Rate The Last Movie You Saw

[Mr Minio]

Agree to disagree. It's like food. People like what they like. Your analogy of movies and food is fallacious and facile, as it ignores the fundamental differences between biological and cultural phenomena. Food preferences are largely contingent on physiological factors, such as gustatory receptors, metabolic rate, immunological reactions, etc. Movies, conversely, are artistic expressions that can be appraised by rational standards, such as narrative coherence, aesthetic quality, performative skill, etc. Your relativistic stance is nothing but a cop-out from engaging in intellectual discourse and acknowledging divergent perspectives. Movies can transcend mere amusement; they can also be edification, enlightenment, and empowerment. Hence, they warrant more than just a capricious and egocentric assessment. Of course, such a nuanced appreciation of movies requires a refined taste.

[Mr Minio]

Starts out great, but the chase is mainstream bullshit.
And thank the director for not showing too much of that overrated James Dean wannabe, Cybulski

Your evaluation of Kawalerowicz’s film Night Train is replete with vague and arbitrary judgments. The chase sequence is not “mainstream bullshit”, but a masterful example of suspense, symbolism, and social commentary. The film explores the themes of identity, morality, and alienation in post-war Poland under the shadow of Stalinism.

The use of the train as a metaphor for the journey of life, the contrast between the claustrophobic interiors and the expansive landscapes, and the subtle references to Hitchcock, Kafka, and Dostoyevsky are all indicative of Kawalerowicz’s mastery.

And though I can understand one can be at odds with Cybulski's smugness, your disparagement of his as an “overrated James Dean wannabe” is short-sighted when juxtaposed to the stale Social Realist prism of Polish cinema of the 50s.

[matt72582]

Your evaluation of Kawalerowicz’s film Night Train is replete with vague and arbitrary judgments. The chase sequence is not “mainstream bullshit”, but a masterful example of suspense, symbolism, and social commentary. The film explores the themes of identity, morality, and alienation in post-war Poland under the shadow of Stalinism.

The use of the train as a metaphor for the journey of life, the contrast between the claustrophobic interiors and the expansive landscapes, and the subtle references to Hitchcock, Kafka, and Dostoyevsky are all indicative of Kawalerowicz’s mastery.

And though I can understand one can be at odds with Cybulski's smugness, your disparagement of his as an “overrated James Dean wannabe” is short-sighted when juxtaposed to the stale Social Realist prism of Polish cinema of the 50s.


You must be tripping.

[Mr Minio]

You must be tripping. I’m not tripping, I’m just applying some critical thinking and aesthetic sensibility to films that deserve more than your superficial and dismissive comments. Let's make it clear: Only I can make such comments.

[Stirchley]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTdkZjE3NzgtNTZmZi00ZDQyLWEyZWItZjhiYWM3ZGYxY2Q5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQzNTA5MzYz._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


4

I have this in my watchlist.

[Stirchley]

93077

I enjoyed this movie. If anyone has reviewed it send me the link please.

93078

Not bad. It never really took off & it was too long. Hugh Jackman put 500% into his rôle.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brightwalldarkroom.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F12%2Fjarman-blue-1155x675.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=2872312b0948f327430dcafd1988fa3ec0788d68830b3ae1a726af1d06ecaa57&ipo=images

Blue, 1993

Against an unchanging blue backdrop, Derek Jarman and a handful of voice actors explore Jarman’s experience of being seriously ill with AIDS, the impact it’s had on his physical and mental state, and the social framing of HIV/AIDS.

An involving mix of the personal and the political, uniquely suited to expression through film.

4.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2391698#post2391698)

[matt72582]

Only I can make such comments.


https://youtu.be/gJ4eh2x2B1E

[matt72582]

Radio On - 7/10
Road trip. Minimalist. Little dialogue. And it's on YouTube for free.



https://youtu.be/L1URiPSDQMo

[Fabulous]

Lost Horizon (1937)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/6hVlK7GBA82s7Zv9IHu0D9qlT6p.jpg

[Mr Minio]

https://youtu.be/gJ4eh2x2B1E pretty good

[GulfportDoc]

https://i.postimg.cc/TwHTd6Jx/The-Third-Man-1949-American-theatrical-poster.jpg
The Third Man - (1949)

This was an impromptu watch - a time-filler, but this second viewing of The Third Man absolutely stole my attention. Every scene in it demands attentiveness - each one with clever little things going on in it. Whether it's visual, smart dialogue, a great twist in the story, that unusual zither score, the great performances - or usually all of those things combined. It's the ultimate pleasure for a movie-lover, and so to hell with anything else I might like to do - I was glued to the screen. This time I had the StudioCanal Blu-Ray edition of it, and it looked fantastic. Despite it being a noir mystery, it's easy to follow with Joseph Cotten's Holly Martins finding clue after clue leading to the unravelling of the tangled web of deceit surrounding his black-market bad guy friend Harry Lime (a super Orson Welles, delivering a truly great performance) who is meant to be dead. The fascinating Italian actress Alida Valli rounds things out. There are only so many movies I can admit to loving in the real sense of the word "love" - and I think The Third Man is one of those films.

10/10
Agree 110% with your rating! IMO it's one of the best films ever made. Here's some commentary I did a coupla years ago:

The Third Man

Producer Alex Korda had sent British novelist Graham Greene to Vienna after WWII to conceive and write a screenplay which would capture the wantonness and treacherous times in the post war-torn city. After much research Green developed a screenplay, The Third Man, the novelization of which was published following the film’s highly popular reception.

The opening monologue over depicted scenes of the war-changed city, and how it was divided up into policing sectors by the Allies, set the dynamic expectant mood. Holly Martins, an American pulp western writer, has been invited to come to Vienna by his old friend Harry Lime, who has promised Martins a job. Unfortunately upon arrival Martins learns that Lime has been killed in a pedestrian auto accident. Martins soon suspects that there has been some foul play after inquiring about the incident with some of Lime’s associates, physician, girlfriend, and the porter where Lime resided.

Lime suddenly appears in the flesh, and eventually meets with his old friend. The truth comes out about Lime’s nefarious deadly black market schemes which had resulted in many innocent deaths. A British Major Calloway convinces Martins to help snare Lime, who has agreed to meet again with Martins and Lime’s girlfriend Anna Schmidt. On his arrival Anna warns Lime who flees to the city’s mammoth sewer system. The police lead by the Calloway and Martins chase Lime, who is ultimately shot.

This film is as close to perfection as one could imagine. Everyone involved in the production was at their finest: co-producers Alex Korda and David O. Selznik, Director Carol Reed, cinematographer Robert Krasker, musician Anton Karas, every single actor in the cast, and the phenomenal editing by Oswald Hafenrichter.

Reed had brought with him both Krasker and Hafenrichter who had worked with him on Odd Man Out, and The Fallen Idol respectively. With these men Reed captured the deepest essence of noir darkness and design, never to be outdone in film to this day. Although Reed had three crews working simultaneously (one each for night, sewer system, and day shooting), it was the impressive night framing, glistening cobblestone streets, back alleys, ubiquitous rubble, and foreboding mood that he captured so palpably.

Each actor was perfect. When David O. Selznik agreed to join as co-producer he brought along Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles to fill the roles of Holly Martins and Harry Lime,originally written as British characters. Also under contract to him was the ravishing Alida Valli, who was being promoted by Selznik as the next Ingrid Bergman. Some of Germany’s finest actors were enlisted: Paul Hoerbiger, Ernst Deutsch, Erich Ponto, and the fiesty Hedwig Bleitreu as a landlady.

It’s hard to imagine the impact of this picture without the phenomenal score by zither artist Anton Karas. In a happy accident, Reed heard Karas play at a party, and was galvanized by the sound and its relevance to the story and mood of Reed’s picture. He practically hired Karas on the spot to fashion the sole music track, and brought him to London to overdub the music during a 6 week session-- the same amount of time used for the entire Viennese shoot. Never has a score representedthe style of a film, and in this case the era of mid 20thCentury Vienna, more exquisitely than didKaras’ stylings. It evokes the gamut of emotions from nostalgic, to haunting, to lively, to humorous. And its use was unique in film as being a single instrument without vocals. The only other score that comes close is David Shire’s eerie piano score for Coppola’s The Conversation.

The film includes two of the most famous scenes in movie history: Harry Lime’s electrifying first entrance into the film by suddenly shining a night time spotlight onWelles, framing him in a doorway displaying his sardonic and whimsical smile with hat askew; and possibly the most iconic ending in film history-- after Lime’s funeral, as Anna takes the long walk back to town on the autumn leaf strewn lane, she walks straight past Martins, who had beenleaning on a wagon waiting to reconcile with her. Rebuffed, Martins lights a cigarette, then throws down the match in disgust. The screen goes to black.

Books and countless articles and lectures have been written about The Third Man. The British Film Institute selected it as the #1 film in their list of top 100 British films. In my view it’s one of the best films ever made.

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/78/Puss_in_Boots_The_Last_Wish_poster.jpg/220px-Puss_in_Boots_The_Last_Wish_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


https://media.tenor.com/j765yc0LGI0AAAAd/eye-bulge-perro.gif

[skizzerflake]

Things looked fairly bleak on the movie front tonight, so I consented to have my artistic taste elevated with a narrative documentary about an exhibition of paintings by Johann Vermeer, the movie Close to Vermeer. It was opening in an indie theater, down the street from a good food hall, so it seemed like a nice night out. It documents the assembly of an exhibition of a group of paintings by the 17th century Dutch painter with lots of commentary on things like a particular shade of green used on people's necks in one painting. It addressed some issues about authenticity of a particular painting.

I'd make two remarks about this movie, a type of flick I would probably not otherwise have seen - one being that it was done quite well in spite of being very dry, academic ramblings on the art. I would also remark that I'm middling on Vermeer himself, one of many decent European painters of that several century period; his art is nice but it didn't redefine paintings for me. It did for the people that made the movie.

Being a documentary, it has no drama or acting, just erudite commentary by experts in Euro painting. It was better than staying home, watching TV, but unless you really have an interest, you might skip this one. By the way, I've seen a couple of Vermeer's paintings in person and, unlike one of the commentators, I didn't faint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KiuUSA1Z94

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/01/Transit_%282018_film%29.png
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56565517

Transit - (2018)

Alright - I want to see more Christian Petzold films. Transit is one I'd seen before, and remembered liking - but another dive in last night had it firming as a favourite of mine. Really strange in one regard - it's based on a novel which is set during the Nazi occupation of France during World War II, but Petzold brings everything forward to right now, making the occupation a present-day affair. The historical details are unimportant - refugees are fleeing, crackdowns and "spring cleaning" are being implemented and our protagonist, Georg (Franz Rogowski) needs to find a way out. He happens upon the papers of a novelist who has recently committed suicide, and decides to steal his identity - but this causes complications when he meets the novelist's widow and her lover. A quote from Indiewire says this film is "like Casablanca written by Kafka" - and it really does have a Casablanca feel to it, with self-sacrifice, forbidden love, hidden identity and life under an occupying power being integral parts. The end has a real Casablanca twist to it. But Transit is much more than that - it's the psychological peculiarity of travelling from nowhere specific to nowhere specific, and having constantly changing scenery as your basic "home", plus the anxiety of waiting - whether it's waiting to depart, or waiting to die, these two things have a tangible similarity to each other. Franz Rogowski gives a fascinating performance of one refugee's flight - the stress, weariness and sense of defeat. To top all of that off, the ending is simply superb - those last few shots, and last lines, are perfect. Just like with Phoenix, Petzold sure knows how to end a film in the most impactful and wonderful way. A great story, and great movie.

9/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/71/Chappie_poster.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44294608

Chappie - (2015)

If James Cameron had of made Short Circuit, it would have been pretty close to Neill Blomkamp's Chappie - an action-oriented, CGI-infused science fiction film with lots of added cuteness. The cute aspect is the surprisingly adorable robot, whose A.I. will only work if it learns from experience, which means you see Chappie (Sharlto Copley) go through infancy, childhood, adolescence and so forth as gangsters try to fool (okay, I'm going to say "him" from now on) him into becoming an near-invincible crime machine. I love Chappie. The rest of the film is a little stultifying. Dev Patel, Hugh Jackman and Sigourney Weaver play characters that don't have all that much to them, and the story is a little threadbare - so Chappie's charm is the only thing it has going for it. I love Chappie, but I don't love Chappie. Nice effects, action and so forth - a little too mainstream and Cameronesque. Not a bad movie by any means though.

6/10

[Act III]

93089

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)

I laughed many times and liked this musical. There's a lot more to this movie than your typical well crafted fare. There's an underlying message here illustrated through the main character that is very relevant even today in corporate life and there's other innuendo in there as social commentary on what was going on back then but I'm not going in depth. Quick synopsis is that a poor unskilled charmball cleverly sneaks his way into a large corporation with the help of a mysterious guidebook and wows the distinguished and highly educated suits through smooth talking and misdirection, climbing his way to the top. A secretary is not a toy. :)

I found this gem while searching IMDb lists, having never heard of it until 10 minutes before renting it and now I'm glad I did.

78/100

[Fabulous]

Evil Angels (1988)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/e5zp6JOWxJSfKzmMAu0sR6MGOG9.jpg

[ScarletLion]

'R.M.N.' (2023)

https://www.radiofrance.fr/s3/cruiser-production/2022/10/0bee8f7f-54df-4460-92ec-aa4bcef71e4a/870x489_1279766.jpg

Latest film from Cristian Mungiu (4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days) about small communities harbouring xenophobic and racist views about immigrants entering the area. The characters are so well written.

Will make your blood boil. If you have an ounce of compassion.


4

[Tugg]

Love Again (2023) 3.5
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSp9APfAxVxpZBXyVMMLjthsDKiCx2aXUpSOw&usqp=CAU
The Artifice Girl (2022- 2023) 3.5
https://images.kinorium.com/movie/shot/9554448/h280_51731844.jpg?21683592702
Evil Dead Rise (2023) 3
https://fugitives.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Evil-Dead-Rise-Ending-Explained-2023-Horror-Thriller-Film-696x391.jpg
Hypnotic (2023) 3
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTIwsmxYUsSIHJwq1nJqS6BhzfT6U5zF6B-Qw&usqp=CAU
The Pope's Exorcist (2023) 3.5
https://static1.moviewebimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/the-pope-s-exorcist-russell-crowe.jpg

[Whammy]

Renfield (2023) rating_4_5

I really enjoyed Renfield a lot more than I thought I would.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fhondurasisgreat.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F09%2Fun-lugar-en-el-caribe.png&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=3cffa521596eb90cc31b46388c99b23a01767650dd12903b76e88c9839d1763a&ipo=images

A Place in the Caribbean, 2017

Sofia (Lali Gonzalez) and her father, Marcelo (Daniel Zacapa) take a cruise to Honduras, but then fail to make it back to the boat before it departs. They end up at a beachside resort in Honduras, where Sofia meets the dashing Paolo (Rodrigo Guirao Diaz), while Marcelo meets local bartender Angela (Ana Clara Carranza). Meanwhile, author Gael (Jose Zuniga) begins to fall for Camila (Gabriela de la Garza), who happens to be the girlfriend of his editor.

Not a movie I’d steer anyone away from, but neither is it a film I’d strongly recommend.

3

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2391905#post2391905)

[matt72582]

Family Nest - 7.5/10


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/Family_Nest_dvd_cover.jpg

[cricket]

Soldier of Orange (1977)

4+

https://64.media.tumblr.com/a53343d78a338d9d51a391dc1298a6b5/tumblr_pv7lndZiAn1u4mt3bo1_500.gif

With the upcoming war countdown I had to finally get to this one directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Rutger Hauer. It's just different than the rest and did not disappoint. Big focus on friendship which of course leads to questions of betrayal. Not much action but a very cool war film.

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/Samba_%282014_film%29.jpg
By C@rtelesmix, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47068415

Samba - (2014)

Once it's up and going, and found it's rhythm, Samba is a pretty decent feelgood movie with excellent performances from two magnetic leads - Omar Sy and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Sy plays illegal immigrant Samba Cissé - caught by the authorities, he meets Alice (Gainsbourg) via his legal aid team and the two start a slow courtship which is enhanced by Samba's winsome sense of humour. Omar Sy can turn any situation into a laugh-out-loud moment with a wry comment or expressive look, and it was these moments I loved best about the film. It doesn't lean too heavily into any kind of pro-immigration stance or comment about racism at all (I don't think there was a single racist moment in the film) - it wants to intently focus on the characters instead, and their personality and circumstance. Samba is desperate to stay in France, and desperate to work despite not having the correct papers. Alice is recovering from a nervous breakdown, and battling chronic insomnia. They bring out the best in each other, and Alice can appreciate how easy and fun life is for a change when Samba is with her - always making a comical observation and being supportive, despite his own troubles. This was made by the duo that wrote and directed The Intouchables (also starring Omar Sy) and it simply did to me what it set out to do : made me feel good. A great mood enhancer, and a film with many fine comedic moments.

7/10

[Act III]

93095

Réalité (2014)
or Reality in English

I would compare this movie to Mulholland Drive in that the end doesn't tie up the story and a lot of confusion and overlapping between the segments makes it grow into a puzzle that probably can't be solved. My big complaint here is that damn harpischord or organ or keyboard bit that plays throughout the whole movie. You can't help but get disappointed because you know this could have been a great movie if it had a normal linear story behind it.

5/10

[MovieBuffering]

Cool Hand Luke - 1967

Found it cheap on blu ray at Barnes and Noble. I remember watching it when I was super little, my dad liked the movie. I remembered next to nothing. I knew the famous line "What we got here is a failure to communicate". I just didn't remember how it was delivered. I remember there being a stand off at the end but that was about it. So I'd say this was basically a first watch. Paul Newman was as cool and charismatic as the title insists. I had a feeling it was a Florida setting, I read they shot it in California but they did make it look and feel like Florida. I was iffy the first half hour of the flick but then you settle into and I really enjoyed it. Took a minute to get use to George Kennedy not being in Naked Gun too lol.

One of my favorite comedies is "Life" with Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. You can tell they took inspiration from this flick. Someone involved in that film really loved this film. It's almost beat for beat in some parts. Cool Hand Luke is basically a middle finger to the man and the establishment by Luke. I really enjoyed it, especially the ladder half. Pretty cool ending.

3.5
https://images.desenio.com/zoom/wb0178-8coolhandluke-portrait50x70.jpg

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F7DYfzn6qGmg%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=c1a264ed619176a3e70fea8e099117769443b8782931b02faaa865dfe26fa34e&ipo=images

Amira, 2021

Amira (Tara Abboud) is a young Palestinian woman whose father, Nuwar (Ali Suliman) is in prison--considered a “terrorist” by the government and a “prisoner of war” by his family--and whom she idolizes. When Nuwar and his wife, Warda (Saba Mubarak) decide to have another child, Nuwar pays to have his sperm smuggled out of the prison. But as a result of the testing involved in the fertility treatment, the family learns life-changing secrets about Nuwar and, by extension, about Amira.

This film is at its best when it juxtaposes the intimate, familial roles of its characters with the larger context of the roles they are expected to play in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It loses a bit of heft in its last act as it tries to go a bit too big with its character arcs.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2392051#post2392051)

[cricket]

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

4.5-

https://www.firstshowing.net/img/Boy-In-The-Striped-Pajamas-tsr.jpg

David Thewlis plays a Nazi bigwig with a wife (Vera Farmiga) and 2 children, an 8 year old boy and a 12 year old girl. He moves his family out of Berlin into a big house in the country. The children are forbidden to go exploring, but the boy sees what he thinks is a farm out in the distance through a window. He ends up sneaking over to what turns out to be a concentration camp and befriends a Jewish boy his age through the electrified barbed wire fence. There's some great messaging and perspective here, but I had some mixed feelings. Much of the time it feels like it's supposed to be a heartwarming child friendly film, and it is rated PG-13, but it's mixed with the horrors of a concentration camp, gas chambers, etc. I was able to get past the uneven tone until I got to the ending which left a big impression and I did not see coming.

[matt72582]

Soldier of Orange (1977)

rating_4+

https://64.media.tumblr.com/a53343d78a338d9d51a391dc1298a6b5/tumblr_pv7lndZiAn1u4mt3bo1_500.gif

With the upcoming war countdown I had to finally get to this one directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Rutger Hauer. It's just different than the rest and did not disappoint. Big focus on friendship which of course leads to questions of betrayal. Not much action but a very cool war film.


Sounds like something I might like. I saw a few of his Dutch movies, and had this on my watch-list.. Are the two in the car the friends? Or are the friends in the military? The not much action part draws me to war films.

[Fabulous]

The Train Robbers (1973)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/nN32DYwhCd4x94Jt3KjY0R45Rug.jpg

[cricket]

Sounds like something I might like. I saw a few of his Dutch movies, and had this on my watch-list.. Are the two in the car the friends? Or are the friends in the military? The not much action part draws me to war films.

No, I wouldn't call her one of the friends, though she is friendly:leo:

[GulfportDoc]

93103
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret(2023)


This is a cute, witty, delightful and touching picture that will likely make a star out of the actress who played the title character Margaret, 15-year-old Abby Ryder Forston. Margaret is a young lass who, along with a few of her school friends, is facing the start of the transition to puberty, with all of its angst, excitement, and physical changes that occur with these 11 or 12 year-old girls.


Margaret is crushed when her family decides to move from Manhattan to a New Jersey suburb because she’ll lose all of her friends at that critical age. But at the new suburban high school she soon falls in with a trio of female classmates, all of whom are full of wonderment and anxiety about the physical transformation that they are about to undergo, along with their attraction to, but shyness around boys.


At one point Margaret criticizes Laura (Isol Young) --an unusually taller and physically more developed classmate-- for reportedly letting boys “feel her up”. This shames the girl, who later tells Margaret that Margaret couldn’t possibly understand how awkward and embarrassing it is for Laura to be shunned because she’s so different physically than most of the other girls. Margaret later realizes how wrong she was to criticize Laura, and that she can relate to Laura’s isolation. Margaret searches her out and pulls her into Margaret’s group.


The important subtext is Margaret’s tendency to pray to God for relief and guidance despite her confusion about what God is, all the while trying to decide to which if any religion she wants to adhere. Her father is Jewish and her mother is lightly Christian, but from strong and determined Christian parents. Margaret tries them all, even though she’s seriously pressed by her father’s (Benny Safdie) mother (Kathy Bates) to become Jewish.


Her mother (Rachel McAdams) does not encourage Margaret towards any religion at all, and she and her husband are still miffed that her mother’s folks more or less cut off relations with her because she married a Jewish man. That circumstance later comes to a head when they all squabble over which religion Margaret should follow. In the end, Margaret goes her own way.


The standout performance of course is Abby Ryder Forston’s portrayal of Margaret. Her friend Nancy (Elle Graham) is likewise enjoyable. Rachel McAdams as the mother is almost too strong a presence, both in beauty and allure. One not quite so beautiful would have been a little more fitting. Benny Safdie is almost a tack-on as the father. Possibly selected because they needed someone who looks stereotypically Jewish (Salfdie is Jewish). There isn’t a lot of chemistry between McAdams and Safdie, but their relationship is only an incidental part of the story. Kathy Bates turns in another perfect performance as Margaret’s attractive and fun grandmother.


It’s refreshing to see a successful and well done picture made like they used to be. Despite the subject matter, they avoid low humor along with sexual displays and foul language. The screenplay by director/writer Kelly Craig perfectly relates all the travails, excitement and wonderment typically experienced by 11 or 12 year-old girls as they start the journey into sexual maturity.

Doc’s rating: 9/10

[cricket]

Fury (2014)

3.5

https://i.imgur.com/69WemvS.gif

Maybe I watched Commando too much as a kid, but this was some awesome baddassery, at least the first 2/3 until it went the way of corny cliches. Great tank fighting and nice to see Brad Pitt fighting Nazis again.

[Act III]

93104

Source Code (2011)

That was an awesome movie, not the computer hacker film I thought it was going to be.

9/10

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/83/Heaven_%282002_movie%29_poster.jpg
By [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1419282

Heaven - (2002)

Here's another Cate Blanchett film made after her arrival on the scene that I'd never heard of - and I kind of expect these films to be of middling quality. Heaven is decidedly above average though, and is an interesting mix of American and European filmmaking. As a straight thriller, it would be good enough to pass with flying colours - but this film adds a real kind of introspective examination of the nature of love and fate. Philippa (Cate Blanchett) plants a bomb at the office of a certain bigwig's corporate headquarters in Italy, but before it goes off, the cleaning lady accidentally puts it on her cart. It ends up exploding and killing a father with two young daughters and the cleaner. When Philippa is arrested, she's devastated to hear of what's happened - and in on the interrogation is a young Carabinieri acting as a translator, Filippo (Giovanni Ribisi) who falls madly in love with the prisoner. He decides to help her any way he can, which leads to an incredible series of events. Heaven features many of the things I love - beautiful cinematography which enhances the story and themes, a great screenplay, and two incredibly interesting leads. The story is quite exciting and dramatic, and written by the great Krzysztof Kieślowski, who intended it to be the start of a trilogy before he died (the next to films would have been Hell and Purgatory.) The only small quibble I have is that Blanchett and Ribisi's chemistry could have been better. I don't see the hot spark between them that should be there. In any event - I recommend this film to any that is interested thus far. I really enjoyed it.

7/10

[Fabulous]

Night Moves (1975)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/xe0vx2fhXKmXxrHd7nL5iMkaGw6.jpg

[BKB]

The last movie I watched was from 1980 titled "ALTERED STATES" with John Hurt and Blair Brown and Bob Ballaban.. Very trippy movie that involves Hurt as basically a mad scientist trying to unlock the secret to Evolution through taking Psychedelic Drugs and in the process, morphs into an Ape.. It's the kind of movie I enjoy watching after smoking some herb and I enjoy the Soundtrack like The DOORS in one segment.. I'd rate it 4.5 out of 5 Stars.. I feel no movie is perfect, but this is close

[Mr Minio]

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

I have witnessed an excess of cinematic representations of the Shoah and this is unequivocally an abysmal one. It is not only utterly implausible and historically fallacious in its depiction of the Lager and its prisoners, but it also has this nauseating Hollywood-esque plotline whose sole objective is to ensnare its viewers into a spurious sense of complacency before shattering it with the ending, thereby relegating the value of the film entirely to its shock factor. It feels like exploitation and trivialization of the Holocaust - a book adaptation produced strictly for lucre, and not one that furnishes anything of value to Holocaust remembrance.

[cricket]

I have witnessed an excess of cinematic representations of the Shoah and this is unequivocally an abysmal one. It is not only utterly implausible and historically fallacious in its depiction of the Lager and its prisoners, but it also has this nauseating Hollywood-esque plotline whose sole objective is to ensnare its viewers into a spurious sense of complacency before shattering it with the ending, thereby relegating the value of the film entirely to its shock factor. It feels like exploitation and trivialization of the Holocaust - a book adaptation produced strictly for lucre, and not one that furnishes anything of value to Holocaust remembrance.

Agree with most of that, it's a shame you didn't enjoy it as much as I did.

[Torgo]

Conquest - 3

If this movie succeeds at anything, it's as a must-watch for anyone who has to travel to a strange place by themselves because it could reduce anxiety. That's the situation for our hero, Ilias (Occhipinti), who's bestowed a magical bow and arrows and dropped in a dangerous hinterland in a quest to prove himself. The land is ruled by Ocron (Siani), an evil goddess who can make the sun rise and set. Luckily, Ilias quickly happens upon the readiest guide to such a realm imaginable: Mace (Rivero), a loner and animal lover who could possibly intimidate Conan the Barbarian.

Like so much Italian genre cinema from this era, it shamelessly uses every means imaginable to target the pleasure center of your brain. When it's not the great Claudio Simonetti's synthy score doing this, it’s the superfluous nudity, and when it's not the battles with Ocron's minions - of which there are many - it's the foggy, dreamlike scenery. Speaking of the latter, Fulci and company make Sardinia out to be a real Stygian landscape, which has the added benefit of making the atmosphere as thick as all the fog. Also, while I expect much more candy than food for thought in movies like this one, I appreciate the ways it argues that if you're going to fight, it's most honorable to do it for the benefit of your companions, both human and animal, particularly the latter, especially for a rescue scene I dare not spoil). The majority of the movie is too predictable and familiar for me to consider it great (until it isn't - I will say no more - but my statement still stands). It also defines the "come for the X, stay for the Y" phrase because there are many times when it's not clear if the movie is telling Ilius's story or Mace's. With that said, if you also look to Italian genre movies when you're not sure what you want to watch or if you're simply in the mood for some brain candy, you could do much worse. Just a warning, though: you may never look at Chewbacca the same way again.

[matt72582]

People of the Mountains - 6.5/10

My first thought was, "This is very religious" and then realizing Hungary was under Nazi control, but even Goebbels said it was "Too Catholic". But, I've seen plenty of movies made in the USSR that dove into themes that some rich nerd said never happened.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/People_of_the_Mountains.jpg

[Mr Minio]

Agree with most of that, it's a shame you didn't enjoy it as much as I did. Yeah, I actually watched it EONS ago and didn't mind it that much. It's just not as great as some people's ratings (including yours) make it seem. And if you add the issues I described (most of which you agree with!), I just don't see it as an acceptable film anymore.
But, I've seen plenty of movies made in the USSR that dove into themes that some rich nerd said never happened. Like what?

[Stirchley]

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

4.5-

https://www.firstshowing.net/img/Boy-In-The-Striped-Pajamas-tsr.jpg

David Thewlis plays a Nazi bigwig with a wife (Vera Farmiga) and 2 children, an 8 year old boy and a 12 year old girl. He moves his family out of Berlin into a big house in the country. The children are forbidden to go exploring, but the boy sees what he thinks is a farm out in the distance through a window. He ends up sneaking over to what turns out to be a concentration camp and befriends a Jewish boy his age through the electrified barbed wire fence. There's some great messaging and perspective here, but I had some mixed feelings. Much of the time it feels like it's supposed to be a heartwarming child friendly film, and it is rated PG-13, but it's mixed with the horrors of a concentration camp, gas chambers, etc. I was able to get past the uneven tone until I got to the ending which left a big impression and I did not see coming.

I hated this movie & bailed out. I didn’t believe a word of it.

[cricket]

Yeah, I actually watched it EONS ago and didn't mind it that much. It's just not as great as some people's ratings (including yours) make it seem. And if you add the issues I described (most of which you agree with!), I just don't see it as an acceptable film anymore.

My ratings are more about how much I enjoy a film than how good it actually is. Remember, Basket Case and Beerfest are both 5 in my book.

[cricket]

I hated this movie & bailed out. I didn’t believe a word of it.

Yea I didn't believe it either, I thought it was a bit whimsical.

[Mr Minio]

My ratings are more about how much I enjoy a film than how good it actually is. Remember, Basket Case and Beerfest are both 5 in my book. Same here, but that's just one of rating films, and maybe not the best way at that! I created a new rating scale that while not being objective (impossible!), actually promotes in movies what I find the most valuable. :) Sometimes you actually remind yourself that there are some high standards you should ideally hold. :)

[cricket]

Same here, but that's just one of rating films, and maybe not the best way at that! I created a new rating scale that while not being objective (impossible!), actually promotes in movies what I find the most valuable. :) Sometimes you actually remind yourself that there are some high standards you should ideally hold. :)

I don't have standards but I can't wait to see you're new fancy rating scale!

[Mr Minio]

I don't have standards but I can't wait to see you're new fancy rating scale! I'm not gonna use it. Changing 17,000 ratings and ending up with an RYM rating deweighting is not much of a prize for being an elitist, eh?

[cricket]

I'm not gonna use it. Changing 17,000 ratings and ending up with an RYM rating deweighting is not much of a prize for being an elitist, eh?

Oh come on, it's for the greater good.

[Mr Minio]

Oh come on, it's for the greater good. I just like enjoying watching movies.

[LChimp]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzA2NDkwODAwM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODk5MTgzMTE@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg

[chawhee]

Dungeons and Dragons (2023)
https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2022/12/05/dungeons-and-dragons-honor-among-thieves-button-1670258546313.jpg?width=300
3
I heard this was worth seeing even for those who have never played the game itself, and it was pretty delightful. Easygoing and charming, with jokes that land but are rarely laugh out loud.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BM2M4NTJiMDUtNjBhZi00ZjM4LTk4OWMtOGYwZjYyYjE5MjljXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQ3Njg3MQ@@._V1_.jpg


3.5

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.mubicdn.net%2Fimages%2Ffilm%2F129814%2Fcache-113187-1445965346%2Fimage-w1280.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=a6943a45a3d52a80c9dd24badf1f39200351b6382688a1b991f920a8853617e2&ipo=images

Ludo, 2014

In an isolated house by the seaside, a girl (Lea Blaaberg) lives with her father (Hjalmar Dam) and mother (Hildigunn Eyofinsdottir). The mother seems to suffer from some sort of mental illness, and the girl and her father try to keep up a cheery front despite her highly changeable moods.

Outside of the distinction of being from the Faroe Islands, this one doesn’t amount to being more than a very average psychological horror movie.

3

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2392251#post2392251)

[GulfportDoc]

...
The Artifice Girl (2022- 2023) rating_3_5
https://images.kinorium.com/movie/shot/9554448/h280_51731844.jpg?21683592702
...
Took your suggestion and watched this last night. It's a clever, well thought out sci-fi drama with first rate acting. I especially liked the old man at the end.

It's really not my type of film, but I enjoyed it. It's one of those no stars, micro budget stand out movies.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.rogerebert.com%2Fuploads%2Freview%2Fprimary_image%2Freviews%2Frafiki-2019%2Frafiki-image-9.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=a796d1940bf7e2d4da36384c75cb63cd75562f6f7f01885e26681352275aa42d&ipo=images

Rafiki, 2018

Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) forms a friendship that quickly turns into something more serious with the lovely Ziki (Sheila Munyiva), the daughter of her father’s political rival. In addition to facing broader cultural backlash to being in a queer relationship, Kena must deal with her father’s disappointment that she’s spending time with “the enemy”.

This colorful, but at times intense, drama-romance is a simple but effective story of forbidden love.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2392261#post2392261)

[SpelingError]

I thought of changing my rating scale so that only the top 6-7 films in my favorites list stay at a 10/10, the remaining films on there get bumped down to a 9/10, and then every other film would go down by one point (I'd also find a way to combine the films I have at 2/10 - 4/10 into two ratings). However, I decided against doing this. There are a few obscure films in there which I'd feel really bad about bumping down. Of course, I'm just one person, but I want to help them out as much as I can.

[Mr Minio]

However, I decided against doing this. There are a few obscure films in there which I'd feel really bad about bumping down. I'd feel bad about bumping down half of my ratings.

[Fabulous]

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/obDuU0T434xZbTv70H8JfF4xCBe.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://i.postimg.cc/63Bbx3v5/one-fine-morning.jpg
By https://filmsdulosange.com/film/un-beau-matin/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71824568

One Fine Morning - (2022)

Late last year I watched Mia Hansen-Løve's Father of My Children and found it had a lot to say that was fairly unique and interesting, while still holding on tight to the human drama that would otherwise have made it too abstract. I really enjoyed it, and I've yet to see any of her other films, including the acclaimed Bergman Island - apart from One Fine Morning, which I watched today. This one gets closer to the emotional core of how helpless we all really are, both when it comes to our own needs, and the whims or fortunes of those we love. Sandra Kienzler (Léa Seydoux) has a father who was once a Philosophy professor, but now finds it hard to open doors or remember where he is - he has a neurodegenerative disease called Benson's syndrome, and since nobody is available to look after him 24/7 he has to go into a home. The family don't have much money, so the places he ends up in tend to rob him of his dignity, and throughout One Fine Morning intrusive people with dementia simply wander into his room during private moments. Sandra, while having to deal with this, has also started an intense love affair with Clément (Melvil Poupaud) who really tests her emotions by constantly fluctuating when it comes to choosing her or his wife and son. Her daughter Linn (Camille Leban Martins) really centers and anchors her. It's Sandra's rawness and vulnerability though - created by her new circumstances - that comes through quite well thanks to the talented Seydoux, who I thought was quite excellent in this. But I can't mention her and not single out Pascal Greggory, who is brilliant also as Sandra's father - he was completely convincing. Mia Hansen-Løve seems to be building a really solid body of work - I recommend both this and Father of my Children.

7.5/10

https://i.postimg.cc/cHWTyfm2/gents.jpg
By "Copyright 1947 - By Twentieth Century–Fox Film Corp." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from the original image and retouched by uploader; see upload history for unretouched original., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89276138

Gentleman's Agreement - (1947)

Kind of strange to see this 1940s film on racism, and how differently it was tackled back then in this Best Picture Oscar-winning film featuring Gregory Peck. It's about anti-Semitism, and can at times feel terribly awkward - for example when writer Schuyler Green (Peck) just decides to be Jewish for 8 weeks to see what it's like. I guess I'm phrasing it in a way that makes it seem worse, but I was still kind of taken aback by his pretense. Because he's not used to it, Green reacts with rage whenever he's excluded or judged because of his supposed race - and he comes to realise that good non-racist people who say nothing or do nothing when they see racist attitudes or practices are nearly as bad as those with the chips on their shoulders. Nobody is mad at him when they learn he's not Jewish after all, especially the new friends he's made. I doubt he'd get away with that today. The film makes some good points once it's got going, but the setting up of the premise seems a little bonkers - and in the end Green writes a magazine article so powerful that it cures his mother of heart disease by making her "want to see how this new century pans out." If you ask me, I think it was the pain medication that made her feel that good - Schuyler Green doesn't strike me as that insightful or inspiring. He's the kind of guy that needs things explained 10 different ways until he gets it.

6/10

[EsmagaSapos]

Fast X (2023)
rating_1
Nothing to see here.


Master Gardener (2022)
rating_2
I was a killer once, now I'm a trashman.
I was a killer once, now I'm a cutter.
I was a killer once, now I'm a [just fill].
This one: I was a killer once, now I'm a gardener.


Ted K (2021)
rating_3
Inserts the daily-life, how he couldn't escape the system.
People cannot escape this world, and that's a fact, you carry it to the place you escape to.
Interestingly, I started watching the film around the time the first news about Ted Kaczynki's death came out, spooky.


Creed III (2023)
rating_1
Even Stallone didn't join the party.

Crown Vic (2019)
rating_3
How it's like to be a cop on the graveyard shift.
No other film will show it, accuratibly, how it is, like this will.


Marty (1955)
rating_4
They don't make them like this no more, pure story, pure heart.
Loneliness, the guys, the girls, the mothers, the grandmothers.

[Chypmunk]

Latest watches:
Billy The Kid Versus Dracula 1966 2
Fires On The Plain 1959 4
Exit Wounds 2001 3
Punisher: War Zone 2008 3
Wake Of The Red Witch 1948 3.5
The Disappearance 1977 3+
On The Road To Berlin 2015 3+
Hannie Caulder 1971 3
At The Earth's Core 1976 2.5
End Of The World 2018 1+
Quarries 2016 1.5+
Victoria & Abdul 2017 3+
The Sorcerers 1967 3+
Feral 2017 2.5
Island Of Terror 1966 2.5+
Westfront 1918 1930 3.5+
Daddy's Home 2015 2.5
Knuckleball 2018 2.5
The Swordsman 2020 3.5+
Lava Storm 2008 1
Swallow 2019 3

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNWNlZTUxOTUtMzhmMi00MDg4LThmMTYtNjZhNmM2NDcxYjk1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQzNTA5MzYz._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


[Rating]3.5[/Ratiing]

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fculturalhater.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F10%2FUntitled-design-77.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=97f82dc370b37be3b5aa3bd9cc6d667b48456bb90d435315bdfdd1a7da4dc123&ipo=images

The Long Walk, 2019

An older man (Yannawoutthi Chanthalungsy) is followed by the silent ghost of a young woman (Noutnapha Soydara) who he found dying in his childhood. When the man is hired by a young woman to contact the spirit of her dead mother, we follow his interactions with her as well as seeing flashbacks to the man’s experiences as a child (Por Silatsa).

With plenty of atmosphere and an appealing, time-bending mystery, this supernatural thriller is well worth a watch.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2392460#post2392460)

[GulfportDoc]

93138
The Vast of Night (2019)

This was my 2nd re-watch. I liked it even more than I did the first time, especially having learned of director Andrew Patterson's shoe string budget techniques, along with having heard him interviewed by the great Roger Deakins (available free online). My appreciation of the phenomenal portrayal of the main character, Fay, by Sierra McCormick, has also increased.

What has puzzled me for the past 4 years is why hasn't Patterson been snapped up by a studio or production company, after such a deeply impressive debut? Well, turns out he has been. The Rivals of Amziah King, a crime thriller written by Patterson, is in pre-production with Matthew McConaughey starring. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/matthew-mcconaughey-rivals-of-amziah-king-1235482024/

Here is my commentary from a few years ago:

The Vast of Night (2019)

Caught this delightful picture last night, which had been bought by Amazon and put up on its site yesterday (5/29/20). It's a sci-fi mystery by new director Andrew Patterson, starring Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz. Producer, director, writers, and some of the actors are freshman in the industry. The excellent cinematography is by veteran M.I. Litten-Menz.

Everything clicked on this picture. It's set in the 1950s, framed as a story on a Twilight Zone copy, Paradox Theater. Slow to build, it carefully sets the background, then gradually quickens the pace to intense thriller levels as the story unfolds. They've adroitly captured the intense but innocent feel of the 1950s sci-fi monster flicks, such as The Blob, and others. The production design was impressive on what must have been a low budget.

The acting is first rate, especially from Miss McCormick and the old pro Gail Cronauer; but it is the fresh and exciting cinematography by Litten-Menz that provides such captivating and engaging photography. The 90 minute film goes by quickly, although it leads to a somewhat anticlimactic finish.

You can be sure that director Andrew Patterson will be offered lots of work for much bigger money as the result of this first time feature. Will look forward to any future productions he helms.

Doc's rating: 8/10

[Act III]

93139

Approaching the Unknown (2016)

A scifi movie that seems made by people who dont make scifi. A hardcore fan of scifi would probably criticise this to no end and pick it apart. Difficult getting through this one but I got to the credits.

3/10

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bb/Martian_child_post.jpg
By Concept Arts - Impawards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13573433

Martian Child - (2007)

Those of us who were a little different as children often found ourselves bullied or ostracised, and as a result had to find various coping strategies to get by - David (John Cusack) in this Menno Meyjes-directed drama did, but fortunately his imagination resulted in his becoming a successful science-fiction writer. When David, a widow still mourning the loss of his wife, decides he wants to adopt, he happens upon Dennis (Bobby Coleman) - a kid who takes eccentricity to a whole other level. Dennis insists that he's from Mars, and has been sent to Earth to study humanity and this blue planet - and David feels it best to play along a little instead of forcing normality on him. Their unusual relationship takes many twists and turns as they both learn more about each other, with David pushing himself to the brink in his quest to love and parent a really difficult child. The film has it's good points and bad points, and often tries to introduce uncertainty as to whether there is something preternatural and unearthly about Dennis. When it focuses on the persistence of behavioral issues, and the long-term effects of childhood trauma - really getting into the grist of the human issues involved - we're on much more solid ground. John Cusack is good in this, and it's a decent movie - probably good family fare. Joan Cusack also features - and I'm not sure if John and Joan have acted together in many other things, but featuring as fictional brother and sister was neat.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/CosiPoster1996.jpg
By http://www.middlemiss.org/matilda/film-adaptations/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28492683

Cosi - (1996)

Cosi is an Australian film that gets by on it's performances - I don't think there's much original imagination spent on it's story, but the talent on display is impressive. Ben Mendelsohn, Toni Collette, Jacki Weaver, Rachel Griffiths, Barry Otto, David Wenham, Pamela Rabe, Colin Friels - they all show the boundless acting ability they have, and it's impressive, but I didn't walk away from the film thinking I'd seen something great. Director Lewis Riley (Mendelsohn), unemployed and desperate for work, takes on the job of heading a drama class at a mental asylum. Inmate Roy (Otto) insists on the Mozart opera Così fan tutte, and although it's obviously a bit of a reach, Lewis takes the challenge. The themes of the opera are also explored in the film's story itself. It's a pleasure watching all of these performers, and it's a bit of a shame that there wasn't as much talent behind the camera as there was in front. I liked the movie for the reasons stated though - it's a good representation of a certain generation of acting talent, with so many of these performers gathered in the one film.

6/10

[SpelingError]

La Terra Trema (1948) - 4

La Terra Trema is a sobering reminder about the inescapable nature of capitalism. Though you can hope to break free from the oppressive restraints of the system, you'll likely find something new to be worried about due to the lack of alternative options. Antonio and his family tried to find freedom but were punished for it. Visconti matches these themes very well with a highly oppressive atmosphere which hangs over the film. Virtually the entire film takes place inside the fishing village and there's hardly a scene where we get to venture outside of it. Of course, the outskirts of the village are referred to with the prison and bank scenes, but the camera stays locked in place. Even the fishing scenes themselves are often shown from the perspectives of the shorelines overlooking the ocean rather than the boats themselves (admittedly, I would've liked to see the storm sequence up close, but thematically speaking, I understand why it was shot the way it was). As a result, this rigid formalism frequently feels like it's suffocating the characters and infusing the village with a subtle undercurrent of claustrophobia. There's a certain kind of sadness which looms throughout the film, both thematically and stylistically, and we hardly get a break from it. In spite of these themes though, Visconti also observes the fishermen with a level of sensuality. This is far from his only film which does this as a handful of male actors Visconti worked with throughout his career, like Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Farley Granger, and Jean Marais, were iconic for their looks. Antonio Arcidiacono is, of course, far less well-known than all of them, but the same could be said for him in this film. Piloting boats in the sun, hauling in loads of fish, returning to the shore covered in sweat - Visconti doesn't forget to find elegance in such an oppressive environment. The depiction of men doesn't boil down to them being sexualized though. Rather, you get the sense that he has an innate understanding of their physicality - as well as the emotional/situational characteristics thereof - which is able to move you in a certain way which most other director's aren't quite able to capture. In 1962, Sight & Sound ranked this as the 9th best film ever made, but from a modern standpoint, it's slowly becoming a forgotten classic. Here's hoping it someday sees a resurgance though as, while it isn't quite my faorite Visconti, I would definitely consider it as a close second pick.

[Act III]

93140

Bosch & Rockit (2022) in Australia
and Ocean Boy in the USA

Good mild father/son drama with a lot of great ocean and beach cinematography. Nothing below standard or under-quality about this movie. Not a lot of action, not a chick flick.

6/10

[Act III]

93143

Mission: Impossible 6 - Fallout (2018)

This second viewing feels much like my first viewing in theaters, ups and downs, nice action sequences here and there but nothing seems to overtake some of the previous M:I movies. Then it seems like the movie is clocking in at way too long, although the ending scene is shot in a grandoise wilderness with stunning visuals. Bloated. Still a great movie, but I like some of the other ones better.

7/10

[ScarletLion]

'Ponette' (1996)

Directed by Jacques Doillon

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7c/Ponette.jpg

Follows Ponette, a young girl who is trying to cope with devastating grief. The film is pretty extraordinary in terms of the cast - most of which are 5 year old children. How director Jacques Doillon got these performances out of them is nothing short of a miracle.

The camera is placed at Ponette's eye level for most of the film, so the audience is placed in her realm, with just fleeting interactions with adults. We journey with Ponette at school, with her peers, and in her habitat alone, trying to make sense of the direction that her family is heading. It's a heartbreaking watch at times, and there's also a tragic real life history regarding Marie Trintignant (daughter of legendary actor Jean Louis Trintignant) who plays Ponette's mother.

Roger Ebert praised the film, but marked it down due to a moment of magical realism towards the end. But with that moment, comes alot of hope and light, and without it, I think there would be a melancholy that doesn't really resolve itself.

It' a must watch for any cinephile if only to puzzle about how the director got the performances from the child actors.

4.5

[LChimp]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1e/e0/62/1ee06299c6d7515c71e0dc52fe0a82ed.jpg

[John-Connor]

SOLDIER OF ORANGE 1977 Paul Verhoeven
93146
2h 32m | Drama | Romance | Thriller | War
Writer: Erik Hazelhoff
Cast: Rutger Hauer, Jeroen Krabbé, Derek de Lint, Belinda Meuldijk, Edward Fox

"They began and ended with a toast. In between was one hell of a war."

4+ (83/100)

[matt72582]

The Doll - 8/10
This movie has been re-made several times, in one form or another, probably most like the 2009 Japanese movie, "Air Doll", but that's only pretty good.... Per Oscarsson never disappoints and I realized every movie he's in isn't just good; it's great.



"Fueled by loneliness, a neurotic night watchman develops an unusual relationship with a department-store mannequin."


https://youtu.be/GA5TAK96DCk

[Stirchley]

93149

Gosh, this was very scary. Strange original storyline. Sebastian & Daisy both excellent in their rôles.

93150

Convoluted & circular, but maybe this was the point. Good movie though quite a bit lost in translation & I lost a few plot points for sure. Lead actor very good.

The poor kid with the speech impediment. Yikes.

[beelzebubble]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bb/Martian_child_post.jpg
By Concept Arts - Impawards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13573433

Martian Child - (2007)

Those of us who were a little different as children often found ourselves bullied or ostracised, and as a result had to find various coping strategies to get by - David (John Cusack) in this Menno Meyjes-directed drama did, but fortunately his imagination resulted in his becoming a successful science-fiction writer. When David, a widow still mourning the loss of his wife, decides he wants to adopt, he happens upon Dennis (Bobby Coleman) - a kid who takes eccentricity to a whole other level. Dennis insists that he's from Mars, and has been sent to Earth to study humanity and this blue planet - and David feels it best to play along a little instead of forcing normality on him. Their unusual relationship takes many twists and turns as they both learn more about each other, with David pushing himself to the brink in his quest to love and parent a really difficult child. The film has it's good points and bad points, and often tries to introduce uncertainty as to whether there is something preternatural and unearthly about Dennis. When it focuses on the persistence of behavioral issues, and the long-term effects of childhood trauma - really getting into the grist of the human issues involved - we're on much more solid ground. John Cusack is good in this, and it's a decent movie - probably good family fare. Joan Cusack also features - and I'm not sure if John and Joan have acted together in many other things, but featuring as fictional brother and sister was neat.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/CosiPoster1996.jpg
By http://www.middlemiss.org/matilda/film-adaptations/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28492683

Cosi - (1996)

Cosi is an Australian film that gets by on it's performances - I don't think there's much original imagination spent on it's story, but the talent on display is impressive. Ben Mendelsohn, Toni Collette, Jacki Weaver, Rachel Griffiths, Barry Otto, David Wenham, Pamela Rabe, Colin Friels - they all show the boundless acting ability they have, and it's impressive, but I didn't walk away from the film thinking I'd seen something great. Director Lewis Riley (Mendelsohn), unemployed and desperate for work, takes on the job of heading a drama class at a mental asylum. Inmate Roy (Otto) insists on the Mozart opera Così fan tutte, and although it's obviously a bit of a reach, Lewis takes the challenge. The themes of the opera are also explored in the film's story itself. It's a pleasure watching all of these performers, and it's a bit of a shame that there wasn't as much talent behind the camera as there was in front. I liked the movie for the reasons stated though - it's a good representation of a certain generation of acting talent, with so many of these performers gathered in the one film.

6/10


I found both of these movies charming.

The nineties was a time when a lot of charming, light comedy was coming out of Australia. Loved those movies.

[Fabulous]

None but the Brave (1965)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/1i4zA2D8o0oIvJIMuD8lCwLRL4p.jpg

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.themoviedb.org%2Ft%2Fp%2Fw1066_and_h600_bestv2%2Fke8MuTHVveodT0YQxV1TcTh4BXd.jp g&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=5fc359f322d50a8e5a029e76e14a56cf015533a78c339fed631096d60b6196d6&ipo=images

Young Einstein, 1988

In this, ahem, fanciful retelling of the life of Albert Einstein, Einstein (Yahoo Serious) is a young Tazmanian man working on his family’s apple farm. When he stumbles across a world-changing discovery--how to put bubbles into beer--he ventures to England to share his new knowledge. Along the way he woos Marie Curie (Odile Le Clezio) and must save his great ideas from the scheming Preston (John Howard).

For the most part, this “knows it’s stupid” film succeeds in entertaining, even if its silliness keeps you from developing a real affection for the characters.

3.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2392592#post2392592)

[Captain Steel]

Around the World Under the Sea (1966)

https://dyn1.heritagestatic.com/lf?set=path[4/1/4/7/4147374]&call=url[file:product.chain]

This sci-fi adventure was a bit more pedestrian than Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964) as this mission isn't a military operation.

Several undersea scientists are gathered aboard an experimental submarine to distribute seismic sensors on the ocean floor around the world in hopes of preventing the next tsunami destined to destroy Japan. (I'm thinking this film's plot had greater significance in the year 2011.)

Although the crew is a dream team of specialists made up of a few recognizable names (including a beautiful lady doctor played by Shirley Eaton - best known as James Bond's original "golden girl"), and who may have motives other than the mission's success, there's no real chemistry among them - making the film a bit dry in that respect.

The underwater photography is okay, but looks kind of muted most of the time (which was a lost opportunity to at least make those portions visually dazzling).

There's a couple good action sequences (I liked the giant eel - which is a regular sea eel filmed alongside miniatures). The physics behind the climax are a bit hard to swallow, but nonetheless, exciting.

2.5

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0d/Anchors_aweigh.jpg
By www.impawards.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7098199

Anchors Aweigh - (1945)

In my quest to see as many old Hollywood musicals as I can, I'm kind of developing some kind of taste for the likes of Gene Kelly, inventive set-pieces, romance, music and flair. Anchors Aweigh has all of these things, and strikes a nice balance when it comes to the whimsical and straight narrative. I very much enjoyed the fact that there's a lot of varied, serious music in it - for example, Brahms' Lullaby, some Tchaikovsky and a little Rossini. I was surprised. A young Frank Sinatra (he was 30, but looks 19) is a delight to listen to, and we also get to witness an unrecognizable Dean Stockwell as an 8-year-old. The costumes are fantastic, as is the fantasy segment where Gene Kelly gets to dance with an animated Jerry (from Tom and Jerry) - but I have to admit that all of the dancing from Gene Kelly is worth watching. Kelly and Sinatra feature as two sailors on leave who become entangled with a young boy (Stockwell) and his Aunt (played by Kathryn Grayson) - the romantic angle becomes complex, which is another enjoyable aspect of the film. José Iturbi also features as himself. Many people criticize the film for being 140-minutes long, but when you're enjoying a musical as much as I was enjoying this that's not a problem at all. This is one I'm developing a soft spot for.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f5/Meet_Joe_Black-_1998.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from Universal Pictures., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2596702

Meet Joe Black - (1998)

There wasn't a whole lot that made sense to me in Meet Joe Black. That's my whole review - it's a film that goes for 181 minutes, but that just about sums it up.

3/10

[Act III]

93154

Axcellerator (2020)

Half sitcom, half action movie. Some real artsy shots here and there, the tones and textures vary throughout. You get a feeling that everyone is having fun filming. Although this movie wasn't made by Disney you might think so, with the dialogue and attitudes of the characters. You'd probably like it.

(6/10)

[Fabulous]

Star 80 (1983)

4

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/yH3Y1IOVUURH7MOpA23RKrLOr84.jpg

[cricket]

Ballad of a Soldier (1959)

5

https://oldschoolmanblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/0022.jpg

Surprised I haven't heard more about this Russian masterpiece. A lot of different emotions for less than 90 minutes and it looks great too. On YouTube with subtitles.

[Allaby]

I rewatched War Witch (also known as Rebelle, 2012) today. This powerful Oscar-nominated Canadian film is about an African girl who was abducted by the rebel army at the age of 12 and forced to be a child soldier. In her debut performance, young Rachel Mwanza is extraordinary. Prior to being cast in the film, Mwanza was living on the streets. She won the Silver Bear award for best actress at the Berlin International film festival, as well as the Canadian Screen Award for best actress. War Witch is definitely in strong contention for my ballot and I hope it makes the countdown. It is currently available to stream on CBC Gem or Hoopla in Canada or on Tubi, Pluto tv, or Kanopy in the US. 4.5

[Mr Minio]

Ballad of a Soldier (1959)
Surprised you never heard about it. I'm sure I talked about it several times. I also had it on at least one list. Also, watching films on YouTube is eh, but you're right that it's a masterpiece of post-Stalinist thaw.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjcwOTE5MGMtNGU1ZC00M2RmLThlZjQtYzdiMTQ3MzY2MjQ1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjE5MjUyOTM@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


3.5

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fvideocdn-sbs.akamaized.net%2Fu%2Fvideo%2FSBS%2Fmanaged%2Fimages%2F2016%2F03%2F01%2F629488707921_03011003_gett t_large.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=f74084a9bc8e529fa0536bd3cc6abb4914857e8732bdb17585a2d1157c9da5a7&ipo=images

The Getting of Wisdom, 1977

Laura Rambotham (Susannah Fowle) is an incredibly bright young woman living in the country and being educated by her mother. When she’s accepted into an upscale academy in Melbourne, she must adapt to the whirlwind of friendships and rivalries within the school. But her blunt manner and extraordinary academic and musical talents don’t always endear her to her classmates or her teachers. She also must navigate a crush that she has on a young music teacher named Evelyn (Hilary Ryan).

Worth a watch for Fowle’s performance alone. I’m shocked that she only has a handful of titles to her name.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2392714#post2392714)

[matt72582]

Sandakan hachibanshokan bohkyo - 7.5/10
Also known as Sandakan No. 8 (サンダカン八番娼館 望郷, Sandakan hachiban shōkan: Bōkyō, aka Sandakan 8 and Brothel 8... Good independent movie. I thought there was too much time dedicated to the flashback scenes, and I thought establishing more of a relationship between the two characters would have been better. The last 5-10 minutes were great, though. I'll definitely look to see which IMDB lists this movie is included in. It's probably why I've had a lot of success lately with movies - just looking up unique movies, and the other movies associated. Maybe it's part of someone's Top 100 - perfect way to find movies, some obscure. Many on YouTube or somewhere online.



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Sandakan_No.8.jpg

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMWI3ODlkZmMtZTFiNS00MTE2LTljYTUtZmZjMGFkMzMwMGRhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjM4NTM5NDY@._V1_.jpg


3

[matt72582]

The Last of Sheila - 6/10
After seeing the very good "And Then There Were None", I thought I'd check out the older mysteries, but it doesn't come close. I didn't care about any of these characters, what happened to them, what they did, and what was their end, while I was very engaged with the other.



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e7/Last_sheila_movieposter.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/13/Detroit_rock_city_ver1.jpg
By Phil Roberts - Impawards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12487409

Detroit Rock City - (1999)

It takes Detroit Rock City only seconds to score it's first big laugh, but my expectations after that moment were let down a little bit - it's decidedly a mixed bag. Kids in these rock and roll/punk rock films can be the good kind of bad and rebellious or simply gross - and in this a good example of what they're like is when the four male characters give a girl a lift in their car and then proceed to sexually harass her for the entire journey. If that hadn't set enough of a tone, Edward Furlong has several scenes where he tries to win a male stripper contest that's hosted by Ron Jeremy. Not at all this film's fault for including him, for they probably weren't aware of his alleged crimes, but him being part of this film now just makes me feel a little ill. It's a wish fulfillment kind of flick, as our four teen KISS fans all end up gratifying themselves as heroes or with sex - some of it's fun, and features decent comedy and some of it's off-putting, and not that funny. In it's quest to appeal to rebellious teens (which I'm sure it did) it does things I'm in favour with (all of the adults are squares in a very comically exaggerated way), but also has moments that make it's characters obnoxious. Surprising that Furlong still seems so young, nearly a decade after Terminator 2 - his career would nosedive as his problems with addiction and domestic violence spiraled out of control.

6/10

[Fabulous]

Phffft (1954)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/v5zZcMdiUs0uuXKqQVu1Iun7JnI.jpg

[Torgo]

Flamin' Hot - 3

I'm a sucker for rags-to-riches stories, and this may be not the greatest or apparently most accurate one, but it has enough going for it for me to recommend it. It's the story of Richard Montañez, a longtime janitor at Frito -Lay who worked his way up to a director role. The secret of his success? It's in the title: he came up with the popular and much-memed Cheetos variety. During his rise through the ranks, we witness how much the cards are stacked against Mexicans in the U.S.

Montañez was born in California, but we get a compelling firsthand account of why it's hardly an advantage for himself or his family. If it's not the racial slurs directed towards Richard or even his children, it's his excruciating job search, which the movie presents in a clever montage featuring many a rejection and swiftly removed "Help Wanted" sign. Touches like these as well as Richard's funny visions of how he wished certain milestones in his career played out and a scene where we see a decade and then some pass by on the factory floor make me interested in what first-time director Eva Longoria will do next. If she does direct again, I hope she's able to rally the same level of character talent. Besides Dennis Haysbert and Tony Shalhoub's turns as a sympathetic engineer and CEO respectively, as a Better Call Saul fan, it was nice to see Peter Diseth as a doubting PepsiCo executive. I also expect streaming movies to seem like uncanny valley versions of theatrical releases, but this one has a surprising amount of authenticity and grit. This especially applies to the factory, which might as well be a real one.

Despite what I appreciate about the movie, it's a bit too familiar and unambitious in every other area to be great. From the loyal wife to the high expectations father, it has its fair share of oft-parodied clichés. For its uncompromising presentation of the Mexican-American experience, stylistic touches and infectious optimism, it at least stands out from the average streaming-exclusive movie these days. This especially applies to those of you, like I admit I was before pressing play, who assume this is just an "origin of Maggie's pacifier" story.

[Stirchley]

Flamin' Hot - 3

I'm a sucker for rags-to-riches stories, and this may be not the greatest or apparently most accurate one, but it has enough going for it for me to recommend it. It's the story of Richard Montañez, a longtime janitor at Frito -Lay who worked his way up to a director role. The secret of his success? It's in the title: he came up with the popular and much-memed Cheetos variety. During his rise through the ranks, we witness how much the cards are stacked against Mexicans in the U.S.

Montañez was born in California, but we get a compelling firsthand account of why it's hardly an advantage for himself or his family. If it's not the racial slurs directed towards Richard or even his children, it's his excruciating job search, which the movie presents in a clever montage featuring many a rejection and swiftly removed "Help Wanted" sign. Touches like these as well as Richard's funny visions of how he wished certain milestones in his career played out and a scene where we see a decade and then some pass by on the factory floor make me interested in what first-time director Eva Longoria will do next. If she does direct again, I hope she's able to rally the same level of character talent. Besides Dennis Haysbert and Tony Shalhoub's turns as a sympathetic engineer and CEO respectively, as a Better Call Saul fan, it was nice to see Peter Diseth as a doubting PepsiCo executive. I also expect streaming movies to seem like uncanny valley versions of theatrical releases, but this one has a surprising amount of authenticity and grit. This especially applies to the factory, which might as well be a real one.

Despite what I appreciate about the movie, it's a bit too familiar and unambitious in every other area to be great. From the loyal wife to the high expectations father, it has its fair share of oft-parodied clichés. For its uncompromising presentation of the Mexican-American experience, stylistic touches and infectious optimism, it at least stands out from the average streaming-exclusive movie these days. This especially applies to those of you, like I admit I was before pressing play, who assume this is just an "origin of Maggie's pacifier" story.

All this time I thought Eva Mendes was the director not Longoria. :rolleyes:

[Stirchley]

93173

Long & very talky. Lost track of the plot points a few times.

93174

I thought I would hate this since I don’t much care for period & costume pieces. But, I highly rate it. I’m familiar with Strindberg’s play & I watched it for Chastain, who was brilliant, but Farrell was very good too. Written & directed by Liv Ullman.

[Torgo]

All this time I thought Eva Mendes was the director not Longoria. :rolleyes:Wow, she hasn't been in a movie since 2014? That's a long time. I mean, more power to her, but I hope we see her again some day.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZDlhMGE5YzQtYzJlMC00ZjAzLTk0MjUtZDFjMDZmZDBhZmE0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTUzMDUzNTI3._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


8th Re-watch...After almost 30 years, this movie still makes me laugh out loud. 3.5

[Gideon58]

https://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/films/fa74322fad15c1fbfb3fb03b7a822462/gV7HvfrGzCSC4UYAY74gsbMhNsJWCd_large.jpg


3.5

[Corax]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjcwOTE5MGMtNGU1ZC00M2RmLThlZjQtYzdiMTQ3MzY2MjQ1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjE5MjUyOTM@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg


rating_3_5


Holy crap. Ethan Hawke looks exactly like Corey Feldman on the poster.

[Takoma11]

https://cinematicrandomness.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Mad-Dog-Morgan-IMG005-1024x425.png

Mad Dog Morgan, 1976

Daniel Morgan (Dennis Hopper) emigrates from Ireland to Australia to take part in a gold rush. But when he finds himself broke and turns to a (relatively mild) life of crime, it’s not long before he’s sentenced to prison and hard labor, where he endures physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. On his release, Morgan becomes an outlaw, targeting the wealthy and powerful along with fellow outlaw Billy (David Gulpilil).

Anchored by a strong lead performance and an unpredictable lead character, this gritty action drama keeps you glued to the exploits of its doomed protagonist.

3.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2392951#post2392951)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tasteofcinema.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F11%2Fpuberty-blues.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=b87658cc9b60e4213df81d3b129d94a7712e9c1d180b1ea1d813bcb159f69126&ipo=images

Puberty Blues, 1981

Debbie (Nell Schofield) and Sue (Jad Capelja) are teenagers living in a seaside suburb of Sydney, Australia. As summer begins, the girls are determined to integrate themselves into the “cool kids” group---a crew of surfer boys and their girlfriend groupies. The girls succeed in gaining a place in the group, but are unprepared for some of the brutal hierarchical elements and the dangerous or harmful side of the group’s idea of fun.

This generally empathetic and clear-eyed look at trying to find one’s place amidst intense peer pressure, this film is let down at times when it tries to force the comedy elements to the front.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2392953#post2392953)

[Corax]

https://cinematicrandomness.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Mad-Dog-Morgan-IMG005-1024x425.png

Mad Dog Morgan, 1976

Dennis Hopper looking like a Jeremiah Johnsoned Matthew Broderick in that pic.

[skizzerflake]

Lynch/Oz - It's an odd tribute to David Lynch. First, you have to realize that the dark and strange director of movies like Eraserhead, Blue Velvet and the Elephant Man considers his biggest influence and inspiration to be The Wizard of Oz, the 1930's classic. Then you get a bunch of movie personalities to tell stories about their experience of Lynch movies and then you intercut that with clips from The Wizard of Oz, sharing split screen space with Lynch movies.....Dorothy and the Elephant Man going on at the same time.

My local favorite among the commentators was John Waters, a guy who grew up near me and used people I knew as actors and crew in his early low low budget cheapies. Waters is a big fan of Lynch and did one of the retrospective segments. Clips from Waters movies were intercut with Lynch sequences.

While it was an interesting idea, I thought the movie didn't live up. It was disjointed, episodic, and given all of the disparate comments from different commentators, there was no consistent flow that made sense aside from the obvious fact that they all admired Lynch. I'm not sure how you actually DO a tribute like this, but this isn't it.

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

:popcorn::popcorn:

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/32/Ghostbusters_2016_film_poster.png
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51476915

Ghostbusters - (2016)

Ghostbusters comes with a lot of pop culture baggage - you can go all the way back to 1989 and Ghosbusters II to try and fathom why the original film captured lightning in a bottle, and how following it up might be a foolhardy endeavour. I thought remaking it with a female cast was an interesting thing to do - but the reason I steered clear of this was the sample of jokes we saw in the trailer. As far as director Paul Feig is concerned, I liked Bridesmaids but didn't at all care for The Heat - and his career subsequent to those two films seemed to be on a downward trajectory. So, with this film I didn't think everything in it was necessarily bad - but the only thing that distinguishes it from other CGI effects-heavy big budget comedies was the Ghostbusters brand. This is not exceptional in any way, only intermittently amusing and glossy without being clever. I like the idea in general, and liked Melissa McCarthy along with Kristen Wiig - although the former seems to be at a loss with so many props and so much physical stuff her character needs to contend with (the type of physical stuff - knowing that she's comfortable with physical comedy in and of itself.) I ended up firmly in the zone of liking it enough not to hate it, but not liking it enough to end up scoring it on the positive side of the ledger. It lands firmly in the middle. It sorely needed more to end with than a 10-minute shoot-em-up frenzy - that finale was awful.

5/10

[chawhee]

Elemental (2023)
https://cdn.martincid.com/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/QVJDXBC3vSqxjEBi6sUNQA/martincid.com/2023/06/elemental-623864635-large.jpg/w=1920
2
Stunning visuals, but a surprisingly bland script....caught my daughter yawning during this one with me. I didn't have high expectations going in, but I feel like there is so much more creative exploration that could have been done here.

[cricket]

The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On (1987)

4

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n-JEI0F4DHM/X6KlF_MCO9I/AAAAAAAADkk/Cw4CWzaI2igpNGbhs3xmsnpLsZxH32YpgCNcBGAsYHQ/s624/The%2BEmperor%2527s%2BNaked%2BArmy%2BMarches%2BOn%2B5.png

#97 on our Documentaries list, and I watched it for the war countdown. I was a bit lost times or else I would rate it higher. It's the most incredible and wild documentary I've seen.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.tmdb.org%2Ft%2Fp%2Fw1280%2FiYfaeF9N2YZMrfgbzxq7LF4UQ95.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=71efdfcdfb7f0fbc1f533ce927c14842113f82b9e137b738e24626dfb7efd1c2&ipo=images

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 1968

Eccentric inventor Potts (Dick van Dyke) lives in the countryside with his children Jemima (Heather Ripley) and Jeremy (Adrian Hall). They soon cross paths with Truly Scrumptious (Sally Ann Howes), the daughter of a local candy tycoon. The group bonds, and soon ends up on a wild adventure to the land of Vulgaria where they must evade various villains and attempts to steal their flying car.

A charming adventure, this musical just about justifies its long runtime with fun song-and-dance numbers and endearing performances.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393153#post2393153)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-zXYJrX5gg1I%2FTe6vfzenHVI%2FAAAAAAAAAO4%2FwjdjHjn6eC8%2Fs1600%2FHunter%252527s%2BBlood%2B3.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=9c839515d09af232b304afc41a83fe34ecb24fdd77d17e2cf9bcec22d1e459ad&ipo=images

Hunter’s Blood, 1986

Doctor-in-training David (Sam Bottoms) heads out for a hunting trip in the woods with his father Mason (Clu Gulager), brothers Al (Ken Swofford) and Ralph (Mayf Nutter), and rich kid Marty (Joey Travolta). Unfortunately, the men quickly get on the wrong side of the locals, eventually ending up in a fight for survival against a group of poachers who think of the woods as their territory.

Decent tension keeps this one afloat, despite a shockingly unlikable batch of protagonists.

2.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393156#post2393156)

[Fabulous]

I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! (1968)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/kgeRY8HY9ovmOdcNLBs3pEbU3AT.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/17/Forty_eight_hrs.jpg
By http://www.impawards.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3610657

48 Hrs. - (1982)

A lot of credit is due 48 Hrs. First of all, it's casting with Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte mixing really well because of the incredible difference between the two protagonists in this story. Secondly, because nearly all of the films throughout the 60s and 70s featured a big star playing a cop solving a crime - little had been explored when it comes to partnerships, and the writers gave the whole premise a slick twist by making one a criminal. Eddie Murphy's (most probably ad-libbed) quips are all believable, and he never breaks character to act like a clown for cheap laughs. Nick Nolte is a chubbier, more cuddly version of Lee Marvin - a grumpy bear, always untidy whether that be in appearance, the way he works, or the way he relates to other people. This isn't a deeply introspective film, but it was an evolutionary leap forward for the action genre when it came to crime and comedy, and it's gritty, well filmed and magnetic. The story might be lacking a little - but ultimately proves unimportant for the purposes here. This film is all about the two characters plus the way they interact - and audiences loved what they saw here. I do too. I get a kick out of films that feature unlikely friendships - especially when factors like race, status and personality make it all the more unlikely that a couple of people will end up on the same page. This was a game-changer.

8/10

[Raven73]

John Wick 3: Parabellum
6/10.
Dog lovers rejoice!
Seriously though, for me the movie suffered from too much action and not enough down time and dialogue; there was so much of it, I felt bored. I rarely say that. I ended up shutting the movie off about 3/4 through. Also I found that when people get knifed in the middle of a busy area and 1) nobody notices, 2) the bodies just disappear magically, it brought me out of the movie.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/John_Wick_Chapter_3_soundtrack_cover.jpg

[tatmmw2]

Elsa & Fred (2005) 7/10

I've seen this movie a long time ago. I completely forgot that the other spanish actors were spanish, for a second I thought I had the spanish dub but that's the normal one :p. I don't know, I loved Grace and Frankie the netflix show about these old ladies that are in their 80s and they try to give this message that they aren't dead already, that it's not too late to start living, that most old people just settle with the fact that they will pass away soon enough so why bother doing new things. So I kind of remembered about this movie after my grandparents passed away this last year. I wanted to revisit this movie, and see how well I remembered it, since I was probably quite young when I first saw it.

I haven't seen nor plan on watching the new american one though, I'm talking about the argentinian one, I wanted to check out other people's opinions on it, probably why I came here to write about it :D. Had a little trouble with the search bar, since it also found posts with either elsa or fred alone, can't remember if there's a way to just search a specific phrase but anyway. The movie is about this old lady Elsa that is quite mischievous and a little crazy and meets their new neighbor Fred, whose wife just passed away and had lived pretty much a serious and boring life. Elsa is full of dreams and fantasies but naturally her old age might hold her back from them, but still wants to have one last adventure with Fred, who has never met someone like her. The plot of the movie aside, I was thinking near the end how, all the lies she makes, maybe she is just a pathological liar, and that she has this delirium, these fantasies that just confuse her train of thought and make her so selfish. Often they talk about how she is like a teenager, maybe that's just her personality or maybe she is just having trouble accepting that she is not like she used to be. And in a way maybe that's not so bad? like how old people hold back in the end but, maybe they just do so cause they are afraid of dying, but she says Fred is just afraid of living, and that's pretty interesting honestly. Why prolong a sad life of settling if she can't have what she wants in the end

[Nausicaä]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d0/John_Wick_-_Chapter_4_promotional_poster.jpg/220px-John_Wick_-_Chapter_4_promotional_poster.jpg
John Wick - Chapter 4

3.5

SF = Z


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

[Takoma11]

https://portlandgermanfilmfestival.com/wp17/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/The-Murderers-Are-among-Us-%C2%AC-DEFA-Film-Library-copy-770x400.jpg

The Murderers Are Among Us, 1946

Susanne (Hildegard Knef) returns to a ruined Berlin in the wake of the end of World War Two. Having spent time in a concentration camp, she is stunned to find that a strange man named Hans (Wilhelm Borchert) is living in an apartment. Despite his claims that the apartment is now his, she declares that she’s moving back in, and the two fall into an uneasy companionship. But Hans is working through some serious emotional damage from his experiences as a German medical officer during the war, and Susanne makes a discovery that forces Hans to confront the traumatic past that’s left him addicted to alcohol and unable to function in a medical setting.

The first German film made after WW2, this film is a fascinating and compelling look at a society grappling with guilt and trauma.

4.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393327#post2393327)

[Act III]

93195

The Flintstones (1994)

You couldn't have made a better Flintstones movie. It's still as good as it was back then and even better than most movies you'll see in theaters these days.

10/10

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/00/Another_forty_eight_hours.jpg
By IMPAwards. Another 48 Hrs. poster., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5116486

Another 48 Hrs. - (1990)

The first 48 Hrs. film received a lot of credit due to it's originality and the fact that it started a trend in buddy cop films - by the time this sequel came out we'd gone through a decade which featured a deluge of them. Credit to Walter Hill and co for sticking so close to the feel and formula of the first film though, despite the fact that Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) had to have his sentence extended by 5 years so that he was still in prison at the start of this one. It ups the ante just a little, but ties in to the first film in an awkward manner (The villain from the first film has a brother intent on vengeance, and the half a million Hammond stole belonged to a criminal Nolte's character happens to be chasing.) We're spent though - why would we watch this when we can just watch the first 48 Hrs.? To give more money to Paramount obviously. It's the nature of sequels, and as such my advice is be wary - you might feel used after watching this. It's not terrible, but it's obviously a rehash.

5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c7/TheClubDVD.jpg
By Scanned from DVD cover, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11369359

The Club - (1980)

From my letterboxd review - "Pure Machiavellianism - David Williamson play The Club focused on the board room backstabbing, dealing, power plays and resentments that would more often than not result in headlines, sackings, a crisis and another season down the toilet at a dysfunctional Australian Football club. The adaptation used Collingwood and the talents of Jack Thompson (coach - Laurie Holden), Graham Kennedy (club president - Ted Parker) and a young John Howard (new recruit Geoff Hayward). Set against the romanticism of "Up There Cazaly" and quaint suburban ground Victoria Park, the game takes a back seat to what goes on behind the scenes - old grudges, money and power doing their work and making running the club rougher than the actual sport. The play's power translates well in this classic Bruce Beresford-directed Australian film, which features enjoyable lighter moments (that incestuous tall tale) and fine performances."

8/10

[skizzerflake]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/32/Ghostbusters_2016_film_poster.png
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51476915

Ghostbusters - (2016)

Ghostbusters comes with a lot of pop culture baggage - you can go all the way back to 1989 and Ghosbusters II to try and fathom why the original film captured lightning in a bottle, and how following it up might be a foolhardy endeavour. I thought remaking it with a female cast was an interesting thing to do - but the reason I steered clear of this was the sample of jokes we saw in the trailer. As far as director Paul Feig is concerned, I liked Bridesmaids but didn't at all care for The Heat - and his career subsequent to those two films seemed to be on a downward trajectory. So, with this film I didn't think everything in it was necessarily bad - but the only thing that distinguishes it from other CGI effects-heavy big budget comedies was the Ghostbusters brand. This is not exceptional in any way, only intermittently amusing and glossy without being clever. I like the idea in general, and liked Melissa McCarthy along with Kristen Wiig - although the former seems to be at a loss with so many props and so much physical stuff her character needs to contend with (the type of physical stuff - knowing that she's comfortable with physical comedy in and of itself.) I ended up firmly in the zone of liking it enough not to hate it, but not liking it enough to end up scoring it on the positive side of the ledger. It lands firmly in the middle. It sorely needed more to end with than a 10-minute shoot-em-up frenzy - that finale was awful.

5/10

Yeah, I didn't get that one, except for the principle that there's no honor among thieves OR movie producers. The original is one of my favorites. The sets remind me of familiar streets I've walked in the Big Apple and the cast reminds me of Golden Age SNL. As long as someone was going to remake Ghostbusters, they might have also remade Gone With the Wind.

[Act III]

93196

Mystery Men (1999)

A spoof on comic book movies, starts off pretty strong and you think its going to be awesome but somewhere near the middle to end it gets sort of mediocre and you feel like you're losing interest. I saw parts of this movie in various places over the years and this would be my first time seeing the whole thing.

7/10

[Fabulous]

McQ (1974)

2.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/zuxzEb1cKCA2Q3rXGIeA7DATNaS.jpg

[LChimp]

https://www.philippineconcerts.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FB_IMG_1684212057176-692x1024.jpg

Good story, excelent action scenes, decent acting.... and we will have another Extraction

[ScarletLion]

'Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.' (2023)

Directed by Kelly Fremon-Craig

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmNjYTk0MjItYjYyMi00Y2RlLThmOGUtMTkyMWI1NTU2M2Q4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDM2NDM2MQ@@._V1_.jpg


Sweet coming of age film (based on the novel of the same name) about 11 year old Margaret, who is baffled at events in her life in 1970s America, is desperate to start her period and wants to start wearing a bra.

Margaret prays to God for things and religious identity is a key theme director Kelly Fremon-Craig uses to dissect how it can affect family life. The little prayers to god Margaret narrates have echoes of the 'Dear Diary' entries Winona Ryder gives us in' Heathers'.

The film is good at making the viewer reminisce how it felt to be 11 - anger, embarrassment and confusion everywhere. It's a little saccharine at times, although Benny Safdie and Rachel McAdams are pretty good as Margaret's parents. McAdams' character is well written in terms of telling us that coming of age doesn't really ever stop. We still try and fit in where we can as adults and even learn new things about us as we waddle on on through life.

7.2/10

3.5

[Mr Minio]

Umano Non Umano (1972) - Kinda 1/10 TBH, but it has some OK ideas so let's say it's a 4.

https://i.imgur.com/oDzn6S2.png

Has some interesting moments, but the whole thing is communist propaganda nonsense with the painting of the sickle and hammer and the ending where a crowd of workers with red flags, portraits of Che, and Mao, and Lenin's booklets walk through the city. It looks like it's a sort of protest by both the Italian Communist Party and the Italian Confederation of Trades Unions but who cares, really? Trash.

[Chypmunk]

Latest watches:
An Eye For An Eye 1981 2.5+
Iron Eagle II 1988 1.5+
Sinbad And The War Of The Furies 2016 1.5
The Destiny Of A Man aka Fate Of A Man 1959 3.5+
Lifechanger 2018 2+
Bermuda Tentacles 2014 1
30,000 Leagues Under The Sea 2007 1+
Prey 2019 2.5+
The Lost Continent 1968 2.5+
The Mole People 1956 2.5
Treasure Guards 2011 1.5
The Shrine 2010 3
Monster Hunters 2020 1.5
The House That Dripped Blood 1971 2.5+
Stardust 2007 3.5+
Solar Attack 2006 1.5+
Coward Of The County 1981 2

[Stirchley]

93203

Enjoyable movie, but it went bonkers at the end. Shades of Rosemary’s Baby.

93204

A docudrama rather than a movie per se. Enjoyed it so much I watched it twice. Sydney Sweeney exceptionally good.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODQ5NGUzMzQtZTJjZC00MTk0LThjNmMtYzRjMjI1YTZiNmM5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUzOTY1NTc@._V1_.jpg

7th Re-watch...Re-watched this masterpiece yesterday and I didn't think of it until about halfway through the movie, but it was a very appropriate movie for Father's Day. This is one of the best adaptions of a Broadway musical to the screen, definitely in the top five. It hasn't aged a bit in the 52 years since its release. Enjoyed it just as much the 8th time as I did the first time. Topol is brilliant. 4.5

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGM0ZmFiYmEtMzMxOC00YWFlLWE4YzQtYzk2Y2NjNzZjYzA1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQzNTA5MzYz._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg



2

[tataengo]

The black magick community is a hidden group of individuals who practice a dark form of witchcraft. This type of witchcraft is based on the belief that one can harness the power of Kabbalah and Jamaican Obeah spirits called Duppies to achieve their goals.

[WHITBISSELL!]

Yep, that Book Club movie does look like someone's reanimated the dead.

[Stirchley]

Yep, that Book Club movie does look like someone's reanimated the dead.

I have no plans to watch this, but your comment is a tad harsh.

[Fabulous]

The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/myTbCq45n29mJQMcSefcfwgXYAl.jpg

[beelzebubble]

The black magick community is a hidden group of individuals who practice a dark form of witchcraft. This type of witchcraft is based on the belief that one can harness the power of Kabbalah and Jamaican Obeah spirits called Duppies to achieve their goals.


Hi, what are you referring to?

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffoundfootagecritic.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F07%2FGhostwatch.1992-fanart05.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=32d7f684a6daca8f50e3fd06dd8090bc405fffca5b51009ca85ce92a72b7d0a7&ipo=images

Ghostwatch, 1992

In this pseudo-live broadcast event, British TV host Michael Parkinson presides over a special televised event in which the idea of hauntings is explored with the help of an in-studio specialist (Gillian Bevan) and in-the-field interviews with a single mother and her two daughters who claim that their house is haunted by a mysterious figure known as Pipes. But as the broadcast goes on, strange events begin to affect the family and the TV crew covering their story.

Found footage is one of my least favorite horror subgenres, but this film shows how to do it right.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393485#post2393485)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbelfastinternationalartsfestival.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2FPoison-for-the-Fairies-1-1353x810.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=c1e15ecc567f04e8ae77c78833aaadcf54c186000fd96316aafd06457361d199&ipo=images

Poison for the Fairies, 1986

Flavia (Elsa Maria Gutierrez) is an only child of an upper class family. At school, she befriends Veronica (Ana Patricia Rojo), who is obsessed with witches and convinces Flavia that she has witchy powers. While the girls start out more like co-conspirators, Veronica soon uses Flavia’s anxiety and guilt as leverage to force her friend into increasingly dire situations.

Mining tension from childhood fears and poisonous friendship dynamics, this is a fantastic intersection of horror and drama.

4.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393488#post2393488)

[WHITBISSELL!]

I have no plans to watch this, but your comment is a tad harsh. I did have a bit of a supernatural experience when someone tried to make me watch a few minutes of the first Book Club. I felt my soul try to leave my body. When tataengo mentioned the "black magick community" immediately after that picture of the four actresses I naturally assumed the worst.

[GulfportDoc]

'Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.' (2023)

Directed by Kelly Fremon-Craig

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmNjYTk0MjItYjYyMi00Y2RlLThmOGUtMTkyMWI1NTU2M2Q4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDM2NDM2MQ@@._V1_.jpg


Sweet coming of age film (based on the novel of the same name) about 11 year old Margaret, who is baffled at events in her life in 1970s America, is desperate to start her period and wants to start wearing a bra.

Margaret prays to God for things and religious identity is a key theme director Kelly Fremon-Craig uses to dissect how it can affect family life. The little prayers to god Margaret narrates have echoes of the 'Dear Diary' entries Winona Ryder gives us in' Heathers'.

The film is good at making the viewer reminisce how it felt to be 11 - anger, embarrassment and confusion everywhere. It's a little saccharine at times, although Benny Safdie and Rachel McAdams are pretty good as Margaret's parents. McAdams' character is well written in terms of telling us that coming of age doesn't really ever stop. We still try and fit in where we can as adults and even learn new things about us as we waddle on on through life.

7.2/10

rating_3_5
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I'm not generally a fan of coming-of-age films.

I don't know how to link to my review, so here is my commentary:

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret


This is a cute, witty, delightful and touching picture that will likely make a star out of the actress who played the title character Margaret, 15-year-old Abby Ryder Forston. Margaret is a young lass who, along with a few of her school friends, is facing the start of the transition to puberty, with all of its angst, excitement, and physical changes that occur with these 11 or 12 year-old girls.


Margaret is crushed when her family decides to move from Manhattan to a New Jersey suburb because she’ll lose all of her friends at that critical age. But at the new suburban high school she soon falls in with a trio of female classmates, all of whom are full of wonderment and anxiety about the physical transformation that they are about to undergo, along with their attraction to, but shyness around boys.

At one point Margaret criticizes Laura (Isol Young) --an unusually taller and physically more developed classmate-- for reportedly letting boys “feel her up”. This shames the girl, who later tells Margaret that Margaret couldn’t possibly understand how awkward and embarrassing it is for Laura to be shunned because she’s so different physically than most of the other girls. Margaret later realizes how wrong she was to criticize Laura, and that she can relate to Laura’s isolation. Margaret searches her out and pulls her into Margaret’s group.


The important subtext is Margaret’s tendency to pray to God for relief and guidance despite her confusion about what God is, all the while trying to decide to which if any religion she wants to adhere. Her father is Jewish and her mother is lightly Christian, but from strong and determined Christian parents. Margaret tries them all, even though she’s seriously pressed by her father’s (Benny Safdie) mother (Kathy Bates) to become Jewish.


Her mother (Rachel McAdams) does not encourage Margaret towards any religion at all, and she and her husband are still miffed that her mother’s folks more or less cut off relations with her because she married a Jewish man. That circumstance later comes to a head when they all squabble over which religion Margaret should follow. In the end, Margaret goes her own way.


The standout performance of course is Abby Ryder Forston’s portrayal of Margaret. Her friend Nancy (Elle Graham) is likewise enjoyable. Rachel McAdams as the mother is almost too strong a presence, both in beauty and allure. One not quite so beautiful would have been a little more fitting. Benny Safdie is almost a tack-on as the father. Possibly selected because they needed someone who looks stereotypically Jewish (Salfdie is Jewish). There isn’t a lot of chemistry between McAdams and Safdie, but their relationship is only an incidental part of the story. Kathy Bates turns in another perfect performance as Margaret’s attractive and fun grandmother.


It’s refreshing to see a successful and well done picture made like they used to be. Despite the subject matter, they avoid low humor along with sexual displays and foul language. The screenplay by director/writer Kelly Craig perfectly relates all the travails, excitement and wonderment typically experienced by 11 or 12 year-old girls as they start the journey into sexual maturity.

Doc’s rating: 9/10

[Act III]

93214

A Simple Plan (1998)

A midwestern drama that has some really intense scenes. You might forget how different it is in the country and then you see how these characters choose to deal with each other when there's millions of dollars on their heads. Eventually though the story resolves like it would anywhere else, it only took longer to get there. A reality check.

8/10

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/df/You_hurt_my_feelings_2023.png
By A24 - IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73340553

You Hurt My Feelings - (2023)

You Hurt My Feelings is a quirky little film - almost like an elongated episode from some nonexistent sitcom, with the film's focus on the way we tell little white lies to loved ones (and, well, just about everyone we have to deal with in life) for everyone's benefit being a big part of nearly every scene in the film. It's really funny - it puts it's best foot forward with that aspect, and has these little understated moments that squeak out and make you laugh out loud. Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is a writer, and has a husband, Don (Tobias Menzies) who's a therapist and gives her loving support. However, when Beth accidentally overhears the fact that he thinks the book she's spent the last two years of her life writing is awful, her world falls apart. In orbit around the couple's world are their son, Elliott (Owen Teague) who sells weed (legally) and is trying to write a play himself, her sister Sarah (Arian Moayed), Sarah's husband Mark (Arian Moayed) who is an actor and Beth and Sarah's mother, Georgia (Jeannie Berlin). Every time characters interact there will be some compliment payed or judgement rendered that's flattering - whether it's out of politeness, love, encouragement or just keeping the peace. At one stage Elliott's bristles over the fact that his parents have always been on his side to a fault - telling him he's great at things he really wasn't all that good at, and not giving him a true reflection of himself. At the same time, when his girlfriend leaves him, he's angry if they try to explore what her reasons might have been with "Are you on my side or hers?" Nobody likes the truth, but when people are caught out they find it's hard to win either way. A playful score makes this feel all the more as a comedy first and foremost, but it explores it's issue with grace and sure-footedness. I liked the performance of Julia Louis-Dreyfus as well.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/30/Motherless_Brooklyn_%28film%29.jpg
By the production company - http://www.impawards.com/2019/motherless_brooklyn.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61617143

Motherless Brooklyn - (2019)

Motherless Brooklyn is a very cinematic accomplishment - broadly beautiful in the way period films can sometimes be, this time with the concrete and iron world of it's 50s New York setting. While not Edward Norton's directorial debut, the fact that he only has one other film to his credit (2000's Keeping the Faith) shows that he's out on a limb with this neo-noir crime story, based on a Jonathan Lethem (although apparently radically changed in every regard) novel. It's got style, and in spades, and that helps make it one that's going to stick in my memory, despite confusing me just a little - mostly by making it's overall #1 villain almost incidental and invisible amongst the various characters in the film (he gets 12th billing). The bad guy who really sticks out is Alec Baldwin's Moses Randolph (cut from the same cloth as his Glengarry Glen Ross character.) Norton himself plays Lionel Essrog (I'm sure an anagram solver will spit something out if you try) - a gumshoe who happens to be afflicted with both Tourette syndrome and OCD, with the Tourette side of things causing him no end of problems. Also lending this film great watchability is Willem Dafoe and Bruce Willis, who gets through quite well. It's already in the queue for a rewatch for me - it's just such a good looking film with such interesting characters and performances. Housing and city planning corruption take center stage, and that's something that means something personally to the director/star - but there's a great feel for noir here as well.

7/10

[ScarletLion]

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I'm not generally a fan of coming-of-age films.

I don't know how to link to my review, so here is my commentary:

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret


This is a cute, witty, delightful and touching picture that will likely make a star out of the actress who played the title character Margaret, 15-year-old Abby Ryder Forston. Margaret is a young lass who, along with a few of her school friends, is facing the start of the transition to puberty, with all of its angst, excitement, and physical changes that occur with these 11 or 12 year-old girls.


Margaret is crushed when her family decides to move from Manhattan to a New Jersey suburb because she’ll lose all of her friends at that critical age. But at the new suburban high school she soon falls in with a trio of female classmates, all of whom are full of wonderment and anxiety about the physical transformation that they are about to undergo, along with their attraction to, but shyness around boys.

At one point Margaret criticizes Laura (Isol Young) --an unusually taller and physically more developed classmate-- for reportedly letting boys “feel her up”. This shames the girl, who later tells Margaret that Margaret couldn’t possibly understand how awkward and embarrassing it is for Laura to be shunned because she’s so different physically than most of the other girls. Margaret later realizes how wrong she was to criticize Laura, and that she can relate to Laura’s isolation. Margaret searches her out and pulls her into Margaret’s group.


The important subtext is Margaret’s tendency to pray to God for relief and guidance despite her confusion about what God is, all the while trying to decide to which if any religion she wants to adhere. Her father is Jewish and her mother is lightly Christian, but from strong and determined Christian parents. Margaret tries them all, even though she’s seriously pressed by her father’s (Benny Safdie) mother (Kathy Bates) to become Jewish.


Her mother (Rachel McAdams) does not encourage Margaret towards any religion at all, and she and her husband are still miffed that her mother’s folks more or less cut off relations with her because she married a Jewish man. That circumstance later comes to a head when they all squabble over which religion Margaret should follow. In the end, Margaret goes her own way.


The standout performance of course is Abby Ryder Forston’s portrayal of Margaret. Her friend Nancy (Elle Graham) is likewise enjoyable. Rachel McAdams as the mother is almost too strong a presence, both in beauty and allure. One not quite so beautiful would have been a little more fitting. Benny Safdie is almost a tack-on as the father. Possibly selected because they needed someone who looks stereotypically Jewish (Salfdie is Jewish). There isn’t a lot of chemistry between McAdams and Safdie, but their relationship is only an incidental part of the story. Kathy Bates turns in another perfect performance as Margaret’s attractive and fun grandmother.


It’s refreshing to see a successful and well done picture made like they used to be. Despite the subject matter, they avoid low humor along with sexual displays and foul language. The screenplay by director/writer Kelly Craig perfectly relates all the travails, excitement and wonderment typically experienced by 11 or 12 year-old girls as they start the journey into sexual maturity.

Doc’s rating: 9/10

Good review. I didn't expect to get teary eyed at a 12 year old having her first period, but here we are.

[ScarletLion]

'Desert Hearts' (1985)

Directed by Donna Deitch

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSewvN60WSOux8Y1DXSkfB89jcKk4_gJCq89EiIdkJUUFfkR2GXg2kkuNkBpt9SM1jyiUY&usqp=CAU

Vivian, a repressed professor travels to Reno, to divorce her husband. While there, Cay - a beautiful young casino worker stokes her lust and Vivian questions her sexuality as a result. This is a really beautiful film. I’d not heard of it before I saw it in the Criterion collection and had to buy it. Criterion have done an amazing job at the picture restoration which has resulted in one of the finest looking criterion discs I’ve seen. Robert Elswit’s photography is really striking – the film was shot on location in Reno and set in 1959, so the barren desert and old cars make for a superb backdrop.

The film was shot on a budget but director Donna Deitch got the best out of everything. Cay lives on the ranch where her overbearing stepmother resides. She does not approve of Cay's lesbian relationships and the strained family dynamic is a theme throughout. When Vivian arrives on the scene, Cay must make some choices that may alter her life forever.

Desert Hearts received a luke warm response from critics at the time, with most saying there wasn’t enough emotion or tension. Perhaps it was just an outlier in the year that gave us Back to the Future and The Goonies. The love scene towards the end is so sensitively directed, and the ending is really tender and perfectly ambiguous.

8.5/10

4.5

[ScarletLion]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffoundfootagecritic.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F07%2FGhostwatch.1992-fanart05.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=32d7f684a6daca8f50e3fd06dd8090bc405fffca5b51009ca85ce92a72b7d0a7&ipo=images

Ghostwatch, 1992

In this pseudo-live broadcast event, British TV host Michael Parkinson presides over a special televised event in which the idea of hauntings is explored with the help of an in-studio specialist (Gillian Bevan) and in-the-field interviews with a single mother and her two daughters who claim that their house is haunted by a mysterious figure known as Pipes. But as the broadcast goes on, strange events begin to affect the family and the TV crew covering their story.

Found footage is one of my least favorite horror subgenres, but this film shows how to do it right.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393485#post2393485)

Terrified me to my bones watching this live as a 13 year old.

[Gideon58]

Yep, that Book Club movie does look like someone's reanimated the dead.

Fonda has apparenlly had so much botox she can barely open her mouth to say her lines.

[Act III]

93223

Arena (2011)

Sex, female nudity, violence, blood, light gore, not much else. You could put this on your shelf next to Mortal Kombat the movie as the concept is the same without the costumes. This wasn't released in theaters and with a big budget I guess you could call it a vanity project not meant to knock down box office doors. I dont think they were worried about the money. The dialog is wonderful.

5/10

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGZmYzVkMmItM2NiOS00MDI3LWI4ZWQtMTg0YWZkODRkMmViXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODY0NzcxNw@@._V1_.jpg


4

[Takoma11]

Terrified me to my bones watching this live as a 13 year old.

I bet. It's always neat when you can see how effective a film must have been at the time.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BMTI0NzY3MDg3NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMjYzMjM2._V1_FMjpg_UX450_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=280fa2804847d43e0072c91301869695768dab46d9a623ec92bec93481621ef1&ipo=images

Three Ages, 1923

A caveman, a Roman, and a modern man (all played by Buster Keaton) all pursue a woman (all played by Margaret Leahy). But in each era, the protagonist faces opposition to claiming his lady love.

Some creative stunt work and sight gags on display, but it doesn’t quite feel like it justifies its runtime.

3

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393693#post2393693)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.6SfFNQPSBXehxCN2uM9kFwHaEK%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=fe2e04555029848571c94418530ecdd254f332980860ab92949c7fbe4fb7c57f&ipo=images

Alice in Wonderland, 1915

This silent film is an adaptation of the book Alice in Wonderland.

Kind of an interesting historical curiosity, but not all that engaging.

2.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393696#post2393696)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BODYzN2IxZTEtMWIyZi00MDA5LTgwMDItODc0MjUzYmJiMWExXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE2Nz A0Ng%40%40._V1_SY1000_CR0%2C0%2C1268%2C1000_AL_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=d5d30c8a7300e7bc7ed655b4459e0538fa2771c14b4209221883ca2593451b1b&ipo=images

The Lost World, 1925

An expedition sets out to find a lost explorer who supposedly has found a place where prehistoric creatures still live.

The dinosaurs are an A+, the rest is whatever.

3

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393700#post2393700)

[GulfportDoc]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/30/Motherless_Brooklyn_%28film%29.jpg
By the production company - http://www.impawards.com/2019/motherless_brooklyn.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61617143

Motherless Brooklyn - (2019)

Motherless Brooklyn is a very cinematic accomplishment - broadly beautiful in the way period films can sometimes be, this time with the concrete and iron world of it's 50s New York setting. While not Edward Norton's directorial debut, the fact that he only has one other film to his credit (2000's Keeping the Faith) shows that he's out on a limb with this neo-noir crime story, based on a Jonathan Lethem (although apparently radically changed in every regard) novel. It's got style, and in spades, and that helps make it one that's going to stick in my memory, despite confusing me just a little - mostly by making it's overall #1 villain almost incidental and invisible amongst the various characters in the film (he gets 12th billing). The bad guy who really sticks out is Alec Baldwin's Moses Randolph (cut from the same cloth as his Glengarry Glen Ross character.) Norton himself plays Lionel Essrog (I'm sure an anagram solver will spit something out if you try) - a gumshoe who happens to be afflicted with both Tourette syndrome and OCD, with the Tourette side of things causing him no end of problems. Also lending this film great watchability is Willem Dafoe and Bruce Willis, who gets through quite well. It's already in the queue for a rewatch for me - it's just such a good looking film with such interesting characters and performances. Housing and city planning corruption take center stage, and that's something that means something personally to the director/star - but there's a great feel for noir here as well.

7/10
Good points, and I rated it the same as did you. I'm a big Norton fan. Presumably his dearth of roles is due to his reportedly being tough to work with. Not sure. Here is my commentary:

Motherless Brooklyn (2019)

This is a well done, well thought out production by Edward Norton, based on the book by Jonathan Lethem of the same name. Norton produced, directed, wrote the screen play, and acted in the film along with a

stellar cast including Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe, Bobby Cannavale, Cherry Jones, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Alec Baldwin. Reportedly Norton had been trying to bring this book to the screen since 1999, so it was obviously a labor of love.

Set in 1957's NYC, a private eye (Norton) working in a detective firm headed by Frank Minna (Willis), begins an investigation of Minna's puzzling death at the hand of people in league with the city. Norton's character eventually solves the murder, and uncovers several dark secrets both of important people and the city itself.

Norton's detective has Tourette Syndrome along with a photographic memory, which makes for some interesting drama. I'm a sucker for any noir, and this one is absorbing. It's vaguely reminiscent of Polanski's Chinatown, and at 144 minutes it has plenty of time to set the feel and the mood for a late '50s detective story.

A special note is deserved for the excellent jazz score by Daniel Pemberton, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Score for 2019. He was tasked by Norton to come up with jazz trumpet music reminiscent of Miles Davis' "cool sound", which was just getting started in the late '50s. The music was a very integral part of the film.

Initially it took some effort to accept Norton's character's Tourette's, but once accomplished it became a novel quirk. My guess is that as an actor who likes a challenge, Norton was particularly attracted to this role. The Tourette's affliction was not necessary, but it was a definite part of the book's character.

One puzzling set circumstance: There were several '57 automobiles (especially Chevys) in use during the film. But yet whenever an important high level character (mayor, mobster, city official) was seen getting in or out of a car, it was invariably a late '40s vintage. The error was pretty glaring, but perhaps they felt that the late '40s cars went better with the noir feel.

A gratifying film that held one's interest throughout its run time. A picture which warrants another watching.

Doc's rating: 7/10

[Fabulous]

The Damned Don't Cry (1950)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/xRD7MfRs3BuCeg1bXPQdHf9ZaBP.jpg

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/68/Lake_Mungo_Official_Poster.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from Arclight Films[1]., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21652299

Lake Mungo - (2008)

How on earth did I now know about this movie? Lake Mungo is my kind of thing - creepy in exactly the right kind of way and very clever in the way it goes about building atmosphere without overplaying it's hand. The cards this mock-documentary deals out at the start aren't exactly all that they appear to be at first, and there's much sleight of hand, but the disorientation you feel has already taken your mind to an unsettled place, which this film will exploit to terrifying effect. So many horror films become goofy because they feel the need to go a little too far, but Lake Mungo, much like 'found footage' films such as Willow Creek and The Blair Witch Project, feels grounded. When their daughter, Alice (Talia Zucker), drowns in an accident at an Ararat dam in Victoria, parents June (Rosie Traynor) and Russell (David Pledger) try to make sense of the strange events that start occurring, leading to a series of discoveries that shine a light on the life Alice lived, and it's many secrets. The final reveal spooked the hell out of me, and for that I tip my hat, but Lake Mungo is an excellent film overall. Joel Anderson, who has never made another feature before or since, put this together with a deft hand. Jordan Peele is on record as saying this is one of the films that has scared him the most - and I believe him, for it did the same to me.

8/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1d/Ghostwatch.jpg
By Derived from a digital capture (photo/scan) of the Film Poster/ VHS or DVD Cover. Copyright held by the film company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1439395

Ghostwatch - (1992)

In 1938 Orson Welles created some controversy for himself by staging a War of the Worlds radio play that used the same template the found footage and faux documentary genres would years later - ie, it was purported to be real. The idea goes back further, for example the 1897 Bram Stoker novel Dracula, which instead of 'found footage' was 'found documents/letters' purporting to be real and simply allayed to the reader. During the early 90s the BBC decided to try this out with Ghostwatch, a kind of faux-reality TV show which at first appears to be of the familiar kooky and innocent kind until all hell breaks loose, people start calling in from all over England reporting activity and even the studio is overwhelmed by the paranormal. Well known figures like Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene, Mike Smith and Craig Charles gave it a veneer of realness, and for those who missed the various "this is fiction" signifiers it was particularly hair-raising. Howling cats, apparitions and some horrifying stories told by locals add to the spook factor - and it deserves credit for pre-dating Blair Witch Project, which came much later in the decade. Now and then it gets a little flaky/crazy, and there was never any danger acting awards were going to be snared by anyone involved, but it goes about what it does the right way and you do get a sense of unease during the slow descent into madness.

6/10

[StuSmallz]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOGZmYzVkMmItM2NiOS00MDI3LWI4ZWQtMTg0YWZkODRkMmViXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODY0NzcxNw@@._V1_.jpg


4Heh, was this inspired by my post in the physical performances thread, hopefully?

[ScarletLion]

'Blackberry' (2023)

Directed by Matt Johnson

https://img.etimg.com/thumb/width-420,height-315,imgsize-223778,resizemode-75,msid-100143165/news/international/world-news/blackberry-film-taps-into-device-that-ruled-pre-iphone-era/blackberry-film-hails-the-must-have-gadget-that-the-iphone-turned-into-a-forgotten-relic.jpg

Enjoyed this alot more than I thought I would, but then I'm a fan of Matt Johnson's style of film-making. Howerton, Baruchel and Johnson are all fine as the trio who launched the 'world's first smartphone', only to then see it crushed by the iPhone on it's release.

I have no idea if it's accurate, historically speaking, but I enjoyed the ride. And the soundtrack is awesome (Joy Division, Elastica, Slint etc)

7.6/10

[Stirchley]

93236

Excellent sweet & sad movie.

[sculpordwarfroll]

"Inception"
The storyline was on point, the visuals were mind-blowing, and the performances were off the charts. I'd give it a solid 5 out of 5 stars, no doubt.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dvdbeaver.com%2F203%2Fkid_brother_blu-ray_%2Flarge%2Flarge_kid_brother_13_blu-ray_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=1827d01893e6841daeabde54216344374fe4375b5324aa79cbba8591b9dc1a4c&ipo=images

The Kid Brother, 1927

Harold Hickory (Harold Lloyd) is the relatively gentle youngest son in a family of tough-guy brothers and a father (Olin Frances) who is the sheriff. Conflict arises when Harold hits it off with a young woman named Mary (Jobyna Ralston), who is attached to a shady medicine show that rolls into town. When a shocking robbery occurs, can Harold prove himself to his father and to Mary?

Grounded in a sweet romance and some enjoyable physical comedy setpieces, this is a fun romp.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393822#post2393822)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moma.org%2Fd%2Fassets%2FW1siZiIsIjIwMTkvMDgvMjkvMjA5YmNxbGU2NF9UaGVfRnJlc2htYW5 fSmFudXNfRmlsbXMuanBnIl0sWyJwIiwiY29udmVydCIsIi1xdWFsaXR5IDgwIC1yZXNpemUgMjAwMHgxMzU0XiAtZ3Jhdml0eSB DZW50ZXIgLWNyb3AgMjAwMHgxMzU0KzArMCJdXQ%2FThe%2520Freshman_Janus%2520Films.jpg%3Fsha%3D8abd61a82d091 3d0&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=2616094d6009e8b4ad42292b56e3341a5790c367a54e27df77d1322616307dca&ipo=images

The Freshman, 1925

Harold Lamb (Harold Lloyd) is a young man who is eager to make a big splash in his first year at college, specifically with dreams of being a star football player. Having seen what popularity looks like in the movies, he’s created a persona for himself (“Speedy”) that he believes is his ticket to success. Harold meets the sweet Peggy (Jobyna Ralston), but is not so successful in his football endeavors, where he’s drafted onto the team as a joke by the star player (Brooks Benedict).

Endearing and wonderfully absurd, this classic silent comedy is a feel-good time.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393824#post2393824)

[LChimp]

https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/0a2f90167985873.6432eeaa885ee.png

Cool movie.

[Act III]

What movie is this clip from?


http://www.angelfire.com/music6/walteregan/MoFoMovieGifs/potalaugh.gif

[Act III]

93242

Sharknado (2013)

That was better than I thought it was going to be. Ridiculous plot but worked fine and it was over before I realized all the time was gone. This ain't your run-of-the-mill b-horror fare, the acting is good, the story solid, very entertaining and uplifting. If you got rid of the silly flying shark idea and replaced it with something more serious this could easily be a 7 but I'm going to have to say 5.

5/10

[Miss Vicky]

What movie is this clip from?

Planet of the Apes

[Act III]

Planet of the Apes

They use it all the time on another message board, its sorta burnt into my retina now. Might as well know where it came from.
:)

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2f/AligarhFilmPoster.jpg
By Impawards The poster art copyright is believed to belong to the distributor of the film, the publisher of the film or the graphic artist., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49225607

Aligarh - (2015)

At face value, I'm considering Aligarh a brave kind of film to make for Indian audiences, with homosexuality recriminalized in 2013 (for a short while anti-gay laws had been deemed unconstitutional) and, after Aligarh came out, once again made legal in 2018. Obviously contentious in this modern era, where citizens feel compelled to demand the same freedom many others around the world have. Although it's based on a real person, Ramchandra Siras (played by Manoj Bajpayee) it makes a point of telling us that license has been taken to dramatize the true events. Still, when you go over the facts, it's pretty faithful to what happened - two unidentified men with a camera burst into his house one night while he was in bed with his lover, after which he was fired from the university he taught at. Nobody questioned the legality of his house being invaded, or the fact that homosexuality was no longer considered criminal behaviour, so the case went to court. The charismatic Rajkummar Rao plays a reporter who ends up becoming a close, personal friend of Siras - devastated by what was to follow. Really solid. Well liked. Well rated. It might be a little "TV movie of the week", but Bajpayee and Rao are a pleasure to watch, and Siras deserves to have at least been an influence and catalyst for change.

7.5/10

[Fabulous]

The Song of Bernadette (1943)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/5gxdMOVSzWNVNSjDPzQGwP6xAed.jpg

[ScarletLion]

Excellent sweet & sad movie.

I enjoyed that one quite a bit.

[ScarletLion]

'New Religion' (2023)

Directed by Keishi Kondo

https://psychocinematography.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/new-religion.png

Very ambitious debut film from Keishi Kondo. It's a Japanese arthouse psychological drama horror that deals with grief. The production values are pretty low and some of the narrative follows a well trodden path but at the same time there's a real sense of talent directing wise here.

A mother turns to prostitution after a tragedy in her family. One of her clients is obsessed with photographing her spine, her feet and progressively other parts of her body. Then it gets weird.

There's a real Nicolas Winding-Refn vibe in parts of this film (which is a good thing). There's perhaps not quite enough meet on the bones for anyone who wants a traditional horror thriller (no jump scares, no gore, not much violence). It's all in the mind. So for those who like to be challenged, there is a puzzle to be solved which might offer additional satisfaction on repeat viewings. Keishi Kondo is one to watch.

7.1/10

3.5

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fa.ltrbxd.com%2Fresized%2Fsm%2Fupload%2Fv1%2Fdh%2Ffi%2Fa7%2Fspeedy-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg%3Fk%3De12b9d9055&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=b8b2ee43844380c99a5fd92d6fd3602024236dc5cf5131a0f5b3b64a1a17a43e&ipo=images

Speedy, 1928

Pop Dillon (Bert Woodruff) owns the last horse-drawn trolley in town, and a local big business man wants to buy Pop’s line to seize control of the trolly game. But Pop doesn’t want to sell, and a young man named Speedy (Harold Lloyd) who is in love with Pop’s granddaughter, Jane (Anny Christy), pitches in to help Pop out. But the bad guys are willing to go to further and further extremes to drive Pop out of the trolley business.

On the whole, this is a fun and engaging comedy with great setpieces and a range of winning subplots.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393983#post2393983)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fclose-upfilm.co.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F06%2FThe-Hands-of-Orlac.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=8355e5542d9724ea2838ce073df07c19ea22323e4a691ec402f2ab899a1bac94&ipo=images

The Hands of Orlac, 1924

Paul Orlac (Conrad Veidt) is a successful concert pianist, married to his wife,Yvonne (Alexandra Sorina). Tragically, Paul is grievously injured in a horrific train wreck that costs him a head injury and the loss of both hands. When Yvonne begs the doctor to do what he can to save Paul’s hands, the doctor grafts new hands onto Paul’s body--hands that came from a man executed for murder. Troubled when he learns the truth about the new hands, Orlac becomes convinced that they remain possessed by their former owner’s murderous impulses. And sure enough, violence soon follows.

Stunning imagery and a wonderful ambiguity made this a powerful supernatural drama/thriller.

4.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393986#post2393986)

[Fabulous]

Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962)

3.5

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/idCwfHylBP1UD5btNMzFnCdbxxu.jpg

[Chypmunk]

Latest watches:
Office Uprising 2018 2.5
Viy 1967 3+
Kill Command 2019 3.5
Dark River 2017 3
War And Peace Part 1: Andrey Bolkonskiy 1965 3.5+
War And Peace Part 2: Natasha Rostova 1965 4+
War And Peace Part 3: The Year 1812 1967 4.5
War And Peace Part 4: Pierre Bezukhov 1967 4
Horror Hospital 1973 1.5+
Chopper 2000 3.5
Deadly Force 1983 2.5
San Andreas Mega Quake 2019 1
The Left Handed Gun 1958 3.5
Beware My Brethren aka The Fiend 1972 3
Hustlers 2019 3
Dracula 1958 3+
Martian Land 2015 1+
Wild Indian 2021 2.5
Termination Point 2007 2+
Eat Locals 2017 2.5+
Rose aka Rose: A Love Story 2020 3.5
Final Girl 2015 2+
Alien Siege 2018 0.5+

[donniedarko]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BMTI0NzY3MDg3NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMjYzMjM2._V1_FMjpg_UX450_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=280fa2804847d43e0072c91301869695768dab46d9a623ec92bec93481621ef1&ipo=images

Three Ages, 1923

A caveman, a Roman, and a modern man (all played by Buster Keaton) all pursue a woman (all played by Margaret Leahy). But in each era, the protagonist faces opposition to claiming his lady love.

Some creative stunt work and sight gags on display, but it doesn’t quite feel like it justifies its runtime.

3

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393693#post2393693)

never heard of this one- cool concept

[GulfportDoc]

Speedy, 1928

Pop Dillon (Bert Woodruff) owns the last horse-drawn trolley in town, and a local big business man wants to buy Pop’s line to seize control of the trolly game. But Pop doesn’t want to sell, and a young man named Speedy (Harold Lloyd) who is in love with Pop’s granddaughter, Jane (Anny Christy), pitches in to help Pop out. But the bad guys are willing to go to further and further extremes to drive Pop out of the trolley business.

On the whole, this is a fun and engaging comedy with great setpieces and a range of winning subplots.

rating_4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2393983#post2393983)
I've never seen this one, so will have to catch it. Reportedly it was Lloyd's last silent, and had some great sports cameos.

My favorite Lloyd? Safety Last, with the iconic hanging off the skyscraper clock sequence.

In the '60s they had a silent film movie theater in Hollywood on Fairfax Ave. At a single showing one could see a couple of shorts, a feature, sometimes a cartoon or a newsreel. All for 75 cents!! I used to see what was playing, then study up on the films from Joe Franklin's book on the great silent films, then go see them. At the time it was the only way one could see the original speed with the proper camera (20-24 fps). The theater only sat about 100 people, but there were usually only a few people there. What a thrill it was though.

[Takoma11]

never heard of this one- cool concept

The concept is really cool and in certain moments it pays off well. But overall it somehow underwhelmed me.

[PHOENIX74]

https://i.postimg.cc/y809GSHF/800px-Miracle-on-34th-Street-1947-film-poster.jpg
By "Copyright 1947 by Twentieth Century–Fox Film Corp." - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from the original image., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87232987

Miracle on 34th Street - (1947)

One to tick off the list - I found Miracle on 34th Street pleasant enough, perhaps because I was in a good mood and was more able to lend myself to cheery and humorous playfulness. Was it wrong for me to watch this in June? What the hell - I'm sure nobody is going to call the Christmas police and rat on me. Natalie Wood as a child (is there a documentary about her mysterious death? I'd love to see one) and funny little digs at Christmas consumerism and overall commercialism are things I like to see, along with that famous 'sacks of mail' scene that's a part of popular culture and shows up in so many places. Edmund Gwenn deserved his Oscar. I've now seen 2/5 nominations for Best Picture from '48 - the other being the winner, Gentleman's Agreement which I watched not so long ago. I wonder what the kids of today make of Miracle on 34th Street - when I was a kid, I simply refused really old movies like they were broccoli. I might have liked this though.

7.5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ec/I%27m_Not_There.jpg
By Impawards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13337965

I'm Not There - (2007)

I'm not enough of a fan of Bob Dylan to understand all of I'm Not There - and much like the differing facets of the man himself explored here, my reaction to the film changes from thinking it's clever, to not understanding, to thinking it's pretentious, to understanding it and then enjoying the performances and the way all of the different segments gel in much the same way those in Cloud Atlas do. I can't comment much more on it - and I'm not sure I can evenly confidently rate it. Did Dylan obfuscate himself to create a sense of mystery and mystique about him? Is there an ordinary person underneath all of that, just like you or I? I must listen to more of his music and learn a lot more about him. In the meantime I'm leaving I'm Not There for some future reappraisal - my opinions about it presently very mixed.

?/10

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.5jos-r0n8pa4OLLFGxosqwHaEJ%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=c9fe23849dcfd5c1d570d70742fe7f48a7c0b1f7dc2cab586c3ff7ff95fdb968&ipo=images

Intrusion, 2021

Meera (Freida Pinto) and her husband Henry (Logan Marshall-Green) have just moved into a new home in a small town when things go amazingly off the rails. The couple are the victim of a break-in, and then later experience a frightening home invasion that ends in the death of one of the invaders. Plagued by strange sounds in the house, Meera tries to understand the reason behind the intrusions and what is happening in her new home.

Are you cleaning the house and you need a movie where it doesn’t matter if you run the vacuum for 5 minutes and miss a bunch of dialogue? This is the film for you.

2.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394091#post2394091)

[Torgo]

The Killer (2022) - 4

This slick, stylish and very bloody Korean action flick begins with a retired hitman, Ui-Gang, being tasked with watching a friend's teenage daughter for a few weeks. It ends with him trying to single-handedly take down a trafficking ring. If the phrase "retired hitman" made you glaze over due to the John Wick franchise and all its derivatives, I don't blame you. Trust me, though, when I say this was a pleasant surprise.

This is one of the best-looking entries in this sub-genre I've seen in a while, thanks to camerawork that makes Seoul resemble a city from the future and that makes every action scene seem like a work of art, especially one in a hallway that may be the best one in a hallway since Oldboy. As for our "hero," Jang Hyuk has the same appeals as Takeshi Kitano when he plays roles like this for how good he is at being stoic and for making the moments where he shows emotion freak you out a little (but in a good way). On that note, if this sub-genre taking itself too seriously lately has kept you away from it, you need not worry. It has no shame in name-dropping The Man From Nowhere, for instance. I also give the movie credit for its thoughtful take on human trafficking instead of just using it as a plot device. Again, you shouldn't expect anything novel from this, but you should expect your interest to be rekindled in movies like it, especially if bloat is another reason why you have avoided it (it's a lean 95 minutes long).

[Stirchley]

93268

Excellent movie though some scenes are very hard to watch. A student in France in the Sixties is determined to obtain an abortion. This is her journey.

Lead actress who is Romanian is excellent. Weird to see the legendary Sandrine Bonnaire in a tiny rôle as her mother. I didn’t even recognize her.

[ScarletLion]

93268

Excellent movie though some scenes are very hard to watch. A student in France in the Sixties is determined to obtain an abortion. This is her journey.

Lead actress who is Romanian is excellent. Weird to see the legendary Sandrine Bonnaire in a tiny rôle as her mother. I didn’t even recognize her.

Was in my top 3 of last year. Phenomenal film. Performance of 2022.

[Stirchley]

Was in my top 3 of last year. Phenomenal film. Performance of 2022.

We like a lot of the same movies.

[ScarletLion]

'The Cremator' (1969)

Directed by Juraj Herz

https://www.furiouscinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/The-Cremator-1969-06.png

Wow, that's a disturbing film. Bizarre Czech new wave from 1969. A cremator sets out to save the world by 'sending people to a life they will enjoy more. It's listed as a comedy in some places. It's not a comedy.

There are close ups and quick edits that give off a sort of claustrophobic feel as the main character slowly gets drawn into sympathizing with the Nazis who are invading the Czech border. It's a critique of the Euro-political landscape during World War II, with themes of extermination, murder and Jewish persecution. There are horror elements and it must surely have been a huge influence on the cinema of Michael Haneke, especially 'The White Ribbon'.

8/10

4

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdailygrindhouse.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F10%2FTHE-MANITOU-1978.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=3a272942b617e9a3cfa25a511221e9389f275e3124f5abd531435219955dbb62&ipo=images

The Manitou, 1978

Harry (Tony Curtis) works as a psychic in San Francisco, and is old friends with Karen (Susan Strasberg). Karen becomes nervous when she has a strange growth on her neck, and perplexing medical examinations seem to indicate that the growth is a fetus. But the rate of growth of the lump is very fast, and soon some very strange supernatural events take place, including Karen speaking odd phrases in an unknown language. As Harry does more research, he comes to believe that Karen is in the grip of a strong, evil power.

Years of being obsessed with this film’s IMDb summary (MILD SPOILERS!! “A psychic's girlfriend finds out that a lump on her back is a growing reincarnation of a 400-year-old demonic Native American spirit”), I was nervous that the actual movie would not live up to that insane, jam-packed sentence. Fortunately, the film is very enjoyably weird and also just the right dose of sincere.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394200#post2394200)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fucsdguardian.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F10%2FFilm-Review_-The-Accountant-01-Image-Courtesy-of-Warner-Bros.-5.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=1550059ed73e9f48ac92084890f84a32d85fbef33d3c30a1f310cca9ff230e75&ipo=images

The Accountant, 2016

Christian (Ben Affleck) is a brilliant accountant who uses his small accounting firm as a front for laundering money for criminal clients. Christian is on the autism spectrum, and also has a strange background of being trained in various martial arts and other violent techniques by his father. Christian is hired to investigate accounting irregularities at a large company, assisted by a young in-house accountant named Dana (Anna Kendrick) who first noticed something amiss. But it soon becomes apparent that there’s more than just garden-variety embezzlement at play. Christian will have to call on all of his skills to contend with a ruthless killer (Jon Bernthal) in the mix.

As far as action thrillers go, this is a passable entry that could have use some serious trimming in the editing room.

3

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394204#post2394204)

[Thief]

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
(2012, Webb)

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


"Ever since you were a little boy, you've been living with so many unresolved things. Well, take it from an old man. Those things send us down a road... they make us who we are."



The Amazing Spider-Man follows Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) as he tries to juggle his newfound spider-powers with his regular life as a high school teenager. This is complicated by the mysterious disappearance of his father years before, who was employed by Oscorp to develop a regenerative serum along with Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans). Caught in the crossfire of his life are his Uncle Ben and Aunt May (Martin Sheen and Sally Field) as well as his love interest, Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone).

Where the film ends up shining is when it manages to lean into the characters of Peter and Gwen, and their interactions together. Even if at times it feels like a bit of a stretch to see them as high schoolers, Garfield and Stone have an undeniable chemistry and they are both great in their roles. Most of the cast is solid as well and they would work better, if only their characters were given the space to grow instead of using them as moving pieces for the potential sequels.

Grade: 3


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394217#post2394217)

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fc/Great_gatsby_74.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15652123

The Great Gatsby - (1974)

I liked this adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous novel much more than most, although I was struck by the bizarre fact that every male character in it is sweating profusely throughout the film - something I've never seen before, and I really need some kind of explanation as to why Jack Clayton did this. I think of Elizabeth Holmes when I think of Gatsby - made stupendously rich in an underhanded kind of way, with this idea of having to be the most wealthy and successful person in the world to truly be able to feel any love due towards him is deserved and valid. Of course, Gatsby had a good reason, but many people today don't feel whole unless they're successful and well off. Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Bruce Dern, Sam Waterston and Karen Black make up a superb cast, and I really don't understand why this adaptation in particular was derided by the critics at the time. It's far, far better than Baz Luhrmann's 2013 version which was all visual pizzazz and little substance - typical for one of his gaudy behemoths. I just wish they'd cut down on the ridiculous sweating throughout.

8/10

[jenifer230]

i like that

[chawhee]

The Accountant, 2016

3

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394204#post2394204)

I may need to rewatch this one, and I think I gave it the same rating as you. I remember liking it a lot as I watched it, but then having a weird feeling afterwards trying to figure out what really made it stand out (and nothing came to mind haha).

[Takoma11]

I may need to rewatch this one, and I think I gave it the same rating as you. I remember liking it a lot as I watched it, but then having a weird feeling afterwards trying to figure out what really made it stand out (and nothing came to mind haha).

I think it's just . . . competent. The whole accountant/assassin mix is interesting enough to keep you on board.

But I honestly can't imagine watching it again. I can imagine putting it on in the background while I dust the baseboards, pausing with dustrag in hand to look up when he saves the old couple or whatever.

[WHITBISSELL!]

I really liked The Accountant. It's okay to simply like a movie. And if someone should press you for a reason it's okay to just shrug.

[Takoma11]

I really liked The Accountant. It's okay to simply like a movie. And if someone should press you for a reason it's okay to just shrug.

I liked it as a new movie. But I have a feeling that on a rewatch, those interminable flashback sequences would really grate on me.

[Fabulous]

Never So Few (1959)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/wtGcy31egkW4V99fUXKDO3JtHc7.jpg

[doubledenim]

Asteroid City (2023)

🤗 Time to bring RTLMYS 🤗
🤗 back to its page 1 roots!!! 🤗


🧙 🧟 🧛

[chongjasmine]

Soul.
I rated a 8/10.
Really like this 3D animation.

[GulfportDoc]

93286

High Tide (1947)

This is a surprisingly good "B" noir from the poverty row distributor, Monogram Pictures.

Lee Tracy, Don Castle, and Julie Bishop star in the story of a newspaper editor who hires a P.I. to help protect him during a struggle with the mob. Several twists and turns holds one's interest leading to a typical noir ending.

Lee Tracy always played a fast talking, wise cracking newspapermen, lawyers, salesmen, etc. He was the original Hildy Johnson in the play The Front Page in 1928-29. He was passed over for the film of the same name in 1931 in favor of Pat O'Brien, presumably because the producers wanted a bigger name. Then they sex-swapped Hildy to a woman, and chose the great Rosalind Russell to play Hildy in the Howard Hawks' version renamed His Girl Friday (1940) with Cary Grant and Ralph Bellamy.

Don Castle was a poor man's Clark Gable lookalike, who had a pretty good reputation in "B" films. When he came back from WWII though his star had slightly faded, although he got steady work. He died young at aged 48.

High Tide is available for free on YouTube and also The Internet Archive.

Doc's rating: 6/10

[GulfportDoc]

The Great Gatsby - (1974)

I liked this adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous novel much more than most, although I was struck by the bizarre fact that every male character in it is sweating profusely throughout the film - something I've never seen before, and I really need some kind of explanation as to why Jack Clayton did this. I think of Elizabeth Holmes when I think of Gatsby - made stupendously rich in an underhanded kind of way, with this idea of having to be the most wealthy and successful person in the world to truly be able to feel any love due towards him is deserved and valid. Of course, Gatsby had a good reason, but many people today don't feel whole unless they're successful and well off. Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Bruce Dern, Sam Waterston and Karen Black make up a superb cast, and I really don't understand why this adaptation in particular was derided by the critics at the time. It's far, far better than Baz Luhrmann's 2013 version which was all visual pizzazz and little substance - typical for one of his gaudy behemoths. I just wish they'd cut down on the ridiculous sweating throughout.

8/10
IMO the '74 version was fairly close to Fitzgerald's book, and Redford was a pretty faithful Gatsby. I didn't care for the rest of the cast, although I typically drooled over Karen Black...:love: But the mood, especially during the first half, was the same feel I got from the novel.

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/98/Thoroughly_Modern_Millie.jpg
By Soundtrack collector.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10810789

Thoroughly Modern Millie - (1967)

This is a tough one, because I absolutely loved parts of Thoroughly Modern Millie - but first off, it's two-and-a-half hour runtime is simply too much to take with a whimsical, playful (and crazy) musical/comedy/romance of this sort. There was plenty of stuff that could have been let go, and one of the plot elements which we could have done with less of is the Chinese "white slavery" human traffickers bit. Just think up the most racist, silly, cartoonish depiction of Chinese people and you've got Thoroughly Modern Millie. A shame, because there are scenes in this film which are pure magic. Carol Channing belts out a song and dance rendition of "Jazz Baby" that I had to rewind to watch all over again (she ended up with an Oscar nomination for her performance all-round), and Julie Andrews is simply gorgeous and wonderful as the naïve and ambitious title character. Just think of a roaring 20s-set musical with pure insanity turned way up, and some great music. Those facial expressions from Andrews were adorable, and the various props and set decorations (which include 20s planes and automobiles) along with costumes and dancing all stood out. The only reason I couldn't ever think of myself watching it again is it's tortuous 153-minute runtime, but I'd find a 45-minute highlight reel very attractive indeed.

6/10

[Act III]

93290
93291


The Prince of Jutland (1994)

This movie was renamed several times but the title on screen when you watch it remains. So, I included the most prominent posters and cover art for the newer releases.

This movie is Hamlet, but in its viking saga form, the inspiration for Shakespeares play. I liked this movie for many reasons, one of them being far less close ups and sweeping camera movements that fill so many movies these days. It felt more like a classic play than a Hollywood hype piece. Early young Christian Bale, you could see how great of an actor he was back then. I like these medieval movies and recommend this.

7/10

[ApexPredator]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fucsdguardian.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F10%2FFilm-Review_-The-Accountant-01-Image-Courtesy-of-Warner-Bros.-5.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=1550059ed73e9f48ac92084890f84a32d85fbef33d3c30a1f310cca9ff230e75&ipo=images

The Accountant, 2016

Christian (Ben Affleck) is a brilliant accountant who uses his small accounting firm as a front for laundering money for criminal clients. Christian is on the autism spectrum, and also has a strange background of being trained in various martial arts and other violent techniques by his father. Christian is hired to investigate accounting irregularities at a large company, assisted by a young in-house accountant named Dana (Anna Kendrick) who first noticed something amiss. But it soon becomes apparent that there’s more than just garden-variety embezzlement at play. Christian will have to call on all of his skills to contend with a ruthless killer (Jon Bernthal) in the mix.

As far as action thrillers go, this is a passable entry that could have use some serious trimming in the editing room.

3

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394204#post2394204)

As someone on the autism spectrum and someone who is/was an aspiring accountant, I'd say this one hit me a bit harder. I liked all the callbacks to various scandals (Christian's business is called ZZZ Accounting, for example, a nod at Barry Minkow's ZZZZ Best which defrauded investors to the tune of millions in a Ponzi scheme). And Ben is definitely better at playing autistic than he was playing with a Tennessee accent (sorry Pearl Harbor).

I liked it enough that I do wish there was a sequel to it. But I'll admit there were some parts that were rough to watch (for example, the whole shin thing). Nope, I've had zero desire to do that to my body. And it never seemed to know what to do with Kendrick's character.

[ApexPredator]

I've seen a lot of good films in June. But I felt it was time to take in a bad film to reset the grade-o-meter to make sure I don't get too harsh with good titles.

I chose the RT favorite Saving Christmas (2014). The film where Kirk Cameron lectures a straw man (director/co-writer Darren Doane) on how to be a good Christian and still celebrate the secular portions of the holiday. A film that is one part A Christmas Carol and one part Christmas with the Kranks.

I don't know how to admit these things, but I actually laughed a few times. To be fair, the whole conversation about Silly Shirt Friday which turned into one big conspiracy theory was so over the top that it was kinda funny. And an extended hip-hop breakdance sequence to Angels We Have Heard on High, featuring choreography that apparently took months to learn? got me do to the ridiculousness of it all.

It's not the worst Christian film of 2014 (that would be God's Not Dead) nor is it the worst Christmas film of all time (All I Want for Christmas for the loss). It's still the equivalent of Aunt May's fruitcake she gives everyone over the holiday season. Not wanted and hardly edible.

0.5

[Thief]

THE FINAL DESTINATION
(2009, Ellis)

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


"Don't you see? This is where I was supposed to be in the first place, not that stupid race. I was meant to see this movie."



This fourth installment in the popular franchise focuses on Nick (Bobby Campo) who has a vision of the car crash minutes before it happens, which prompts him to flee the stands with his friends (as well as a handful of others that follow). But of course, as we know from this franchise and as it is told by Nick himself later, "sooner or later... you're up."

This is a franchise that, although it's never at the top of my lists of anything, I always have fun with. I had already read this was the weakest one, so I didn't really have a lot of expectations other than to see freaky kills; because if this franchise has taught me anything is that nobody really cares about the characters, but rather about how and when they die. The real star of these films are the Rube-Goldberg-like contrivances that lead to each character's death.

Grade: 2.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394527#post2394527)

[Act III]

93292

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

Not a movie I'd like to see twice. Full of pop culture references and social commentary on the movie journalism industry, the first half of the movie reinforces your typical disdain for tabloids and journalists in general. I wasn't interested in spending time watching a reporter get his scoops. Somewhere in the middle the story seems to redeem itself through legitimizing the main character. I held on to see what was next and it turns into a chick flick romance where he still takes the girl that ran off with some other guy, taking my lack of respect for this character even further. Everyone can act convincing and the movie was filmed professionally but I am unable to like this movie much.

4/10

Excerpt:
Journalist says: "Hi, I was just umm, you know, just routing through your personal possessions."

[Takoma11]

But I'll admit there were some parts that were rough to watch (for example, the whole shin thing). Nope, I've had zero desire to do that to my body.

I have to hope that they at least based that on some research, but I agree. Students I've had who needed that stimulation usually go about it in ways that are much less theatrical, like chewing on plastic bottle caps.

And it never seemed to know what to do with Kendrick's character.

It's almost funny. What do you do when you have a woman in an action movie, but you aren't comfortable having her have sex with the male protagonist? Darned if they knew! They were like, at least she can be a vehicle for some exposition.

[chongjasmine]

Luca.
9/10.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.publish0x.com%2Fprod%2Ffs%2Fcachedimages%2F3007430639-3b1ef9aa4b8c5237ce113e016929a4ca79c3e28219da9e6381d3b2eed6409b7c.jpeg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=beac5170b61c6fa5e82f41b4040264b574551ad017e728bd75d5c16f9af75c1e&ipo=images

The Goat, 1921

A young man (Buster Keaton) is accidentally photographed in place of killer Dead Shot Dan (Malcolm St. Clair), leading to many misunderstandings as he can’t seem to understand why citizens on the street are so spooked by him and the local police are taking an active interest. Along the way, he is pursued by the police chief (Joe Roberts) and strikes up a relationship with a nice young woman (Virginia Fox).

A short run time and a rapid rate of sight gags and stunts makes this an easy, breezy watch.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394590#post2394590)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FM%2FMV5BMjAxNjQxMDc1NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwODg1NzM2._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=6b374a00626925434f333b71d374b25b3f95d3a455b7a4a1e75128c4c3bb7e2e&ipo=images

Broken Blossoms, 1919

Cheng Huan (Richard Barthelmess) moves to England to spread the word of Buddhism, though he quickly becomes disillusioned and ends up managing a small store in a rough neighborhood. Across the road, young Lucy (Lillian Gish) lives a violent, oppressive life under the thumb of her boxer father, Battling Burrows (Donald Crisp). Burrows drinks heavily and takes out any disappointments on Lucy. When chance brings Cheng and Lucy together, their cruel circumstances threaten their newfound happiness.

Despite some painfully dated elements, this highly empathetic story makes for compelling viewing.

3.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394592#post2394592)

[matt72582]

Oh, Sun - 7/10
A movie about racism. There were some really great parts, but I think they took a story and thought, "Let's make it artsy" and only a few really connected, while the rest detracted focus from the story. Like the person who has a great story to tell you, but digresses by telling you all the cars he passed by to get to the scene of the crime.



https://youtu.be/raOoTSu2_eQ

[Thief]

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2
(2014, Webb)

https://i.imgur.com/s2T9kSl.png


"You're Spider-Man, and I love that. But I love Peter Parker more."



That's Gwen Stacey's love proclamation to boyfriend/superhero Peter (Andrew Garfield) during the first half of this film. Following up Marc Webb's 2012 film, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 follows Parker as he struggles with his superhero "duties", as well as the burden of trying and wanting to protect those around him; from Stacey (Emma Stone) to his childhood friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan). Oh, and there's also the geek-turned-supervillain Electro (Jamie Foxx) and the Russian criminal that turns into Rhino (Paul Giamatti).

If that sounds like a lot, it's because it is. For some reason, Marc Webb decides to cram as much as he can into the 2+ hours runtime and the results are, to say the least, a mess. The abrupt and clumsy introduction of Harry into the story is one of the worst offenders. If I complained that the first film felt like "going through a list of Spider-Man checkboxes to cover", this one amps that up to the max. Most people know what will happen with Harry, and most people probably know what will happen with Gwen, so it's all a matter of rushing through these checkpoints just because.

Grade: 2


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394631#post2394631)

[Fabulous]

Petulia (1968)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/i86KGfhcshYh44WU6C4eHVpkXme.jpg

[Phantom]

https://ssl-static.libsyn.com/p/assets/a/4/0/2/a402d5f7f9ceda6416c3140a3186d450/DrJekyllSisterHyde.jpg

Bloody brilliant film! I'm going to go so far as to say that this is my new favorite Hammer horror film. 👍

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/33/Poster_of_Sweet_Charity_%28film%29.jpg
By Derived from a digital capture (photo/scan) of the Film Poster. Copyright held by the film company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28677293

Sweet Charity - (1969)

Here's another in a current trend for me - one more film that the critics rated poorly when originally released that I liked a lot. There's a lot of backstory to Sweet Charity - originally a stage production, which in turn was inspired by the Federico Fellini film Nights of Cabiria. I never knew this before, but the songs "Big Spender", "If My Friends Could See Me Now" and "The Rhythm of Life" some from Sweet Charity, and they're very enjoyable musical interludes in the context of the original story. This was the first film directed by Bob Fosse, who had directed and choreographed the stage version - and he's refreshingly frank about his experience, explaining how unsure he was with such a large responsibility. Well, the film flopped, but I'm glad to hear that it's been reappraised somewhat over the years. The music, dancing and Shirley MacLaine all shine in this, underpinned by optimism and hope amidst squalor and misery - the wonder of Charity Hope Valentine is the fearless grasp she has on life despite constant let-downs. The likes of Sammy Davis Jr. adds much to the film's latter half, and the film needs it as it's another two-and-a-half hour epic runtime to get through. Right at the end, Bud Cort popped up unexpectedly in a small role as a flower child. I never even knew he was in this. There was so much to like here - and Edith Head's costumes were perfect, adding yet another touch of attractiveness to the film. Never knew much about this before - and it was a big surprise for me, how much I enjoyed it and like it. (Thank goodness the studio didn't force Fosse to add the alternate happy ending that he filmed - knowing that they'd want one. It didn't match the spirit of what preceded it and would have felt like a very flat cop-out. The ending we get is perfect, and optimistic all the same despite not being your typical happily ever after.)

8/10

[Nausicaä]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81-SJXNcCrL._AC_UF350,350_QL80_.jpg

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

[Act III]

93298

Rubber (2010)

A good unrealistic film about a tire that animates to life and starts killing people. While nice for being something you haven't seen before I think there could have been more to it. There's a few puzzling elements to the story that you could mull over in your mind and it belongs on the shelf next to other strange movies.

6/10

[ScarletLion]

Rubber (2010)

A good unrealistic film about a tire that animates to life and starts killing people. While nice for being something you haven't seen before I think there could have been more to it. There's a few puzzling elements to the story that you could mull over in your mind and it belongs on the shelf next to other strange movies.

6/10

His movies are all surrealist. Interesting director. 'Deerskin' is probably his best, the tagline is:

"A man's obsession with his designer deerskin jacket causes him to blow his life savings and turn to crime."

[ScarletLion]

'Leila's Brothers' (2023)

https://media-cache.cinematerial.com/p/500x/0e3zqcsn/leilas-brothers-italian-movie-poster.jpg?v=1679953088



Families! Who needs them. A sprawling mammoth Iranian drama. Director Saeed Roustayi follows up the excellent ‘Law of Tehran’ with a tale of a poverty stricken family in modern day patriarchal Iran. Roustayi is destined to go all Bong Joon Ho on us – the directorial chops on him are huge. The performance he gets from Tarane Alidousti as the lone female among her four brothers is outstanding.

Typical of Iranian cinema, the film dissects morals and ethical decision making and examines how difficult it is for families to adhere to traditions whilst also trying to modernise. It’s a very dialogue driven film, and at nearly 3 hours, demands a lot of concentration. But it is worth it, and the last 30 minutes are quite touching. It feels like a blend of ‘Yi Yi’ and ‘The Great Beauty’, and has a magnificent set piece wedding scene.

Roustayi is destined for great things, if he hasn’t achieved them already.

8.1/10

4

[Act III]

93299

Beetlejuice (1988)

Been so many years since I've seen this that I forgot most of it but then a feeling of deja vu took hold and by the time I reached the end of the movie it felt like the last time I saw it was a week ago. A classic movie, some of it too campy for my tastes but brings back good memories of nostalgia.

9/10

[Act III]

His movies are all surrealist. Interesting director. 'Deerskin' is probably his best, the tagline is:

"A man's obsession with his designer deerskin jacket causes him to blow his life savings and turn to crime."

I'm sifting my way through this directors filmography and think maybe he's yet to create his best work.

[honeykid]

Bloody brilliant film! I'm going to go so far as to say that this is my new favorite Hammer horror film. 👍
Nice to see some love for Dr. Jekyl and Sister Hyde. :cool:

[matt72582]

On The Waterfront - 10/10
First saw this in Jan of 2000. I remember it well because I borrowed my mom's car to go to the mall to buy the VHS. On the way home, I made a left and was hit - car totaled... I finally got home, and my next-door neighbor came over. I asked if he wanted to watch the movie, he didn't, so I did. I loved it so much and I hit REWIND, and played it again and loved it more. I've never done that before, and only on two occasions have I watched the same movie back-to-back (only the next day). I probably saw this dozens of times in my teens.


In the early 50s, there were no actors like Marlon Brando. Even those who went to the same acting school weren't half as convincing. I'm pausing out of disbelief how amazing he was in the movie, and shaking my head in amazement. But I hadn't seen this movie in a long time, but TCM had it on, and I was hooked. My only criticism is that I thought Rod Steiger didn't play his character well. The way he read his lines, I just didn't believe him. He had the face, though. And to this day, I got embarrassed when he'd say certain lines, and I would actually brace for it..



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/On_the_Waterfront_%281954_poster%29.jpg

[boundtoflames]

https://cdn.hmv.com/r/w-640/hmv/files/09/09c8993d-c39b-4ae1-92c2-3851a77b7603.jpg
I faintly remember watching this as a kid and thinking it was insanely cool because at the time I was really into Knights and Magic. A recent watch has me wondering if little me was kind of dumb. The acting was way over the top, I get they were trying for a Shakespearean delivery but wow it's all kinds of forced. The costumes and landscape was pretty spot on for the times, very dreary and foggy. The special effects were OK for the early 80s. Lovely to see a young Patrick Stewart having the time of his life in this. Overall it's a cheesy sword & sorcery mess and I liked it a little less than I used to. 6.5/10

[Yoda]

On The Waterfront - 10/10
First saw this in Jan of 2000. I remember it well because I borrowed my mom's car to go to the mall to buy the VHS. On the way home, I made a left and was hit - car totaled... I finally got home, and my next-door neighbor came over. I asked if he wanted to watch the movie, he didn't, so I did. I loved it so much and I hit REWIND, and played it again and loved it more. I've never done that before, and only on two occasions have I watched the same movie back-to-back (only the next day). I probably saw this dozens of times in my teens.
On the Waterfront is one of the first films I think of when I think of classics that live up to their billing. I saw it, assuming I kind of "had to," in the way you have to see a lot of classic films that turn out not to hold up especially well, but are more Important than Great. This definitely wasn't that. Just a tremendous film, so well acted. The fact that the climax of the film isn't an event so much as someone just finally letting it all out after being fed up, and knowing the way Kazan's experiences must've fed into it, is both formally impressive and incredibly moving.

[Stirchley]

'Leila's Brothers' (2023)

https://media-cache.cinematerial.com/p/500x/0e3zqcsn/leilas-brothers-italian-movie-poster.jpg?v=1679953088



Families! Who needs them. A sprawling mammoth Iranian drama. Director Saeed Roustayi follows up the excellent ‘Law of Tehran’ with a tale of a poverty stricken family in modern day patriarchal Iran. Roustayi is destined to go all Bong Joon Ho on us – the directorial chops on him are huge. The performance he gets from Tarane Alidousti as the lone female among her four brothers is outstanding.

Typical of Iranian cinema, the film dissects morals and ethical decision making and examines how difficult it is for families to adhere to traditions whilst also trying to modernise. It’s a very dialogue driven film, and at nearly 3 hours, demands a lot of concentration. But it is worth it, and the last 30 minutes are quite touching. It feels like a blend of ‘Yi Yi’ and ‘The Great Beauty’, and has a magnificent set piece wedding scene.

Roustayi is destined for great things, if he hasn’t achieved them already.

8.1/10

4

Never heard of this, but it’s in my watchlist now.

This movie might be my favorite Iranian movie. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Circle_(2000_film)?wprov=sfti1

On the Waterfront is one of the first films I think of when I think of classics that live up to their billing. I saw it, assuming I kind of "had to," in the way you have to see a lot of classic films that turn out not to hold up especially well, but are more Important than Great. This definitely wasn't that. Just a tremendous film, so well acted. The fact that the climax of the film isn't an event so much as someone just finally letting it all out after being fed up, and knowing the way Kazan's experiences must've fed into it, is both formally impressive and incredibly moving.

Brilliant movie. Seen it a million times. Brando’s scenes with Marie Saint were lovely.

[Chypmunk]

Latest viewings:
The First Purge 2018 2.5+
The Blood Beast Terror 1968 2.5
The Misfit Brigade aka Wheels Of Terror 1987 2.5
The Green Man 1956 3
Earth's Final Hours 2011 1.5
The Guns Of Navarone 1961 3.5
I Met A Murderer 1939 2.5
Boiling Point 1993 2
Meteor Apocalypse 2010 1+
A Walk In The Sun 1945 2.5+
The Resident 2011 2.5
Monster Island 2019 1.5+
Shed Of The Dead 2019 1
Desperado 1995 2.5+
Tarantula 1955 3+

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fa.ltrbxd.com%2Fresized%2Fsm%2Fupload%2F7k%2Fgm%2Fwh%2Fwv%2Fanvil-story-of-anvil-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg%3Fk%3Da3ec8686aa&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=46d5befd46e4647be0a1f405fa481ec52e8d9904a417055a8f13b8823119b0ce&ipo=images

Anvil: The Story of Anvil, 2008

This documentary profiles the members of a late 70s/80s rock group called Anvil who were innovative and influential, yet never really broke big. The documentary fills in the band’s history and follows as they attempt a tour and a comeback.

This is a complex, funny-but-tragic look at the tribulations of trying to make it as an artist.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394930#post2394930)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwatchdocumentaries.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fthe-seven-five.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=67f98cae0de0338cde4c5b8412a2ed299cb540604c266aea64b30179ed287148&ipo=images

The Seven Five, 2014

This documentary follows the immoral and very illegal activities of a New York City police officer named Mike Dowd and his partner, Ken Eurell. Working their way up from petty theft to outright collaboration with big time drug dealer Adam Diaz, the two officers tell their own version of events.

Remarkable for the extremity of the officers’ actions and their total lack of remorse, this film is equal parts compelling and depressing.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2394932#post2394932)

[Fabulous]

Tequila Sunrise (1988)

3

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/original/w1e27MPVDjan99sJ4JjJeeABfvT.jpg

[ScarletLion]

'The Civil Dead' (2023)

Directed by Clay Tatum

https://images.static-bluray.com/products/20/139366_1_front.jpg

Really funny film from Clay Tatum and Whit Thomas, who play themselves. Clay's wife goes out of town and he just wants to sit on his sofa, but an old friend appears out of nowhere and they have a little adventure.

I laughed hard at a few of the jokes. Tatum has a sort of Woody Allen like dead pan demeanour and the humour is snappy.

It perhaps lacks a little something in the final third but is a nice fun watch.

7/10

3.5

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Moulin_rougeposter1952.jpg
By https://www.cinematerial.com/movies/moulin-rouge-i44926/p/a1v2ei5e, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6449189

Moulin Rouge - (1952)

This film focuses on the life of famed artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (played by José Ferrer - who also plays his father in flashbacks) and is really worth a look. His aristocratic family were inbred to the point of afflicting the poor guy with legs that broke, wouldn't heal, and wouldn't grow - which didn't affect his painting, but sadly tormented him in every other way. He'd drink himself to an early grave, dying at the age of 36. (He's played by John Leguizamo in Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!) I was really impressed by this, with it's narrowing down on the man's art itself and primarily on the two lost opportunities he had for love. Toulouse-Lautrec learns early that some ladies find his malformation too ugly to overlook - and this hardens his soul and makes it impossible for those who do grow fond of him to get through that their feelings are genuine. Despite such prominent billing, Zsa Zsa Gabor doesn't play one of these two women (the actresses that do are Colette Marchand and Suzanne Flon) - instead only appearing briefly for a few song and dance numbers. Toulouse-Lautrec's pain concerning lost chances at love, amid the wonderous world of 1890 to 1900s Paris, makes it feel like he's living through the canvas he paints on. A young Peter Cushing turns up late as a suitor for one of Toulouse-Lautrec's love interests. Ferrer's performance is curt, and taciturn, and modelled I think on the way aristocrats with generations of breeding might talk once they've descended into the hoi polloi. A really moving, interesting, colourful and enjoyably musical movie. It could have done with more Moulin Rouge - considering the fact that it's called Moulin Rouge.

7.5/10

https://i.postimg.cc/GmYRV50x/driving-madeleine.jpg
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6449189

Driving Madeleine - (2022)

Just like a real taxi-ride through Paris, Driving Madeleine races through everything so abruptly, without much feeling, that all of the payoff and drama at the end feels completely undeserved. Charles (Dany Boon) is a struggling French taxi driver who one day picks up Madeleine (Line Renaud) who is 92, and about to unburden herself of her entire life story as he takes her to a nursing home - but not before visiting various places important to her life (which have usually been demolished and built over.) We start with her at age 16, in 1944 her first kiss with an American G.I. develops into something more - namely a son without a father. When Madeleine does marry, she ends up with an abusive violent rapist monster for a husband, so she sends him to sleep via drugs in his whisky and takes to his privates with a blowtorch. She's charged with attempted murder, ends up in prison, and when she gets out her adult son (now a photographer) is off to Vietnam. There's interest in there - but a scant 90-minute runtime means there's so little time to expand and really feel her struggles and grief. Even the relationship she develops with her driver doesn't feel it should be at the place it ends up at - helping him avoid a ticket and sharing dinner and suddenly Charles deserves her undying gratitude and love, and he's shoving his family through doors so they can meet her. Of course, he needs to shove because he's racing the clock. Everything needed more time to develop - this feels like a big story stuffed into a very small movie.

5/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c0/Americandreamz.jpg
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5150564

American Dreamz - (2006)

This comedy suffers from a dearth of really funny moments, and is instantly dated by it's George W. Bush-era satire. It lacks elements such as being clever, and meanders through it's predictable story in a flat kind of way. I really didn't like American Dreamz, and I only give it the score I do because of Hugh Grant's performance, deigning to use Willem Dafoe as an evil, bald American Chief of Staff and it's technical competence.

4/10

[LChimp]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTM4OGJmNWMtOTM4Ni00NTE3LTg3MDItZmQxYjc4N2JhNmUxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTgzMDMzMTg@._V1_.jpg

Rewatch. I think this movie became better after all these years. It's actually fire

[Jeff]

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bV4AAOSwmg1gJkrz/s-l1600.jpg

3/5 Admirable and heartwarming, but i couldn't help thinking of Ikiru throughout, and how awesome that film was.

[Thief]

FINAL DESTINATION 5
(2011, Quale)

https://i.imgur.com/oPB4aDt.jpg


"A lucky few survive a disaster. And then one by one... death comes for them all. You changed things on that bridge. There's a wrinkle in reality. And that wrinkle is you."



Like all four films before it, Final Destination 5 follows a group of friends and co-workers that end up surviving a deadly bridge collapse when Sam (Nicholas D'Agosto) has a vision about it. But as it's usual in these films, "death comes for them all" to fix those "wrinkles" and set things straight again.

It was nice to see that, after the fourth one which felt a bit stale, the writer and director here still managed to throw a couple of misdirections and surprise us with some of the deaths. Plus, some of them were really gory, surprising, or just cringe-inducing (the eye laser one had me squirming in pain). The opening bridge collapse scene was also well executed, and it was nice to see the return of Tony Todd as the mysterious "seer".

Grade: 3.5


Full review on my Movie Loot (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2395082#post2395082)

[Raven73]

I usually don't like made-for-TV animated movies, but I did enjoy this one.
Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox
7.5/10
"I'm not sure if Flashpoint Paradox relates to the DCU (Zack Snyder's Jusice League cut, in particular). But when the Flash showed the ability to travel back in time in the Snyder's cut, it became apparent that in future DCU movies it would be too predictable and therefore boring to have the Flash fix everything by going back in time at the conclusion of every movie he's in, therefore one of three things would have to happen in order to continue with the Flash character: 1) Flash dies; 2) Flash loses his power, or at least the power to time travel; 3) Flash refuses to time-travel for some reason. The writers of Flashpoint Paradox decide on #3: Flash goes back in time, but in doing so he somehow alters several timelines. They don't explain how this happens, so it comes across as nonsensical. So Flash realizes that going back in time is too dangerous and this resolves that plot problem... I haven't seen the Flash movie, but from what I've seen in the trailer the writers chose roughly the same premise, but perhaps not the same resolution. Despite Flashpoint's messy premise, I did enjoy the fresh perspective, particularly of Batman, Aquaman and Wonder Woman, as well as seeing blood for a change."
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/Justice_League_-_The_Flashpoint_Paradox.jpg

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos1.blogger.com%2Fblogger%2F2088%2F2881%2F1600%2Fwhenwewerekings_10.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=c893769610e2aeddf1249be26c716561f57b826b7fd4a4ca36b58473a6e2fd9b&ipo=images

When We Were Kings, 1996

This film documents the events leading up to the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (called Zaire at the time). When the fight is delayed by a month and a half due to a minor injury to one of the fighters, anticipation grows leading up to the showdown.

Compelling from beginning to end, this film captures the simplicity of Ali’s disarming charisma and the complexity of the sociopolitical context of the boxing match.

4.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2395114#post2395114)

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.justwatch.com%2Fimages%2Fbackdrop%2F186040132%2Fs1440%2Fenron-the-smartest-guys-in-the-room&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=83757e9f73930f2b78f6ec269d760bdbb5c8103f0a457c8cd2242174c005961b&ipo=images

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, 2005

With a mix of interviews and archival footage, this documentary explores the shady business practices of the Enron Corporation and the huge impact of its ultimate failure.

Equal parts infuriating and illuminating, this is a great deep dive into a piece of recent history with which I was only mildly familiar.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2395116#post2395116)

[John-Connor]

Streets of Fire 1984 Walter Hill
93323
4+


Murder at 1600 1997 Dwight H. Little
93325
3.5+


Under the Tuscan Sun 2003 Audrey Wells
93324
4

[GulfportDoc]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Moulin_rougeposter1952.jpg
By https://www.cinematerial.com/movies/moulin-rouge-i44926/p/a1v2ei5e, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6449189

Moulin Rouge - (1952)

This film focuses on the life of famed artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (played by José Ferrer - who also plays his father in flashbacks) and is really worth a look. His aristocratic family were inbred to the point of afflicting the poor guy with legs that broke, wouldn't heal, and wouldn't grow - which didn't affect his painting, but sadly tormented him in every other way. He'd drink himself to an early grave, dying at the age of 36. (He's played by John Leguizamo in Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!) I was really impressed by this, with it's narrowing down on the man's art itself and primarily on the two lost opportunities he had for love. Toulouse-Lautrec learns early that some ladies find his malformation too ugly to overlook - and this hardens his soul and makes it impossible for those who do grow fond of him to get through that their feelings are genuine. Despite such prominent billing, Zsa Zsa Gabor doesn't play one of these two women (the actresses that do are Colette Marchand and Suzanne Flon) - instead only appearing briefly for a few song and dance numbers. Toulouse-Lautrec's pain concerning lost chances at love, amid the wonderous world of 1890 to 1900s Paris, makes it feel like he's living through the canvas he paints on. A young Peter Cushing turns up late as a suitor for one of Toulouse-Lautrec's love interests. Ferrer's performance is curt, and taciturn, and modelled I think on the way aristocrats with generations of breeding might talk once they've descended into the hoi polloi. A really moving, interesting, colourful and enjoyably musical movie. It could have done with more Moulin Rouge - considering the fact that it's called Moulin Rouge.

7.5/10
I agree. A wonderful film with a brilliant performance by Ferrer, and first rate direction by John Huston.

It's funny. When I think of that film I see Ferrer's T-Lautrec in black and white, even though the film was shot in brilliant 3 strip Technicolor by Oswald Morris.

TL was a great Post-Impressionist painter (along with van Gogh and Cezanne), but a sad character.

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Fcinemaholics.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F03%2FForAllMankind.jpg%3Ffit%3D780%252C520%26ssl%3D1&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=5694d12d3c66bcd1df9db5ef87f88f5cc2d49163b40c1b6830379f9f1f8f4c50&ipo=images

For All Mankind, 1989

Mixing archival footage and interviews, this film recounts the challenges and successes of various moon-landing missions throughout the years.

The mix of awe-inspiring visuals and personal testimonies creates a compelling blend of the intimate and the infinite.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2395181#post2395181)

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/89/Streetcar95Film.jpg
By All Movie Guide [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12403719

A Streetcar Named Desire - (1995)

I love the original cinematic adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire, with Marlon Brando heating up the screen as bull of a man Stanley Kowalski - and I love the play itself. That's why I was curious to see this made-for-TV production of the play, with Alec Baldwin as Stanley, Jessica Lange as Blanche DuBois, Diane Lane as Stella and John Goodman as Mitch. With that cast I just knew I had to see how the performers handled the material. Lange ended up winning a Golden Globe, and overall the performances are really good - my only criticism is towards Baldwin as he seems to love the Brando performance so much that he seems to be emulating the great actor instead of taking the character on himself. It's a sad story, like nearly all Tennessee Williams stories are, and it never fails to sadden me (in the right kind of way.) This was okay. Always in the mood for Streetcar, no matter who's doing it.

7/10

[MovieBuffering]

Point Break - 1991

One I missed growing up. Probably would have enjoyed it more if I caught it in the 90s. Way over the top absurd but that's what they were going for. Swayze was the best part I think. It was absurd but decently fun. It was a bit much for me though. The ending made me lol for real. Fun flick but missed my window for really latching on to it.

2.5

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51gIM79IEgL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

[BKB]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTM4OGJmNWMtOTM4Ni00NTE3LTg3MDItZmQxYjc4N2JhNmUxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTgzMDMzMTg@._V1_.jpg

Rewatch. I think this movie became better after all these years. It's actually fire

When this came out, it sort of suffered from being the 1st sequel coming off such a fantastic movie in the 1st AVENGERS that it was hard to live up to that.. Sort of like how The DARK KNIGHT was so incredibly well done that The DARK KNIGHT RISES paled in comparison

[Guaporense]

Birdman (2014)

https://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/birdman.jpg?w=860&h=560&crop=1

Hollywood now makes basically superhero movies and movies parodying the genre. ;) This movie was ok, but not amazing.

[Stirchley]

93337

Terrific re-enactment. Really enjoyed it. Unbelievable all 13 kids got out alive. Definitely would be much better on the big screen, but my iPad had to suffice. Good extras too.

[doubledenim]

Point Break - 1991

One I missed growing up. Probably would have enjoyed it more if I caught it in the 90s. Way over the top absurd but that's what they were going for. Swayze was the best part I think. It was absurd but decently fun. It was a bit much for me though. The ending made me lol for real. Fun flick but missed my window for really latching on to it.

2.5

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51gIM79IEgL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg


Prime Busey!

[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intofilm.org%2Fintofilm-production%2Fscaledcropped%2F1096x548https%3A%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fimages.cdn.filmclub.org%2Ffilm__16234-exit-through-the-gift-shop--hi_res-50551ac2.jpg%2Ffilm__16234-exit-through-the-gift-shop--hi_res-50551ac2.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=43643fde5a590ffbf2dafb53d2cf19749bdc9263faeafd478e22eea5b0ee37d6&ipo=images

Exit Through the Gift Shop, 2010

This documentary follows the story of Thierry Guetta, a man who relentlessly documented his own life and eventually became obsessed with documenting underground street artists. Collecting hours and hours of footage, Guetta himself becomes the center of the narrative when he decides to become a street artist himself. Present first as a subject and then as a narrator, a delightfully baffled Banksy (who directed the film) oversees the events of the film.

Asking interesting questions about what qualifies as art or originality, this is a hilarious collision of personalities set inside the “art world.”

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2395394#post2395394)

[Takoma11]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/28/1f/f0/281ff0eeaa08665a747342616bd1de08.jpg

Titicut Follies, 1967

This fly-on-the-wall documentary gives us an inside look at the people and culture inside of the Bridgewater State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.

Unsettling on multiple levels, this film highlights the powerlessness that people--any people--can experience once placed in the custody of an institution.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2395398#post2395398)

[Act III]

93348

The Stunt Man (1980)

Not bad. A movie about the movies.

7/10

[Act III]

93350

Tron (1982)

Classic movie, haven't seen it since the 80's so my memory of it is patchy at best. Since I'm an adult now I much better understand the concept. Some of the greatest visuals of any scifi flick. Relevant to the current AI crisis.

10/10

[PHOENIX74]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/05/Frozen_%282013_film%29_poster.jpg
By May be found at the following website: [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37784628

Frozen - (2013)

I hear this one is popular with the kids, and I can really see why. It's also a film that has absolutely no consensus when it comes time to see how everyone rates it. Well, how does it look? It's looks beautiful - one of the best looking animated films I've ever seen, with snow-filled landscapes, animals and icy architecture that's dazzling. It also sounds great, with plenty of extremely catchy tunes - a little pop-music, but fitting all the same, and enjoyable. The funny stuff is very winsome, and I thought that this movie was full of clever comedy that works for adults and kids. The story takes inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Snow Queen", which is popular in Russia, but isn't adapted quite as much in English-speaking countries - so it's a nice change. You've gotta give this one to the kids - they've voted with their nagging insistence to see Frozen again, and this animated film is set to unleash a wave of nostalgia in the decades to come. Already a classic - and I think excellent.

9/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/00/Original_movie_poster_for_the_film_Picnic.jpg
By www.moviegoods.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7085309

Picnic - (1955)

This was one of the strangest 50s melodramas I've ever seen - and I'm still trying to work out what it all meant. William Holden unleashes his sex appeal as Hal Carter, and when he's not taking his shirt off and flaunting his tanned, muscular physique his shirt is getting ripped off in various contrived ways. He plays Hal Carter, a drifter and a bit of a tale-teller who comes across an old pal, and falls in love with his girl, Madge (Kim Novak). Many of the events take place at an annual picnic, where Madge has been voted a kind of May Queen, and where various intrigue and romance takes place. Hal's animal magnetism and testosterone seems to upset the natural balance of order amongst the townsfolk, and it unleashes some really crazy dramatic moments. There's some kind of battle between sensible planning, and pure emotional spontaneity in this movie, and it wants to shake up the mundane order and encourage passion - to hell with the comfort of the predictable. I'm not sure how much I liked this, but I won't be forgetting it any time soon.

6/10

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b6/Tenacious_d_in_the_pick_of_destiny_ver3.jpg
By Impawards.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21058600

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny - (2006)

This is pretty much standard Liam Lynch/Jack Black stuff, but several big name cameos from the likes of Tim Robbins, John C. Reilly, Meat Loaf, Amy Poehler and Ben Stiller lift it from mediocrity and make it heaps of fun. I mean, just look at those names - every one of them making comedy magic in their individual scenes. Thank goodness, because they're all funnier than Jack Black and Kyle Gass, who manage to hold our interest and at least be amusing. I'd watch this movie again for that reason alone - those guest star set-pieces.

7/10

[Fabulous]

Storm Warning (1950)

3

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[Takoma11]

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fworldscinema.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F10%2FDont-Look-Back-19673-e1571120379200.png&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=bd814b7f9d5ef1baccee78cc2d2d5002242604dd48201ebc41d53637cbef92d4&ipo=images

Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back, 1967

This documentary follows Bob Dylan on his 1965 tour through England. The footage includes interviews, performances, and interactions between Dylan and other musicians at the various venues.

This is a fascinating portrait of an artist on the rise with engaging sequences portraying different facets of fame and performance.

4

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2395587#post2395587)

[Takoma11]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTQxNzA3NzAyMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNDAzMTY3._V1_.jpg

Deliver Us from Evil, 2006

From the 1970s until the 1990s, Catholic priest Oliver O’Grady molested and raped dozens of (known) victims that he gained access to via his role in the church. The extent of his crimes were enabled by a Church system that used their authority to prevent the crimes from being reported to the police and shuffled O’Grady around from community to community every time accusations came to light.

The phrase “burn it all down” comes to mind as the film uncovers layers and layers of corruption, all centered on a man who clearly feels no remorse for the lasting damage he’s done to dozens of children.

4.5

Full review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2395584#post2395584)

[Fabulous]

Valley of the Dolls (1967)

3

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[WHITBISSELL!]

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Zulu - I hadn't seen Zulu in years but have been wanting to revisit it. I remember being super impressed with it the first time and am fully aware that the passage of time can alter your overall take. But it's held up remarkably well and recounts the events leading up to and the actual Battle of Rorke's Drift. Otherwise known as the English defence of the Christian mission station at Rorkes Drift in the British colony of Natal in south-eastern Africa. In January of 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War just over 150 British and Colonial troops held off attacks by Zulu warriors numbering between 3 and 4 thousand. Stanley Baker stars as Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers with a young Michael Caine as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead of the 24th Regiment of Foot.

It's a workmanlike retelling with just enough details added to give it a jolt of authenticity. There are no outsized villains or saintly heroes to be found. Just the pall and the turmoil of battle. This surely made everyone sit up and take notice back in 1964.

85/100