" Free Guy" - (2021)

Decent plot for a film. Kind of reminds me of "Last Action Hero" in its delivery. Also stars Ryan Reynolds, who puts out a great Ryan Reynolds effort. 7/10

[Takoma11]

Sure, but it can get repetitive if various works of media keeps portraying his suicide in similar manners.

I guess. I mean, maybe it's just me, but I don't tend to watch a lot of films that feature Hitler as a character.

Downfall may be the first film portrayal I've seen of his death. And I think that the film was taking care not to step outside of the bounds of what was known or could reasonably be inferred. As soon as you show Hitler sobbing and clutching a teddy bear as he reluctantly pulls the trigger, you enter the realm of fantasy.

[SpelingError]

Why not? Do you have some weird bias against movies based on pivotal historical events, or something?

Pretty much. Films should only be allowed to focus on certain events. History has no place in film, am I right?

In all sincerity, I hadn't seen the film mentioned on any lists I go to for recommendations, so since all I knew about the film was its length and its meme scene, it didn't attract my attention. It's on my watchlist now though.

[Wooley]

In all sincerity, I hadn't seen the film mentioned on any lists I go to for recommendations, so since all I knew about the film was its length and its meme scene, it didn't attract my attention. It's on my watchlist now though.

Exactly my story. Now I have interest.

[crumbsroom]

I for years had actually thought Downfall was a television miniseries from Germany. I had some interest, but I'm usually really slow at getting to TV shows I should watch, and a lot slips by me in the process.


As soon as I realized it was an actual movie about five or six years ago, I got myself a copy. But wasn't really aware of how much it was respected until about a year or two ago. Once all of these factors came into play, I watched it within a month and thought it was easily one of my favorite movies from this millennium.

[Takoma11]

Pretty much. Films should only be allowed to focus on certain events. History has no place in film, am I right?

In all sincerity, I hadn't seen the film mentioned on any lists I go to for recommendations, so since all I knew about the film was its length and its meme scene, it didn't attract my attention. It's on my watchlist now though.

Exactly my story. Now I have interest.

I am not into biographies, because the liberties that people take with such stories always sits as a big question mark in my mind.

I am not an expert on WW2, so I cannot personally attest to its accuracy. But I think that it pulls off a really delicate balancing act between telling true events (such as the timing and sequence of the military orders and the deaths of various characters) and feeling true in its emotional grounding. Like I wrote in my review, its best choice is the way that it de-centers Hitler himself and instead focuses on the horrific slow churn of dread as these people have their belief and hope shattered and how they each cope with that.

The film also doesn't waste time assuming that we need to understand that Hitler is a bad person and that his policies have done incredible harm to millions of people (including "his" people).

And while this is VERY subjective to each viewer, for me this was a very fast 2 1/2 hours of film.

[mark f]

Run for Cover (Richard W. Haines, 1995) 2 5/10
Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (Brent Wilson, 2021) 3.5- 7/10
Circle of Two AKA Obsession (Jules Dassin, 1981) 2 5/10
Mister Roberts (John Ford & Mervyn LeRoy, 1955) 3.5 7/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/c547b947b628d474d5fc57242188d0f2/tumblr_nchwcsbr791tt0svpo1_1280.gifv
Cargo ship executive officer Lieutenant Doug Roberts (Henry Fonda) decides how to get the captain (James Cagney) to approve his transfer orders during WWII.
Hi, Mom! (Brian De Palma, 1970) 2 5/10
When Women Kill (Lee Grant, 1983) 3+ 6.5/10
Main Street Meats (Jeff Lyon, 2017) 2 5/10
The Adam Project (Shawn Levy, 2022) 3 6.5/10
https://hype.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/The-Adam-Project-GIF.gif
12-year-old Adam Reed (Walker Scobell) works with his older self, time-traveling pilot Ryan Reynolds, to try to save his late father (Mark Ruffalo) and the world.
Grand Prix (John Frankenheimer, 1966) 2.5 6/10
Heartaches (Basil Wrangell, 1947) 2 5/10
General Orders No. 9 (Robert Persons, 2009) 2.5 5.5/10
Turning Red (Domee Shi, 2022) 3 6.5/10
https://64.media.tumblr.com/93bec6046196a41ce8a18f949a7b269a/e6e7410524a5128a-4d/s540x810/b65df26b7ade7d4b5ae50b60bded6ba7270b435f.gifv
Whenever she gets too excited, 13-year-old Mei Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang) starts to turn into a giant red panda, something she desperately tries to keep away from her controlling mother (voice of Sandra Oh).
The Canterville Ghost (Jules Dassin, 1943) 2.5 5.5/10
Kramer vs. Kramer (Robert Benton, 1979) 3 6.5/10
Julia (Fred Zinnemann, 1977) 2.5 6/10
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Pawo Choyning Dorji, 2019) 3+ 6.5/10
https://i1.ytimg.com/vi/kvaBHAePl5k/hqdefault.jpg
A Bhutanese teacher (Sherab Dorji) who also wants to be a singer in Australia gets sent to a remote Himalayan village called Lunana where he learns life and teaching lessons from enthusiastic student Pem Zam and a yak who lives in his classroom.
Sex Madness (Dwain Esper, 1932) 1.5 4/10
Earth to Echo (Dave Green, 2014) 2.5 6/10
Who Is Killing the Cheerleaders? (Jeff Hare, 2020) 2 5/10
Summer of '42 (Robert Mulligan, 1971) 3.5+ 7.5/10
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZTFkM2U3YWItNDc3Ni00ZTIyLTlkNzItOGU3MGE0NzM2YzVlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzI4Nzk0NjY@._V1_.jpg
During the Summer of '42, while he and his buddies try to get laid, 15-year-old Gary Grimes falls in love with war bride Jennifer O'Neill who worries about the fate of her husband.

[John Dumbear]

Here’s my testies…”Summer of ‘42” has a special place in my heart. My favorite romantic.

[Miss Vicky]

Here’s my testies…

Uh... :eek:

Oh. I misread that.

[John W Constantine]

I just assumed he was going balls out **shrugs**

[StuSmallz]

I just assumed he was going balls out **shrugs**Please, don't tempt Fabfunk to show up here...



/RTin-joke

[Gideon58]

https://storage.googleapis.com/soulciti-1/2021/10/090786a3-hak_31_5_promo_4c_10f-scaled.jpg



2

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d7/The_Adam_Project_poster.png/220px-The_Adam_Project_poster.png

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

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bf/Ema_2019_film_poster.jpg
By their respective producers and/or distributors - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8800266/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61732147

Ema - (2019)

I have a habit of bumping into Pablo Larraín's films, for better or worse. Although Jackie has drawn mixed reviews from what I read here, I very much liked it (I don't really have much interest in seeing Spencer.) But it's his Chilean films that make the most interesting viewing. I managed to catch No a year or two ago, a fascinating glimpse into a society tip-toeing away from dictatorship like a burglar in the night - fretful that a spark will light the powder keg. Better yet, Neruda opened up a Larraín-loving district in my heart and became an instant favourite - turning a biographical film into a surrealist comedy about poet/politician Pablo Neruda. Yesterday I caught Ema.

Ema is one of those films that's really something in hindsight - but I was very unsure where it was headed until it's final act. Ema (played by Mariana Di Girolamo) and Gastón (Gael García Bernal from No and Neruda) are in the midst of a marital crisis. The child they had adopted a year ago is gone - he'd been uncontrollable, and had set fire to Ema's sister disfiguring her face. Ema feels a tremendous amount of guilt about giving up on the boy, and we follow her through her profession (dance) and her private life (mostly sex) where decisions that may seem very strange in the end all add up to something extraordinary. It's in that ending that you'll come to reconfigure everything you've already seen, and see it in a new light. If you're after something visually striking, you'll get that as well in spades from Ema, a film that's really grown on me.

7.5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3d/Come_As_You_Are_2019_poster.jpg
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6722726/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62935920

Come As You Are - (2019)

This felt a lot like a 'message movie' at points, but it handles it's subject really well. Three disabled young adults are heading for Canada on a road trip, breaking free of over-protective parents and looking for a brothel they've heard about which caters to people with disabilities so they can have their first sexual experience. I was really impressed in the end, and there's a sense of empowerment and joy to the whole proceedings. It was heading into 'typical road trip' territory and felt derivative at one stage, but as time went by I really did feel good and had to acknowledge how well it's screenplay, performances and general vibe mixed. I've only right now become aware that this is a remake of Belgian film Hasta la vista.

7/10

[Fabulous]

The Age of Adaline (2015)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/w89trVfLmEdBxv7rxWKy5HyckXR.jpg

[StuSmallz]

You win the “describe noir like it’s a bad thing” award.The dialogue in most Noirs (https://letterboxd.com/stusmallz/tag/noir/reviews/) (or at least in the good ones) tends to be more creative than just having a character tell us that someone is strangling someone else when we can already clearly hear that for ourselves. And that's not getting into super "grimdark" try-hard lines like "I'm vengeance", or "I am the shadows", which would've seemed trite in a Superhero movie last decade, let alone in the year of our lord 2022...

[ThatDarnMKS]

The dialogue in most Noirs (https://letterboxd.com/stusmallz/tag/noir/reviews/) (or at least in the good ones) tends to be more creative than just having a character tell us that someone is strangling someone else when we can already clearly hear that for ourselves. And that's not getting into super "grimdark" try-hard lines like "I'm vengeance", or "I am the shadows", which would've seemed trite in a Superhero movie last decade, let alone in the year of our lord 2022...
Yes. Other movies never have characters state what has occurred in an audio tape to remove ambiguity. There aren’t entire movies built around the premise of clarifying audio tapes.

And Batman said Batman things? Oh my. Next you’ll tell me Wolverine isn’t the best at what he does and it should be nice!

[Weasel]

The Batman
86001

Everybody loves this film. This is not an exaggeration. Ask your mom, ask your dad, ask your nephew, ask your cat. There is not a single soul on this planet who doesn't love this movie. Besides me.

I hate to be contrarian. I really, really do. It feels wrong to be an outsider, to not understand how much everyone else loves this thing. So why is it that I think this film, to put it bluntly, sucks?

Maybe it's my theater experience. Because in all fairness to this film, my experience at the theater was awful. The projection was really scuffed and dark, which is especially detrimental to a film shot like this one. The kid next to me sucked on his ICE-E straw at a volume previously unbeknownst to man. His father was on his phone the whole time, talking to his child about who knows what. And after the movie ended, I discovered someone had broken into my car.

However, I've had bad theater experiences before, and I've always been able to enjoy a film in spite of them. Therefore, it seems that the film itself is the problem. There are elements of this movie that, in my eyes, simply do not work. I will point out these qualities, and maybe somebody out there will agree with me. But before I move forward I must point out that, due to the praise The Batman has gotten from everyone who isn't me, I would still recommend it.

The biggest issue with this movie is structure. This plagues every faucet of this movie, from the screenplay to the characters. The most immediately noticeable structural weakness is in the development of Batman himself. We start at the low point of the character, and end at the low point of the character. Batman is flawed, mopey, and at times incompetent. This on it's own is fine. The very essence of Batman as a character is struggle, and the filmmakers clearly understand this. However, to relate to a character's struggles, we must know where they come from, and in this movie, we learn essentially nothing about who Bruce Wayne is. We learn some things about the people around him, sure but there's never a point where he himself feels relatable and just. He tells us his mission is vengeance, one of the movie's main themes. Indeed, he doesn't seem to really care about the people he's saving, because he rarely interacts with them. Yes, there's an ending scene of him saving children (I think they were orphans? If they were I think that's a nice way to point out him "saving himself"), but we don't ever get to see any shift in his actions before then that points to him gaining a care for humanity, so it feels a bit forced. Same idea with the speech at the end. With this being the case, you'd expect the vengeance thing to come through more, and while he does indeed talk about it, you rarely see the vulnerability that would allow someone to block themselves off in such a manner. The most emotion he ever shows is apathy, save for a couple of yelling scenes. The most interesting thing about a mysterious character isn't the mystery itself, but rather, the discovery of what's being hidden, and in this sense, Batman fails as a character.

The same thing applies to all the other characters in the film, because they fail to have any meaningful relations with anyone besides themselves. They attempt to have a relationship between Batman and Catwoman, but it doesn't work at all, since they have no motivation to care for each other outside of solving a crime. There isn't any chemistry. Catwoman indeed has motivation stemming from another person, but that other person is never explored and feels more like a plot element. There's another revelation with her that gets into spoiler territory, but it also feels pretty underdeveloped and forced.

The editing is another structural issue. This movie is 3 hours long, and for a 3 hour movie to work, you must keep the audience engaged. Unfortunately, the order of scenes destroys any sense of narrative cohesion. Mystery movies often jump around from character to character, as things get revealed. This is a good thing, and can serve to heighten tension. But for it to work, you need to have each scene feel in tune with the overall thrust of the film. In this movie, the transition from scene to scene kills any tension. A character will find something out, and then that revelation will be completely untouched for 30 minutes. Instead, we explore other characters, and due their undeveloped nature, their actions never run parallel to the events and emotions of the plot. It's a lot easier to explain this concept with an example, and while I've tried to avoid comparing Batman films, The Dark Knight does this so much better. In TDK, whenever Batman is in a dire situation, so are the others. This is a generalization to avoid spoilers, but it always feels like the stories of all the characters are in some way cosmically connected. Their stories effect one another plot-wise, of course, and the same thing happens in The Batman, but they also have an emotional connective tissue scenes in The Batman lack.

This issue is further compounded by a general lack of urgency. Very rarely do we see things in motion before they happen, and when we do, the setup and the payoff happen in a very short window. Because of this, the characters never feel like they're in prolonged periods of danger, so the audience is never given a chance to worry for them.

The score is very understated, which I like in theory, but it also means scenes lack any auditory connection. There is a motif they play constantly, mostly near the beginning, but it never feels like it's signaling anything noteworthy.

There's nothing worse than walking out of a movie feeling nothing. We watch films because we want them to take us somewhere new, to give us a renewed sense of wonder and excitement. The Batman gave me nothing. No joy, no hope, not even hate. At least movies like Batman V. Superman are absurd enough to be somewhat amusing. This just feels like staring at a ceiling for three hours. I'm so glad other people love this movie, truly. And I hope my feelings are rarely echoed, because although it sucks to feel alone, I can't help but feel joy seeing people love film with such a passion, a passion I can relate to. If you loved this movie, continue to do so. Seeing your love might just give me the spark the film couldn't.

1

[Weasel]

Everybody loves this film. This is not an exaggeration. Ask your mom, ask your dad, ask your nephew, ask your cat. There is not a single soul on this planet who doesn't love this movie. Besides me.


I wrote this before going back to check out the other reviews in this thread (I haven't logged on in quite some time), and apparently, at least TWO people who aren't me were at least reserved about it. Do with this information what you will.

[John Dumbear]

"Old Henry"- (2021)
A rugged rural western set at the turn of the century. First act has a slower gait, yet keeps you interested. Love the reveal toward the end of the second act. In which draws you in completely to the third act. With all that said, will always see Tim Blake Nelson as Delmar. Yet, this is a dark "Delmar"...

8/10



The Eyes of Tammy Faye" - (2021)
All I knew coming into this what was read in the tabloids, in the checkout line of the grocery store. Now that it has been viewed, I am intrigued to look up their (The Bakkers) antics. Thought Jessica Chastain was wonderful in the role and came out of it just a little more disgusted toward the topic matter.

8/10



"The Many Saints of Newark"- (2021)
Never really watched "The Sopranos" when it was new, because of a very hectic life I had during that era. Now this is a prequel of young Tony. To be honest, wasn't all that impressed, yet that is most likely because of what I stated before.

7/10

[Raven73]

Solaris (1972) 5/10
and Solaris (2002) 6.5/10
So I read the book, then I watched both movies.
I found the 1972 movie so unwatchable, I had to shut it off after 20 minutes. It was mostly exposition. The 2002 movie was much better in terms of action, but it's still a very slow-moving movie. I kept waiting for a giant squid to lay eggs on the station... then the end credits were rolling. So I googled it and turns out the giant squid eggs are from the movie Sphere... which I will have to watch next.
I find it hilarious that every movie I see Jeremy Davies in, he plays a quirky, twitchy guy.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjE1MzQ3NzcyNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNTc1MDI5._V1_.jpg https://evelynebologacimocacmp.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/mv5bmtq3mzyxmzezml5bml5banbnxkftztcwnzgxnzgxmq-_v1-_sx283_sy400_.jpg

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi0.wp.com%2Faiptcomics.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F03%2FThe-Girl-and-the-Mountain-2-scaled-1.jpeg%3Fw%3D2560%26ssl%3D1&f=1&nofb=1

The Girl on the Mountain, 2022

Jack (Daniel O'Reilly) lives in the wilderness following the tragic death of his daughter, for which he blames himself. One day he crosses paths with a mute girl, Aria (Makenzie Sconce) who is on the run from her mother's psychopathic boyfriend, Big Al (DT Carney).

This is a very by-the-numbers thriller, in a familiar model of "emotionally distant adult cares for child". Nothing in this movie will surprise anyone who has seen this type of thriller before, but it's not a bad variation on the theme.

The main positive of the movie is the solid rapport between O'Reilly and Sconce. On one hand, their scenes together are almost too chipper at times, happily romping around the mountain, fishing and hiking. It strains a bit of belief that a child who had witnessed and experienced serious abuse would so quickly trust a strange man. But the scenery in the film is really lovely, and the joy that the characters take in the wilderness feels genuine.

The downsides to the film are what you'd expect with a low-budget effort. Some of the acting is a bit spotty. There were a few plot points---especially around the death of Jack's daughter---that are handled a bit sloppily. It's frustrating when mediocre writing pulls down sequences of a movie, and that happens a few times: convenient plot points, unbelievable character actions, etc.

Not great, not bad. A way to pass an easy 90 minutes.

3

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7b/Three_Identical_Strangers.png
By https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7664504/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57916243

Three Identical Strangers - (2018)

If you like a good documentary full of twists and turns, you might want to skip reading about this and just put it straight in your watchlist.

Imagine being an adopted young man, and suddenly finding out, by accident, that you have a twin - meeting that twin and becoming something of a minor celebrity. Imagine then, the two of you finding out that there's a third version of you out there - that you were in fact one of three triplets - and becoming something of a major celebrity on all the television talk shows and even scoring a cameo opposite Madonna in a feature film. This happened to three strangers in New York in the early 1980s - they opened a restaurant called "triplets", but mental health problems caused something of a rift in what appeared to be the perfect three-way relationship. Once all this is out in this Tim Wardle documentary, he drops a bomb on you...

These three men had been part of a secret scientific study on twins and triplets - they'd been intentionally separated and adopted out to specific families who were told their adopted kids were going to be studied simply to find out how they adjust to adopted life. This was happening to twins and triplets in the U.S. - all of whom, parents included, knew nothing about the fact they were twins or were being studied in that sense. In fact, all the people involved were being closely watched - and the results of these tests, instead of being published as they were initially meant to be, were buried and classified until the year 2066.

What starts out as a feel-good doc turns into something rather creepy and often at times sad. I was absolutely astonished at some of the revelations. This is a great one to catch if you get the chance.

7.5/10

[gbgoodies]

The Body Disappears (1941) - I watched this comedy mainly for Edward Everett Horton, who is always a pleasure to watch. This probably won't make my comedy list, but it's a fun movie about an invisible man.


86009

[xSookieStackhouse]

5
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0057/3728/3618/products/turningred_480x.progressive.jpg?v=1638566906

[Fabulous]

Penguin Bloom (2020)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/zuuNVLEsNBltomSo0waQfq6YL5r.jpg

[LChimp]

https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/a8b0fd132117385.61a2ad5d83d0f.png

Watched with my son and wife. Wife hated it, my son and I loved it, hahahahaha

[Allaby]

Lake Michigan Monster (2018) This is wacky and silly and a lot of fun. 3.5

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ea/Last_Night_in_Soho_%282021%29_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

[Stirchley]

86033

Strangely, I had seen this before, but not the entire thing. Very odd.

Good movie. Jessie Buckley excellent. Very strange movie.

Jessie needs a skilled hairdresser stat. Her hair is beyond strange.

[Stirchley]

86035

Did anyone review this movie? Can’t find any comments on it. Probably buried in this thread someplace.

Good movie, but I wouldn’t want to see it again. It’s a lot.

Huge fan of Leonardo & he never disappoints. Lawrence also excellent. Jonah Hill & Cate Blanchett both very funny.

[edarsenal]

https://64.media.tumblr.com/0c0f1910e7c907db3191c1bd1210613e/tumblr_pvcop12LuJ1uezysro3_r1_540.gifv
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmM1MDYxNDUtMmRmMC00NmY5LTgwMGItNjI3MmE2YThmNmQ3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzU1NzE3NTg@._V1_.jpg
https://www.thedigitalfix.com/film/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/roomattopmain-770x400-1-825x510.jpg


Room at the Top (1959) 4+++ A well-crafted romantic tragedy, filmed beautifully from England featuring the always exquisite Simone Signoret.

Joe Lampton (Laurence Harvey) is a callous, ambitious accountant blindly driven to take what he deserves. A place at the very top. His contempt for the rich, or rather their disregard for him, fuels his intent by attaining it by seducing the daughter of his firm's boss, played by Heather Sears.
The glitch? He finds himself falling in love with an older married woman (Simone Signoret) to yet another rich snob that insults his lowly status from high above.

A very slippery slope pitting the obsession to be an equal of the upper class and thereby have it all via upmanship and finding real love by a d@mn good person.
One that Room at the Top takes quite the harsh tumble over the precipe before it's all done.
A raw, visceral battle of the darker emotions on the field of social classes that I found relentless and thoroughly engaging.

[donniedarko]

The Batman
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/MCDBATM_WB080.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
Well, I guess I just don't get it. I've never been the biggest fan of comic book films but I did always find The Dark Knight , TDK Rises & The Joker fairly compelling special films. But this one just missed the mark for me. I think the greatest benifit to marvel films is that they don't take themselves too seriously, I get it that's not the vibe DC was going for here, but in this case makes it extremely difficult for me to connect.

When I heard that Pattison would be the new batman I was actually excited. He was great in The Lighthouse. In no way was his range shown in this one. I get it, batman is supposed to be a sulky loner detective. But was there a single compelling moment in this three hours drag? Seriously at what moment as Wayne or Batman was he in the least bit captivating?

Production value as expected was great, the action sequences were intense enough for how bland the actual story line is. I did prefer the latter half when it was more of a detective chase, but even through it somehow just falls flat and too comic-booky, did anyone really get invested about the Riddler hints?

Maybe I'm just being a party pooper

2-

[Stirchley]

https://64.media.tumblr.com/0c0f1910e7c907db3191c1bd1210613e/tumblr_pvcop12LuJ1uezysro3_r1_540.gifv
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmM1MDYxNDUtMmRmMC00NmY5LTgwMGItNjI3MmE2YThmNmQ3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzU1NzE3NTg@._V1_.jpg
https://www.thedigitalfix.com/film/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/roomattopmain-770x400-1-825x510.jpg


Room at the Top (1959) 4+++ A well-crafted romantic tragedy, filmed beautifully from England featuring the always exquisite Simone Signoret.

Joe Lampton (Laurence Harvey) is a callous, ambitious accountant blindly driven to take what he deserves. A place at the very top. His contempt for the rich, or rather their disregard for him, fuels his intent by attaining it by seducing the daughter of his firm's boss, played by Heather Sears.
The glitch? He finds himself falling in love with an older married woman (Simone Signoret) to yet another rich snob that insults his lowly status from high above.

A very slippery slope pitting the obsession to be an equal of the upper class and thereby have it all via upmanship and finding real love by a d@mn good person.
One that Room at the Top takes quite the harsh tumble over the precipe before it's all done.
A raw, visceral battle of the darker emotions on the field of social classes that I found relentless and thoroughly engaging.

Excellent movie & I recently bought the dvd for my collection.

Have you seen Harvey in Darling with Julie Christie? I think you would like it.

The Batman
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/MCDBATM_WB080.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
Well, I guess I just don't get it. I've never been the biggest fan of comic book films but I did always find The Dark Knight , TDK Rises & The Joker fairly compelling special films. But this one just missed the mark for me. I think the greatest benifit to marvel films is that they don't take themselves too seriously, I get it that's not the vibe DC was going for here, but in this case makes it extremely difficult for me to connect.

When I heard that Pattison would be the new batman I was actually excited. He was great in The Lighthouse. In no way was his range shown in this one. I get it, batman is supposed to be a sulky loner detective. But was there a single compelling moment in this three hours drag? Seriously at what moment as Wayne or Batman was he in the least bit captivating?

Production value as expected was great, the action sequences were intense enough for how bland the actual story line is. I did prefer the latter half when it was more of a detective chase, but even through it somehow just falls flat and too comic-booky, did anyone really get invested about the Riddler hints?

Maybe I'm just being a party pooper

2-

More or less what the New Yorker magazine said in its review last week.

[chawhee]

Did anyone review this movie? Can’t find any comments on it. Probably buried in this thread someplace.


Yeah, I've seen people rate anywhere from 2 to maybe 5 here. Mine was a 3.5 I believe, with the same thoughts as you.

[WHITBISSELL!]

https://64.media.tumblr.com/2249d8d307d6cfacec5c2a63d23c865b/ad7ec710fa01cf56-97/s540x810/992d7f123d36e965c31b598c25050f0820b82b0a.gifv
https://64.media.tumblr.com/a7fa105998782b619cbb2b77dea91518/35366ef1dfe17ce5-78/s540x810/9ec9b082196f3320d8002c63828aa5ade0fa383e.gifv
After Yang - I haven't had a chance to watch Columbus, director Kogonada's first feature film. But the trailer and stars, John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson, immediately drew me in. This also has an engaging plot and it's cast includes Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith and Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja with Richardson appearing again, this time in a smaller supporting role. It's set in a non-specified future where artificial beings can be purchased as caretakers. Yang (Justin H. Min) is just such a being and he's part of a family unit where Jake (Farrell) and Kira (Turner-Smith) have adopted Mika (Tjandrawidjaja). Yang was to function as a connection or touchstone to Mika's Chinese roots but he comes to play an all encompassing role as a mentor and surrogate father. Jake has drawn away from his family and it takes a malfunction on Yang's part for him to realize this.

This quiet and contemplative film tries it's hand at tackling several weighty subjects but there's no way a 96 minute movie can adequately address something as far-reaching as what it means to be human. It does however provide plenty of intimate and evocative moments. A primer of sorts. Or quite literally a scrapbook that Jake accesses when the schismatic technician that he calls on in his attempt to fix Yang inadvertently finds what he mistakes for spyware. It turns out to be Yang's memory bank and Jake is compelled to delve deeper and deeper into the mystery of someone he was largely indifferent to. And I think that with this realization he also comes to understand the depth of his apathy.

Great visuals in this. A lot of care taken in setting up shots and in setting a mood. The small cast is note perfect and Farrell again shows why he should be considered in the upper echelon of actors. The kid actor is adorable. Kogonada doesn't tie the ending up in a pretty bow. But it does close on a restorative note and the viewer is left gratified.

85/100

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTUzOTg0MDEwOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTg1OTM2MQ@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg



4

[James D. Gardiner]

Room at the Top (1959)


Life at the Top (1965), also starring Harvey, is a solid sequel worth checking out also. It has a slightly cheaper and trashier feel which in some ways seems appropriate.

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fd/Harakiri_Poster.jpg
By Poster scan, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16769338

Harakiri - (1962)

Great storytelling, really special film. This had me glued to the screen for it's entire runtime, and waiting with baited breath for what was about to happen in the present-day scenes where a rōnin has pledged to commit seppuku in the courtyard of a palace, but delays by telling the story of what brought him there - talking to the very culprits responsible for the gruesome death of his son-in-law which is replayed in agonizing fashion towards the start of the film. Looks great, there's no overbearing score and Tatsuya Nakadai plays his part particularly well. Engrossing and exciting, with a tension that just builds and builds and builds to it's final denouement. Loved it.

9.5/10

Foreign Language Countdown films seen : 79/100

[Fabulous]

The Children Act (2017)

2.5

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/1a2O5DEgFArvurdJ0XhlaLIiOuN.jpg

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZDAzYmJmZmQtMDJiOC00M2Q4LWEyOGMtZjA0Nzc0MzU5MzRjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA2MDU0NjM5._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


4.5

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a6/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_Hollywood_poster.png/220px-Once_Upon_a_Time_in_Hollywood_poster.png

3

SF = Zzzz


[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

[beelzebubble]

Netflix's The Gift.


A suspense movie


I give it three popcorns. Entertaining in its creepiness.

[mark f]

Twins (Ivan Reitman, 1988) 3 6.5/10
Manhattan Melodrama (W.S. Van Dyke, 1934) 2.5 6/10
Exploited (Jon Abrahams, 2022) 1.5+ 4.5/10
Wattstax (Mel Stuart, 1973) 3.5 7/10
https://media1.giphy.com/media/l3vR7fv4ZjX6AQqLm/giphy.gif
Isaac Hayes is the last performer at the 1972 Watts Festival before an attendance of 112,000 at the L.A. Colisseum. Other performers in the film include The Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas, The Bar-Kays and Richard Pryor.
The Power of Kangwon Province (Hong Sang-soo, 1998) 2 5/10
Weekend at Bernie's (Ted Kotcheff, 1989) 2.5 5.5/10
Offseason (Mickey Keating, 2021) 2+ 5/10
Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (Jeff Margolis, 1979) 4.5 9/10
https://c.tenor.com/hbh-PYdNv_oAAAAC/richard-pryor-stand-up-comedy.gif
Richard Pryor in all his glory in my go-to film to make me smile, laugh out loud and cry. Everything he does here is humanly relatable, and he's one of the greatest impressionists ever. It will be right near the top of my Top Comedy List.
The Exorcism of God (Alejandro Hidalgo, 2021) 2 5/10
Johnny Eager (Mervyn LeRoy, 1941) 2.5 6/10
Lost Horizon (Frank Capra, 1937) 3.5 7+/10
Dog (Reid Carolin & Channing Tatum, 2022) 2.5+ 6/10
https://media4.giphy.com/media/Aq1KgJnWqb1ehEe3ZE/200.gif
Mentally-unbalanced Army Ranger Channing Tatum has to take the Ranger Dog Lulu, who has similar problems, to the funeral of another Ranger in four days. On the way, they get into lots of trouble and slowly begin to warm to each other.
The Dark Angel (Sidney Franklin, 1935) 3 6.5/10
Outsiders AKA No Running (Delmar Washington, 2021) 2 5/10
Back to School (Alan Metter, 1986) 3 6.5/10
Moon Manor (Erin Granat & Machete Bang Bang, 2022) 2.5+ 6/10
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cdba92_ade17119a8c14f23a64b0d2bb035a105~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_487,h_274,q_90/cdba92_ade17119a8c14f23a64b0d2bb035a105~mv2.png
Interesting life story and film techniques are on display with Jim Carrozo playing himself as a man with Alzheimer's disease who decides to have an assisted suicide in a unique way with all his friends and obit writer Lou Taylor Pucci attending while he has a "FUNeral".
Dodsworth (William Wyler, 1936) 3 6.5/10
Ultrasound (Rob Schroeder, 2021) 2 5/10
Gorky Park (Michael Apted, 1983) 2.5 6/10
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Jon Watts, 2021) 3.5 7/10
https://c.tenor.com/dWIe0MSu8xAAAAAd/no-way-home-spideman-no-way-home.gif
Spider-Men, super villains and super heroes up the yinyang, basically making this a recap and a reboot of all the Spider-Man and perhaps almost all super hero movies as well.

[Thief]

THE POWER OF THE DOG
(2021, Campion)

https://i.imgur.com/4kXrRNk.png


"Bronco Henry told me that a man was made by patience in the odds against him."



Set in the early 20th Century, The Power of the Dog follows brothers and ranchers Phil and George Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons). When George meets and marries Rose (Kirsten Dunst), the dynamics between the three of them, as well as with her teenage son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) bring turmoil to the family.

Jane Campion delivers both a beautiful and mournful direction to this story, evoking the tragic nature of the characters. All of the performances deliver, especially Smit-McPhee, who plays Peter as someone you just can't pin down, and someone to whom the above quote might apply way more than we might think. However, it is Cumberbatch who has the focus most of the time, and he handles all the layers in Phil's persona very well.

Grade: 4


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2288977#post2288977)

[Allaby]

Long Story Short (2021) Directed by Josh Lawson, this comedy is about a man who wakes up the day after his wedding to find that every few minutes a year of his life goes by. This was fantastic and I loved it. Rafe Spall is wonderful and he has really good chemistry with Zahra Newman. The film is really well written, smart, funny, and with a lot of heart. Highly recommended. 4.5

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/92/The_Immigrant_2013_poster.jpg
By http://d1oi7t5trwfj5d.cloudfront.net/78/6a/fc9cfb104f3ea20dd2e4bcba2103/the-immigrant-poster.jpg, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42285787

The Immigrant - (2013)

One of those films that I wanted to see, but held off for ages in the fear it would be rather average. It was good, and worth watching - especially for Joaquin Phoenix who I felt was head and shoulders above the rest performance-wise. Marion Cotillard is Ewa Cybulska, who has just arrived in early 20th Century America from Poland and is always one small step away from being deported - this is why she holds close to Bruno Weiss (Phoenix), a pimp and scoundrel who nevertheless has a kind and upstanding side to his personality. His love for Ewa (who hates him in return) often clouds his judgement, but he can sense nothing will ever happen between the two of them, especially after he forces her to sleep with clients. Ewa's sister is in an immigrant infirmary, suffering from tuberculosis and needs a great deal of money urgently - thus Ewa's willingness to do what she does. Jeremy Renner makes an appearance as Orlando - a magician and Bruno's cousin who also has eyes for Ewa, which provokes Bruno to extreme violence. It keeps James Gray's record intact in my eyes - I love The Lost City of Z, have grown to admire Ad Astra after initially disliking it and thought We Own the Night was really good. I have 3 of his films to go. The Immigrant is an easy to watch, nicely scripted and enjoyable drama.

7/10

[Fabulous]

Kodachrome (2017)

3

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/1MXWPaI1MXumyfbBdBcnKTDAYHz.jpg

[xSookieStackhouse]

3.5
https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/e67e011f-aea3-42bf-8931-a6fec999faff_1.c48130a29867dc31ce134e35f7d4e641.jpeg?odnHeight=612&odnWidth=612&odnBg=FFFFFF

[Hey Fredrick]

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Clan of the White Lotus

Pretty simple story about a guy seeking a little revenge after White Lotus kills his brother. Why did White Lotus kill his brother? Because that killed guy helped kill his brother. Of course the guy is no match for the White Lotus...yet. A little training, a new technique and we'll see what happens. Story is easy enough to follow but what makes this a ton of fun is the fight choreography. It's impressive. The fights are long, there's lots of them and they are all great. The opening credit fight isn't the best but it's opening credit stuff. Once that guy up there visits the village for the first time is when things start getting wild. Not my fav Kung Fu movie but it's one of the best for sure. A lot of this movie feels very familiar. rating_4


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This was also a lot of fun if watching people melt is fun. A drug that has a few minor side effects is being tested on folks living in a suburban cul de sac. The side effects are listed on the poster. This was much better than I expected. It was funny, it was gross, had a plot and some solid acting, not bad. rating_4

[Stirchley]

86068

Another Henry James adaptation. Not 100% faithful to the original, but that’s okay. Helena Bonham Carter so good in this. And she’s so pretty naked too. Linus Roache also excellent.

86069

Another James adaptation. Some very silly bits that I fast-forwarded through, but the rest was very good. The three leads are excellent.

86070

Excellent movie from Australia based on a true story. Mia Wasikowska made this movie for me. xSookieStackhouse, have you seen it?

[Stirchley]

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4.5

This should be in the documentary thread. I have it in my watchlist, but it’s only available on prime, which I don’t have. It does look extremely good.

[WHITBISSELL!]

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The Farewell - I'm a fan of Awkwafina. I've heard numerous people mention that they think she's annoying and hard to watch but I'm a fan of her TV show and thought she did a fine job in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Anyway, she stars as Billi Wang, a 30 year old aspiring writer and pianist. She's lived in the United States most of her life, having emigrated as a young child with her father Haiyan (Tzi Ma) and mother Lu Jian (Diana Lin).

She notices her parents acting strangely and they reluctantly tell her that her paternal grandmother Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao) has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and has only weeks to live. They're planning on traveling back to Changchun, China to see her one last time under the pretext of Billi's cousin from Japan Hao Hao (Chen Han) getting married. The rest of her extended family are also gathering but Billi's parents tell her she shouldn't go because she's sure to get emotional and give the whole thing away.

She ends showing up on her own anyway and the rest of the film is devoted to the large, dichotomized family and their interactions. There's plenty of different takes on Chinese life as opposed to those who chose to leave and make a life in the US and Japan. There's also plenty of disagreement as to whether or not it's right to keep their matriarch's ultimate fate from her.

This is based on a true story with a script written by director Lulu Wang and to hear them tell it, this sort of subterfuge is cultural and widely accepted in China. It doesn't end up playing that large a role because at it's heart this is a warm and loving family drama that outshines any philosophical or cultural differences.

The cast does such a marvelous job and Lulu Wang's script is so good-natured and affectionate that this could be anybody's family. I liked the closing moments with Billi back in NYC. It's a sweet and fitting ending but then there's this ... yeah, it's better just to watch it for yourself. Good movie and yes, recommended.

85/100

[Gideon58]

This should be in the documentary thread. I have it in my watchlist, but it’s only available on prime, which I don’t have. It does look extremely good.


It was incredible...all self-respecting Lucy fans should watch it...I thought I knew a lot about Lucy but even I learned stuff I didn't know. A lot of great home movies that I've never seen are included too.

[Stirchley]

It was incredible...all self-respecting Lucy fans should watch it...I thought I knew a lot about Lucy but even I learned stuff I didn't know. A lot of great home movies that I've never seen are included too.

Yes, the trailer itself is terrific. Will wait & see if Amazon will offer it to non-prime members.