Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - 2021 Edition [Archive] - Page 2

Thief

05-09-21, 10:19 PM

SANSHO THE BAILIFF
(1954, Mizoguchi)
A film from the 1950s • A film about mothers

https://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/janus_stills/2267-/823id_1021_019_w1600.jpg

"A man is not a human being without mercy. Even if you are hard on yourself, be merciful to others."

That is the important teaching passed unto Zushiō (Yoshiaki Hanayagi) and Anju (Kyōko Kagawa) by his father. "Always keep it with you", he says, as he also hands him a keepsake, a small figurine of the Goddess of Mercy. But time and circumstances often make us forget the most important lessons while leading us away, sometimes in the harshest ways. That is the backdrop of this iconic Japanese film from Kenji Mizoguchi.

Sansho the Bailiff follows Zushiō and Anju as they fend for themselves at the hands of Sanshō (Eitarō Shindō), a ruthless slave owner. Their father banished and their mother sold into prostitution, it would be easy for them to lose hope and forget about mercy. That is what happens to Zushiō, who becomes hopeless and seems complacent in following Sanshō's steps, despite Anju's pleas to not forget their father's words.

It is interesting that the film is titled the way it is, considering that Sanshō is after all a secondary character. We meet him 30 minutes into the film and compared to other characters, he's barely in it. But what's important is what Sanshō represents. He is a presence that hangs above Zushiō all through the film. He is the opposite of his father's teachings: merciless and unforgiving, and by spending more time under his fist, Zushiō becomes more like him and less like his father.

This is my first film from Mizoguchi, but certainly one that has stuck in my mind. Not only for its striking visuals, flawless direction, and shot composition, but also for its sorrowful and powerful message. There is perhaps one event that still bugs me, cause I still don't think it feels true to what we've seen from the main characters, but I understand Mizoguchi's intentions, and it ultimately doesn't detract of the overall impact.

Sansho the Bailiff could be seen as a tragic story of time lost and wasted youth, but it is also a story of change and redemption, mercy and hope; one where there's still time to do good and make up for the years lost, if we keep that teaching to ourselves and never give up.

Grade: 4

Thief

05-11-21, 10:13 PM

Looking for films with the word "Five" in its title, I found the following options that are accessible to me, sound intriguing, and/or have good reviews. I appreciate any thoughts on any...?

Five Fingers of Death - isn't this a Tarantino favorite, and the one that inspired the Kill Bill final move? :laugh:
Devil Times Five - really intrigued by the premise.
Top Five - I like Chris Rock's stand-up and this has some solid/good reviews.

Also, I haven't had time to research about films from Romania, but if there's any suggestion, it's also welcome.

Chypmunk

05-12-21, 04:01 AM

Just a brief catchup (has it really been three weeks? :eek:)...

I was lukewarm about La Dolce Vita, simply couldn't make any real connection with it. I liked Barry Lyndon far more than I ever expected, put it off for so long as it just didn't really sound of much interest to me but when I finally got round to it I found it quite a beautiful watch and far more immersive than I expected. It now proudly holds the position as 'highest rated Kubrick I don't own'.

Not a fan of Beasts Of The Southern Wild I'm afraid, I did think that the father/daughter were acted nicely enough and the score was decent though. I can appreciate Breathless but it would never be a favourite, I agree it's just not that interesting in terms of narrative. On The Beach is a little lacking in subtlety and some of the dialogue could have been better but I think it portrays the bleakness and desolation of such a situation really well. Sansho The Bailiff made my 50s countdown, beautifully desolate but at the same time also spiritually uplifting imo.

Not seen The Wolf's Call, Bicycle Thieves, Doomed, The Fantastic Four or Cries And Whispers.

Chypmunk

05-12-21, 04:18 AM

Also, I haven't had time to research about films from Romania, but if there's any suggestion, it's also welcome.
Funnily enough I've watched a few Romanian fillums just recently.

Somewhere In Palilula (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2332881/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) was the best of those (mumbled about it here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2195728#post2195728)). Certainly wouldn't be to everyone's taste, especially so if one needs everything to make sense, but visually quite appealing I thought and I found it rather entertaining.

Links to brief mumbles on the other two I watched recently are here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2191327#post2191327) and here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2194660#post2194660) if wanted.

Thief

05-13-21, 03:13 PM

Funnily enough I've watched a few Romanian fillums just recently.

Somewhere In Palilula (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2332881/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) was the best of those (mumbled about it here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2195728#post2195728)). Certainly wouldn't be to everyone's taste, especially so if one needs everything to make sense, but visually quite appealing I thought and I found it rather entertaining.

Links to brief mumbles on the other two I watched recently are here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2191327#post2191327) and here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2194660#post2194660) if wanted.

Couldn't find any of those available streaming, but I'll keep an eye on them. Thanks!

kgaard

05-13-21, 03:18 PM

Also, I haven't had time to research about films from Romania, but if there's any suggestion, it's also welcome.

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu is on Netflix; there are also a couple of features on Criterion: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and Beyond the Hills (one handy thing on Criterion is the filters you can use under All Films when searching on PC). There are also a couple of shorts there as well.

Thief

05-14-21, 01:26 PM

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu is on Netflix; there are also a couple of features on Criterion: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and Beyond the Hills (one handy thing on Criterion is the filters you can use under All Films when searching on PC). There are also a couple of shorts there as well.

I will consider Lazarescu. I've seen 4M, 3W, 2D, although I wouldn't mind a rewatch. I was a bit lukewarm/partial to it when I saw it. Thanks!

SpelingError

05-14-21, 04:54 PM

Lazarescu is one of my favorite foreign films. It gets a strong recommendation from me. Here's what I wrote on it last year:

https://m.imdb.com/review/rw5638426/?ref_=m_ur_urv

Thief

05-15-21, 04:34 PM

TOKYO STORY
(1953, Ozu)
A film from the 1950s • A film about mothers

https://assets.vogue.com/photos/5c11371c00842f446303fe33/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/03-yasujiro-ozu-films.jpg

"To lose your children is hard, but living with them isn't always easy either. A real dilemma."

That's part of the conversation that retired father Shūkichi has with some friends as they both trade stories about their children. The bottom line is that regardless of age and circumstances, being a parent is hard. We raise them, spend years, decades with them only to see them leave, one way or the other, while we're left to deal with the separation: be it the physical one which comes from life/death, or the emotional one which comes from distance, distractions, lack of time or connection. A real dilemma.

Tokyo Story follows Shūkichi and Tomi (Chishū Ryū and Chieko Higashiyama), a retired couple that have to live with a bit of both. They lost one of their sons, Shōji, in the war and live far from three of their other children, and when they finally decide to take the long trip from Onomichi to Tokyo to visit them, they find themselves feeling like a nuisance, with no real connection to any of them. Ironically, only Noriko (Setsuko Hara), Shōji's widow, seems to be the only one to make an effort to spend time with them.

This is only my second Ozu film, after the excellent Late Spring, but this is such a perfect companion. The way that he weaves a compelling, engaging, and beautiful story out of something as seemingly "banal" as a visit from your parents/in-laws is just magical. There are no gimmicks, just a simple story, great dialogue, and excellent performances.

Most of the performances are great, but special mention goes to the trio of actors from Late Spring that Ozu brings back for this: Ryū, Hara, and Haruko Sugimura. The latter plays Shige, the eldest daughter, and much like her character in Late Spring, she feels real and yet you can't help but dislike her. On the other hand, Ryū and Hara continue their excellent chemistry, particularly during a climatic poignant and emotionally powerful conversation near the end.

Just like Late Spring succeeded in presenting the reality of marriage in post-war Japan (or maybe anywhere else), Tokyo Story succeeds in presenting the reality of father/children relationships; one of endless and unconditional love, but also one that requires letting go, and dealing with loss and loneliness. A real dilemma.

Grade: 4.5

Optimus

05-15-21, 04:50 PM

Nice thread man. Nicely formatted.

Thief

05-15-21, 05:21 PM

Nice thread man. Nicely formatted.

Thanks, man. Appreciate it.

Thief

05-15-21, 10:30 PM

PLAYTIME
(1967, Tati)
Freebie

https://i.imgur.com/Ecbm1c3.png

"All these electrical thingamajigs. You gotta be careful with all these buttons."

Paris. The future. Full of people in constant movement. Cars driving all around. No vegetation around. Traditional buildings have been replaced with sterile, squared buildings full of buttons and thingamajigs. A future where brooms have headlights and doors make no sound. That is the future that we see in Jacques Tati's Playtime.

The film follows Monsieur Hulot (Tati), a bumbling Frenchman trying to find his way around the city. During the course of the film, he gets lost in a maze of offices while waiting for an important meeting, stumbles upon a trade exhibition full of modern gadgets, meets a couple of friends "from the army!", and spends the night with a group of guests at a restaurant being renovated. During most of his journey, he befriends a young American tourist.

This is my first Tati film and I have to say it was, for the most part, a pleasant surprise. The film has a very loose narrative with very sparse dialogue and little "actual" plot, but is rather a cavalcade of physical comedy, slapstick, running gags, "jabs" at modern society, and clever visual jokes. For the most part, it works perfectly well, as I found myself smiling and chuckling most of the time.

Tati's direction was great all around; from the perspective of building this huge set to how he populates every inch of the screen with *something*. For pretty much every shot, you could look at any corner of the screen and see *something* happening, which I found both amusing and impressive.

I do think that the film runs a bit too long for what it is, and the connection with the American tourist just wasn't there for me. Not that it matters too much in the end, but they do try to amp that up towards the last act. But overall, I had a lot of fun with this.

Grade: 3.5

SpelingError

05-15-21, 10:40 PM

When I first watched Playtime, I really hated it and my reaction was "Am I missing something here? This was a horrible film. How can it be so popular?" The next day though, I realized I watched the wrong version. The Playtime I watched was actually a porno from the 90's with the same title.

Thief

05-15-21, 10:56 PM

Thief

05-16-21, 09:52 PM

UNSTOPPABLE
(2010, Scott)
A film primarily set on a train

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

"I only got one rule. One rule only: you're gonna do something, you do it right. You don't know how to do it, you ask me, all right?"

That's how 30-year veteran engineer Frank (Denzel Washington) lays it out to rookie conductor Will Colson (Chris Pine) on their first day together in charge of a locomotive. You gotta do things the right way, or else, lives are put at risk. Simple as that. But there was nothing simple on the day that awaited them.

Loosely based in real life events, Unstoppable follows the two men as they try to stop an unmanned freight train that's speeding down the tracks. To do so, they have to learn to settle their differences, work around the bureaucratic and incompetent barriers of the company, and try to focus on the job at hand. The thing is that both Frank and Will are dealing with their own personal issues which might put their concentration to the test.

This was an interestingly weird watch because, before watching the film a couple of days ago, I knew little about it other than its stars and that it had to do with trains. But for some reason, I was under the impression that it had to do with some terrorist or criminal taking control of the train, and that the man was Pine. Don't ask me why, but that's how I approached it. So imagine my surprise as the film kept going on and I was wondering, "well, what is he going to do??". In that aspect, it was nice and funny that it kept me guessing what was going to happen, even if it was for other reasons.

But putting that aside, director Tony Scott walks a fine line between excellent tension and edge-of-your-seat thrills and being too loud and in-your-face. He keeps himself in check most of the time, even if the film does spill sometimes into the latter. There's also some excess of "expository" news reels, as well as a couple of dumb contrivances and convenient occurrences in the script, but the film is mostly held together by Washington and Pine's committed performances. Rosario Dawson is also solid as the yardmaster trying to help the men.

Unstoppable was Tony Scott's last film before his untimely death. It might not be the best film, but it more than delivers in well-executed action and tension. For a man known for directing some of the most well-known action films, it seems he led his career by Frank's rule: you're gonna do something, you do it right.

Grade: 3.5

Thief

05-17-21, 03:37 PM

kgaard

05-17-21, 03:48 PM

What is the "definitive" version of Brazil I should check out? It applies to one of my categories (the Criterion one) and there's one on Tubi, but I'm not sure if I should go with it. I'd say that film is one of my biggest blind spots. Anyone?

I believe that either the 142 minute European cut or the 132 minute US cut by Gilliam are both considered acceptable. There are some differences between the two but both preserve the intent of the film. If I had to choose I’d go with the European cut. The 94 minute version is bad and should be avoided.

Thief

05-17-21, 03:57 PM

The one on Tubi is the 132 minute version. Guess I'll give it a shot this week.

Thief

05-19-21, 03:53 PM

IT FOLLOWS
(2014, Mitchell)
A film with a title that starts with the letters I or J

https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/it-follows-2015/ItFollows-2015-1.jpg

"But the most terrible agony may not be in the wounds themselves, but in knowing for certain
that within an hour, then within ten minutes, then within half a minute, now at this very instant... your soul will leave your body, and you will no longer be a person, and that is certain; The worst thing is that it is certain."

There is an old quote that says "it's impossible to be sure of anything but death and taxes." And, as cheeky and bleakly amusing as the quote might be, the sad thing is that even taxes are not certain, but death certainly is. We are born, we live, and then we die. That's it. What we do in the process will vary, but the end will undoubtedly be the same, regardless of the decisions we take down the road. That sentiment seems to be at the core of David Robert Mitchell's breakthrough hit It Follows.

The film follows Jay (Maika Monroe), a young college student that is haunted by a supernatural presence after a sexual encounter with new boyfriend Hugh (Jake Weary). Terrified by it, Jay tries to fend off this presence, whatever it is, with the help of her sister Kelly, and friends Paul, Yara, and Greg.

The disturbing thing is that this *presence* "could look like someone you know or it could be a stranger in a crowd. Whatever helps it get close to you", which obviously makes it all the more difficult to avoid. Even though Jake shares some thoughts about how you can be "free" of it, there's no assurance. Its arrival is, well, certain and there's little they can do about it.

With a budget of barely over a million dollars, director and writer David Robert Mitchell relies more on an eerie mood and a dread-filled atmosphere to keep us on our toes. There are a couple of well executed jump-scares, but the key is a constant sense of fear and danger lurking around every corner which is definitely effective. This is transmitted especially by Monroe, who takes a subdued but confident approach to her character.

I wish the film would've been more clearer with the connections to Jay's father (which were never clear to me), I wish the film was a bit more edgy, I wish Mitchell would've dared to push his limits a bit further. Regardless of that, I found this to be a pretty solid effort, with good performances, a great story and atmosphere, and some cool camerawork. That is certain.

Grade: 4

Thief

05-24-21, 05:20 PM

DEVIL TIMES FIVE
(1974, MacGregor)
A film with the number 5 (Five, Fifth, etc.) in its title

https://images.static-bluray.com/reviews/22760_1.jpg

"It's the kids. Jesus Christ, it's the g0ddamn kids!!"

The 1970s and 1980s seemed to be the source of many of the horror subgenres we continue to see nowadays. From slashers to deadly rural killers, from zombies to Satanist cults. But another horror subgenre that was very prominent in that decade, and from which we're still seeing output from is the "killer kid" subgenre, which is what this little known film delivers, times five.

Devil Times Five (also known as People Toys, The Horrible House on the Hill, or Tantrums) follows a group of "killer kids" that escape from a psychiatric hospital and find their way into the luxurious cabin of a real estate tycoon that's having a group of people over for both business and pleasure. As you might expect, there isn't much of a chance for neither business nor pleasure.

This is a film I don't think I had seen mentioned ever... at all, but when I was looking for something to fit this criteria, I was intrigued by the premise. The film doesn't feature any notable cast and crew member as far as I'm concerned, it seems to be very low budget, direction is somewhat amateurish, and the film is overall fairly exploitative, featuring a lot of nudity and violence (even if it's not that graphic).

But what it might lack in so-called "finesse", it kinda makes up for with a certain edge and boldness to its topic. Even though its presentation of people with mental issues is problematic, to say the least, I was captivated by how daring the film was in its story and eventually in how things end.

So even if this is not technically excellent, if you're in the mood for some cheap-ish slasher with loud, obnoxious characters, women in underwear fighting, and a somewhat surprising ending, then go with the one with "the g0ddamn kids".

Grade: 3

Captain Terror

05-24-21, 05:33 PM

*adds Devil Times Five to watchlist*

Thief

05-24-21, 09:19 PM

*adds Devil Times Five to watchlist*

To be fair, I think I "enjoyed" (and rated) this more than I had any right to.

Thief

05-24-21, 10:15 PM

SPIRAL
FROM THE BOOK OF SAW
(2021, Bousman)
Freebie

https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Chris-Rock-in-Spiral-Book-of-Saw-Ending.jpeg

"John Kramer was right. The spiral: a symbol of change, evolution, progress."

The legend goes that a couple of years ago, Chris Rock had a chance meeting with a big honcho from Lionsgate at a wedding in Brazil, where he expressed his interest in doing something in the horror genre. So, knowing that Lionsgate was responsible for the Saw franchise, the comedian pitched a "fresh" idea for a sort of sequel/spin-off, which he saw as an opportunity to change, evolve, or progress maybe? This put the Lionsgate gears in motion which, fast forward to 2021, spiraled into what we just got.

Spiral follows Detective Ezekiel Banks (Rock) as he pursues a serial killer that seems to be inspired by John Kramer, a.k.a. Jigsaw. He is reluctantly partnered with rookie cop William Shenck (Max Minghella) as they start investigating the murders. This is complicated by the fact that the killer seems to be targeting cops, especially those close to Banks, all of which seem to be corrupt at some level, something that Banks had uncovered before, earning their repudiation.

I've never been a fan of the Saw franchise. I did like the original, which I saw in theaters back then, and consider a fairly strong psychological horror film. But I bailed out after the third one as the films became more a showcase of gory yet ludicrous traps, with barely a narrative to hold them together.

However, I won't deny the fact that I found myself intrigued by Rock's involvement, and the potential for change, evolution, and progress in a spin-off. Unfortunately, there is little of that here. The film does take a different approach, focusing more on the "cop" angle, but the plot is too predictable and director Darren Lynn Bousman shows little skill building tension or creating genuine intrigue. So the film ends up in a weird, awkward middle ground, where it is too bland for a Saw-related film or too dull for a crime thriller.

I do give props to Rock for trying something different and putting some effort into his performance, even if it's not entirely successful. The presence of Samuel L. Jackson, as Ezekiel's father and former captain Marcus Banks is also a welcome sight. However, much like the killer in the film rejects originality in favor of being a Jigsaw copycat, an uninspired script, mediocre direction, and a predictable twist neuters any potential for real change, evolution, and progress, dishing more of the same instead.

Grade: 2

Captain Terror

05-24-21, 11:43 PM

To be fair, I think I "enjoyed" (and rated) this more than I had any right to.

Yes, that was understood. This describes half of the films I like, so it's fine. :)

Thief

05-25-21, 10:21 AM

FINALLY, after much delay, the latest episode of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot, Episode 37, is out. In it, I talk with the great ThatDarnMKS about "hidden gems" and little known films that we think deserve more attention. We also share five recommendations each of such films, and talk a bit about his career as well.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 37: The Hidden Loot (with Tyler Jones) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8526719-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-37-the-hidden-loot-with-tyler-jones.mp3?download=true)

Thanks to MKS for agreeing to do this!

Also, Spotify users can check it out here (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4xNDZURsy6hzMpzGbVgDdZ?si=kW-WMLS5RIuL5Z_OxuUFLg).

Captain Terror

05-25-21, 12:20 PM

Sedai

05-25-21, 12:32 PM

Thief

05-25-21, 12:46 PM

I've fallen behind in my looting, still haven't listened to the Harry/Sally episode. I'll definitely check this one out though.

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o84sw9CmwYpAnRRni/giphy.gif

I liked recording the Harry/Sally episode, but there's also another special episode on The Godfather, Part II that you might want to check.

This episode with MKS? Had a lot of fun with it. Longest episode I've recorded so far, and that's after editing, which means that time flew by us.

Thief

05-25-21, 12:47 PM

Excellent...tuning in now!

Thanks for the support!

Thief

05-25-21, 12:48 PM

On a related note, since I just posted my Spiral review, this weekend I guested on another podcast where we talked about, well, Spiral. Once that one's out, I'll share the link here.

ThatDarnMKS

05-25-21, 01:12 PM

This episode with MKS? Had a lot of fun with it. Longest episode I've recorded so far, and that's after editing, which means that time flew by us.
This is by far the nicest way anyone has ever said “I couldn’t get him to shut up!”

You’re a gentleman, Thief.

Thief

05-25-21, 01:21 PM

This is by far the nicest way anyone has ever said “I couldn’t get him to shut up!”

You’re a gentleman, Thief.

:laugh:

https://media.giphy.com/media/XzsQ4z8EhOPBOfpSMK/giphy.gif

ThatDarnMKS

05-25-21, 01:24 PM

The Bad Night In T-Botz guy? Sweet.
I've fallen behind in my looting, still haven't listened to the Harry/Sally episode. I'll definitely check this one out though.
I actually hint at a pretty big update with Bad Night that will hopefully lead to some really cool news in the next week or so. I couldn’t go FULLY into it as it’s not finalized but fingers crossed.

Captain Terror

05-25-21, 01:55 PM

Captain Terror

05-25-21, 05:19 PM

there's also another special episode on The Godfather, Part II that you might want to check.
I plan to re-watch that one for the 2021 Challenge so I'll check out your episode afterward. :up:

Captain Terror

05-26-21, 12:16 AM

I actually hint at a pretty big update with Bad Night that will hopefully lead to some really cool news in the next week or so. I couldn’t go FULLY into it as it’s not finalized but fingers crossed.

BROOOOO!
I thought your announcement was going to be "someone famous read my script" or something, not "Someone is making my movie"! That's awesome. I know you can't share anything yet, but I'm looking forward to hearing more. Can't wait to watch Ti West's A Bad Night In Talbot. :p

That was a fun listen guys. Thief, what was that TV Western with the killer? I forgot to note the title. Sounds right up my alley.

And I totally did the "looking at my toys from different angles" thing. I hadn't thought of it before, but I guess for me it translated into an interest in drawing rather than filmmaking, but yeah...
One example I remember is my slot car racetrack. I was less interested in beating my brother than I was in finding the right position to lie in to get the coolest angle to view my mini-Trans Am coming around the curve or jumping the ramp or whatever. Interesting.

SpelingError

05-26-21, 12:36 AM

ThatDarnMKS

05-26-21, 01:03 AM

BROOOOO!
I thought your announcement was going to be "someone famous read my script" or something, not "Someone is making my movie"! That's awesome. I know you can't share anything yet, but I'm looking forward to hearing more. Can't wait to watch Ti West's A Bad Night In Talbot. :p

That was a fun listen guys. Thief, what was that TV Western with the killer? I forgot to note the title. Sounds right up my alley.

And I totally did the "looking at my toys from different angles" thing. I hadn't thought of it before, but I guess for me it translated into an interest in drawing rather than filmmaking, but yeah...
One example I remember is my slot car racetrack. I was less interested in beating my brother than I was in finding the right position to lie in to get the coolest angle to view my mini-Trans Am coming around the curve or jumping the ramp or whatever. Interesting.
Ha! Yeah, man. It’s been some time in the making too but it is seemingly becoming a very real possibility and...

this is probably saying way too much but even the Ti West part is hilariously seeming less like a joke at the moment and more in the realm of cosmically ironic possibility given the producers/company wanting it

But like I said, nothing is signed yet and even then, it’ll have to survive pre-production, production and post before it’s REAL to me. But it’s certainly been an experience thus far.

As for toys, I credit them with a good deal of my creativity as I think it was the first arena I tried to develop storytelling skills (in addition to a rudimentary understanding of mise-en-scene). I didn’t go all the way into it but I eventually reached a point where I had a couple of friends that would come over to watch me play with my toys because of the stories and action sequences I planned (even creating cardboard sets). A plot I created that was done with GI Joes and Jurassic Park toys was of particular popularity (Cobra opened up a time portal and accidentally infested their base with dinosaurs, so when the Joes assault the base, they have to team up with the bad guys to survive).

As you can tell, I’ve always been a real lady killer.

ThatDarnMKS

05-26-21, 01:03 AM

I just finished watching it and I really enjoyed listening to all your thoughts. I've only seen a couple movies you two talked about, but I'll have to keep an eye out for the other ones.
Which ones had you seen?

Thief

05-26-21, 01:30 AM

SpelingError

05-26-21, 03:48 AM

Which ones had you seen?

Just The Wave, Conspiracy, and The Invitation (it was mentioned at the end). I enjoyed The Wave quite a bit and thought it was a pretty solid disaster flick. I also thought Conspiracy was good, even though I remember thinking it was a lesser 12 Angry Men. However, it's been a few years since I've seen it and I'm probably due for a rewatch. I've only seen The Invitation once, but I like it quite a bit. It's one of my favorite horror films of its respective year.

Captain Terror

05-26-21, 10:54 AM

The western is called A Man for Hanging (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2157810#post2157810) (according to JustWatch, it's still on Roku Channel and Tubi). Let me know what you think.

Thanks. Sounded like something I'd be into, and that screenshot only confirmed that.

ThatDarnMKS

05-26-21, 11:22 AM

Just The Wave, Conspiracy, and The Invitation (it was mentioned at the end). I enjoyed The Wave quite a bit and thought it was a pretty solid disaster flick. I also thought Conspiracy was good, even though I remember thinking it was a lesser 12 Angry Men. However, it's been a few years since I've seen it and I'm probably due for a rewatch. I've only seen The Invitation once, but I like it quite a bit. It's one of my favorite horror films of its respective year.
Big fan of the Invitation. I think at nearly 100k ratings on IMDb and now being 6 years old (egads! What’s happening with time???), it can officially be a modern cult classic rather than obscure.

I need to get that Drafthouse blu, though. It’s a glaring omission as I have most of their releases and like many of them less.

Captain Terror

05-26-21, 11:40 AM

this is probably saying way too much but even the Ti West part is hilariously seeming less like a joke at the moment and more in the realm of cosmically ironic possibility given the producers/company wanting it

But like I said, nothing is signed yet and even then, it’ll have to survive pre-production, production and post before it’s REAL to me. But it’s certainly been an experience thus far.

Yeah I'm getting way ahead of myself here, just glad to see so much progress in such a short time ("short" from my perspective of course).

And as for You-Know-Who, I guess it's for the best that all of your Corrie postings about him have disappeared. :)

ThatDarnMKS

05-26-21, 11:42 AM

Yeah I'm getting way ahead of myself here, just glad to see so much progress in such a short time ("short" from my perspective of course).

And as for You-Know-Who, I guess it's for the best that all of your Corrie postings about him have disappeared. :)
Heh! I hope that this will lead to more rapid progress as I’m whipping up another script to sell them if this all plays out well (this one is Lovecraftian, so it’s all en vogue).

The RT and Corrie died for my sins.

I killed them to hide my sins.

Thief

05-26-21, 05:13 PM

LE JOUR SE LÈVE
(1939, Carné)
Freebie

https://images.static-bluray.com/reviews/10765_5_large.jpg

"They say lovers are more alive than other people. You think that’s true?"

That is unless their hearts are broken in the process. Because then, the opposite applies. That is more or less what happens in this 1939 French film. Directed by Marcel Carné, Le jour se lève follows François (Jean Gabin), a factory worker that falls in love with *wait for it* Françoise (Jacqueline Laurent), a florist, only to find out she's more interested in a sleazy and narcissistic entertainer (Jules Berry).

The thing is that the film follows a non-linear narrative, starting with François murdering a man in his apartment, and then goes back to show how he ended up in that position. That is when we see how François and Françoise meet by chance, bond over their similarities, their names, and their orphan upbringing, only to see her gush over Valentin later on. The film frequently returns to "present time", as we see François barricade himself in his apartment as the police outside figure out how to apprehend him.

This film was a magnificent surprise, and the kind of film that makes you wonder why the heck isn't it mentioned more often. I had literally never heard of this film before this, and yet I was completely captivated by pretty much every aspect of it. From its structure, its striking cinematography and direction, the great performances, and the edgy script. Every single thing was top of the line.

Gabin and Laurent are great, but they also have an undeniable chemistry that's loaded with a melancholy that's perfect for the story. Arletty, who plays Clara, François' "temporary" lover is also very good. The script and the overall execution, which has tinges of noir, felt so ahead of its time. Finally, the way Carné moved the camera around and the shot composition were both excellent.

This is easily my favorite first-time watch of the year so far (tied with Ran!) so kudos to whoever recommended it. As opposed to the characters, whose decisions end up making them miserable and, well, not alive, like a star-crossed lover just discovering something, this made *me* feel alive! Excellent film.

Grade: 5

Thief

05-29-21, 10:14 PM

DUCK SOUP
(1933, McCarey)
A film with a bird's name in its title

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

"You're a brave man. Go and break through the lines. And remember, while you're out there risking your life and limb through shot and shell, we'll be in be in here thinking what a sucker you are."

The term "duck soup" refers to an easily accomplished task or assignment; something that should be easy to succeed at. In the film, it is a kind of ironic jab at Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx), who has just been appointed as leader of the troubled country of Freedonia, but we can also use it to ironically refer to the Marx brothers task of making a comedy that succeeds at parodying government and war. The thing is that the brothers make it seem easy indeed; duck soup.

Groucho is joined by his three brothers in various roles. Harpo and Chico play a couple of bumbling spies for the rival country of Sylvania, while Zeppo plays Firefly's assistant. Firefly's task of governing is complicated when he starts a grudge with Ambassador Trentino of Sylvania, something that threatens to lead them to war. But the truth is that the plot, even though it's there, matters little as it serves primarily as a vehicle for the brothers barrage of jokes, gags, slapstick, and musical montages.

This happens to be my first Marx brothers film, but I can happily say that it was a pleasant watch and a lot of fun. As someone who really hadn't had any experience with the brothers, I was surprised at how dry and slightly risky the jokes were. I guess I was expecting something more a-la Chaplin, with a bit more heart and charm, but I adjusted my gauges quickly and found myself enjoying the biting satire of things like war and politics.

Sure, some of the routines felt like, well, routines; like they were already established and were just transposed to this film and slightly adjusted to fit the narrative, but that doesn't make the jokes any less clever, and the frenetic and lively energy of the cast makes up for it. I also found the musical numbers to be real treat. Knowing of its reputation, I wasn't expecting less, but I was still surprised by how effortless and easy the comedy and fun felt here; you know, duck soup.

Grade: 4

SpelingError

05-29-21, 10:17 PM

I watched that film earlier this year and I really loved it (I'd probably rate it a bit higher though). I was surprised by how many of its jokes landed. It would definitely make a short list of my favorite comedies of all time.

Thief

05-30-21, 02:04 AM

I can see it going a bit higher with time. We'll see.

I just finished my challenge with two days to spare, whew! Just have to catch up with pending reviews.

Thief

05-30-21, 05:03 PM

HERO
(2002, Zhang)
A fantasy film

https://fromthebalcony.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Hero_anexdu.jpg

"The ultimate ideal is when the sword disappears altogether. The warrior embraces all around him. The desire to kill no longer exists. Only peace remains."

I'm hardly an expert on martial arts films but a good chunk of them are known for their excessive violence, blood, and the swift use of the sword. There is a lot of the latter in this film, but not a lot of the former. Instead, director Zhang Yimou chooses a more zen-approach to his film highlighting not only the way the different warriors embrace their surroundings, especially during a fight, but also the peace they achieve in whether they use it or not.

Set in Ancient China, Hero follows Nameless (Jet Li), a mysterious swordsman that meets with the King of Qin (Chen Daoming) claiming to have killed three powerful fighters that were trying to kill him. However, as he tells his story to the king, we realize there might be more to him than what he claims.

The story has a bit of a Rashomon vibe, as we see the events that led Nameless to where he is now, as he fought the three warriors Long Sky (Donnie Yen), Broken Sword (Tony Leung), and Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung). As the narrative goes back and forth between past and present, as well as different versions of the same story, we find out more about Nameless, the king, and the fighters.

As well acted as it was, I felt the story got too twisty at times, with the motivations of the different characters never clear as we see them through the different point of views of the multiple characters. It might make it interesting to figure out, but a bit harder to latch onto. Plus, the ending felt to me a bit anticlimatic.

But regardless of the story, what takes front and center in this film is its great direction, gorgeous cinematography, and striking use of color to drive the narrative. Director Zhang and cinematographer Christopher Doyle both do a great job in the way they incorporate the characters surroundings, nature, and structures into their shots, while highlighting the colors in the wardrobe, walls, and other items. The end result is magnificent and peaceful to look at.

Grade: 3.5

Captain Terror

05-31-21, 02:56 PM

A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #5 (i.e. 15, 405, 854): Dodes’ka-den (#465)
Nearing the end of my Kursosawa journey

A film from the 1950s: The Adventures of Hajji Baba (1954)
Cheesy but fun adventure film which expects you to believe that a crimson-haired white lady is an ancient Persian.

A film about mothers: Relic (2020)
Alzheimer's-as-horror-movie. Not something to watch on Mother's Day, but technically about a mother.

A film with a bird in its title (Bird Day, May 4): Birdshot (2016)
A film from the Philippines about a young girl who mistakenly shoots a protected species of eagle while hunting. Recommended

Weak showing this month.

---------------------------------

I've seen EITHER Hero or House of Flying Daggers, can never remember which. Saw it at the theater way back when and loved it. Need to (re)watch both of them soon.

Glad to hear your first Marx Bros film was a hit. That's a family favorite since childhood for me. If you're looking for more, any of the "animal" titles from the 1930s would be a good choice.

Thief

05-31-21, 03:23 PM

mark f

05-31-21, 03:27 PM

Be sure to watch Horse Feathers with the white phagocytes.

Captain Terror

05-31-21, 03:59 PM

As for the Marx brothers, that's more or less what most people have said to me. I think even you had mentioned the "animal" titles to me before, so I'll make sure to keep an eye on those.

They switched studios after Duck Soup, and their new bosses evidently decided that Marx Bros films needed to have "plots", so the shenanigans started to take a back seat to whatever that movie was "about". Some of those films are good too, but for undiluted anarchy your best bet is the pre-Duck Soup films.

And I'd only recommend The Cocoanuts (1929) after you've seen the rest.

Thief

05-31-21, 04:06 PM

EL DORADO
(1966, Hawks)
A film from Howard Hawks

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/sgp-catalog-images/region_US/paramount-06625-Full-Image_GalleryBackground-en-US-1484000598531._SX1080_.jpg

"Man, don't tell me how good I was. I just got away with it because I had an hangover. I was too mad to be scared and too sick to worry about it. You know that."

El Dorado follows Cole Thornton (John Wayne) a gun-for-hire that wants to help his friend J.P. Harrah (Robert Mitchum), a sheriff that has to deal with a conflict between two rival ranchers, but has recently resorted to alcoholism after a break-up turning him into the "mock of the town".

This is only my third Howard Hawks film after the excellent The Big Sleep and the underwhelming His Girl Friday, and it happens to sit right in the middle as far as I'm concerned. I was told after that this is pretty much a remake of Hawks' own Rio Bravo, but having no knowledge of that, I thought it was for the most part an enjoyable film.

There's some good performances from most of the main cast, especially Mitchum and James Caan, who plays Mississippi, a young, knife-wielding hot-shot that joins Thornton and Harrah. Wayne is his usual self, but regardless of his acting talents, the chemistry and rapport between all three leads is undeniable (four, if we add Arthur Hunnicutt who is also a lot of fun as Harrah's deputy.) Christopher George is also pretty good as one of the main antagonists.

There are some tonal issues where the film goes almost full "slapstick" during a confrontation between Thornton and Harrah, and there are also some bits and pieces that haven't aged that well (Mississippi slapping a woman and threatening to hit her again only to end up in love later), but for the most part, I enjoyed the film. Even if it didn't blow my mind, it was a nice way to spend 2 hours.

Grade: 3

Thief

05-31-21, 04:14 PM

Be sure to watch Horse Feathers with the white phagocytes.

Phago-what? :blart:

Chypmunk

05-31-21, 04:41 PM

Catch-up time.

I've yet to see an Ozu work that I didn't at least like, Tokyo Story would definitely be my favourite of his later output that I've seen thus far. Been a number of years since I last watched Unstoppable but I remember it being a fun enough watch.

Wasn't mad impressed with It Follows, thought the idea was nice enough but sadly the execution didn't really hit any highs for me. Nice to see a good rating for Le Jour Se Lève, big fan of Jean Gabin and thus far Carné has a pretty good track record with me.

I really ought to give Hero another outing at some point, it's a fun film but it's been far too long since I've thrown it in the player. El Dorado is slightly inferior to Rio Bravo for me but still an enjoyable romp imo.

I've not seen Playtime, not seen any Tati yet. Also not seen Duck Soup but what I have seen from the Marx Bros sadly hasn't tickled my fancy that much.

Very doubtful I'll ever watch Spiral From The Book Of Saw - I've seen the first three or four of the Saw franchise and the curve has been a downward one from only a modest starting point, leaving me no real interest in suffering through any more. Devil Times Five sounds of interest though, might try and watch it sometime if I find it available to me.

Thief

05-31-21, 09:37 PM

BRAZIL
(1985, Gilliam)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #5 (i.e. 15, 405, 854): (#51)

https://andrewsidea.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/brazil22.jpg

"Of course you want something. You must have hopes, wishes, dreams."

"Aquarela do Brasil", the song that inspired the title of this film, was written by Ary Barroso in 1939 on a night when he was unable to leave the house because of a heavy storm. Its lyrics sing of past memories of a place or a state of being where whoever's singing it will be unable to return to ("we softly murmured 'someday soon'", "the morning found me miles away, with still a million things to say").

When you think of that, it actually makes sense as to why director Terry Gilliam chose it as the symbol of this odd film. Set "somewhere in the 20th Century", Brazil follows Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce), a low-level bureaucrat stuck in a meaningless job, while having "hopes, wishes, dreams" of things he might never be able to attain or achieve, especially a woman for whom he fights as a "winged warrior".

Much like the song, Sam lives in a constant state of tedium, as he is burdened by his mediocre boss (Ian Holm), his overbearing mother (Katherine Helmond), and the pressures of a job he doesn't seem to be interested in, and yet doesn't seem to be interested of getting out either as he keeps rejecting promotions that are arranged by his mother.

Several things shake Sam from his slumber: first, the accidental arrest, torture, and death of an innocent man at the hands of the totalitarian and excessively surveilling government, which in turn leads him to meet who he thinks is the woman of his dreams (Kim Greist); and second, his encounter with Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro) a rogue "handyman" that rejects the control of the government.

What ensues is a quest to finally meet this woman, but also to finally escape the grasp of this oppressive world in which he feels he doesn't fit. Will the onslaught of bureaucratic impediments and Kafka-esque absurdism ever let Sam be free or will the morning found him "miles away, with still a million things to say"? "Someday soon", says the song as the singer keeps repeating how certain he is he will return "to old Brazil".

Grade: 4

Thief

05-31-21, 10:16 PM

WHY ME?
(2015, Giurgiu)
A film from Romania:

https://www.berlinale.de/media/nrwd/filmstills/2015/panorama/201505100_1_IMG_FIX_700x700.jpg

"I've just started something, and... I'll tell you later. It could be on my way up or on my way down."

What do you do when you have a job and your superiors ask you to do something that ends up being illegal, immoral, or just unethical? What if you find out too late? Do you question "why me?" Do you go against the corporate Goliath, or just go with the flow? Those are some of the questions asked by this Romanian drama.

Based in real life events, Why Me? follows the life of Cristian (Emilian Oprea), an up-and-coming criminal prosecutor that's asked to lead an investigation against another official. Seeing it as an opportunity to advance his career, Cristian lunges at the task at hand, only to discover there might be other motivations to his selection.

For the most part, this was a nice, little surprise. The way the plot unfolds feels a bit confusing since the details of the case are never fully explained, and we never get to see the other side. Instead, director and writer Tudor Giurgiu chooses to focus on Cristian's state of mind as he finds himself more and more consumed by fear and paranoia.

Although the character of Cristian is never fully fleshed out, and some of his decisions are not fully delved into, Oprea makes the most of what he gets and sells the character fairly well. Mihai Constantin is also pretty good as his direct superior. There are some brushes at the higher up conspiracies that could've been interesting, but they are never explored either. Still, I found myself drawn into the story and wanting to know more.

Grade: 3

Thief

05-31-21, 10:43 PM

BLUE MIRACLE
(2021, Quintana)
Freebie

https://i.imgur.com/pWjEF0M.jpg

"All I'm trying to say is, if you wanna make your life better, you gotta do what you know is right every single day. I mean, no matter what anybody thinks, even when it's hard. And that is how you get ahead."

Life doesn't always deal us the best hand. Things won't go the way we want every single day, but still we have to try to do our best to keep ourselves focused, out of trouble, and "ahead". That is what Omar (Jimmy Gonzales) is trying to teach the kids at his foster home, even when life isn't dealing him the best hand, even when it's hard.

Blue Miracle follows "Papá" Omar, as the kids call him, as he struggles to make ends meet at this foster home he leads with his wife Becca (Fernanda Urrejola). But Omar is haunted not only by the lack of funds and his inability to pay the mortgage on the place, but also by memories of his past, which typically involve him in a boat with his now deceased father.

The opportunity to solve their problems comes in the form of a fishing tournament, and after a teenage orphan that's been causing trouble at the marina ends up at his home, Omar reluctantly pairs with a beaten down captain (Dennis Quaid) to try to win the tournament, teach his kids something about life, but also exorcize his own demons of the past.

Even though it's based in real life events, there's hardly anything original about how things unfold in Blue Miracle. You will probably figure out how things will go 10-20 minutes in. But regardless of that, there is some heart to its simple story. In addition, both Quaid and Gonzales were pretty solid in it (for what it's worth, I saw the Spanish dubbed version).

I have to also commend director Julio Quintana (of Cuban descent) and cinematographer Santiago Benet Marí (from Puerto Rico!) because the film looks simply gorgeous. The shot composition, use of light and colors from Benet Marí was impressive, and Quintana uses a couple of neat tricks in moving the camera, which actually pushed the film half a notch for me.

Like I said, the film's story is nothing special, but it was chosen by my kids yesterday morning, so maybe that's why I warmed up to it more than someone else would; and, even though their interest came and went, they pushed through, and I hope they took something out of it; to do what is right every single day.

Grade: 3

Thief

05-31-21, 10:53 PM

Nice to see a good rating for Le Jour Se Lève, big fan of Jean Gabin and thus far Carné has a pretty good track record with me.

Devil Times Five sounds of interest though, might try and watch it sometime if I find it available to me.

Thanks for your feedback. If you have any Carné recommendation that could serve as a good follow-up to Le Jour se Lève, let me know.

Also, like I told Captain Terror, it is by no means a great film, but it sure was an interesting watch, so let me know what you think of it.

Chypmunk

06-01-21, 03:33 AM

Thanks for your feedback. If you have any Carné recommendation that could serve as a good follow-up to Le Jour se Lève, let me know.
If you've not yet seen his Les enfants du paradis then I'd go that one, I'd hope both that and Le Jour Se Lève might make the upcoming countdown. If you have then I'd give Hôtel du Nord a look.

Also, like I told Captain Terror, it is by no means a great film, but it sure was an interesting watch, so let me know what you think of it.Will do if I (a) find it sometime and (b) remember. Sadly I think the changes to YouTube with regards them now wanting proof of identity/age for certain content is going to impact somewhat on the availability of certain types of fillums to me :(

Thief

06-01-21, 09:58 AM

If you've not yet seen his Les enfants du paradis then I'd go that one, I'd hope both that and Le Jour Se Lève might make the upcoming countdown. If you have then I'd give Hôtel du Nord a look.

Les enfants du paradis seems to be the logical next step, according to most people. Thanks!

Will do if I (a) find it sometime and (b) remember. Sadly I think the changes to YouTube with regards them now wanting proof of identity/age for certain content is going to impact somewhat on the availability of certain types of fillums to me :(

It's on Tubi, which as far as I know, it's available free on the Internet.

Chypmunk

06-01-21, 10:30 AM

It's on Tubi, which as far as I know, it's available free on the Internet.
Sadly Tubi's not available over here :(
78192

Thief

06-01-21, 03:29 PM

Here is my final tally for MAY 2021:

A film with the number 5 (Five, Fifth, etc.) in its title: Devil Times Five (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2206768-devil-times-five.html)
A film with a title that starts with the letters I or J: It Follows (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2205505-it-follows.html)
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #5 (i.e. 15, 405, 854): Brazil (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2208868-brazil.html)
A film from the 1950s: Sansho the Bailiff (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2202632-sansho-the-bailiff.html)
A fantasy film: Hero (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2208556-hero.html)
A film about mothers: Tokyo Story (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2204417-tokyo-story.html)
A film with a bird in its title (Bird Day, May 4): Duck Soup (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2208383-duck-soup.html)
A film primarily set on a train (Nat'l Train Day, May 8): Unstoppable (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2204649-unstoppable.html)
A film from Romania (Independence Day, May 9): Why Me? (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2208873-why-me.html)
A film from Howard Hawks (born May 30): El Dorado (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2208800-el-dorado.html)

Freebie: Cries and Whispers (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2202227-cries-and-whispers.html), Playtime (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2204467-playtime.html), Spiral (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2206867-spiral-from-the-book-of-saw.html), Le Jour se Leve (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2207457-le-jour-se-l%C3%A8ve.html), Blue Miracle (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2208881-blue-miracle.html)

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/enVQ0YIwkt5uW6hcTuW6eZdzaL.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/qnz4VSl35D4Y9LQVnakMONUEOpj.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/d0PibPzCK4fVikjoD1PqHovbvkt.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/rSlZ8iM4vRM0sZrrJNmjln4kZir.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/1NBtOH3KPU9UUp1vzVHJ8qzdW88.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/g2YbTYKpY7N2yDSk7BfXZ18I5QV.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/7ZJKzr5U3MGUCHUOyrVjMT7tIQD.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/zKvHwL0GqLOear8rTnUPSTRYY0r.jpg

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/8ELTULymoubtAqPrx8Q9JglmEnj.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/poJxkMtTA3E95lJ6RnBgNxF0Vmx.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/a1bMgB09YDvvRN9SitCclUYragr.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/kQOrS0DLUXYsqPMedM2G6NJcJBq.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/lcyKve7nXRFgRyms9M1bndNkKOx.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/pnyHLvLKl18py7OKCWHMs0FdYW7.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/xBdP9Z0oVAx25tM2gUOtq298jxR.jpg

One of the best months I've had recently with lots of great, interesting films. My favorite first-time watch was easily Le Jour se Lève, but Tokyo Story was pretty close.

Worst was probably Spiral.

Thief

06-01-21, 03:30 PM

Here is the challenge for JUNE 2021:

A film with the number 6 (Six, Sixth, etc.) in its title:
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L:
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 506, 761):
A film from the 1960s:
A horror film:
A film with the word "Summer" in its title:
A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month):
A film with a repeated word in its title (Repeat Day, June 3):
A film from Sweden (National Day, June 6):
A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26):

As usual, recommendations are more than welcome!

kgaard

06-01-21, 04:49 PM

In addition to I Lost My Body earlier, I've added the following:

A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #5 (i.e. 15, 405, 854): Moonstruck (#1056) (1987) I've seen this before, but the first time I saw it I had probably either not yet moved to my forever home, NYC, or maybe I had only just arrived. For important context, I grew up in a very (middle-class) WASPish family in Texas before moving here in my mid-20s. Well, in the intervening time I've been married for almost 15 years to a woman from Jewish (on one side) and Italian and Irish Catholic (on the other side) families. So you can imagine that this movie landed somewhat differently: Before, it was like an anthropological film about a species of aliens. Now, it's like hanging out with my in-laws. That's not (necessarily) a bad thing, but it sure is different! It's a fun movie, and the final set piece is a joy.

A film from the 1950s: Kanał (1957) This was excellent. I really wonder if Ridley Scott had seen this because many of the scenes in the sewers (kanał is Polish for sewers) strongly reminded me of Alien. It also features female characters who are not just adornments (though I acknowledge that the actor who plays Daisy is absurdly good-looking) but fully-realized self-motivated people. And as we follow this crew of resistance fighters at the end of the Warsaw Uprising, the tension ratchets ever-up as they desperately attempt to evade their Nazi pursuers. Superb, gripping stuff.

A fantasy film: Crumbs (2015) Strange science fiction romantic fantasy about a future Earth where the odd detritus (or "crumbs") of our modern life have taken on mystical, iconic status (a Michael Jordan photo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figurines, and toy plastic swords all play a part) and a scavenger named Candy attempts to find a way to a hovering spacecraft that he hopes will provide salvation for him and his love, Birdy. Although not everything works, and some choices (especially the very conclusion) are somewhat baffling to me, I'm always going to pull for movies that are marching to their own drumbeat. And it's on the short side so the commitment is not great. If you like weird, this is worth your time.

A film with a bird in its title (Bird Day, May 4): The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) This definitely falls in the category of films that are much more about tone and atmosphere than plot, which shouldn't be examined too closely (Italian police: "You, a civilian who might be a suspect want to investigate on your own? Sure, why not?!"). I'm still relatively new to giallo, but I enjoy the heightened drama of it and the almost defiant commitment to style over substance.

A film from Romania (Independence Day, May 9): The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005) There seems to be some debate over whether this is a dark comedy or just a drama. The absurdly misleading Romanian poster (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Mr._Lazarescu#/media/File:Moartea_domnului_lazarescu0.jpg) suggests that the producers at least wanted to market it as a comedy, although that poster makes it look like a movie version of Scrubs, which, well maybe if it were a Scrubs movie written by Jean-Paul Sartre. Anyway, it is a dark comedy, but very dark. Like, makes Fargo look like The Three Stooges dark. A lonely old man feels ill, calls for aid, and then, accompanied by a dedicated paramedic, must navigate the kafkaesque workings of the Romanian health system. It is grimly comic and poignant, and, despite its length, never dull.

Not one bad movie this month. Not one! But Kanał and The Death of Mr. Lazarescu are the best of the bunch.

Thief

06-01-21, 05:31 PM

Mesmerized

06-01-21, 05:53 PM

Les enfants du paradis seems to be the logical next step, according to most people. Thanks!

It's on Tubi, which as far as I know, it's available free on the Internet.

I have Tubi on my phone and Les enfants du paradis is not on it.

Captain Terror

06-01-21, 05:55 PM

Thief, do you have access to TCM?

(Turner Classic Movies, that is. Not Texas Chainsaw Massacre :))

Thief

06-01-21, 06:00 PM

I have Tubi on my phone and Les enfants du paradis is not on it.

That part of the quote was about Devil Times Five, which I think is still on Tubi.

Thief

06-01-21, 06:00 PM

Thief, do you have access to TCM?

(Turner Classic Movies, that is. Not Texas Chainsaw Massacre :))

Not currently.

Mesmerized

06-01-21, 06:02 PM

That part of the quote was about Devil Times Five, which I think is still on Tubi.

Sorry I got it mixed up. But when I enter Devil Times Five in the search box, The Playground pops up.

Thief

06-01-21, 06:09 PM

Sorry I got it mixed up. But when I enter Devil Times Five in the search box, The Playground pops up.

I just looked for it on both my work laptop and my mobile, and found it by that title. However, the film did goes by numerous titles (People Toys, The Horrible House on the Hill, Tantrums) so maybe one of those would work?

kgaard

06-01-21, 06:11 PM

Nice loot! I almost went with The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, but 1) even though it's on Tubi, it wasn't available in Puerto Rico. I would've had to see it on my work laptop, and 2) Duck Soup is shorter, plus it gave me a chance to finally watch a Marx Brothers film and also watch a comedy, which is a genre I find myself pushing aside a bit these days.

Well, you didn't go wrong here, Duck Soup is awesome. It looks like most of the Marx Bros. movie that are on Criterion will be leaving at the end of the month so I'm going to try to catch the ones I haven't seen yet.

Captain Terror

06-01-21, 07:20 PM

For your Peter Lorre film, my first two recs would be Arsenic and Old Lace or Mad Love, but I don't think you can stream either of them.
So I'll throw in a good word for The Comedy of Terrors on Prime. Written by Richard Matheson and directed by Jacques Tourneur, it stars Vincent Price as an alcoholic undertaker and Lorre as his assistant. (Also Karloff and Basil Rathbone) It's certainly not Lorre in his prime, but I think it's a legitimately funny bit of 60s silliness.

Thief

06-01-21, 09:11 PM

Sorry I got it mixed up. But when I enter Devil Times Five in the search box, The Playground pops up.

You know what? In addition of trying the other titles I mentioned, try going through JustWatch. I think that's how I've always gotten to the film.

kgaard

06-01-21, 10:32 PM

Thief

06-02-21, 12:49 PM

Arsenic and Old Lace and Mad Love are both extremely awesome (especially Arsenic for me). For those who have Criterion Channel, it has both M and the original The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Haven't seen any of the ones that Cap mentioned, but for anybody that wants to join in, I very much second these two recs. M, in particular, is an absolutely excellent film and Peter Lorre is a huge reason why.

kgaard

06-03-21, 04:55 PM

A film from the 1960s: L'Avventura (1960) Review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2209837#post2209837). Its revolutionary style is not so obvious now, but it still has considerable force.

Captain Terror

06-03-21, 05:01 PM

Haven't seen any of the ones that Cap mentioned, but for anybody that wants to join in, I very much second these two recs. M, in particular, is an absolutely excellent film and Peter Lorre is a huge reason why.

Yeah, M should be everyone's first Peter Lorre film. I happened to know you've already seen it otherwise that would have been my recommendation.
Watch M, everybody!

Thief

06-03-21, 05:33 PM

Yeah, M should be everyone's first Peter Lorre film. I happened to know you've already seen it otherwise that would have been my recommendation.
Watch M, everybody!

Also, if anyone's on a Hitchcock binge, I fully recommend Secret Agent, with Lorre, John Gielgud, and Madeleine Carroll. It's a pretty solid spy thriller in a similar vein to The 39 Steps. Lot of fun.

Thief

06-03-21, 05:34 PM

SpelingError

06-03-21, 05:55 PM

I should probably consider that, since I haven't seen any Antonioni.

Red Desert would be my top recommendation for Antonioni. So far, I've enjoyed everything I've seen from him so far to varying degrees.

kgaard

06-03-21, 05:55 PM

I should probably consider that, since I haven't seen any Antonioni.

Blow-Up is still my favorite Antonioni film (though not streaming as far as I can tell, alas), but yeah, this is a seminal work. I do believe this was my first Monica Vitti film, though.

Thief

06-06-21, 01:12 PM

Here is the link for Episode 38 of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot, which dropped Friday night. I talk about the best films I saw in May as well as some brief reviews of everything else I saw.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 38- The May Loot (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8621284-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-38-the-may-loot.mp3?download=true)

As usual, it's also available on Spotify here (https://open.spotify.com/episode/6iJ5gYfONPhHtMUSm74VLZ?si=a2BCEfIjRp6R43u5WUtzFw).

For those that listen often, Episode 39 is already recorded although not edited yet. Had a great guest so wait for it by mid-June.

Thief

06-06-21, 05:26 PM

WOMAN IN THE DUNES
(1964, Teshigahara)
A film from the 1960s

https://www.criminalelement.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/woman-in-the-dunes-top.jpg

"Make the sand work for you, not against you."

That is one of the advices that Junpei (Eiji Okada) gives the titular "woman in the dunes" (Kyōko Kishida) as they ponder about the possibilities given their current situation. You see, they are both trapped in a sand pit and forced by local villagers to work by shoveling sand so the village can survive. The woman, who has been there longer than Junpei, has already accepted her fate, but Junpei holds on to "hope... that things will change tomorrow". But will things change? can things change? or is it us that have to change?

That seems to be one of the statements made by this 1964 Japanese New Wave film; not that it offers any concrete conclusion, but it does put forth that clash between freedom and free will, "rigid thinking" and adaptation, and also complacency. The film puts the lead characters in a situation that seems hopeless, as their respective prospects of life clash. Junpei doesn't want this change as he longs to return to civilization, but in rejecting it, isn't he as "trapped" as his companion?

In the opening scene, Junpei, who is a schoolteacher and entomologist, visits the desert looking for insects, which in turn leads him to his capture. There's an interesting juxtaposition as we see him trap insects that he puts in a bottle, only to have him being trapped and "put into a bottle" himself. The difference being perhaps in the practicality of one vs. the other. The former, he does more as a "hobby", while the latter is done to maintain the village's lifeline. One could certainly argue the ethical and moral implications of both, but as time passes, Junpei rejects his past hobby in favor of practicality (see the scene where he gets rid of his insects in order to please/help the woman).

Having just finished this film a couple of hours ago, I certainly have a dozen thoughts in my head about both its raw story as well as all its symbolisms, and it certainly seems like a film that will stick in my mind for a long time. The way it balances a story that's mysterious, intriguing, tragic and sad, with messages of isolation, identity, life purpose, sexuality, and primal instincts is simply marvelous.

But it doesn't stop with the story. The film is also impressive from pretty much every other aspect. The performances from Okada and Kishida are pretty much flawless, as we see them shift and change like the sand; the score by Toru Takemitsu goes from subtle to harsh in a fluid, seamless way; director Hiroshi Teshigahara and cinematographer Hiroshi Segawa make great use of the camera, using both wide shots and closeups to convey different emotions. The nature shots of the dunes and their shifting sands also add a lot to what the film is trying to tell us: much like that sand, things in life can change slowly or they can change suddenly. The key is how we react and adapt to whatever change comes, and make the sand work for us.

Grade: 5

Thief

06-08-21, 06:00 PM

THE PROWLER
(1981, Zito)
A horror film

https://wickedhorror.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/the-prowler-e1423240955144.jpg

"For others - the G.I.s of the 'Dear John' letters - it means starting over, replacing what they have lost. They faced one challenge and won. They can win this one too."

That is how this 1981 early slasher opens, with a sorrowful contemplation of the effects of war on veterans, called "psychological victims", for which recovery will be "a long road back". But that's about the extent to which this film delves into, well, the psychological effects of war. At the end of the day, it is all background for what can be said now is a conventional slasher, but one that certainly helped to pave the way of that sub-genre.

The Prowler opens in 1945 with a soldier being dumped via a "Dear John" letter by his girlfriend. This leads to someone, presumably her boyfriend, murdering her and her new boyfriend during the graduation dance three months later. Fast forward to 1981 and, for some reason, the "prowler" is back again targeting young women during the graduation dance, the first to be held since 1945.

The plot revolves around Pam (Vicky Dawson), a senior that is trying to figure out what's happening, along with her boyfriend, Deputy Mark London (Christopher Goutman). The Prowler features most of the typical tropes of the sub-genre, which is why some might dismiss it as "just another slasher", but one can give it some leeway considering it's one of the first to try the formula. Another thing that kinda sets it apart is that the characters don't feel inherently "dumb", or at least not as much as the genre would lean to in other films that followed.

The issues I have with the film are mostly two. First, there are a bunch of subplots that are hinted but end up leading nowhere. I could understand some of them being thrown out there as "red herrings" (the drunk store owner? the old mayor?) but there are a couple that take up 15-20 minutes and are eventually useless (the nerdy couple in the basement? the old, peeping teacher?). The former I don't think were executed properly anyway, and the latter was completely useless.

My second issue, even though the film teases a more complex reasoning for these killings (PTSD?) it doesn't really do anything with it, nor with the character that ends up being the killer. Even though it opens with this notion of veterans coming home psychologically scarred and damaged, there's nothing drawn out of that to the point that the opening it's not even necessary. Ultimately, the reveal is pretty much a Scooby-Doo moment that gets more of a shrug than an "Aha!"

But those issues aside, the film does work to some extent. The main girl is competent and well used, the chases are well staged, and the kills are pretty raw, thanks to Tom Savini's "killer" effects which look pretty seamless. So even though the film suffers from many of the issues of the slasher subgenre, those traits manage to kinda separate the film from the bunch a bit, but not by far.

Grade: 2.5

Wyldesyde19

06-08-21, 08:25 PM

JUNE 2021:

A film with the number 6 (Six, Sixth, etc.) in its title:
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L:*
L’Avventura
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 506, 761):
A film from the 1960s:
A horror film:
A film with the word "Summer" in its title:
A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month):*
Rent
A film with a repeated word in its title (Repeat Day, June 3):
A film from Sweden (National Day, June 6): *
Show Me Love
A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26):

kgaard

06-09-21, 05:35 PM

Thief

06-09-21, 11:48 PM

A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L: Legally Blonde (2001) Review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2211305#post2211305). I wanted to like it more!

I haven't seen that film since it came out and the only thing I remember is an early scene where Reese kinda shots back at a bitchy rival, proving that she's actually "smart". But that's it. A complete blank, which is not a good sign.

Thief

06-10-21, 12:27 AM

QUICKSAND
(1950, Pichel)
A film with Peter Lorre

https://image.pbs.org/video-assets/tskPZdO-asset-mezzanine-16x9-5Eqde40.jpg

"I feel like I'm bein' shoved into a corner, and if I don't get out soon, it'll be too late. Maybe it's too late already!"

"A kingdom was lost for the want of a nail", or so says a proverb that teaches about the impact that small deeds might have and how something seemingly inoffensive can escalate into unexpected tragedy. That's the kind of situation that has Dan Brady (Mickey Rooney) feeling like he's "bein' shoved into a corner" in this 1950's little film noir.

Quicksand follows Brady, a car mechanic that in his attempt to woo a mysteriously shady woman (Jeanne Cagney) finds himself ensnared in an escalating chain of disreputable and criminal acts. What starts as a seemingly innocent snatch of $20 out of his work's cash register spirals into theft, kidnapping, and maybe even murder.

This film was brought to my attention by Apex Predator and I was immediately intrigued by it. The film is very small scale in terms of goals and stakes, but that works to its advantage. Rooney is solid in the lead role, conveying that certain naive cockiness to the character, while Cagney is pretty good as "femme fatale" Vera. The cast is rounded out by Peter Lorre as the seedy owner of an arcade that has a history with Vera, and with whom Brady clashes in his descent.

Unfortunately, even though the film is relatively short (80 minutes), it does strain its length a bit. As good as Lorre is, his character's role is fairly small and is forgotten during the second half. The film also has a bit of a cliché and awkward last act/epilogue that might've very well been forced by the studio.

Despite those gripes, Quicksand still manages to be a fairly entertaining watch with solid performances and a very effective "noir-ish" atmosphere.

Grade: 3

Captain Terror

06-10-21, 11:56 AM

Thief

06-10-21, 12:39 PM

Nice! I almost recommended that one but thought it might be too much of a "deep cut".
The way Rooney keeps digging his hole ever deeper starts to get borderline comical. At any point he could've just explained "OK look, here's what happened..." and saved himself the grief, but I still thought this was entertaining.
I mean, how many movies feature a Mickey Rooney/Peter Lorre fistfight? Not nearly enough, is the answer.

Haven't you been paying attention? This thread is 60% "deep cuts" :laugh:

No, but seriously, it's a solid film. Rooney has that necessary "tough guy" charisma combined with naivete for the role, which kinda suits his 5'2" build. And the fact that Lorre is also 5'2", well, that makes it a perfect combination.

Captain Terror

06-10-21, 01:15 PM

Haven't you been paying attention? This thread is 60% "deep cuts" :laugh:
Ha, that's true but I also couldn't remember if Lorre got a bunch of screentime in that one, so I ultimately decided to skip it. Glad you found it anyway. :up:

kgaard

06-10-21, 01:19 PM

A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 506, 761): Invention for Destruction (1958) (#1016) Review here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2211578#post2211578). Absolutely amazing.

Thief

06-11-21, 12:58 PM

As I mentioned a while ago, I was a guest at Piecing It Together Podcast, with David Rosen. We talked about Spiral and the films that we feel serve as "inspiration" for it.

Spiral (featuring Carlo from Thief's Monthly Movie Loot)) (https://www.piecingpod.com/2021/06/11/spiral-featuring-carlo-from-thiefs-monthly-movie-loot/)

Check it out. It's also on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and whatnot.

SpelingError

06-14-21, 01:15 PM

Thief

06-14-21, 01:26 PM

Thief Out of curiosity, would you happen to have your podcast episode where you broke down the first couple kills in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I was wondering if I could show that episode to one of my friends on a different site. Speaking of which, would you be cool with me doing this?

Of course I'm cool with that. The more the merrier. Here is the link...

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - Special Episode II (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/6131035-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-special-episode-ii-the-texas-chain-saw-massacre.mp3?download=true)

Or if he prefers Spotify, use this one (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RzWIZjyYl4iSCqMPiJQ8n?si=DOoZ-AR6SDaI_6P9iCi8yA&dl_branch=1).

Also, here is the general link for the podcast (https://tmml.buzzsprout.com/). From there you can browse all episodes and follow links to listen on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podchaser, etc.

Thanks!

SpelingError

06-14-21, 01:29 PM

Of course I'm cool with that. The more the merrier. Here is the link...

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - Special Episode II (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/6131035-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-special-episode-ii-the-texas-chain-saw-massacre.mp3?download=true)

Or if he prefers Spotify, use this one (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RzWIZjyYl4iSCqMPiJQ8n?si=DOoZ-AR6SDaI_6P9iCi8yA&dl_branch=1).

Also, here is the general link for the podcast (https://tmml.buzzsprout.com/). From there you can browse all episodes and follow links to listen on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podchaser, etc.

Thanks!

Okay, thanks :up:

Thief

06-15-21, 04:11 PM

DEEPSTAR SIX
(1989, Cunningham)
A film with the number 6 (Six, Sixth, etc.) in its title • A horror film

https://i1.wp.com/movieassault.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/deepstarsix.jpg

"We have no idea what type of marine life we're dealing with!"

That's the warning that marine biologist Scarpelli (Nia Peeples) gives to Dr. Van Gelder (Marius Weyers) when he orders to detonate a cavern in order to secure some underwater missile system. Of course, as is the case in this kind of films, Van Gelder pays no attention and the explosion unleashes an underwater sea creature that threatens the safety of the crew of the DeepStar Six, a US Navy underwater station.

DeepStar Six, the film, follows the crew that then has to deal with this creature, as well as dealing with their respective attitudes and agendas. The crew includes submarine pilot McBride (Greg Evigan) and love interest Joyce Collins (Nancy Everhard). As for the rest, well, they don't matter that much because the plot is so predictable, that 10 minutes in, you can probably guess who's gonna live and who's gonna die, who's the hero and who's a weasel ($20 if you said Miguel Ferrer).

And that's the main issue with the film. There's a certain laziness to it that pretty much neuters any potential effect that the film could have. From its obvious rip-offs of Alien to the amount of stupid exposition and decisions that the characters make. To make matters worse, for a film that's plagued by such a stupid script and dumb characters, you would've thought they would decide to jump right into the nitty gritty, the kills and the gore; but director Sean S. Cunningham decides to spend a whole hour with the empty banter between the members of the crew before the sh-it hits the fan.

Add to that the inability of director Cunningham to sustain any kind of tension and the choppy editing from David Handman, and you get a pretty mediocre creature film as a result. It is not a complete waste, though. Most of the performances are competent, even if the script and dialogue is stupid, but you get the sense that with some polish and a bit more care to the direction and script, this could've worked much better.

Grade: 2

Wyldesyde19

06-15-21, 06:15 PM

DEEPSTAR SIX
(1989, Cunningham)
A film with the number 6 (Six, Sixth, etc.) in its title • A horror film

https://i1.wp.com/movieassault.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/deepstarsix.jpg

That's the warning that marine biologist Scarpelli (Nia Peeples) gives to Dr. Van Gelder (Marius Weyers) when he orders to detonate a cavern in order to secure some underwater missile system. Of course, as is the case in this kind of films, Van Gelder pays no attention and the explosion unleashes an underwater sea creature that threatens the safety of the crew of the DeepStar Six, a US Navy underwater station.

DeepStar Six, the film, follows the crew that then has to deal with this creature, as well as dealing with their respective attitudes and agendas. The crew includes submarine pilot McBride (Greg Evigan) and love interest Joyce Collins (Nancy Everhard). As for the rest, well, they don't matter that much because the plot is so predictable, that 10 minutes in, you can probably guess who's gonna live and who's gonna die, who's the hero and who's a weasel ($20 if you said Miguel Ferrer).

And that's the main issue with the film. There's a certain laziness to it that pretty much neuters any potential effect that the film could have. From its obvious rip-offs of Alien to the amount of stupid exposition and decisions that the characters make. To make matters worse, for a film that's plagued by such a stupid script and dumb characters, you would've thought they would decide to jump right into the nitty gritty, the kills and the gore; but director Sean S. Cunningham decides to spend a whole hour with the empty banter between the members of the crew before the sh-it hits the fan.

Add to that the inability of director Sean S. Cunningham to sustain any kind of tension and the choppy editing from David Handman, and you get a pretty mediocre creature film as a result. It is not a complete waste, though. Most of the performances are competent, even if the script and dialogue is stupid, but you get the sense that with some polish and a bit more care to the direction and script, this could've worked much better.

Grade: 2
I watched this when it first was released to vhs, and again a few years ago. Not a great movie at all, but man, that was one imaginative creature.

Thief

06-15-21, 06:24 PM

I watched this when it first was released to vhs, and again a few years ago. Not a great movie at all, but man, that was one imaginative creature.

And yet they didn't really do much with it, other than to have it shake from side to side in that underwater chamber where they first met it, and then that brief encounter above water at the end. It's that laziness that I mentioned that they didn't really seem to have either the budget, resources, or the desire to go beyond what was necessary to put a film out.

Wyldesyde19

06-15-21, 06:34 PM

And yet they didn't really do much with it, other than to have it shake from side to side in that underwater chamber where they first met it, and then that brief encounter above water at the end. It's that laziness that I mentioned that they didn't really seem to have either the budget, resources, or the desire to go beyond what was necessary to put a film out.
I felt the creature itself was portrayed fine enough for what it was.
Now the characters? I couldn’t stand the way they were portrayed. Tried to capture that “Alien under water” vibe and it didn’t work.

Wyldesyde19

06-15-21, 06:37 PM

Which is pretty much me agreeing with you for the most part.

Thief

06-18-21, 01:54 PM

Almost forgot to share this. For those interested, the latest episode of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot, Episode 39, dropped a couple of days ago. This time I have Ian, the host of Best Film Ever Podcast, as a guest and we talk about blockbusters in general, box office, "sequelitis", and the impact that big budget films have on cinema. We also talk about their podcast, Best Film Ever, and their success. I sing a bit also :shifty: :laugh:

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 39: The Blockbuster Loot (with Ian from Best Film Ever Podcast) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8710843-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-39-the-blockbuster-loot-with-ian-from-best-film-ever-podcast.mp3?download=true)

As usual, we close sharing our Top 5 Blockbusters from this list (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films) (well, I cheated a bit)

Also, Spotify users can check it out here (https://open.spotify.com/episode/66nktwjuYBaE0LvMG8yyrk?si=lXsXWVtgReaYhxvYAjOTug&dl_branch=1).

Thief

06-18-21, 02:06 PM

RED DOT
(2021, Darborg)
A film from Sweden

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzJiNTQzOWMtNDU2YS00OTBhLWFjYmYtMTkwODNlZmZjMmIwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTc5MDI5NjE@._V1_.jpg

"You should have turned around long ago."

How often can you say that you've walked into a film completely blind, just a cover/poster and a short description, and be pleasantly surprised by it? Maybe back in the video rental days, but with the Internet and the constant bombarding of trailers, teasers, scoops, and news everywhere, it just doesn't happen often. But that's what happened last night to me as I browsed "Swedish movies" on Netflix and stumbled upon this neat thriller.

Red Dot follows a couple, David and Nadja (Anastasios Soulis and Nanna Blondell), as they head into a hiking trip to rekindle their relationship. Unfortunately, their romantic weekend is interrupted as they start being hunted and terrorized by an unknown shooter.

The laser dot from a rifle scope is what gives title to the film, as that's the first signal we have of the presence of an "enemy" watching them as they camp. But although the titular "red dot" is not seen much after, the dread of whoever's hiding beneath the trees and the mountains persists. The couple's struggle for survival is complicated by some unspecified tensions between them that surface as the film progresses.

This is a film that I can say caught me off guard for the most part, so if you get a chance to check it out, just don't give up with it until it's done. There are some logistic issues regarding the climax, so I wouldn't say it's great. But other than that, it was certainly a well done and competent thriller that packs a punch in the end.

Grade: 3.5

Thief

06-20-21, 07:37 PM

SUMMER CAMP
(2015, Marini)
A horror film • A film with the word "Summer" in its title

https://i.imgur.com/iu8x1H0.jpg

"You'll see when the kids arrive. At first they're like strangers, but after a few trust exercises, they're friends for life."

Let yourself fall into the arms of a friend, let a friend guide you while you're blindfolded, trust your friend to help you all get out of a human knot... those are classic examples of trust exercises frequently used at school, departmental meetings, and of course, summer camps. Like the name implies, their purpose is to build trust among people that aren't necessarily the best of friends in order to move forward and succeed in certain situations and environments.

Summer Camp follows three American counselors (Diego Boneta, Jocelin Donahue, and Maiara Walsh) sent to work on a summer camp in Spain. The film opens with them practicing one of those trust exercises, with one of the girls assuring her partner that them girls would "do it better". But a mysterious rage-inducing virus that starts spreading around will certainly put that trust to the test.

This is yet another film I walk into pretty much blind and still walk out pleasantly surprised. Despite treading familiar ground, it manages to pack a few surprises and subvert some of the typical tropes of the genre. Not only that, but it happens to be a lot of fun. The film is also cleverly staged in terms of how it sets up certain things that pay off later in surprising yet organic ways.

Aside from that, the film is competently made and the direction is solid. None of the performances are mind-blowing, but for the most part, they are good. Boneta is probably the best of the three leads, but the two leading actresses can hold their own. This might not break any records or blow many socks, but I'd say it's still worth a try.

Grade: 3

Thief

06-21-21, 03:26 PM

LIAR LIAR
(1997, Shadyac)
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L • A film with a repeated word in its title • A film about fathers

https://i.imgur.com/O2fxeVa.jpeg

Max: "My dad, he's a liar."
Teacher: "A liar? I'm sure you don't mean a liar."
Max: "Well, he wears a suit and goes to court and talks to the judge."
Teacher: "Oh I see. You mean he's a lawyer."
Max: *shrugs*

This exchange between 5-year-old Max (Justin Cooper) and his teacher is what opens 1997's Liar Liar; which is a hilariously ironic coincidence, not only for what actually happens on the film, but also for the typical stereotypes that are attributed to lawyers which might make most people go "yeah, it figures".

The film follows Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey), a manipulative and conniving lawyer (and Max's dad) that tends to put his career and personal interests ahead, usually at the expense of his son. But things get complicated for him when, after missing his birthday, Max wishes that his father could not tell a lie for one day.

As we all know, the wish comes true, unleashing all kinds of crazy shenanigans for Fletcher who finds himself cornered by not being able to use his usual lies and tricks to manipulate the system and get ahead. This peaks at a climatic moment in court during the first half of the film when he screams "I CAN'T LIE!!", which he does more as a desperate cry for help, rather than any moral reckoning at this point.

I've seen Liar Liar dozens of times, from theater back in 1997 to last night, and it never fails to make me laugh. Smacked down in the middle of Carrey's previous crazy comedies (Ace Ventura, Dumb and Dumber) and his more serious dramatic attempts (The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), this one manages to find a perfect balance between his physical comedy and the earnest family drama at its core, and he's pitch perfect in both.

Even though the logistics of how the wish works and how it affects Fletcher in certain situations, doesn't necessarily hold up to close inspection, that is ultimately not important. Carrey pretty much carries the film and makes it work. But he's also surrounded by a solid supporting cast. Another thing I noticed this time that I might not have paid much attention before was how good is Shadyac as a director, but he does have quite a good eye for camera placement and movement.

The script does go a bit overboard in some instances, the last act feels like a stretch, and the epilogue unnecessary, but as long as you're in for some crazy Carrey comedy with charm and heart, then I can't lie, this one's perfect for you.

Grade: 4

Thief

06-24-21, 05:18 PM

ACE IN THE HOLE
(1951, Wilder)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #6 (#396)

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fL9iuPFstio/US5ovustXAI/AAAAAAAAMRs/OQ2g03iKGwM/s1600/Kirk+Douglas+Ace+in+The+Hole.PNG

Get this. There's three of us buried here ‒ Leo, me and you. We all wanna get out, and we're going to. Only I'm going back in style.

Ace in the Hole follows Chuck Tatum (Kirk Douglas), an ambitious but disgraced reporter that has been exiled from New York to Albuquerque for reasons that go from his alcoholism and womanizing to his work ethics (or lack of) and simply burning too many bridges. But he's determined to get back on the horse at any cost.

Opportunity strikes when a local man ends up trapped after a cave collapses and Tatum tries to manipulate the news and rescue efforts for his own advantage. It is with the above quote that he stakes his claim back to fame to the man's wife, Lorraine (Jan Sterling), a selfish and egocentric woman who's also eager to leave the small town for a better life.

This is my sixth film from Billy Wilder, and I have to say he's becoming one of my favorite directors. Not only is his direction great, but the script is full of snappy dialogue that's perfectly delivered by the cast. Douglas, an actor that 4-5 years ago I don't think I had seen anything other than Spartacus, has been surprising me with every performance I see. From his scene-stealing supporting performance in Out of the Past to his lead role in Paths of Glory, and now this.

Douglas is joined by Sterling, who perfectly conveys the weariness and disdain of a woman that's trapped, "buried" in a situation she wants out of. Porter Hall is also excellent as Tatum's no-nonsense boss, Mr. Boot, who also delivers some of my favorite lines of the film. There's also a sleazy sheriff that's neatly portrayed by Ray Teal, although at times he strays a bit into caricaturesque.

Aside from the performances, the film perfectly presents themes of media manipulation, exploitation, the ethics of journalism, and the overall seediness of the press, as well as how gullible the public can be. All circumstances that seem to be burying Tatum more and more. I think the very last act, as he tries to redeem himself, is stretched a bit too much, but I appreciate that the story didn't deviate from the tragedy of what preceded it; that of three people buried and unable to crawl out.

Grade: 4.5

Thief

06-25-21, 09:16 PM

Surprisingly, I already finished my challenge. I think this is the first time I finished more than one day ahead. However, I'm gonna try to sneak a couple extra watches/freebies before closing the month. I also need to post two reviews, but it's a tentative wrap so far.

Thief

06-27-21, 10:06 PM

PHILADELPHIA
(1993, Demme)
A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles

https://popandfilms.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/philadelphia-film-01.jpg

"Look, the place that cradled me is burning... I'm alone."

That line is from an aria called "La mamma morta", from the opera Andrea Chénier, where the lead character, a woman, tells of how during the French Revolution, a mob killed her mother and set fire to their house, leaving her alone. Attorney Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) recalls it with particular solemnity, which turns into outright pain as the aria goes on. You see, Andrew finds himself in a similar situation. The place where he was born, where he has lived, is figuratively "burning" with intolerance to the point where he feels abandoned, alone.

Philadelphia follows the events that led Andrew to this state, as he was inexplicably fired by his law firm. To aid him, he recruits fellow attorney Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) to help him prove that the dismissal was not only because of his AIDS diagnosis, but simply because he's gay.

This is probably the third or fourth time I see this film. I read a review from the late 2000s where I was a bit more enthusiastic, but make no mistake: this is still a very powerful film with two excellent performances in the lead. Washington is his usual cool, laid-back self, but excels when the moment calls for him to show fear, ignorance, and lack of understanding.

But oh my, how good is Tom Hanks in this. Yes, at the time it was a surprising turn from an actor that specialized in comedies and lighter fare. But seeing it now, already used to Hanks as a serious actor, I found his performance just as powerful as before, if not more. There are lots of moments of nuance and subtlety in his performance, but the way he peaks in the above quoted scene is magnificent.

The rest of the cast is just as solid, with Antonio Banderas delivering a performance that feels natural and charismatic in a relatively short screen time as Miguel, Andy's boyfriend. Jason Robards rounds out the main cast as Andy's boss. As usual, he's good, but his performance is a bit hampered by some clumsy dialogue and a script that antagonizes him too much. I feel that his character and his overall relationship with Andy could've been more dimensional, making the events of the trial more effective.

But those issues are not exclusive to Robards' character. The script has some moments where it tries to highlight the overall attitude towards homosexuals, but also to show Miller's own prejudices, inner struggles and subsequent growth. Unfortunately, they are clunkily executed in most cases, which ultimately hinders their effect.

It's surprising and sad that almost 30 years after its release, the situation for homosexuals and the whole LGBTQ+ community hasn't changed much. Let's hope that we can all extend our hands to them and help them feel not alone.

Grade: 4

Wyldesyde19

06-27-21, 10:14 PM

Update

A film with the number 6 (Six, Sixth, etc.) in its title:
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L:
L’Avventura
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 506, 761):
A film from the 1960s:*
The Italian Job
A horror film:
Audition (finally!)
A film with the word "Summer" in its title:
A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month):
Rent
A film with a repeated word in its title (Repeat Day, June 3):
A film from Sweden (National Day, June 6):
Show Me Love
A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26)

StuSmallz

06-28-21, 04:03 AM

ACE IN THE HOLE
(1951, Wilder)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #6 (#396)

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fL9iuPFstio/US5ovustXAI/AAAAAAAAMRs/OQ2g03iKGwM/s1600/Kirk+Douglas+Ace+in+The+Hole.PNGWhile I thought the comeuppance that Ace gave to Chuck was overly contrived, and a victim of the Hays Code mentality at the time that "bad" people in Hollywood movies always had to pay a price at the end (I mean, he just walks around all day with a stabwound without getting it treated? How would that be in-character for any regular person, let alone someone as self-centered as him?), I still liked how unique its central concept was, and thought it was pretty good on the whole; good write-up, Thief!

Thief

06-28-21, 09:38 AM

While I thought the comeuppance that Ace gave to Chuck was overly contrived, and a victim of the Hays Code mentality at the time that "bad" people in Hollywood movies always had to pay a price at the end (I mean, he just walks around all day with a stabwound without getting it treated? How would that be in-character for any regular person, let alone someone as self-centered as him?), I still liked how unique its central concept was, and thought it was pretty good on the whole; good write-up, Thief!

Walks? :laugh: He drives around all day! He drives to get the priest, he brings it to the cave, he goes in with him while Leo gets last rites, he walks out to the top of the cave, announces Leo's death, walks back to his hotel room, screams at his colleagues, talks with his NY boss, then drives back to Albuquerque and collapses on the floor. He's Superman :laugh:

Thief

06-28-21, 04:54 PM

LEVIATHAN
(1989, Cosmatos)
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L

https://i.imgur.com/lPiOB8z.jpg

"Natura non confucius. Loosely translated: 'don't fu¢k with Mother Nature'."

That's what Dr. Glen Thompson (Richard Crenna), a self-proclaimed polyglot, replies to Beck (Peter Weller) as they ponder about the possibilities and consequences of genetic alteration as they are being hunted by a deadly mutant creature. But the truth is that the quote is made up (at least the "confucius" part), a clear sign of the amount of effort that the screenwriters of this creature feature were willing to give to their script, which amounts to "perhilum" (very little, took me 20 seconds to Google that).

Leviathan follows an underwater mining crew led by Beck. When they stumble upon a Soviet shipwreck carrying the creature, they start being hunted and killed by it. The crew includes Dr. Thompson, wannabe astronaut Willie (Amanda Pays), and a bunch of other body bags for the creature to consume (most notably Daniel Stern and Ernie Hudson).

Like its "predecessor", DeepStar Six, which follows a similar story and similar beats, Leviathan is plagued by a certain laziness and lack of effort from its screenwriters. Which is surprising, cause one of them co-wrote Die Hard and the other one co-wrote Blade Runner. But here? they just don't seem to care and borrow a lot from The Thing and Alien, and a bit from Jaws and Aliens, usually to the point of eye-rolling obviousness.

The film does have some decent production values, and the performances are not awful, but there's a predictability and a sense of "been there, done that" to the whole story that pretty much hinders any thrill it might hold. That said, I would give it slight edge over DeepStar Six only because the initial conflicts between the crew, particularly Beck's insecurities as a leader, were more interesting... even if they do nothing with it afterwards.

Grade: 2

Captain Terror

06-28-21, 05:09 PM

That's one of the movies that we showed during my brief run as a theater employee in '89. So I feel like I've seen it, even though it was in 1-minute increments as a I patrolled the auditorium.
My main memory of it is that 50% of the customers asked for tickets to "Levitation". :)

I didn't realize it was streaming for free. I'd like to see the entire thing beginning to end for once.

Wyldesyde19

06-29-21, 11:10 PM

Another horror film that I didn’t care much for. Released the same year as Deep Star Six, and The Abyss if memory serves.

Easy to guess which one is the better film. Although not as much as some might think.

SpelingError

06-29-21, 11:18 PM

I love The Abyss. It's probably my favorite film from 1989 and also my favorite Cameron film (the director's cut is the better version though).

EDIT: Do the Right Thing is actually my favorite film from 1989, so second favorite.

Chypmunk

06-30-21, 08:14 AM

Not much for me to say this go around.

Not seen any of Why Me?, Blue Miracle, The Prowler, Deepstar Six, Red Dot, Summer Camp, Leviathan or Ace In The Hole . Do hope to one day get around to the latter at some point though.

Unsure if I've ever seen Quicksand or Liar Liar, if I have they certainly left little impression which makes me err towards probably not (especially for the latter).

Both Brazil and Woman In The Dunes are both excellent though. I honestly don't remember too much about Philadelphia other than it was one of Hanks' better films.

Thief

06-30-21, 11:07 AM

I love The Abyss. It's probably my favorite film from 1989 and also my favorite Cameron film (the director's cut is the better version though).

I haven't seen The Abyss in probably 25 years, but I've been meaning to catch up with it. I remember liking it, though. Certainly more than these two duds.

Thief

06-30-21, 11:54 AM

BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW
(2010, Cosmatos)
Freebie

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Hol7v6rRFrc/UA4MZW7qNmI/AAAAAAAAMx8/RkhpLNCbU2U/s1600/Beyond+the+Black+Rainbow%28720p_H.264-AAC%29.mp4_snapshot_00.43_%5B2012.07.23_19.32.09%5D.jpg

"I'm not okay. I went to another world, Rosemary. I see what others cannot see. I looked into the eye of the god. It looked right back through me. It looked through everything. Rosemary, it was so, so, so beautiful. Like a black rainbow... and it chose me. It chose to reveal itself to me."

Right after seeing Leviathan, which was directed by George P. Cosmatos (the man also responsible for films like Rambo, Cobra, and Tombstone), it seemed serendipitous that I got to follow it up with this film, which was written and directed by his son, Panos. Beyond the Black Rainbow was recommended by a good Internet friend and it couldn't be more different than what Panos' dad did.

Set in 1983, the film follows Dr. Barry Nyle (Michael Rogers), the director at a New Age research facility that's selling itself as a haven for those wanting to find true happiness. However, in reality what he's doing is experimenting on unsuspecting patients, primarily a young woman called Elena (Eva Allan), who seems to have some level of telekinetic powers.

Whereas something like Leviathan was completely devoid of originality, relying as a whole on ties in and references to other films, Beyond the Black Rainbow is a visually arresting showcase of uniquely weird circumstances. Not that they were meant to be compared, but coming from a father/son duo, I just found it interesting.

But anyway, Cosmatos makes an effort of conveying uneasiness, uncomfortability, dread, and mystery with pretty much every image. His clever use of colors and sterile aesthetics along with a very appropriate set design, a hypnotic 80s-synth score, and some odd, unique directorial choices certainly make this film one that will stick with you afterwards.

Rogers is excellent in the role, transmitting a mixture of contempt and disdain that devolves into levels of insecurity and insanity as the film progresses. Allan is also pretty good, although her role is more limited (she barely has a couple of lines), but still succeeds in conveying the fear and confusion of the character.

But as good as the performances are, this is a director's film and the visuals are definitely front and center. The shot framing, the economy in the production, and the sleekness of the sets contrast directly with the chaos that brews inside the facility and inside Nyle's mind. Certainly a must watch for anyone that enjoys a good "mindf**k" film.

Grade: 4

(Tempted to go as high as 4.5, but I will let it sit for a while)

Captain Terror

06-30-21, 12:35 PM

Thief

06-30-21, 12:39 PM

Nice! I've felt like the only person that was enthusiastic about that one. Liked it more than Mandy but can't find anyone that agrees with me.
I'm fighting the urge to post about a dozen gifs from BtBR.

I definitely liked it more than Mandy, which I thought was mostly OK.

And yes, I also resisted the urge to intercalate a different screenshot from the film between every paragraph, but I decided to stick with the format. It's definitely visually impressive.

Wooley

06-30-21, 12:45 PM

BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW
(2010, Cosmatos)
Freebie

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Hol7v6rRFrc/UA4MZW7qNmI/AAAAAAAAMx8/RkhpLNCbU2U/s1600/Beyond+the+Black+Rainbow%28720p_H.264-AAC%29.mp4_snapshot_00.43_%5B2012.07.23_19.32.09%5D.jpg

Right after seeing Leviathan, which was directed by George P. Cosmatos (the man also responsible for films like Rambo, Cobra, and Tombstone), it seemed serendipitous that I got to follow it up with this film, which was written and directed by his son, Panos. Beyond the Black Rainbow was recommended by a good Internet friend and it couldn't be more different than what Panos' dad did.

Set in 1983, the film follows Dr. Barry Nyle (Michael Rogers), the director at a New Age research facility that's selling itself as a haven for those wanting to find true happiness. However, in reality what he's doing is experimenting on unsuspecting patients, primarily a young woman called Elena (Eva Allan), who seems to have some level of telekinetic powers.

Whereas something like Leviathan was completely devoid of originality, relying as a whole on ties in and references to other films, Beyond the Black Rainbow is a visually arresting showcase of uniquely weird circumstances. Not that they were meant to be compared, but coming from a father/son duo, I just found it interesting.

But anyway, Cosmatos makes an effort of conveying uneasiness, uncomfortability, dread, and mystery with pretty much every image. His clever use of colors and sterile aesthetics along with a very appropriate set design, a hypnotic 80s-synth score, and some odd, unique directorial choices certainly make this film one that will stick with you afterwards.

Rogers is excellent in the role, transmitting a mixture of contempt and disdain that devolves into levels of insecurity and insanity as the film progresses. Allan is also pretty good, although her role is more limited (she barely has a couple of lines), but still succeeds in conveying the fear and confusion of the character.

But as good as the performances are, this is a director's film and the visuals are definitely front and center. The shot framing, the economy in the production, and the sleekness of the sets contrast directly with the chaos that brews inside the facility and inside Nyle's mind. Certainly a must watch for anyone that enjoys a good "mindf**k" film.

Grade: 4

(Tempted to go as high as 4.5, but I will let it sit for a while)

I responded to the abridged version of this in the RtLMYW thread but I'll say here that I was very disappointed by the film... in exactly the way I expected to be disappointed. It was obvious from the trailer it would be visually arresting and have a great atmosphere, but would there be a script that lived up to it.
There was not.
I agree that Rogers was perfect, though.

Captain Terror

06-30-21, 02:03 PM

A measly 3 films this month :facepalm:

A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L:
Lawman Without a Gun (1978)
Did you know that back in the 1960s cops often made life really hard for black folks? And that the voting laws were designed to keep the black folks from improving their situation? That must have sucked. (sigh):rolleyes:
This is sort of based on a true story about an African-American man (Louis Gossett Jr) in a small town who successfully runs for sheriff against an incumbent that's held the spot for decades. Not a great film, but a depressing reminder of how little progress we've made 60 years later.

A film from the 1960s:
Castle of the Living Dead (1964)
This is included in my recently-acquired Christopher Lee box set. Noteworthy for being the screen debut of one Donald Sutherland, who plays dual roles. (a comic-relief soldier and an old hag). Directed by Warren Kiefer, who made such an impression on Sutherland that he named his son after him. (True story.)

A horror film:
Night Monster (1942)
Another recently-acquired BluRay, an oldie I'd never seen before.
A wealthy wheelchair-bound recluse invites to his home all of the doctors who've tried to cure his paralysis over the years. One by one the doctors are murdered, leading the viewer to ask "Who dunnit?"
My favorite line is when the guys says "Well, I'M in a wheelchair so we KNOW it wasn't me." Spoiler alert: It was totally him. Very subtle, movie. 🙂

Wyldesyde19

06-30-21, 02:06 PM

In regards to Black Rainbow, I know Jinnistan and Mr Minio are both big fans of it.
Jinn had it his top 100 films from the last decade and Minio had it amongst his recent top 300 movies

kgaard

07-01-21, 03:23 PM

I was doing really well for June up until about the 15th... and then we moved. So I've seen almost nothing in the last two weeks. If I can, I'll put down what I did get to a little later on.

Meanwhile, I loved Mandy but haven't seen Beyond the Black Rainbow. I'm keeping an eye out for it.

kgaard

07-01-21, 03:44 PM

Meanwhile, I loved Mandy but haven't seen Beyond the Black Rainbow. I'm keeping an eye out for it.

And it just showed up on Amazon Prime, so there you go.

Thief

07-02-21, 12:01 PM

And it just showed up on Amazon Prime, so there you go.

Yeah, I think that's where I saw it.

kgaard

07-02-21, 01:28 PM

Alright, I'm going to try to smash these out and clear the decks for July.

Previously mentioned:
A film from the 1960s: L'Avventura (1960)
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L: Legally Blonde (2001)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 506, 761): Invention for Destruction (1958) (#1016)

And since then:
A horror film: The Driller Killer (1979) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977) Maybe I'm way off base here, but I thought The Driller Killer was the superior movie. It's sort of clumsy and raw, but fits with the subject matter and it actually works pretty well as a psychodrama. I never really got a good sense that Hills Have Eyes knew what it wanted to be about. It's got a bit of colonial critique and a bit of man's inherent savagery, but it's not really coherent.

A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month): Bad Education (2004) This is a Hitchcockian thriller/drama from Pedro Almodóvar about childhood friends, Catholic sex abuse, and identity. Sometimes it feels like an excuse for Almodóvar to stretch his writing muscles: at one point I believe there's a film within a film within a film within a film. But it mostly works and, if you are weary of the male gaze on the female body, well, here's plenty of male gaze on the male body.

A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26): The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) I think we can all agree that he should never have changed his name from László Löwenstein (a wonderfully alliterative name), but I guess he did pretty well as Peter Lorre. It's pretty impressive that due to his limited English, Lorre had to learn his lines for this movie phoenetically. It's not noticeable (to me, anyway), and he is one of the highlights of a solid, if not top-level, Hitchcock film. The other main highlight is the famous concert scene, which remains effective as ever.

Thief

07-03-21, 12:51 AM

A horror film: The Driller Killer (1979) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977) Maybe I'm way off base here, but I thought The Driller Killer was the superior movie. It's sort of clumsy and raw, but fits with the subject matter and it actually works pretty well as a psychodrama. I never really got a good sense that Hills Have Eyes knew what it wanted to be about. It's got a bit of colonial critique and a bit of man's inherent savagery, but it's not really coherent.

A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month): Bad Education (2004) This is a Hitchcockian thriller/drama from Pedro Almodóvar about childhood friends, Catholic sex abuse, and identity. Sometimes it feels like an excuse for Almodóvar to stretch his writing muscles: at one point I believe there's a film within a film within a film within a film. But it mostly works and, if you are weary of the male gaze on the female body, well, here's plenty of male gaze on the male body.

A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26): The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) I think we can all agree that he should never have changed his name from László Löwenstein (a wonderfully alliterative name), but I guess he did pretty well as Peter Lorre. It's pretty impressive that due to his limited English, Lorre had to learn his lines for this movie phoenetically. It's not noticeable (to me, anyway), and he is one of the highlights of a solid, if not top-level, Hitchcock film. The other main highlight is the famous concert scene, which remains effective as ever.

Never seen The Driller Killer, but I like The Hills Have Eyes. However, I do think the ending feels a bit off and messy. If you feel like it, check out the remake. It's pretty good.

I think I saw Bad Education a long time ago, but barely remember it. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've seen any other Almodóvar films.

I stll haven't seen the MWKTM remake, but I found the 1934 version to be pretty good, and Lorre great in it.

Thief

07-03-21, 12:57 AM

Finally, special episode #6 is out! For this one, I analyze the Club Silencio scene from Mulholland Drive:

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - Special Episode VI (Mulholland Drive) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8768663-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-special-episode-vi-mulholland-drive.mp3?download=true)

With this episode, I'm warming up for my July episode, but I'll leave it at that for now :D

It hasn't populated yet to Spotify, but if you're a Spotify user, you can keep an eye for it here (https://open.spotify.com/show/4o5ZvtvZ64XAoxIIxiAj1q?si=GKOb8nScT96VUCxClejivQ&dl_branch=1).

Thief

07-03-21, 01:59 AM

Also, I will try to post new categories tomorrow. It's been a hellish month at work.

Thief

07-06-21, 03:59 PM

MULHOLLAND DRIVE
(2001, Lynch)
Freebie

https://cinemontage.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/MulhollandDr_Feature-678x381.jpg

"It'll be just like in the movies. Pretending to be somebody else."

That's what spunky and determined Betty (Naomi Watts) tells her troubled, amnesiac friend Rita (Laura Harring) as they try to piece out what happened to her. Betty, an aspiring actress, wants to live the Hollywood dream so much that he transposes the illusion of being "in a movie" to her efforts to help Rita, and God knows to what else.

That's the premise of this surreal mind-bender by David Lynch. Originally conceived as a TV pilot, Mulholland Drive came to be as Lynch kept on tinkering with it after it was rejected by TV executives. The end result is equal parts confusing, impenetrable, mesmerizing, hypnotizing, and beautiful.

Through their journey for the truth and reality, Betty and Rita stumble upon a wide array of characters, which include a troubled director (Justin Theroux), elements of the Mafia, a landlord that wants to look Chinese, a mysterious cowboy, a scary vagrant, and an old couple... all of which help Betty and Rita remember the truth of what has happened.

Ever since I first saw this back in 2001, I've been captivated by it. First day I rented it, I saw it three times in a row, and have seen it several times since. I think the way Lynch manages to pull and create emotion out of this web of seemingly unrelated and unexplainable events is simply magical, peaking with that magnificent scene at Club Silencio.

It is here that Betty and Rita's movie-like pretensions must come to an end, as they are forced to face the realities of their past; something that they might've tried too hard to hide and yet is crying to come out.

Grade: 5

Thief

07-06-21, 04:36 PM

THE GAME
(1997, Fincher)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 621, 906)

https://i.imgur.com/NmHXyL1.jpeg

"Discovering the object of the game *is* the object of the game."

So says journalist Daniel Schorr in a bizarre exchange with investment banker Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) via his television. You see, Nicholas has become so self-absorbed and isolated that he has forgotten about what really matters. "The game", which was a gift from his brother Conrad (Sean Penn), is supposed to make his life "fun".

Unfortunately, the game turns out as an elaborate ruse that blurs the lines between fiction and reality for Nicholas, eventually threatening his life. The cast is rounded up by Deborah Kara Unger and James Rebhorn as two people that might, or might not be, involved in the game. And that's part of the beauty of the film cause it always keeps you guessing what will happen next.

The film masterfully puts us in Nicholas' shoes as it continuously sweeps the rug from under our feet leaving us to wonder what's real and what's not. His direction and the script by John Brancato and Michael Ferris takes its time to set things up, but once it starts, it rarely lets go.

Most of the complaints I've heard about this film hang on the very last act, and although I understand not buying it, I can't help but admire its boldness. It blew my mind back in the day, and it still manages to mess it up a bit when I rewatch it.

There is a bit of subtext in terms of fate and freedom (is Nicholas' fate to end up like his father? what are his choices once "the game" begins? how about when it ends?) I don't think the film delves into it, but I like that it's asking the questions, and I like that it puts the character of Nicholas in that path that we are all on; trying to discover the object of "the game".

Grade: 4

Thief

07-07-21, 10:59 PM

A week delayed, but finally, here is the link for Episode 40 of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot. I talk about the best films I saw in June as well as some brief reviews of everything else I saw.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 40 - The June Loot (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8793325-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-40-the-june-loot.mp3?download=true)

If you're a Spotify user, it hasn't populated over there yet, but you can always keep an eye on it here (https://open.spotify.com/show/4o5ZvtvZ64XAoxIIxiAj1q?si=ZLwFlteJSZy_nBjJSVnfEA&dl_branch=1).

For anyone who listens, Episode 41 is already recorded, featuring another guest. I just have to start editing for it to come out mid-July.

Thief

07-09-21, 05:13 PM

Here is my final tally for JUNE 2021:

A film with the number 6 (Six, Sixth, etc.) in its title: DeepStar Six (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2212913-deepstar-six.html)
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L: Leviathan (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2216136-leviathan.html)
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 506, 761): Ace in the Hole (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2215168-ace-in-the-hole.html) (#396), The Game (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2218626-the-game.html) (#627)
A film from the 1960s: Woman in the Dunes (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2210479-woman-in-the-dunes.html)
A horror film: The Prowler (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2211030-the-prowler.html)
A film with the word "Summer" in its title: Summer Camp (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2214069-summer-camp.html)
A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month): Philadelphia (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2215932-philadelphia.html)
A film with a repeated word in its title (Repeat Day, June 3): Liar Liar (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2214294-liar-liar.html)
A film from Sweden (National Day, June 6): Red Dot (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2213596-red-dot.html)
A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26): Quicksand (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2211419-quicksand.html)

Freebies: Beyond the Black Rainbow (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2216766-beyond-the-black-rainbow.html), Mulholland Drive (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2218613-mulholland-drive.html)

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/lggoI5H7Dgmdz0Arfi07eOGxXVu.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/sJNcoyKsqYGEFCCNsYsccikGePV.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/1NwZ6Sx4Eq7eT02abcI7YqfXdJk.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/4UOa079915QjiTA2u5hT2yKVgUu.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/rE6vtXBDXy3cjyFmxfsDese0Eo4.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/4XbxBEqA01lNLdQ1HykQHZj8aaq.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/qVwZaHB1IHpjst5EGaW0Ck3gVsV.jpg
https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/tFe5Yoo5zT495okA49bq1vPPkiV.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/p1habYSdC7oD3WygQ5lynU5G5rV.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/tQYEDajjpPubDGReUcLtvywi5Pb.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/sNooKGMt0hcHtWGEw2kqyCEpeRY.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/2kYdBFvzV330q5QKBUAW9Dx58ey.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/tVxGt7uffLVhIIcwuldXOMpFBPX.jpg

Pretty solid month with some worthy and overdue rewatches. My favorite first-time watch was easily Woman in the Dunes, which was recommended by Siddon for the Personal Rec. HoF, so thanks!

The weakest films were the 1-2 punch of DeepStar Six and Leviathan. They are as similar as they are crappy, although I might give the smallest of edges to Leviathan.

Thief

07-09-21, 05:19 PM

Finally! here is the challenge for JULY 2021:

A film with the number 7 (Seven, Seventh, etc.) in its title:
A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N: Maps to the Stars
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #7 (i.e. 17, 372, 807):
A film from the 1970s:
A musical:
A film with "America" in its title:
A film with the word "Kiss" in its title (Int'l Kissing Day, July 6):
A film about astronauts or set in space (Moon Day, July 20):
A film from Colombia (Independence Day, July 20):
A film from Sydney Pollack (born July 1):

As usual, recommendations are more than welcome!

kgaard

07-09-21, 11:19 PM

For the Sydney Pollack category, Absence of Malice is on Amazon Prime. McCabe & Mrs. Miller is on HBO Max and is good for the M or N, Criterion, and 1970s categories.

Thief

07-10-21, 01:57 AM

I'm gonna use the Pollack category for Tootsie, which was given to me on the Personal Rec. HoF. I don't have HBO Max, but I'll keep an eye on McCabe & Mrs. Miller. Thanks!

kgaard

07-10-21, 11:14 AM

Oh, yeah, Tootsie's great. McCabe & Mrs. Miller had been on Criterion but it's moved to HBO. I expect someday it'll move back. I believe that Karel Zeman's The Fabulous Baron Munchausen which is on Criterion is also good for the Criterion category (#1017). For musicals I'm always recommending Hedwig and the Angry Inch (currently on Criterion).

Thief

07-10-21, 04:52 PM

MAPS TO THE STARS
(2014, Cronenberg)
A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N

https://www.redbrick.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Maps-Julianne.jpg

"On the stairs of Death I write your name, Liberty."

That is a fairly liberal translation of one sentence from the poem Liberté, from Paul Éluard. The poem is a repetitive proclamation of the idea of "liberty", either from obsessive love (according to Éluard's own words) or from oppression of any kind (which is why it was heavily used as propaganda during the French Revolution). Its essence sits at the core of this film, where it's quoted and referenced often, as most characters crave and seek freedom from various metaphorical "chains".

Maps to the Stars follows Agatha Weiss (Mia Wasikowska), a mysterious young woman that arrives at Los Angeles and seeks employment with Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore), an aging, washed-up actress struggling to face the truth about her career. Unbeknownst to Havana, Agatha's real intentions are to get close to Benjie (Evan Bird), a problematic child star dealing with his own problems.

The thing is that both Havana and Benjie are captive by expectations and failed dreams; from the struggles of "old" age and mature actresses in Hollywood, to the plights and pressures put on child stars that don't have the maturity to handle it. The contrast of both trying to be liberated from the oppression of the Hollywood system is quite interesting, while also extending to other peripheral characters, including driver/wannabe-actor Jerome (Robert Pattinson) that are as captive as them.

The arrival of Agatha comes to shake things up, and her constant quoting of Éluard's poem puts her as somewhat of a "bringer" of liberty, even if it's for all the wrong reasons, in all the wrong ways. Her "chains" are more of a troubled childhood, mental health, trauma, and an obsessive love for which she is seeking liberation, even if it's "on the stairs of Death".

Even though it takes place in and around Hollywood, with characters coming and going out of expensive mansions and stores, and walking into movie sets, Cronenberg does a great job of stripping everything of its glamour. The Hollywood he presents us is morally decayed, dirty, jaded, and corrupt, and all the characters are caught in it.

All of the performances are great, with Moore being quite the scene stealer (if you can say that about Moore). Wasikowska was pretty good too, even if I would've liked a bit more emotion from her character. Bird handles the egocentrism and bitterness of Benjie pretty well, but doesn't connect as much when the emotional parts come. Still, it's a pretty darn good cast, rounded out by John Cusack and Olivia Williams.

Part of me would've liked at least one character to connect with, considering that all of them are morally compromised. But I admire Cronenberg's boldness to take jabs at the whole machinery of the entertainment business, while putting his characters forth as they are; trapped, flawed, and seeking freedom.

Grade: 4

Thief

07-14-21, 01:04 PM

HIGH NOON
(1952, Zinnemann)
Freebie

http://basementrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/high-noon-1952-gary-cooper-alone-review.jpg

"People gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it. Maybe because down deep they don't care. They just don't care."

High Noon follows Will Kane (Gary Cooper), a marshal at a small town who is about to retire and move to another town after marrying Amy (Grace Kelly). But things change when he finds out that Frank Miller, a ruthless outlaw with a vendetta against him has just been released and is set to arrive on the noon train.

Unlike other westerns, High Noon is a more introspective film as it follows Kane's unsuccessful attempts to recruit a posse to aid him against Miller, while also questioning his own decisions from the past and his current decision to stay and fight. It is in this process that his predecessor, Martin (Lon Chaney) tells him the above quote. Instead of bringing words of comfort and inspiration, he lays it all bluntly: people just don't care.

You gotta admire the boldness of the filmmakers for sticking to this story of isolation and lack of heroism, particularly in the middle of the 20th Century. Through most of the film, you see a Kane that's not only alone, but afraid and insecure. I've only seen one of the other Best Actor nominees that year, but I have no issues with Cooper winning. He did so much with only his eyes and his expression.

In addition, director Fred Zinnemann does a great job of keeping up the tension right from the opening frame. The dread of the arrival of these outlaws is heightened also by the excellent editing by Elmo Williams and Harry W. Gerstad, and the score by Dimitri Tiokin. All of those contribute greatly to keep you on the edge with very little actual "action".

I do think that the conflict between Kane and his deputy Harvey (Lloyd Bridges) deserved a bit more attention, and maybe more could've been done with Kelly's character. I also don't think that Miller (Ian MacDonald), who we finally meet in the last 15-20 minutes, had a commanding presence for the amount of expectation the film lays on his arrival. Still, a damn fine western.

Grade: 4

SpelingError

07-14-21, 01:37 PM

I watched that one earlier this year and it's one of my all-time favorites. Glad you also liked it!

As for Kelly's character, I think the title song does a lot of the legwork in making the dynamic between the two of them hit as effectively as it does since it's largely about her running away from him, hence the first line "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling". It occasionally plays in the background during low moments for Cooper where the townsfolks refuse to help him, thus reminding you of her character and the necessity for why she shouldn't run away from him. The song is a masterpiece in and of itself.

As an aside, here are my favorite Westerns:

1. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
2. The Wild Bunch
3. High Noon
4. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
5. Once Upon a Time in the West

Thief

07-14-21, 02:11 PM

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
(2020, Sorkin)
A film with the number 7 (Seven, Seventh, etc.) in its title

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/10/16/arts/16trial1/merlin_177227988_de81c935-ade5-46bf-80b2-094c38758f25-mobileMasterAt3x.jpg

"We're not goin' to jail because of what we did, we're goin' to jail because of who we are!"

In 1968, eight anti-Vietnam War activists were arrested for allegedly starting a riot during the Democratic National Convention. Their trial was marred from the beginning by bias, unethical behavior, discrimination, and racism, primarily at the hands of Judge Julius Hoffman. That is part of the reason why one of the accused, Abbie Hoffman (no relation to the judge), argues the above.

The Trial of the Chicago 7, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, more or less drops us as the trial begins with little knowledge of how or why the riot began, which kinda puts us in the role of the "jury". As the trial unfolds, little snippets are revealed and we get to know the motivations of the characters; most notably Abbie (Sacha Baron Cohen), from the "Yippies" and Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), from the Students for a Democratic Society, who frequently clash as far as their methods go.

I'll say that there are many worthy aspects to this film, but if I had to give one kudos, I would probably give it to the character of Judge Julius Hoffman. From the portrayal by Frank Langella to Sorkin's dialogue, everything contributes to create a truly despicable character and an air of anger, not only against him but against the system. This is worsened by reading real accounts of Hoffman's career and how he led the case. Like Abbie said, it's not what they did, but who they are.

Now, in case you're wondering, why is it called "The Trial of the Chicago 7", when I just said that eight people were arrested? Well, that's because Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), chairman of the Black Panthers, was among the arrested only to have his case declared a mistrial in the middle of it all. The circumstances by which this happens, which have to do with Judge Hoffman, were IMO the peak of the film.

I can't deal with injustice and racism, particularly when it's systemic or borne out of inequality and power. Which is why I had a particularly harsh and emotionally violent reaction to this scene. I mean, I got physically angry as everything transpired, and just when I sought the balm of the "this is a fictionalized account" statement, I hit the wall with the fact that things were actually worse in real life than what we saw.

Up until that point, I would've given this a 4.5, maybe even a 5. Unfortunately, Sorkin drops the ball a bit in the last act with many climatic encounters, exchanges, and face-offs feeling more fabricated, and some directorial choices feeling too manipulative and even cringey. But I gotta give him kudos for a stellar first two acts.

Grade: 4

Thief

07-14-21, 02:13 PM

Thief

07-17-21, 10:02 AM

Dropped Episode 41 of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot last night, where me and guest Keram Malicki-Sanchez (actor, musician, and many more) try to wrap our heads around mindf**k films, while sharing our thoughts on a few of them.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 41: The Mindf**k Loot (with Keram Malicki-Sanchez) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8872392-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-41-the-mindf-k-loot-with-keram-malicki-sanchez.mp3?download=true)

Spotify users can check it out here (https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Zp2CuL3FUk3CrYj6DjJcd?si=HzBNK-5mTA2pXGVb9d6c5A&dl_branch=1).

Thief

07-18-21, 03:42 PM

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
(1978, Molinaro)
A film from the 1970s

https://resizing.flixster.com/2jMJdcwHmD0TQpZn1jUfw92GHeM=/740x380/v1.bjsxNzgzOTYxO2o7MTg4NzU7MTIwMDsyOTU4OzE5Mjg

"Forgive me, but you're just a bitter old bitch. You've lost your sex appeal, you're grotesque, and everyone laughs at you. Yet here I am, still at your side, because you make me laugh. So you know what I'm going to do? Sell my plot in Lombardy and lie by you here in the s-hit in Foissy so we can go on laughing."

That's how Renato (Ugo Tognazzi) makes his case to his longtime partner and lover, Albin (Michel Serrault) after he decides to leave the household. There's a bit of zing there, but there's also a lot of nuanced emotion and ultimately a firm statement of compromise and care for each other; it doesn't matter what has happened or what happens, I've stuck with you and I'll still stick with you through it all.

La Cage aux Folles follows the lives of Renato and Albin, who've been together for 20 years. Through ups and downs, loyalties and infidelities, they've stuck together, living together, while managing the titular nightclub. But their lives are shaken when Renato's young son, Laurent (Rémi Laurent) announces he's getting married. The thing is that his fiancée is the daughter of an important and ultra-conservative politician, and they want to meet them.

In order to pretend a more "normal" life to his future in-laws, Laurent convinces his father to pretend he's not gay, remodel their apartment, but also to get rid of the more "flamboyant" Albin for the time of the visit. This sparks the above exchange after Albin dejectedly decides to leave.

But therein lies the main problem for me with the film. There's no denying that Laurent's move is ultimately selfish and insensitive, particularly since we're told that Albin helped to raise him, and although I can understand Laurent's concerns and fears, as the film progresses, there's no moment where that is acknowledged as a mistake from his part. Different times, I guess, but since acceptance and tolerance is the ultimate point of the film, it seems weird that they didn't own to that.

There are other issues, particularly between Laurent and his real mother, that are brushed over and never addressed as well, but besides that, the film is pretty solid and enjoyable. I had seen The Birdcage back in the 90s, so I knew most of the beats the film would follow, which probably had an impact in how much I laughed or not, but I still enjoyed it. Part of that is on the performances. Tognazzi is excellent in the lead role, and his chemistry with Serrault is undeniable.

Maybe some of my complaints might seem silly, since the film is obviously aiming more for the comedy and the slapstick, but moments like the above exchange let out a more emotional angle to the story that I wish would've been embraced more. As it is, I'll lie here so I can go on laughing.

Grade: 3

Thief

07-22-21, 03:21 PM

AMERICAN ME
(1992, Olmos)
A film with the word "America" in its title

https://thecinemaholic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/American-Me.mp4_20210423_161847.743.jpg

"Coming to terms with the lessons one learns through the choices one makes is not easy."

American Me follows Montoya Santana (Edward James Olmos) as he goes from troublesome teenager to head of the Mexican Mafia within the American prison system. When we meet Santana, he's a middle age man in prison, reminiscing of the past as the film flashes back to how he grew up and ended up in prison in the first place.

Through Santana's life, we see him go in and out of prison a couple of times. There's a cyclical nature to his life, the events of the film, and how Latinos, and other minorities, are stuck in this prison revolving door, unable to fully step out. And although it doesn't necessarily makes the most of the topic, the subject of the overcriminalization of minorities is very much at the core of the film.

The above quote is said pretty early in the film by Montoya himself, and seems to be a kind of mantra for the character as he learns to accept whatever comes his way, whether through fate or personal choice. Montoya is not a good guy, but it's certainly a man that's trying to figure out the world and how to survive in it, and Olmos manages to create a complex, layered character, instilling him with the necessary mixture of poise and menace in order to make you feel some empathy for him while still acknowledging the errors in his ways.

The supporting cast is solid, especially if you consider that they chose mostly inexperienced actors and/or actual gang members for some of the roles. Even though there are some rough edges, it held up pretty well. I do think that the film could've benefitted from putting more focus on Montoya's relationship with his family, most notably his father, but also his brother. There is an exchange at a cemetery that ends up being quite powerful, despite the relationship being mostly relegated to the background.

Exchanges like that are one of many examples in the film where Montoya has to come to terms with his life, his choices. From the way he was conceived, to why he ends up in jail, how he lives his life in and out of prison, to how he decides to go out. None of them are easy, and not all of his decisions are, from our perspective, the best, but at least he's come to terms with them.

Grade: 3.5

Thief

07-22-21, 05:45 PM

BUTTERFLY KISSES
(2018, Myers)
A film with the word "Kiss" in its title

https://nevermore-horror.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-02-20-at-6.15.39-PM-644x403.jpg

"When you make a film that is presenting itself as roughly cut together found footage, you are building in your excuse for anything that's wrong with it."

In 1999, directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez unleashed The Blair Witch Project into unsuspecting audiences around the world. The film, for better or worse, revitalized the "found footage" subgenre, which was sparsely used during the 1980s and 1990s, and turned it into a horror phenomenon that has spawned numerous similar films through the last 20 years.

Butterfly Kisses is, perhaps, one of the lesser known films within this wave. But if I open this write-up by mentioning The Blair Witch Project, it's not only because they're both "found footage" films, but rather because the film itself does so, in more ways than one. Butterfly Kisses is an odd duck in that it presents itself as a documentary-within-documentary-within-documentary. There are three "filmmakers" involved in the process which, at the very least, sets it apart.

The film follows Gavin York (Seth Adam Kallick), a struggling filmmaker that stumbles upon some tapes recorded some 15 years before by Sophia Crane (Rachel Armiger), a film student that, along with her partner, wanted to document the alleged appearances of a local entity called "Peeping Tom". York intends to clean and spruce up the footage to present it as a feature film, and in order to validate the process, he hires Erik Kristopher Myers (Erik Kristopher Myers) to document it. As we follow the process, the intentions and motivations of everybody involved, from Sophia to York to Myers himself, come into question, as well as the real nature behind "Peeping Tom".

Found footage films have been a sorta "hit and miss" (mostly "miss") situation. Most of them have tried to ape more successful examples like The Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity. Butterfly Kisses leans more towards the latter (film student trying to document the existence of an entity), but as the film progresses, addresses those similarities head-on, which results in a bit of clever "meta" play.

Aside from that clever take, the film does have other things going for it; Kallick's performance is pretty solid, the initial buildup around the lore of the "Peeping Tom" works, and the overall atmosphere during the first two acts is effective. There's also a couple of pretty good jumpscares there. However, the film ends up falling apart a bit at the weight of too many loose strands, a lack of a proper payoff regarding the legend, some weak performances (most notably Armiger), and a significantly weak third act, which ironically starts when the actual director, Myers, steps in the forefront.

Maybe better actors, a more structured narrative, a bit more thought to the lore... and a better title, could've helped Butterfly Kisses. But as it is, it remains another disappointing entry in the "found footage" pantheon with clever ideas, being poorly executed.

Grade: 2

Thief

07-23-21, 01:27 AM

RODRIGO D: NO FUTURO
(1990, Gaviria)
A film from Colombia

https://www.idartes.gov.co/sites/default/files/styles/crop_imgpricipalnoticias/public/noticiasimg2/2020-08/gal-rodrigod-7.jpg?h=74652d5b&itok=8Os0RkO6

"♪ Cómo me calmo yo; todo rechazo,
ya no, consigo más, satisfacción; ♫
♫ ya ni con drogas; ni con alcohol;
ya no consigo ninguna reacción ♪"

The above is an excerpt from a song by Colombian band Peste Mutantex, which in turn, is a cover of a song by Sex Pistols, which in turn is a cover of Frank Sinatra's song, written by Paul Anka. The song, any version of it, has become some sort of anthem for rebellion or non-conformity (the above Spanish lyrics can be translated to "I can't get no satisfaction; not with drugs nor alcohol, I can't get no reaction"), which is one of the underlying themes of this seminal Colombian film.

Rodrigo D: No Futuro follows the titular character (Ramiro Meneses), a young man growing up amidst the poverty and crime of Medellín, while dreaming to be a drummer. Rodrigo is still reeling from the death of his mother and just can't get his act together. He doesn't work or go to school, he fights constantly with his sister, his relationship with his father is distant (despite the latter's attempts to connect), and he just wanders around the city, hanging out with friends and listening to music.

Of course, Rodrigo's dreams and aspirations are complicated and suffocated by the environment around him. Meneses does a pretty good job conveying that mixture of unhappiness and bottled up restlessness inside him. As it is, the film gave me vibes of Truffaut's The 400 Blows or Meirelles City of God, in how they present kids/teenagers trying to escape the circumstances around them.

The rest of the cast is serviceable, which is good, considering that most of them were not trained actors as far as I know. Gaviria's direction is simple, but effective. The plot is a bit loose, particularly when it shifts its focus to the supporting characters like Rodrigo's friends, which somewhat hinders the effect of the film.

I have to say that the print I saw of the film wasn't very good, and the audio was pretty poor, but overall, I found the film to be fairly moving and tragic. A raw and honest look at a time and place where circumstances constantly nix the future of young men; be it by relegating them to the grind of work to get by, by decimating them through drugs and crime, or simply by keeping their dreams and satisfactions away from them.

Grade: 3

Thief

07-24-21, 11:16 AM

MUSTANG
(2015, Ergüven)
A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/11/20/arts/mustang-image/mustang-image-jumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp

"The house became a wife factory that we never came out of."

Mustang is a Turkish film that follows the lives of five orphaned sisters as they struggle with the conservative beliefs and upbringing of their grandmother and uncle who are raising them. The above exchange comes at a point when the grandmother has had enough of the girls behavior and decides to isolate them at their home as she marries them off.

The film is co-written and directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven, and apparently the catalyst event is inspired in her own experience as a Turkish girl. The "catalyst event" is nothing but an innocent game of "chicken fight" with some male friends at the beach; something that their grandmother (Nihal Koldaş) classifies as her "granddaughters, pleasuring themselves on boys' necks". That gives you an idea of the kind of "conservative" mindset they're trapped in.

After this event, the girls are taken off school, and groomed to be "perfect wives"; cooking, sewing, cleaning. Their regular clothes are traded by shapeless garbs which they refer to as "sh-it-colored dresses", bars are set in their windows, locks on the doors... and for every window barred and key turned, the girls grow up more determined to run away any way they can.

The comparisons with Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides are expected, but I'll just say that I appreciated more Ergüven's approach which, unlike the former, manages to flesh out each daughter well enough for the story to have an emotional baggage. The performances from the girls, most of which weren't professional actresses, are also pretty good and they each manage to convey both a sense of individuality to each of them, as well as the endearing yet tragic bond between them.

There are some brief tidbits of narration, provided by the youngest daughter, Lale (Güneş Şensoy), which are not entirely necessary, but the dramatic weight and tension of what is happening is enough to make of this a very surprising discovery.

Grade: 4

Thief

07-25-21, 12:09 AM

I just finished The Innocents for the Criterion category, so these are my plans for this last week of July...

A musical: Thinking of going with Sweeney Todd
A film about astronauts or set in space (Moon Day, July 20): Maybe a rewatch of 2001: A Space Odyssey, in preparation for one of the next episodes of my podcast
A film from Sydney Pollack (born July 1): Tootsie, which also counts for the Personal Recommendation Hall of Fame

Thief

07-27-21, 09:00 PM

THE INNOCENTS
(1961, Clayton)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #7

https://reelclub.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/ti4.jpg

"All I want to do is save the children, not destroy them. More than anything, I love children."

"More than anything, I love children". That's Miss Giddens' (Deborah Kerr) selling point in order to secure a job as the "governess" (or caretaker) of two recently orphaned children in this eerie dramatic thriller. With no desire to take care of them, their wealthy but selfish uncle disposes of them in the hands of Giddens and the housekeeper at his country estate, but not before reminding her of her own words. "They need affection and love... I feel that you are that person".

The Innocents follows Miss Giddens as she tries to take care of the kids. But things start to unravel when she starts to fear that the estate is haunted and that the kids are possessed, putting to the test her love and her desire to "save the children". Can she handle the situation? Will she do what's needed to "save" them?

This is a pretty darn good film, but the story behind the scenes is compelling as well. Based on a popular play, the original script was written by William Archibald. However, producer/director Jack Clayton, wanting to add layers to Archibald's script, commissioned Truman Capote to rework it, incorporating deeper psychological themes that take the story beyond the inherent eeriness of its plot.

But also the excellent performances elevate what is already a great script. Kerr does a great job of portraying the mental and emotional deterioration in Giddens; from a rather naïve and insecure, yet eager woman to someone who's desperate for answers at any cost. Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens are simply excellent as the two children: Flora and Miles. Stephens, in particular is a revelation in almost every scene he's in.

Finally, a gorgeous black and white cinematography and an assured direction from Clayton create a creepy atmosphere that juxtaposes feelings of isolation with a sense that these characters might not be alone. Something that's bound to drive anyone into the edge of uneasiness, or even madness.

Grade: 4

Thief

07-29-21, 05:40 PM

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
(1968, Kubrick)
A film about astronauts or set in space

https://i.imgur.com/NZnXOrW.jpeg

"I don't suppose you have any idea what the damn thing is."
"I wish to hell we did."

2001: A Space Odyssey was released in the spring of 1968, puzzling critics and audiences in the way. It is reported that in one premiere alone, more than 200 people walked out. Much like the scientists (or the apes, or Bowman) in the film upon finding the famous monolith, they were probably wondering "what the damn thing [was]". That is a question that even I, on perhaps my 4th or 5th viewing, still ask myself, regardless of my undying love of the film.

Although it spans several centuries, 2001: A Space Odyssey primarily follows a crew of astronauts on their way to Jupiter; a journey that was apparently sparked by the discovery of a mysterious monolith buried under the surface of the moon. But to limit the film to just that chunk is a disservice to it. The film is much more than that, more than the "apes" that initially encountered the monolith in the first act of the film, or more than Dave Bowman's colorful space "trip" beyond Jupiter in the last act.

The most logical interpretation of the film is that the monolith is a catalyst for evolution and change among species. Every encounter with it "triggers" a new era; from the use of tools, the shift to a predator/prey society, and violence itself, to further leaps in space beyond the moon and beyond Jupiter. The appearance of the monolith, bizarre in its perfection, unconsciously challenges those that touch it to go further.

But there is also a commentary in how far is too much, or how fast should we go, and the effect that evolution has in our humanity. In the "apes", it comes with violence; in the astronauts, with detachment and isolation. This is represented by the ultimate "tool", the sentient computer HAL 9000, which like many people like to point out, behaves more humanly than its astronaut companions, and who ends up rebelling against them when its infallibility is put into question.

Kubrick doesn't spell things out for you or offer any particular answers to the "why's" of the film, choosing a unique approach and narrative that, much like the monolith itself, challenges the viewer to look further. You can walk away wondering "what the damn thing is", or you can just reach out, touch it, and see where it goes. I'd say it's worth the trip.

Grade: 5

Captain Terror

07-29-21, 06:06 PM

never heard of it

:)

Thief

07-29-21, 06:09 PM

Some hippie directed it.

Captain Terror

07-29-21, 06:25 PM

oooh forgot to comment on The Innocents. One of my favorite movies, obviously. Freddie Francis crushed it.
That was your first time?

SpelingError

07-29-21, 06:47 PM

never heard of it

:)

Just watch Interstellar instead. Nolan is better than Kubrick in literally every way.

Thief

07-29-21, 09:46 PM

oooh forgot to comment on The Innocents. One of my favorite movies, obviously. Freddie Francis crushed it.
That was your first time?

Yep.

Thief

07-29-21, 09:48 PM

Just watch Interstellar instead. Nolan is better than Kubrick in literally every way.

https://media1.tenor.com/images/8c0a7372438516d87dd45d55de9d3334/tenor.gif

SpelingError

07-29-21, 10:50 PM

https://media1.tenor.com/images/8c0a7372438516d87dd45d55de9d3334/tenor.gif

Oh, come on, now. Do you really think that Kubrick refusing to hold your hand and allowing for you to find the answers yourself is somehow better than all that clunky exposition in Interstellar?

Thief

07-30-21, 04:44 PM

SWEENEY TODD
THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET
(2007, Burton)
A musical

https://i.imgur.com/hyuAwlM.jpeg

"I will get him back even as he gloats; In the meantime I'll practice on less honorable throats."

There is a popular saying that reads "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." Popularly attributed to Confucius, the saying means that the quest for revenge consumes the avenger as much as it consumes the target, sometimes to the point of being blind to anything else. But nonetheless, revenge is what fuels the titular character in this Tim Burton's musical.

Sweeney Todd follows the barber (Johnny Depp) as he returns to London after 15 years of being falsely convicted and exiled by corrupt Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). Realizing that he has lost his wife and that his young daughter is now under the care of Turpin, Todd sets out for revenge by reopening his parlor in order to lure Turpin, and eventually kill him. Aiding him in this quest is Nellie Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), who owns a meat pie shop below Todd's establishment.

For some reason, I had relatively low expectations for this. Burton and Depp have been hit and miss for the last decade or more, it's not a film you see mentioned often, and I seem to recall a more lukewarm reaction to it (although it seems I was confused or mistaken). But anyway, a while ago some friend listed it among her own favorite films or musicals, which intrigued me. So when this category came, and I saw this was available on Hulu, I decided "why not?" and what a surprise it was.

Yeah, Sweeney Todd won't end up among my all-time favorite films, or not even my favorite musicals (I think?), but it was sure damn fun to watch. I found myself caught in the bizarre mish-mash of the whimsically quirky approach of Burton and the pomp of the songs, with the dirty and dark sets and lighting and the equally macabre and dark tone. I liked that Burton didn't skimp much on the violence and the blood, and I was surprised that the studio let him do it.

The performances were all pretty good, with Depp bringing a certain gravitas to a performance that could easily fall in caricaturesque. Plus it's always a delight to see the late Alan Rickman in anything. Finally, some solid supporting roles from Timothy Spall and Sacha Baron Cohen.

My main gripe with the film is with the subplot of Todd's daughter and her lover. I feel that for how important it is, it needed to be more fleshed out and better executed. Even if Burton had fears that it might have taken the focus off of Todd and his revenge, he could've given a bit more attention to this so it wouldn't feel as half-baked. As Todd himself found out, you can't be blinded by revenge, when there is the chance of love around.

Grade: 3.5

Thief

07-30-21, 09:49 PM

TOOTSIE
(1982, Pollack)
A film from Sydney Pollack

https://www.moviehousememories.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Tootsie-1982-featured-3.jpg

"I am Dorothy. Dorothy is me. Nobody's writing that part. It's coming out of me."

Tootsie follows Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman), an unemployed actor that's been "blacklisted" for being a perfectionist and hard to work with. Desperate for money, he assumes the persona of Dorothy, a middle aged, feisty woman, in order to land a job in a soap opera. Of course, things get complicated when "she" becomes a star, while also falling in love for "her" main co-star (Jessica Lange).

This is a film I didn't feel that drawn to; I probably wouldn't have seen it if someone hadn't recommended it to me, but I'm glad I watched it. However, I won't deny that I had some significant issues with how the plot develops, but for the most part, it was an enjoyable watch, well acted and with some important and still relevant points to get across about the treatment of women in the workforce, and in general.

The thing is that it has to be a man the one that tries to get those points across. I like that the experience serves as a moment of introspection for Michael and how he himself views and treats women, but when it comes to the larger point of how women are seen and treated in the workforce, and how they react, the fact that a man is the catalyst for this "change" kinda muddles the message.

In addition, there is no proper balance in terms of male vs. female characters. Michael/Dorothy interacts primarily with two female characters: Sandy (Teri Garr) and Julie (Lange). The former is a well-intentioned, female friend with whom he gets "accidentally" involved. Unfortunately, she ends up being used as a bit of comic relief in the end, and comes up as a bit of a hysterical, while Julie, although a more balanced character, still comes off a bit underdeveloped and ultimately needy.

Finally, I don't think the conclusion was properly executed. The character of Sandy, regardless of how important seemed to be, ends up being unceremoniously dismissed, and the resolution to Michael/Dorothy's predicament felt haphazardly executed. Despite those issues, the acting is solid. Dabney Coleman, who was quite a presence in the 80s, is great as a sexist director, and so is Bill Murray, who I didn't even know was in this, as Michael's roommate.

But the key to the film is Hoffman. Not only is he perfect in the role, but he also seemed to be a driving force behind the film's production. Hoffman, who oversaw the writing process, said in an interview that the film helped him reevaluate how he related to women. He said he found the character of "Dorothy" to be interesting, but argued that he would not have spoken to her because she was not beautiful, which led him to realize how many interesting conversations he had missed. For a man that must've met hundreds/thousands of women, it's weird that it took a meeting with a "man" to realize it.

Grade: 3

Captain Terror

07-31-21, 02:16 AM

RED DOT
(2021, Darborg)
A film from Sweden

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzJiNTQzOWMtNDU2YS00OTBhLWFjYmYtMTkwODNlZmZjMmIwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTc5MDI5NjE@._V1_.jpg

How often can you say that you've walked into a film completely blind, just a cover/poster and a short description, and be pleasantly surprised by it? Maybe back in the video rental days, but with the Internet and the constant bombarding of trailers, teasers, scoops, and news everywhere, it just doesn't happen often. But that's what happened last night to me as I browsed "Swedish movies" on Netflix and stumbled upon this neat thriller.

Red Dot follows a couple, David and Nadja (Anastasios Soulis and Nanna Blondell), as they head into a hiking trip to rekindle their relationship. Unfortunately, their romantic weekend is interrupted as they start being hunted and terrorized by an unknown shooter.

The laser dot from a rifle scope is what gives title to the film, as that's the first signal we have of the presence of an "enemy" watching them as they camp. But although the titular "red dot" is not seen much after, the dread of whoever's hiding beneath the trees and the mountains persists. The couple's struggle for survival is complicated by some unspecified tensions between them that surface as the film progresses.

This is a film that I can say caught me off guard for the most part, so if you get a chance to check it out, just don't give up with it until it's done. There are some logistic issues regarding the climax, so I wouldn't say it's great. But other than that, it was certainly a well done and competent thriller that packs a punch in the end.

Grade: 3.5

I checked this one out tonight and mostly agree with your reaction.

I was a little put off when Nadja scratches the dude's truck (like "am I supposed to be rooting for these two?") so I liked the way the film sort of turns the good guys into bad when the reveal hits. It's almost a film with no "good guys" actually, which is not what I expect from these sorts of films.

Nice find.

Thief

07-31-21, 12:07 PM

I checked this one out tonight and mostly agree with your reaction.

I was a little put off when Nadja scratches the dude's truck (like "am I supposed to be rooting for these two?") so I liked the way the film sort of turns the good guys into bad when the reveal hits. It's almost a film with no "good guys" actually, which is not what I expect from these sorts of films.

Nice find.

I totally agree.

My main issue was with the reveal of the neighbor, which I found to be a bit clunky and formulaic. But like I said in my review, the film still managed to upend that in its very last act.

Glad you liked it.

Captain Terror

08-01-21, 11:13 AM

A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N:
Native Son (1986)
Kind of a forgotten one starring Matt Dillon, Oprah Winfrey, and way down in the credits a young Ving Rhames. About a young black man in the 1940s who is inadvertently involved in the accidental death of his white employer's daughter, but must cover up the accident because he knows he won't be believed. Only available to me in a cruddy Youtube post, but solid enough to maybe gain an audience if it got a proper release.

A film from the 1970s:
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
Re-watch. Still great.

A musical:
Help! (1965)
Great music, ok movie

A film about astronauts or set in space (Moon Day, July 20):
Lensman (1984)
Anime film that is based on a series of books from the 30s and 40s but which has obviously been retooled to borrow a LOT from Star Wars. Still pretty cool, though. Character designs and background work scratched my space opera itch.

Thief

08-01-21, 12:59 PM

Thief

08-01-21, 05:56 PM

For those that listen, here is the link for Episode 42 of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot, where I talk about the best films I saw in July as well as some brief reviews of everything else I saw.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 42 - The July Loot (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/8953821-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-42-the-july-loot.mp3?download=true)

If you're an Apple Podcasts user, we were recently added to their platform so here's the link (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thiefs-monthly-movie-loot-42-the-july-loot/id1578191119?i=1000530680407); and if you're a Spotify user, you can check it out here (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1b2K7uJNfYCCaz8LhIJISB?si=pc66pd-4R3u-FwUK36zeuA&dl_branch=1).

Since we just joined Apple Podcasts, any Apple Podcasts user that feels like, can leave a review and a star rating, which will help other people find us. Thanks!

Thief

08-02-21, 03:52 PM

Here is my final tally for JULY 2021:

A film with the number 7 (Seven, Seventh, etc.) in its title: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2220790-the-trial-of-the-chicago-7.html)
A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N: Maps to the Stars (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2219845-maps-to-the-stars.html), Mustang (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2223303-mustang.html)
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #7 (i.e. 17, 372, 807): The Innocents (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2224195-the-innocents.html) (#727)
A film from the 1970s: La Cage aux Folles (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2221737-the-mad-cage.html)
A musical: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2225105-sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street.html)
A film with "America" in its title: American Me (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2222793-american-me.html)
A film with the word "Kiss" in its title (Int'l Kissing Day, July 6): Butterfly Kisses (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2222822-butterfly-kisses.html)
A film about astronauts or set in space (Moon Day, July 20): 2001: A Space Odyssey (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2224826-2001-a-space-odyssey.html)
A film from Colombia (Independence Day, July 20): Rodrigo D: No Futuro (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2222897-rodrigo-d.-no-future.html)
A film from Sydney Pollack (born July 1): Tootsie (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2225158-tootsie.html)

Freebie: High Noon (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2220765-high-noon.html)

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/ahf5cVdooMAlDRiJOZQNuLqa1Is.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/i3OjVac1u8r4C4D0hWvwKQ7VJor.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/sXg3JjxCkgWw5B4VVk8lfcYImne.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/amWo1n1N5ziPY4AFa7AFQpOWPGb.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/tLSFcCOi5bbwGg6DmfE1cs6RQwH.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/gAW4J1bkRjZKmFsJsIiOBASeoAp.jpg
https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/eeoK2gRfAxZyYn9SiBgAlzfTiBI.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/89kHc3uaikDiLIX30ry0jIQn1iF.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/ve72VxNqjGM69Uky4WTo2bK6rfq.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/b3hFnju1flyVgKS675fLA5PgAlg.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/ngyCzZwb9y5sMUCig5JQT4Y33Q.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/qETSMQ4IXBSAS409Z9OL0ppXWTW.jpg

Overall, it was a good month with a bunch of really solid watches. My favorite first-time watch was probably between The Innocents, Mustang, and Maps to the Stars.

The weakest film was easily Butterfly Kisses.

Thief

08-02-21, 04:00 PM

Here are the criteria for AUGUST 2021:

A film with the number 8 (Eight, Eighth, etc.) in its title:
A film with a title that starts with the letters O or P:
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #8 (i.e. 18, 480, 812):
A film from the 1980s:
A romantic film:
A film set in school:
A film from Cecil B. DeMille (born August 12):
A film with "Left" in its title (Lefthanders Day, August 13):
A film from Ukraine (Independence Day, August 24):
A film with the word "Dog" in its title (Dog Day, August 26):

Since this is my birthday month, I'm gathering recommendations as "gifts". Something I did last year too. I've already gotten a couple dozens of recommendations via Twitter, so I have lots of options. However, if anybody here wants to throw his/her hat to the ring, you're more than welcome.

kgaard

08-02-21, 11:19 PM

Here is, briefly, how I did in July:

A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) The only Max film I hadn't seen, and of course its reputation is that it's the least of the series, which I'd say is accurate for me. The "Lost Boys" element and the overexplanation of why the world is in the state it's in don't work for me. That said, there are pleasures to be found: Tina Turner as a different kind of antagonist, and Miller's kinetic action make me glad I did finally get round to this one.

A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #7 (i.e. 17, 372, 807): The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962) (#1017) Another fun Karel Zeman live action/animated movie, this one done in a style mimicking Gustave Dore and adapting the stories of the famous fabulist. Entertaining stuff.

A film from the 1970s: McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) I gotta admit I often find Altman difficult. It usually takes me a little time to adjust to his muddled, overlapping dialogue, but I do appreciate his idiosyncratic take on the Western, with a "hero" who has charm but is kind of a dingbat who ultimately finds himself in over his head. Mining Leonard Cohen for his soundtrack doesn't hurt.

A musical: Rent (2005) I'd seen this before and I was hoping I'd like it better this time around. I guess I did a little bit, but not much. It's almost a time capsule of the time the show was made (the mid-'90s) and I think making it into a movie 10 years later just emphasizes its datedness. Add to that director Chris Columbus's reluctance to try anything interesting and there's just not much left to recommend it, aside from the basic talents of the performers.

A film about astronauts or set in space (Moon Day, July 20): First Man Into Space (1959) This B-movie about a cocky pilot determined to be the "first man into space" and his more restrained brother/commander is not without its charms, although the first half does drag a bit. The second half has a bit more pathos, at least.

Thief

08-03-21, 12:06 AM

Haven't seen any of those. I gotta get on the Mad Max train, man.

kgaard

08-03-21, 10:16 AM

Haven't seen any of those. I gotta get on the Mad Max train, man.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller is the best of that bunch, and you can skip Rent for sure.

So, have you not seen any of the Mad Max films? If that's the case, you're in for a treat. I'd recommend watching them in order. It's not strictly necessary, because they're all only loosely connected, but it would culminate in Fury Road, which is the apotheosis of Max as far as I'm concerned.

Thief

08-03-21, 12:59 PM

So, have you not seen any of the Mad Max films? If that's the case, you're in for a treat. I'd recommend watching them in order. It's not strictly necessary, because they're all only loosely connected, but it would culminate in Fury Road, which is the apotheosis of Max as far as I'm concerned.

I saw the first one a couple of years ago, which I liked well enough (review (https://letterboxd.com/thief12/film/mad-max/)), but I haven't been able to catch up with the others.

kgaard

08-03-21, 04:40 PM

I saw the first one a couple of years ago, which I liked well enough (review (https://letterboxd.com/thief12/film/mad-max/)), but I haven't been able to catch up with the others.

Ah, cool. Road Warrior tends to be tricky to find on streaming--both it and Thunderdome are currently on HBOMax, but I think you said you don't have that. Road Warrior is the next best after Fury Road, and probably the one you should watch next when you can.

Thief

08-03-21, 04:44 PM

The Road Warrior is available for rent on Amazon, so I suppose I can shell out the $2-3 any day. You know, being the A-type that I am, I'll probably try to watch them all in order, so we'll see.

Thief

08-04-21, 04:54 PM

THE MONSTER SQUAD
(1987, Dekker)
A film from the 1980s
-- recommended by Josh (from Your Next Favorite Movie Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-next-favorite-movie/id1549302963)) --

https://bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/The-Monster-Squad.jpg

"Didn't you hear a word I said? These guys are dead, get a clue! Something's out there and it's killing people! And if it's monsters, nobody's going to do a thing about it except us!"

The Monster Squad follows a group of kids who band together in order to stop Count Dracula (Duncan Regehr) and his fellow monsters from taking over the world. This film was strongly recommended by my friend Josh, and as I was watching it, I couldn't stop thinking "how the hell did this film escape me in the 80s??", cause it was tailor-made to my tastes and sensibilities back then.

The film is a bit of a send-up, or homage, to the classic Universal monster films from the 1930s, as it features versions of their characters like Dracula, the Wolfman (Jon Gries), the Mummy (Michael Reid MacKay), the "Gill Man" (Tom Woodruff, Jr.), and Frankenstein's monster (Tom Noonan). Their goal is to retrieve a mysterious amulet that would allow them to somehow take over the world.

Fortunately for the world, a group of precocious teenagers who go by the name of Monster Squad decide to take matters in their own hands and stop the monsters. The film takes a humorous approach to the plot, similar to The Goonies, which results in a very breezy and entertaining experience. Most of the kids aren't necessarily great actors, but they're all very likable and easy to root for. That said, Regehr is very good as Dracula.

There are some things that haven't aged that well. There are some homophobic slurs in the first half, and a "peeping tom" situation that is repeatedly used as a butt of jokes. Also, although the makeup and practical effects are decent, other special effects aren't as good. Finally, there are some logistic issues about the conclusion that might feel a bit too convenient, but I won't deny the fact that I had a blast with this.

Grade: 3.5

Captain Terror

08-05-21, 11:24 PM

Since this is my birthday month, I'm gathering recommendations as "gifts". Something I did last year too. I've already gotten a couple dozens of recommendations via Twitter, so I have lots of options. However, if anybody here wants to throw his/her hat to the ring, you're more than welcome.

I recently watched Booksmart on Hulu and enjoyed it quite a bit. The two leads especially had a great chemistry together. If you're looking for something fun, I'd recommend it.

SpelingError

08-05-21, 11:28 PM

Since this is my birthday month, I'm gathering recommendations as "gifts". Something I did last year too. I've already gotten a couple dozens of recommendations via Twitter, so I have lots of options. However, if anybody here wants to throw his/her hat to the ring, you're more than welcome.

Here are my favorite films (https://www.imdb.com/list/ls076013878/), if that helps. You've probably seen most of them, but you might be able to get a couple recommendations off of it.

Thief

08-06-21, 09:11 PM

Here are my favorite films (https://www.imdb.com/list/ls076013878/), if that helps. You've probably seen most of them, but you might be able to get a couple recommendations off of it.

I've seen 22 from your list. The ones I haven't seen are...

A Moment of Innocence
The Travelling Players
It Happened One Night
Man with a Movie Camera
Andrei Rublev
The Wild Bunch
Koyaanisqatsi
City Lights
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors
Touch of Evil
Le Samourai
To Be or Not to Be
Seconds
All That Jazz
Chimes at Midnight
The House Is Black

There are a couple I had never heard of, others I've been meaning to watch for a while, and one that was just assigned to me on the Personal Recommendation HoF, so at least I'll get to that one (if I do finish, that is)

Thief

08-07-21, 07:14 PM

YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT
(2020, Koepp)
A film with the word "Left" in its title
-- recommended by VHUS_Podcast (https://vh-us.com/) --

https://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2521_D028_00145R2.jpg?w=780

"People have always stayed in that house. Some don't leave. The right ones usually find the place. Or perhaps it's the other way around. The place finds them."

Films about haunted houses and guests at the verge of madness are a dime a dozen. We've all seen it a thousand times, from classics like The Haunting or The Shining, to more modern fare like The Others and Session 9, or weaker efforts like Thirteen Ghosts. Some of them work, others not so much, others fall more on a weird middle-ground where you're not sure where to go with them. That is the case with David Koepp's latest psychological spookfest.

You Should Have Left follows Theo Conroy (Kevin Bacon), a retired banker that decides to take a break in a secluded rent-a-house in Wales. In for the ride are Theo's young wife, Susanna (Amanda Seyfried) and young daughter, Ella (Avery Essex). But as is expected, shortly after arriving, weird occurrences start happening around the house, lights turning on and off, shadows in the corners, doors in places where they shouldn't be.

As the film progresses, Theo finds himself more tormented by these incidents, while his relationship with Susanna starts to crumble because of the insecurity and paranoia, as well as the weight of past secrets. Despite what might seem like a tired premise, the setup is intriguing and there are some solid scares and eerie moments. Unfortunately, as is usual with this kind of films, it kinda crumbles as it falls victim to tropes and cliches while also trying to explain too much.

What keeps it afloat all the way are the performances. Both Seyfried and Essex are pretty good in their roles, but the weight of it all falls on Bacon, who effectively portrays a combination of genuine love for his daughter and the despair and desperation against all the things that are happening.

Overall, the film doesn't reach the levels of greatness one would want, but it's still a somewhat atmospheric entry to the subgenre that might be worth a watch on a slow night.

Grade: 2.5

Thief

08-10-21, 04:17 PM

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
(1994, Darabont)
Birthday freebie

https://i.imgur.com/FNW7bsd.jpg

"Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."

Our lives are full of ups and downs. From the seemingly petty and minuscule problems of our youth, to the deep-seated frustrations and serious life-changing situations of our adulthood. Through most of those issues, we are left with mainly two choices: wallow in the despair and hopelessness of the situation, or embrace the hope that things can change AND work towards that change. That's the core philosophy that I always get from this film, my favorite of all-time.

Starting in the late 1940s, The Shawshank Redemption follows Andy (Tim Robbins), a banker that is wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover. After being sent to the brutal Shawshank Prison, he befriends long-time convict Red (Morgan Freeman), as the two develop a friendship that would alter the course of both of their lives.

To those that have known me before MoFo, my love for this film is probably widely known. Ever since I first saw it back in the mid-1990s, while going through some "petty" romantic frustrations of my teens, the film instilled in me that philosophy I mentioned in the opening paragraph: I could wallow in my frustrations and get stuck where I was, or I could assure myself that things can change, and move towards that. "Get busy living or get busy dying".

As juvenile and inconsequential as my issues at that moment might've been, I've pretty much made that my philosophy of life against any life problems and situations I've faced since. From health issues to economical problems, from career frustrations to more adult relationship situations, I always try to embrace the hope that things can, and will change, and get busy working for that.

After rewatching the film for the gazillion time a couple of days ago on my birthday, 25+ years after the first time, I can say it remains as magical, profound, and meaningful to me. Not only is it masterfully directed and shot, but the honest and endearing performances from Robbins and Freeman are always moving, always affecting; a testimony of how, yes, a friendship, but also your own actions and attitude towards life can help keep you alive, hopeful, and free.

Grade: 5

SpelingError

08-10-21, 04:23 PM

Happy late birthday, Thief!

74230

Thief

08-10-21, 04:30 PM

Thaaaanks!!

https://media.giphy.com/media/YWyJCwfDcieOGnzHko/giphy.gif

Thief

08-10-21, 05:44 PM

DAY OF THE FIGHT
(1951, Kubrick)
Freebie

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dMfRGolbhGY/Uq-NyAmfI6I/AAAAAAAAFOE/p3vp4U2dNO4/s1600/Day+of+the+fight++(32).jpg

"The fight Walter's riding to now in a friends car, may bring him nearer to the middleweight crown. When it's over, there will be another one coming along. And another one after that. Always it's fighting and training and fighting again"

Day of the Fight is Stanley Kubrick's first short documentary film. It follows middleweight boxer Walter Cartier as he prepares for a championship fight in New York. During the 10-minute short, Kubrick frequently emphasizes how hard the "waiting" is for Cartier, as we see him have breakfast, spend time with his brother (and manager), walk around New York, have a medical exam, train, etc.

I suppose it was way overdue for me to catch up on Kubrick short films, which I'm not sure why I hadn't seen before. He's my favorite director and, as part of my research for my next podcast episode, I decided to finally face his first two. There's not much to say about them. They're fairly interesting and well shot, even if they're not particularly memorable.

Much like Cartier's fight, this short film finishes in the blink of an eye, but not without showing a preamble of Kubrick's directorial eye. And much like Cartier, he would have another film coming along, and another one after that. Always "fighting and training".

Grade: 3

Thief

08-10-21, 05:56 PM

FLYING PADRE
(1951, Kubrick)
Freebie

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4uxa10jLu1w/Vxrk_U5VY4I/AAAAAAAAbWM/85LUoxj6JNU3gJpJfIVNVeNXCvOpd5MIgCLcB/s640/flying%2Bpadre00001.png

"The wise and friendly counsel of the priest is always available to his flock."

Flying Padre is Stanley Kubrick's second short documentary film. This one follows two days in the life of Reverend Fred Stadtmueller, who services a handful of churches across rural New Mexico with the help of his small plane. During the course of these days, we see him officiate a funeral service, helping quarreling kids make amends, and flying a sick child to a nearby hospital.

Like Day of the Fight before it, there's not much to say about this short. Clocking in at less than 10 minutes, even shorter than his first one, it is more of an interesting curiosity, but a well directed one. But released in the same year than the previous one, it shows that work intensity I mentioned in the previous review: there's always another film coming along, and another one after that.

Grade: 3

mark f

08-10-21, 06:01 PM

You're hiding your birthday?

Thief

08-10-21, 06:08 PM

Apparently :laugh: Hadn't checked that.

EDIT: Fixed it.

mark f

08-10-21, 06:56 PM

Apparently :laugh: Hadn't checked that.

EDIT: Fixed it.
I still don't see it on your Profile page or the Home Page birthday list. What is the date?

Thief

08-10-21, 09:23 PM

I still don't see it on your Profile page or the Home Page birthday list. What is the date?

August 5

StuSmallz

08-12-21, 03:37 AM

Thief

08-13-21, 01:41 PM

Hey Thief, what do you think of BadLieutenant's suggested change back on the Corrie for Shawshank to have a more challenging tone, so that when Red uncovers the box with the money Andy left for him, he also accidentally uncovers his murder weapon in a hidden compartment, revealing that Andy really did murder his wife after all?

I don't remember if I ever read that, but that's a different film for sure. If that were the case, it would kill or neuter the main themes of the film.

Thief

08-14-21, 01:01 PM

DR. STRANGELOVE OR:
HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB
(1964, Kubrick)
Freebie

https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/07/Dr.-Strangelove-courtesy-Warner-Bros.jpg

"War is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

From the late 1940s to 1991, the USA and the Soviet Union were involved in a tense, geopolitical stand-off as both countries try to proclaim superiority and influence around the world. This decades-long period was marked by the constant fear of attack or retaliation from one country to the other, but also for the rampant paranoia that "foreign ideals" might permeate and "impurify" the country. That fear is what director Stanley Kubrick latched onto when making this hilarious comedy, which is now considered one of the best comedies of all-time.

Dr. Strangelove follows the attempts of the US government to stop a nuclear bombing to the Soviet Union after a paranoid general closes off his base and orders a group of B-52 bombers to proceed. The film stars Slim Pickens as the pilot of one of the bombers and George C. Scott as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But the most notable performance(s) perhaps is Peter Sellers in a triple role as Captain Mandrake (who is unwillingly barricaded with the crazy general), President Merkin Muffley, and the titular doctor and war expert.

I saw this for the first time a couple of years ago and, although I liked it a lot, I didn't feel I *loved* it as I was expecting. However, as I was preparing for an episode of my podcast dedicated to Kubrick, I wanted to give it another shot and it was certainly an improvement. The film is so pointedly funny and sharp in its critique, without losing the focus of what it is. The way that Kubrick manages to satirize and make fun of the incompetence of both sides is masterful, and the film is full of quotable lines.

Peter Sellers is excellent in all three roles, but I think his best work is as President Muffley, with an excellent combination of deadpan delivery and genius improvisation. But still, as good as Sellers is, George C. Scott steals every moment for me. His whole performance is hilariously over-the-top, and it's only made more hilarious when you know the circumstances behind it. There's hardly a moment that he's on screen that I'm not at least chuckling at his body language or expressions.

Ultimately, I love the way Kubrick unabashedly makes fun of our situation as a society, and with this, he doesn’t pull any punches. He just lets it drop like a bomb on all of us.

Grade: 4

Thief

08-16-21, 10:01 PM

For those that listen, the latest episode of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot, Episode 43, is out and is definitely Kubrickian... because me and guest Nathan Abrams (film scholar and author) talk about the great Stanley Kubrick.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 43: The Kubrick Loot (with Nathan Abrams) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/9029863-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-43-the-kubrick-loot-with-nathan-abrams.mp3?download=true)

Spotify users can check it out here (https://open.spotify.com/episode/0QlztdnL22Qlot8Tte0RPa?si=qIoJO81ySm-BvbVfloIQ3Q&dl_branch=1), while Apple Podcast users can check it out here (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thiefs-monthly-movie-loot-43-the-kubrick-loot-with/id1578191119?i=1000532217046).

Captain Terror

08-16-21, 11:01 PM

I saw this for the first time a couple of years ago and, although I liked it a lot, I didn't feel I *loved* it as I was expecting.

This was also my reaction after my first viewing. I was expecting it to be "funnier" somehow. Many viewings later, it's one of my favorite films and the fact that I once considered it "not funny enough" is baffling to me.

Thief

08-17-21, 09:48 PM

A BOY AND HIS DOG
(1975, Jones)
A film with the word "Dog" in its title
-- recommended by Keram (https://keramsongs.com/) --

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58f7f35e9f745630b6952af8/1580160275645-ZRMAUILLRVYPS1H2BAN0/ABoyandHisDog.jpg

Quilla: "Well, how come I can't hear him?"
Vic: "Uh, he said something one time. It's 'cause we had a feeling for each other or something."
Quilla: "What do you mean, like love?"
Vic: "I guess."

They say a dog is man's best friend. Loyal companion, trusted protector, undeniable friend. We usually try to decipher and interpret what our dogs are trying to say as a way to extend that connection. But what if you could communicate with your dog, what will he say? really, really say to you? And what if you both were stuck in a dystopian apocalypse? How will that relationship work? That is a small part of what this odd 1975 film explores.

A Boy and His Dog follows Vic (Don Johnson), a teenager living in post-nuclear America along with his dog Blood (Tim McIntire), with whom he can communicate telepathically for reasons that are brushed over with the above quote. Vic and Blood spend their days scavenging the desert-like land for food and women to rape. Yep. Chalk that up on the "problematic" column, to put it mildly.

But the thing is that Vic has been raised alone in this wasteland, with no moral compass and no societal structure. So instead of taking it as a story of protagonists and antagonists, or characters that I should root for, or whose actions I could/should/would endorse, I took it as a story of just people inhabiting this savage world. To push it further, Blood's "persona" is 100% cynical and misanthropic. Kinda like a more raw Brian Griffin.

Things get complicated for Vic when he falls for Quilla (Susanne Benton), another young survivor that likes to follow her own way, which leads into more bizarre occurrences. If that description doesn't let it show, this has got to be one of the oddest watches I've had. Yes, from the problematic premise, to the way the characters behave and operate, and how all the events unfold. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't mesmerized by everything in it.

The world that the characters live in is brutal and relentless, and the things that happen are disturbing and bleak, and yet, director L.Q. Jones manages to walk a tightrope between that and a darkly comical tone that... kinda worked? The direction also effectively moves from taut tension at the dangers of the place and the intrigue of wondering WTF will happen next.

Johnson and Benton are solid in their roles, but McIntire's voice work is a real treat. The oddball last act also introduces Jason Robards, in case you needed another reason to check this out. But the main reason I would recommend this is just because of how unapologetically odd, bold and bizarre it is, down to its last line.

Grade: 4

Thief

08-18-21, 09:08 PM

KRUTY 1918
WINTER OF THE BRAVES
(2018, Shaparev)
A film from Ukraine

https://www.mnstrm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Winter-of-the-Braves.jpg

"Now, brother, you know the price of freedom. It does not happen without blood."

Winter of the Braves (or Kruty 1918) follows the events of the Battle of Kruty in the middle of the Ukrainian-Soviet War. The battle put a small unit of 300-400 soldiers, most of them volunteer students, against a Bolshevik force of thousands, as Ukraine fought for independence and freedom. But much like the character in the above quote said, this freedom does not come without blood.

As I keep watching films for my birthday month, this is the only category from my "loot" to which I didn't get any recommendation. As I browsed for Ukrainian films, I realized why. There aren't many available. So as I browsed my different streaming services for something, anything, I stumbled upon this, and thought, why not?

The film is, for the most part, competently shot and directed. However, some of the fight sequences are poorly choreographed and it's not easy to tell who's who or what's what. Plus, I'm not sure if it was my screen, but during some night scenes, it was really hard to see what was going on.

In addition, even though most of the performances were OK and serviceable, most of the characters were uninteresting, which led to me not being that interested in what happened. There's a love triangle that left me shrugging most of the time, because of how inert it was portrayed.

Finally, the tone of the film is very nationalistic, very "rah rah, Ukraine!", which was also a bit off-putting and eye-rolling. The bottom line is that, despite some decent production values and some things on its favor, I wasn't really feeling this and wasn't really invested into it most of the way.

Grade: 2

Thief

08-18-21, 10:04 PM

JASON GOES TO HELL
THE FINAL FRIDAY
(1993, Marcus)
Friday the 13th Freebie

https://www.justwatch.com/images/backdrop/153754796/s640/jason-goes-to-hell-the-final-friday

"Say, Doc! What's the verdict? Is Jason gonna be gettin' up and walkin' around any time soon?"
"We really nailed that fu¢ker."

Jason Goes to Hell is the ninth entry in the Friday the 13th franchise; a franchise that had proclaimed in 1984 that Part 4 was "the final chapter". By the 1990s, with horror and slasher interest waning, producers were looking for ways to either revitalize the franchise or end it for good, so that Jason wouldn't be gettin' up and walkin' around any time soon.

The film starts with Jason back in Crystal Lake, more or less retconning/ignoring the events of Jason Takes Manhattan, as he is ambushed by FBI and SWAT agents. Even though they literally blow him up to pieces, Jason's soul or essence, starts transferring from human body to human body wreaking havoc.

I'll start by saying that the premise of Jason's soul transferring, although interesting and a bold attempt to do something different, feels at odds with the usual mythology that has been with the franchise from the beginning. Sure, this is not a franchise that's been known for sticking to a strict continuity, but still... since Part 1, Jason has been drowned, stabbed, hacked all over his body, poked, burned, and drowned again and again... and his soul had never thought of transferring to another body. So you understand why that feels pulled out of a hat.

But the new twists doesn't end there. We also find out that Jason can only be truly killed by a blood relative, but also that Jason can regain his original monster-y form by possessing a blood relative. Enter Jason's half-sister, Diana Kimble (Erin Gray), her daughter Jessica (Kari Keegan), and infant granddaughter Stephanie, all of which Jason starts looking for in order to "come back to life".

If it sounds stupid, nonsensical, or at the very least "borrowed", it's because it is stupid, nonsensical, and well, "borrowed" (Halloween, anyone?), which again makes the film feel less like a Friday the 13th film and more like a weird, half-baked monster film. Not only is the premise weird, but the logistics of how Jason and this half-assed mythology works doesn't quite hold up.

But I would be lying if I didn't say there's some fun to be had with the stupidity of it all. This is the second or third time I watch this, and I admit there is a certain campiness to everything that makes you at least chuckle, plus there are some creative kills here and there, which is one of the main reasons why people watch this. Does it make a lot of sense? Hell, no. Is it a bit fun? A bit, yeah. Is Jason gonna be gettin' up and walkin' around any time soon? For better or worse, you're damn right he will.

Grade: 2

Thief

08-20-21, 03:53 PM

ELECTION
(1999, Payne)
A film set in school
-- recommended by Andrew (https://www.twitter.com/andrxwtv) & ApexPredator --

https://i.imgur.com/AwkK5Fw.jpg

Jim: "Let's say all you ever knew were apples. Apples, apples, and more apples. You might think apples were pretty good, even if you got a rotten one every once in a while. But then one day... there's an orange. And now you can make a decision, do you want an apple or do you want an orange? That's democracy."
Paul: "I also like bananas."

Democracy is defined as the method of government by which a group elect their representative by the votes of the majority. However, when there is only one candidate to the position, the process is usually seen as "rigged" or maybe even "empty". That's why usually, a democracy is viewed more positively when there are more than one candidate at play (you know, apples and oranges). This unique comedy from Alexander Payne transposes that dilemma to high school.

Set in Omaha, Nebraska, Election follows Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), a successful and over-achieving senior student determined to become president of the student body. But when Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick), the social studies teacher who oversees the student body and who resents Tracy for several reasons, realizes she's running uncontested, he starts manipulating the proceedings to prevent her from winning.

This is probably the second time I've seen this, after 1999. But even if I didn't remember it that well, my recollections were positive and seeing it mentioned often as a groundbreaking film sure had me craving for a rewatch for a while. That's why when both Andrew and Apex mentioned it to me via Twitter, I really didn't hesitate.

One of the things that Election does so well is to balance a tone that walks a really tight-rope between dark comedy, serious drama, and socio-political subtext. And depending on your state of mind when you see it, there might be different things that resonate with you. This time, I was more drawn to the whole "symbology" of it all, and how Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor use this high school election as a representation of our electoral system, and our country overall.

From a generally uninterested populace, to candidates that are unexpected and coming "out of left field", to those that have good intentions but are ultimately unqualified, to the over-eager ones that are determined to get there at any cost. But among the things that Election makes clear are that elections are rarely opportunities for change, but just stepping stones in the power ranking; but most importantly, that the whole system is broken and that there needs to be more than a "one man change" every now and then for real change to occur.

Grade: 4

Thief

08-24-21, 06:10 PM

EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS
(2002, Elkayem)
A film with the number Eight in its title
-- recommended by Darren Lucas (https://moviesreview101.com/) --

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55dc9f4ae4b0f1735c5897e8/1484428701274-3P5FXFAIE27Z16J12UTY/eight-legged-freaks.jpg?format=2500w

"There's no way you're telling me that thing back there is from Earth!"
"All right! They're spiders from Mars! You happy?"

Giant mutant spiders. Whether they're from Earth or Mars doesn't really make much of a difference to the characters, which find themselves in an unexpected and incredible situation. Somewhat like them, I found myself in an unexpected an incredible situation when I realized that this film was... quite a lot of fun.

Eight Legged Freaks follows a group of people from a small Arizona town as they face mutant spiders that are the result of a toxic waste spill. The main focus of the story is Chris (David Arquette), the son of the former owner of the mine that made the town prosper, and Samantha (Kari Wuhrer), the tough sheriff he used to be in love with.

I have to say that I dismissed this film for a long time based on the awful poster, but when Darren recommended it to me, I thought "you know what? I might be down for that kind of silliness". And this delivered way more fun that I was expecting, not only on the strength of its likable cast, but also for the solid execution.

For the most part, the film doesn't take itself too seriously, and manages to find a good balance between thrills and comedy, which reminded me of stuff like Tremors, Critters, or even Gremlins. The special effects might be cheap, but I guess it kinda works for the kind of film it ends up being.

I was also surprised by how solid Arquette was, considering how much he annoys me in the Scream franchise, but Wuhrer also does a fine job. The cast is rounded out by an excellent Doug E. Doug as the town's conspiracy theorist, as well as Scott Terra and a very young Scarlett Johansson as Samantha's children.

So if you like "cheap" creature films, whether it's from the 50s or 80s, give this one a chance. Like our main characters, these spiders might surprise you.

Grade: 3.5

Thief

08-25-21, 12:28 AM

For those interested, released special episode #7 of my podcast a couple of days ago. This time I do a brief breakdown/analysis of one scene from my favorite film of all time, The Shawshank Redemption:

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - Special Episode VII (The Shawshank Redemption) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/9076757-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-special-episode-vii-the-shawshank-redemption.mp3?download=true)

Remember, episodes are also available on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thiefs-monthly-movie-loot-special-episode-vii-the/id1578191119?i=1000532920809), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/episode/3zLcdLmJf8DQI8TEPle2W2?si=U1PDKQreSKCvQLnbSLaQOQ&dl_branch=1), and Google Podcasts (https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS84NTAwNjMucnNz/episode/QnV6enNwcm91dC05MDc2NzU3?sa=X&ved=0CAQQkfYCahcKEwigjdu1ncvyAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ).

Thief

08-25-21, 05:42 PM

PHOENIX
(2014, Petzold)
A film with a title that starts with the letters O or P
-- recommended by Sylvie (https://slywit.wordpress.com/) --

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

"The clinic needed pictures for the reconstruction. Sorry. That's the wrong word. Dr Bongartz used it and I simply... Re-creation is better, right?"

It is believed that modern plastic surgery started in the early 20th Century. The two "World Wars" provided enough patients for aspiring plastic surgeons to innovate and, well, "practice" in the reconstructive part of it, to fix or improve the functions of parts of the body that had suffered the consequences of war, while the cosmetic side of it could provide improved or discreet appearance to those that needed it. But these surgeries are only skin-deep and can't fix the emotional and psychological issues that come with war.

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

But Nelly is not ready yet to abandon her past life, and is determined to look for her estranged husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld), much to the dismay of her friend Lene (Nina Kunzendorf), who assures her that Johnny is the one who betrayed her. The film follows Nelly's attempts to find and reconnect with her husband, perhaps with the hope that Lene's suspicions are false, or maybe to face the hard truth herself in order to move on, and rise from the ashes of her past life.

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

As good as all the cast is, the strength of the film is Hoss' performance. She effectively enacts the development of Nelly, from the frail, bandaged human being we meet at the start, to the strong, confident woman we see walk out in the last act, in an ending that packs quite an emotional wallop.

Grade: 4

Thief

08-27-21, 05:48 PM

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

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

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

Love is a curious thing, they say. It can spring in the most unexpected places and at the most unexpected times. Which is what happens to middle-aged widower Frank Valente (Anthony Quinn) and fellow widow Rose (Sophia Loren). But what if pursuing a relationship meant hurting the ones you must love? That is the question that hangs above them as they figure out if it's worth it.

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

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

The chemistry between Quinn and Loren is also pretty good, going from feistiness from her as she rejects his advances to eventually opening up to him. But aside from their relationship, I also enjoyed their interactions with their respective children. Both Jimmy Baird and Ina Balin were pretty good as Rose and Frank's son and daughter respectively, and their characters added a certain complexity to what could've been an otherwise sappy romantic film.

Unfortunately, even though the film raises questions about deeper issues like mental health, depression, prejudices, and stigmatization, it kinda resolves everything in a too convenient way in a short period of time. Still, it ends up being a charming little film, with some solid performances.

Grade: 3

Thief

08-30-21, 05:23 PM

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

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

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

Those are the closing words from the prologue to this animated adventure film. Told like a parable, it tells us of the mythical circumstances that led to the current state of affairs in this animal world, most notably, why "poor" rabbits have the odds against them. But what the prologue establishes is that despite circumstances being against you, there are always ways to survive and live.

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

This is a film I didn't know much about other than it being animated and about rabbits. So I was surprised to see it was something a bit deeper than your usual animated fare. Intended or not, the story has clear parallelisms to the Bible, as well as other stories about heroic quests. This opening can be compared to the stories of Genesis (i.e. Adam? Cain?) while the bulk of the film also has vibes of Greek epics.

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

Grade: 3.5

Thief

08-31-21, 10:48 PM

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

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

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

The name "Delilah" is of Hebrew and Arabic origins. Traditionally, it means "delicate", but it is also said to mean "languishing, lovelorn, or seductive". Assuming you're familiar with the Biblical story, the latter seems more appropriate to the main female character, a woman determined to get back at the target of his unrequited love.

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

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

The performances "suffer" from the usual hamminess and exaggeration of the times and the genre, but it works for the most part. Lamarr and Mature are not excellent thespians, but they're dependable. I think the best performances came from the "bad guys", played by George Sanders and Henry Wilcoxon, both of which neatly balance the scenery-chewing and mischievousness of their roles with a bit more skill.

For the most part, the film has a nice pace. However, it hits a bit of a rough patch between the second and third act, which is when Samson and Delilah's relationship "flourishes". But as soon as things pick up, it's for the best, and the ending is visually magnificent.

Grade: 3.5

Thief

09-01-21, 04:09 PM

Here is my final tally for AUGUST 2021:

A film with the number 8 (Eight, Eighth, etc.) in its title: Eight Legged Freaks (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2233082-eight-legged-freaks.html)
A film with a title that starts with the letters O or P: Phoenix (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2233397-phoenix.html)
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #8 (i.e. 18, 480, 812): Watership Down (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2234546-watership-down.html) (#748)
A film from the 1980s: The Monster Squad (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2226736-the-monster-squad.html)
A romantic film: The Black Orchid (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2233872-the-black-orchid.html)
A film set in school: Election (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2231851-election.html)
A film from Cecil B. DeMille (born August 12): Samson and Delilah (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2234953-samson-and-delilah.html)
A film with "Left" in its title (Lefthanders Day, August 13): You Should Have Left (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2227898-you-should-have-left.html)
A film from Ukraine (Independence Day, August 24): Kruty 1918 (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2231408-winter-of-the-braves.html)
A film with the word "Dog" in its title (Dog Day, August 26): A Boy and His Dog (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2231146-a-boy-and-his-dog.html)

Freebies: The Shawshank Redemption (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2228715-the-shawshank-redemption.html), Day of the Fight (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2228732-day-of-the-fight.html), Flying Padre (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2228735-flying-padre.html), Dr. Strangelove (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2230257-dr.-strangelove-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-bomb.html), Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2231415-jason-goes-to-hell-the-final-friday.html)

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/1hf7x6WmyXtL1MlY4eSlTbZ8Nzu.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/AucV9Srp4eX3BmPLcQLx7AtRIQj.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/jUe0psjAr8w4cX4XRg5EOYoRY7t.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/rMSPZTFKP1zoF5BG8dlnDtD6p8l.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/r4W4VQnwpKK9czcM4T1c1cOLnF9.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/5gPOFU6IPvDrx50XaPCK4twNw79.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/iNb2KMv056vpCJycqFp5Xbpw61Z.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/tpOwE6xsWnu4lKeKbKW0R3iClM.jpg

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/bnh7yx2cqY2WOsSLkCKjffICkBS.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/dMbkoFzD5sEQvEaqRsIh4pTBJVq.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/q6y0Go1tsGEsmtFryDOJo3dEmqu.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/4caX3IZkf7n2QCbxaJO3hyn0SCm.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/5aog5qVlMFakpogT1Nar9Z7gqq4.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/gHm96BRW4GoI339rF1vYoYTB6Qe.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/Aacq05foqiWdXqetFv02HBvMoJy.jpg

I think that the best first-time watch from that bunch is probably Phoenix, but A Boy and His Dog is close, just because of how much of an oddball that film is.

As for the worst first-time watch, that goes to Winter of the Braves (or Kruty 1918). Like I said on my review, it's not without its merits, but its pretty weak overall. You Should Have Left would be close behind.

kgaard

09-01-21, 05:29 PM

August for me:

A film with a title that starts with the letters O or P: Princess Mononoke (1997) This was good, but I wasn't feeling it the same way I felt, say, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. I do love the worlds Miyazaki creates, though.

A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #8 (i.e. 18, 480, 812): Watership Down (1978) (#748) I just put down here what I wrote when Thief kindly asked for my thoughts for his podcast (so, I guess, spoilers for the podcast!): This movie is a cherished childhood favorite. Most likely I watched it on television, because I have no recollection of seeing it in the theaters (and I would have been pretty young when it came out). We probably taped it because I certainly watched it many times. There were certain moments and lines that had a particular impact back then: Fiver’s impressionistic, nightmarish visions especially, but also the soothing ballad “Bright Eyes” (sung, I now know, by Art Gunfunkel), the scene-stealing Kehaar (voiced, I now know, by Zero Mostel), the violent passages in the warrens in the fight between Bigwig and General Woundwort, and, of course, rabbit curses (“Hraka!”). As a kid, the “adult” nature of the storytelling appealed to me; as an adult I appreciate the animation aesthetic (especially the mythological and impressionistic scenes) and the tremendous voice cast (in addition to Mostel, there’s Sir Ralph Richardson and the always-welcome John Hurt). Just a fine piece of entertainment, and maybe my earliest hint that there’s a world of animation beyond Disney.

A film from the 1980s: Come and See (1985) Astonishing, intense, relentless. Having your actors look straight into the camera is a risky device, but it pays off here as a way of forcing the viewer to "participate" directly in the film. It's interesting to me that the director simply stopped making films after this because "Everything that was possible I felt I had already done", and yeah, I can see that.

A romantic film: Cold War (2018)/Atlantics (2019)/The Shape of Water (2017) Covering my bases here with a slew of romances that are interior to other types of stories. Atlantics was the most interesting to me, because of a turn it takes about halfway through that mediates its story about immigration and cultural clashing in a more unconventional way. I did enjoy all of these to one degree or another (and in a weird way, The Shape of Water is kind of the flip side of Cold War. If I ever get around to making the thread I've been considering about offbeat double features, that might make a good one).

A film set in school: The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021) This was my son's pick and, well, I've seen worse.

A film with the word "Dog" in its title (Dog Day, August 26): The Plague Dogs (1982)
Watership Down: I'm an animated film about anthropomorphic animals that's suprisingly dark and violent.
The Plague Dogs: Hold my beer.

Thief

09-01-21, 05:41 PM

kgaard

09-01-21, 06:27 PM

Some good stuff there! I guess I should probably rewatch Princess Mononoke? But given my reaction to Spirited Away a couple of years ago, maybe I should wait or acclimate myself.

From your romance films, I've only seen Cold War and The Shape of Water, with the former being the strongest for me. Shape of Water was good, but not great.

I expect I'll see Princess Mononoke again when my kid is a bit older. There's a lot of Ghibli stuff on HBOMax so I'm sort of working my way through what I haven't seen.

I'm in the same place as you on Cold War and The Shape of Water, but I will say that Doug Jones is a bit of a secret treasure. I'd give Atlantics a pretty strong recommendation and it's on Netflix.

Come and See was by a clear margin the best (new to me) film I watched in the month.

Thief

09-03-21, 10:36 AM

Finally dropped Episode 44 last night, The Birthday Loot, where I share my thoughts on a bunch of films that were recommended as "gifts" from Twitter and online friends (including ApexPredator and kgaard. Check it out!

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 44: The Birthday Loot (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/9119881-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-44-the-birthday-loot.mp3?download=true)

Remember that you can also listen on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thiefs-monthly-movie-loot-44-the-birthday-loot/id1578191119?i=1000534181279), Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/episode/60agffR0juztOZt7A4BRNB), and all the major podcast services.

Thief

09-03-21, 10:50 AM

Here are the criteria for SEPTEMBER 2021:

A film with the number 9 (Nine, Ninth, etc.) in its title:
A film with a title that starts with the letters Q or R:
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #9 (i.e. 19, 592, 903):
A film from the 1990s:
A sci-fi film:
A film with the word "Fall" in its title:
A film from Noah Baumbach (born September 3):
A film from Chile (Independence Day, September 18):
A film featuring Native American characters (Native American Day, September 24):
A film with a punctuation symbol in its title (National Punctuation Day, September 24):

Sedai

09-03-21, 10:56 AM

Oof, I am a couple episodes behind! I have some catching up to do today.

Thief

09-05-21, 09:40 PM

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

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

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

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

I confess that I was expecting the usual silliness of 50s sci-fi, but I was surprised at how deep and thought-provoking this ended up being. As ground-breaking and impressive as the special effects are, the film is ultimately more interested in showcasing the effects that this transformation has in Scott's psyche and emotions, while also raising questions about existentialism and what it means to be human.

Seeing him go through the process is like seeing someone go through the 5-Step Grief Cycle, all the way from denial to acceptance, and although Carey's performance is not flashy, he does his job well. Stuart's performance as the struggling wife is also pretty good, and April Kent delivers a pretty good, but very small performance as a like-minded soul in which Scott finds temporary solace.

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

In the opening scene, Scott stands on a boat, in the middle of a vast ocean, looking helpless at what was ahead of him. By the final shot, we see him once again, standing in front of a vast "new world". Only this time, he's not feeling helpless; no loathing, no worthlessness. He's at peace and willing to face whatever comes next.

Grade: 4

Thief

09-07-21, 03:51 PM

BLACK NARCISSUS
(1947, Powell & Pressburger)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #9 (#93)

https://images.mubicdn.net/images/film/632/cache-8260-1557310340/image-w1280.jpg

"I remember things before I joined our Order. Things I wanted to forget. I never thought of them until now. I’ve been 21 years in the Order and now they come back to me. I think you can see too far."

Set sometime after World War I, Black Narcissus follows a group of Anglican nuns sent to set up a school and a hospital in the Himalayas on behalf of an Indian General. Led by young and ambitious Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr), the group is expected to take over an abandoned "palace" set on a high cliff where one of the former rulers kept his harem.

But their stay there is not without hardship, as evidenced by the above quote from Sister Philippa (Flora Robson). All the other sisters seem to be suffering in some way from their stay there. Most notably, Clodagh spends nights remembering a failed relationship from before she joined the order, and Sister Ruth (Kathleen Byron) seems to be infatuated with Mr. Dean (David Farrar), the intermediary agent between the nuns and the Indian General, while also losing her grip on reality.

Through all the film, directors and co-writers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger make a point of emphasizing the impact and effect of the altitude. From the difficulties to reach the palace to its inherent isolation. Most of the more iconic shots of the film feature the nuns standing on cliffs, looking into the vast horizon, perhaps farther than they're willing to look. But their current situation has somehow forced them to look beyond their current life and work, and face things and desires they all had tried to keep repressed, hidden, and under wraps.

As the sisters slowly realize, the toll is physical, emotional, and psychological. Like Philippa, they all had things to forget; things that now come back to them. They can see too far into the past, and the past is coming back to haunt them. All of the cast excellently portrays that anxiety and uneasiness, but special praise goes to Kerr and Byron, who have the meatier roles. Kerr successfully conveys how Clodagh uses her stoicism to hide her own weaknesses, while Byron is great showing Ruth's desperation, obsession, and mental decay.

After Philippa's confession, Clodagh's advice to her was to "work hard" until she's too tired to think of anything else. I know it's a weird parallelism, but it reminded me of The Simpsons, and Marge's kinda awful advice to Lisa to take all her bad feelings and "push them down... until you're almost walking on them". It's a call for repression, instead of actually dealing with the issues at hand, which is probably what they've all been doing all their lives. But as we can see in the film, as much as you try to hide your true nature, when the chance comes to see far enough, things will undoubtedly come back to you.

Grade: 4

Thief

09-09-21, 03:47 PM

THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VÉRONIQUE
(1991, Kieślowski)
A film from the 1990s

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/resizer/Uh3wrxImERWvddU68DuadDyp_9Y=/1200x0/filters:quality(80)/arc-anglerfish-tgam-prod-tgam.s3.amazonaws.com/public/XAIEHBHXLVBWVDU564PHN7CWNE.JPG

"Not long ago, I had a strange sensation. I felt that I was alone. All of a sudden. Yet nothing had changed."

The need for belonging, intimacy, and connection is listed among the 5 levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. As social creatures, we need that sense of belonging and acceptance among our peers and loved ones. Not achieving it, can result in feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. That's the feeling that overwhelms Véronique at one moment in this beautiful Kiéslowski film.

The Double Life of Véronique follows two identical women: Weronika and Véronique (both played by Irène Jacob) who have a mysterious connection, despite living separate lives in different cities. They've never met each other or known about the other's existence, and yet, there is something that binds them.

The interesting thing is that Kiéslowski is not very interested in the the why, but rather in how that connection affects them. As the film moves through the life of both women, we see a wide array of "connective tissue" that goes from their love of music to little things like a transparent ball that both of them play with. At one point, Véronique even dreams of a "tall, slender church", which we see is close to Weronika's home.

The thing is that the slightest hint of this connection gives both characters feelings of joy when it's felt, and loneliness when it's broken. For Weronika, seeing that "other person" in the distance instills her with a sense of belonging. For Véronique, who hasn't seen Weronika, although the connection is not clear and her feelings are more confused, it is still a source of anxiety and question.

At one point, Véronique attends a puppet show at her school. But during the show, her eyes move towards the side of the stage, where a mirror allows her to get a glimpse of what's going on behind the stage; the puppeteer pulling the strings. This sight intrigues her more than what's happening on stage, and she eventually tries to reach out to this man for reasons she doesn't fully understand.

Much like Weronika, who seemed to feel reinvigorated once she saw her "double", a signal perhaps that something beyond our comprehension is going on "behind the stage", Véronique's quest to find this puppeteer is a representation of that same desire to understand that something, anything, is going on "behind the stage". That even though nothing has changed, we are not alone.

Grade: 4

Thief

09-09-21, 10:25 PM

WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
(1966, Nichols)
A film with a punctuation symbol in its title

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

Martha: "Truth and illusion, George. You don't know the difference."
George: "No, but we must carry on as though we did."

Truth and illusion. Those are qualities that accompany many marriages. We all know the stories of seemingly happy couples, only to reveal later that it was all an illusion. The truth behind it all sometimes hides abuse, lies, contempt, but also disappointment, frustration, and regrets. That is the backdrop of Mike Nichols' debut film, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

The film follows middle-aged marriage couple George (Richard Burton) and Martha (Elizabeth Taylor), as they invite a young couple at their home after a party. The evening, though, unravels from a constant parade of insults and bickering into a game of bitter fights and tragic revelations. It's important to mention that Burton and Taylor were actually married at the moment, although they would divorce 8 years later... and remarry one year after, and divorce again one year after.

When the film opens, the couple are lumbering towards their home after that party, and there's a tediousness to their exchange at first; petty arguments about a film he can't remember or just a general tiredness of one another. This is the truth; I can only imagine that what they presented at the party was the "illusion". But tired and at home already, when this young couple comes, they make no effort to hide their "truths".

For the first hour or so, I was really enjoying the fast-paced bickering and how quippy the dialogue was. I was laughing, just like their guests were laughing. But as the night progressed, you can see the conversations shift from the regular back and forth of married couples to a more pointed, deliberate, and calculated game of hurt, so to speak. The last hour was a painful and tragic sequence of hurtful decisions and machinations that you wonder if their marriage, or any marriage, could recover.

Both Burton and Taylor were simply excellent on their roles. I think I was more impressed with Burton, but Taylor was great, and she really nailed that key final monologue where the illusion is dropped, and the truth comes out. Also, George Segal and Sandy Dennis were pretty good as the young couple. It's no wonder that all four were nominated for Oscars.

My wife and I celebrate our 15 anniversary later this month. I like to think that there is no "illusion" in our relationship, and that we are, for the most part, truthful to each other. But seeing this, you realize that these "illusions" might come from the best intentions, and yet can sometimes wrap around any marriage without you even expecting it. And sometimes, the only thing to do is to carry on.

Grade: 4.5

SpelingError

09-10-21, 03:19 AM

BLACK NARCISSUS
THE DOUBLE LIFE OF VÉRONIQUE

WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

That's a great line-up.

Thief

09-10-21, 10:10 AM

I would take it back to The Incredible Shrinking Man, but yeah.

SpelingError

09-10-21, 11:58 AM

I would take it back to The Incredible Shrinking Man, but yeah.

I haven't seen that one yet, so I can't speak to its quality. I've only seen the three I included in the quote. I'll probably get to it eventually though. Takoma is another big fan of it, I believe.

Thief

09-12-21, 10:01 PM

THE SQUID AND THE WHALE
(2005, Baumbach)
A film from Noah Baumbach

https://images.amcnetworks.com/ifccenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/the_squid_and_the_whale_1280.jpg

"Mom and me versus you and Dad."

The Squid and the Whale follows Bernard and Joan (Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney), a couple of "intellectuals" whose paths have diverted lately: Bernard's career is in decline as he focus more on his work as a professor, while Joan is on the rise as she's about to publish her first book. When they decide to separate, the decision affects their two sons: Walt and Frank (Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline), in very different ways.

The above line is actually the first line in the film; said at the start of a seemingly inoffensive game of tennis between the family. But still, it captures the essence of what is the core of the film, that of rivalry and competition, as well as kids taking sides with the parents, which is what eventually happens. Who will "win"?

This is only my second Baumbach film, after Marriage Story, but the themes are obviously very similar here. The Berkman's are plagued by the illness of ego and stubbornness, as they both make little to no efforts to communicate effectively and reach common grounds.

To make it worse, they are not very discreet in regards to their private lives as they let it spill out, emotionally affecting their two sons: Bernard has an arrogant, elitist attitude where he constantly belittles other's works, while Joan has a more carefree demeanor, which eventually leads her to cheat on her husband. Both sons respectively idolize one and the other, and are seen aping the worst of them, which also leads them down the wrong paths.

Ultimately, The Squid and the Whale is a simple film about a family broken down, with a relatively simple premise. The strength is in the writing and the performances, both of which are very good. The story is set primarily from the perspective of Walt and seems to ask a question that, as the son of divorced parents, I know I consciously or unconsciously asked myself: How can I move on after my parents' divorce and become my own self?

Grade: 4

Thief

09-15-21, 03:03 PM

THE FALLING
(2014, Morley)
A film with the word "Fall" in its title

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTc2OTcxMTYyOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNjc5MzAwNTE@._V1_.jpg

"It's real to all of us. Something's seriously wrong. Why is everyone ignoring us?"

The Falling follows two friends, Abbie and Lydia (Florence Pugh and Maisie Williams), at a strict English girls' school. The two have developed what others see as an unhealthy relationship. When tragedy hits the two friends, Lydia and some of her friends start suffering from frequent fainting episodes that seem to confuse and agitate other members of the school, as well as the strict faculty.

I stumbled upon this film on VUDU while browsing for this category, and I was surprised I had never heard of it, considering it stars two relatively hot stars (Pugh after Midsommar and Little Women, Williams after Game of Thrones), but after watching it, I kinda get why it might be ignored. The film is a bit of a mess, which is a shame, cause most of its pieces are in the right place, but the story needed a bit of polishing.

The thing is that the story is all over the place. There's the "unhealthy" relationship between Abbie and Lydia, then the mysterious fainting episodes, and its effect among the classmates and the school overall. There's also some family issues at Lydia's house that are just brushed over during the first half, only to take full prominence in the second half. Finally, there is an incestuous relationship that I fail to see why it was necessary, but there it is.

Another issue with this might be the marketing. The poster and images make it seem as if it was some eerie supernatural thriller of sorts, when it is more of a slow-paced drama. Add this to all of the issues I mentioned above, and you might say there's something seriously wrong with it, which might explain why everyone is "ignoring" it.

Still, it's a surprise that the end result still ends up being relatively competent. Morley's script might be an issue, but her direction and the cinematography from Agnes Godard are pretty great. Also, all of the performances, but especially Pugh and Williams, are great. I still don't think the film had to jump through all the hoops it did to get where it ended at, but it might be worth a watch for fans of Pugh or Williams.

Grade: 2.5

Thief

09-17-21, 12:51 PM

Latest episode of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot, Episode 45, dropped and this time I'm talking TV with musician, composer, fellow podcaster and Internet friend David Rosen (from the Piecing It Together Podcast). We talk about the evolution of TV, the advent of streaming services, binging vs. weekly releases, TV adaptations, and many other things. We also close with a list of TV shows that should've/could've been films.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 45: The Television Loot (with David Rosen) (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/9201854-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-45-the-television-loot-with-david-rosen.mp3?download=true)

Spotify users can check it out here (https://open.spotify.com/episode/2cjxPp9sLkWRE7RCNBwcpq?si=xsBWhkM5T4-eWBUDbVcPxw&dl_branch=1), while Apple Podcast users can check it out here (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thiefs-monthly-movie-loot-45-the-television-loot/id1578191119?i=1000535610940).

Thief

09-18-21, 04:32 PM

GRIZZLY MAN
(2005, Herzog)
Freebie

https://www.intofilm.org/intofilm-production/scaledcropped/1096x548https%3A/s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/images.cdn.filmclub.org/film__2827-grizzly-man--hi_res-3a7c146c.jpg/film__2827-grizzly-man--hi_res-3a7c146c.jpg

"Thank you so much for letting me do this. Thank you so much for these animals, for giving me a life... I had no life... Now I have a life."

Brave, tough, committed, hero, sentimental, naïve, crazy, angry, unhinged, a dear friend... those are some of the words that some have used to describe Timothy Treadwell. A self-proclaimed environmentalist and bear enthusiast, he dedicated 13 summers of his adult life to live in isolation in the Alaskan wilderness among brown bears, while advocating for their protection. That is until he was killed by one in 2003.

Grizzly Man follows the life of Treadwell, primarily during those years. An aspiring documentary filmmaker himself, he recorded hours of footage of himself interacting with the bears, which filmmaker Werner Herzog used to assemble this film. In addition, Herzog interviews Treadwell's friends and family, as well as experts, as he chronicles the events that might've lead to his death.

This is my second Herzog documentary, and my sixth film of his overall. Although my first experience with him as a filmmaker (Rescue Dawn) wasn't that great, I've really been drawn to the other films of his I've seen, and Grizzly Man is no exception. As is usual in all his films, he takes interesting yet conflicted characters and subjects, while trying to get inside their minds; to understand what makes them tick.

In Grizzly Man, he dedicates most of the first half of the film to follow Treadwell's idealized and sentimental vision of these bears and nature overall. But as the film enters its second half, he starts digging up a bit more into Treadwell's psyche, showing a bit more of his volatility and anger. Herzog also doesn't shy away from challenging Treadwell's beliefs of "harmony in nature", instead of "chaos, hostility and murder".

There are some moments where Herzog is clearly pushing to the edge of sensationalism, "poking the bear" so to speak, particularly in regards to the recording of Treadwell's death, the finding of his remains, etc. But regardless of who we side with, he undoubtedly offers a compelling chronicle of Treadwell's life and mission, and the undeniable impact it had on himself and others.

Grade: 4

Thief

09-19-21, 12:18 PM

VERNON, FLORIDA
(1981, Morris)
Freebie

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/pv-target-images/c3844cc508155ba86d42d318f2c82e6666cef54a292f61b468f91eb6902d6e4d._RI_.jpg

"You can snatch me or Snake up... and carry us off to a place that we're not familiar with... we don't know the woods, the country. Hey, man, you're lost. You're lost. Be just like taking me out of Vernon and sending me to New York City. I mean, you just can't do nothing with 'em ... And when you go to a new part of the country... hey, man, you're lost... or I am."

Vernon, Florida is a small city in the Florida Panhandle, with a population of roughly 600-700. In the 50s and 60s, it became notorious for an unusual amount of limb loss insurance claims, earning it the nickname of "Nub City", which inspired filmmaker Errol Morris to film a documentary about the situation. However, after several death threats, Morris reworked the focus of the documentary, deciding to just feature the eccentricities of the residents instead.

Vernon, Florida, the documentary, is notable in that it features no narrative structure but rather just random interviews with several residents which include various elderly men, a turkey hunter, a pastor, and a cop, among several others. Their conversations range from everything and anything; from the crime (or lack of) in the city and turkey hunting strategies to mirages, diamonds, stars, and "sand that grows".

As it is, there's not much to say about it, but as far as slices of "small town" life goes, it is somewhat fascinating. If anyone's interested, the documentary is available on YouTube and it's roughly 50 minutes long, so fairly accessible and nothing to get lost in.

Grade: 3

Thief

09-21-21, 05:23 PM

WIND RIVER
(2017, Sheridan)
A film featuring Native American characters

http://www.austinchronicle.com/binary/e1bd/WindRiver.jpg

"You don't catch wolves looking where they might be, you look where they've been."

Wind River follows Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), a hunter for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a remote Wyoming town. During a routine hunt, he finds the raped and dead body of the daughter of a family friend in a local Indian reservation. When they bring young FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) to work the case, she enlists Lambert in the manhunt because of his hunting and tracking skills.

I hadn't heard much about Wind River, but my interest piqued when I read it was written/directed by Taylor Sheridan, who had previously done the excellent Hell or High Water. Since this seemed to be on a similar vibe, I didn't hesitate to check it out and it didn't disappoint. Certainly it isn't as good as Sheridan's previous films, but Wind River is still a neatly shot, well acted, incredibly tense film.

The film is loosely based in real-life accounts of rapes, murders, and disappearances of Indigenous women in the US. The story is pretty strong, even if the dialogue is at moments a bit clumsy. There are a couple of moments of bad expository dialogue and cringey interactions, but they are few and well scattered. What Sheridan does well is create a constant sense of oppression in these characters, which might be a result of their surroundings as well as their history and decisions.

Renner and Olsen are pretty solid. Unfortunately, her character doesn't really have an arc which makes her feel not fully realized. On the other hand, Renner has better moments to show depth and emotion, but overall treats his character as a subdued "badass", which seems a bit out of place with what seems to be his background. I would've appreciated if he would've let the vulnerability he shows in other moments to seep through all the film.

The cast is rounded up by Graham Greene, who is great as usual, if not underused, as well as some small parts by Gil Birmingham and Jon Bernthal. Overall, I enjoyed the film quite a bit, even if I would've preferred some things to be tighter and more polished.

Grade: 3.5

SpelingError

09-21-21, 06:48 PM

Fully agree with your review. It has a strong story and some tense moments (the climactic shootout is excellent, in particular), but it's weakened by Olsen's bland character and the attempts to turn Renner's character into a badass.

Thief

09-24-21, 05:30 PM

THE NINTH CONFIGURATION
(1980, Blatty)
A film with the number 9 (Nine, Ninth, etc.) in its title

https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/rh/lm/wf/up/1OHhMmMpPh0UypU4ljSDdXbq9OB-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg?k=b6229dff5e

"I don't think evil grows out of madness. I think madness grows out of evil."

For centuries, humanity has tried to make sense of the existence of "evil" in the world, especially juxtaposed against Christian beliefs. How can a "benevolent God" allow for such evil to exist and thrive? Author William Peter Blatty went further to channel that evil through what is essentially an innocent creature: a child, while also having the person who is supposed to fight against that evil, a priest, question his own beliefs in The Exorcist.

In Blatty's next book, The Ninth Configuration, he returns to the basics of questioning where evil comes from and how can we fight it. He went on to direct the film adaptation himself, his first film, which was released in 1980. The film follows Colonel Kane (Stacy Keach), a US Marine and Vietnam vet who arrives at a castle turned into a treatment facility to take over the treatment of several patients. As he gets to know his patient, he must face his own demons and the surrounding "evil" among them.

The Ninth Configuration is an interesting film for many reasons. First, other than Keach, it features a solid cast in Scott Wilson, Jason Miller, and Ed Flanders; all of which deliver worthy performances. Second, its approach to its themes is fairly introspective as characters have several lengthy exchanges about the nature of God and our purpose on this world. Sure there is a moment when the s-hit hits the fan in the last act, but for the most part, this is a contemplative, slow burn.

The film does feel like it goes a bit overboard in the last act, and it requires a bit of a suspension of disbelief, but Blatty more than makes up with the way he handles his main themes while pairing it with interesting visuals and a strong emotional core, anchored in Wilson's character, who is the patient with whom Kane bonds more strongly. Maybe Blatty does show his hand a bit too much, but for the most part, he succeeds in showing that there can be goodness in the midst of madness.

Grade: 3.5

Thief

09-28-21, 12:16 AM

Just finished watching Pacto de Fuga, a Chilean film about a real-life jailbreak. That means I already finished my challenge, a couple of days early. Still need to write my reviews on this one and Raw and then it's readying up for October (and finishing the PR HOF4, of course).

Thief

09-29-21, 04:17 PM

RAW
(2016, Ducournau)
A film with a title that starts with the letters Q or R

https://scariesthings.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/raw.jpg

"I'm sure you'll find a solution, honey."

There comes a time when the young must step away from the shadows of their parents, and try to make it on their own alone in new environments and against new challenges for them. It is normal, and expected, for them to struggle and stumble from time to time. The above quote is the advice that a parent gives his daughter at some point during the course of this film, somehow sure that his daughter will take the advice to heart, learn from the mistakes of others, and find a solution for her struggles. Whether it's the general woes of academic life, the struggles of growing up, the insecurities of discovering your own sexuality, or the realization that you're a cannibal.

Raw follows Justine (Garance Marillier), a young woman just starting at veterinary school who finds herself in the above situation. As she stumbles and tries to find her way through academic life and a days-long hazing ritual for new students, she is led through by her older sister Alexia (Ella Rumpf) who torments her, but at the same time tries to help her "survive". When Justine, a lifelong vegetarian, tastes raw meat for the first time as part of one of the hazing rituals, she starts developing a crave for flesh which she can't control, and to which she doesn't seem to find a solution.

Despite its horror leanings, Raw is, at its core, a coming-of-age film. We see Justine finding her way out of her new surroundings in college, while also discovering things like alcohol, drugs, sex, and her own cannibalistic nature, pretty much at the same time. Marillier does a great job of showing the mixture of emotions that seem to be going through her mind as her character tries to find solutions to all of the issues that her young life seem to be throwing at her.

And speaking of things "thrown at her", there's not a shortage of icky stuff here; from blood or raw kidneys to, umm, hairballs or severed fingers. This all contributes to an air of fetidness that permeates through the film. Director Julia Ducournau succeeds in creating a constantly uneasy and unsettling atmosphere; one that's full of things that are strange, foreign, and unexpected to our main character. It's just a matter of time until she either snaps against the pressure, or you know, finds a solution.

Grade: 4

Thief

09-30-21, 03:03 PM

PACTO DE FUGA
(2020, Albala)
A film from Chile

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjc4NjA4Y2MtNDQwYS00YmIzLTk0ZWYtNGRlMGEzZTc3ZmZjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDY4Mjc3Mw@@._V1_.jpg

"Will you truly feel free when you're out?"

Being in prison is probably not an easy feat. You lose your freedom, your family, your individuality, and in many cases, your life. I can only assume that it's even harder when the reasons that take you to jail are not necessarily because you committed a crime, but because you were fighting for what you thought was right at one point. How much would you fight to regain your freedom?

Pacto de Fuga is set in the late 1980s during the rule of dictator Augusto Pinochet in Chile. When a group of members of a rebel group make a failed attempt against the leader, they all end up in prison and some of them in death row. As a result, they staged a daring escape against all odds.

The film focuses primarily on two prisoners: León Vargas (Benjamín Vicuña) and Rafael Jiménez (Roberto Farías), both of which are reeling in from different types of loss in the aftermath of the attempt. There are a handful of other prisoners that are given certain prominence, but the film does a decent job handling all, but keeping the focus on the planning of the jailbreak.

Albala's direction is pretty good, with some nice camera handling and neat tricks. The performances are spotty and the script obviously tries to create some drama, not always succeeding. Some of the performances of the main antagonists, especially the district attorney that is determined to keep the people in jail is very over the top and hammy, but in some ways it works.

The film is also plagued by numerous "prison movie" clichés. Still, despite some flaws, Albala succeeds in creating tension through several setpieces, and making us care about the lead characters. Pacto de Fuga might not be an innovative film, but it's still a competently crafted one that sheds light on a noteworthy event in the history of Chile.

Grade: 3

Thief

09-30-21, 04:44 PM

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
(2010, Banksy)
Freebie

https://kpbs.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2010/11/17/12_t800.jpg

"I don't know how to play chess, but to me, life is like a game of chess."

Chess is described as a game of strategy. One that requires patience and long-term "planning" as each player positions their pieces strategically to achieve the final goal. Because of this, a lot of people find it tough to learn or follow, or consider it unrewarding because of its "long-term" focus. When amateur filmmaker and aspiring street artist Thierry Guetta compares life to a game of chess after admitting he doesn't know how to play it, well, that probably gives you an idea of his general approach to his work.

Exit Through the Gift Shop chronicles the evolution and rise of Guetta from French immigrant and small businessman to street art sensation. Directed by mysterious street artist Banksy, you can see Guetta bounce and stumble from "passion" to "obsession", and viceversa. From his obsession with carrying a camera and filming everything and his subsequent venture into the world of street art, to his obsession with meeting Banksy and his eventual desire to become a street artist himself.

This is a captivating documentary that captures the essence of what could be a madman or a genius, or both. Banksy presents both sides to Guetta's personality, starting with the way he earned the respect of street artists around the world by joining them in nocturnal escapades and daring stunts. But halfway through, he shifts to show a more worrying side of Guetta, a side that's probably more obsessed with an endgame, whatever that is, than with the craft itself.

Guetta is a captivating figure himself precisely because you can't really figure him out. At some point, some of the interviewees argue that he has possible mental issues, all while we see people from all walks of life pay thousands and millions of dollars for his stuff. As we see his crazed rise to fame, which some think disregards what street art means and stands for, another interviewer wonders "who the joke's on" or even "if there is a joke".

Ultimately, Exit Through the Gift Shop is a documentary about a man who I might say doesn't know what he's doing, but is still bold enough to play the game in order to do *something*. He might not know how to play chess, but he's still moving his pieces, hoping that they land in the right place. And as far as he's concerned, so far they have.

Grade: 4

SpelingError

09-30-21, 05:33 PM

Great documentary.

I've seen some discussion on whether this film is a real documentary or if it's actually a mockumentary, but whether the events in the doc are genuine or not isn't of much concern to me, because both alternatives would lead to compelling results. In fact, if this film is a mockumentary, you could then read Mr. Brainwash as an alter ego of Banksy.

Thief

09-30-21, 05:37 PM

kgaard

10-01-21, 12:18 PM

Here's my September:

A film with a title that starts with the letters Q or R: Rome, Open City (1945) Top-notch war drama. The Nazis had barely left before they started making movies about how awful they were. I approve!

A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #9 (i.e. 18, 480, 812): Inside Llewyn Davis (2017) (#794) Saving the cat is a time-honored screenwriter cliche, so naturaly the Coens built a movie around that. Or if you believe them, they added the cat because the movie needed a plot. (Although, accidentally stealing a cat isn't really a plot, is it?) There's some fine music in here, too. Oh, and the film is hechshered kosher for Passover, in case you were wondering.

A sci-fi film: Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Not a necessary film, but it looks great and I appreciated the reflection of some of our ****tier social values back at us. Jared Leto has never been more tolerable.

A film from Chile (Independence Day, September 18): Too Late to Die Young (2018) A coming-of-age story set in an artists' commune in late-'80s/early '90s Chile (roughly the period of transition from Pinochet's dictatorship to early democracy). Politics stay in the background, but it's easy to see the potential allegories in the bittersweet story of a girl approaching adulthood, with its mixed joys and sorrows.

A film featuring Native American characters (Native American Day, September 24): The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (2019) I've said before that one of the rewards of this challenge is discovering films I would have been unlikely to seek on my own, and here's a good example of that. Made in Canada and starring two indigenous women, this emotionally fraught story of two women whose paths cross after a domestic violence incident is simple in plot but complex in its portrayal of these women's lives. There are no easy answers here. After a brief introduction, the movie plays out in real time, meaning you sometimes have to sit with these women through laundry cycles and traffic lights, watching them wait, feeling the discomfort and awkwardness of in-between moments. Highly recommended, on Netflix.

A film with a punctuation symbol in its title (National Punctuation Day, September 24): Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020) In spite of being a teen (and theoretically in the meaty part of the target audience) when the original Bill & Ted came out, I was never a big fan. It was mostly harmless (some jokes have aged poorly) but it was a little too stupid and a little too thinly developed for me even then. But I actually like this one a bit more, for some reason. It's nothing ground-breaking, to be sure, and it is also pretty stupid, as it really should be. But it's also totally sincere, and pretty kind, and watching it felt warm and pleasant, like seeing an old friend who's turned into a nice, mellow dad.

Thief

10-01-21, 02:44 PM

kgaard

10-01-21, 02:50 PM

Nice! A couple there I've been meaning to check out (Rome, Open City, Bill and Ted Face the Music, and Inside Llewyn Davies), one that I've been meaning to rewatch (Blade Runner 2049), and the other two which I haven't heard of, but that seem quite interesting. I'll add those to my watchlist.

It was a good month! Bill & Ted is the "least" among them, but still fun, especially for fans of the first two movies.

Too Late Too Die Young is solid and has a pleasantly dreamy quality (although maybe that's just because I watched it late at night). That one is on Criterion.

But I am mostly pushing The Body Remembers... because it's the kind of film that gets underseen and it deserves a look. I only found it by googling for films with Native Americans.

Thief

10-01-21, 03:00 PM

Here is my final tally for SEPTEMBER 2021:

A film with the number 9 (Nine, Ninth, etc.) in its title: The Ninth Configuration (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2240760-the-ninth-configuration.html)
A film with a title that starts with the letters Q or R: Raw (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2241849-raw.html)
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #9 (i.e. 19, 592, 903): Black Narcissus (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2236771-black-narcissus.html) (#93)
A film from the 1990s: The Double Life of Veronique (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2237402-the-double-life-of-veronique.html)
A sci-fi film: The Incredible Shrinking Man (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2236156-the-incredible-shrinking-man.html)
A film with the word "Fall" in its title: The Falling (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2238802-the-falling.html)
A film from Noah Baumbach (born September 3): The Squid and the Whale (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2238214-the-squid-and-the-whale.html)
A film from Chile (Independence Day, September 18): Pacto de Fuga (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2242060-pacto-de-fuga.html)
A film featuring Native American characters (Native American Day, September 24): Wind River (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2240069-wind-river.html)
A film with a punctuation symbol in its title (National Punctuation Day, September 24): Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2237487-whos-afraid-of-virginia-woolf.html)

Freebies: Grizzly Man (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2239453-grizzly-man.html), Vernon, Florida (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2239549-vernon-florida.html), Exit Through the Gift Shop (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2242090-exit-through-the-gift-shop.html)

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/aNerNtCw6P1M00fgIHWL6hIWUR.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/kc8jT1MAiKM0iwdjAwC5lQrTNry.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/93VKekQFOkIyQsPzmv2gVpNLtEZ.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/oqRyO9xrNBRaxqF9pCHHgLuaATx.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/yAqvsM85b8u3nrSbDD9f7cFKQSk.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/uYf86uRM1r0w2u1q9HIibfuNwpd.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/9NbXn1NMdfGM491V3EFjZADR9SX.jpg

https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/ziao1KWNkw4X5qL7rWCSJ6lyjX9.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/pySivdR845Hom4u4T2WNkJxe6Ad.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/wF7ihB5V5gSm6zxjv3ZhHOpgREI.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/nXIV2qGK9KkdkaOTzrpK87CuAGC.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/en4Pn2owLFJCbmhNQL9NwyaChqU.jpg https://www.themoviedb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/y6HK3PeQNeNLyruwtpCmV3TWuUx.jpg

A lot of really good and great watches here. I think the one that impressed me most was Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, but that run I had (courtesy of the PR HOF4) with The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Double Life of Veronique, and Black Narcissus was really strong. And then there's also Raw, which also left an impression.

The worst first-time watch would be The Falling, which was an interesting watch, but ultimately fell too scattered and too all over the place.

Thief

10-02-21, 01:42 PM

Here are the criteria for OCTOBER 2021:

A film with the number 10 (Ten, Tenth, etc.) in its title
A film with a title that starts with the letters S or T:
A film from the Criterion Collection (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Criterion_Collection_releases) whose number includes the #10 (i.e. 10, 102, 810):
A film from the 2000s:
A thriller film:
A film about a virus (Virus Appreciation Day, October 3):
A film where a prominent character wears a hat (Mad Hatter Day, October 6):
A film with the word “Fire” in its title (Fire Prevention Day, October 9):
A film from Guillermo del Toro (born October 9):
A film from Austria (Austria National Day, October 26):

I have already plans for most of these, but I'm always open for suggestions.

Thief

10-03-21, 05:38 PM

For any "looter" here, Episode 46 of The Movie Loot just dropped. I talk about the best films I saw in September as well as some brief reviews of everything else I saw.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 46 - The September Loot (https://www.buzzsprout.com/850063/9290983-thief-s-monthly-movie-loot-46-the-september-loot.mp3?download=true)

You can also find us on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thiefs-monthly-movie-loot-46-the-september-loot/id1578191119?i=1000537401630), and although it hasn't populated yet, on Spotify, Google Podcasts, and most other podcasting platforms.

kgaard

10-03-21, 11:25 PM

A film from Austria (Austria National Day, October 26):

I have already plans for most of these, but I'm always open for suggestions.

I haven't seen it so I can't vouch for its quality, but Angst on the Criterion Channel is from Austria, and under 80 minutes.

Thief

10-03-21, 11:49 PM

I haven't seen it so I can't vouch for its quality, but Angst on the Criterion Channel is from Austria, and under 80 minutes.

I've seen Angst. Hard watch, but worth it if you can stomach it.

kgaard

10-04-21, 12:19 AM

I've seen Angst. Hard watch, but worth it if you can stomach it.

Noted, thanks. I guess it’s either this or Haneke for me. What is with Austrians and their gut-churning cinema?

Thief

10-04-21, 10:03 PM

THE VIRGIN SPRING
(1960, Bergman)
Freebie

https://amherstcinema.org/sites/default/files/styles/field_image_front/public/VirginSpring_0.jpg?itok=2nU0CpTc

"A day can start out beautifully yet end in misery."

That's the chance we take every time we wake up. We make plans and try to stick by them, but only one minor deviation can result in unexpected, or even catastrophic outcomes, and alter the course of our day dramatically. A beautiful day turned into misery. That is the situation in which the characters of this Ingmar Bergman's film find themselves.

Set in medieval Sweden, The Virgin Spring starts with Karin (Birgitta Pettersson), a young woman sent to take candles into church by her parents, Töre and Märeta (Max Von Sydow and Birgitta Valberg). But when their day turns to misery, they have to think about their response against those that caused it.

This is my 6th Bergman film, and I have to say that each film of his is a revelation in many ways. Be it for the mind-boggling and emotionally charged depth of Persona, or the striking use of colors and sounds in Cries and Whispers, or even the sexy but fun simplicity of Smiles of the Summer Night. The Virgin Spring goes for a more straightforward, raw approach, but without losing that emotional anchor of his other films.

With this film, Bergman extends one of his main themes, which is the questioning of God's purposes in the things that happen to us, and end our days in misery. But on his way to that questioning, he walks us through a valley of dread and death. It is a bit of a tough watch, as things unravel, but Bergman keeps us focused on our main characters: Töre and Märeta, and how they think, rethink, and think again of their reactions to tragedy.

All of the performances are great, with Von Sydow and Valberg having the meatier roles; but Pettersson does a pretty good job of transmitting the innocence and naïvete of a young woman starting a beautiful day, not knowing the misery that awaits her. But even though he may question, Bergman manages to reassure us that the misery and tragedy can recede, and make way for another beautiful day.

Grade: 4.5