Movie Tab II [Archive] - Page 108

Mr Minio

08-30-18, 05:22 AM

Black Rose Ascension (1975) - rating_3_5

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Naomi Tani strikes again. Wait, no bondage? WORTHLESS!!! This is a pretty kewl pink film with only two very brief sex scenes in the first two thirds, and more than usual developed plot. Then a pretty long sex scene started that gave me The Man Who Put His Will on Film vibes. Naomi is stunning as always, and the sort of willful ignorance and acceptance of humiliation on her side totally makes the film the usual Nikkatsu Romano Porno of the time. And they didn't even need ropes for that.

Three Resurrected Drunkards (1968) - rating_4

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Oshima's oneiric comedy with themes of Korean gaijin and Vietnam war. What struck me was how dream-like the film was. Its repetitious, incoherent, illogical form is surely very reminiscent of a nightmare. It's not Oshima's best, but it's still fairly poetic and I had a great time watching it!

This Is Not a Film (2011) - rating_3_5

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Well, this *makes sure no Iranian authority reads this* is a film. Jafar Panahi seems really sad he can't make films and uses every possible opportunity to create something at least a little bit film-like. All that being said, the film is quite plain and with the exception of the phenomenal final take not that great. The story surrounding it is much more interesting than the film itself (it was smuggled out of Iran in a flash drive hidden inside a cake - HOLY COW).

Belle (1973) - rating_3

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Beautiful at times, but also quite emotionless and too clinical for its own good. It's similar in style to another Delvaux film I saw The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short.

Book of Days (1989) - rating_4

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A great experimental film that pays homage to so many filmmmakers, from Kieślowski, to Parajanov, to Melies to Reggio. The music is great!

Wolf Devil Woman (1982) - rating_4_5

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Stunning Ling Chang encourages you to suspend your disbelief and just let pure magic wash over you as you watch this splendidly goofy fairy tale.

The Runner (1984) - rating_4

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A neo-realist tale of an unyielding boy running with a brick of ice that melts in the sun. Will he catch his train?

Nine Days of One Year (1961) - rating_4

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A story of a threesome of scientists becomes an excuse to ponder on man's attitude to science and obvious dangers resulting from use of powerful technologies.

The Approach of Autumn (1960) - rating_4_5

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Naruse's traits known from his romance melodramas are transfered to the world of children in this heartbreaking tale in which a little boy searches for a beetle, friendship, love.

Dialogue with a Woman Departed (1982) - rating_4

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The death of his wife makes the director Leo Hurwitz reflect on her life through the use of footage from his previous movies, war stills and a snapshot of the woman holding a sign "Make film not war".

A Long Walk (2006) - rating_4

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A strange old man seeks expiation with the help of a strange little girl with wings in a film that indeed is a horror of life.

Kaleidoscope (1999) - rating_3

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Naomi Kawase decides to observe a photographer taking stills of two girls while interacting with and annoying all three.

My Blade, My Life (1978) - rating_4

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Ling Chang shows her more serious side relentlessly cutting through flesh of her enemies to take revenge.

Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) - rating_4

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A Dr. Frankenstein type of a scientist has to face his own creation that went out of control.

The Tale of the Fox (1937) - rating_4

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A cunning fox tries to outsmart everyone and profit from his mischief in this shocking anti-fairy tale ironically released in Nazi Germany in 1937.

The Unknown Soldier’s Patent Leather Shoes (1979) - rating_4

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A Bulgarian harvest song makes now a grown-up man return to the times of yore when as a child he mooched around his village trying to understand the world of adults.

A Man and a Woman (1966) - rating_4_5

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vs.
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Two life-experienced people find each other and slowly fall in love while retrospectively revealing their past. A simple yet heartwarming melodrama is an excuse for Lelouch to show his mastery of mise en scene, montage, cinematography, creating mood. He mixes black and white with color and different palletes just like Guy Gilles will later do. He takes shots of people on the beach, of a train leaving the station, and a racing car at the pier creating gorgeous visual poetry. All of this is accompanied by soothing music that includes the famous "la la la" main theme, and seasoned with two strong performances from the leads. Lelouch, despite the fact he made a great work of art, seems to have an answer to Truffaut's question on which: life or art is more important. His answer is LIFE. This film affected me way more than I had thought. Now I want to save the cat, too! It's a beautiful statement on past and present, acceptance and refusal, and finally art and life. Additional notes: 1. Lubezki stole a shot from this for To The Wonder. 2. It has a sequel, but I'm afraid to watch it.

Iroquois

08-31-18, 09:02 AM

Pacific Rim: Uprising (Steven S. DeKnight, 2018) - 1.5

Though I liked the original well enough, this sequel never stops feeling like either a simple rehash or an active attempt to undermine everything that was good about the original.

BlacKkKlansman (Spike Lee, 2018) - 4

An effective dramatisation that weaves together a variety of tones and tactics in order to create a tale of small-town racial tension. I think I might have a new favourite film of 2018 now.

Someone To Watch Over Me (Ridley Scott, 1987) - 1.5

Ridley Scott's done his fair share of bad movies but this thriller about a married cop protecting an attractive witness is definitely a new contender for my least favourite of his, if only because everything about it from premise to execution is so incredibly pedestrian.

Saving Private Ryan (Steven Spielberg, 1998) - 4

Revisiting this for the first time in I don't know how long (at least a decade?) and it holds up even better than I expected. Easy enough to criticise for being quote-unquote patriotic, but I can tell that Spielberg isn't operating on such a simple, superficial level even as the filmmaking on display is understandably more focused on provoking visceral reactions than anything else.

Play Time (Jacques Tati, 1967) - 3

The tricky thing about assessing Play Time for me is that, while I can definitely appreciate the downright immaculate manner in which mise-en-scène is composed all throughout the film, it's in service of a comedic story that I don't find all that funny or compelling to watch. I'd definitely be willing to try it again at some point but as for now I have to say that I find the film to be a challenge.

Castle of Sand (Yos-h-i-t-aro Nomura, 1974) - 2.5

A passable police procedural that is mildly noteworthy thanks to its 1970s Japan setting and how it addresses related cultural anxieties in getting to the bottom of its central whodunit. (Also apparently the spelling of the director's name contains a censored word so...yeah).

Mirai (Mamoru Hosoda, 2018) - 2

Hosoda's latest is probably the first time I've actively disliked one of his films, if only because it revolves around an obnoxious little boy annoying the hell out of his family (when he's not having increasingly elaborate fantasies that may or may not have real-world consequences). It's a shame, then, because it's in those bursts of imagination that Hosoda and co. really get to shine even in the service of such disappointing material.

Shoah (Claude Lanzmann, 1985) - 3.5

Part of me thinks that this defies any sort of rating not just because of the subject matter but also because the staggering running time and technical execution makes it a little harder to assess by conventional standards. Even so, I still hesitate to say that I "liked" it, though that's perhaps understandable.

Tyrannosaur (Paddy Considine, 2011) - 3

A rough but effective little kitchen-sink drama that definitely gets by on the back of some powerful performances even if the material they're using has its limits.

Maximum Risk (Ringo Lam, 1996) - 2

Pretty underwhelming by JCVD standards as he plays a cop out to avenge his long-lost twin who happened to have ties to organised crime. Not enough craziness even with Ringo Lam of City on Fire and Full Contact fame directing, but not entirely lacking in the hang-dog heart that makes your average JCVD movie function.

cricket

08-31-18, 09:24 AM

August, 2018 movies watched-

Mad Love (1935) 2.5 A little ridiculous but I liked it.

The Roaring Twenties (1939) 3.5 Definitely a treat to watch Bogie and Cagney together.

The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) 3 Probably the oddest western I've seen outside of El Toro.

Red Dust (1932) 3.5- I didn't think it was great but it fired me up.

The Goddess (1934) 3.5 Very well done with an excellent lead performance.

Virtue (1932) 3.5 Less than 70 minutes long, it's a very tight movie well worth watching.

Cimarron (1931) 3+ One of the least celebrated best picture winners, but I thought it was decent.

Ninotchka (1939) 3.5- Very good romantic comedy.

Chappaquiddick (2017) 3 As a Massachusetts resident, my guess is that I enjoyed this more than most here would.

Cavalcade (1933) 2.5 Another lesser known best picture winner that was ok but not for me.

It's a Gift (1934) 3.5 W. C. Fields is hilarious.

It Happened One Night (1934) Repeat viewing 4+ The greatest romantic comedy?

Wuthering Heights (1939) 3.5 Possibly a favorite if I watch it again.

Oh, Susanna! (1936) 2.5 Gene Autry does Gene Autry.

The Last House on the Left (2009) Repeat viewing 0.5 Last time I watch this piece of crap.

The Only Son (1936) 3 Decent Ozu movie from the Ebert list.

Super Troopers 2 (2018) 2.5 It was ok but it's no Beerfest.

Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) 2.5+ Pretty average for a Ford/Fonda collaboration.

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932) Repeat viewing 4 Slight improvement over my first viewing.

The Awful Truth (1937) 3 Enjoyable screwball comedy with Cary Grant.

Dark Victory (1939) 4 A much watch if you want a melodramatic downer.

Baby Face (1933) 3.5- Barbara Stanwyck dominates as a woman who knows how to get what she wants.

Revenge (2018) 3+ Recommended for rape revenge fans.

Dillinger (1973) 3 Cool cast and plenty of shootouts.

Top Hat (1935) 3.5- Excellent as a feel good movie.

The Hurricane Heist (2018) 1 I'm surprised it wasn't direct to video.

Samurai Assassin (1965) 3.5 I didn't have the easiest time following it, but there's obviously plenty about it that's great.

The Big Trail (1930) 3 From the westerns list, I enjoyed the epic adventure part of it.

Trouble in Paradise (1932) 2.5 Nothing wrong with it that I can see, but it didn't do anything for me either.

Art of the Devil 2 (2005) 2- Thai horror that has it's twisted pleasures.

The Great Ziegfeld (1936) 2.5 A best picture winner that I thought was merely average.

The 39 Steps (1935) Repeat viewing 3.5- Top 10 Hitch for me.

The Cincinatti Kid (1965) 3.5- Should have been even better with what it had going for it.

Total August viewings-33
Total 2018 viewings-230

Camo

08-31-18, 03:12 PM

August:

281. Tokyo Tribe (Sion Sono, 2014) 2.5-
282. The Adventures of Robin Hood (Michael Curtiz, 1938) 4+
283. You Only Live Once (Fritz Lang, 1937) 3-
284. First Reformed (Paul Schrader, 2017) 4.5-
285. Captains Courageous (Victor Fleming, 1937) 3.5-
286. The Hunchback of Nortre Damme (William Dieterle, 1939) 3.5+
287. Leviathan (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2014) 3-
288. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933) 3+
289. Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979) 4
290. Footlight Parade (Lloyd Bacon, 1933) 2.5
291. Imitation of Life (John M. Stahl, 1933) 4-
292. Deadpool 2 (David Leitch, 2018) 2-
293. Ballad of a Soldier (Grigoriy Chukhray, 1959) 3.5
294. The Black Cat (Edgar G. Ulmer, 1934) 1.5
295. M (Fritz Lang, 1931) 5
296. Baby Face (Alfred E. Green, 1933) 3
297. The Only Son (Yasujiro Ozu, 1936) 4.5-
298. Paranoid Park (Gus Van Sant, 2007) 3
299. Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back (D.A Pennebaker, 1967) 4
300. Avengers: Infinity War (Joe & Anthony Russo, 2018) 1.5-
301. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974) 4
302. The Times of Harvey Milk (Rob Epstein, 1984) 3.5
303. Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky, 2010) 3
304. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (F.W Murnau, 1927) 4.5
305. Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018) 3
306. The Slumber Party Massacre (Amy Holden Jones, 1982) 2.5-
307. Winter Light (Ingmar Bergman, 1963) 3.5+
308. Phoenix Forgotten (Justin Barber, 2017) 1.5
309. Won't You Be My Neighbour (Morgan Neville, 2018) 4+
310. Summer of 84 (Simard, Whissell & Whissell, 2018) 2
311. Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008) 3.5
312. The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1928) 5
313. Assault On Precinct 13 (John Carpenter, 1976) 4+

August Watches: 33
2018 Watches: 313

Red = Rewatch.

aronisred

09-01-18, 08:47 PM

Thief

4

A Lone shark ex-convict and a career thief is forced to collaborate with someone on a big payout heist.

This is one of the early Michael Mann movies and its kinda shocking to think that a director who has been in the zone for over 2 decades from thief to collateral somehow went off rails in the last decade. This movie kinda gives the idea of where Michael Mann got his style from. He was somehow able to smuggle the 80s neo-noir nightlife style of film-making into the millennium. That's one of the reasons why this movie has its best parts set during night. Actual stuff happens at night in this movie. James Caan was cast in this movie partly because of the godfather. He carried some of his persona from that movie into this. The only difference is in this movie he is in the world of mostly methodical people. He is the loose canon. But in Godfather he comes off as a light weight because he is all bark where as others are much more dangerous than him.

I watched it back to back with french connection. This movie is comparable to Oscar winning french connection. One is made by this newbie called Michael Mann and the other is by Oscar winner William fried-kin. That's a testament to Michael Mann's directorial skill. Its so strong. The ending sort of made me give this movie 4 rating instead of 3. The movie is much more a character piece than a heist movie. The director is much more interested in character study than the heist part. There is a subtle undertone of anti-establishment in this movie. Having grown up in a foster home Caan lives a life of misery. Once he got out the only way to make a living with a decent life is to be a criminal and that puts him at odds with cops.All this is inferred as opposed to shown. Thats' the brilliancy of Mann and Caan. They say so much through the characterization of this role than exposition. His toughness feels authentic. In normal society there are always those people who keeps pushing the boundaries of societal rules. They get into road rages or fight people in public places but their acts are not so criminal that they get them into jail but nonetheless they push and move through life with a bigger personality than most other people. In the presence of a stranger you always have many options. You can strike up a conversation or keep to yourself or you can be direct and do much more than just talk. All those are direct results of your personality. The movie captures that sub conscious tough guys in the society. The people who make their own destiny with out waiting for others.

Michael Mann movies can sometimes feel sexist. The female roles in his movies feel tied down to family or be stereotypical bad-ass characters or supporting the men. I am not sure if thats' because he is telling a male story or his inherent desire to just focus on male characters. That's the problem we have right now. We don't need more female actresses or diverse actors in-front of camera. We already have them. All we need are the female and POC directors that are comparable to a Spielberg or Nolan or Tarantino or Scorsese. Directors with strong voices that can attract large group of audience. No amount of Oscar nominations is going to change that. Lady bird got Oscar nominations but no one is influenced by the movie other than film critics. Ladybird should be able to influence wider public and have a unique directorial tone other than that of every coming of age movie ever made. More female directors Kathryn Bigelow is what we want. We need directors with a style. Hurt Locker , zero dark thirty and Detroit has same directorial flair. You can't force Nolan or Mann or any of the legends to make a female-centric movie. They make what they can make.

One of the things about the reception of James Caan's performances as opposed to Gene Hackman's gives us an insight into the way Hollywood looks at an actor and performance in a movie. When these movies came out in their respective careers James Caan was an established and slightly famous actor and someone who looks super macho even before he opened his mouth. Gene Hackman on the other hand was a very lesser known character actor who is tough only if he opens his mouth but otherwise he looks like an average man. That's an actor 6000 industry veteran oscar voters can get behind. They are not gonna get behind someone who is macho and a star unless they humble themselves with a performance that's unlike them. Because actors who have the skill set needed to be a leading man and have been in some high quality movies are gifted at something inherently. So rewarding for your gift is like giving two gifts at a time. You need to be able to show them some skill set you have developed and not something you are gifted with. That forms a major part of how actors are rewarded. Ryan Gosling is the same in every movie. But he is just lucky to be having the looks of a leading man and being famous and that automatically forces movies studios to cast him as a lead in those movies. Being famous can be of different types. You can be famous for being funny, being in romantic comedies, being action hero, being a star who is internet famous, being a good looking dude in serious movies. If you stay long enough in that arena without caving into commercial pressures of business you will eventually be cast in those Oscar movies because financiers are going to spend money on a movie only if some star is in it. So the industry treatment of performances from Caan and Hackman in a way is appropriate because I can't imagine Gene Hackman being a badass until I see the French connection. But one look at James Caan and I can see him being badass. Thats his natural gift and he can't be rewarded for that.

The ending 10 minutes of this movie is awesome. Through out the movie we know that the life of this guy , rich as it is , is like a house of cards. Any small chunk in his armor could bring everything crashing down. Cops are breathing down his neck either to take a cut it in loot or nail him when caught. So all this forces him to be as careful as possible. But he knows the rough side of life having been an ex convict. As the movie builds we see him becoming a family man but towards the end we realize his collaboration on a robbery will bring it all down. So the actions taken by our protagonist after he realizes that he is stuck and can't get out clean are very in line with his character. It would have been interesting to see him after the movie ends in thief 2 because the movie ends in a very interesting way. Most times characters behave differently when stuff hits the fan but this movie's lead is exactly who he is at all times. He is a straight shooter and the movie proves that. Its a very 80s noir type movie.

Mr Minio

09-02-18, 03:54 PM

Heavy Metal (1981) - 3

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That neo-noir beginning was very promising, but the movie quickly loses its countenance and collapses under its own anthology film formula. The obese American teenager reads a comic book style with mindlessly naked females - necessarily skinny but with giant breasts - and dumbed down premise are real nails to the coffin of this film. Still, it's entertaining.

La symphonie pastorale (1946) - 3.5

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Michele Morgan really shines here, and even though it's not Port of Shadows, it's a very pleasant melodrama that avoids cheap moralising and sentimentalism. That ending. :O

Fahrenheit 451 (1966) - 3.5

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Yet again a pleasant Truffaut film. Yet again light years behind Godard. A moving ending!

Pays barbare [Barbaric Land] (2013) - 3.5

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One of Angela Ricci Lucchi & Yervant Gianikian weakest, mainly because it uses narration that breaks any and every attempt at successful contemplation.

贊先生與找錢華 [Warriors Two] (1978) - 4

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Wow, this is almost non-stop wonderfully choreographed fights! Some of the bad guys look really intimidating and they actually do kill some of the secondary characters, so it's quite scary watching these fights, because all characters are likable. The comedy bits are pretty kewl, too.

Freaked (1993) - 3

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I can't believe I rated it so high. It's just pathetic, BUT it's still entertaining and I laughed a couple of times. Ugh, I mean, it tries to deconstruct the monster movie genre and functions as a meta-commentary... F*ck it. I just thought it was okay.

孔雀王子 [The Peacock King] (1989) - 4

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Decided to watch this wonderful oddball flick from HK, and of course I'm not disappointed! Two monks use magic to fight the King of Hell, and one of them falls in love with the Virgin of Hell played by Gloria Yip who is a top notch waifu material! Is there anything more you can want from a movie? It also has bloody dinosaurs, claymation (?), Ken Ogata's special performance, some trademark HK humor, and that beauty of a feel good ending. Not a masterwerk, but quite a werk, ya JERK! GET REKT.

聊齋艷譚 [Erotic Ghost Story] (1990) - 4.5

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Think a cheap erotic cash in on Chinese Ghost Story directed by Lam Nai-choi (who also directed Story of Ricky, the aforementioned The Peacock King as well as a handful of other gr8 flicks) with 10/10 naked Asian chicks having sex. BUT it's not just that, because the film keeps the INCREDIBLE ATMOSPHERE and Taoist CRAZINESS of the CGS series! The intro is already a masterpiece of humor, in which a group of bandits is lured by hot vixen to have sex, but then the ladies turn into rotten skeletons, and those poor guys have to run away, but one of them can't break the skeleton's hug. Haha, oh man. Then you have those sensual sex scenes, and I mean Amy Yip is a legend, and that other lady is fine, too, but the Japanese JAV actress import Hitomi Kudo really goes for it with not just a full frontal, but, get it, an uncensored spread legs shot! Of course, the good ole sexy time ends when, SPOILER, that innocent scholar turns out to be some hell freak,and he turns into a four-headed monster going ape-sheet crazy!!! I FEEL STRONG ASTRAL VIBRATIONS FROM ANDROMEDA GALAXY! F*ck, I haven't been so excited by a film (and I'm not even talking sexually) ever since Sex and Zen II's finale. Good Lord, this has two sequels. Can't wait.

PS: Hitomi Kudo's pussy shot > Tarkovsky

That's the truth.

灭门惨案之弱杀 [Red to Kill] (1994) - 4

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Jesus Christ, this is the worst bad taste hysterical film I've ever seen! The fact that girl is mentally handicapped and gets raped is so wrong, and this guy is just so BATSHEET crazy. That finale, oh my God, that finale! No doubt one of the best movie nights I've ever had!

杏っ子 [Little Peach] (1958) - 4

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A new day and let's take it easy this time. A Naruse film! Yet another film that exposes the stupidity of arranged marriages, in which the girl has to decide whether or not she's gonna marry a guy only after having met him once. The ending is quite annoying, but played on a happy note almost like an Ozu, or something. Yep, swallow your pride, girl, you have to suffer, because Japan is a patriarchal society. Hopefully she ditches that a-hole. Kyoko Kagawa deserves better.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - 3.5

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Seconds is the true American masterpiece if there ever was one, but this one was a let-down. Don't get me wrong, it's still a pretty good film, but it was surely predictable, and just all-around good, but not great.

aronisred

09-03-18, 05:42 AM

Identity

4

A group of strangers are stuck at an isolated motel in the middle of pouring rain.

The movie starts with a court case hearing at an unusual time. Its raining outside and the case involves pleading insanity for a defendant about to be hanged the next day. Apparently the defense found a previously undisclosed diary of victim which solidifies the case for the insanity plea with the prisoner suffering from multiple personality disorder and belongs in a hospital and not be hanged.While everything is being put together during this case proceedings a parallel story takes place.

We find that a family of 3 involves in an accident and the mother is badly wounded, so they end up at a motel in pouring rain. They are accompanied by the passengers of the car that hit them and it contains an actress and her driver, our protagonist John Cusack. They are eventually joined by a hooker and a pair of young lovers. There is no way to communicate with the outside world from this motel due to phone line issues because of heavy rain. So they are basically stuck there. The little boy of the family having witnessed his mother in an accident is still in shock and little withdrawn. After a while they are joined by a cop and a convict that is being taken some place. So we as audience fill in the dots this prisoner is the same on in our court case shown at the beginning. Moreover since its raining in both storylines we know its the same night. From then on, one by one they are picked and killed in gruesome manner. The rest have to figure out who is doing this before everyone gets killed forms the narrative thrust of the movie.

James Mangold is not particularly an auteur in the exact sense of the word. He is more of a competent and effective director than anything. He delivers on the promise of a script. His filmography doesn't have a stinker. Girl Interrupted , walk the line , identity , 3:10 to yuma , knight and day, wolverine, Kate & Leopold and Logan. All are good to great movies. One thing you can count on his movies is that they are not boring. They always have one or other thing going on in them and they have good pace. Even his most derided movies like knight and day is still a spin on spy movies. The concept of a world class spy swooping in and saving the day for damsel in distress is turned on its head and was made more as a parody. That's the reason I am excited for his Ford V Ferrari movie. Because his track record proves that he is competent. It much more important to be competent than be an auteur unlike Terrence Malick.

One of my favorite things about James Mangold is the minor ways he tweaks the script or plays around with the narrative and setting of the movie so that it has the most impact and feel different. You see, great movies always have certain ambiguity to them. Certain things that can't be explained or reasoned with but the overall plot of the movie makes sense. Its those ambiguities that leave audience asking for more or craving the movie you just saw because there is something more there that you can't get enough of but you want. For example in Logan, there is certain Noir feel to the movie. In the opening scene the blue neon lighting over the limousine and Logan, in the fight he cuts a metal rod and the sparkles of metal from the edges of the iron rod that's cut makes the whole thing look great. Those are directorial choices. It's not some script writer telling what to do. Even the Las Vegas they show in the movie is very different from Las Vegas in many movies. Its very dusty and cloudy. You just see the opening of the casino. The setting of the family massacre is the same thing. Its dark with street lights amidst corn fields. So getting back to Identity,this movie even though its set in a motel has a very layered layout. We are never aware of the layout of the hotel. We know its multi compartmental. Its not a chain of rooms. That adds to the suspense in the movie. The way characters are connected. The communication between them is interesting. After half way through the movie we realize that the prisoner the lawyers and judge are expecting and the prisoner at the motel are completely different people. But director has tricked us into thinking its the same by using rain in both cases. Thats a very clever directorial choice and very minor choice.

Spoiler
After the reveal that the whole motel setting is taking place in the mind of the prisoner who is suffering from multiple personalties and all the guests at the motel are different personalties of the prisoner. You can try to put together the purpose of each personality. It would have been a much more accessible film if the roles represent some form of grief stage of the character. But James Mangold doesn't want that. He wants the storyline at the motel to feel like a "whose done it" - style of murder mystery at the same time ramping up to supernatural thriller. Thats a James Mangold spin. His movie always stick to formula but, they put a spin on the formula. You can still see the foundations of the formula in the movie. But the structure above the foundation is nothing like a conventional movie.

Negatives about the movie is the twist and some character's behavior and motivation. However it becomes clear why characters feel 2 dimensional because its all in his mind and all of them are serving his narrative. In an auto pilot mode his mind keeps playing this massacre over and over again. But with the intervention of medicines his mind becomes much more aware of this multiple personalities and tries to identify the one causing the prisoner to behave like a serial killer in real life. I think the movie is much more meta physical than sci-fi. That sort of effected its chances at box office from being a block buster although it was a hit. If the movie included some sort of equipment that is plugged in or out so that the prisoner is in his mind or outside then that would be sci-fi but this movie is meta physical and so, audience are either in or out early on in the movie. The reveal that the personalty that is making him do the crimes is that of the little boy in the family may have been interesting but the shots of the kid making an angry face and walking around in montages kinda looked silly. However you look at it the kid looks silly. One of the metaphors for the kid being the personality responsible for criminal behavior can be attributed to his own troubled child hood and that means the origin of this criminal is his own self and not some imaginary character he created. His self wants to murder and the other characters he created are just spectators.

But all things aside the interesting things that sets it apart from generic psychological thrillers are because of James Mangold. Ordinary directors would have made a bland thriller with this premise. But James Mangold improved its quality a lot. Addition of rain in both storylines , inclusion of cop escorting convict in the motel storyline, the dense compartmental structure of the rooms in the motel etc. All these are minor tweaks to the script but nonetheless that ended being the secret sauce for this movie. Its a good movie.

Iroquois

09-03-18, 05:54 AM

Nanook of the North (Robert Flaherty, 1922) - 3

A very...educational experience (even knowing how much of it was staged and fictionalised) about Inuit life that's strangely artful in its perfunctory execution.

Blue Thunder (John Badham, 1983) - 2

More than a little disappointed by this tale about police helicopters that does admittedly have a decent 'Nam-vet throughline for Roy Scheider's protagonist and at least one nice and explosive set-piece.

Yoga Hosers (Kevin Smith, 2016) - 1

Considering how I've more or less hated Smith's work over the past decade and Tusk in particular, I was surprised at how I didn't totally hate this Tusk spin-off despite its many obnoxious elements (vapid teenage protagonists leading an irritating cast of characters, aggressively simple sense of humour, questionable attempts at actual horror).

Pom Poko (Isao Takahata, 1994) - 3

Takahata and Ghibli deliver an environmentalist tract rooted in Japanese mythology that centres around sapient, shape-shifting raccoons using what powers they possess to fight off encroaching land developers. It's a curious little film that pulls in a variety of directions without ever seeming to work as a whole but its various bits and pieces are always entertaining enough to carry said whole.

Romancing the Stone (Robert Zemeckis, 1984) - 1.5

A fairly boring excuse for an adventure movie that's ostensibly bolstered by the...romance that gives it what sense of personality it does have, but little to actually make it particularly worthwhile.

The Devil Wears Prada (David Frankel, 2006) - 1.5

A comedy about an aspiring journalist who takes an unlikely job at a high-end fashion magazine that results in a tiresome experience with little to actually hold onto.

Stolen Kisses (François Truffaut, 1968) - 3

Finally getting around to watching the rest of the Antoine Doinel movies (though skipping the "Antoine and Colette" short for practical reasons) and this one, while obviously a significant step down from The 400 Blows, still has an okay narrative in which Antoine gets into zany situations during his tenure with a private detective agency.

Bed and Board (François Truffaut, 1970) - 2

Diminishing returns set in big-time with the next Doinel movie that is all about him struggling to cope with married life - however, that doesn't prove a strong enough hook to make this particular chapter work.

The Double Life of Veronique (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1991) - 3.5

A strange little film that adds a sense of magical realism to Kieślowski's established matter-of-fact style with its tale of near-identical doppelgangers and how one affects the other. In many ways a dense film that can't totally be deciphered on a single viewing and one that aims for (and successfully achieves) a sensory experience that replicates its protagonists' inherently internal journeys.

Love on the Run (François Truffaut, 1979) - 1.5

The final Doinel film ends up being the weakest of them all as it ends up playing like a greatest-hits clip show that is better when it's referencing earlier parts of Doinel's life in comparison to his current life than it is at actually weaving together something new. The real question is whether or not any of these sequels retroactively ruin The 400 Blows for me.

thracian dawg

09-03-18, 04:02 PM

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017 (https://www.imdb.com/year/2017/?ref_=tt_ov_inf)) - Gilroy
You are here for the acting. Washington dumps his usual, charismatic leading man persona and plays a socially awkward lawyer with a touch of Asperger's syndrome. Fighting the good fight all those years—he wore his lack of visible success like a badge of integrity. When the great (the erudite, public face of this two man law firm) man passes away; Roman J. goes from making 500 dollars a week to making 500 dollars an hour. Needless to say, the tin star of integrity doesn’t go well with a thousand dollar suit.

My son, My son, what have ye done? (2009) - Herzog
This is another one of Herzog’s mockumentaries played as a straight drama. The tale of a man slowly slipping into madness—anything bizarre in the film is taken directly from the court transcripts of the case. From the interviews, we can see him clearly latching onto random events and mystifying these experiences. The worst hit of fate was getting the lead in a grisly Greek tragedy, which of course, he incorporates into his delirium. There is a nice buried idea here about myths coming alive in real life.

Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018) - McQuarrie
The emotional connections the two unfortunate women have with the lead are the glue that holds this stunt film together; he only lives to go off stunting. A perfect example of the cardboard construction would be the nuclear exchange scene. Arguably, if the villains were thinking straight, two bullets to the back of the head would be the only way to go. Story over. They win! Instead they opt for the more difficult thing, shooting past them and liquidating the other gang with four simultaneous kill shots; then they create an elaborate diversion to tippy toe over and grab the three MacGuffins and vanish like thieves in the night. Shooting them in the head, while their backs were turned would have been the simplest solution—for the second time! The film refers to the botched exchange later in the film and is less about needling the stuntman about his incompetence and more as a passive-aggressive aside reminding the audience as evil henchmen, they are contractually obligated to be completely brain dead.

Heart of Midnight (1993) - Chapman
A kind of a cheesy, horror film where an emotionally fragile young woman inherits an old vaudeville theater and begins renovating it and turning it into some jazzy nightclub, taking her first (do or die) steps in the big bad world. A troubled ghost roaming the hallways and making things go bump in the night may come from the venue’s last incarnation, when it was an underground sex-club.

Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) - Litvak
An invalid heiress uses her psychosomatic illness to control the people around her (she bounces around perfectly in the bed when she is preoccupied) but has to remember to get into character and grab her crutches when she climbs out of it. Her husband’s debts in this talky Film Noir have become so massive he opts for her life insurance as the answer to all his financial problems. When the walls begin to close in, it’s kind of evocative she could simply jump up and skedaddle at any time. This was blown-up from a 30 minute radio play.

Irina Palm (2005) - Garbarski
Her dying grandson gets a last chance on life when he is offered an experimental treatment in Australia free of charge. The only hitch is this working class family has to raise the money themselves for the airplane tickets and the hotels. A middle aged widow, with no employment history needs desperately to find a job in order to save her grandson’s life. The film oscillates between a “gripping” drama and a black comedy.

Hemel ( 2012) - Polak
This Father and daughter are super intimate. He has been a serial dater since high school and falls head over heels in love for the first time late in his life. The emotional stuff was their exclusive thing and when all this goes to some bimbo, this causes a serious rift in their relationship. It’s kind of funny that if he had had a son; there would be no drama here. A hungry lion cutting a large swath through club land wouldn’t be as interesting as a ravenous lioness on the stalk. She is essentially a carbon copy of her father.

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

One Week (1920) - Keaton & Cline
Buster gets a pre-fab, do it yourself home kit as a wedding gift from his uncle in this 25 minute short. A sore loser re-numbers some of the crates as a last act of revenge on him, resulting in a great, lop-sided contraption of a house. This was Keaton’s second film in the can, although first one to be released after having graduating from being Fatty Arbuckle’s side kick. Buster’s screen persona is fully formed from the beginning; the great stone face; the inventive visual gags; and his stunts-—done with precise mathematical calculations and obvious physical danger.

The Damned don’t Cry (1950) - Sherman
A kind of re-telling of the Bugsy Siegal story (he started Las Vegas) refitted with the meaty part going to Joan Crawford. She claws her way up from tragic poverty. She holds tight to the arm of her current business partner, trashing his opponents, bucking her man up, pointing him towards the scams, then casting them aside after each step up the social ladder. Only to realize at the end, that there is a price to be paid for always taking the easy money.

Three Identical Strangers (2018) - Wardle
A nature vs nurture experiment with human guinea pigs with the CIA holding the purse strings in the shadows—who else would fund this nut-bag research? The two best characters have bit parts in the film; the two intellectually superior eggheads. In one scene, Brainiac puts his hands behind his head and leans back in his chair and blows hard about how totally clueless the parents were. He could never simply tell them how damaging certain behaviors were for their children or point them to the path to better parenting. He was merely paid to observe the folly. The other scientist who knew about the experiment from the water cooler talk in the office has a trophy table in her condo crowded with vanity photographs to remind herself daily of her importance: she simply spills the beans, the study won’t be released until after all the participants have croaked.

Leave no Trace (2018) - Granik
The film concentrates on a young woman’s coming of age; interacting with the strange outside world that she has no real contact with, but also no fear of. After being told that honey bee stings are rare, there is a nice shot of her grabbing a handful and letting them dance around on her hand. Her curiosity ranges everywhere. Her father is on an opposite tack. He is shutting down emotionally and beginning to push her away in subtle ways. He can no longer hitch hike on the highways. She has to function as a go-between and convince the truckers he is harmless enough for him to be even allowed inside the cab. We get a foreshadow of the title of the film, he has to be mobile in the PTSD forest and one day a minor slip will be the death of him.

BlacKkKlansman (2018) - Lee
The best thing in the film were the asides to the audience during the story drawing the direct comparisons to contemporary politics, although if you weren’t paying attention during the entire film, the director spells everything out for the audience in the epilogue. There is a nice moment when he goes undercover at the radical meeting, and you can see his mind boggling: in what parallel universe is this talk construed as violent extremism? And how in hell is he going to make a mountain out of this wee molehill to his superiors?

The Last Suit (2017) - Solarz
His daughters are about to sell off his home out from under him and ship this retired tailor and Tarsus (his pet name for his bum leg) off to the old folk’s home. Seeing the end is near, he decides to make a run for it—flying solo from Argentina to his hometown in Europe to keep a sacred promise he made 70 years ago. Being frail and close to 90 years old, he is not going to complete this odyssey by himself and needs a whole host of accomplices willing to help him achieve his goal, especially when the trip begins to throw beanballs at him.

A touch of Spring (2017) - Xiaodan He
This is an open ended character study of a Chinese immigrant returning home after ten years for a visit. In this large, extended clan (a reunion takes up an entire room in a community center), she is known simply as Auntie Canada (not that she has anything nasty to say against Justin Trudeau land) Best scene is when she meets the black (she has abandoned the care of her daughter to her mother) sheep of the family at a café and she decides puts on a little mascara and a leather jacket. The camera then pans to not to the unlucky girl but herself sitting opposite her. The great success story and the tale of misfortune and unhappiness in the family are mirror images of one other. When she returns to home after the trip, she simply starts cleaning up the mess in her life.

Puzzle (2018) - Turtletaub
This is an introspective film about a housewife discovering passion in the form of jigsaw puzzles. This slowly enlarges and bursts the narrow perimeters of her life forcing all the people around her grow with her changes or be left behind. Her puzzle mentor believes everything happens completely at random with no rhyme or reason and his great love of puzzles comes from the moment when the last piece fits and everything comes becomes serene and ordered for a brief moment.

12 and Holding (2005) - Cuesta
A single blind spot in their parenting could be doing irreparable damage to three children as the parents (who know best) impose their own agenda’s onto them with the kids resisting these mistakes with varying degrees of success and failure. Strangely, these children seem to be much more perceptive at seeing the world around them than the adults, but that is not going to spare some of them from tragedy.

The Son of Joseph (2016) - Green
The film has a very specific tone. There is a great wooden, theatrical delivery of the lines. At times, the actors look into or address directly the camera. A mother has always told her son that he has no father, and he has never given this a second thought until now: now he sets out to find why his father abandoned him. There is a hidden humour that would be laugh out loud hilarious in any other film. One of his school mates offers him a dream job; one which most teen-aged boys would kill to have. The man he is searching for may be a card carrying, dyed-in-the-wool Satanist. Although the film uses Christian mythology, one could go with the profane interpretation of the film, that of a young man seeking not “the holy father”, but “a” father figure to help him maturate into adulthood.

★★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***%C2%BD)

Longford (2006) - Hooper
This is a nice mediation on redemption. The waiting room of forgiveness is filled with jay-walkers where forgiveness is merely a rote gesture and sprinkle of water, but what if someone truly wicked entered that room and took a number for the next flight to heaven: would they be forgiven for their heinous crimes? Elder statesman Longford has visited prisoners all his life as part of his faith. There’s wonderful acting in this subtle mouse and cat game of Longford coaxing a prisoner towards spirituality, and a completely damaged human being latching onto whatever options she has and exploiting them. The first time we see the Medusa, she sits with her back to the main room so the lip readers the tabloids have sent in can’t decipher her conversation. She is going to be hounded to her grave. As Longford heads off on another one of his crusades; he is an easy target for the reactionary press playing to the mob, but the film reminds us that moral principles are always held up by a unbreakable backbone of steel.

Oasis (2002) - Chang-dong Lee
The star-crossed couple here are equally matched in their disabilities; she has Cerebral palsy and he is an ex-con with a distinctive lack of cognition—he is a menace to himself and everyone around him simply because he is incapable of thinking things all the way through. There is a formidable obstacle in the film in the depiction of the abuse and exploitation of the disabled— totally at the mercy of their caretakers. If you can power over that hurdle, you may find a film that has a few moments of magic realism, poetry and beauty.

aronisred

09-03-18, 07:24 PM

Alien: Covenant

1

A colonizing space ship is forced to take a detour on the way to their destination after they intercepted a familiar signal.

Okay, let's get this right off the bat, this is one of, if not the dumbest movie I have ever seen. If you refer my review for Avatar you can see that I used a certain point to highlight the brilliance of James Cameron. I noted that the visual brilliance of the movie blows the plot line out of water and forces audience to just look at experience and not be bogged down by plot points.Nowhere in the review have I used the word dumb to refer to avatar. But this movie just might hold the record for most use of the word dumb to refer to a movie.

The movie starts with an accident on a space ship due to electric flair from space that destroy its power source. Some crew members die in the process including its captain. For some dumb reason the team consists of married couples.Then a very interesting interpersonal crew dynamic takes place. The second in command tries to assume role of captain at the same time he is consoling his team for its loss. From the looks of it we realize that the actual captain is young and gifted and talented where as the second in command who is assuming the position now is much more of a veteran and his experience is what has got him the position. So due to that reason I didn't mind when he said he wasn't the captain because corporation didn't want a man of religion to assume the role of captain but for some reason he was given vice captain position ? Don't they know in the event something like this happens the very man whom they didn't want to be captain will be captain ? But thats an acceptable level of stupidity even if its in a masterpiece . What happens next started ringing alarms that there is something seriously wrong with this movie. The crew comes across a signal which is basically a song called West Virginia. You might assume thats cool but this is studio meddling. They wanted the movie to feel familiar to audience so there has to be some famous song so that audience can feel at ease. Then this forces the new captain to make his move to assume command , so to prove whose the boss he decides to inspect the planet and see if its ideal for colonization. Usually I can understand that a newly minted captain needs to have that one situation where he has to make a controversial decision and prove his naysayers wrong. So his team starts trusting him. But even for that this is a pretty dumb decision to change the course of a thoroughly researched expedition to an entirely new planet. Nonetheless thank god, they just take a pod to the planet and not the whole space ship to inspect it first. Which is not beyond the realm of possibility for a movie as dumb as this. But the straw that broke the camel's back for me is the moment they exit the space ship onto the brand new planet with no helmets masks on. I understand that their technology is astronomically advanced that they can determine its atmosphere even before landing but even then, this is the dumbest move ever.

But after few hours of venturing into the planet two of their teammates are infected by an airborne parasite. One from each team that was split earlier. Sine one of them is closer to the pod than the the other they reach it first. At this point the infected one is spitting blood and with no quarantine the two "astronauts" carry him bleeding all over the pod into a medical room. Thats a new level of stupid this movie has reached by this point. None of them behave like astronauts. They behave like crew members in a supermarket. One of the crew member , after her face was blasted with blood realizes to quarantine the other two. By this point she has more blood on her face than the teammate of the infected one who brought him in. So the actions by these two dumb astronauts are baffling. The one in quarantine witnesses the birth of an alien creature which is a mix of a dormant airborne parasite and human species. When it comes out a lot of blood is on the floor and both the woman in the room who gets killed by the alien and the other woman who quarantines them and later decides to open the room and shoot the alien trip on the same pool of blood. Any rational human being sitting in the audience should be extremely pissed off at the movie by now. If you are not then I seriously doubt your tastes in movies. The second astronaut crawls and trips through the pod and shoots in every direction ultimately blasting the whole pod. Its such a frustrating and dumb decision by Ridley Scott.

After the remaining crew deals with the alien birthed by the other infected teammate on their way to the pod in the fields outside the location where the pod has landed they are rescued by android from prometheus who is this planet all by himself for a decade or more. Of course I wouldn't doubt their decision to follow this humanoid into his safe house as I can understand following this guy who just saved them. But by doing this they fell from frying pan into oven. It doesn't take them long to realize that their rescuer is not their friend but he has some pretty evil plans in store for them. So after some people getting killed and after the revelation that it was not engineers that invented the face huggers but the android who researched with the body of the scientist and developed a face hugger, the captain is attacked by it and births the xenomorph. The rest of the crew use another pod (thank god for not landing the whole space ship) to come rescue this team, they were able to rescue just 3 people the female lead, the guy saved from the attack by face hugger and the android that they brought on board . Even the decision of the rest of the crew to literally park the space ship in alien atmosphere to eject the pod into the planet to rescue was a dumb decision. This happened because of the family bonds between these dumb astronauts that forces them to think emotionally as opposed to logically. When they are able to kill off the xenomorph that attaches itself to the pod by using a crane in a very dumb fight set piece, they go back to the space ship. When in space ship, for some dumb reason they didn't quarantine the second guy whose face was burnt off by the space hugger , the guy births a second xenomorph and luckily with a very short action scene they blast it off into space.

In the end through an all to familiar , formulaic ,dumb, frustrating twist that has been set up in the most ham fisted conventional way possible ,we are revealed that the android on board was not the android from space ship but the android that has been on this planet forever aka the evil android. Its able to preserve the face huggers embryo in its throat and spits them out to save it in the storage unit.

So, Ridley Scott came to the 2015/16 oscars season with a movie called the martian. Its a feel good warm movie about human spirit and how different countries must come together for common good. Its backed by 20th century fox and its a fall movie. So they campaigned the hell out of that movie and got it some golden globe and sag nominations. When it came to the oscars Ridley Scott was not given a director nomination. This outraged some people but not me. I knew exactly why he did not get one. He is a director who is extremely dependent on the script. If it is bad he can't make it good. Most importantly he doesn't know how to choose a truly great script. He can't wait for great scripts to come along and wants to churn out movies year after year. He prides himself in making movies in different genres but the problem is his result is same as someone like Spielberg if he decides to do movies in different genres. Only difference is Spielberg is much more choosy and is confident and aware of his ability. Ridley Scott seemingly has none of that. He has no plan or any awareness about the quality of end product.Due to that you can't say Ridley Scott's niche is being able to make movies in different genres because great directors of his age range can make movies in different genres just as good if not better than him. So broadly it almost feels like he is nothing more than someone who can make even big budget movies on time and under budget. Studios love that.He was just lucky to have made movies from alien and blade runner scripts and they turned out that well. And oscars are not given for lucky directors. Someone like PTA or Tarantino or even Scorsese are with their scripts the whole way and make sure the movies work. Ridley Scott on the other hand, given his experience still makes movies like an amateur in terms of the end result. He doesn't know what works and what doesn't. All he can do is please studios so that they give him more scripts to make movies. His movies are more like a very good new comer movies than a work of master filmmaker. Thats problem because he has not spent enough time with the scripts and his own skillset to realize whats his niche. He is the perfect example of jack of all trades and master of none. This movie is a clear example of that. How dumb do you have to be to make a movie like this without seeing this giant plot holes that I can drive a truck through. Ridley Scott didn't just produce this garbage he directed it. This movie alone warrants him to not get a single Oscar nomination for the rest of his life. After all these decades of experience , this is the movie you want to make ?

Giant plot points in this movie are so ridiculous and dumb. Ridley Scott is either loosing his mind with age or he just want to make financially successful movie. He seems to have a problem in choosing between quality and quantity. There is no sense of quarantine , logic, common sense to characters,creativity in story telling, passion and directorial vision behind this movie.One more thing that pissed me off that I thought was beneath the level of a director like Ridley Scott is that early on in the movie among the crew there was female astronaut who is hotter than the rest of the women. Usually in a b-grade movie there will be a sex scene involving the hottest woman among the cast. Just to satisfy the audience. I didn't really think they were gonna do that in this movie but they do it. They take the hottest woman among the crew and give her a nude scene in the shower.That felt so cheap and below the level this movie should aspire to be. Only redeeming quality about this movie is the way it looks.He just shot the movie in exotic locations and made it look decent for the most part. There are visuals in this movie that take place during a storm or at night time that is pretty impressive to look at. Some of them are very unique to this movie. A civilization in ruins is captured pretty well. What the android from prometheus did to the engineers is pretty evil yet satisfying. But the negatives and stupidity of the movie overwhelmingly outweighs any positives it has.

Iroquois

09-04-18, 03:27 AM

oh hell no

aronisred

09-04-18, 11:13 AM

oh hell no

you didn't not like covenant ? I thought it was horrible

Iroquois

09-04-18, 11:15 AM

It might well be one of my 10 favourite films of 2017.

aronisred

09-07-18, 02:46 PM

Black Sea

3.5

After a shipping company lays off most of its submarine workers , they get a tip about a world war 2 treasure in a sunken sea vessel. Due to its geographical location the ship sunk in conflict waters and that prevented it from being discovered. So a highly valuable treasure is sitting at the bottom of black sea.

Jude Law is someone who is talented. He is good looking but not a movie star material. Movie star has to be relatable. That's the key thing for someone to be able to bring in the audience to movie theaters.The actor should not look and feel like he is superior. Most actors with blue eyes that are major movie stars feel normal using their acting skills. Paul Newman is the best example. Just his looks make him feel like a superior human. But in movies like sundance kid or sting he is playing this semi-loser or washed up character that suits him very well. DiCaprio does it by over emoting and acting desperate. Imagine this scenario, a person is sitting on a train and a brad Pitt looking person comes and sits near him. Most peoples' initial thought would be this guy has good genetics. It is with that initial assumption any conversation starts. Different people react differently to this first impression. Most people don't care but at the same time they don't put him on a pedestal just because he is good looking. Some people react hostile because they hate at how gifted he is. The only way for someone like that to please all these people is if he has desperation for approval. People can see through someone if he/she is seeking their approval. So the unique thing about blonde or blue eyed movie stars is that their behavior in movies or roles they take tells them this guys are trying to please audience or seeking their approval on a artistic level but their genetic says otherwise. Their genetics say they are extremely good looking than average humans. So this weird and interesting contradiction between what their genetics say and what they perform is the key element to movie stardom. That takes talent.
Most actors have one or the other. Very few have both. Character actors can perform but they lack genetics. Model-esque actors have that superior genetics but their performances are not desperate enough to convince audience that they are relatable. So they just end up feeling smug or try hard. Jude Law is just shy of achieving both. His skill couldn't overcome his genes.Nonetheless he became a character actor with lead roles in between in movies that are cable watches. So, this movie is a cable watch.

This seems inspired by Sorcerer. But there is only so much you can do without nitro glycerin. The characters in Sorcerer couldn't fight among each other because they are all on a common mission and the product they are transporting is more dangerous than them. But the characters in this movie doesn't mind fighting for petty reasons. Director tries to include a loose canon character amidst these men to stir up fight but its not believable. However, when you make a movie about treasure hunt and under water there is a checklist the movie should have. The key things involved and necessary are under water sequences, the uncertainty of going into water and mysterious/dangerous nature of treasure itself. The reason treasure hunt has to involve danger and mystery is because its one of those things everyone wants. But for some reason no one could get a hold of it. That means its unreachable or involves risk. All these inevitably makes a treasure hunt dangerous. Source for desperation for lead characters in sorcerer is poverty by evading law. Here its just poverty.

As the movie started given its profile, I mean a low profile studio with Jude law as the star , I thought this will be a very low budget movie with most of the shots in a set build in 2 or 3 rooms that looks like interior of a submarine. But even though its lower in budget the director somehow captures the scope needed for the movie. The movie takes place in 3 main locations. On land, which mostly takes place near the houses of these workers, in submarine and underwater close to sea bed. The director was able to capture the size of this submarine by showing different locations in the submarine.Even the underwater sequences felt like another planet. That was impressive . The locations of houses of the workers and rich people are well depicted. They even shot the outsides of a submarine. So all these made the movie not look grand. The underwater sequences felt rich and the other ship where they have to fetch the treasure from is eerie and creepy. At last but not the least the performances were good.

The key component of this movie is the conflict between these characters. The director wanted to convey that in situations when desperate men are forced to do desperate things to survive and especially in this case they are looking at a scenario that can turn their life from poverty to being super rich, the people involved are the main problem and not the outside circumstances. Its like a guy winning a lottery. He is not used to such large amounts of money. So he is the demon of his own creation. To some extent that works. These guys are expert divers and submarine crew. Believability of their journey to underwater is 100%. However as I eluded to earlier, the conflict is hard to buy into. Characters fully aware that their lives depend on this thing going as planned would not behave so recklessly. In the end that's what hurts the movie badly. I mean that's the main antagonist of this story. The conflict between these characters is petty as opposed to greed driven. Greed is not petty but ego is petty. Director has done a pretty poor job of dealing with that aspect. I mean he has done a horrible job.

However the saving grace for this movie that prevented it from going off rails is , the twist in the third act and the ending. Both are clever.The twist in the third act involves, realizing that their whole journey has been a set up by their old corporation to get the gold out and arrest these men. The political ramifications involved in getting the gold themselves forced them to con these workers to get it for them. The reveal felt completely believable. For a while there I felt the opportunity was too good to be true and it even felt unreal when there was actual gold there. But once the con was revealed it felt probable. Corporations tend to do that. It also answers the question as to why a rep for the corporation is among them. Even the end for our protagonist felt justified. Its one of the most famous plot points in a treasure hunt movie. When you get all the treasure you want there is no where to use it or take it with you aka there is not exit route. Its like going into a bank with a gun and going into the safe. You can get there with enough planning but there is no way to get out with all the money you were able to get to. Same with no country for old men. When you have such large sum of money there is no way someone is not gonna be after you. The movie sort of conveys that information. All the money Jude Law could ever want is before him. But he can't take it with him. There is a dialogue along the line of "I can't go back poor". It felt earned.

All in all its an absorbing cable watch.You get the motivation of characters. You get the sense that they are in fact inside a submarine and they are in danger. And underwater sequences feel believable.

Captain Spaulding

09-07-18, 07:21 PM

August Tab

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The Public Enemy (William A. Wellman, 1931) 3.5
Picture Snatcher (Lloyd Bacon, 1933) 3
Dames (Ray Enright & Busby Berkeley, 1934) 3.5
Death Wish (Eli Roth, 2018) 2
I Was Born, But . . . (Yasujiro Ozu, 1932) 3
Suzy (George Fitzmaurice, 1936) 3.5
Dark Victory (Edmund Goulding, 1939) 4
Rampage (Brad Peyton, 2018) 1

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Shanghai Express (Josef von Sternbeg, 1932) 2.5
All the Real Girls (David Gordon Green, 2003) 2.5
Bad Ass (Craig Moss, 2012) 3
Blonde Crazy (Roy Del Ruth, 1931) 3
The Year of Living Dangerously (Peter Weir, 1982) 3.5
Tomb Raider (Roar Uthaug, 2018) 3
The Song of Bernadette (Henry King, 1943) 3.5
Shot Caller (Ric Roman Waugh, 2017) 2.5

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Ninotchka (Ernst Lubitsch, 1939) 4
Day of the Outlaw (Andre DeToth, 1959) 3.5
Band of the Hand (Paul Michael Glaser, 1986) 3
Ricochet (Russell Mulcahy, 1991) 3
Mandingo (Richard Fleischer, 1975) 4.5
Father of the Year (Tyler Spindel, 2018) 1
Thoroughbreds (Cory Finley, 2017) 3
Crime School (Lewis Seiler, 1938) 3

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I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (Park Chan-wook, 2006) 3
Frisco Jenny (William A. Wellman, 1932) 2.5
Wild Boys of the Road (William A. Wellman, 1933) 3.5
Bushwick (Jonathan Milott & Cary Murnion, 2017) 2
Cabin in the Cotton (Michael Curtiz, 1932) 3
Hold Your Man (Sam Wood, 1933) 3
Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin, 1971) 2.5
Blockers (Kay Cannon, 2018) 2.5

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Seconds (John Frankenheimer, 1966) 3.5
Heroes for Sale (William A. Wellman, 1933) 2.5
The Negotiator (F. Gary Gray, 1998) 3 [REWATCH]
Riffraff (J. Walter Ruben, 1936) 2
The Thin Man (W.S. Van Dyke, 1934) 3
Zatoichi and the Doomed Man (Kazuo Mori, 1965) 3
Certain Women (Kelly Reichardt, 2016) 2.5
Straight Outta Compton (F. Gary Gray, 2015) 3

Monthly Total: 40
Yearly Total: 359

Thoughts on Some of the Films:

Is the 30's considered the greatest decade for musicals? If not, it should be. Between the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers team-ups and the incredible Busby Berkeley choreography in films like Footlight Parade, Gold Diggers of 1933, and 42nd Street, I've been smitten with 30's musicals, and I don't even consider myself a fan of the genre. Dames is another musical that will likely place somewhere on my 30's ballot. The script takes a lot of obvious jabs at the oncoming prudishness of the Hays Code. The humor's a bit too broad, but amusing nonetheless. Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler seem to be paired up in all these Berkeley musicals, but they're wonderful together and share better chemistry than real-life married couples. As usual, though, it's Joan Blondell that steals every scene (as well as my heart). As with Footlight Parade, the elaborate musical numbers are piled on top of one another in the last act. The most memorable number for me was "The Girl at the Ironing Board," in which Blondell folds and dances with underwear (but unfortunately not in her underwear).

Dark Victory is one of the finest melodramas I've seen. This level of blatant emotional manipulation would typically turn me off, but the script is so strong and Bette Davis so captivating that I willingly allowed myself to be put through the emotional wringer. It's obvious for the majority of the movie that you're careening toward an unescapably tragic ending, but I still worried that Hollywood would intervene with a miracle cure and a forced happily-ever-after. Luckily that wasn't the case, and I found myself fighting the lump in my throat as Bette Davis milks every tear-jerking second. It was also a pleasure to see Bogart flaunt his masculinity in front of Davis.

Tomb Raider put me in mind of the action-adventure blockbusters that Hollywood doesn't seem to make as often anymore, at least not by my idea of the genre. Alicia Vikander is a great fit for the character. It's obvious that she put herself through quite the rigid training regimen to prepare herself for the physicality of the role. She's a total bad-ass, running through the jungle and shooting people with arrows and looking sexy as hell while doing it. There are a few great set pieces. The sequence involving the dilapidated plane is edge-of-your-seat stuff. I wanted to like the movie more than I did, but the two-dimensional side-characters, the terrible dialogue, and the recycled plot hinder the movie from being more than passable popcorn fare. Definitely interested in future installments as long as Vikander is the star.

Maybe I'm giving Billy Wilder too much credit, since he's one of four names to receive a writing credit, but I definitely felt like his contributions (or at least what I perceived to be his contributions) to the script -- namely his trademark witty dialogue, most notable in the brilliant back-and-forth banter between Garbo and Melvyn Douglas -- is the biggest reason why Ninotchka is such a success. I doubt Soviets were pleased with the film upon its release, and the suddenness with which the Russian characters fall in love with capitalism invites easy criticism, but as someone who has washed his hands of politics, I'm personally glad that the politics of the film are simple-minded. Garbo and Douglas are both very charming in their roles. The three Russian emissaries made me laugh every time they were on screen. When the setting switches to Russia, the film loses a bit of steam, but not enough to prevent Ninotchka from being a delightful romantic-comedy with an incredible script.

Roger Ebert gave Mandingo zero stars and called it "racist trash." Judging by the reactions I've seen online, the majority of people seem to share his opinion. Not me. Mandingo is the best first-time viewing I've had this year. I think it's the most powerful, sobering, unflinching portrayal of slavery that I've seen on film. It illustrates the dehumanizing treatment of slaves in the rawest, most graphic detail. I think the reason for the disconnect and scorn from most audiences is because Mandingo is an unabashed exploitation film. Think Gone with the Wind if directed by Jack Hill. It's unapologetically trashy, sleazy, sordid, disturbing, violent, and it revels in the nastiness of its characters and their actions. This isn't your typical Oscar bait that is sanitized for the masses, presenting the horrors of the past in a safe way that doesn't make audiences too uncomfortable. This sh*t is ugly. The colors are washed out. The plantation is decaying and full of weeds. There are no "white saviors" to be found -- only vile, racist, white trash. Slavery delivered via exploitation instead of prestige might not sit well with a lot of people, but what better way to portray the exploitation of an entire race than through an exploitation film, where good taste and morals don't abide. There's incest, infanticide, rape. Slaves as soulless sexual puppets. Slaves as soulless pawns forced to fight to the death for the amusement of white owners. Slaves as footstools for rheumatism. Slaves as soup. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think this film is damn close to being a masterpiece. It's the most f**ked-up film I've seen about our most f**ked-up time period.

Given its reputation, I was pretty disappointed with The Thin Man. The celebrated chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy is indeed the highlight, but they don't share as much screen time as I expected. I wanted to see Loy sleuthing around with her husband instead of just making him drinks the whole movie. Powell was amusing but a bit too hammy. The banter was often clever without being particularly funny. The murder mystery wasn't compelling. Loved the dog and the dinner scene at the end. Good but underwhelming. I liked it enough that I'll likely seek out the sequels someday, but not in time for the 30's deadline.

cricket

09-07-18, 07:27 PM

I loved Billy Jack and Band of the Hand back in the day.

With you on Dark Victory, and Mandingo added to watchlist.

Joel

09-07-18, 07:39 PM

Black Sea

3.5

Jude Law is someone who is talented. He is good looking but not a movie star material. Movie star has to be relatable. That's the key thing for someone to be able to bring in the audience to movie theaters.The actor should not look and feel like he is superior. Most actors with blue eyes that are major movie stars feel normal using their acting skills. Paul Newman is the best example. Just his looks make him feel like a superior human. But in movies like sundance kid or sting he is playing this semi-loser or washed up character that suits him very well. DiCaprio does it by over emoting and acting desperate. Imagine this scenario, a person is sitting on a train and a brad Pitt looking person comes and sits near him. Most peoples' initial thought would be this guy has good genetics. It is with that initial assumption any conversation starts. Different people react differently to this first impression. Most people don't care but at the same time they don't put him on a pedestal just because he is good looking. Some people react hostile because they hate at how gifted he is. The only way for someone like that to please all these people is if he has desperation for approval. People can see through someone if he/she is seeking their approval. So the unique thing about blonde or blue eyed movie stars is that their behavior in movies or roles they take tells them this guys are trying to please audience or seeking their approval on a artistic level but their genetic says otherwise. Their genetics say they are extremely good looking than average humans. So this weird and interesting contradiction between what their genetics say and what they perform is the key element to movie stardom. That takes talent.
Most actors have one or the other. Very few have both. Character actors can perform but they lack genetics. Model-esque actors have that superior genetics but their performances are not desperate enough to convince audience that they are relatable. So they just end up feeling smug or try hard. Jude Law is just shy of achieving both. His skill couldn't overcome his genes.Nonetheless he became a character actor with lead roles in between in movies that are cable watches. So, this movie is a cable watch.

I find your observations interesting but I also have to confess that they are very intricate and long winded, and would prefer them to be shorter. That's just my snotty editorial perspective talking. I agree that genetics/desperation play a big part in relatablity for a movie star. Brad Pitt in Se7en was the thing or me. His slight speech impediment mixed with his "due at court" attire made me think of stanky Armani cologne and a cattle-like physicality that only slightly distracted from the story at hand.

It's a tough balance.

aronisred

09-07-18, 10:50 PM

The Mummy Returns

3

With the year of scorpion king about to begin disciples of the mummy are hell bent on raising him from the dead so he can beat the scorpion king and take all his power and in turn rule the earth. Its up-to our hero to send them both back to the underworld.

The first movie was very simple. A love story that ends tragically and once a lover is woken up from the dead, he tries to take over the world and bring his lover back to life in the process. Our protagonist kills him and send him back to the underworld. There is tragic lover story in it. The protagonist of the movie is also very interesting. Brandon Fraser for a while there felt like he was gonna give Tom Cruise/Brad Pitt a run for their money. Because he had that movie star charisma oozing out of the screen. I love movies where in they give strong enough background to a badass character explaining his origins. The problem with not having enough realistic background is that it all falls on the movie star image and a few generations after the movie is released the audience can't really explain why a character is badass because they have no relationship to the movie star. Unless he is someone that transcends generations like Marlon Brando. Even the movie itself feels light and weak when watching as we are forced to assume why he is so badass or to not bother altogether.

The lead is an army captain whose troops abandoned their posts to venture into Egypt during world war to search for treasure. That in of itself is a movie story. You can make a whole movie about how regiments of soldiers abandon their posts in search of gold and venture into Egypt. This is what I call world building. You don't have to explain the whole thing, you just need proper hints at events that enhance the strength of narrative. That makes us believe that this guy is skilled enough to be a captain and he know this place very well. Thats a badass character right there. But this movie kind of makes us forget about the badass. Because they made him a father. Even his hair style in first one is kind of longer and messy. But in this movie its much more groomed and orderly. That takes the treasure hunting badass feature out of his character. Then they introduce a kid. Who surprisingly is not that annoying. He is much more of a Macguffin. They improve the badass character of his wife. All this kinda emasculates the lead. Luckily his brother is much more helpful as he is the same guy from previous movie.

The movie is very episodic going from set piece to set piece. The main awakening is of Scorpion king. Since its his year, he has this huge army that awakens with him and a prologue covers their background. Cleverly they sort of gave a mini awakening to Mummy as well. There is an engaging set piece action scene in the movie. It takes place on streets of London. The fights are character oriented. Then there is a fight scene in their house. Then there is a set piece involving an air balloon. A set piece involving a dense forest. The final two front battle, battle with the army of Anubis in desert and a three-way battle between the mummy, our lead and scorpion king. The problem with the final fight scene is that the mummy has been revealed to be a coward if all the powers are taken away from him. Which defeats the purpose. Moreover his lover who has been resurrected into some woman who is a lookalike to his actual lover also is in it for the power and once he has no power and asks her for help abandons. So the directors decision to show that our lead and his love are superior to that of the mummy backfired on the overall quality of the movie.

The first one has a good mix of adventure and campiness. But in this movie the campiness took over the movie for the worse. Set pieces are very CGI heavy and feels dated. But its a fun popcorn movie.

Chypmunk

09-08-18, 05:17 AM

August Tab
I really need make a concerted effort to try and fit more of the bigger name 30s song n dance affairs in before the countdown closes. Also thanks for the reminder that thus far Ninotchka and Dark Victory have eluded me and it looks like I might have to try and find a copy of Suzy somewhere.

Shame you didn't like I Was Born But ... a little more but at least from the rating it was far from a total bust - and glad to see a somewhat positive rating for I'm A Cyborg which is offbeat but mostly enjoyable imo. Shame about The Thin Man too but I always say it would be a boring world if we all had exactly the same taste.

Don't think I've ever watched Mandingo, only know if it by reputation, will have to try and seek that one out at some point.

Iroquois

09-09-18, 10:05 AM

He Died With A Felafel In His Hand (Richard Lowenstein, 2001) - 2

An Australian film about an aspiring writer who drifts between sharehouses filled with eccentric individuals. Very much a one-note film that tries to add an artistically-minded patina to some rather broad observational humour that's chock-full of cultural cringe to boot, but at the same time I can't deny that it's...relatable.

A Short Film About Killing (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1988) - 3.5

I really should seek out the entire Decalogue at some point, but in the meantime I'll settle for this film that really does earn one of my favoured descriptive catch-phrases of "lean and mean" in showcasing murder at its most soul-crushingly mundane.

The Killing Fields (Roland Joffé, 1984) - 3.5

A straightforward but reasonably well-told and effective (not to mention well-shot) dramatisation of one Cambodian citizen's attempts to survive the uprising of the Khmer Rouge in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (Hayao Miyazaki, 1979) - 3.5

An early Miyazaki feature about the eponymous gentleman thief (though gentleman is stretching it) carrying out his next high-stakes heist and the shenanigans that ensue. Endearingly rough compared to Miyazaki's later work, especially in how it just focuses on telling a simple and episodic story that's fun above all else.

Talk to Her (Pedro Almodòvar, 2002) - 4

I've always found Almodòvar a dependably solid filmmaker and this drama centred around two coma patients and the people who care about them certainly hasn't given me any reason to doubt his abilities even when it veers into zanier territory.

The Breaker Upperers (Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami, 2018) - 1.5

A Kiwi comedy about two best friends who get hired to break up relationships, often by faking pregnancies or missing persons reports. Unfortunately, this promising setup never actually makes good on its potential and just results in a series of painfully broad vignettes.

Metropolis (FritzLang, 1927) - 4

I can't tell if my previous viewing was of an incomplete version or if I really didn't remember as much of this movie as I thought (or possibly both), but in any case this was a worthwhile revisit. I think it's held back from true greatness because its subtext hasn't aged all that well despite its best intentions, but there's no denying how well its epic sense of craftsmanship holds up almost a century later.

The Birth of a Nation (D.W. Griffith, 1915) - 0.5

Ehhh, I'm going to have to come down on the side that considers the overtly racist aspects of this film to be severe enough to undermine it as a whole, especially when I wasn't getting that much out of it in the first place. Even the ways in which it earns its well-worn "groundbreaking technique" platitudes weren't exactly making its wartime melodrama any more palatable anyway. Oh, well, at least I've seen it now, I guess.

Camera Buff (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1976) - 4

Kieślowski's tale of a humble family man whose acquisition of a movie camera ends up shaking his life up for better and for worse proved much more fascinating than I could have ever expected. It touches upon and examines a variety of subjects, many of them political in nature, without ever losing focus on the various internal and external conflicts that involve the flawed but sympathetic protagonist - that it manages to treat his newfound hobby as a strange mix of admirable mission and cautionary tale is a testament to its craft and complexity.

The Fabulous World of Jules Verne (Karel Zeman, 1958) - 3.5

Less a direct adaptation of any Verne stories than a semi-original pastiche of the same, it's nonetheless astounding on a visual level to see the ways in which live-action humans and multiple types of animation intermingle to tell a larger-than-life (if fundamentally light) tale of two scientists being kidnapped by ruthless pirates.

aronisred

09-09-18, 11:41 PM

The Snowman

2

An alcoholic detective pursues a serial killer in Oslo, Norway who kill during snowy nights.

I don't think this movie is as bad as its reviews says. The movie takes places in Norway. It stars Michael Fassbender in the role of a straight detective in pursuit of a serial killer. For audience convenience the filmmakers chose to americanize it and make all characters speak in english. The plot basically involves catching the murderer of pregnant women.

Serial killer genre is something thats done to death. Any movie that deals with it follows more or less a structure. You either hide the killer and the audience know about him along with the protagonists or you show them in parallel with the investigation. So you either hide the killer like in Seven or show him early on like in Silence of the Lambs. Very rarely does a serial killer movie transcends the genre its in like American Psycho which becomes much more of a character study of materialism. Many acclaimed TV shows also do the same thing. In the past decade or so they have much more focused on setting up the tone and atmosphere of the locations. So that the audience aren't relaxing when the narrative is not in certain locations. David Fincher is the master of this genre in modern cinema. So the lessons to take from him are these. There has to be a perverse element to the killer and killings. You can't make the serial killer a person with some understandable social code of logic. Then it becomes an action movie. We don't want that. We want creepy. And then another one is the movie can't just be a slow burn. There has to be a break in the case. You can't make audience wait till the end to give some kind of reveal. It is not going to work because no matter how shocking the reveal of the killer is it is not going to work for most of the audience. So the movie need to have action set pieces in between th keep audience engaged with a smooth thru line. A chase where they loose the guy or someone else who is connected to the killer. A movie that doesn't have these 2 things nailed down will loose with critics or audience or both.

This movie is one of those movies that could be a movie fans' wet dream. If you are a fan of some movie stars you would say something like "oh, I wanna see Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the same movie" or "A Quentin Tarantino movie starring christian bale". But the problem with these ideas is that they are good on paper but its only when the writer/director truly thinks its right, these ideas are going to work. This movie is one such thing. We see a budding movie star in Michael Fassbender and all his acclaimed movie roles to that point are either anti heroes or supporting characters for the most part, so his fans want him as a straight up lead and a character that they can follow. This movie has that and one of the tropes of thrillers/serial killer movies that is not done in Hollywood is the Nordic treatment. Most of these Scandinavian countries are extremely chilly and you can make a chilly thriller in that environment. You could throw someone in an ice lake in those countries and no one will find the body for months. Funny thing about facial features of the general public living there is that they have a certain amount of creepiness to how they look. They have a weird looking face. So its almost scary for audience to look at these people in normal circumstances let alone in horror situations. So we have a beloved acclaimed actor in a fairly suitable snowy environment for a serial killer movie.

The movie has a lot of problems. It goes for the complex route and couldn't put the pieces together. The director was not able to shoot enough material to fit all the puzzles of the movie. Its more that the director didn't know what the key scenes are. He shot unnecessary scenes and left out key scenes. In serial killer movies I always thought one of the ways you can make the killer even more threatening is if the movie can somehow cover a previous investigator thats' on the case and got killed by the killer. That makes our main protagonist the second guy taking a crack at the case. I always thought that would be an interesting take. I have seen it done in psychological thrillers and action movies but not in straight up serial killer movies. This movie tries that with Val Kilmer in a minor role. He brings surprising amount of charisma to the role. With the very limited screen time given to his role, you can still imagine him being a capable investigator doing his stuff. However thats undermined by how his character exits the case. One of the ideal ways to do is to make our lead loose his way in the investigation and somehow by going through the notes of the investigation left off by the previous investigator he is able to view it from a different angle and find his footing back again. So it takes two different investigators to figure out who the serial killer is. True Detective season 1 sort of played with that. Even though its not two different investigative teams, the show deals with a case that is decades old. This adds weight and depth and the natural complexity to a mystery. But there is a disconnect between the two investigations. I can see the effort put forth by filmmaker but it just didn't gel.

The movie has a female investigator who I think is behaving much more realistically than a traditional investigator with the past she has would behave. She behaves in shades and layers. But the unsatisfying and poorly made choices makes her whole character a little worthless. Her character in the end didn't feel worth considering. The crux of the problem with her character is that, she is basically in the movie to provide some information unintentionally to our lead. But that information should already be given to him if he is the one assigned to this case. So her whole character is pointless because in the end she doesn't get to avenge. So the movie introduced a character with no satisfying conclusion and even her conclusion doesn't give any inspiration to our lead. A movie like Live and Die in LA has a scene where our lead gets shot in the face and his partner sort of chases and kills our villain. Thats a very shocking thing for audience to see at the time but the partner is so involved with the case until that point that the moment our lead gets killed , his death gives certain forward momentum to his partner so that the moment he finally kills the antagonist you can feel this compound sigh of relief that he killed for himself and his partner, our lead. But this movie doesn't have that because the female investigator is following her own plan that it too far and away to connect to the investigation and our lead. They did try and include political undertones with olympics as a backdrop for the timeline but that isn't much of an impact to the story at all.

Finally the reveal. Most the times the reveal of the killer has to pack a punch. Its hard to do that. Seven is the only movie which hid its killer till the end to reveal him and worked. Since Kevin Spacey is so great of an actor he was able to sell it. You need a star for roles like that. You can't get some character actor for that. The reveal in this movie didn't work. One of the things movies like these and TV shows for the most part do is, they make the killer some character we know but will never doubt. This doesn't really work and even for a master filmmaker like David Fincher this type of revelation is the weakest part of girl with the dragon tattoo. So, the only way is to make the killer integral part to story and someone who benefits from the death of killers or one of the more vague suspects of the murders. It can't be some guy in the story who is not a suspect or who is in no way related to the investigation. I mean how convenient is it for the killer to be that close to our protagonist. What are the odds of that. The movie has the right atmosphere for.a story called snowman but the script and direction is so bland and incompetent that it sort of reduced the effect of the production design. This movie once again proves that no matter how great of an actor you are , filmmaking is a directors' medium and actors are slaves to the directors. Thats exactly the reason why someone like DiCaprio is taking 4 yr breaks. He knows that no matter what movies come out there will not be a Tarantino movie coming out until he says okay to a Tarantino movie. All this sort of plays into the choices by actors. This movie has been criticized for feeling bland , derivative and paint by numbers and I kinda feel that as well. This in a way sort of forced Fassbender to take a break from making movies and start racing cars. Because he is at the position in his career where he is not a character actor anymore. He is a lead and scripts wouldn't be offered to him unless all the top guys pass up. That means he is never gonna get a great role. So he is stuck in this place. Bombs are bad news for actors. Because it puts a stink on their careers.

aronisred

09-10-18, 11:37 PM

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

3.5

A woman initiates a chain of events that effects the lives of few people in a small mid west town.

This is it. This is the perfect package that many film going , blockbuster loving crowd call a Oscar bait movie. It doesn't get better than this , well may be kings speech but this comes close. So what's up with all the hatred that these kind of movies invoke as opposed to something like mad max fury road or get out ? There are three layers of movies based on their reception. You have the out and out blockbusters like the dark knight or titanic or avatar. Those will be remembered for decades and centuries by audience. Then you have the "awards" movie aka prestige movies. The way these kind of movies get made is by studios taking considerable risk financially. There is lot of uncertainty going into these movies. If the risk pays off then the rewards are high. The problem is there are genuinely some movies like that. Their quality alone will force studios to spend millions in campaign to get awards attention and for the most part they do get the attention. But some movies will sneak into this prestige filmmaking category with ulterior motivations. They include a vanity crowd pleasing project by a movie star to increase his star power. So the movie kind of plays to audience but in the end it is not a great movie. Its just a well made decent movie that can trick layman into thinking that the movie is great. These are the worst kind of movies and most of the times they are produced by major studios in Hollywood. These are not some independent studios trying to make movies. The main reason these movies exist is because studios are not taking risk in the first place with movies like these. They know that the star power or the story of the movie will make them profit. So all they do is, wait for the layman crowd to praise the movie and then use that as fuel to propel the movie into getting some awards attention. And add to that the invisible foot soldiers of the studio that are mixed with unbiased interviewers to create this illusion that the movie is much better than it actually is. So, if you can factor in how those kind of movies get into Oscar race then trust me, you will not hate the so called Oscar bait movies so much. Same with Logan. It was a very good movie. But the praise it earned is not just during the course of one movie. Its a praise that has been built up for lot of years of movies with that character. So there is a little bit of cheating going on there. But as Ethan Hawke so wisely put it - "big business wants you to think that these movies are great because they want as much money and acclaim as they can get". This line is so very true. The same big business he refers to in that line is also the same one that wants a movie like argo to win best picture. I mean who cares about argo any longer ? Django Unchained is much much more memorable than argo.

As I write this review there is a movie which fits the bill of a fake prestige movie being propped up by major studio. That would be, A star is born. Toronto Film Festival just wrapping up in the news and this movie is being hyped up as not just a crowd pleaser but an "awards contender". Thats where my problem is. Because this movie is basically Bradley Cooper trying to do his best impression of a DiCaprio movie. But Bradley Cooper is not talented to get auteur legends to direct him , so he took a break to make this movie. I mean, come on its a very nice narrative isn't it ? actor took 3 years of his career in his prime to learn to sing and direct and made this movie that is not just a great movie but a masterpiece and will be remembered for ages. Thats a nice narrative to get to oscars. But the problem is most of the times the movie will not be great. It will just be a crowd pleasing okay movie but the big business wants you to think its better than it actually is. Share holders want that. They want a movie to make money and be considered an instant classic. But it's not. If you go through this ringer and still think you are more likely to be angry at a movie like three billboards then you are beyond help.

Three billboards has some very good elements in it. Mainly, its not a slow burn. Its forward momentum is achieved through conflict. The way some characters depart the story is very shocking yet kinda interesting to see a filmmaking being so dynamic in his directorial decisions. I don't want to talk about race element in the movie because its been covered enough. But the environment and setting of this story is very realistic in the way the story takes place. Towns like these can have stories like these. Culture of the town is very interesting. Most of these mid western towns and counties have their own justice system which is very racially biased. Unless a heinous crime is commited and it becomes national news they keep it with in the community. Thats inter weaved through the storyline. Cops are angry for reasons other than law enforcement. Their anger stems from other motivations and causes. Livelihood of these people is depicted subtly. The protagonists is on the edge of being a caricature. But she is not really acting. The recognition the lead actress aka Fraces Mcdormand got has much more to do with circumstances surrounding her character than her performance itself. But she will take it. So all in all , this movie is surprisingly fast paced and twisty for a so-called Oscar bait movie. But trust me, there are other far more vile movies to be pissed off than these movies. Your targets should be Argo , A star is born(2018) and J. Edgar. These movies have far more nefarious motivations than a very well made movie that luckily caught fire and that is thrust into spotlight during awards season like 3 billboards.

Sedai

09-11-18, 12:41 PM

The Red Pill
(Jaye, 2017)

3

https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/article_large/public/images/p3_cassie-jaye-video-diary_web.jpg?itok=X6A2K4_X

For the past couple of years, I have heard the term "red-pilled" thrown around with varying meanings and connotations. Mostly I have heard it used during a web show like Dave Rubin's podcast or something of that nature. The term has been sort of adopted by several movements over the past few years, but I think it may have originated with the MRA movement, which is the subject of this documentary by ex-feminist Cassie Jaye. Jaye originally begins her film in earnest after reading and hearing some fairly disturbing things in regards to the MRA movement, so I got the feeling that she began the project with the aim of exposing the movement as being populated by a bunch of women-hating misogynists.

During the course of making this film, Jaye becomes disillusioned not by feminism in general, but more-so by the radical feminists she encounters along the way, while simultaneously discovering data during her research that supports some of the claims made by the MRAs. Some of the men she encounters in the movement seem genuinely broken and her statistical research pokes some holes in several of the now almost-universally accepted feminist narratives. That said, a couple of the men she interviewed left me ill at ease, and the MRA movement certainly seems to attract a small subset of men that seem a little nuts. Regardless, this made for a thought provoking watch.

Upgrade
Whannell, 2018

3_5

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/2018/04/t.png

I generally dislike anything Leigh Whannel is involved with. Ever since the original Saw, the guy has just rubbed me the wrong way, for some reason. Luckily, I didn't know he was involved with this flick, or I probably would have skipped it. Glad I didn't, as this was a pretty fun cyberpunk flick. It's not perfect, as it discards any real character development, instead just jumping from event to event while relishing its B-movie trappings. it also avoids any real exploration of its themes. Still, it was entertaining, and i have a soft spot for cyberpunk stuff.

Insidious : The Last Key
Robitel, 2018

1_5

https://bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Insidious-The-Last-Key.jpg

Speaking of Whannell, he wrote this flick, and it was terrible. The only thing worse than the screenplay was his performance as Specs, one of the assistants to the main character. Avoid this film at all costs.

Ultraviolence

09-11-18, 01:59 PM

Timecop (1994) by Peter Hyams
https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/8831/moviebanner/timecop-51ed801877517.jpg
★
As far as I love Van Damme, I can't have a good time with this one. The fast edit during the action scenes and the stupid plot is beyond my taste.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) by Guy Ritchie
https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/274857/moviebanner/king-arthur-legend-of-the-sword-58f09ba087fe2.jpg
•
One of the worst films I've seen this year! Guy Ritchie never was a good director, but at least he directed some 'watchable' movies in the beginning of his career but since Sherlock Holmes, this guy is trying to be the next Uwe Boll. It looks like a awful video clip. The acting was terrible, specially jude Law (he sucks). What about the butchering of the Arthurian Legend? Yeah...

Excalibur (1981) by John Boorman
https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/11527/moviebanner/excalibur-537ba14c09555.jpg
★★★
It has its moments. The art direction is amazing, the photography too. But the rest is a great mass. Still a 'good' movie though.

Splendor in the Grass (1961) by Elia Kazan
https://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc53.2011/EricssonTeen/JCimages/2.jpg
★★★★★
Beautiful movie. It says so many things: it talks about disappointments that arrive in adult life. On treading the path created by our parents and not our own. On repressing the pleasures of life for a conservative society. About maturing. On the protection of parents, who in a possessive way, causes irreparable damage. And about moving on!

Her (2013) by Spike Jonze
https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/152601/moviebanner/her-587a26b2b25e2.jpg
★★
Good acting by Joaquín Phoenix! The plot it's interesting, but it fails in so many levels!

The Nun (2018) by Corin **** Hardy
https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/439079/moviebanner/the-nun-5b89712757188.jpg
★
With success, there comes "THE NUN 2: THE LEGACY OF THE GARBAGE". Did you notice the name of the movie is misleading? When you read THE NUN, we think the movie would be about (or at least, with a big highlight) VALEK! But in the end, the film is about the other nun, much less interesting (Taissa Farmiga). Someone sue them for misleading propaganda!
Contradiction: But it was about a nun after all.

One of the worst experiences I've had in movies recently. It is incredible the director's lack of understanding. He abuses the same tricks all the time. And that priest? My God, what a worthless priest. He is of no use to anything in this film. He has no part in anything! His personal drama is so cliche that just reminding me makes me angry.

This movie is useless for the modest franchise The Conjuring that is NOT one of the best horror franchises, but coming from Hollywood, James Wan does well. F**k The Nun!

The good things: The setting and soundtrack, and even them was bad used.

The Passenger (1975) ‘Professione: reporter’ by Michelangelo Antonioni
https://thewrittenreel.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/the-passenger63.jpg
★★★★
Impressive! This ending was simply stunning. I can not wait for more Antonione.

Closer (2004) by Mike "once great" Nichols
https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/2288/moviebanner/closer-546a696ef134f.jpg
★
Another incredibly bad movie! A show of incompetence on all sides. What saved this from being an atrocity was the presence of Julia Roberts, she does what she can to sustain this crap in the back, but she is not so good for carrying the film by herself, and she doesn't even have much time on screen to erase the disgusting acting of Natalie Portman and Jude Law. Two of the worst actors in activity.

Hour of the Wolf (1968) ‘Vargtimmen’ by Ingmar Bergman
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzg5MGNkMmUtZWY5MS00NTAwLWJiYmQtYTRmMGY0ZTNkNTczXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc@._V1_.jpg
★★★★
"The Hour of the Wolf is the hour between night and dawn. It is the hour when most people die, when sleep is deepest, when nightmares are most real. It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their deepest fear, when ghosts and demons are most powerful. The Hour of the Wolf is also the hour when most children are born."

Crazy horror movie, a very good one! Bergman can move between any genre that remains a master!

Face to Face (1976) ‘Ansikte mot ansikte’ by Ingmar Bergman
https://www.the-tls.co.uk/s3/tls-prod/uploads/2018/05/3466b79a-52a9-11e8-9795-08ef69e784e84-800x528.jpeg
★★★★
Claustrophobic!
The best performance of Liv Ullmann! An incredibly allegorical film, very well directed, acted (Erland Josephson was great again), Bergman knows where to put a camera! Hail!

Stalker (1979) ‘Сталкер’ by Andrei Tarkovsky
https://i.imgur.com/FQeW4xG.gif
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cu-tUv-1pcE/VbbzLe-6voI/AAAAAAAAM7c/p-SIDUrZmUw/s1600/STALKER%2B-%2B1979%2B-%2BA%2BCAIXA%2BM%25C3%2583E%2B%25282%2529.gif
https://78.media.tumblr.com/789b9847230a90557a43dbfaaf421cb7/tumblr_n00zdtJGkM1qas5xlo1_500.gif
★★★★★
Words can't describe my love for this movie. During its two hours and forty minutes, there is no simple scene, dialogue or camera movement that I do not love! More to come in the Russian HoF :)

First Reformed (2017) Paul Schrader
https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/458737/moviebackground/first-reformed-5afe4296b3a06.jpg
★★★★
Oh yeah. One of the best of the year so far. The ending is quite 'shocking'. The film is Bleak and very realistic. Schrader made a hell of a camera work in this one. Not the usual cut+close up bull****. By thge way, most of the american directors don't know how to use close-up, I know they aren't Bergman for Christ sakes, but come on!!! I'm happy Schrader showed them how to use it.

Aurora (2010) by Cristi Puiu
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTcxNjQwNTEtMTk3Zi00YTU5LTkwOGItN2I3NjI4YzZlYTAzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDkzNTM2ODg@._V1_.jpg
★★★
A good movie, it could have been so much more! Not a walking simulator as many often call it, the movie has its purpose to be slow. It's time to check The Death of Mr. Lazarescu.

Nostromo87

09-11-18, 03:49 PM

@Captain Spaulding (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=84035)

Terrific grand write-ups man once again. I'll take a ticket for the show.

http://image.ibb.co/mhyRqU/cs.gif

Think I'll give one of these "Tab" posts a go, haven't posted movie observations in this thread in over a year-and-a-half since a Mortal Kombat viewing (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1692386#post1692386) in April 2017.

Nostromo87

09-11-18, 05:47 PM

Nostromo Movie Tab

Some 2018 viewings that I haven't posted ratings or thoughts about yet

Elizabeth (1998) ------------------------------- rating_4 8.0 / 10
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) -------- rating_3+ 6.5 / 10
The Eagle Has Landed (1976) ------------- rating_3_5+ 7.5 / 10
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) --- rating_3_5 7.0 / 10
Grease 2 (1982) ------------------------------- rating_4+ 8.5 / 10

In England 1554, Henry VIII is dead, and the country is divided Catholic vs Protestant. Henry's daughter Mary inherits the throne, but is sickly and weak. The Catholic's greatest fear is the succession of Elizabeth, Mary's Protestant half-sister. The country is swept up in the burning of Protestant heretics, who have defied the authority of the one true Catholic Church and His Holiness The Pope. Initially I wanted to include this in my War Show Reviews (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=57420) thread, but I decided it's more political intrigue than war movie. I mean it basically is war but it's all shady behind the scenes backstabbing stuff among the powerful few. Elizabeth's played by Cate Blanchett, the storywriting's quite effectively captivating, and the cast is as well including appearances from Vincent Cassel and Joseph Fiennes as possible suitors for Queen Elizabeth, Daniel Craig plays a shifty Papal assassin, and Geoffrey Rush as relentless royal advisor to the Queen, Sir Francis Wolfingham. Rush is my personal favorite. The powerful surround and conspire against Elizabeth to try and displace her breakable hold on sovereignty over the land. Terrific film. The sequel, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, is considerably weaker, becoming more an action-adventure film with an appearance from Clive Owen as Sir Walter Raleigh. Has moments yet is more dispensable. The Eagle Has Landed is actually a pretty funny war movie starring Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Donald Sutherland, and Donald Pleasance as Germans during the Second World War, where they attempt to assassinate Churchill, and manages to capture a fun and classic impression of wartime Europe with the fulcrum key to its style being a biting and rather sarcastic disposition. A definite go as an overlooked warfilm despite some premier key players. I haven't talked much about the new Star Wars films at all, as I found The Force Awakens to be very average. So I was close to giving all these new movies a pass, but I watched Rogue One: A Star Wars Story last week and it worked for me. Kind of. The daughter of the Imperial Scientist who devised The Death Star sets out to find her father and swipe the design blueprints. A cool premise. So you have a hot brunette girl surrounded by sci-fi Star Warsy rebel-guy types mostly standing around listening to her in a state of awe. That was one of my initial criticisms of the movie, with the scenes involving this brunette girl Felicity Jones. But then I thought about it, and I was like, actually that makes a lot of sense. Bunch of Star Wars people staring at this out of place hot brunette girl, and I realized this is genuine. This is what would happen. Also, there's a droid who isn't nearly as annoying as 3PO. They also don't cheat the viewer out of a look at Imperial methods and such. These are improvements. Vader makes it in, and that's cool, but James Earl Jones old-man voice was noticably feeble in-spite of whatever filters they put over it to mask it. That took me out of it. Still, I felt the movie addressed everything mostly in a fresh way as far as creative initiative.

http://image.ibb.co/ignfZp/q_elzabeth_98.jpg

It (2017) ---------------------------------------------------- rating_3+ 6.5 / 10
The Circus (1928) --------------------------------------- rating_3_5 7.0 / 10
Scanners (1981) ----------------------------------------- rating_3_5 7.0 / 10
The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) ------------- rating_3_5 7.0 / 10
The Fog (1980) ------------------------------------------ rating_3 6.0 / 10
Night Creatures (1962) -------------------------------- rating_3_5 7.0 / 10
Teen Wolf (1985) ---------------------------------------- rating_3_5 7.0 / 10
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) -------- rating_3 6.0 / 10
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) - rating_3_5+ 7.5 / 10

If you're looking for a pretty well-made modern horror film, you can give It a go, just be aware it's aimed at a younger audience and I won't be watching that one again. When it comes to Hammer Horror, Night Creatures aka Captain Clegg certainly isn't one of the most praised, but it's a fun entry for me starring Peter Cushing who I've come to virtually always enjoy. Night Creatures is set in a coastal smuggling and bootlegging town haunted by Marsh Phantoms. There's also a brunette ward there who works in the town (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SauFnAH6pXI/Tmq0MWYvslI/AAAAAAAACWQ/wxnBx59OJW4/s1600/Captain+Clegg+-+Yvonne.JPG) played by actress Yvonne Romain. Oh hei. This is a fierce little film mixing smuggling, pirates, horror, and ghosts that I'd watch again. The Fog, another movie about a coastal town, that I found to be basically okay, with the music and atmosphere being memorable yet not a whole lot else really despite appearances from Adrienne Barbeau, Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Carpenter 80s pillar Tom Atkins.

Season Of The Witch Montage (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jmSP5b_Mi6g)

http://image.ibb.co/cqbM79/mm95c.jpg

aronisred

09-11-18, 10:26 PM

Alien

4

A group of workers on a space mineral carrier/refinery on their way back to earth stumbles upon a distress signal. When they attend to that signal something comes with them into the ship which puts their lives and mission at incredible risk.

The latest alien movies like Prometheus and covenant have been criticized as being too dumb. But, if you follow this movie you can see where all that dumbness comes from. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The movie has some positive elements and some negative elements. But since the positives are so high compared to negatives the movie is considered a classic as opposed to a dumb movie. In the opening sequence of the movie, the camera just follows the empty hallways of this ship. There is this eerie feeling that something is roaming this ship but in reality there is nothing dangerous in there yet. So, its all about the creepiness of it all. I must attribute that to Ridley Scott and screenwriters. The space ship is programmed to wake up the crew if it discovers something unusual or if its the end of the journey. The crew in the movie is well balanced for the most part. To show varying personalities of the people involved , the filmmakers decided to include some blue collar worker-esque crew members in there. I think its a commercial decision by studio. Space travel takes every crew member to have a certain level-headed personality. So, each and everyone in the crew is picked like that. They don't ever pick a loose canon or un-opinionated or personality-less individuals like the one's in these. But I think its a decision by studio to make the movie much more accessible.

There is a perverse element to this whole movie like John carpenter's the thing. The movie shows that the most curious one among them all is the first one to bite the dust . That gives a weird satisfaction to audience. Because in slasher movies most of the times there is one such character who is extra enthusiastic about wandering into the forest or dark alley's and audience want that person to be killed first and this movie delivers on that aspect. It is during their initial venture into this unknown planet and into this unknown structure on the planet that I realized there is way too much cruriosity among these crew members. Especially one that I alluded to earlier. The problem is, its an alien planet and they are just going on it with no hesitation. Even looking into the egg of the face hugger is kind of a stupid movie. He knew something was moving inside it , then why even look into it so directly. But the curiosity of it all from audience stand point sort of makes us excuse these dumb decisions by astronauts. Because audience love the fact that something exciting has happened. So they don't bother criticizing how it happened. Its the first jump scare scene of the movie. Up until this point it is so normal.

The movie has two tricks up its sleeves. The first one is revealed early on. Which is the whole impregnation nightmarish scene. The scene sort of plays out so well. If you can forget being pissed off at the science officer for his rather unusual and irritating behavior the steps taken by the team later are quite frankly realistic. They isolate the infected but they do it only physically. So they still left the chance of being infected through airborne parasites to luck. Nonetheless the behavior of this face hugger is quite biologically understandable. The dinner scene is iconic. From then on the movie becomes a slasher in space. Without all the gore. This is where the movie takes a nose dive in filmmaking department. Because what happens next is a series of kills by the creature and the filmmakers reveals their final trick and that happens to be the android trick. This trick , even though it explains the behavior of the character in the earlier parts of the movie raises some logical questions. So, lets forget about the mission of the space vessel. Lets focus on the rules followed by this android. It has to bring home any extra terrestrial organism found in space and the crew is expendable. But how exactly are they going to contain it ? What was their plan to contain this organism ? They don't seem to know what they are looking for as the rules are so vague on the organism part and what if they find something which carries a plagu. All this leads to believe that either their plan, which is willing to sacrifice the whole crew is half baked or the android Mal functioned. In which case their whole plan of sending an android unbeknowst to the crew is idiotic if it just kills them in sleep by accident ? I mean thats a possibility if the android could malfunction. So all these are serious plot holes. But the concept of horror in space and the execution sort of makes up for it. The science equipment is little too futuristic and there by loosing natural look. Some of them look like props. Even a layman can tell that it doesn't look like an actual instrument at any point in time in past or in future.

The best thing about the movie is the emergence of a hero aspect in it. Its one of the greatest movie tropes if executed well. During the course of the movie we notice that Ripley is tougher than most crew members mentally at least. But she is also unsure of the circumstances and is controlled by the pecking order in the crew. She is the third in command. So she has to wait for and follow orders. But as the going gets tougher, the tough gets going. This eventually makes her take control of the situation when individuals get agitated. The situation becomes even more complicated and dangerous when they realize that there is an android among them. What this element does is, it makes her show her vulnerable side and just suck it up and keep moving. Thats the best part. This kind of presented itself as a resistence after she assumes power and she learned to overcome it and suck it up and move on. The final 10 minutes or so reminded me of predator where its Arnold vs the predator and here its Ripley vs alien but as it would be in a horror movie. In predators its an action scene and here its a suspense scene.

Now a word about Ridley Scott. I covered my disdain for him in Covenant review. But people always bring up this movie to defend the genius of Ridley Scott. But the problem with that argument is, at this point in his career he was a ads director. He used to shoot TV commercials. The studio having liked his direction gave him this movie. But if you look at the movie there is not too much room for a director to imprint his stamp in a boiler room story. Its almost a closed space movie. He can't take credit for creature design because thats another department. The screenplay is given to him. What he basically did was , he made a movie that satisfied the financiers. Because this movie is no different than a slasher movie. But the genius of setting it in space and having this awesome creature design and face hugger design came from people involves in this movie that are not the director of the movie. So most directors in the Hollywood consider him lucky to be able to make this movie. They think its a fluke. I don't really disagree. Ridley Scott can be real hit or miss sometimes. Some of his movies can really be pieces of crap. So in case of movies like this and gladiator it really comes down to his ability of make a decent movie from a script. Its really a complicated argument to argue against Ridley Scott but it can be done. He is someone who picks the type of movie he wants to make by going through the scripts. He will see the budget attached to the movie and the actors he need for the movie to get the budget he want. So he starts shooting a movie by picking a script available to him and a vague passion to make it. He should have learnt some valuable lessons about filmmaking and directing in his 40s and if he done that he would have won an Oscar by now but his desire to stay employed and be a commercial director for hire by studio sort of made it hard for people to consider him an auteur. Its that vague passion thats so off putting to people. He thinks in terms of visuals and doesn't know what a good story feels like. He is a highly talented commercial director. The dumb plot holes in Prometheus and Covenant sort of proved that movies like alien or blade runner or gladiator are just flukes and even those movies are not created and produced by him on an artistic level. He gave input as director and the scripts for those movies stood on their own merit.

So, this movie is a very good movie but its just shy of being a highest rated movie because of the half baked plans by the corporation and movie essentially turning into a creature feature during the last part of second act. Some characters die way too easily and could be avoided but you can give it a pass since the creature is so much of a mystery until this point. But this movie does have seeds of problems that turn into giant trees in prometheus and covenant not just plot wise but the kind of human stupidity that alien franchise has now become famous for. I mean again good god how could Ridley Scott have missed such huge plot holes and stupid characters.

aronisred

09-12-18, 12:45 PM

Death Proof

4

A stunt driver stalks and kills women in auto accidents and he gets off by doing that.

This basically is automobile version of Ted Bundy. Serial Killers get off by committing crimes and that's why they do it again and again. A character background and his progression through this movie played by Kurt Russell is so realistic that you can totally believe someone like that could do that. This movie more than anything makes it much more clear on what inspires Quentin Tarantino movies.He is someone extremely inspired by the behind scenes in Hollywood. What makes someone a star. Which films bombed at box office. What kind of movies were made. He lifts characters from other movies and uses them in his story-lines. If a character like Don Corleone or Moses is used in different stories then audience will not connect. But if a fleshed out character from another movie is inserted into a different story then even though it feels jarring at first ,slowly the story starts to make sense. So there is this weird complexity yet familiarity to the characters in his movies.For example in Kill Bill, the lead character is an action hero. You have seen characters like that in tons of movies. So its a fully fleshed out "phoenix raising from the ashes" character. But when she is an ex assassin and her targets are ex assassins we are in a totally different circumstances. So that reduces him the burden of having to introduce and establish the character himself. Its been done for him. With all that said,its not easy what he is doing. Detractors might call it copying but even if he mishmash stuff from other movies its not easy to make them all look cohesive.

The movie takes place over the course of two accidents. The first one is a success but the second one is a failure. Any crime involves two parties. The one committing it and the one who its being committed to. They share a secret. In case of serial killers its unwillingly. During the act one person sees the evil side of another person. Most times they don't see the light of the day to say what happened and if they do they will be a changed person. This particular serial killer has a very elaborate scheme he uses to satisfy his urges. He develops a fool proof mechanism. He first stalks his victims because he wants to know who he is killing. Then, he uses his stunt car that's supposed to withstand violent crashes and a nod to the title , death proof to collide with victim's car and kill them. But he can cheat death and law using his car. Majority of the movie is the background of these women he stalks. Most of them represent majority of women between 15-30 working in Hollywood. They are either models or stunt women or so on. Most of the characters in the movie have obscure jobs in Hollywood. So all this kind of gives an LA feel to the movie.

To be honest all this kind of feels like the wet dream of a psycho. But in the end the movie kinda gives audience what they want by letting the women of the second car survive brushes with Kurt Russell and then go on to chase him and take revenge on him. The movie ends on a more goofy tone than the rest of the movie. One weird thing I noticed in most of Tarantino movies is that there is always that one southern racist looking old cop investigating a crime. If not integral to the story he wants that character to be in the movie to say some lines. Even if the crimes doesn't take place in south. The movie displays a predator and prey relationship between men and women. Women are tough but they are feminine tough and Kurt Russell as loathsome as he is , is a bad-ass in the movie.Tarantino plays with words and meanings and sentences a lot in his movies. Some are intended to be punch dialogues and some are just dialogues he loved to write. One such line which is kinda genius is, during his car introduction where he kills a woman before committing his buffet crime. He comes to an intersection where he is taking left and he intends to kill the woman in the car eventually but she doesn't know that yet. So he asks her where she want to go and she say the opposite direction. And the dialogue he uses goes along the lines of "That's too bad, we have 50-50 chance of going left or right , if you said left then it would have been a while before you start getting scared but since you said right I am afraid you have to start getting scared right now". That line is so great and catchy and its quite brilliant. You can't teach that in film school. Its a weird , crazy movie and its also a character study of killer and victims. He made this movie as a piece of entertainment and passing no judgement.

Mr Minio

09-13-18, 01:59 PM

Pigs and Battleships (1961) - 4.5

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At first glance this is a simple rehash of this classical 30s Hollywood gangster tale, but it has way more to it than you may intially think. The sharp criticism hits both the Japanese and Americans and creates a strong feeling of misery in a world full of suffering. A girl terribly exploited by her own family and a two-bit Yakuza underdog are a part of this world. They find a light of hope in each other, and start the struggle. The film keeps you in suspense to the very end indefinitely drawing out the finale! The ending is both happy and sad. It's depressing, but it also gives hope. It's heartbreaking, but unavoidable. I have to watch more Imamura ASAP, because out of 5 of his I've seen 3 are masterpieces, and I still have to see some of his most acclaimed ones (Black Rain!).

Giants and Toys (1958) - 4.5

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Masumura's best right after Red Angel! More frightening than most psychological horrors, more disgusting than most body horrors. A fierce satire on consumerism and sharp criticism of the world in which in order to succeed you have to be merciless to your opponents, and (ab)use love only to gain advantage in business. Originality and naturalness are quickly turned into yet another PRODUCT. People are turned into machines - either frantic workaholics, or distressed starlets. They do things only to succeed professionally. No room for sentiments, real feelings. And there is no stopping it - either you comply, or you lose. For satire's sake the film is obviously exaggerated, but also damn recent and still applies to contemporary world. The ending is spectacularly shocking - selling your life and soul for caramels. But, hey, let's smile. The public wants it. The public demands it, and to quote the most jarring line from the film: "The public are worse than babies. Worse than dogs. Because they don't think. They work like slaves, and get drunk at night. TV, radio, movies, games. They have no time to think. That's where we come in. We'll fill their empty heads with our message: "Delicious caramel, World Caramel! World! World!". This is the Japanese Ace in the Hole. A masterpiece of satire! EDIT: Now that I think about it, it's much more like A Face in the Crowd!

In the Shadow of the Blue Rascal (1986) - 3.5

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Clementi's weakest from what I've seen. I think the prolix narration really drags it down. The sheer power of Clementi's visuals is undeniable, but its weakened by only half-successful attempts at creating a story. Necrocity is a nasty place to live, and the film indeed shows these dilapidated rooms and damaged people with a certain dose of authenticity (even though it's a quasi-sci-fi film), and it's all good, but where the film really shines is when Clemeneti just lets it go in this euphoric end credits sequence. His other flicks are like this all the time, and this is what makes them great. This one is good.

How to Be Loved (1963) - 4

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Welcome back Polish cinema. It's been a while. A very good film from one of the most prominent Polish film auteurs Wojciech Jerzy Has. A woman reminisces about her past during the Second World War, and about her unrequited love. How to be loved? How to deal with it if you have sacrificed everything for that person, but then see that person is slowly descending into the nihil. Are cynicism and indifference indications of desensitization, or ways of fighting with unbearable memories of the past? Chris Marker says in Sans soleil that sometimes he thinks that memories exist only to hurt us. With time the lost person simply disappears, and all that's left is a wound. Disembodied.

Color of Pomegranates (1969) (Parajanov Cut) [REWATCH] - 4

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Finally watched the infamous Blu-ray Criterion restoration. The only version of the film that had been available before was the Yutkevich Cut. This time I watched the Parajanov Cut, which apparently is closer to auteur's original vision. I wish I hadn't watched it. I was tired and had already watched two other films during that weekday (which means all of this after 8 hours of work as well), so I had a hard time focusing on the movie. Of course, visuals were absolutely fantastic, but I couldn't get into the atmosphere. I feel like this is one of the best films ever made, but I just don't understand it yet.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - 4

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That feel when several hundred years old vampires are more outgoing than 20-something you. I had put off watching it for way too long based solely on the fact the director made a Marvel movie. The reality show formula worked really well, and the gags were genuinely funny. Stu. <3

Profound Desires of the Gods (1968) - 4

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Just like I said, moar Imamura. Very good cinema, but I wasn't blown away. I guess its themes were a little bit lost on me. Man is an animal no matter the surroundings sounds quite trite. I can't wait for Black Rain next.

First Reformed (2017) - 4

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The only true problem with this otherwise fantastic film is that it takes way too much from others. It's basically a mix of Bresson's Diary of a Country Priest, Bergman's Winter Light, and Scorsese's Taxi Driver. But well, it's not easy to be a good epigone, so kudos to Schrader for handling it so well. I love how the film gradually becomes darker, heavier, and more distressing up to the harrowing ending. Great character study. Great deliberately slow pace. Great performances. Wonderfully utilized 4:3 aspect ratio with nice blocking and lighting. Some frames i.e. of the choir singing have this wonderful Bressonian simplicity to them. Haunting dark ambient soundtrack by Lustmord. Also, I watched it in English with no subtitles. I have to start watching all English-language films that way. <3

In Praise of Love (2001) - 4

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My 55th Godard film (including shorts and every part of Histories of Cinema separately)! Again a very intellectually stimulating essay film that is not only about love, since "You can only think about something if you think of something else.". Sharp DV black and white nights of Paris are combined with oversaturated colors that mimick paintings that create something truly beautiful. When a picture starts to move, a painting turns into cinema. When cinema depicts our true inner selves, it turns into life. So when I'm asked which of the following I choose: a play, a film, a novel or an opera, my answer is life. I choose life.

Erotic Ghost Story II (1991) - 3

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So much worse than the first one! Just when I thought The Heroic Trio was the cringiest Anthony Wong performance... !!! What I got was the cringiest film I've ever seen! Be warned, watch it only if you're desperate for boobies, an Anthony Wong completist, or feel like extremely cringy HK craziness. For all of you who won't see it (let's be honest, all of you) here follows the sneak peek:
- it starts with a synopsis of the previous film along with a changed ending to fit this film's "plot" (!)
- apart from the synopsis that uses footage from the previous part only Amy Yip is left from the original cast, but she dies in the first 5 minutes
- the new girls are fine, though
- Anthony Wong f*cks two girls at once using his penis and his tail (!!!)
- a man f*cking a pig is seen for a couple of seconds (random af)
- uncensored vagina is seen for a split second (tribute to part 1?)
- a girl on girl action is followed by a threesome - quite clumsy
- sex scenes contain licking of random body parts like buttocks, arms or back
- another sex scene has Anthony Wong pouring red hot wax on a girl's body (she did it to herself earlier in the film, too)
- the goofy "haha, we're making a sex film" or corny sax solo music ruins any attempts at atmosphere-building
- not that any of the atmosphere of the first Erotic Ghost Story nor Chinese Ghost Story is ever present
- a midget turns into a fireball and attacks Anthony Wong
- a girl pretends to be a cat to hypnotize Anthony and then they have underwater sex
- another girl uses the heat of her body to melt down the ice cube her lover is inside.

Change Nothing (2009) - 3

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A disappointment from Pedro Costa! It drags, but doesn't drift.

The Magic Blade (1976) - 4

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Yet another (great) Shaw Brothers film. Devil Grandma was vile!!! Fights and twists were enjoyable as hell! The humane scene was really unexpected and touching!

Through and Through (1973) - 4

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My first Królikiewicz. An experimental Polish film. Cold, but hits where it needs.

Cat’s Play (1974) - 4.5

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The stream of consciousness of Hungarian grandmas is so beautiful, moving, rad. I can't believe it! I really have to rewatch this director's Love.

Dead Landscape (1972) - 4.5

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An extraordinary ordinary film! Director's, István Gaál's, other film I saw Current gave me similar feels, but it was so outstanding visually it was hard to believe. This film has wonderful cinematography, too, but it's also so modest, It's expertly crafted. Everything seems to be at its place, everything set just right, but it's also so natural. It doesn't bring attention to itself. It just goes. Things just happen, and in the end the only question I'm left with is: Should I give it a 5?

MijaFrost

09-13-18, 05:20 PM

Color of Pomegranates (1969) (Parajanov Cut) [REWATCH] - 4

https://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8i2sy8Xcr1rri3i9o1_500.gif

Finally watched the infamous Blu-ray Criterion restoration. The only version of the film that had been available before was the Yutkevich Cut. This time I watched the Parajanov Cut, which apparently is closer to auteur's original vision. I wish I hadn't watched it. I was tired and had already watched two other films during that weekday (which means all of this after 8 hours of work as well), so I had a hard time focusing on the movie. Of course, visuals were absolutely fantastic, but I couldn't get into the atmosphere. I feel like this is one of the best films ever made, but I just don't understand it yet.

I watched this yesterday for the first time, and I thought it was a fantastic piece of performance art, as though it were an art documentary. That would be the best way to appreciate it, in my opinion, because otherwise one will think it makes zero sense while they search hopelessly for coherent threads of plot to follow.
I am definitely going to re-watch it.

aronisred

09-13-18, 05:50 PM

The Ritual

4

A group of friends mourning the recent untimely loss of their friend go on a hiking trip to spread his ashes and spend some time together. Unbeknownst to them they are in for a deadly experience on their trip.

The best thing about this movie is its atmosphere. Outbacks has always been a favorite horror movie setting for me. Because its the closest setting to reality that there is. Urban horror is not believable because we live in urban places all the time. Space horror is not relatable because most have never been to space. Even Jungle horror is remote because rarely do people venture into jungles. But hiking in the outback is something people do.

So the movie starts with few men in UK leaving a game and two of them go into a super market , one more reluctant than the other but unbeknownst to them they stumble into a store mid robbery. The sequence here is quite brilliant. Both these guys are in an aisle and as the robbers emerge from the restricted room in the store, the quick witted one among the two moves fast to the end of aisle and hides. Since its a matter of fraction of seconds before the guys notice them the other guy couldn't just follow his friend. So he is spotted and in an altercation that ensues looses his life all while his cowardly friend hides there and does nothing. There is certain guilt to his character but the actor who portrays him doesn't have enough brood and screen presence to carry it with him. This is a good set up. But I do think this a clever idea and can't call it an outstanding achievement in story telling. Because its just a trick. If you watch enough cable news then you will stumble upon a news where guys stumble into stores mid robbery. Most of these outback horror thrillers are creature features. Going supernatural diminishes the effect. Because, for the most part the gist of the story lies is these characters making out alive against a quantifiable threat. A mortal threat. Once it becomes immortal there is no real end to it. It becomes genie in the bottle scenario. You never know when the bottle is going to be knocked down and genie is out. The problem with having a mortal threat is it lessens the danger. You know its some hillbillies if its in the outback. All these poses challenges.

The best thing about this movie is that it wants to have its cake and eat it too. It wants the treat of a supernatural entity but at the same time it wants a definitive ending. The execution is brilliant. The movie overlaps the supernatural entity with natural boundaries. So, all these friends from the beginning of the movie have a trail they follow en-route their hiking trip to a hotel in the outback. The interesting thing about the movie is that they can actually see the hotel far away since its the only human made structure in the area. Due to series of unpleasant events that happen while following their planned route they had to take a detour through a jungle. So, all the people are entering this jungle with a sense of guilt and their trip is in memory of their dead friend. Once they enter the jungle the director had a little trouble in balancing the sense of dread and the guilt of these characters. Firstly they are being stalked by something in the jungle. Initially the guilt between these characters takes precedence in their priorities of attention. Then after spending a night in a house they found in the jungle the dread takes higher priority as it looks like their survival instincts kicked in. Its then the director makes a series of mistakes. He tries to compound their sense of dread with their guilt but it simply doesn't work. You can't have characters worrying about something that isn't life or death situation when they are actually in a life or death situation. It makes them annoying. So the movie wanders a little bit off target which I feel is intentional but misguided. In the third act the movie solves the mystery with a supernatural explanation of a Nordic demon haunting the forests and who happens to have disciples . They have plans for these new entries. Some to be sacrificed and some to be joining the disciples to continue their race. Which is a saving grace for all the meandering in the second half. The surviving one among the group manages to escape and survive the Nordic demon. They use the Jungle as the force field for the demon. There by giving this supernatural entity a finite force field. This makes audience satisfied that our protagonist makes it out alive. That to me is most impressive part of the movie. The way the filmmakers were able makes this movie with lot of abstract elements of guilt, demon and haunting feel like a movie with finite ending is very satisfying.

Sedai

09-13-18, 05:59 PM

Alien

Now a word about Ridley Scott. I covered my disdain for him in Covenant review. But people always bring up this movie to defend the genius of Ridley Scott. But the problem with that argument is, at this point in his career he was a ads director. He used to shoot TV commercials. The studio having liked his direction gave him this movie. But if you look at the movie there is not too much room for a director to imprint his stamp in a boiler room story. Its almost a closed space movie. He can't take credit for creature design because thats another department. The screenplay is given to him. What he basically did was , he made a movie that satisfied the financiers. Because this movie is no different than a slasher movie. But the genius of setting it in space and having this awesome creature design and face hugger design came from people involves in this movie that are not the director of the movie.

I think you need to research the making of alien a bit more, especially the stuff about Ridley's inarguable genius in regards to vision and art direction, which he always take a huge part in, so much so, that while working on some films, it becomes a detriment because he ignores other important aspects of the film. I really think this is where Ridley excels, and I don't think he is a genius director, but can certainly be a genius film maker from a more purely artistic standpoint. Just look at Blade Runner, where he again focused a large part of his energy on the art direction, much to the annoyance of the person who was hired as the art director. This stuff is pretty well documented, so should be fairly easy to dig up.

Citizen Rules

09-13-18, 06:37 PM

Alien
rating_4...the filmmakers decided to include some blue collar worker-esque crew members in there. I think its a commercial decision by studio. I seriously doubt the producers micro managed the film and insisted on blue collar workers for characters. Remember the crew are space miners of asteroids employed by a corporation. That's why they're rough and tumble like blue collar workers.

The problem is, its an alien planet and they are just going on it with no hesitation. Even looking into the egg of the face hugger is kind of a stupid movie. He knew something was moving inside it , then why even look into it so directly. But the curiosity of it all from audience stand point sort of makes us excuse these dumb decisions by astronauts. It's a movie, not a documentary and the crew member needs to be attacked by the face hugger to make the rest of the story work.

Because what happens next is a series of kills by the creature and the filmmakers reveals their final trick and that happens to be the android trick. And that was a pretty good trick in it's day. Now we all know about the android but when if first came out it was a shocker and made a statement about corporate greed in the future.

Now a word about Ridley Scott...if you look at the movie there is not too much room for a director to imprint his stamp in a boiler room story. Its almost a closed space movie. He can't take credit for creature design because thats another department. The screenplay is given to him. What he basically did was , he made a movie that satisfied the financiers.Atmosphere! Ridely gave the movie atmosphere and without that it would have been just another film.

I think you need to research the making of alien a bit more, especially the stuff about Ridley's inarguable genius in regards to vision and art direction, which he always take a huge part in, so much so, that while working on some films, it becomes a detriment because he ignores other important aspects of the film. I really think this is where Ridley excels, and I don't think he is a genius director, but can certainly be a genius film maker from a more purely artistic standpoint. Just look at Blade Runner, where he again focused a large part of his energy on the art direction, much to the annoyance of the person who was hired as the art director. This stuff is pretty well documented, so should be fairly easy to dig up. Yup, well said.

aronisred

09-13-18, 09:01 PM

I think you need to research the making of alien a bit more, especially the stuff about Ridley's inarguable genius in regards to vision and art direction, which he always take a huge part in, so much so, that while working on some films, it becomes a detriment because he ignores other important aspects of the film. I really think this is where Ridley excels, and I don't think he is a genius director, but can certainly be a genius film maker from a more purely artistic standpoint. Just look at Blade Runner, where he again focused a large part of his energy on the art direction, much to the annoyance of the person who was hired as the art director. This stuff is pretty well documented, so should be fairly easy to dig up.

After watching directors commentary along with cast and crew I stand slightly corrected. But I still think creating a smoky environment and other superficial things is not the core of a directors skillset. A directors core skillset should be to tell a great story and not just a pretty story. I think Ridley Scott just focused on asking various departments to show him 10 different ways of how a set should look like or a prop should look like and pick one from them. He lucked out with Alien and few other movies (which means his choices worked for these movies). In case of alien the script was great and may be the 4th act of Alien in Ripley's escape pod was Ridley's idea and in case of gladiator Russell Crowe single handedly carried all the emotional weight of the movie. Again, he seems much more focused on staying employed and pleasing studios than taking his time to really dig into a story and make the movies that are close to him.

Sedai

09-14-18, 11:06 AM

After watching directors commentary along with cast and crew I stand slightly corrected. But I still think creating a smoky environment and other superficial things is not the core of a directors skillset. A directors core skillset should be to tell a great story and not just a pretty story. I think Ridley Scott just focused on asking various departments to show him 10 different ways of how a set should look like or a prop should look like and pick one from them. He lucked out with Alien and few other movies (which means his choices worked for these movies). In case of alien the script was great and may be the 4th act of Alien in Ripley's escape pod was Ridley's idea and in case of gladiator Russell Crowe single handedly carried all the emotional weight of the movie. Again, he seems much more focused on staying employed and pleasing studios than taking his time to really dig into a story and make the movies that are close to him.

Again, I agree that Ridley perhaps isn't a director with the greatest director's skill set, but his vision at the time for sci-fi was pretty great. Did you run into any info concerning his story-boarding skills...the Ridleygrams?

aronisred

09-14-18, 04:01 PM

Aliens

4

We are back at it again but only now its a lot of them against a group of soldiers. Aliens, the bigger and more bad-ass version of Alien.

James Cameron took over from Ridley Scott for this edition. I am not going to use the comparison of horror vs action between the first and second one because its been done by everyone. But this movie builds upon the mythology of the first in a rather conventional manner. It respects the first movie. However the movie doesn't feel like a knock off of the first however conventional it is. James Cameron made subtle changes to the script and mythology. When it comes to action, James Cameron has the ability to make it just right. He perfected that in the 90s with Terminator and True Lies and he became a master at it in avatar. But in 80s his action scenes has a punk rock vibe and lot of cheese to them. Smack talk during action is a big part of that. This movie has a lot of it.

Logically this movie doubles down on the stupidity of the human characters except for Ripley and the good android, which is awesome. Most characters make tons of mistakes again and again. First the corporation doesn't believe what happened to her space ship. Logically that should lead to her punishment . But for the sake of the movie we need Ripley outside. So they write her off as semi-delusional and close the case. We know they aren't trying to cover it up because there is a colony on the very same planet. James Cameron movies have strong undertones of socio-economic class systems. It's very obvious for movie buffs but if you just watch movies for entertainment over the weekends then you might not notice it. Its very evident in Titanic and avatar. Not so much in terminator movies and abyss but in this movie there is this "evil corporation" undertone all over the movie. Back to the stupid characters, the corporation sends a guy with them to investigate the place and even he is an idiot. As for the soldiers their actions as part of the mission are rooted in stupidity. I get that soldiers should show no fear. But when is ignorance confused with bravery ? Vast stretches of this movie have sequences which could have been avoided if the soldiers were much more vigilant. Firstly none of them take Ripley's situation seriously. That's kinda dumb. You think what she says is bull**** but you want her with you. You don't believe the whole colony is wiped out by aliens yet you want Ripley to accompany the soldiers. All these are contradictions that provide entertainment for audience but make no sense. Couple of soldiers are straight up caricatures. You have the macho Latin american lady, the bro dude, the straight calm and collected semi-love interest for Ripley kinda guy and the full metal jacket-esque sergeant. They take you out of the plot only to entertain the audience. So there is that upside to these characters.

In a weird way this movie sort of follows the tradition of dumb actions by characters in very dangerous situations in the franchise. They are aware that metal railings are burnt due to acid then why are they not vigilant and even their boss who is giving orders from a remote monitor doesn't take Ripley's suggestions seriously. Why bring an adviser when you don't even consider her advises. All these questions stack up. Even the decision to secretly impregnate Ripley/Little girl by the corporate guy is dumb. Don't you think they won't tell ? It wasn't even the time for it. All this makes for a very dumb movie. But here are some cool sequences through out the movie like when they escape through the pipes from xenomorphs or the knife trick by android. All these raise from level of super cool to become iconic in sci-fi genre. The core relationship and emotion of the movie is between the little girl they find in the colony and Ripley. Its a mother daughter kind of relationship. It works for what it is given that it is in an action movie scenario. But for some reason even though I liked the character of the little girl, she has a punchable face. I get that they can't cast a future model type girl as it would take the audience out of the movie but for some reason her face annoyed me.There is brief sequence in the movie where the android has to crawl through a long pipe with very small diameter to go to the other side and do something. I always thought that there might be a cool interesting side story that could have been told in the movie with that. I don't mean making the android evil or anything. But either he stumbles into a group of sleeping xenomorphs and he somehow uses that knowledge to help the crew or something. Imagine this - "You are in a very small pipe crawling and that won't fit a xenomorph and the pipe is the last place a xenomorph would suspect someone to be in because of how far stretching it is. So all this makes the chance of surviving while crawling in the pipe more than 50%. For me it felt like a little cozy place and quite frankly a very safe place rather than where all the crew were hiding out". Its a little tense sequence that could have been elaborated upon but the focus is instead on all the crew. Which makes it an action sequence as opposed to a tension filled sequence. I am okay with creature design. But this movie gives away the fakeness of the creatures more than the first because the script demanded much more dexterity from the creatures. The whole concept of queen is a little predictable. Of course there will be one like it is for ants. The whole egg laying concept didn't work. James Cameron should have spent more time to make the origins of the egg much more creative than a lame excuse of alien queen. Its soo cheesy. The fight in the end would likely appeal to someone who saw the movie when it came out than the current audience. The fight between mec suit ripley and alien queen might be ground breaking for that time but it doesnt hold up. The Alien is far more dexterous than the mec suit. But in the end its a fun watch. Nonetheless the dumbness in this movie starts stacking up pretty fast. I mean, fast.

aronisred

09-15-18, 09:33 PM

The Dark Knight Rises

5

The conclusion to batman saga in the dark knight trilogy.

This movie is like a monster with flu that crosses the finish line. By the point this movie is released I am a dark knight trilogy fan and also I have heard that my friends watched Inception on IMAX and that it was awesome. So the formation of intense worldwide Nolan fan base is in full swing.Moreover I became a fan of christian bale by pure coincidence. I was obsessed with the first half of batman begins when I first watched it but for some reason during Inception and 2011 Oscar win by Bale made me want to look up more about Bale. Then I stumbled upon his filmography and anyone who does that with christian bale will be highly intrigued and is bound to be fan. So the movie starts with an introduction to bane. Nolan is too smart of a director for your average critic or even director. Never in this movie did he try and beat specific elements of the dark knight. He went in a totally different direction. He is trying to top the dark knight without competing with it in the same race. Kind of like Oscars. No two nominees are the same but none the less they compete for the same prize. Nolan chose to make the movie a mythology and a fairy tale. Obviously fans of the trilogy wanted a hyper realistic take on the character. But he knew that he can never top the dark knight by making another crime saga.He had to make it work as a sequel that is going to establish the legend of the character. No legend is satisfactory without some mysticism and surreal quality to it.You can't develop a legend if everyone knows his life in and out as a book, there has to be some divine intervention.

Even though this movie is great there is one specific story-line that kind of bummed me out. The moment bane captures the city, his plan is a real bummer. Both the weight of the plan and the directorial choices to inter cut the reveal of Gordon's intentions in bane's speech with occupy wall street montage sort of fell apart.Nonetheless this movie is more about intentions rather than the practicality of it. The time it takes for Bruce Wayne to get fixed or to comeback to Gotham are part of legend. It not about how he did but about the fact that he came back.The scope and scale of this movie is the biggest of the trilogy. Chris Nolan was able to maintain the tone of the movie through out. Dark movies are easy targets for critics if not done right. Because you are not entertaining the audience by making them laugh. You are evoking their other senses and that means their focuses turns to quality of the movie than the fact that it makes you laugh.

This movie can be used to explore an interesting concept apart from the review. That's called Tom Hardy phenomenon. I will try and cover all aspects of it.So Tom Hardy was a little known actor before Inception outside UK or may be even inside. UK film community has a soft spot for born and bred British actors starting out in the industry and then branching out to US with their roots still in British cinema. This can be seen in the kind of projects those actors make.Are they giving opportunities to British filmmakers ? are they acting in British TV series all while making movies in Hollywood. Because they treat them as one of their own. They consider them as proud representatives of British talent abroad. Youth in UK also want to think that way. This is similar to the over whelming popularity of conor mcgregor in Ireland. If a video of conor mcgregor is posted ,more than half of those views are from Ireland and rest are from wannabe tough guys. Same thing with Tom Hardy. His online popularity is from his UK fans or wannabe tough guys because he is bane and mad max. In case of Tom Hardy he is more internet famous than anything. He can't put butts in the theater. But his videos will get clicks. His fans are from superhero genre. They are not going to follow him into his other movies. This UK respect is shown by fellow actors as well. Its all tribal. UK actors in Hollywood need to stick up for each other. Aussies with Aussies. The problem is patriotism gets in the way of being objective. Tom Hardy is not versatile. His troubled childhood and youth transformed him into this troubled individual and that looks good on screen for the roles he portrays. That's his baseline.From then on he acts like he is happy. He acts like he is charming. But all those are fronts to his disturbed core. You look at his online profile and he has huge presence. But, look at his movie's box office performance and they perform horribly when he is front and center. This disconnect is because his fans want fast and furious type movies because thats the demographics he appeal to and he is making movies like the drop. It doesn't work that way. He has to make movies with Quentin Tarantino or someone like that with multiplex audience appeal. Then he is walking the fine line between commercial appeal and critical appeal. But that's DiCaprio's turf. People don't seem to understand that it can be incredibly frustrating for No.2 actor on producers list of actors in demand because they always get the rejected material by No. 1. Currently the top stars are Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, George Clooney, christian bale, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Matthew Mcconaughey , Michael Fassbender, Tom hardy, Bradley Cooper and Jake Gyllenhaal. These are the cream of the crop in Hollywood. They are talented and most popular male stars. But they all come only second to DiCaprio. So this weird hype that Tom Hardy is enjoying will not last longer. Because eventually he has to succumb to the Hollywood system. His movies will not meet expectations because he is not working with masters of filmmaking for every movie. Thats the only way to create event movie level hype for everyone of your movies. Of course the movies has to meet the hype.

This movie is very cloudy. Rarely if ever do you see sunlight. I think I used this statement before but mad max fury road and the dark knight trilogy are the only movies that doesn't star DiCaprio since 1997 but feel like dramas with epic scale and incredible ambitiousness with huge financial risk and actually worked out in the end for both financiers and critics. Both those movie have a sense of studios dumping lot of money into movies just based on the vision of a single person and realizing each and every scene with extreme precision and to its fullest potential. You want a scene in a ball room ? lets get a huge ball room and take our time to shoot it. You want streets full of snow ? lets cover streets with fake snow and get expensive permits to block streets for multiple days of shoot. You want to explode a football stadium ? lets do it. All these are very unique to this movie. I have only one non-Nolan and non-DiCaprio movie do it since this movie and that would be Logan. That movie had the balls to spend 90 million on a movie that actually looks like distopian wasteland. But anyways thats a huge benefit this movie. Batman doesn't show up half way through the movie and has around 10-15 minutes screen time in a close to 170 minute movie. The extensive set piece for the heist in the air carrier and Wall Street. The whole pit for bruce Wayne to come out are all very impressive. I remember being obsessed with the teaser. And the final shot of batman backing away when bane walks towards him. Its an imposing shot of a man having met his match. The first encounter between batman and bane is the best part of the movie. Its a fist fight , a very simple first fight with no global scale explosions. Its just a hand to hand combat in a sewer. I always thought that the fight could have been more badass if it took place in Arkham prison with all the prisoners cheering it on. Somehow all the cops are out and the whole prison is unguarded. And cat woman lures batman into prison and alas he is in front of bane. But then again its hard to find a prison with such huge free space in between. Nolan wanted each punch to feel like it matters and not be overtaken by the background sound. Even visual point of view it does feel like having more people staring at them kinda distracts audience away from the fight. The pit is the give away for Nolan treating this movie as a mythology. Because the legend of the pit is established super vaguely. Its almost like "once upon a time far far away" kinda story. All this is Nolan giving us hints that it is a conclusion. The ticking bomb is a used trope but by that point a lot is happening and Nolan is juggling 100 things at a time that the bomb can be given a pass. He made Bruce Wayne survive for commercial reasons. The taking over of mantle is something Nolan wanted to use as a satisfying conclusion to bruce Wayne saga because audience know what it takes for a man to don that cape and fight crime. We have seen bruce Wayne literally go through the ringer at every step of the way.

aronisred

09-16-18, 12:02 AM

A Simple Favor

4

A nerdy single mom becomes friends with a very attractive but mysterious neighbor who is leagues above her in looks department. But one day the mysterious woman disappears and this forces the nerdy mom, our lead to uncover truths about the disappearance.

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly and since it came out this weekend if you are interested to watch it but are on the fence, I suggest you go watch it right now . Only asterisk her is if you are into the sensibilities of Paul Feig as a director. This is a murder mystery and at no point does it try to be a comedy but the comedic moments comes through characters involved in the mystery and those characters have Paul Feig's comedic sensibilities. He does deliver a compelling murder mystery/thriller. Almost all the main characters in the movie has layers to them. Some characters that look innocent are not so innocent and some characters that are vile and quite despicable can't help themselves but be that way. Blake Lively plays the role a pathological liar and femme fatale quite perfectly. Its one of those roles that's comparable to Sharon Stone's character in Basic Instinct. Only difference is that there is no x-rated stuff in this movie. Director cleverly makes almost all the main characters feel like culprits. So, for a while there you feel that the protagonist is somehow involved with the disappearance of Blake Lively and for sometime her husband who is played by Henry Golding feels like culprit.Another important thing that people going into this movie should note is that this is not a David Fincher movie. In David Fincher movies every character has certain darkness to them. There are no black and white characters. The darkness of the characters comes from the scripts, the actors chosen by David Fincher and of course Fincher's direction. But in this movie the script is written for a director like Paul Feig and the actors chosen for the movie are approved by Paul Feig. So you need to know that before going into the movie. The complexity of the characters in this movie are much more compartmentalized and are distinguishable by audience as opposed to a David Fincher movie. For example in Social Network, David Fincher presented Mark Zukerberg as this vile character thats reprehensibly ambitious and who is getting layed in toilet because he is famous. Thats a lot of layers to a character thats supposed to be this great genius. Where as in this movie in one scene we get a comedic/innocent Anna Kendrick and in the next scene we get a smart investigative Anna Kendrick. Thats a compartmentalized portrayal of a character than a complicated character thats walking with all the inner demons in them all at once.You can see the script turning off some of the characteristics of a character and turning on some other characteristics required for the scene in this movie. There are 3 or 4 times in the movie where I wished it had been directed by David Fincher as opposed to Paul Feig so that I could get that dark turn I wanted for the story to take but Paul Feig detours it into some not so dark places.

Key thing you need to understand is that this movie is the cinematic equivalent of the mystery/investigative novels read by housewives. This movie is aimed for middle aged women as I saw a lot of them in the theater. Luckily I went with my girlfriend so I didn't feel like a weirdo sitting by myself in a theater with mostly middle aged women on a girls night. So anyone going for a hardcore mystery will not like it. There is some dark stuff but the movie brings it back to light place quite quickly so that it doesn't loose its key demographic. You are not going to get a movie with grit and feel of something like Seven. But the movie is engaging enough for you to forgive the films unwillingness to go the distance. A much easier way to say about this movie is, there is a joke for almost every 5 minutes of the movie even till the end. So, even during the climax there are jokes in the dialogue. I liked it. However some jokes didn't work in terms of the dialogue.

Spoilers

So the main storyline of the movie involves Blake Lively's sudden disappearance. Initially everyone thinks she just ran off due to financially unsustainable marriage but later her body is found in the bottom of a lake. Due to shared grief between Anna Kendrick and Lively's husband they start an affair. After a while when she decides to move into the house she starts feeling Lively's presence not just imaginarily but even physically. The straw that breaks camel's back is when she receives an envelop through her son's friend aka Lively's actual son which contains a very dark and disturbing information about our protagonist's past which only Lively could have known. The reason for this whole taunting is because Lively , who isn't dead is angered by her husband's affair with Kendrick.

The reveal of the secret behind the identity of the body found in the lake is uncovered by Anna kendrick after she knows for sure Lively is not dead. Director does a very layered approach to the investigation. I liked it so much. It almost feels like her investigation is leading her deeper and deeper into the distrubing past of Blake lively's character. Blake Lively as I said is a very disturbing and exploitative character. She is the kind of girl that you hear about in the news that is murdered by her husband for having an affair. I always wondered how guys can be so dumb in judging the character of certain kind of women. I can only presume you will see lot of such women in Los Angeles because only so few of them make it to the top that the rest of them have to find a source of income to live and they use sex as a power play to make money. So Blake Lively's character is a parasite and she is born "evil". During the first layer of investigation Anna kendrick through a nude painting of Blake Lively tracks down its painter. As I said she is a parasite and also happens to be a bi sexual. So she scams the painter for a lot of money under the pretext of a sexual relationship and vanishes. The painter seems like one of those nice people who believes the best in people and moves on if life screws them over. So she moved on from Blake lively's betrayal. Linda Cardellini plays that role so well. She is tough in appearance but not at heart. So Blake lively was able to scam her. From there Anna Kendrick's investigation goes a layer deeper. She finds out Blake Lively's original identity and tracks down her address and sees her mom in a rather tension filled sequence. You could see the impact of Blake Lively's disturbing actions during her teenage years in her mother. Her mother is living a sad and depressed life.Through her , she learns that Lively's character has a twin and together they kill their father by burning the house down at a very young age due to some fight in the family. That forces them to run away from the house and split because twin killers are easy to track down if they stay together. We follow one sister who stays in America as the other sister movies to Mexico and becomes a drug addict. One the day of her disappearance she goes to visit her long last junkie twin who starts black mailing her for 1 million dollars. So Blake Lively cooks up a plan to kill two birds with one shot. So she kills her twin sister faking her own death and once her husband gets the insurance money due to her death she will join him and they can live together. But those plans are slightly spoiled by Anna Kendricks interference and ultimately Anna Kendrick orchestrates a sting to make Lively confess for her crimes.

Henry golding is perfect as a guy stuck between these two women. The movie cleverly shows how even attractive guys like Henry are not immune to the charms and scams of someone as vile and as attractive as Blake Lively. That was so great because the movie could have easily followed the route of showing the pair as a mismatched couple where Lively's character is too good looking and her husband is way below her league. But Paul Feig wanted the pair to look like a believable couple. I liked how no 2 characters are in complete honesty with each other. Blake Lively has got her husband wrapped around her finger and she is the perfect embodiment of femme fatale in any movie ever. Her character was written so well. It almost feels like one of those supermodels who switch between dating celebrities or increase the profile of men they date with time as they themselves get more and more famous.One of the scenes towards the end of the movie is another gem. There is a point in the story when Anna Kendrick had to choose between siding with Lively's character and blame her husband for forcing his wife to fake her own death so they can get the insurance money or side with husband to perform a sting on Lively as make her confess. By this point she realizes that Lively is a pathological liar and her husband didn't ever love Anna Kendrick. So she has reason to hate both of them. But she choose to side with the husband and expose Lively. I am not sure how much of it has to do with the findings from her own investigation that uncovered the evil of Lively's character and how much of it has to do with how a female mind works and not wanting to let a woman getaway with what she has done to her husband. But nonetheless it was a very good storyline.

The gripe I had with the movie was there are many scenes where the movie could have gone deeper and darker with certain storylines. Blake Lively could have executed her disappearance plan much more carefully. After all , she is a skillful parasite and femme fatale. Her move to taunt Anna Kendrick ultimately became the bane of her existence. Had she not done that , Anna Kendrick wouldn't have investigated her background. Even her plan to fake her death to get the insurance money of 4 million was so spontaneous. She never planned on killing her sister until she met her. Its little hard to believe that she cooked up this whole plot in a matter of seconds. To use the millions of insurance money she must have to either disappear with her whole family. That would have been a very suspicious getaway plan. I also didn't get how Anna Kendrick fits into the whole exploitative nature of Blake lively. From her past we know that she used lot of people around her. The only thing I can think of is she just used her to babysit her son. If thats the case then I take back my criticism. The creepy past of Anna Kendrick having an incestuous relationship with her half brother and eventually her husband finding that out that leads to both their deaths in an altercation servers only one purpose . It makes our protagonist believable when she is investigating this whole disturbing past and not be just a dumb nerdy workaholic single mother who is at the wrong place at the wrong time because she has gone through some dark stuff and she is smarter than she is letting out to be. I get that. So all in all its a tight script and I enjoyed it.

In a way this can be considered as an origin story for a private detective. A single mom vlogger who gets sucked into a murder mystery , uncovers the mystery with her own skills and realizes that she is highly gifted at this. After the case is closed , she becomes an investigator.

Cobpyth

09-16-18, 11:46 AM

Age of Consent (Michael Powell, 1969) - 2.5

The logline about an ageing male artist facing a creative slump and being inspired by a pretty young girl really does sound terrible on paper so it's a credit to all involved that it doesn't turn out too badly in execution, though I suppose it's helped by not being too long or too skeezy and actually having some well-composed visuals thrown into the mix.

Where did you find this film, Iro? (PM if necessary)

mark f

09-16-18, 03:09 PM

I got this nine years ago.
https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9143/9143429_sa.jpg;maxHeight=640;maxWidth=550

aronisred

09-16-18, 11:50 PM

Andromeda strain

3.5

After a satellite crash lands in a remote New Mexico village, the whole village and the 2 government officials tasked with retrieving it die in a mysterious manner. Its up-to scientists to find the root cause of this strange occurence.

The movie belongs to this very niche genre called a mission film. Most movies try to cover lot of things during the course of its runtime. But there are few movies which focus extensively on one thing. No matter the time and events in the movie all of them relate to one common thing. Every character's motivation is the same. This approach gave the movie a very pointed focus. Audience are treated to very unique scenes of a village where everyone is dead and scientists are going through the village among all these dead bodies. The concept of quarantine and isolation are key plot points in the movie.Even though antagonist of the movie is virus, the way it creates this sense of dread among all the people in this facility and all people involved in this first line of defense for humanity has a very visceral feeling. Its a whole new play ground for the director.The movie is very matter of fact about the biological procedures to isolate and neutralize this virus. Our protagonists are all normal looking everyday heroes. Most of the actors are unknowns or little known actors. Thats a very big deal. I mean the director must have had to fight studios to let them put an all unknown cast. Here the virus is the lead character. Its driving the plot and presence of a movie star could have spoilt its thrill. The three parts of this puzzle include the virus itself, the survivors immune to the virus and the test subjects killed by virus. Its interesting how all three play a part in their mission.

The main problem with the movie is that it slightly falls apart in the third act. Until this point the whole procedure has a very realistic feel to it. Its an incredible achievement by director to create this visceral feel among audience by making the whole movie move at a natural pace and not succumb to cinematic techniques. However in the end the director wanted that cinematic ending and so he decided to ramp up the narrative momentum. Even though he did that cleverly and staying true to realistic tone, the movie did feel abrupt in the end. I mean just a few minutes ago we were lost and in the matter of minutes we found everything and they dropped the ball on full impact of the antagonist a little bit in the end. Only the pace felt unnatural and jarring to the rest of the movie.It not a masterpiece by any means but it makes for a very good double feature with another space based movie called Capricorn one. Both have this semi conspiracy theory based narrative feel to them.

aronisred

09-17-18, 12:32 PM

Empire of the sun

4.5

A boy living in china gets separated from his parent during the Japanese invasion and he must learn to grow up in these harsh circumstances and in the process loose his innocence as a child.

Its one of those early movies where Spielberg is trying to make a turn into dramatic work from blockbuster film making. Hie is getting lot of resistance from not just critics but also from the people that matter like studio executives and financiers. But since he made them a lot of money he was given leeway to make few of these dramatic movies. Color purple and empire of the sun are some of his earlier forays into dramatics. Color purple was a massive success in terms of Oscar nominations and it did fairly well at box office. Because world wide audience along with US are interested in knowing about black culture but the weird thing about it all is that the curious of audience stop there. Other races and cultures want a movie about black culture with black cast and that's all. They are not interested in seeing black actors in common man movies or movies where the focus of the character is not on their blackness. Its the same even now. Black Panther has its roots in its blackness. Its about the culture of black people and so people are interested in seeing it and most of the audience are kids who don't know any better. Denzel Washington and will smith are the only two actors who were able to transcend it but even they had to stick with switching between commercial entertainers and low-budget dramas. They are not allowed to makes ambitious movies that have something to say like Revenant or the martian. Lets see if that changes.

This movie has a huge budget for its time. With the lead as an unknown that's pretty ballsy. Something like ET has alien as its star. But here the movie rests on the shoulder of young christian bale. I thought he did an outstanding job. The character is that of a highly active kid who survives the concentration camps of war by merely doing what he had to to survive. Over the course of his stay he is exposed to all possible kinds of human experiences. He sees some stuff he is not supposed to see at his age. All this accelerates his mental growth rate. At his age he doesn't see an enemy as an enemy rather he sees them as humans. But the circumstances forces him to behave like an adult. The movie has few cheesy lines and scenes where a Japanese kid tries to cut a fruit with a knife while Bale is holding it but from afar it looks like he is about to kill Bale. So the people who knew Bale from concentration camp tries to help and protect him but he sees adults making such evil decisions to kill an innocent kid trying to help him. There is no other way but to describe this journey as loss of innocence. I don't think Bale was acting and rather he was reacting. He was coached by Spielberg on the set in the moment. Which I think is how lot of kids act. They just react and throw a tantrum or something. They can't and don't internalize scenes and emotions. But there is so much Bale's face is emoting at a given time that it almost feels like he is mentally there.

Speaking of Bale, this is one of his early collaborations on a movie and that happens to be with Spielberg. I hate to compare this to any of the later collaborations of Spielberg. The main reason for that is in Spielberg's early part of career the cinematic landscape was different. Movies can sell themselves on their themes. Jaws and ET were more or less family friendly creature features. They are PG versions of Alien/The thing/Predator. They are mild and accessible enough to make boatloads of money. He made Indiana Jones movies as well cashing off the stardom of Harrison Ford from Star wars. I am not saying its easy but there is a clear path for those movies to make money. Heck, even Fugitive made lot of money. But from late 90s and early 2000s on wards Spielberg started behaving more and more like a better version of studio director for hire than a director with a vision. He always had his laurels to fall back on in terms of legacy and pedigree but for the most part he started behaving like a director dependent on the star power of the movie stars for box office rather than his own name brand and the strength of the movie. He collaborated with Tom Cruise , Tom hanks and DiCaprio. All these are bonafide movie stars who can bring in at-least 300 millions $ on a movie as long as it is either epic in scale or entertaining enough. He managed to not work with cheap movie stars like Adam Sandler but nonetheless he became dependent on star power. So none of those collaborations felt like a director pursuing his vision and more like studios put together a cast and a movie for him to direct. It all felt so commercial and cheap. In the last decade I felt most of his movies to be extremely pumped with studio push and marketing. Studios tried to push his movies way too hard to get some kind of recognition they never deserved. Even he is too scared to play it risky. All of them are just him playing it safe critically and financially. He lost his mojo. So to me collaboration in this movie always feels like classic Spielberg pursuing his vision and not forced by studios to cast someone because he is a movie-star. The collaboration between Christian Bale and Spielberg feels so pure.

So this in an emotional movie with some heartbreaking scenes. Its a good watch. It plays like a real life fairy tale.

Iroquois

09-18-18, 10:50 AM

Getaway (Courtney Solomon, 2013) - 1

Heinously low-grade run-all-night schlock that I wouldn't have seen if not for it being covered by the We Hate Movies podcast. Even by the standards of DTV-level action (which I'll admit to having a certain degree of fondness for), this is nigh-unwatchable thanks to its cheap and extremely over-cut visuals (there are supposedly over 6,000 cuts in this 90-minute movie), to say nothing of how aggressively generic it is in every possible regard. Once again I question exactly where I split the difference between a 0.5 and a 1 and whether or not this deserves the infamy of the former of the obscurity of the latter.

Under Siege (Andrew Davis, 1992) - 2

After giving this a 1 last time I watched it, I opted to give this a second chance and...well, I still found it wanting as far as action movies go. At least now I'll concede that the sheer level of personality that dudes like Jones and Busey bring to the proceedings keeps it from being unwatchable (as does the perfunctory plotting and concise running time) but I've seen it twice now and there's next to nothing that sticks about its actual action, which is a major handicap (that and Seagal himself is so weirdly uncharismatic in a way that doesn't exactly help sell his typical Gary Stu protagonist).

Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (Geoff Murphy, 1995) - 2

As this is supposedly a significant step down from its relatively beloved predecessor, I went in with low expectations and...I guess they were surpassed (or at least met)? It's still a fairly dull excuse for an action movie, though it does feel like I could at least pinpoint the very occasional standout moment (even if it does tend to be something absurd) - if nothing else, watching these two movies back to back is making me think in depth about how to assess the worth of certain action movies.

La La Land (Damien Chazelle, 2016) - 3

Now that both the hype and the backlash has died down, I've had a chance to re-watch this and...I still just think it's okay. It certainly doesn't lack for audio-visual verve and there's a tangible passion that keeps it from being bad but it really does hit a bit too much of a wall once it knuckles down and gets serious in its back half.

12 Years A Slave (Steve McQueen, 2013) - 4

Now that I've seen this three times, I do have to question whether or not it actually rewards multiple viewings (then again, I think you could say that about all the 2014 Best Picture nominees). This film's various horrors (both graphic and subtle) don't exactly get less hard to watch as it still maintains its visceral nature, though one can definitely question if that's enough to make it truly great.

M (Fritz Lang, 1931) - 4

Finally got around to clearing this off the watchlist and it very much earns its thoroughly-respectable-classic status.

Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov, 1929) - 4

Definitely one of those films that makes me sit up and wonder why the hell I don't watch more like it, especially when it gleefully eschews established cinematic conventions for the sake of a pure artistic experience.

A Dangerous Method (David Cronenberg, 2011) - 2

Cronenberg's almost too obvious a choice for this based-on-a-true-story psychosexual drama about the sadomasochistic relationship that unfolds between renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung and one of his patients. Too bad it gets maybe a little too hung-up on psychiatric jargon and see-sawing between stiff theatrics and Keira Knightley's remarkable (for better and for worse) performance as the aforementioned patient.

My American Uncle (Alain Resnais, 1980) - 4

Resnais' tale of three inter-connected people whose lives run along similar parallels and occasionally crash into one another is conventional up until a point but his use of New Wave techniques to both introduce and juggle all three of these narrative strands proves an effective way of comparing and contrasting three vastly different (yet not too dissimilar) individuals, all of which manages to be in the service of a solid ensemble drama anyway.

Irma Vep (Olivier Assayas, 1996) - 4

An intriguing little film that ostensibly satirises the state of France's contemporary film industry through its troubled tale of one man's attempt to remake classic French serial Les Vampires (which I definitely feel inspired to check out now). Succeeds at capturing a moment in time while also remaining relevant and just being a rather abstract and unpredictable watch anyway.

Citizen Rules

09-18-18, 11:51 AM

A Simple Favor

rating_4
I hadn't heard of this movie, but just realized it had Blake Lively. I think she's one of the better actresses working today, but so far she hasn't landed any really great film roles. Glad to see you rate this so high, I think I'll check it out based on your review.

aronisred

09-18-18, 12:09 PM

I hadn't heard of this movie, but just realized it had Blake Lively. I think she's one of the better actresses working today, but so far she hasn't landed any really great film roles. Glad to see you rate this so high, I think I'll check it out based on your review.

before checking out just know that its not a david fincher movie. Its a dark comedic mystery/thriller by a director known for comedies. You wont get the dark smoky foggy cinematography.

Citizen Rules

09-18-18, 12:43 PM

before checking out just know that its not a david fincher movie. Its a dark comedic mystery/thriller by a director known for comedies. You wont get the dark smoky foggy cinematography. Thanks. I don't think I've ever seen a David Fincher movie before.

HashtagBrownies

09-18-18, 05:57 PM

Seen in September Pt.1

48103
4
Everyone was disappointed with Unfriended saying it was ‘a good concept but bad movie’. Searching takes that concept and makes it into a very intense mysterious thriller. For a film about the internet, they get everything very accurate (E.x. an entire sub-reddit dedicated to the missing daughter). My favourite element of the film was the suspense and tension: I was constantly anxious wondering what would happen, pretty damn impressive for a 12+ film. The only thing I’ll say though is that the ending is a little corny and the fact that the teens censor themselves on social media is hilariously inaccurate.

48104
3.5-
A fun thriller. Peter Lorre is awesome as always. Doesn’t hold a candle to the awesome remake. The opera house scene in the remake is one of my favourite scenes in Hitchcock’s entire filmography; So comparing it to this one really shows why Hitchcock remade this.

48105
3.5+
This review on Rotten Tomatoes sums it up well:

“He stayed in the trenches for 21 years? What a f*cking idiot.

48106
4+
Holy crap man this was a wild f*cking ride! The film went unbelievably fast due to how engaged and interested I was in it. The main subject of the documentary is unbelievable, you really can’t believe that someone like this exists. The way it was shot, its editing and soundtrack were brilliant and really kept me on edge for the whole film.

Also ’that’ scene: I..I can’t, I just can’t. Definitely one of those films you shouldn’t read about before seeing.

48107
3.5
Very good Hitchcock. Lots of great suspense and OH S*IT! moments as is to be expected by Hitchcock. The film drags down a but when the main character handcuffs himself to the woman,

48108
3
Eh, I guess French New Wave films aren’t really my thing.

48109
3.5?
Oh my God, this is so bad and so good at the same time. I felt like I was having a bad dream watching this.
I mean where to start?
There's about 5 different subplots that don't have anything to do with the film. There's multiple bits where I wasn't sure if they were being purposefully bad or accidentally bad. There's barely any tomato action. All the tomatoes don't look like tomatoes. The camera quality reminds me of the restored edition of Manos: the Hands of Fate. The pacing is awful, I cried in dismay when I realized I was only at the 20 minute mark.
I can't be too harsh though, it's crappy b-movie fun and all the awful elements of it is what makes it good. I remember genuinely laughing at some parts (The advertisements, 'Could you pass the ketchup?', earmuff tomato).

48110
4-
Violent fun. The dialogue from Tarantino was awesome, as is to be expected. The first bit act or so of the film feels so much different from the rest and I’m not sure why.

48111
4.5
HOLY CRAP THIS WAS SO NICE! I loved all the animals being super cute (Thumper was the cutest!). It was just such a nice and happy film that warms your heart. So much better than Snow White and Dumbo.

48112
4
My review: https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/1950549-the-burning.html

Alright, so I went into this expecting an alright slasher with a few interesting kills.

What I wasn't expecting was for it to actually be REALLY good, maybe even great.

Let's start with the best element of this film: The characters. Most slasher films you barely remember any of the characters as they're all just there to be offed by the killer. The Burning on the other hand is completely different. We get introduced to our main characters within the first few minutes: Counselor Todd, the misunderstood Alfred, Michelle, and cheeky Eddie. After the scene with Todd's talk with Alfred I was basically rooting' for him the entire film. I was thinking in my head "If anyone lays a hand on Alfred of Todd, I'll lay a chainsaw in their head". Good thing I likened towards them considering the film's chain of events. The film doesn't have any 'proper' kills until the 50 minute mark, so we spend tons of time getting to know these characters better.

This film might as well be an advertisement for summer camp as it makes it seem super fun: Playing with your buds, canoeing, chillaxed camp counselors, spooky campfire stories, HOT BABES!. This film might've convinced me to take a stab at it.

Now for the technical aspects: Really liked the soundtrack, sounds as you'd expect from an 80's slasher. The gore effects were pretty cool (and other effects aswell). The lighting and shadows were great too. All of the goofy jumpscares and the OH S*IT, DON'T DO IT! moments definitely add to the fun.

Now hears a couple of other bits I liked about it:
-When Michelle is giving out to Alfred for peeping and Eddie's just in the background smirking his f*cking head off, so funny!
- Eddie can't swim but he's in his trunks? lol wut?
- The bully calls a porno mag "Girly Magazine"
-Truly Oscar worthy quotes with Oscar-worthy delivery: "A f*cking Big Mac, overdone!" "What am I, Masters and Johnson" What is this? Some sort of interrogation ere”?” “Dave sold ‘em to some Indian guy”

aronisred

09-20-18, 04:07 AM

Memories of murder

4.5

A small county/district outside Seoul, capital of South Korea is terrorized by a serial killer who rapes and kills young women. Its up-to the local police and a curious detective from Seoul on an assignment to catch the killer.

First and foremost this is a 2003 Korean movie. So, people need to be aware of that before jumping into this movie. It takes place in a semi rural location. The village architecture is not that clear. You don't see much of the village if not for the investigation. If police are not investigating a certain place of village then you are not seeing it. From what we see it looks like an industrial place. There may be 3 or 4 factories that provide the main livelihood for the families in the village. The movie begins with a local police visiting a crime site where a young woman is tied down and gagged in her own underwear and left in a mini open-air sewage line. From the initial scene we realize that the movie tries to put the characters in the movie on a collision course with the atmosphere. It makes the movie not just an atmospheric movie where surroundings are just part of the background and characters behave like the script says but instead you see the surroundings/atmosphere actively interfere with the investigation. This has its benefits and downfalls but I did think in case of this movie the benefits outweigh the negatives.

The sensibilities are completely different between East Asian audience and rest of the world. I am trying to find a way of saying it with out sounding like a racist. There is something about their definition of masculinity and sensuality that is not universally appealing. That's the main reason why so many Asian movies don't breakout internationally. Audience are just not into it. Mixed race east Asians like Crazy rich asian's Henry golding might have a better advantage at appealing to international audience than pure east Asian race. To be quite honest there is huge chunks of international audience who don't like the way East Asian eyes look let alone spending money to watch them in movies unless someone transcends that with personality. Someone like Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee transcended that with their personality and natural machismo. Jackie Chan doesn't need to have 6 pack or cheek bones to prove that he is alpha male, all you need to convince someone that he is alpha male is by showing them one of his movies. But you don't have room for an east Asian star who is just known for his lead roles and not for his martial arts. There is huge disconnect there. It has nothing to do with bias but its more about sensibilities and physical features. There was a little bit of culture shock there when I started watching this movie but eventually the story became gripping.

Getting back to the movie, it starts with a local cop taking a case of a murder described earlier. Since they couldn't find any evidence on the body of the victim they are forced to interrogate all potential suspects. Her ex-boyfriends etc. The interesting thing about this movie is that audience are at ground zero of this whole case. So, while we feel it to be much more intimate and small in scale, the case is widely publicized. Audience don't exactly know how big of a news story this murder is but once in a while there will be scenes where we do notice lot of reporters snooping around and general public gathering around the crime scenes etc. So, the case did cause a huge commotion and panic among general public. This obviously means more pressure on the police to catch the killer. The movie portrays the lead investigating cop as lazy and ill equipped for handling this type of serious crimes. The movie has a very "matter of fact" approach to it all. The crimes as gruesome as they are, were never exploited. Director didn't revel in or romanticized the crime or any of the characters in the movie. In a more familiar analogy this cop is the Korean equivalent of Tommy Lee Jones from No country for Old men but he is just a little more practical without all those long monologues of Jones and little inexperienced. The movie does show him as ill equipped and not ready for these type of crimes. After all he is a small town cop and he is thrust into this huge case due to his territory. Corruption of the system plays a huge role in the movie. Its treated more as an inevitability than a choice. Initially they try to blame it on a mentally challenged person who knows the victim and try to beat a confession out of him which is partially coached and it doesn't work. They are joined by a detective from Seoul who requested to be assigned to this case.

Team dynamic forms a crucial part of the movie. Because , for sizable portion of the movie we are dealing with suspects that don't end up being the culprit. So we are left with the police team. As mentioned the cop is tough but corrupt as we see him planting evidence to frame the mentally challenged person behind bars. The detective from Seoul is much more a straight man and meticulous as opposed to the cop. He is smarter and foils the unlawful and misguided plans of the cop to convict wrong people. The cop has a deputy who is the muscle of the duo. During the interrogation its the job of deputy to physically threaten and assault suspects to scare them into confessions. Its a very interesting three hander. You don't see a lot of those in American movies except in LA confidential. The deputy is a less prominent version of Russell Crowe from that movie. This investigation has a superior. The movie does a interesting with the superior. The movie does show consequences for mistakes made in the investigation. Once the news gets out that the handicapped was forced into confession and was a victim of police brutality, in a subtle way we see how the superior is fired/transferred and replaced by a new superior. It doesn't have big moments of him leaving emotionally or anything, they just show the new guy taking in charge by directly participating in the investigation. With all this man power behind the investigation and after few subsequent murders, they find patterns in the killings. The killings take place during rain , women are clothed in red at the time of crime and a shot in the dark speculation that the killer requests for a little known song which excites him before going out and committing the murders. All these patterns help them isolate the suspects. As movie goes on you see the atmosphere and surroundings interfere with the investigation. In a false note they chase a factory worker after they catch him visiting a crime scene late at night to full-fill his usual fantasies unbeknownst to him that it's a crime scene. All these makes them go nowhere close to tracking down the criminal. To be honest close to 1 hr 30 minutes into the movie the pace felt little slow. So I paused the movie and came to it a while later. Around the 90 minute mark when they catch a suspect who has strongest evidence against him yet, the movie starts picking up. From then on its not just the story but all the story-lines they have created up until that point starts amplifying the narrative. Both the lead investigators in the case, the cop and the detective from Seoul strongly believes that he is the killer. They try to prove that point.

What happens next is something very unique to this movie. Empathy in a character can only be created if you see a character in a movie in more than once scene in different timelines. So basically you have to revisit the character if you want audience empathy for him.That's one of the things I noticed and quite frankly felt at my gut level watching this movie for the first time ever. I can clearly sense the feeling of loss. During a sequence when investigators deduce that the mentally handicapped suspect from earlier in the movie was able to describe the things happened to the victim even though he didn't do it because he witnessed it. Director uses flashback sequences to give a hint to the audience what the truth is. Any information provided by a person as part of investigation if true is given a flash back sequence. They do the same with a victim of the killer who manages to not get killed after being raped. From her account we realize that the killer does not actually want to murder but he is primarily a rapist. He kills only because most of his victims except the one above looks at his face. Since she actively decided not to look at him, he didn't kill her. This aspect covers lot of things. For example, women not coming forward with anonymous rapes fearing societal shame. All these things kinda started making the movie interesting again quite quickly actually. The another example is police brutality. You can feel at gut level that cops are frankly torturing the family of the disabled suspect. Initially trying to frame him as a killer and later trying to ask him identify the suspect who they think is the killer.

The movie shows how frustrated these cops are. Character arc for the detective from Seoul involves his transition from this calm, cool, collected and thoughtful person to frustrated, angry, impatient and sad detective. Because they couldn't catch the killer in the end. When I saw the accolades for this movie on Wikipedia, I noticed that the corrupt/ill equipped cop was the lead and that performance was the one getting all the praise in this movie. Rightfully so. We basically start and end the movie with his character. His arc is very interesting. He starts off as I said, basically a cop who is tough but is corrupt as well. The actor plays the role so well. He doesn't play the cop like a bum but more like a street smart and tough cop who is not ideological. And by the end of the movie he suffers great loss. His deputy and his pal loses his leg due to the investigation. He absorbs some of the obsessive investigative personality of the detective from Seoul to the point that in the 3rd act both these guys are so involved with the investigation and their motivations are so in sync. It feels like True Detective in terms of the time span of this crime. You do feel bad for this guy. They couldn't catch the killer or arrest the prime suspect because of lack of evidence. The ending of the movie is spectacular. We see the cop moving on from his job , probably due to this case and when he is driving through the village after many years. He stops by to revisit the first crime scene in the movie. Of course he is not there as a cop but as a normal citizen. A little girl greets him asking what he is doing and tell him that another man has come there a while ago and told her that he has done something there a while ago. The cop turns to the camera and screen cuts to black.

To sum it up, this is one of it not the most satisfying serial killer movies ever where they don't catch the killer. Its about the process. Even something like Zodiac doesn't feel satisfying. But for some reason this movie felt satisfying because the movie plays up the "no one is perfect" card. We know that there could be 100 things that could go wrong before the killer is convicted. Because he is so meticulous in his crimes that there is hardly evidence. Despite all this its a very satisfying watch. The movie oddly is okay with its protagonists being little inefficient in their jobs. You see them doing lot of questionable things but movie is more like "you gotta do what you have to do". Main negative is the pace in the second act which drags a little bit. And also the bread crumbs along the investigation are not really that clever. It not some dark and complicated puzzle piece of investigation. Its a very forensics and guess work based investigation.

Iroquois

09-22-18, 03:28 PM

The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (Karel Zeman, 1962) - 3.5

After having been so impressed by the visual novelty of Zeman's The Fabulous World of Jules Verne, I sought out his own adaptation of the adventures of the eponymous folk figure and found it more or less the same - it may expand its visual scope to include coloured tinting in a way that evokes silent adventures but it also sacrifices cohesive narrative for the sake of disjointed vignettes that really mess with the pacing.

Paris Belongs To Us (Jacques Rivette, 1961) - 2.5

The fact that this reads like my kind of movie on paper (French New Wave, moribund existentialism, self-deprecating leftism) only makes the end result even more disappointing (though in fairness I did watch this really late at night so I might not have been as into it as I would if I wasn't tired). Maybe I'll give it another chance sometime.

Biutiful (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2010) - 2.5

This is about what I've come to expect from Iñárritu and his particular brand of dramatics, which I'd liked well enough with Amores perros but liked less and less with each subsequent feature of his (up until Birdman saw him change things up, and even then...). As for Biutiful, it's buoyed a bit by focusing much more clearly on a single protagonist (who is played rather well by Javier Bardem) even though I remain skeptical that this story is strong enough to last a full two-and-a-half hours without eventually becoming an abject wallow in prolonged misery.

Hearts Beat Loud (Brett Haley, 2018) - 3.5

I want to call this the 2018 version of Sing Street with its simple but effective tale about a hipster dad's attempts to make music with a daughter who's more focused on heading off to college. Perfectly enjoyable for what it is and it has enough charm to elevate it over other films of its ilk.

Predators (Nimród Antal, 2010) - 3

Haven't seen this one since it hit theatres and I think it's held up about as well as could be expected, which is fortunately not bad. The concept's solid (group of random killers thrown together to fight Predators) and the casting's generally decent, plus the actual action and effects work around that familiar Troublemaker Studios sheen. Of course, the end result is still too slight for it to be genuinely great, but there's enough fun to be had here anyway.

Redacted (Brian DePalma, 2007) - 3

It figures that a filmmaker as interested in playing with cinematic form as DePalma would try his hand at the mockumentary sooner or later and seeing him do so through a loose War on Terror-era remake of Casualties of War certainly makes for an interesting and engaging (if not particularly great) piece of late-period work. At the very least, I figure I need to reassess Casualties of War as a result.

Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem (Colin Strause and Greg Strause, 2007) - 0.5

It'd be nice if there was something to be gained from a second viewing of this crossover sequel involving two iconic movie monsters coming together in a small American town, but there really, really isn't. Everything is bland at best and downright contemptuous of the audience at worst, resulting in one of my least favourite movies ever.

The Predator (Shane Black, 2018) - 2.5

All things considered, this serves as a pretty good reminder why I don't get too excited about new releases. While it's certainly got quite a few moments that harken back to the sort of over-the-top fun that the franchise (or at least the first film) has come to represent, far too often it's let down by technical flaws and tonal problems.

Taste of Cherry (Abbas Kiastorami, 1997) - 4

This brief and minimal tale of a suicidal man trying to find someone to bury his corpse for him after he commits the deed is at once starkly down-to-earth yet strangely humanistic in its treatment of its unusual premise, all captured through Kiastorami's slow and unassuming but notably-constructed filmmaking. I definitely need to see more of his work.

The Trial of Joan of Arc (Robert Bresson, 1962) - 3.5

Out of the Bresson films I've seen so far, this may be my least favourite (but that only speaks to how strong his average is). It makes sense that he'd apply his distinctly minimalist (and fittingly fatalist) approach to recounting the final days of one of history's most famous martyrs and it works more often than not, though it does feel like it's wearing out its welcome even in its notably brief running time.

doubledenim

09-23-18, 05:54 AM

Seen in September Pt.1

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=48110
rating_4-
Violent fun. The dialogue from Tarantino was awesome, as is to be expected. The first bit act or so of the film feels so much different from the rest and I’m not sure why.

I'm due to re-watch this and more than likely adjust my 5. After listening to a pod wax poetic about this, the lore surrounding this movie makes it even more enticing. Sizemore gets Gandolfini his big break, Tony Scott slapping Arquette, Hans Zimmer score, Gary Oldman using his Dracula props, the quotes, Saul Rubinek at the height of his powers, and realizing that Christopher Walken's two appearances in Tarantino penned movies involve those two classic scenes.

Mr Minio

09-23-18, 04:20 PM

Ratcatcher (1999) - 3.5

https://i.imgur.com/lgH78NC.png

Just when I thought my English was good enough to watch films without subtitles, them bloody Scotts had to prove me wrong. Holy cew, at times I wasn't even sure if they spoke English. After thirty minutes I gave up and put on the subtitles. Oh well, I see Lynne Ramsay likes her porn misery. Knock it off with them negative waves, woman!

Nuits blanches sur la jetée [White Nights on the Pier] (2014) - 3

http://fr.web.img4.acsta.net/videothumbnails/15/01/05/10/25/067945.jpg

Had high hopes for this one, but it turned out to be my least favourite adaptation of Dostoevsky's short story. Eugene Green would've made it better!

Le chat dans le sac [The Cat in the Bag] (1964) - 3

https://media1.nfb.ca/medias/nfb_tube/cache/cc/31/cc319f5e88b1efcd04916ff05aa0db83.jpg

Mindless Godard worship plus some uninteresting political stuff -- that's Quebec for ya!

Siglo ng pagluluwal [Century of Birthing] (2011) - 3.5

http://entertainment.inquirer.net/files/2017/05/t0517siglo.jpg

Wow, Lav Diaz really made a short film this time (only 6 hours long!). This would've been much better if members of this cult sung the Divine Mantra of Ashtar Sheran and Lord Gorloj instead!

Ať žije republika [Long Live the Republic] (1965) - 4

https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/images/newsite/long-live-the-republic_600.jpg

Exquisite "coming-of-age during war" flick! Almost as good as Ivan's Childhood!

Свето место [A Holy Place] (1990) - 3.5

https://78.media.tumblr.com/23063485235a83dfff12c07b28be28c5/tumblr_nx9oyzaeEP1qzrs0co1_500.png

Yugoslavian adaptation of Gogol's story. Not as amazing as the 1967 version, but has some pleasant atmosphere, and also some WTF moments like femdom ball busting and what not. :O

Makimono (1974) - 2.5

https://i.imgur.com/Zp5t9Wz.png

Not bad, but the last epileptic part is everything I hate about avant-garde cinema.

The Player (1992) - 4

https://i.imgur.com/nDS4Orp.jpg

Altman is a great director and I love how cynical this film is. A lot of cinematic references. <3

Hoop Dreams (1994) - 1

http://images.amcnetworks.com/docnyc.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1201x782-KEY-IMAGE-Hoop-Dreams-711_488-Courtesy-Kartemquin-Films1.jpg

Totally not my thing. If you're interested in basketball, or sociological problems of the US, you will probably get more out of it.

団鬼六監修　ＳＭ大全集 [Best of SM] (1984) - 3

https://i.imgur.com/5PTwSUY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/b1jkk5Y.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/hwpyIDQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MYN0D3C.jpg

Sounds good, but just like the title suggests, this is simply an omnibus of a couple of other pinku eigas' sex scenes tied together by an intro and outro that are the only new footage here. To make it worse, I've already seen some of the films whose footage was used. It's really gr8 to see Naomi Tani in Blu-ray quality, though.

Upgrade (2018) - 4

https://i.imgur.com/OW3BcfT.png

A top-notch modern sci-fi! Sounds trite, but goes against the flow, and delivers!

Talpuk alatt fütyül a szél [The Wind Blows Under Your Feet] (1976) - 4

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

Hungarian ostern = gulash western! Only for real men!

The Fall (2006) - 3

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

Looks really good at times, but the story is a mess, and the Hollywoodness is painful! Still, that was a pleasant watch.

極私的エロス恋歌 [Extreme Private Eros: Love Song 1974] (1974) - 4

https://ireallyhavenothingtosaybutiwanttosayitallthesame.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/extreme-private-eros-still-1.jpg?w=1200

Expected something completely different! Hara once again asks about moral limits of documentary filmmaking. THAT BIRTH SCENE!!!

Mandy (2018) - 5

https://78.media.tumblr.com/4c6cd1b4ffb332337626a4e3d5eaa199/tumblr_pdhltwbGtk1x0bvwko2_500.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIamzBSNzHc
the movie

WHOEVER RATES THIS LOW IS A REPTILIAN AGENT!

Alléluia (2014) - 3.5

https://i2.wp.com/horrorpedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/alleluia-movie-2.jpg?resize=567%2C319&ssl=1

Really solid! Nicely plays with viewer's expectations and stays quite restrained = classy. Noice.

Két félidő a pokolban [Two Half-Times in Hell] (1961) - 4

https://alchetron.com/cdn/two-half-times-in-hell-29ffe3ef-e11b-4dcb-8afc-3d789b6f4e4-resize-750.jpg

Much more psychologically rich and even at times poetic than its American remake with Stallone and Pele.

King Lear (1987) - 3.5

https://criticsroundup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/king-lear-still-526x295.jpg

Power and Virtue! Starts off with some extremely beautiful poetic scenes, but then goes really WEIRD. Is there anything else I'd like to say about it? Nothing. No thing.

La fin du jour [The End of the Day] (1939) - 4.5

https://i.imgur.com/tmEmK44.png

So much better than Pepe le Moko! A touching mix of proto-Children of Paradise and Make Way for Tomorrow with splendid cinematography equaling the best of the time! Gives me this wonderful literary feel.

The Little Foxes (1941) - 3

http://blog.raptnrent.me/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/littlefoxes1.gif

Cinematography is gr8, Bette is good, but the plot is tediously meh.

乱行 [The Orgy] (1967) - 4

https://sukebanbancho.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/ranko-bild-1.png

Given the title and director (Wakamatsu!) this is incredibly restrained. It's not even a pink film, but rather a Japanese New Wave gangster flick. A great one nevertheless!

अशद का एक दिन [One Day Before the Rainy Season] (1971) - 4.5

http://i.imgur.com/80f4uIW.png

Best Mani Kaul I've seen so far. Visually spectacular!

pahaK

09-23-18, 06:16 PM

Mandy (2018) - 5

WHOEVER RATES THIS LOW IS A REPTILIAN AGENT!

Hello puny human. Greetings from the reptilian master race :rolleyes:

Mr Minio

09-24-18, 01:33 AM

Hello puny human. Greetings from the reptilian master race :rolleyes: ATTENTION! THIS IS GORLOJ SPEKING TO YOU. HUMANS, YO IS IN GREAT DANGER. THE REVEALANCE OF PAHAK AS A REPTILIAN LORD MADE THE LIZARDS VERY ENGRY. THEY ARE ABOUT TO AVENG HIM IN MOST CRUEL WAYS. PLEAS DON'T SEND IMPORTANT INFORMATION THRU MOFO, IT IS CONTROLLED. SEND MESSAGE BY PURE LOVE. LOVE WILL NEVER BE CORRUPTED SO YO WILL BE SAFE.

WANTED!

DEAD OR ALIVE!

PAHAK - MOST WANTED CRIMINAL IN ZIDANIA, LEGENDARY LAND, HOMELAND OF LORD GORLOJ.

BEWARE COMRADES, FOR HE IS MOST DEVIOUS, INFERNAL CHARLATAN THAT EVER ENTERED OUR LAND.
HE HAS RECENTLY STOLEN THE CROWN OF ZIDANIA - SACRED ARTIFACT OF THE AGES. HE MAY BE DISGUISED AS A CHARMING MOFO. GOSSIP NEWS SAY HE TELEPORTED SHORTLY AFTER THE ACT, BUT EXPERTS TOLD US IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO TELEPORTATION PROHIBITION ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

I SWEAR ON MY NOSE I WILL ALWAYS HELP YOU.

GORLOJ

aronisred

09-25-18, 02:54 PM

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

3.5

4 years after incidents of first movie, a crew of 4 is sent to site b of Jurassic Park to obtain photo record of dinosaurs in the wild. The plan is to use this data to rally support from various organisations to let dinosaurs live in the habitat without human interruption. But his board members have other ulterior corporate motives.

As entertaining as it is , this movie is no Jurassic Park. That's partly because it has lost the novelty of going to the Island for the first time and seeing Dinosaurs. First movie has lot of details it can chew on. Establishing the park and its rules. No sequel can capture that. Even Spielberg couldn't prevent parts of the movie from sounding dumb. But the interesting and unique thing about Spielberg that makes him stand out from other directors is that he knows he is making a popcorn blockbuster and he wants to make it good.

The reason to go back to the islands is a little silly. But its acceptable. The usual parent children relationship that has become a staple in Spielberg is present in this movie as well. The team dynamic between the science guy, the reporter , Jeff Goldblum and Julianne moore is very well crafted. Most of the time, Spielberg movies have these running gags between characters that are relatable to audience. In this movie it is the dialogue about how to treat electronic products. That's a clever element. Because the circumstances in this movie are so heightened that it is hard for audience to feel like the movie is taking place in real world. So this running gag helps audience relate to the characters in this movie. He casts actors that fit the part so well that very rarely do you need exposition to connect with audience. There are few characters like that. The science guy among goldblum's crew, the womanizing reporter played by Vince Vaughn, the head of the hunting crew(Pete Postlethwaite) , his arrogant deputy in charge and the evil corporate guy. One exposition dump kind of felt unnecessary for Postlethwaite's character.

The scope of these Jurassic Park movies is very contained. The whole movie takes place in a jungle. They were able to amplify the scope of the first one by showing the vastness of the Island. It felt big. In this movie, even though they do the same, the scope for the jungle part of it felt smaller than the first. The movie seems to have been divided into set pieces. The truck being pushed off cliff, the T-Rex attack on their base camp, the Velociraptor attack and the San Diego attack. The first movie felt way more fluid in its transition from place to place but in this movie, it doesn't feel so. It felt rather deliberate. One of the things that pissed me off in this movie is the dumbness of characters which is very unusual for a Spielberg movie. Most of the time characters in Spielberg movie have common sense. But in this movie the characters felt unusually dumb. The whole concept of animal rights is cute, but trying to save the creatures that could directly cause you mortal danger in a matter of minutes/hours/instantly is kinda stupid. That can really get under audiences' nerves.

In well crafted epic action adventures like this, movies are a series of gripping action set pieces. A whole movie can never be memorable. Its the sequences in the movie that are memorable and the more of those there are the more of a chance that the movie will be a masterpiece. Great directors can create that. Other directors most of the time will create a sequence that might be impressive visually but doesn't work. So,the directorial choice to have the whole San Diego sequence take place at night is brilliant. That helps distinguishing the lush,dense and dangerous island jungle from the city. Two things that stuck me that are brilliant in terms of film making are the death of deputy of Postlethwaite in the hands of pack of Compsognathus and the exploration of the concept of alpha predator in the movie. The movie deals with the term Alpha Predator much more extensively than the first one. We see glimpses of it in the first but in this movie it is much more dense. When in jungle if you come across a lion or a tiger most of the times it behaves like its the king of the jungle. The moment a lion is in a city or even in circus it knows its place. The bottom line is most wild animals don't behave like they are at the top of the food chain all the time. But a Dinosaur when resurrected is gonna behave like it is at the top of the food chain. The dialogue by the arrogant deputy of Postlethwaite alludes to that when he says " Its like it's not even scared..it gives me the creeps". That summarizes the kind of ideas this movie contains. It explains why T-Rex just walks into the streets because it knows that it has been the alpha predator last time it was on Earth. The death of Deputy by a pack of Compsognathus shows how dangerous packs of animals can be. Individually they can't do anything. It shows just how dangerous the jungles are and the massive costs of a small mishap. His mundane trip to go to toilet leads to his death. That's all it takes in a jungle as dangerous as the one in the movie.

This movie got a bad rap for following up the Jurassic Park. It ages well because Spielberg made the movie look authentic. It doesn't have any of those 90s cheese. That's mainly because of Spielberg.

aronisred

09-25-18, 04:05 PM

Murder Party

3

This is first of 3 Jeremy Saulnier's movie I will review leading upto release of Hold the dark on 28th September,2018 on Netflix . According to me he is one of the most exciting up and coming directors though he is 40 yrs old. In directors' age that's young. The premise of the movie is very simple. A deadbeat law enforcement officer receives an anonymous invitation to a Halloween Party called Murder Party. The whole movie takes place on the night of the Halloween.

There is no other way to say it but it is a student film. It feels like a student film right down to the casting, the camera used to shoot and production budget. It feels like a guy who made a movie about the topics that inspired him the most. That might involve other filmmakers or the festive occasions that are near and dear to him. Subverting expectations is the key things that stick out in this movie. There are many elements that rightfully feel heavily influenced by other directors. But the one thing he brought to the movie that is his own is the subverting expectations part. They might feel like twists but it is all there. All the clues are right in front of you. That one thing you know for a fact is dangerous will cause danger when you are distracted by something else and least expect. One thing that is very new in this movie is the scope of Halloween festive feel in the movie. Most of the movies that deal with Halloween set them in a country town. You see the sheriff's office , the small close knit communities etc. But this movie shows Halloween in a major city. You see the lead character live in a modest house on a huge street. You see him take a subway on Halloween night and when getting out of the subway you see him passing by a lot of people in Halloween costume. You see him take a turn that is deserted. The scene captures the dreaded empty isolated streets of Cities. Weird thing about major cities is how a densely populated street is next to an empty street. You see the lead character blindly go into dark alley after dark alley and go right upto the abandoned warehouse looking for the address of the party. This gives us some kind of insight into how dumb the lead character is.

The movie doesn't subvert expectations in terms of what you go into the movie for. Its not changing that. The movie is about a group of crazy people who wants to kill a random person and send a message to the society. All the people are hippy loser types. Their ring leader however has some secret plans and he brings his Russian friend. When **** hits the fan the difference between a bad movie and a good movie is that in case of good movie the crazy circumstances make sense. The crazy circumstances don't seem to have some out of the blue. There is rhyme and rhythm to them. This movie has a sequence where a characters' face is burnt because he has lot of inflammable substance on him a while ago and tries to light a cigar. But he has a wolf Halloween mast on his face when this happens. So the fire makes it stick to his face and so he looks like a were wolf. And it makes sense. Certain twists and sequences felt try hard. But this was a decent and an okay directorial debut.

Now lets get to the biggest and most obvious influence that is hanging over this movie for its entire run time. The Quentin Tarantino influence. The movie is extremely violent. It has twists. It has a character tied down to a chair like Reservoir dogs. It has drugs and people under substance influence. The thing about Tarantino is that no matter how much controversies he gets himself into he is quintessential an american director. Countless up and coming filmmakers and lot of filmmakers in Hollywood have grown up watching his movies. No amount of controversies or associations with vile individuals will take that away from him. Awards recognition and praise is something that relies on reputation. To a certain extents that's justified. You don't earn reputation for being great if you are inconsistent. So you gotta have some outstanding movies under your belt that make you earn the respect of a wide variety of filmmakers. They should look at your movies and say "I can't do what he does". If an capable filmmaker says that looking at your movie , you earn their respect. This all seems trivial but any and every recognition during awards season all goes back to this simple concept. That's precisely the reason why DiCaprio works with him. Because the whole director's guild will anticipate a Tarantino movie. The hold him at high regard. So if the movie turn our great. He will have no trouble rallying support and Oscar nominations. In case of other directors even if the movie turns out great they still have the trouble of having bad professional reputation like Ridley Scott who is known as a director for hire and not an auteur and the biggest trouble is many directors are not respected that much. Someone like Scott Cooper is not respected that much. Many people look at him as an okay director. Giving him director nomination is something they would never do until he explodes their expectation. So its very hard for movies without name directors to get to the top unless their movies blow everyone away. Until then they will be in the trenches and will not be welcomed into the circles. Meritocracy in Hollywood is quite cutthroat. Chris Nolan is at the top of his game right now and everyone is his friend. But if his next 2 films flop miserably, he will have no friends. Its very cutthroat. So when you have directors like Jeremy Saulnier that are influenced by him in their bones voting for him during awards season he will get Oscar nominations and wins.

aronisred

09-26-18, 04:07 PM

Jurassic Park

5

An amusement park in the making gets a visit from a group of experts to endorse it for public visit. But alas the main attraction of the park are Dinosaurs and things do go wrong.

To be quite honest this movie is not really that original if taken as a creature feature. T-Rex and Velociraptors are treated as antagonists. This is made from a novel by Michael Crichton. So, all this means is that this movie looks good on paper before camera starts rolling. But to take the magic from paper and put it on screen, we need a great director. The thing about Spielberg is that he is your traditional studio director. That should make him enemies in his competitors and fellow directors like it did for Ridley Scott. But the thing about Spielberg is the risks he takes with his name brand. Albeit they are calculated risks.There is certain inherent difficulty in staying consistent and surprising audience with each movie. You can't stay in the business for 30 or more years and still be able to make movies like Ready Player One unless you are some kind of genius. More than that he is consistent. He is making movies like Bridge of Spies in between. So the quality of the movie has to be mostly attributed to Spielberg. Without him it would just have been an okay movie with interesting ideas.It so evident in the way he carries out scenes and sequences. As I said in my Predator review, in movies like these that are set in an exotic location or a mysterious land, the most important thing is to not change the tone of the movie. The atmosphere of the movie is of the utmost importance to have maximum effect on the audience. This movie basically needs outsiders to come into the park to inspect and evaluate. So the challenge here is to make them feel like fully fleshed out characters without breaking the atmospheric tone of the movie. You can't do that unless you show them in their natural habitat. Main characters here are Sam Neil and Laura Dern. The movie specifically chooses to show them in their digging site and their trailer. So all we know of them is their profession and how they were invited to the island. So the choices in those scene beautifully maintains the illusion that we are still in some jungle like place. The meeting between employee who except bribes and his contact to competitor company also takes place in some Latin american restaurant close to the island. All these make audience feel like they are in Island even though the specific scenes takes place outside. There is no shots of cityscapes and buildings in the entire movie except the main building in Jurassic park which happens to be shaped like a dome and doesn't look like a corporate building.

The tone of the movie is so specific. It is not super serious and it is not slapstick. Comedy comes from the personality traits of characters. So you can't really blame to script or movie for trying out comedy. Its the characters that are comedic. These are commercial and entertaining elements. It deals with the 2 main adult themes similar to the second movie. The place of man in the species hierarchy and is it worth bringing these ancients creatures that has been extinct due to natural selection back to life. For some reason Spielberg can't do brood. However dramatic his movies are , they slant towards melodramatic than brood. One through-line of the movie is how clever Dinosaurs are and how seemingly safe situations can turn into incredibly dangerous scenarios. The death of the corrupt fat computer engineer is intriguing and scary at the same time. The way the dinosaur deals with this guy is kinda interesting. Of course I can't really say what the dilophosaurus might have thought and I am sure the scriptwriter and director must have contacted dilophosaurus experts to make it feel as authentic as possible. The reason for this scene being so intriguing is the fact that the engineer is so fat and large. If it were a goat the dinosaur would have killed it instantly. But since this guy is so large and almost the height of the dilophosaurus, it was testing and seeing what this large living being will do and once it figured out that the engineer is running away from it, it kills him. The whole scene is master class in directing. The building to tension mixed with character based comedy is kinda great.

The movie ends in a profound way. Nature can't be controlled. It gives the same feel as a hurricane destroying massive structures. Vast oceans that can swallow all the land. It is honestly a blockbuster masterpiece. Because it deals with high concepts in a masterful way and filmmakers avoided making it feel like a cheap cash grab.

aronisred

09-27-18, 12:28 PM

Hardcore Henry

2.5

A 1st person POV take on making a motion picture. In it a humanoid robot brought back to life is tasked with taking revenge on a superhuman antagonist and his army of soldiers.

The movie is a revenge tale with few twists. It is hyper realistic except for the choice of making it a 1st person POV. This choice kinda made it a little inconsequential. The visual effects are almost seamless. The guy who played his partner in crime at different stages in the movie is very interesting. His origins are mysterious and once his identity is revealed its kinda sad. I was surprised at how sexual certain elements in the movie are. In the end if audience don't feel motion sickness then this movie is a adrenaline ride. I appreciate that the story of the movie is thin. Any complex narrative will not work in this format. This movie is going after video game crowd and they don't wanna see Casablanca. They want a hyper violent action movie. Even the character development is exactly whats needed. You need characters that are two dimensional and are there to serve the adrenaline ride and not some complex 3 dimensional Oscar performances.

So, now to the main topic I wanna discuss about the movie. Before watching this movie I saw the trailer and knew that it was a 1st person movie. I knew it was a wild action ride. But what surprised me was that this movie took place in Russia. Even the lead character whom we don't see at all has tattoo's on his arms. So if you were to represent the movie and its production budget, the script, the director and the reception of this movie in a nutshell then this movie is equal to the reason why Leonardo DiCaprio and Conor Mcgregor have huge fan bases abroad. The reason I used the term "equal to" and not any other variation of it to refer to this relationship is because this movie is the Leonardo DiCaprio fan base. A fan-base that shows up-to each and everyone of his movies. A fan base that allows him to bring a 100 million $ budget to any movie he is in. In a metaphorical way the movie is the fan base of DiCaprio. For starters its a Russian story but the film felt the need to Americanize it. All the characters have this odd hybrid feel of Russian characters trying hard and pretending to be America friendly. This taps into the concept of American dream and how that idea is mythologized among several north countries and to certain extent Latin American countries. This might feel like a conspiracy theory but it is true. There is this idealized version of America among lot of European and northern countries. Most of it among young people who don't know any better. They get most of their input through pop culture and movies. The production design of this movie is very cheap. It looks cheap and feels cheap. When foreign audience gets movies like this all the time made by their local film industries and then they get movies like the dark knight or the wolf of wall street from Hollywood, they tend to look up to Hollywood movies. There is certain hyper realism in Hollywood that's missing in almost all other native film industries. A 60 million $ movie being produced out of any foreign market is unheard of. You won't see even a British movie with UK currency > US dollars in value making a 60 million $ movie for its audience with its sensibilities. The problem here is two fold. Firstly you won't that much money and secondly you won't find audience that accepts those kinds of movies coming out of these smaller markets. Even the reception to this movie kind of says something about that. This movie was a bomb. Not a lot of people went and saw it. Here is the thing about movies like these. If the same movie is set in US and its released abroad then foreign audience might watch it. But a movie set in Russia will not be watched by other markets. US audience will respond more to movies that feel american and not fake american. The whole movie feels like it is made by a Russian guy who is much more interested in Hollywood movies his whole life more than his local film industry and is interested in making his version of how a Hollywood movie should be. Its well known fact that foreign audience big action scenes and visual effects and loud explosions. They love escapism. They love good looking people on screen. They are not in the business of supporting character actors like Bryan Cranston. They need movie stars with thick hair and attractive facial features and some features that are very rare to find among general public. For some reason when I was watching this movie it felt like this movie is the fan base of DiCaprio its the cinematic manifestation of a fan base that is obsessed with toxic masculinity , wanting to get as much as they want of anything and stuff. Most of it has to do with sex , money and machismo. Wolf of wall-street more so than inception is highly attractive and appealing to 20 yr olds. It has everything a human being is capable of doing given the right circumstances. This is the first review where I felt all the diatribe in this paragraph is relevant and not tagged on.

The movie does feel jarring at times on laptop. So, I can only imagine how nauseating it must be to watch it in a theater. Audience may vomit.

Iroquois

09-29-18, 09:26 AM

Mandy (Panos Cosmatos, 2018) - 4

A fundamentally simplistic revenge story is well and truly amplified by every aspect of its filmmaking that draws on a variety of styles and inspirations in saturating every frame of its immense two-hour running time in an aesthetically overwhelming atmosphere - all so it can lend its pulpier developments a much-desired sense of character. I think I have a new favourite film of 2018.

Déjà Vu (Tony Scott, 2006) - 1.5

One very familiar concept - hero must use time-travel to prevent a disaster - is given an underwhelming execution here as Scott's notably manic late-period direction does little to help the sluggish pacing and uninteresting developments of the story.

Set It Off (F. Gary Gray, 1996) - 3

The premise of four African-American women resorting to bank robbing as a means of escaping their increasingly dire circumstances is a novel variation on a familiar premise and is executed reasonably well by Gray's unassuming journeyman direction.

Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) - 3

I didn't think too highly of this when I first saw it a few years ago, but a second viewing has made me a little more appreciative of it. I don't think it's ever going to be a favourite and it's still fairly basic as far as melodrama goes, but it's still a reasonably pleasant watch and there have been far worse Best Picture winners.

You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay, 2017) - 4

The first 2018 release I've re-watched (in theatres, no less) and it's still good enough to earn it.

Red Sorghum (Zhang Yimou, 1987) - 2.5

Zhang's directorial debut certainly shows off the kind of characteristics and interests that he would refine across his career (especially a remarkable command of colour and staging), but as its own thing it's a little too rough for its own good.

A Touch of Sin (Jia Zhangke, 2013) - 3.5

I always appreciate an anthology film where all the segments are good and this film definitely delivers that. It's paced extremely patiently when it's deploying brief but effectively brutal displays of violence and managing to ground that in some effective drama (especially when the segments start to build on one another not just narratively but thematically).

Teen Titans Go! To The Movies (Peter Rida Michail and Aaron Horvath, 2018) - 2

A somewhat noble attempt to outdo The Lego Batman Movie's DC-themed meta-commentary on superhero media ends up being overwhelmed by multiple layers of family-friendly obnoxiousness that overshadows the moments where it actually manages to sneak in some surprisingly good gags.

Scanners (David Cronenberg, 1981) - 3.5

Watching this for the first time in many years definitely shows that if anyone can take the B-movie concept of high-powered telepaths being able to make heads explode and imbue it with not just iconic moments of horror but also a significant amount of substance, it's Cronenberg.

Man of Iron (Andrzej Wajda, 1981) - 3

Really wish I'd been able to watch Man of Marble first, but this tale of a worker trying to maintain a union in the face of serious strife as recounted Citizen Kane-style to the reporter who has to depict his actions in a way that will discredit him holds up well enough in its own regard.

cricket

10-01-18, 01:10 PM

September, 2018 movies watched-

Union Pacific (1939) 3.5 Very entertaining Cecil B. DeMille Cannes' winner.

Heroes for Sale (1933) 3.5 Pretty heavy stuff for it's day.

The Old Dark House (1932) 3 Decent humorous horror with great atmosphere.

Swing Time (1936) 3.5 Just so likable.

Sisters of the Gion (1936) 3.5+ The life and times of geisha sisters.

Isle of Dogs (2018) 3.5 Pretty excellent except I think it could have been a little more lively at times.

Goodbye Mr. Chips (1939) 3.5- Very nice film from the top 100 British list.

Hereditary (2018) 3- Decent but nothing special.

L'Atalante (1934) 2.5 I liked it ok but it's magic eluded me.

Little Caesar (1931) 3+ Edward G. Robinson!

A Day at the Races (1937) 3.5- Consistent entertainment from The Marx Brothers.

The Life of Emile Zola (1937) 2.5 Best picture winner that has merit but I thought it was bland.

Dodge City (1939) 3.5- A western directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. How could it not be good?

American Animals (2018) 3+ I thought it did really well for what it had to work with.

Show Boat (1936) 3.5 I've had better luck with musicals from the 30's than any other decade.

The Hurricane (1937) 2.5 John Ford could have used some more star power from his leads.

The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939) 4 Slow but very moving.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) 3.5+ It could have been a favorite had it been more consistently dark.

Love Affair (1939) 3.5- Easily prefer An Affair to Remember but it's the same great story and ending.

The Dressmaker (1931) 2.5 Different and enjoyable enough to be worth a watch.

The Public Enemy (1931) 3+ James Cagney!

Hell's Angels (1930) 3.5 A bit dated but still has aerial excitement and solid drama.

Tag (2018) 3 Nothing here but a good time.

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) 3.5 Another great 30's musical.

The Young in Heart (1938) 4 It has to be one of the best feel good movies of the decade.

Shanghai Express (1932) 3.5- Hard to go wrong with Marlene Dietrich and Josef Von Sternberg.

Osaka Elegy (1936) 3+ Pretty damn good for probably my least favorite Kenji Mizoguchi movie.

Vampyr (1932) 2.5- The only movie of the 3 from director Carl Dreyer that I've seen and don't care much for.

The Most Dangerous Game (1932) 3+ Cool watch.

Upgrade (2018) 4 A total blast from start to finish.

Total September viewings-30
Total 2018 viewings-260

TokeZa

10-01-18, 04:04 PM

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In the Aisles (2018) by Thomas Stuber 3

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The Piano (1993) by Jane Campion 3.5+

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Natural History (2014) by James Benning 3+

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Loulou (1980) by Maurice Pialat 3.5+

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Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater (2013) by Gabe Klinger 3

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Once Upon a Time There Was a Singing Blackbird (1970) by Otar Iosseliani 3.5

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First Reformed (2018) by Paul Schrader 4

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Kaili Blues (2015) by Gan Bi 3.5+

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The Thin Blue Line (1988) by Errol Morris 3

Iroquois

10-02-18, 10:30 AM

Crazy Rich Asians (Jon M. Chu, 2018) - 3

A fundamentally basic rom-com premise (woman must meet and impress her boyfriend's wealthy and eccentric family) is given a decent work-out thanks to a solid cast managing to mine it for consistent laughs. I still question how much the movie is luxuriating in its comical displays of opulence and decadence as opposed to merely satirising them, though.

Take This Waltz (Sarah Polley, 2011) - 3

A fairly standard exercise in quasi-independent romantic dramedy about a woman whose encounter with a new neighbour are enough to make her question whether her marriage is stable or just stagnant. As with the previous film, nothing unfamiliar going on here but it's handled well enough by cast and crew alike that it manages to be a decent film.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (William Keighley and Michael Curtiz, 1938) - 3.5

The most classic of all the classic Hollywood swashbucklers certainly does a lot to live up to that reputation a full eight decades later with its vibrant Technicolor, rambunctious ensemble, and triumphant sonic landscape.

La bête humaine (Jean Renoir, 1938) - 3

Having seen a few of his films now, I'm starting to think that Renoir is going to be one of those directors I respect but don't necessarily appreciate all that much on a personal level. As it is, this is a rather archetypal noir but with twists and variations to keep it on the right side of decent.

Akira (Katsuhiro Otômo, 1988) - 5

It's an all-time favourite, what else do you want me to say?

The Blue Angel (Josef von Sternberg, 1930) - 3.5

Though I had a fairly good idea of what to expect after watching Fassbinder's Lola (which plays like a loose remake of this film), it still brings enough in its own right to make for a solid early talkie and its tale of Weimar-era sexual politics holds up rather well.

The Mummy (Karl Freund, 1932) - 2

I know I'm a little biased on having seen the action-packed 1999 remake at a formative age, but even putting that aside my main impression is that it plays too much like an Egyptian-themed rehash of Dracula and Frankenstein with little in the way of interesting variation.

Mandy (Panos Cosmatos, 2018) - 4

Yeah, I re-watched it again already. The sheer what-the-hell factor of an initial viewing has obviously faded a little, but there are ways in which it does earn a second viewing as attempting to parse its feverish filmmaking starts to become a little easier.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (Renny Harlin, 1988) - 2

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1955080#post1955080). It's not overly bad, but I wouldn't call it good.

The Professionals (Richard Brooks, 1966) - 3

A decent enough men-on-a-mission movie, that's really all I have to say about it.

Captain Spaulding

10-04-18, 03:24 PM

September Tab

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Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (Luc Besson, 2017) 2
Men in White (Ryszard Boleslawski, 1934) 1.5
The Most Dangerous Game (Irving Pichel & Ernest B. Schoedsack, 1932) 2.5
Rain (Lewis Milestone, 1932) 3
City Lights (Charlie Chaplin, 1931) 4 [REWATCH]
Tully (Jason Reitman, 2018) 2.5
The Purge: Election Year (James DeMonaco, 2016) 3

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Mata Hari (George Fitzmaurice, 1931) 2
The Goldwyn Follies (George Marshall, 1938) 3
I, Tonya (Craig Gillespie, 2017) 3.5
Stand-In (Tay Garnett, 1937) 2
Battle of the Sexes (Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, 2017) 3
Mad Love (Karl Freund, 1935) 3
All Quiet on the Western Front (Lewis Milestone, 1930) 3
Trouble in Paradise (Ernst Lubitsch, 1932) 2

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame (William Dieterle, 1939) 4
Lean on Pete (Andrew Haigh, 2017) 3
I Feel Pretty (Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein, 2018) 2
Security (Alain Desrochers, 2017) 2.5
Black Panther (Ryan Coogler, 2018) 2.5
Sleepless (Baran bo Odar, 2017) 3
It Comes at Night (Trey Edward Shults, 2017) 3.5

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Crossroads (Tamra Davis, 2002) 1.5
Small Town Girl (William A. Wellman, 1936) 3
Gold Diggers of 1937 (Lloyd Bacon, 1936) 3
Overboard (Rob Greenberg, 2018) 1.5
Personal Property (W.S. Van Dyke, 1937) 1
I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (Mervyn LeRoy, 1932) 3.5
Each Dawn I Die (William Keighley, 1939) 3
Bombshell (Victor Fleming, 1933) 2.5

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Jezebel (William Wyler, 1938) 3.5
Cyborg (Albert Pyun, 1989) 2.5
Pete's Dragon (David Lowery, 2016) 2
White Boy Rick (Yann Demange, 2018) 3
Black Legion (Archie Mayo, 1937) 2.5
Sadie McKee (Clarence Brown, 1934) 3.5
All the Money in the World (Ridley Scott, 2017) 3.5

Monthly Total: 37
Yearly Total: 396

Thoughts on Some of the Films:

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets features some fantastic CGI, and there are entertaining moments scattered throughout its sprawling plot, such as Rihanna's turn as a shapeshifting dancer, but overall the movie feels like an expensive, unwieldy mess. It's impossible to take Dane DeHaan seriously as a leading man. We're supposed to accept with a straight face that he's this charming, handsome, roguish leader, when instead he looks like he should be bagging groceries or plotting a school shooting. His running mate in the film, Cara Delevingne, doesn't seem to have much acting talent, either, but she's gorgeous, so who cares? It feels like a hundred years ago now since Besson made La Femme Nikita and The Professional.

Rain is a solid pre-code film with Joan Crawford as a prostitute engaged in a potentially soul-destroying battle of morality against Walter Huston's self-righteous missionary. The rain-soaked tropical atmosphere makes for a great backdrop, but the ending lacked conviction. Charlize Theron is excellent in Tully, but the ridiculous, cliched twist really soured me on the film. Considering that I hated The Purge and disliked The Purge: Anarchy, I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed The Purge: Election Year. Maybe because it's the first one that seems to embrace the underlying silliness of its premise, thus upping the fun factor as a result? Or perhaps my taste is just eroding . . .

I thought the first half of I, Tonya was fantastic. I loved its playfulness, the soundtrack was incredible (I've had "Devil Woman" stuck in my head for two weeks now), the acerbic humor suited my funny bone quite well, the white-trash element made me feel right at home. I even thought the breaking of the 4th wall was handled well, and typically I hate that technique. Margot Robbie is fast becoming my favorite actress. Not only is she one of the most strikingly beautiful women in the world, but she's also immensely talented. Her transformation into Tonya Harding is 100% convincing. Allison Janney's turn as the chain-smoking, foul-mouthed, tough-love-dishing mother was a hoot. The script deftly balanced humor and pathos. Sadly, the film seemed to lose a lot of its energy once "the incident" occurred, becoming far more conventional and less captivating. I've seen a lot of people complain about the film being too sympathetic toward Harding, but I disagree. I think she's still plenty unlikeable in the film, but as with most people with her background and upbringing, she's also a victim of her environment. Most bio-pics are stuffy and safe, so I like that I, Tonya feels anything but. Very good movie that falls just short of being great.

Battle of the Sexes is another sports-based true-story that I knew very little about. The script is way too heavy-handed anytime FEMINISM is the topic of conversation, but I thought Emma Stone and Steve Carell were both fantastic in their roles. Mad Love features a fun premise, some striking imagery, and a spooky performance from the bug-eyed Peter Lorre. I just wish the film had been longer since it ends up feeling too slight. I don't understand the love for Trouble in Paradise. Off-putting characters and no laughs, despite being a beloved comedy.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is incredible. I'd previously only seen the Disney version, which is far different, of course, so I was still relatively unfamiliar with the story. The sets are jaw-dropping. Laughton's performance and physicality are magnificent and the make-up/prosthetics are convincing. Maureen O'Hara looks lovelier than I've ever seen her. The film is heart-stopping, heart-breaking, gorgeously constructed, beautifully rendered and atmospheric as f**k. I hope it places high on the 30's Countdown.

I'm a bit baffled by the overwhelmingly positive reactions to Black Panther. I think it's one of the weakest, least engaging entries in the MCU. Black Panther just isn't an interesting superhero, in my opinion. I was rooting for Michael B. Jordan's villain, to be honest. Critics and audiences seem to hate the Jamie Foxx action-thriller Sleepless, but I found it quite thrilling. Yes, it's derivative and events often defy logic, but the balls-to-the-walls pace made for an entertaining injection of adrenaline. Now I need to seek out the French original. The dread and atmosphere in It Comes at Night is suffocating. The film is extremely well made, even if it reminded me too much of other similar films, such as The Road.

Yes, I watched Crossroads, the 2002 movie meant to cash in on the overwhelming popularity of popstar Britney Spears. I'm still traumatized from the years when she was shaving her head and flashing her chubby vagina to paparazzi while hanging out with Super Slut Paris Hilton, so I'd forgotten just how damn fit and fine Spears was in her heyday, a fact quickly reminded in the very first scene when Spears is shown dancing in her undies. The script and dialogue are both horrendous. Of course there's plenty of fluff and pop-song sing-a-longs, but the movie veers into some extremely dark subject matter, like rape and child abandonment and miscarriages . . . yet the tone of the movie remains weirdly upbeat, making for one of the most jarring tonal imbalances I've seen in a film. An oddly fascinating train wreck. Hit me baby one more time.

Mr Minio

10-04-18, 03:38 PM

lI'm Bach!

Took a lot of screencaps, too, because I know you people like them eye-candy screenshots!

レイプ25時暴姦 [Rape! 13th Hour] (1977) - 3.5

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Quite an unpleasant rape pink film. Yasuharu Hasebe really knows no boundaries and pushes them hard as two rapists - master and apprentice, assail women and take advantage of them in a very brutal way. They eventually get their comeuppance in an even more grating grand finale whose epilogue actually says something completely different, which might be interpreted as apolegetic of rape. A totally self-contradictory mess of a film, but also a great sleazefest. Not for the weak!

Thérèse Raquin [The Adultress] (1953) - 4

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Trying to watch more Carne. This film lacks the visual exuberance usually associated with the director and sports its modesty, plainness, not to say archaicity. The character of a Mitchum-esque sailor really makes the otherwise regular, but all the same solid movie by highlighting it to a 'great cinema' rank.

Les portes de la nuit [Gates of the Night] (1946) - 4.5

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A tremendous cinematic achievement! Among Carne's best! I'm really tempted to give it a full five star rating. It perfectly reinforces the Port of Shadows' miserabilism, understandably minus the prophesy of war, through poetic realism built on nocturnal rendezvous, love-torn characters, and inescapable workings of a tramp-like personification of fate. Every movement of an actor seems to be consciously planned. Mise en scene of an empty city at night is marvellous. Autumn Leaves more nostalgic than ever. The poetry of a single pat of fate's hand that leads to two shy lovers' hands meeting at the beginning of the film already tells you you're watching master class cinema.

壁あつき部屋 [The Thick-Walled Room] (1953) - 3.5

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Kobayashi does a very good job directing here, and the nightmare scenes are really well-made. Still, the film didn't win my heart. I'll try to watch more lesser Kobayashi films.

Baby Driver (2017) - 3

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I'm not too big on Wright, and this film didn't change it! I hate the Americanesque artificiality of its visuals and the fake coolness! Looks like a tad bit more ambitious version of Fast and Furious, and although it successfully embraces its not-too-serious outlook on some themes, often approaching them with a sense of cinephilic respect, I can only try and wonder how an Edgar Wright film I love would look like.

Adieu (2003) - 3.5

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A peculiar film, and director's debut at that. You can see some obvious influences here, from Bresson to avant-garde cinema, and the shots of a white truck driving aimlessly are really great for some reason. I wasn't big on the biblical themes juxtaposed to the crisis of faith substory. This felt quite weird.

Het dak van de Walvis [On Top of the Whale] (1982) - 3.5

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Ruiz is gr8 and I feel bad for not giving this four stars. It's a great mish mash of his usual themes and style. Theatre of Absurd embellished with linguistic shenanigans and silent cinema like tinting of oranges and reds.

Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon [From What Is Before] (2014) - 4

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Too short & fast-paced! This plays almost like a regular film rather than slow cinema Lav Diaz usually makes. The story is uniformly packed in less than six hours running time. One wants more contemplation!!!

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985) - 4.5

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Beautiful dreams versus harsh reality! Schrader really gets Mishima! Emotionally. I mean, his attempts at interpreting his character, along with biopic misrepresentations, are quite shallow, but what an audiovisual feast! Philip Glass' score is astoundingly good, too. Especially when it mimicks Koyaanisqatsi! The first act is an easy 10/10. Film's quality decreases a bit as it goes on, but never too much!

渚のシンドバッド [Like Grains of Sand] (1995) - 4.5

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Beautiful cinema portraying teen loves in multi-orientation triangles. Not relatable to me in the least, but still very empathy-inducing, touching, beautiful. The raw emotions. <3 Americans - learn! The best gay kiss on a beach at night in history of cinema! Take that, Moonlight!

Thieves' Highway (1949) - 4

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A gritty film gris from master Jules Dassin. Apart from the unlikely ending, it's a very strong film. I bet feminists get butthurt from the depiction of women in this film, though. Haha.

Daïnah la métisse (1932) - 3.5

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Quite a weird offering, this one, with some creepy imaginery, like the ball with all participants wearing spooky masks. Quite interesting how the main female protagonist stops being one in the middle of the film and a black man becomes the lead! Quite progressive!

Silvestre (1981) - 4

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Monteiro's debut and already a very impressive work of art. Static, theatrical, using a vast spectrum of vivid colours, and nuanced, if classically thespian performances.

Blaise Pascal (1972) - 4

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Apparently, the films of Oliveira and Monteiro's Silvestre were inspired by Rossellini's late period films. Those are films made for TV on very low budgets. This is one of them, and you can clearly see the influence! I get a feeling Rohmer's Perceval le Gallois is a similar film stylistically, but I haven't seen that one. All that being said, I was surprised by how often camera was moving in this film, as opposed to almost entirely static films of Oliveira. I didn't like how prolix and dialogue-driven it was. Way too much speaking! The mise en scene was nothing short of great, though, and the ending is the peak of filmmaking.

Mr Minio

10-04-18, 03:38 PM

淑女は何を忘れたか [What Did the Lady Forget?] (1937) - 4

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Ozu does screwball comedy! This is by no means one of his best, but it made me smile a lot, and it's such a charming film! I loved the BDSM innuendo at the end!

縄と乳房 [Rope and Breasts] (1983) - 3.5

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The cinematography and use of color is great (especially in the tremendous opening scene!). Too bad I can't post some of the screenshots I took (dem tiddies are forbidden here).

½ Mensch [½ Man] (1986) - 4

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Ishii's cyberpunk, rusted, coarse style of filmmaking is ideal for Einstürzende Neubauten's music, so the final outcome is great!

Juliette ou la clef des songes [Juliette, or Key of Dreams] (1951) - 4

http://films.blog.lemonde.fr/files/2017/06/juliette-clef-songes-large1.jpg

Carne - continued. A dream as opposed to reality, and memories as the only link to the outside world. In the land of lost memories, the one who remembers is paradoxically the most unhappy one. The realization that you just woke up from a pleasant dream and can never expect this dream to come true makes you return to the land of dreams. But the land of dreams means your demise.

Алёнка [Alenka] (1961) - 4

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A charming little film from Boris Barnet. Not a masterpiece, but so enjoyable to watch!

Vénus aveugle [Blind Venus] (1941) - 2.5

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Why, Abel, why?! This starts wonderfully as if Gance hadn't forgotten anything he did in silent cinema, and decided to just go ahead and do his old thing, which was no doubt great. Sadly, what follows is a rather regular French film of the time. What's even worse the plot is incredibly melodramatic in the worst way possible. What's even worse is that the attempts at humor and reconciliation at the end are so cheaty, disgusting and stupid...! Well, the film looks beautiful, and some visuals are breathtaking, but that's about it.

Captain Spaulding

10-04-18, 04:07 PM

Damn you, Mr Minio. Did you really have to go post crazy the very instant I posted my own tab? Stop trying to bury me in your weird rape fantasies!

Some amazing screencaps, though. :up:

Ultraviolence

10-04-18, 04:54 PM

花芯の刺青　熟れた壷 [Tattooed Flower Vase] (1976) - rating_4

I'll watch this film for this screenshot alone!
Rope and Breasts also caught my attention!

Mr Minio

10-04-18, 05:02 PM

I'll watch this film for this screenshot alone! I'm not really sure if this is a good one to start your pink film adventure with. The same director's Flower and Snake might be more representative of the genre as a whole, and is also a much more seminal work. School of the Holy Beast plus Wakamatsu is my usual go-to when I recommend pink films to people who never saw any. Now, I can't remember if you ever watched any, but the thing is if you want to start, start from the very best. Admittedly, Tattooed Flower Vase is a top notch film, but I don't know how I'd have rated it at the beginning of my journey with pinku eiga, if I hadn't already seen more than 150 titles.

HashtagBrownies

10-04-18, 07:20 PM

Seen in September Pt.2/2

48576
3.5
I guess this is when Steven Spielberg became the ‘dad movie’ director. Tom Hank’s performance as a character who can’t speak english is brilliant, if you weren’t familiar with him you may believe he was an actual foreign actor. I loved all the characters. The film was super happy, nice, sweet funny etc. but wow is it DRENCHED in Hollywood sappiness!

48578
3.5
Disney sure does borrow a lot from its films. The end of the film is almost exactly like the ‘twitter pated’ scene from Bambi, the Beatle birds are pretty much the crows from Dumbo, and Hanukah Matata is strikingly similar to Bear Necessities. The problem with all of these old Disney films is that they don’t have any plot, everyone just meanders around until something happens. This makes it pretty hard to engage emotionally with it. The comedy and characters were very good though

48580
3.5
The effects are absolutely brilliant for their time, and still very impressive today. Everyone in this film is such a dumb-ass: Everytime they get played with by the Invisible Man they’re always like “WhAt? WhAt’S gOiInG oN?!?!”, when in reality everyone would drop-kick him in about 2 seconds.

48581
3.5?
I absolutely love the snowman design. You may say it looks terrible, but I love it. The fact that it look more like plastic than snow, the fact that he moves in the film about as much as an actual snowman. His screechy voice. His goofy smile and angry eyebrows. It's beautiful.

I fail to see why this has a 4 on IMDB. It may be awful but I find it absolutely impossible to hate. I cant give much of a review, I just have to list all the things I found amazing.

-That completely out of place opening.
-The town is called "Snowmonton".
-Scott MacDonald looks and acts like a porno actor.
-There's a weird bicycle-pump noise whenever they do a flashback.
-The fact that the CGI blood cells scene looked pretty good for this type of film.
-The kid's oats look like mini-marshmallows mixed in dog s*it.
-'Snowballs'
-Stephen King bullies.
-Final Destination looking-ass death.
-I only 'axed' you for a smoke.
-The sound effect for Jack emerging is the Bull-squid sound effect from Half Life.
-Utterly inappropriate music during the strangling scene.
-During the strangling scene the camera zooms in on Jacks face like he's in a cartoon/porno and he's going 'hubba hubba'. You can't make this up people.
-The one cop who keeps on making creepy jokes about the corpses.
-"This watery footprint has the same DNA print as a fingerprint"
-Too many stock sound effects.
"Turn on the lights" "But I'll get scared in the dark"
-Well it ain't f*cking Frosty!
-She dries her hair BEFORE taking a bath!
-'Christmas came early this year'
-Just awful stock music throughout the whole film.
-The policeman shoots the water!
-LOOK MA! I'M A PICASSO! HAHA!
-'Fastest blow-dryer in the west'
-HE PUT ANTI-FREEZE IN THE OATS BECAUSE HE 'DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GET COLD!
-They bury him in the ground instead of quarantining him.

I'm so glad this film exists.

48582
3.5+
Bananas, absolutely bananas. I wouldn’t say it’s as good as the first Crank, but it’s a bit more insane. Also Dennis from It’s Always Sunny returns YAAAAAY!

48585
4-
Very entertaining little film. It’s very light-hearted at the start but gets surprisingly intense towards the end. The sets are very good as well.

48586
3
Eh, it was fine, nothing special. My friends described it as ‘Irish John Wick’, which I guess is a little true. The action scenes are pretty good and the lighting in some scenes is brilliant. My friends kept on cracking jokes through the whole thing so it’s hard to give a fair judgement.

48589
4-
[RE-WATCH]
All I can really say is that t’s very inspirational, has a spectacular score and an absolutely fantastic last 10 minutes.

48590
4+
Man, it was great.

Going into it I was a bit worried the many different plots would make it very confusing to follow. That didn't happen though, I was able to follow it the entire way. If you like your guns and gore, this is the film for you. Lots of shots of the characters toying with guns and or using them.

What I love about these types of British films is the hilarious performances: They're always getting angry, saying c*nt and other bizarre things like 'U Wot?' and 'You Sausage Nigels!' (That one was actually from Crank 2, but it still counts).

But damn, this film was entertaining as hell! Probably from it's brilliant script and performances (Piss off, you nonce!). It's a bit like a Shakespeare comedy in a way: Everything goes wrong in a hilarious manner due to minor human screw-ups. The last 30 minutes or so are way more suspenseful than it has any right to be. I was clutching my blanket and thinking *OH S*IT* about every 5 minutes.

It also ends on an absolutely stellar cliffhanger.

thracian dawg

10-05-18, 01:53 PM

★

Three (2016) / To
A glacial set-up (icebergs float by faster that this) to an epic gun battle in bullet time in a hospital ward filled with undercover cops, but by then, who the hell cares? A criminal mastermind is wheeled in unconscious and wakes up on the operating table and refuses all medical treatment. He then tricks the cops into calling a phone number that sets in motion a precise, pre-planned, guns-out rescue mission. The bad guy is clearly a gifted clairvoyant, but if he can see this far into the future with this degree of clarity, why didn’t he just dodge the bullet in the first place?

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

Sleep, my Love (1948) - Sirk
The film suffers from an outlandish murder plot where the husband drugs his wife’s night cap, then whispers in her ear every night: you need to take a long walk on a short pier, over and over again until she sleep walks out the front door and heads for the water front. There must be easier ways to knock off your wife. The film opens with her waking up on a speeding train with no idea how she got there. On the plane ride back to New York, she meets a guy who is heading to town for a wedding; he begins hanging out with her and quickly notices the discrepancies between her and her husband’s stories.

Off Limits (2010) - Boukhrief
A cop is killed in the line of duty during a routine noise complaint. When they get back to the station their statements have already been pre-written and they only need a simple signature. They are totally screwed when the shooter miraculously recovers from his death bed because all the evidence against him was written out of the official report, being the son of a big wig with access to lawyers. A superior suggests they can save their jobs by re-introducing the fact the shooter was hopped up on sphinx---a new designer drug for people who just want to go totally psychotic for the evening. They go deep undercover during their off-hours and end up crossing line after line that shouldn’t be crossed.

Cat People (1942) Tournier
The studio RKO desperately needed a hit after Citizen Kane tanked at the box office and this is the big pot of gold they hoped for. The tense moments are merely creepy shadows on the wall. For this to work, they filmmakers should have established the rules for Miss Kitty’s transformations. The film rather scandalously hints that “cat people” is a euphemism for lesbians; she is clearly more aroused by the guy’s sultry co-worker; but the audience waits in vain for the fur to fly.

The Curse of the Cat people (1944) - Fritsch & Wise
The title suggests a great creature feature but instead delivers a quiet drama about a young girl and her imaginary friend who turns out to be the cat woman from the first film. There’s a sub-plot where the old lady in the scary house down the street befriends her because she thinks her own daughter is an imposter. The film is mildly suspenseful waiting for a big cat or even a shadow to appear but it never pans out, there’s also no curse to be found either.

Razor Blade Smile (1998) - West
A low budget, horror film with a wise cracking, big breasted, latex vampire who takes the occasional odd job as a contract killer and spends the rest of her time hanging out with fake fanged wannabes at a goth club. I liked how they slightly retooled some of the vampire myth, like she can walk around in the daylight, she just needs sunglasses. The most compelling danger for a vampire here is not misplaced wooden stakes lying around but faulty time management; they have to deliberately plan their social calendar and invent amusements, otherwise they would all die of boredom.

Proxy war (1973) - Fukasaku
This is the third installment of the Yakuza papers series and the first without a main character to really latch onto and follow. The Hiroshima gangs jockey for power and borrow some outside muscle; of course these larger gangs are merely using them to consolidate their power elsewhere. In the first film, Shozo Hirono became blood brothers with a Yakuza in prison and they truly looked out each other, whereas in this film it’s mentioned one Yakuza boss has 67 blood brothers, so at the top of the food chain it has become largely a ceremonial gesture to cement business interests and to paper over long time blood feuds. One head’s up: a staple in the series is the street executions with the faulty pistol with the small caliber bullets; meaning the man down literally has to be plugged full of lead until he stops moving.

Police Tactics (1974) - Fukasaku
The fourth installment of the Yakuza papers series. Hiroshima has become the epicenter for control of western Japan with larger, outside clans pouring in weapons and foot soldiers. With this amount of fire power, it’s only a matter of time before innocent civilians are mistaken for yakuza scum and an outraged public demands the cops do their jobs. The cops set up permanent camps right outside their clubhouses and slowly round them up one by one on technicalities. The authorities throw the book at them with forgotten incidents in their pasts. Of course, the foot soldiers get double digits of prison time while the big bosses are blown penal kisses. With the 1964 summer Olympics coming to Japan, the authorities are not going to allow roaming Yakuza to ruin their great coming out party; some of the more astute Yakuza’s see the end is coming.

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

Deadly fight in Hiroshima (1973) - Fukasaku
This is the second installment of the Yakuza papers series. Shoji Yamanaka was too young to join the Kamikazes during the war but he is still a man with a mission years later; always volunteering for the most dangerous jobs. He falls in love with the Bosses niece---revered because her dead husband was a famous war hero. When the boss (another dishonorable, black hearted hypocrite) finds out about their affair he kicks her out into the street. It’s not a disgrace she has to become an escort in order to survive but remarrying would bring total shame to the entire extended family, He ships Yamanaka off to another gang where he completes his apprenticeship and is recalled the moment he morphs into a feared Yakuza hitman. And as a gift to him his niece is pulled off the streets and brought back into the family fold, for a while.
The series uses the same musical riffs and punctuation for entire series with minor echoes from previous films. In the first film Shozo Hirono was warned by his blood brother that his boss may not be the great man of honor he imagines him to be, so when Hirono is given a hit his first day out of prison, he says he has to think it over. Here, when the tragic Yamanaka shows up after escaping from prison, he immediately accepts to kill a stool pigeon the boss has fingered, only to realize too late, the boss has killed two jailbirds with one stone.

Final Episode (1974) - Fukasaku
The fifth and final installment of the Yakuza papers series. Here the yakuza gangs have mutated into political organizations with the key emphasis being on good works for the community and the public’s perception of them. They’ve gone corporate. Street battles become rare. The film gains from a great central character---tapped by the boss to replace him while he goes into prison for a stint; he is given the difficult task of keeping the clan together in his absence. Of course, by the time the boss gets out, he has expanded their empire and consolidated all the power unto himself.

There are moments of black humour worked into every film. Here some foot soldiers happen upon a boss sneaking into their territory for a secret meeting and they are weaponless, until one guy remembers there is a spear gun hanging as decoration in a restaurant down the street, so they run off and return with that, then push forward the most junior guy to do the hit. When the boss emerges from his meeting, the poor guy sprints across the road, but he trips in front of him and spear guns his own foot.

In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007) - Holdridge
A guy places an ad on Craigslist the day before New Year’s Eve in order to get someone to lock lips with him at the big countdown moment, so he can at least say he began the year full of hope. His date is much better at this than him, she programs four guys to show up at the meet and greet and chooses the most interesting prospect and he wins the day in a thin field of stragglers. They spend the day getting to know one each another’s drama.

Peppermint (2018) - Morel
A vigilante film where the villain is so powerful, he is beyond the grasp of the justice system, so a soccer mom has to take matters into her own hands. After disappearing from the grid and spending 5 years overseas training in the black arts of revenge; she returns and goes through the guy’s whole criminal organization like a desk cop goes through a party sized box of sprinkled donuts.

Sarah prefers to run (2013) - Robichaud
A character study of a young woman not too terribly articulate or self-aware; she knows that she likes running and that she has some talent---she’s always winning. What clinches her decision to accept an athletic scholarship is when an acquaintance volunteers to tag along with her to the big city and chip in with the expenses. He even suggests a marriage of convenience to grab some of the grant money available for married couples going to university. The closest she gets to seeing that he is obviously in love with her is when she asks him why has he never taken off the fake wedding ring? Her world of grey goes instantly Technicolor when a siren belts out a karaoke song that is so beautiful it makes her chest hurt. So maybe she is passionate about two things in her life, running and karaoke, well maybe a certain karaoke singer. There’s a great open ended finish where she breaks away from the pack during a race.

Missing in America (2005) - Dockterman
A former soldier living in a picture postcard wilderness, has one of the men from his platoon in Vietnam show up at his cabin for a visit, then takes off leaving his 10 year old daughter behind. She begins to thaw out his crusty old Sergeant’s heart. This feels like a Hallmark movie that slid sideways.

El Cid (1962) - Mann
This is an epic story about a knight with modern ideas who unified a medieval Spain against an African invasion. The story is nicely spooned out in bite-sized portions, alternating between scenes of palace intrigue, romance and the clanging of swords. There is a nice reversal in the romance where only months before they were planning to live happily ever after, and now his former fiancé promises to marry the first guy to bring El Cid’s stinking head to her on a platter. I always thought Charlie Heston was a bit of a mugger but here--- especially the final sequence, with his grasp of nuance and depth of suggestion he is clearly holding a master class for his fellow actors.

Love Exposure (2005) - Sion
This is a kind of lurid teen romance. Three different love-at-first-sight moments (Love exposure) form a triangle between total misfits, all deformed by the wretched relationships with their fathers and their (cult) religion. A Pastor begins to shut down emotionally after a failed romance and the only face time his son gets with him now is during confession. So the son begins to invent sins to gain his affectation. A new friend tells him, if you truly want a bible thumper’s attention, your transgressions should be sexual. So he begins taking panty shots (437 all told in the film**) of young women walking in the streets, and happily announces to his father that he is a sexual pervert. As predicted their relationship goes ballistic with his father perfectly willing to beat the devil out of him. The two girl’s relationships with their fathers are even worse.

99 Homes (2014) - Bahrani
I may have passed on this originally simply because of the horrid title: who wants to see a film about 99 homes? Big mistake! This is a succulent story with a great villain (his duplicity is breath taking) mentoring an up and comer in all his scams, who is unfortunately fixated on the dying American dream of home ownership. One can almost see civilization crumbling here where the businessmen are openly pious and law-biding in public, but once out of the kangaroo courts, they are financial outlaws looting everything that isn’t nailed down and then even going after the double dip. There is a great open ended conclusion, where the just deserts the audiences thinks is coming to the villain may not pan out.

Grand Slam (1967) Montaldo
A cheesy, euro-production, 60’s heist film where a retiring school teacher has spent his entire career across the street from a diamond exchange in Rio de Janeiro and after 30 years has hatched the perfect diamond heist. He travels to New York to meet a street thug from his youth, who is now an outwardly respectable business man. In exchange for his cut he will supply the personnel for the job. He has a filing cabinet in his office stuffed with all the best contractors in the world; all of them unknown to the Police. The best safe cracker? He pulls out a name. The world’s deadliest weapons specialist? Klaus Kinsi is tapped for the job. The plan involves seducing Janet Leigh as a Miss lonely hearts so they need the best Romeo money can buy; an irresistible French gigolo is pressed into service. This percolates along nicely.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) Trachtenberg
A nicesuspense film about a doomsday prepper cobbling together a surrogate family, but he’s wound a little too tight (with a hair trigger) to enjoy a frolicking, loving family. The two other characters (one kidnapped, one volunteered) in order to survive, have to ferret out his version (he’s three parts super intelligent and one part looney tunes) of what a nice daughter and a nice son is in this little, underground world. The father has a great character tell when they are playing charades and the phrase he has to get is a famous book and movie: Little Women and he gets the first word then the guy simply points to her and he begins spewing out synonym after synonym for a girl; which is also highlighting her best feature---she is not a girlie girl, she’s a little rough around the edges and knows exactly what it takes to survive.

Victoria (2015) - Schipper
This is the tale of one Spanish girl’s epic club night. If it wasn’t written right on the title that the film was done in one continuous take (actually the best version of three run-throughs) I doubt if I would have even noticed. The film finds its shape and feel from the getting to know you dialogue while walking to the next location. Victoria is a good pianist, but not exceptional enough to grab any graduating conservatory prizes and now she is off on a sabbatical year in Berlin. This explains her lack of street smarts. She doesn’t overreact to the prison tat on one of the guys hands---he’s not a bad guy---he just did a bad thing. The night crawl forms a complete story and ends with a magical ending as they head home in the dawning light---then they tack on an extended reprise that goes for the jugular.

★★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***%C2%BD)

A Simple Favor (2018) - Feig
This is kind of like an R rated Nancy Drew mystery (setting up the franchise?) with a single mom with a cooking vlog who discovers she also has a talent for sleuthing. The favor is single mom Stephanie volunteers to pick up Emily’s (an in-your-face trophy wife with a taste for early afternoon martinis) kid from school and ends up doing extended nanny duty. Naturally they begin to hang out together. There is also just a hint of camp---the other moms are almost like a Greek chorus of disapproval. There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek humour just beneath the surface. I’m not sure, but when Stephanie visits Emily’s family home, there may have been a couple of beavers above the coat of arms on the wrought-iron entrance gate.

Searching (2018) - Chaganty
This is thriller with a miniscule budget that is really punching way above its weight class; the film restricts itself to images and videos accessed from various computer screens. There is a great moment when the father has to reconstruct his daughter’s life after she goes missing from the bread crumbs she has left on social media. But that only leaves a ghostly outline of intentions with the essentials left out, so he has to fill in the rest with his own fear and paranoia. When the story goes viral you can almost count the minutes it is going to take for the trolls to find him and her virtual BFF’s start popping up online. The villain’s ultimate downfall is that he simply cut and pasted the wrong image.

Battles without honor and humanity (1973) - Fukasaku
This is the first film is the Yakuza papers series. Fukasaku opens each film with an overview of the world events at that moment then frames the story as its microcosm. This film opens with a master stroke: the mushroom cloud with the title is splashed against it. The Americans had broken the Japanese codes even before the war began and knew they were defeated and looking to surrender at that point. Dropping the bomb had nothing to do with Japan and was meant instead to intimidate and threaten the next rival to their great power in the post war era. Each film always ends with a shot of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the only building left standing in a completely leveled city simply because atomic bomb exploded directly over it.

The Yamamori gang is created overnight in a mass swearing in ceremony in Kure (a suburb of Hiroshima). All these street guys are introduced with flash forward titles indicating the highest rank they will achieve in the gang. The boss is a complete phony capable of promising the moon and shedding great crocodile tears; then deliberately sacrificing or betraying his own men when it becomes expedient. It’s a kind of ironic that if the Yakuza actually had a functioning code of honor, the hero of this film, Shozo Hirono would be their poster boy---he is the only one with a hint of nobility.

Sorcerer (1976) / Friedkin
I loved the opening vignettes establishing the four characters. I read that when the film was originally released there were a lot of walkouts from the audience because they thought they had wandered into the wrong theater with a stupid foreign film playing. The film also had the misfortune of opening the same week as the original Star Wars.

The opening repeats when the hitman shows up in the South American village, and the three other fugitives immediately pee their pants and give them collectively the urgent and compelling need to get the hell out of Dodge by volunteering for a suicide mission. A graveyard of dead trucks is visited to refit two semi-functioning rust buckets to make the arduous 200 mile journey; one of the trucks is re-christened the Sorcerer. There’s also a clause where if you fail to complete the job, your share is forfeited to the other men. Notice the black-eyed bride in the church about the enter the bonds of holy matrimony while the priests count their loot in the back room; or the old bar maid in the whiskey bar, old men still tramp through the jungle from miles around to stare at her, because faint traces of that great beauty still linger in her wizened face. This is bleak, pessimistic stuff with no escape even imaginable.

Funny Games * (1997) / Haneke
This is a brilliant exposé about the emotional manipulation of cinema and the cranking out industrial widgets of fantasy. We never think about the patent absurdity that evil people are always punished for their crimes; that decent people (after going through a bit of a rough patch) ultimately triumph; that invincible super heroes (by definition) can never lose, or that true love manages always to win out in the end. A simple flip of the Hollywood template---transferring the bias to the bad guy renders mainstream film totally unwatchable. Rooting for the good guys here is a complete waste of time; the ending is never in doubt. The hunters enter the forest … Bambi’s mother is thrown across the hood of a truck---the end. It’s merely a question of how much futility (the best aside in the film) the filmmakers think they the audience can endure that determines its length. Some hostility towards the film can be expected since it openly states that a movie audience is clearly not an annual Mensa gathering, but small children that want to hear their favorite 500 word bedtime story read to them for the thousandth time because they are too lazy to read it themselves.

★★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/****)

The Son * (2002) - Dardenne
This is completely underwhelming unless you look everything as being symbolic and then everything kind of pops. The tools in the wood shop looks like a rack of torture instruments. The instructor doesn’t wear a support for his bad back; he wears a back brace because he is in emotional agony. The kid doesn’t say he is looking for a street address; he is lost in the world. The first tool he hands the boy is a measuring stick, something essential and priceless in life. They don’t head off to a lumber yard; this is just a pit stop on the way to Calvary. They don’t carry two heavy wooden planks; they are sharing their spiritual burden, etc, etc.

* = rewatch
** I’m being facetious here, but there’s a fricking ton.

TheUsualSuspect

10-05-18, 02:05 PM

HashtagBrownies I nominated The Imposter for the documentary HoF. Glad other people are finding it and enjoying the wild ride it is.

Iroquois

10-09-18, 01:55 AM

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (Tony Randel, 1988) - 3

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1955491#post1955491).

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (Anthony Hickox, 1992) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1955800#post1955800).

The Adventures of Tintin (Steven Spielberg, 2011) - 3

Maybe the most mid-tier Spielberg blockbuster (or even the most mid-tier Spielberg movie in general) as it creates a rollicking throwback to the adventure stylings of not just the source comics but also Spielberg's most action-packed blockbusters. That being said, there's no denying that the uncannily-stylised motion-capture CGI approach is maybe a little too artificial for its own good at times.

Sharky's Machine (Burt Reynolds, 1981) - 2.5

Reynolds stars in and directs this rather middle-of-the-road cop movie where his recently-reassigned detective gets a little too involved with a case that involves shadowing a call girl. Maybe too much of a slow burn at first and the story amounts to some fairly standard big-time conspiracy stuff, but he directs it all well enough (especially when it comes time to actually bust out an action sequence or two).

Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1956122#post1956122).

Session 9 (Brad Anderson, 2001) - 2

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1956442#post1956442).

Dagon (Stuart Gordon, 2001) - 3

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1956701#post1956701).

Mimic (Guillermo Del Toro, 1997) - 2

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1956790#post1956790).

Listen to Me Marlon (Stevan Riley, 2015) - 3

A lean, straightforward documentary about Marlon Brando comprised not just of archived material from across the years but also "narrated" via a series of private recordings made by Brando himself. An interesting enough watch for an actor who I'm not all that familiar with, especially when it delves into his off-screen life.

Vampires (John Carpenter, 1998) - 1.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1957396#post1957396).

Ultraviolence

10-09-18, 01:08 PM

The Gold Rush 1925 Directed by Charlie Chaplin ★★★★
Citizen Kane 1941 Directed by Orson Welles ★★★★★
Avengers: Infinity War 2018 Directed by Joe Russo, Anthony Russo ★
Dead Man 1995 Directed by Jim Jarmusch ★★★★
Three Monkeys 2008 ‘Üç maymun’ Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan ★★★★
The Predator 2018 Directed by Shane Black ★★
Cold Mountain 2003 Directed by Anthony Minghella ★
Ballad of a Soldier 1959 ‘Баллада о солдате’ Directed by Grigoriy Chukhray ★★★★
Blow-Up 1966 Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni ★★★★
Southwest 2011 ‘Sudoeste’ Directed by Eduardo Nunes ★★★★
Mandy 2018 Directed by Panos Cosmatos ★★
Summer with Monika 1953 ‘Sommaren med Monika’ Directed by Ingmar Bergman ★★★★
Hero 2002 ‘英雄’ Directed by Zhang Yimou ★★★★
The Chaser 2008 ‘추격자’ Directed by Na Hong-jin ★★★★
Miss Oyu 1951 ‘Oyū-sama’ Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi ★★★★★
High and Low 1963 ‘天国と地獄’ Directed by Akira Kurosawa ★★★★★
Snake Eyes 1998 Directed by Brian De Palma ★★★★
Destination Wedding 2018 Directed by Victor Levin ★★★
Easy Rider 1969 Directed by Dennis Hopper ★★★★
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 1982 Directed by Terry Hughes ★★★★★
Images from the Playground 2009 ‘Bilder från Lekstugan’ Directed by Stig Björkman ★★★
The Red Spectre 1907 ‘Le spectre rouge’ Directed by Segundo de Chomón, Ferdinand Zecca ★★★
The Magnificent Ambersons 1942 Directed by Orson Welles ★★★★
Night and Fog 1955 ‘Nuit et brouillard’ Directed by Alain Resnais ★★★★
The Circus 1928 Directed by Charlie Chaplin ★★★★
Sawdust and Tinsel 1953 ‘Gycklarnas afton’ Directed by Ingmar Bergman ★★★★
Seven Samurai 1954 ‘七人の侍’ Directed by Akira Kurosawa ★★★★★
Million Dollar Baby 2004 Directed by Clint Eastwood ★★★
The Babadook 2014 Directed by Jennifer Kent ★
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: Day of the Unicorn 2010 Directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi ★★★
The Man from London 2007 ‘A Londoni férfi’ Directed by Béla Tarr ★★★★★
Yojimbo 1961 ‘用心棒’ Directed by Akira Kurosawa ★★★★
Sanjuro 1962 ‘椿三十郎’ Directed by Akira Kurosawa ★★★★
Alphaville 1965 ‘Alphaville, une étrange aventure de Lemmy Caution’ Directed by Jean-Luc Godard ★★★★★
Godard's Passion 1982 ‘Passion’ Directed by Jean-Luc Godard ★★★
Journey Into Fear 1943 Directed by Norman Foster ★★
Katatonia – Last Fair Deal Gone Night Directed by Anders “Blakkheim” Nyström ★★★★
Killing Them Softly 2012 Directed by Andrew Dominik ★★★★
Leave No Trace 2018 Directed by Debra Granik ★★★★
The Secret Life of Pets 2016 Directed by Chris Renaud ★★★
The Tree of Life [EXTENDED] 2011 Directed by Terrence Malick ★★★★★

2018 SO FAR... : 368 films
★ Terrible
★★ Bad (sometimes interesting)
★★★ Good
★★★★ Very Good
★★★★★ Great

re93animator

10-14-18, 01:37 AM

The Black Room (1935) – 2.5
A period thriller carried by Karloff playing opposing twin brothers amidst threats from ornery townsfolk. Eeriness is hurt by some silly music, tacky early exposition, and occasional cheap sets, but it’s fun to see Karloff playing dueling personalities.

In a Glass Cage (1986) – 3.5
Immobile Nazi torturer is cared for by a former child victim. Very discomforting without too much overt violence. Everything is very good and engaging. Cinematography is standout; movie is blue as hell.

The Night Strangler (1973) – 2.5
Kolchak’s always a fun and likeable character. Campy 70s vibe, fun set at the end, and dialogue written in all caps.

Waterloo Bridge (1931) – 2.5
A heavy pre-code tragedy about a naive soldier falling for a prostitute. I really loved The Petrified Forest from the same writer, but this one didn’t hold my interest too well.

Gospodin oformitel (1987) – 3
Finally got around to it MonnoM. Hope you enjoyed it. :)
A pretty slow art film with occasional nice atmospheric flourishes. It takes quite a while to get interesting though. Rich set designs and a unique soundtrack standout.

Iroquois

10-16-18, 12:44 PM

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (Rachel Talalay, 1991) - 2

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1957933#post1957933).

Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933) - 4

Though I'd have to revisit the others just to be absolutely sure, I'd still call this my favourite Marx Brothers movie since it still plays so much better on second viewing than the rest of them play on their first. Maybe the only film of theirs I really need.

Step Brothers (Adam McKay, 2008) - 3

Idiot manchild comedy done relatively right. Got my fair share of laughs out of it but there's more than a few flat notes and it ultimately feels disposable.

Brotherhood of the Wolf (Christophe Gans, 2001) - 1.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1957960#post1957960).

Ravenous (Antonia Bird, 1999) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1958822#post1958822).

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Don Siegel, 1956) - 3.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1958823#post1958823).

Friday the 13th (Marcus Nispel, 2009) - 1

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1958824#post1958824).

Hostel (Eli Roth, 2005) - 1

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1959765#post1959765).

Land of the Dead (George A. Romero, 2005) - 3.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1960114#post1960114).

Sicario: Day of the Soldado (Stefano Sollima, 2018) - 1.5

2018 has seen quite a few disappointing sequels, but I think the only reason Day of the Soldado doesn't qualify as a disappointment is that the concept of a Sicario sequel seemed so incredibly redundant that having any expectations whatsoever seemed pointless. In any case, the resulting film is a bunch of nonsense that doesn't justify its existence.

aronisred

10-16-18, 03:04 PM

Bad times at the el Royale

3

Four strangers show up at a motel called the El Royale before a rainy night and everyone is not who they seem to be including the motel itself. What ensues is a twisty thriller.

In one of my other reviews I have mentioned my problem with Tarantino. He ruined it for rest of the directors to tell a lot of different types of stories. He managed to step on many different film-making techniques and made them useless for other directors. Because they will be called out if they use it and be accused of copying. He took a style of film-making that was obsolete and used it in modern setting. Audience in the current generation doesn't have any idea about the auteur directorial styles of 60s or 70s or before and if he copies them there is no one that can call him out on that because the one's who know it are in their late 70s or over.

I have been excited to see this movie for quite sometime. But this movie's hype has been tainted a bit from the get go with comparisons to Quentin Tarantino style of film making. The concept is little similar to Hateful eight and the word Royale in title reminds audience of Royale with cheese from pulp fiction. These kind of comparisons pisses me off. Can't people ever do a movie about group of criminals ever again ? So with that critique out of the way lets delve into this movie. Of course there are no spoilers until the last section of this review. 10 minutes into the movie I noticed two things. The direction of the movie seemed a little self indulgent and that can be expected from a lot of directors. But the movie starts with a very elaborated single frame shot that shows a character doing something in a room over the course of few hours with very few time lapse cuts. But the problem with the shot is that as gorgeous as it is the sequence didn't have any weight to it. Its almost like shooting a person eating his cereal for the whole duration. No matter how cleverly it was shot there is very little content there. The second thing I noticed is that the atmosphere of the outdoors of the motel is quite interesting and it has a life of its own. As I said before, all the characters in the movie enter the motel on an afternoon before a rainy night. So we see the climate changing as the movie goes along. The characters are not who they are and the trailers gave away some of the twists. But the actual reveal of each of their true identities is not intriguing enough. The most clever aspect of the movie is the way it uses the singing ability of a character.

The problem I have with the movie is that it didn't meet my expectations. That's partly because the best movies in this genre usually have a very strong and satisfying pay off. Its all about the pay off. Because this is a suspense thriller and its all building up-to something, if the pay off doesn't merit the build up then the whole movie falls apart. The best characters in the movie are Cynthia Erivo and Jeff bridges. That's partly because we spend most of the time with them. Dakota Johnson fits her part pretty well even though her character isn't fully fleshed out. The disappointing characters in the movie are that of Jon Hamm and Chris Hemsworth. From the trailers you can figure out that Hemsworth's role is that of a leader and an influencer but apart from his looks his acting doesn't convey any kind of charm or charisma. Jon Hamm is one note. Lewis Pullman character has lot of flaws in the way its written. The character of the motel is very good. Some of the twists in the movie felt very basic. They felt amateurish and are of low quality. I was able to connect the dots from the trailers. However despite all these flaws it was entertaining. I was intrigued for the most part. Its not because of the secret of the characters or the twists but it was the way things unfolded that kept me engaged for the most part. The movie was able to hold my attention until a twist happens and after that it was able to hold my attention until the next twist. There were also some socially relevant character undertones that I was able to recollect once I got out of the movie. So all in all this movie is decent theater watch for anyone who is into thriller/mystery genre and have time to kill.

Spoilers

So the movie starts with robbers having completed a heist enters a hotel room where he hides a bag of money. This whole scene takes place in a single frame. The problem with the scene is that there is not much happening there. Its just a guy hiding a suitcase very well and gets shot in the back by someone he knew.

The movie jumps back and forth in time. The transition is very organised that it doesn't feel jarring. But oddly it feels inconsequential. The whole movie could have been linear and audience wouldn't have liked it any more or less that they did this version. That's a problem. When you choose to tell a story in non linear fashion then it better be worth it. As for the characters we have an undercover FBI agent , a war veteran bell boy/in-charge of the hotel, an ex-robber coming back to collect his money, a singer looking for a better life, two sisters escaping a cult and finally the cult. The history of the hotel is much more intriguing than any of the characters in it. It is around the time of Vietnam and Nixon administration and cold war. The motel is used to spy on its customers and blackmail them to get information. It feels like a government approved facility where the positioning of the motel and the type of people who come in there are of high value to government. There is also Russian intervention in the spying. The motel is bugged to the bone. The FBI agent is tasked with getting all the bugs out of the Motel. But in his process he uncovers that there is a secret passage behind the rooms where all the characters are being watched and the videos are being sent to the management who in-turn trades that information with interested parties. So essentially he seems to have uncovered a second layer of surveillance which his superiors might have known but not him. The movie never makes it clear who knows how much about the various layers of surveillance in the hotel. The robbery plot line interweaves with this motel timeline in quite interesting manner. Before the hotel has been modified into this surveillance facility the robbery takes place and the money is stashed. After the hotel becomes what it is, Jeff Bridges comes back to get the money.

The most predictable plot-lines in the movie are Jon Hamm being an FBI agent and Dakota Johnson and her sister running away from a cult. From the trailers I was able to tell that her sister is member of cult. Even the cult is little stereotypical where in Chris Hemsworth's ulterior motives are that he just wants to sleep with his female followers. You have a bonfire scene as with any cults. I knew that in the end all the characters in the movie will be tied up by the cult and something unexpected will happen and someone worthy survives. That happens. The sudden reveal that the bell boy is a Vietnam veteran addicted to drugs and an expert shooter felt tagged in. It didn't flow with the movie. But the warmth between Cynthia Erivo and Jeff Bridges is the only thing that felt real and natural. It almost feels like a throwback to 60s films where after all the crazy stuff happens the good guys and the actual characters that lead us into the story are the ones that survive. The movie does a decent job of highlighting that a robber coming back to get his money from under the floor boards of a hotel room is the least crazy thing that happens in the movie.

One thing I noticed is that there was significant money spent in recreating the robbery when the money was stolen 10 years before the present setting. It takes place in a snowy town with ice mountains in the background. There was also significant money spent in recreating the root of trauma for the army vet bell boy by showing him in the battle. But the problem here is that both these recreations are not adding to the movie. There is something disjoint between the tone of the movie and choice of setting for these recreations. Main story-line takes place in a tropical location on a rainy day. But one of this side story takes place in Vietnam and the other in some snowy location. Both those kinda deprecate the impact of main story-line. Compare it to something like Hateful Eight where none of the story-line takes place in a tropical climate. The whole movie including the flashbacks take place in deep snow. The exteriors of the whole movie is during winter. That in a way heightens the experience and danger of the movie.

Speaking of the pay off. All Tarantino movies have a pay off that works. For example, Django Unchained had the pay off at candy-land and it is so strong that it sustained the whole way through all the shoot out. But in this movie the director cornered himself into a situation where he is forced to retrieve back to tired cliches. No matter how much of a homage your movie is, it should still stand on its own merit. This movie falls way short of that. Chris Hemsworth does nothing to convey his charm as a cult leader apart from the way he looks genetically. He brings nothing to the table. His dialogue delivery and performance is the same in every movie.In a way this movie made me understand why Tarantino uses lot of blood in the movie. There are lot of gruesome deaths in this movie but the blood on screen is kept to bare minimum. But I personally think that the more blood there is on the screen the more audience will feel the impact of violence. Without using guts if you can show audience enough blood on screen then you can influence their subconscious mind into thinking that there is something dark and disturbing happening on screen for real. I do think this movie might have benefited from a better soundtrack. 80's style soundtrack with demented undertones is the way to go. The cult leader must have been menacing and charming at the same time. Hemsworth is just hot.

Velvet

10-16-18, 03:08 PM

step brothers is the single greatest film ever made

aronisred

10-16-18, 04:16 PM

China Syndrome

3

A news crew stumbles upon an accident at a major nuclear power facility. The bad news is its happening at a time when there is a general unrest among common public about the lack of safety measures against a nuclear explosion by the energy corporations.

First things out of the way, this movie is no all the president's men or three days of condor. There are significant plot holes and narrative mistakes in the script for this movie. It is one of those 70s movies which deals with general public paranoia about huge corporations taking over government. Of course there is truth to it. The movie has two things going for it. Its a journalism based movie and it questions the role of journalists in the corporate controlled society. It also questions the insidious ways in which huge corporations use man power and then force them to obey the corporate rules.

The news corporation and the main reporter team involved contains Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas. They are stereotypical in the sense she is a good reporter but also she wants to play the ball to get ahead. Michael Douglas is more of a behind the scenes guy who is in it for the passion and he is the truth crusader. Because guys like that get into such invisible jobs because of their pure love for their job. On screen anchors have agendas because they can be famous and be celebrities but camera crew are in it for the love of their job or money and the really good ones just love their job. The movie eases on certain security protocols in the nuclear plant just so the news crew can capture footage. This would never happen in reality.

The real heart of the movie is Jack Lemmon, a senior supervisor at the power plant and the whistle blower. Both the reporters and corporations more or less feel like institutions. Reporters are more after story and corporations are more after killing the story. But the real human character in the movie is Jack Lemmon. The movie cleverly puts him in a position of uncertainty where in he can't totally blame the corporation for not performing regular tests that would cost millions but at the same time he is not 100% sure that his doubts are warranted. It is such an interesting position he is put in that it mirrors reality. The filmmakers does a great job of giving the film a journalist flavor to it. We are immersed in the world of journalism for good chunk of time. Even the energy plant feels like a character. Its feels like something that is huge and strong and secure until it isn't. But the main problem with the movie is two fold. The power of the corporations and the danger they cause to reporters and whistle-blowers is way too kinetic in its execution. The whistle blowing aspect of it all felt rushed. That's probably called a pacing issue. Even the dangerous consequences predicted by Jack Lemmon's characters happens way too fast. He predicts there is something wrong with the plant and the moment they turn the plant back on something does go wrong thus proving that he is right all along. In reality predictions and real events don't happen that fast apart from each other. If it were to happen then it wouldn't be called predictions. It almost takes away from the seriousness of the situation. If what he predicted happened so fast then others would be idiots to not have noticed that. It's like predicting a plane with most of its engines failed will crash. Of course it will crash.

The best thing going for this movie is the way it creates a nuanced situation with several shades of grey and complexity that no single person or party can be blamed for any of it. Even the corporation heads are doing what they feel is right to stay in business. There are no antagonists. Even though they kill a reporter its all in the name of self preservation. The ending is heartbreaking because of what happens to Jack Lemmon and also how that incident brings out the humanity in Jane Fonda's stoic reporter character and a colleague of Jack Lemmon who until that point was just another foot soldier for the corporation.

TokeZa

10-18-18, 05:12 PM

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Zama (2017) by Lucrecia Martel

4

http://www.californiaherps.com/films/filmimages/broncobilly2.jpg

Bronco Billy (1980) by Clint Eastwood

2+

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Calamari Union (1985) by Aki Kaurismäki

3+

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Shadows in Paradise (1986) by Aki Kaurismäki

3.5

https://cocamusic.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/teorema.jpg?w=700

Teorema (1968) by Pier Paolo Pasolini

3.5+

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The Swamp (2001) by Lucrecia Martel

3.5+

Iroquois

10-18-18, 10:51 PM

Wake in Fright (Ted Kotcheff, 1971) - 4

Darkly humourous and disturbing little movie about a pompous schoolteacher being stranded in a rural Australian town and being drawn into its twisted pleasures. Has that early-'70s sense of experimentation and a foreign filmmaker's strange fascination with Australian culture (I reckon this makes for an interesting counterpart to Nic Roeg's Walkabout in that regard), plus a truly unhinged Donald Pleasence performance. Maybe one of the best Australian movies ever made.

Searching (Aneesh Chaganty, 2018) - 3

A simple story (single father tries to find his missing teenage daughter) is given a somewhat gimmicky treatment where the entire story plays out across computer screens. At least that gimmick is executed with no small amount of seriousness and capacity for visual storytelling, to say nothing of being anchored by John Cho's solid performance.

Day of the Dead: Bloodline (Hèctor Hernández Vicens, 2018) - 0.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1960403#post1960403).

First Man (Damien Chazelle, 2018) - 3

Chazelle's dramatisation of Neil Armstrong's journey to become the first man on the moon adds a new level to his already-demonstrated capacity for technical flair while also charting the next step in his usual thematic concerns with trying to balance professional achievements (this time of a more immense and frightening nature) and personal relationships (to say not of his own internalised emotions that are expressed through Gosling's trademark stoicism). Still undecided as to whether or not it deserves an extra half-popcorn.

Halloween: Resurrection (Rick Rosenthal, 2002) - 1

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1960675#post1960675).

East of Eden (Elia Kazan, 1955) - 3

As far as James Dean movies go, I'd give this the edge over the bloated Giant but consider this lesser than the cool anguish of Rebel Without A Cause. It's a solid enough story and I appreciate that the direction moves in a way that goes beyond the stodginess of either its period setting or the filmmaking of the time.

Ash Is Purest White (Jia Zhangke, 2018) - 3.5

Jia delivers another story about the consequences of crime in telling the tale of a young woman who gets a little too involved with her gangster boyfriend's way of life and pays a considerable penalty as a result. A patient film that knows how to deliver brief outbursts of violence or humour while still staying remarkably committed to the tragic dramatics that drive the film.

Fallen Angels (Wong Kar-wai, 1995) - 4

Wong delivers another delightfully weird tale of life and love on the neon-washed streets of Hong Kong, throwing the camera around with gleeful abandon in order to capture everything from Woo-style shoot-outs to endearingly earnest home videos. A welcome reminder that I need to watch more of his work.

Five Fingers for Marseilles (Michael Matthews, 2017) - 3.5

A tale of a present-day South African village being ruled over by gangsters where the group of kids who idealistically vowed to protect their home from harm have grown into embittered adults with their own baggage as a result. The heavy Western influence is played remarkably straight instead of tongue-in-cheek, which is just as well as its tale of small-town corruption and hardship.

Transit (Christian Petzold, 2018) - 4

Petzold adapts a Holocaust-era story involving one man's attempts to evade the spread of fascism across Europe but keeps the setting modern in an effort to draw parallels to contemporary immigration issues. Compelling from start to finish even when it dares to take breathers and allow its protagonist to get wrapped up in the affairs of various other people who face similar situations in very different ways.

aronisred

10-19-18, 04:51 PM

First man

3

The true story about the life of Neil Armstrong leading up-to Gemini mission and ultimately moon landing.

This movie piqued my interest way before all the Oscar buzz and film festival chatter began. One of my most anticipated movies of 2019 is the upcoming Ford v. Ferrari movie by Logan director James Mangold. That movie stars Christian Bale and Matt Damon. When I was looking up that movie I realized that it is being made as a mission movie akin to The right stuff. Then I stumbled upon First man. Knowing Chazelle's filmography I expected that the movie would be an intense ride. The first trailer confirmed my opinions. This made me worried for Ford v. Ferrari because I felt that movie would fall short of this movie because it is given fall prestige run and that is coming in summer like Dunkirk. So, going into this movie I expected it to be a movie which starts with the space mission being this impossible thing where people are dying left and right and pressure is mounting in all directions on people involved in the program to make it happen. Ultimately once the mission succeeds, everyone gets catharsis in their own way but most importantly the lead character. One of the untapped sub-genre's in movies is the mission movie. Its a movie where people go at common goal time and again until it works. Lot of movies have this as a single sequence in the movie and then they move on to other themes. But having seen whiplash I know that Chazelle will give that treatment to this movie given that the whole movie revolves around a space mission.

Having watched First man I can say that all my fears for Ford v. Ferrari are gone. Because, this movie is not a mission movie. It doesn't have the attitude of an athlete. It is a slow paced docudrama. This movie for some reason doesn't feel organic. It feels very manipulative in its execution to get emotions in new ways. Its never a good thing when the script is written with the intention of trying to sound unique and fresh, things should just happen based on the approach taken by screenwriter as opposed to him thinking in each and every step if he is original enough. One of the things that surprised me is how much the filmmakers wanted to connect the death of Neil Armstrong's daughter with space mission. They never let it flow organically. They try and connect both things time and again.The movie is filled with young looking middle aged "oh it is that guy" type actors. That is something I hate. Another director who uses it a lot is Ron Howard. Its a tired trope that period pieces involving younger characters should avoid. You can't have bunch of slick haired guys that are capable of dirty deeds given heroic opportunities. All these guys except Armstrong are one step away from doing something dirty or creepy. Their personalities are like that. And those traits seep out in occasional looks/conversations.

When it comes to the direction, Damien Chazelle is doing something that is not quite auteurist but he is trying to carve out a niche for himself. This movie doesn't have a blockbuster budget but it does have a higher end of mid-level budget. What that does is, it gives the movie are very realistic feel. So, when the scenes take place in the house they feel small in scale and when the scenes take place in space station or on moon or in the rocket they feel large scale. If the budget of the movie is large then both the scenes feel large scale and if the budget of the movie is small then both feel small scale. So the movie switches between small scale and enormous scale scenes alternating each other. Because most of the movie takes place on earth and it makes it easier for audience to think that this movie is an art house movie but director does a good job of switching between scenes of varying scales . However, it does feel like emotional manipulation when he shows scenes of his daughter in between other scenes just so audience get that he is thinking about his daughter in these scenes. There is certain amount of Christopher Nolan copy going on in this movie. Instead of wide shots he is trying to place audience in the shoes of the characters. That's something Nolan does. Even the script is weak. Neil's wife is given no arc. She is forced to do a lot with very little dialogue. The movie feels like a glorified Wikipedia page. They just create danger for his life by showing how others around him die. But the biggest culprit is Ryan Gosling. He is playing himself. The fact that people are predicting him to get an Oscar nomination is the very definition of awards season auteur bias.

Ryan gosling is someone who I feel is an actor with very limited range. But he is just decent enough to not be a bad actor. And of course he is a movie star. That means he has some capital attached to him. You can green light a project with him as lead. So, he is either cast in roles that the director thinks he suits or the director will try to work around his limitations. In this movie it's the former. But that is an ill advised decision. The whole movie rests on his shoulders for emotional weight. But Neil's character as viewed by gosling and Damien through research and creativity is much more of a mute reserved character. So the movie is asking audience to care for a reserved character because he achieved something great in his life. Coming to think of it this does feel like a pickle. The movie can't make a big deal that he is reserved because its going for realistic tone and in reality people just don't care and just move on if someone is reserved. However there were some amateurish techniques. He explicitly portrays Buzz Aldrin as a jerk. He uses some unoriginal scenes to show how cold Neil Armstrong is towards everyone even his family. In the whole movie the only person that seems to evoke emotion in Neil Armstrong is his dead daughter.

Finally the whole Oscar buzz and campaign around this movie. Firstly, all this points to Damien Chazelle. If he was not attached to this movie then there wouldn't be any buzz for this movie. Since he has street cred from whiplash and la la land, people want to like and support him. La la land was his mount Everest. So, the next few movies that are in its blast radius will feel the effect. Critics , having revered La la land go soft on his next few movies unless he makes a piece of crap. But luckily since the movie bombed, all the critics and awards pundits in their high horses are hit with the hard cold reality of box office . This movie being a bomb will effect its Oscar chances significantly. On the contrary a movie like green book is met with skepticism because it is directed by a comedic director. So, this movie begs 2 questions. Is it worth telling a story in an expressive medium if its central character is unemotional ? and the other is, should Oscar campaign and hype be given only to filmmakers that has street cred and not to someone that's transitioning from other genre to serious prestige film-making ?

Iroquois

10-22-18, 08:39 AM

The Wild Boys (Bertrand Mandico, 2017) - 2.5

Picture Lord of the Flies by way of Fassbinder's Querelle and you have a pretty good idea of how this tale of delinquent schoolboys being punished with an arduous voyage to a mysterious island will play out in ways that toy with notions of sexuality and gender identity. It's kinda messy and somehow gets a little boring despite the perpetual surrealism, but it's too singularly strange to dismiss.

Wanda (Barbara Loden, 1970) - 3.5

This tale of a recently-divorced woman getting into misadventures comes across as a direct response to the proliferation of New Hollywood movies that lionised disconnection from the established societal order (Bonnie and Clyde being the obvious example here due to both films sharing an outlaw-couple narrative) by turning in an effectively bleak deconstruction of the same.

Bad Times at the El Royale (Drew Goddard, 2018) - 3

A tried-and-true set-up - a handful of guests check into a seemingly normal hotel where nothing is what it seems - is given a decent enough execution that offers a charmingly retro setting that's fleshed out by kitschy production design and a solid ensemble cast delivering flamboyant dialogue. However, it's been about a week since I've seen it and I've barely retained any of it, which doesn't exactly speak to it having much in the way of substance.

Suspiria (Dario Argento, 1977) - 5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1961292#post1961292).

The Mouth of the Wolf (Pietro Marcello, 2009) - 2

Another MUBI discovery, this time a blend of documentary and dramatisation that centres on the unusual but tender relationship between two former prisoners (one of whom is transgender) that started in prison and continued for decades on the outside. While an interesting subject to base a film around, the film itself left quite a lot to be desired and I had trouble really getting invested in it.

Odd Man Out (Carol Reed, 1947) - 4

A classic example of a run-all-night movie where James Mason's IRA (sorry, "the Organisation") ringleader is wounded during a heist gone wrong and has to evade the authorities. More than just a simple thriller, it excels better as a character study of not just Mason but also the various ordinary citizens that want to help or hinder him.

The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard, 2018) - 2.5

I missed the first 10 minutes or so, which might as well be triple that in a film as rapid-fire in its fragmented use of cinematic collage as this one. Reminiscent of Histoire(s) du cinema with all the strengths and weaknesses that that entails - an overwhelming experience where the English subtitles can't keep up with the barrage of French text and dialogue, but when the chaos seems to be the point it's tolerable.

Love (Gaspar Noé, 2015) - 1

I think there's usually at least something of worth to be dug out of Noé's exceptionally abrasive films but with this one it seems like you have to dig much, much deeper than usual (and that was already pretty deep) to find - what exactly? Otherwise, be prepared to put up with a solid 2+ hours of annoying characters arguing with each other and having a whole lot of sex. At least he lays off the strobe light for once.

Ashes of Time Redux (Wong Kar-wai, 2008) - 2.5

This one left me quite cold as Wong decides to apply (some of) his signature style to a fragmented wuxia story that folds in all the usual action and romance common to both the genre and his work (though the visual style is disappointingly not as freewheeling as I'd come to expect from him).

Madeline's Madeline (Josephine Decker, 2018) - 3

An indie dramedy about a mentally unstable teenager who is caught between her dysfunctional relationship with her mother and the demands of her interpretive dance class (especially the class's eccentric director). Takes a bit of getting used to its premise, but once it gets rolling it proves an alternately humourous and disquieting tale involving its three leads and a sobering deconstruction of the idea of artistic expression as therapeutic catharsis.

re93animator

10-30-18, 09:17 AM

Jungle Fever (1991) – 3.5
Spike Lee’s dialogue can definitely be awkward and unintentionally funny (doubly so from himself), but it’s almost always engrossing as hell. Powerful moments, comfortable warm cinematography, and a great background soundtrack. MonnoMYou are correct. Virtuoso dancing junky.

Straight to Hell (1987) – 2.5
Fleeing bank robbers wind up in an eccentric mock-Western town. It has a fun setting, premise, and quasi-punk feel to it, but it’s a little too goofy and tightly edited.

That Obscure Object of Desire (1977) – 3
A wealthy older man and deceptive young woman engage in a very cerebral duel under the guise of love. There’s purported symbolism, and one of the leads is randomly played by two actresses, but it’s not heavy with Bunuel’s surrealism otherwise. Still an interesting watch though.

The Milky Way (1969) – 3
Most of this feels like screenwriters vicariously flexing their religious diatribe muscle, which can be interesting, but occasionally flirts with the dreaded ’p’ word. If I can be a simpleton for a moment, I think the movie is at its best when it follows the bare bones premise of two weary ‘straight man’ travelers encountering eccentrics.

Red Sun (1971) – 3
A fun western romp about a sarcastic cowboy (Bronson) and a ridiculously badass samurai (Mifune) buddying up to catch a train robber. The premise loses a bit of charm in the 2nd half, but still entertaining.

Iroquois

10-30-18, 09:37 AM

The Thing (John Carpenter, 1982) - 5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1961823#post1961823).

The Thing ( Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., 2011) - 1.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1961824#post1961824).

The Edge (Lee Tamahori, 1997) - 2.5

A pretty standard man-versus-wild movie where a billionaire crash-lands in the Alaskan wilderness and must figure out how best to survive while also dealing with a difficult photographer who's accompanying him. Keeps a decent pace, action's not too badly shot, and ultimately worth it just for the way that Anthony Hopkins delivers the last line in this scene (m.youtube.com/watch?v=K4J_QfiGRRc).

The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Theodore Dreyer, 1928) - 4

I kind of wish I hadn't already watched Bresson's Trial of Joan of Arc a while back because that also adapted the minutes from Joan's trial, but it doesn't matter when you're dealing with a film that so readily showcases the effectiveness of early cinematic technique and performance in a way that can still be seen and felt throughout the subsequent hundred years of the form's evolution.

Prometheus (Ridley Scott, 2012) - 3

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1961963#post1961963).

Venom (Ruben Fleischer, 2018) - 2

What looks on the surface like it could be a contender for one of the worst superhero movies ever made somehow isn't. That doesn't mean it's good or anything but I appreciate that it's got spots of weirdness and avoids being completely obnoxious, which goes a long way (but not far enough) toward salvaging it.

The Brood (David Cronenberg, 1979) - 3.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1962302#post1962302).

The Cameraman (Buster Keaton and Edward Sedgwick, 1928) - 4

Buster goes on another madcap adventure as a still photographer who, out of infatuation with the secretary at a local newsreel company, decides to make the upgrade to moving pictures. Plenty of great slapstick on offer and, as with all the other Keaton movies I've seen, I'm honestly amazed at some of the stuff he stages and throws himself into (especially that Chinatown setpiece, Orientalism notwithstanding).

The Guilty (Gustav Möller, 2018) - 3

A minimalist thriller about a recently-demoted police officer whose shift at the emergency services hotline takes a surprise turn when he gets a call from a woman who is being kidnapped. It's got a simple gimmick (single location, one on-screen character largely interacting via phone calls) but it's put to decent use in delivering its tense and twisty plot.

Knife + Heart (Yann Gonzalez, 2018) - 3.5

A giallo-style thriller about a masked killer who is attacking the employees of a gay porn company. It's absolutely soaked in the lurid aesthetics of its various subjects and genres, managing a solid balance of campy fun and harsh thrills (and even a genuine sense of tragedy) in the process.

aronisred

10-31-18, 02:59 AM

The Wolverine

3.5

Logan aka wolverine has lived long enough and he is living the life of an animal with no purpose in his life. A Japanese soldier he once rescued calls for him and once he gets to Japan he is pulled into a conspiracy involving a very wealthy and powerful family and a sinister plan involving his immortality.

One of the reasons I watched this movie is because of the director James Mangold. So I was always looking for directorial choices made in the movie and the narrative of the movie. I watched it a while ago and forgot about it. But when I rewatched the movie the thing that struck me was just the breadth of Japanese aesthetics infused into the movie. One thing you need to understand is that neither James Mangold nor Hugh Jackman nor the character wolverine are huge box office draws. Even though the brand of wolverine has some box office draw, if the movie sucks or the word of mouth sucks then the movie will barely break even at box office. So this movie had to be good. When I started watching the movie I saw two things that caught my attention in the first 15 minutes. First, to heighten the emotion of the scenes James Mangold infused them with natural/real events. He opens the movie with atom bombs thrown on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and we see wolverine with bone claws. The director infuses this scene with lot of Japanese culture. He doesn't have to do that but he makes audience feel weird because they are watching a superhero movie and they are shown an a-bomb being dropped. Second, we see wolverine getting into altercation with the locals over a bear hunt. We even see his encounter with the bear earlier. There is this weird animalistic quality to the sequence. Firstly wolverine is named after an animal and this movie shows him walking in the woods and a bear is walking few feet away from him in the same direction and so the filmmaker is trying to make wolverine feel more like an animal with no purpose walking through the woods. The encounter with bear could have been done in many ways like they could run into each other walking in opposite direction coming face to face or wolverine could have seen the bear from a distance at a right angle so it can feel more like the bear doesn't know that he is watching her but mangold choose to shoot this sequence like an encounter between two vicious beasts than could kill anything on their way but at the moment in their lives they are just lost and don't have interest in fighting anymore. Then we see him showing more compassion to the bear than humans when he gets into fight with the native hunters over the way they don't put bear out of its misery after shooting it with an arrow that makes its death slow and painful. Even the location of this whole setting is in some alaskan wilderness type village where lot of these people go hunting with bow and arrow and in their camouflage based hunting attire. Mangold is going for this very specific geographical location and for this very specific type of blue collar workers who has no regard for nature. To be honest these two choices by James Mangold are highly intelligent. Only he could have done it so subtly.

The movie then moves to Japan. Few of the characters feel little flamboyant and caricatures but upon listening to James mangolds interview for the movie he brings up an interesting point. The reasons caricatures exist is because there is some truth to them. The trick in movies is to show them without judging them. Once the the story movies to Japan I was surprised at how weird and interesting the movie became. James Mangold sort of infused the movie with Japanese aesthetics extensively. One thing that shocked me was the dynamic between the Japanese soldier wolverine saved and wolverine. It is operating on two levels. One is their relationship and how it has evolved from their previous encounter in a prison camp to the present day where the solider is very old. Secondly, the family dynamic. I was shocked at how vile the family is portrayed as. It shows the family dynamics in a very wealthy family where in the power struggle makes even a father to try to kill his daughter to get power. The movie makes the Japanese guy who wolverine saves, the bad guy. Thats a master stroke. You expect him to be grateful for what he has done but since the guy becomes wealthy and very very old he wants to live longer and he wants adamantium from wolverine. This is something that only mangold can do. I can imagine him trying to put a twist and a spin that is not conventional. In interview he says that he liked the idea of juxtaposing various concepts like the immortal man who looses his will to live, the mortal man who wants to live longer and the evil in the world shown through the family dynamic. All these starts making the movie feel more and more deeper and weighty and original.

Even the action scenes are very new and unique. There is a train fight which is very gripping and minimalist in its execution and design. Combination of samurai knife with wolverine metal claws in some fight scenes is well done. Even the movie takes time to show that even though wolverine heals he still feels the pain. Even the pre-climax fight between wolverine and samurai warriors of the family has a purpose. The fight is set in a snowy Japanese village and it makes sense that the research lab of the old man would be built in his home village. James Mangold has the ability to make the movie look beautiful and stylish yet he makes them feel semi realistic and quite frankly original. Because there are scenes in this movie where the choices made by characters doesn't feel realistic yet he shows them just the right amount before the audience suspension of disbelief alarm rings. For the most part we see wolverine traveling in cars but to get to the village he uses a bike and that is cool to look at and it creates this sense of hero disregarding his own safety to come help his lover because bike ride is much more riskier than car. But before the logic alarm kicks in among the audience he moves on from that sequence. Fight at the funeral is very interesting in terms of setting. Movie also plays with adult themes like memory , recollection and especially for a character like wolverine who lives for extremely long period of time he might have collected a lot of memories from all over the world. If I were him I would travel all over the world. It also scratches a bit on the surface of wolverine's problem with intimacy because he only brings danger. Logan deals with it much more in depth.

Negatives in the movie are the whole final act twist and also it was kinda cold decision by director to include a plotline to invite wolverine, who is in such a sad position in his life in the beginning of the movie to Japan by a guy whom he saved a long time ago only to reveal that his motive behind is to seek wolverine's immortality. It was so awkward . In the flashback there was no hints that the Japanese guy is a bad guy, he seemed like a nice soldier. The whole character of viper feels unnecessary. I get why she is there. After the old man's initial brush with a mutant when he was young, as he grew more and more wealthy and powerful , he started seeking more and more mutants. He must have come across her. He is a capitalist , so he is not looking to kill mutants but to just get what he wants from them. She did have femme fatale vibes but almost all her encounters with wolverine are confrontational in nature. It's only in her character moments that I felt like James Mangold is behaving like a commercial director and not an artist. She is a doctor and she dresses up in leather in the end. All that felt weird. its either the director being forced by studio or whatever. Even the climax fight was not great.

But in the end the movie is very well made. It doesn't feel like the work of an auteur and to be honest if a director's auteur style is boring and slow and bland ,then I would rather watch a smart, strong, innovative, cerebral movie that is very well and competently directed than an auteurs work. First man made me realize that . There were lot of scenes in that movie that could have given audience a memorable cerebral experience that they will remember long after the movie ended but all those opportunities were wasted. There was a sequence in that movie of a flight simulation gone wrong and it should have been a nail biting sequence but that was at the worst possible place in the movie. It was just added in the script at the wrong location. If James Mangold has made that movie he would have put it at exactly the right location.

HashtagBrownies

10-31-18, 09:13 PM

Seen in October Pt.1

49356
3.5+
I've seen previous work by this director before (Mike Flanagan). I thought Gerald's Game was pretty good and that Hush was a total bore. I was curious as to what this film would be like.

It's actually really solid. The focus of the film switches back and forth between Gillian (Amy Pond from Doctor Who!) and Thwaites' battle with the mirror and their troubled childhood. Amy Pond gives a really good performance and her fake American accent is spot on. The first part of the film where Tim is arguing with his sister about the logic of a 'ghost' mirror was probably my favourite part of the film. The conversation is very intense and the brother's questioning encourages the audience to question the legitimacy of what we'll see throughout the rest of the film.

The horror in the film is effective as well. A pounding, unsettling soundtrack fuels every scene it is in. The film's pretty much jump-scare free, and the ones that are there just kinda 'happen', and don't have an obnoxious loud noise accompanying them. There also appears to be sprinklings of mental illness themes (a la Hereditary), such as when Amy Pond says "It runs in the family", making the supernatural elements of the film all the more ambiguous. In the past segments they seem to explore the fear that is having no control over anything: The children are left helpless as their dad turns psychotic, and are too naive to take a stand or run away. There's also some elements of paranoia: With the brother doubting Amy Pond's memory of events and the mother constantly asking about "The woman at the office".

The only thing I wasn't too keen on was the ending. Considering this film is such a downer, it would be more satisfying to have a happy ending

49357
3.5-
Quite a unique watch. A T.V. movie from 1968, only 40 minutes long, and just one part of the 'BBC Ghost Stories' collection.

It has a great atmosphere and overall tone. The constant wind blasting the main character, the wet beaches, the quaint hotel etc. Michael Hordern's performance as the stuck-up rich man is very good and really shows his character: Constantly muttering and singing to himself, giving a long-winded 'non-answer' when a man asks him about the existence of ghosts as saying yes may lower his image.

The film does have quite a big problem though, it's much too slow. Absolutely nothing of importance happens in the first 13 minutes. There's also a 3 minute picnic scene in the middle of the film which also adds nothing to the film. Quite cheeky for a film to do this when it only has a very short run-time to tell its story.

In terms of horror, it's really good. The atmosphere and tone I mentioned above certainly adds a rural feel to the whole thing. There's also no music either. The dream sequence is quite frightening: Surreal imagery, disturbing noises, loud noises etc. The ending is pretty spooky too.

49358
4-
Damn, this film is insanely anti-consumerist. The message is a very good one that I think everyone can get behind. It’s still very relevant today, what with its mentions of global warming. I enjoyed the action and the cheesy one-liners. The plot feels like it was for a different running time but was stretched out (I mean that fist-fight good lord!).

49359
4
Damn, this was quite chaotic; Just the whole sense of death and destruction and all that. The sound design is absolutely brilliant.

49360
3
Weird. The soundtrack is really cool, it just sounds very metal-ish and rattly. The effects all around are great, the stop motion was very cool. That final fight was quite cool aswell. The whole film all around just feels very disgusting, I think the exaggerated noises the characters make add to that. My only problem is that for the middle part of the film nothing happens; It’s just the main character going “OMG WUT’S GOING ON?!"

49364
[RE-WATCH]
4+
Got to see this in the cinema. Man, what an awesome experience. Last time I saw it was when I was young and thought it was pretty lame, boy that opinion's sure changed! The soundtrack is just fantastic, John Carpenter + keyboard = magic. There's just so many cool looking shots and so much good tension. Can't wait to see the new one.

49365
3+
A very interesting idea. I’m very interested by the themes it brings up, how this ordinary man has complete control over two other men because of a simple metal object. It did feel a little boring and repetitive towards the end though. Because of that I think this film would make a stellar remake.

Also a woman director in the 50’s?! That’s pretty cool.

49361
3.5
Seems just like a normal 80's comedy/horror which doesn't do much to stand out from the crowd. One of those films you forget about immediately after finishing it.

I still enjoyed myself though:
-If you've played Half Life 2 and System Shock 2 you're aware of the leeches, probably my worst fear, so yeah the film kinda got to me.
-You know you're off for a great start when the first shot is aliens.
-The suspended animation room looks like a spaceship, lol wut?!
-The dude running away at a slow pace on the crutches lol
-"what is this, a homicide or a bad b movie?"
-That cat's meow echoed enough to break the sound barrier.
-Everyone clapped after she did the middle finger, she must be a real hero.
-"Screaming like banshees"
-Watching 'Plan 9 From Outer Space'? I see you're a woman of culture.
-The bus driver did the eye pop thing from Mad Max.
-'It's Miller Time!"

I think the film would've been better if it was over the course of a single night.

49362
4
Ah man this was just such a nice and funny film! How am I supposed to criticize a film starring my two favourite actors? We have some good Schwarzenegger moments here (I didn’t do anything, the pavement was his enemy)

49363
3.5
Going into Rush I was thinking 'Oh no, it's one of THESE films! (A mostly substance-less biopic that only appeals to baby boomers and middle-aged dads). During the first part of the film I was kinda feeling that, but during the 'race' scene, I started to like this film alot more. The race scenes are my favourite parts of the film: The testosterone-filled controlling of the cars and their revs so intense you can feel the vibrations on your couch. Thor was a very good casting choice, he really looks like the type of character he's playing. I thought the whole second half with Niki's fall and rise was genuinely great.

Iroquois

11-02-18, 11:12 AM

Carnival of Souls (Herk Harvey, 1962) - 3.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1962555#post1962555).

Ex Libris - The New York Public Library (Frederick Wiseman, 2017) - 3.5

This documentary about the eponymous library runs well past the three-hour mark but it never actually manages to get boring as it covers everything from sit-downs with famous guests to random shots of the staff going about their mundane routines.

Queen of the Damned (Michael Rymer, 2001) - 1

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1962853#post1962853).

Maniac Cop (William Lustig, 1988) - 3

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1962871#post1962871).

American Animals (Bart Layton, 2018) - 3

This true story of four college students and their plot to steal priceless books makes for an interesting enough take on the heist film, especially thanks to its framing device involving the real-life people recounting it and having the dramatisation adjust in accordance with their differing recollections.

The Naked Kiss (Samuel Fuller, 1964) - 3.5

A nasty and brutish little neo-noir about a sex worker who flees the big city and moves to a small town in order to start over but soon finds that to be much more troublesome than expected. Pretty solid work all around.

The Hunger (Tony Scott, 1983) - 3

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963090#post1963090).

Apostle (Gareth Evans, 2018) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963731#post1963731).

Rock Hudson's Home Movies (Mark Rappaport, 1992) - 3.5

An interesting little thesis of a film that opts to comb through Rock Hudson's filmography for signs that pointed to his long-closeted homosexuality and pieces them together into a sardonically-narrated commentary upon Golden Age Hollywood that even extends into his AIDS-related passing.

Leatherface (Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, 2017) - 1.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963766#post1963766).

cricket

11-02-18, 07:07 PM

October, 2018 movies watched-

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) 4 I think I could be underrating it.

Amelie (2001) Repeat viewing 2.5 My rating is solely for quality because I do not care for this movie.

The Aviator (2004) Repeat viewing 2 Not only am I not a fan, I don't think it's all that good.

Mandingo (1975) 3.5 Part exploitation, part look at a terrible history, all good.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) Repeat viewing 4 Maybe a step down from the last time, but still all kinds of fun.

Insiang (1976) 4- Insiang is a poor but beautiful young lady in the Philippines. They're both problems in this bleak and realistic film.

Incendies (2010) 4 A really great story.

A Quiet Place (2018) 3.5+ Edge of my seat the whole time.

Massacre Mafia Style (1974) 3.5 The mafia, grindhouse style!

Leave No Trace (2018) 3.5- I would say it was about as good as it could have been.

The Libertine (2004) 3 Loved the decadence; the story not so much.

The Innocents (1961) Repeat viewing 4 I don't quite have the passion for it to be a favorite, but it's practically a masterpiece.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) 3.5- I got what I was looking for.

Total October viewings-13
Total 2018 viewings-273

thracian dawg

11-05-18, 02:55 PM

★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

Lizzie (2018) - MacNeill
Poor Lizzie Borden, although rich, her epilepsy means she is not going to marry well---if at all. Her lecherous uncle has been slowly plotting to steal her inheritance out from under her. Most of the film seems to be only about supplying plenty of pre-feminist, girl power justifications for Lizzie to take matters into her own hands and go all hatchet happy on her father (a true scoundrel) and her step-mom ( Lizzie is not her favorite person in the three person household)

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

The Comedy of power * (2006) - Chabrol
This is a story about a fearless female prosecutor going after scandalous behaviors and big time corruption. The delightfully clueless moneymen simply toss her a few bones, assuming she is just looking for her cut in the deals. There is a great visual joke when she is first introduced (she is known in the investor community as “the piranha”) with an aquarium of swimming goldfish behind her. Once the graftsmen finally realize she is actually going to do her job and dedicate her life to putting them all behind bars; she is simply promoted out of prosecution by her bosses into another government department where her “bite” will become inconsequential.

The Flower of Evil * (2003) - Chabrol
It seems improbable during a mayoral campaign that this stately mansion and this family tree has more back-stabbing, incest, murder and patricide per square inch then in the whole of the European community combined past and present.

Violette Nozière * (1978) - Chabrol
This is a kind of French Lizzie Borden story. Violette is introduced escaping her clueless parents and her “cage” by sneaking down the stairs in her stocking feet; an innocent school girl by day and a syphilitic prostitute by night. You kind of know it’s not going to end well for her once a pretty boy latches onto her and begins to demand and she begins to fork over thicker and thicker wads of cash for his sundry expenses. Things improve in the third act when she becomes a kind of folk hero and a large part of the public rallies around her sob story as an innocent, abused young woman.

The Bridesmaid * (2004) - Chabrol
This is one twisted romance. His mother makes a gift of the stone bust from their backyard (Flora, the roman goddess for flowers and spring) and gives it to her new boyfriend. Her twenty-something live at home son immediately steals it back and hides it in his closet and falls asleep at night cradling it in his arms. His conflict is immediate he finds a flesh and blood woman who looks astonishingly like the stone head. She’s got a great character tell herself (beyond declaring eternal love the second she meets him) when she tells him: one is a truly exceptional human being if one has planted a tree; written a poem; had same-sex sex; and ended someone’s life. More enlightened minds would have grabbed their socks and made a dash for the door the moment a potential lover suggested messing with a rhyming couplets but he is clearly not one of them, he is content to laze in bed and make goo-goo eyes at her.

A Star is born (2018) - Cooper
There is a nice bit of tradecraft where Ally is introduced as the most beautiful woman in the room and in the film. What Jack actually does for a living is a bit of a head scratcher, he starts out as a jet-setting rock star whose busy concert schedule never seems to conflict with his canoodles with Ally. The extent of his decline is limited to one scene where he is demoted to playing backup guitar on some sort of tribute album and a liquid moment onstage. But then, this is a remake story where the audience knows all the beats beforehand. The torch song needed for the big finish where Ally becomes the star wasn’t really there. There is a lot of egregious product placement in the film, with a nagging suspicion that certain sponsors thought the original, fiery, two wheeled ending of our drunken hero cast their product in an unfavorable light and so it was written out of the movie to accommodate their wishes.

The Devil’s Playground (2012) - Walker
The Amish believe (rightfully) that children lack the intellectual capacity to make great life decisions and put off their confirmation ceremonies to the church until after the Rumspringa period; when the young (16 – 20) adults are allowed to mix with the outside world without religious supervision. There are some built-in difficulties for this documentary because the Amish are notoriously camera shy; being interviewed is considered vain and sinful. Amish children leave school and start working around 13, so when Rumspringa (which might be better translated as ‘the brick wall moment” rather than the “running around” period) rolls around at their 16th birthday, they hit the ground running. Fast food! Keggers! Shopping! But they stop running once it dawns on them: surviving alone in the outside world with a seventh grade education is going to be next to impossible. Their religion has a 90 per cent retention rate, but the devil is in the details.

The Wife (2018) - Runge
A painfully shy novelist allows her husband to masquerade in public as the grand old man of literature while she is content to bask in his reflected glory. The film sets-up a great dramatic, knockdown, drag ‘em out finish where all the secrets spill out into the light, but the film chickens out like a wussy little fraidy cat at the end.

Christine (2016) - Campos
Rebecca Hall (with her usual panache) plays an up and coming journalist hitting the big 3-0 in Florida. There’s a nice early 70’s reconstruction of hair styles, song riffs and ideas (the shift from information to entertainment is just happening to TV news) If this seems appealing, put this on your to-see-list and stop reading now. This character study gains immensely if you simply discover the film.

Christine always maintains her distance; she is never Chrissie or Chubs but always Ms. Chubbuck. She calls her roommate Peg, while most people would just call her mom. The film is problematic, it’s almost impossible to avoid the spoiler that precedes it and this keeps the audience at arm’s length from the story. The film inevitably becomes an armchair investigation , throwing out her possible symptoms and suggesting possible answers, but Miss-C was always the smartest person in the room, if it was just one thing, she would have simply discovered the answer herself.

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

Nada * (1974) - Chabrol
A dollop of cynicism and black humour are ladled into this kidnapping thriller satirizing both a group of disillusioned revolutionaries and the larger color coordinated, uniformed gang of thugs. Once their hideout is found, the official government overseer suggests to the lead investigator, the whole thing will be better resolved if we were to go in with guns blazing and just wipe the slate clean. The political fallout will be minimal with a few symbolic slaps on the wrists; this will be an easy win for the law and order crowd. The investigator is a little pissed to discover, once the dust settles that he is one of the symbolic, unemployed nincompoops. Nada means nothing in Spanish.

The Break-up * (1970) - Chabrol
A mentally unstable man attacks his wife and child one morning, sending the kid barely alive to the hospital. This is the last straw for his wife, His wealthy father immediately conspires to steal his grand-son during the divorce, since his own son is a complete dud; his grandson is going to inherit the family fortune and his training needs to begin immediately. His lawyer warns him, to take over guardianship of the child; he is going to actually prove in a court of law that she is an unfit mother. The old man begins throwing secret fistfuls of money at his problem. His lead co-conspirator realizes almost immediately, the wife is a paragon of virtue and he is going to have to manufacture the proof they need. The walls start closing in, with everyone around her directly or indirectly working for her wealthy father-in-law.

This Man must Die * (1969) - Chabrol
The inevitability of fate is suggested when two opposing archers draw back their bows and let their symbolic arrows fly worlds away: a small boy gathering seashells on the shore and a muscle car bombing down a country road until they criss-cross in a village square. This begins as a simple tale of revenge then slowly morphs into a kind of Greek tragedy. The father believes in fate and hasn’t a single doubt he is going to find and kill the person responsible for his son’s death because he is going to dedicate the rest of life to this one goal. There is a nice throwaway moment when the father finds the original car from the crime scene, but the killer has replaced the front end, repainted the car white and tries to pawn it off to him as the steal of a lifetime.

Wedding in Blood * (1973) - Chabrol
An affair between two murderous lovers is slowly discovered in a sleepy town. There is a nice shading of tones: the town square is immediately established as teeming with life, and when she sleeps over, she could sneak out under the cover of darkness but prefers to wait until first light when she could be spotted by someone. The couple flirts with disaster with their increasingly public trysts. Their exaggerated love making reveals the boredom of their lives. The moments of political satire are clearest when the detective investigating a suspicious death receives a call from “The President” telling him to lay off the investigation and the inquest is closed. When an anonymous letter arrives later telling the cops the couple are having an affair, they are forced to re-open the investigation not because they have any interest in solving it, but this will prevent a larger political scandal down the road.

Hell * (1992) - Chabrol
This is about a man quietly losing it; the story is about 7 years of their marriage. The director slices it thin in the beginning, illustrating his little breaks with reality with objective misplaced glances and reactions. Then the voice of jealousy begins to whisper in his ear until he is lost in his increasingly subjective ravings. For example, there is a black-out in the hotel and his wife innocently goes down a hallway distributing candles to the guests, but what the husband sees is her wantonly parading in and out of the men’s rooms in a fish net body stocking. Emmanuelle Beart is a wonderful foil to his madness; the girl can’t help it. She lights up any room with her smile, her summer print dresses only accentuate the sway of her hips---the slightest narrowing of her eyes is going to send him down the rabbit hole. She is so screwed.

Chicken with Vinegar * (1985) - Chabrol
This is one twisted little French town. Some men angrily threaten a woman from a sleepy suburban sidewalk because the front entrance is chained and barricaded against them, she screams back at them from an upstairs window. The postman arrives (her son) and he enters and takes his invalid mother downstairs and wheels her into their war room. He’s already been to the post office and returned with the mail; they steam open the letters (belonging to the men in the street) and gather the latest intell into their real estate scam to steal their family home, they are the last hold-outs. Pressured from all sides, the son passively accepts his mother’s growing hysteria and the bullying from the gang---but hey, it’s not all bad, he is also being sexually harassed by a co-worker (who looks like an extra from a Russ Meyer film) until he cracks one night and does a little vandalism that gets the police involved. Chicken is a French slang term for a cop.

The Butcher * (1970) - Chabrol
This is not quite a twisted romance but more of fizzled infatuation between a schoolmarm and the village meat supplier. Both are emotionally stunted; he has seen the buzzing black flies of atrocity as a soldier in two wars, and she has shut down completely after a horrible relationship. They are put together at a wedding and by the time he walks her back to her apartment above the school, he is a piece of chalk in her hands. He comes over with a jar of marinated cherries one evening and he sits at the table in one of the kiddie chairs, staring up at her while she sits in a big chair finishing off the last of her student’s homework. This is about as close to heaven as he is going to get, most of the time he is worshipping her from afar, she loves showing him the back of her head. Despite all the cops combing the countryside looking for a serial killer, she is the first to stumble upon the killer’s identity. She is really enjoying her flirtation with a homicidal maniac in the way she purposely forgets to lock the school doors at night.

The Sensation of Sight (2006) Wiederspahn
This is a delicate film with the actors creating the spark and smoulder of disconnection and estrangement in a small town. The former high school teacher almost comes out and says he pulls a child’s wagon laden with of encyclopaedias door to door as an act of penitence; he didn’t spot a suicidal kid crying out for help. The film has a wonderful opening coda: an early morning mist slowly dissipates from the warmth of dawn’s first light before a sleepy farmhouse; then several early morning risers react (or not) to a body in a field; you can either bail immediately or stay for the show because it’s 2 hours and 10 more minutes of the same.

Just before Nightfall (1991) - Chabrol
This is a psychological drama about an advertising exec who commits the so called perfect murder. Although he can be placed at the crime scene, he is outwardly too noble and respectable for the cops to even bother the great man with a routine interview. He then grows a secret desire to claim ownership for the deed and becomes a serial confessor; his mistress immediately keyed on that perverse need of his to be punished during their S&M games. The only time he is truly shocked and troubled in the film is when he discovers a lowly accountant has embezzled money from his advertising company and he is almost green with envy: why does this schlub get to go to prison and I have to walk around free as a bird? The end comes when he confesses to the wrong person.

Molly Maxwell (2013) - St. Onge
They maintain a specific point of view through-out the film concentrating on Molly; a student at a school for gifted children where everyone one is studiously dishevelled and ironic. She is bursting with enthusiasm and at the same time bewildered by all the choices in her story book life, She lets it drop every so often that she has a genius IQ (her younger brother is going to be a concert pianist) and pushed to specialize in something she chooses photography and the hunky teacher as her faculty advisor. The guy is basically a rock star, his band has broken up and he’s taking a temporary teaching gig before heading out as a solo act. This is all so cute and cuddly the film almost gets away without the audience realizing this is a story of a high school teacher having a fling with his 16 year old student.

The Sister Brothers (2018) - Audiard
Instead of hard work and a lot of dumb luck during the California gold rush, a chemist thinks there is another route to success: one can be simply be clever about it. So clever in fact that a detective is hired to hunt him down and a second team is dispatched to extract the luminous formula from his mind. I wouldn’t actually call this a western; this is more of a re-telling of the alchemist’s myth. These are not frontier men creating civilization from their bare hands, but independent contractors with highly specialized training and skills in a market economy looking for a place to call home. The detective notices whole towns spring up around what was originally a grouping of tents only a few months earlier. The chemist is less interested amassing a personal fortune then using it to build a utopian society.

The Daughter (2015) - Stone
A slow motion tragedy where an estranged son is contractually obliged to put in an appearance at his philandering father’s wedding; he’s got a thing for the hired help. He hasn’t been home since forever and when he bumps into his best friend from high school he spends most of the time hanging out with his family to escape the oppression of the big house. A chance remark from his best friend’s wife gives him a great emotional bullet he can use against his father and one that he is totally helpless against using; unfortunately he knows nothing of the other tragedies that nugget of information will set in motion.

Free Solo (2018) - Chin
This is about an elite group of rock climbers and the reveals in the film are about the specific mind set needed to dwell in that warrior space (the film even suggests their brains are wired differently) The original set-up was to have a camera crew film follow Alex Honnold up the cliff but this proved too distracting for his concentration; a fellow climber does his free solos in complete anonymity. So they opt for a single long lens across the valley and one drone camera circling him at the top, after all the problem sections are over. The climb is reduced to a precise, vertical kata, where the exact placement of each finger, each intake of breath, and each shift of weight is duly noted in advance. Alex likens it to an Olympic event where first place is a gold medal and second place is plummeting to your death. Chin is improving as a director. There’s a few shots of Alex doing pull ups in the open door of his van, then does a reveal from the inside later on that shows he is not actually working his arms but turning his fingers into steel.

Back in Crime (2016) - Alvarez
An unpretentious French crime film (the turns are more about personal connections and drama then generating suspense and thrills) where a detective returns 20 years in time to the original unsolved killing spree of the earwig killer (whose signature move is to puncture the ear drums of his victims with a screwdriver, before dumping them hog-tied and still alive into the water) He and the film doesn’t linger on the paradox of time travel but seizes on the opportunity (his life was completely ruined by the case) to nail the killer who has suddenly become active again in the present day.

★★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***%C2%BD)

Night cap * (2000) - Chabrol
Jeanne is a little rattled when someone tells her a funny story that she was almost switched at birth and she could have grown up with famous concert pianists as parents. An aspiring pianist herself, she wastes no time in driving up to their villa and knocking on the door. Everyone in the house is immediately struck by her eerie resemblance to the second wife—Jeanne helps things along by adopting some of her mannerisms. Mika (his first and currently third wife) is so rattled when Jeanne turns around and poses like the dead woman in her portrait on the wall behind her, she drops the (drugged) thermos of hot chocolate she is holding. The husband takes her in as student and begins girding her for an upcoming competition; they immediately begin practising for someone’s funeral. There is a nice character tell when Mika is in a murderous rage when she quietly draws her shawl around her body. The famous pianist’s biggest worry is that Rohypnol is about to become a banned substance and he can no longer sleep without by being roofied senseless every night.

The Cry of the Owl (1987) - Chabrol
A visiting architect stumbles upon a secluded house in the country and becomes infatuated by the picture perfect life of the loving husband and wife he sees every night and is irresistibly drawn to meet them in person. Huge mistake. They turn out to be complete fruit loops. He invites the woman out for a polite supper and she calls off her wedding before the entrée arrives and begins falling in love with him. Her travelling salesmen fiancé becomes violent and insanely vindictive to the point of travelling to Paris to dig up dirt on him. The architect’s ex-wife is a wondrous villain who believes a day without tormenting and torturing her ex-husband is like a day without sunshine. So when the jilted fiancé shows up, she simply sets him up in a hotel room and she takes over orchestrating the misery. The voyeur becomes the voyee, being openly threatened by an unknown person while the entire community watches gleefully these increasingly violent entertainments.

Farenheit 11/9 (2018) - Moore
This is a nice pamphlet about the lack of representational democracy in America. It’s easy to become angered by some of the sketches in the film. But Moore makes a huge mistake in not including a section about the Citizens United decision which has opened the flood gates of money (which has no odor and more importantly no nationality) into their political system. The Citizens United decision now allows with majestic equality (to paraphrase Anatole France) both billionaires and beggars alike are free to spend 10 million dollars on the candidate of their choice. In a system where only graft greases the wheels of policy change, it’s an exercise in futility to suggest (as Moore does) simply sending idealistic, honest, Mr. Smith type candidates to the congressional whore house is the answer; they will be simply voted out of office by big money the next time or themselves become corrupt faster than you can say Sheldon Adelson. Moore also shoe horns the completely symbolic gesture of x-boxing or chad-whacking once every 4 or 5 years as the height of democratic participation and forgets actually working towards a better society with others in the weeks, months and years in between.

* = rewatch

Iroquois

11-05-18, 11:18 PM

Thoroughbreds (Cory Finley, 2017) - 3.5

A dark little comedy that plays like a millennial take on classic noirs with a tale of two mismatched teenage girls contemplating murder in order to fix a problem that threatens to ruin their lives. Quick, mean, and boasting some great performances from its leads.

Witchfinder General (Michael Reeves, 1968) - 3

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1963806#post1963806).

Hellraiser: Bloodline (Joe Chappelle and Kevin Yagher, 1996) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964089#post1964089).

Housebound (Gerald Johnstone, 2014) - 3

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964293#post1964293).

Hellraiser: Revelations (Victor Garcia, 2011) - 0.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964616#post1964616).

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Robert Wiene, 1920) - 4

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964836#post1964836).

Black Christmas (Bob Clark, 1974) - 3

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964860#post1964860).

Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978 - 4

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1965178#post1965178).

Halloween II (Rick Rosenthal, 1981) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1965333#post1965333).

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (Tommy Lee Wallace, 1982) - 3.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1965561#post1965561).

Mr Minio

11-07-18, 10:21 AM

My backlog is huge (not as huge as my... ego :) tho). No images cuz too lazy and don't want to get banned. Some flicks have the year, some don't cuz I'm lazy and inconsistent. but I feel really goooooooooood. Loose thoughts.

Blue Gate Crossing - rating_4_5

When I was a teenager I watched solemn films of respectable directors: Bergman, Bresson et al. Now that I am older I watch teen movies. But what kind of teen movies!

Asian teen movies. Why is it that even though I don't find them relatable in the least, I'm still emotionally invested, moved, and have a feeling I'm watching great cinema?

Why do I find myself so emotionally distant from American teen movies?

But maybe I should rather ask: Is Blue Gate Crossing a teen movie? Yes, it's a film about teenagers, and its target group seems to be teenagers, but like any great film, it appeals to all.

The aesthetics of Blue Gate Crossing outmatch anything I've seen in American cinema, from Breakfast Club to Lady Bird.

One of my favourite shots in the film portrays a slow dance of two girls. They rotate in a warm hug. One of them wears a mask of a boy. It's a beautiful emotional moment heightened by adequately
emotional music, but one does not realize the true meaning behind it until later in the film when all amorous entanglements between characters start surfacing.

Sure, the peevish might denounce the film for its characters' childishness, but aren't we all childish when in love?

The kind of film Swan would love if he actually had a good taste.

Mother - rating_4_5

Shindo is a master writer and filmmaker, and even though the film never reaches the level of Naked Island, it's still a work of extreme quality. As visually striking as it is moving plotwise, Mother excels in skillful writing and brilliant main performance.

No, or the Vain Glory of Command - rating_4_5

Having seen all major works of a filmmaker, you always have to decide whether to try and watch his entire oeuvre, or move on to another director.
During my cinemaphilic adventure I realized that being a completist is always worth it. And it's not just because, in case minor works of a director turn out to be just okay,
it gives you the opportunity to brag about having seen somebody's entire filmography.
But, more importantly, because you can find masterpieces, or perhaps even your new filmmaker's favourites, among his more obscure works. Now, "No, or" isn't exactly a minor Oliveira nor is it
a very obscure film, but compared to his seminal behemoths Doomed Love, Abraham's Valley it's relatively niche and hidden. Or at the very least it was for (from?) me. Until very recently.

Rays of light piercing treetops as a soldier looks up right before the shooting remind the aesthetics Malick would later use in The Thin Red Line, but are more sublte, baroque, almost ethereal.

I think the film's strength lies in the fact it's a highly stylized art film on war that romanticizes everything but war. The ending is shocking, distressing, and overwhemingly sad. No glory.

Three Times - rating_4

Three times. Three histories. Three loves. Three reprises. The first story, my favourite, screams In the Mood For Love all over it aesthetically (same cinematographer! No, not Doyle, the other guy!), and is as heart-warming and quietly romantic as they get.
The second story seems to mimick (this time director's own film) Flowers of Shanghai. Now, I haven't seen the film, but judging from the aesthetics and screenshots, the pieces are very much alike. I enjoyed the idea of making a pseudo-silent film (silent and in color? WHAt?!), and
there was a strong sense of aroma, a sort of distinguished beauty in the air. The third and last story is a modern story heavily reminiscent of Millenium Mambo. It's least romantic, most erotic of them all, and also happens to be my least favourite. Still a good little story, but pales in comparison
to the two previous ones.

Song at Midnight - rating_4

This is a treat! A Chinese horror film. A reimagination of Phantom in the Opera with heavy Communist undertones! I guess it should've been called Phantom of the Red Opera instead. Chinese cinema of the 30s was quite anachronistic (tbh same goes for Japanese cinema), and often just not great, but there are some exceptions to this, and this film is one of them. Obviously, the main bad guy is a terrible Capitalist, rich pig who exploits women and other people, but if you overlook this you get a very atmospheric and touching tragic tale of love.

Rainclouds over Wushan (1995) - rating_4

A very good film that plays with your expectations and manipulates how you interpret the events. It interestingly gives you its premise and asks you to answer its core question constantly giving you leads that paradoxically only make the whole thing more confounding. And when at the end you're almost sure of the answer, you get an ending like this. Holy cow. How can you be sure what is real anymore after you've seen this film?

The Bride With White Hair (1993) - rating_2_5
The Bride with White Hair 2 (1993) - rating_2_5

This was a great disappointment, and I'm not entirely sure if it's the movies' fault, or my own. It's by no means a terrible film, but one that didn't impress me with any single element, and felt like it had absolutely no feeling and nuance to it. Here goes my hope to find something like The Chinese Ghost Story or Green Snake.

A Time to Live, a Time to Die (1985) - rating_4

Decided to finish the trilogy at last. I had started with the first entry two years ago, and kind of left it off. I finally got the strength to watch the second one, and it was a very good realistic film. Just like one of my movie buff acquaintances said, Hsiou is more of a realist director, whereas Yang is more sentimental. I prefer the second one, but can't deny Hou's skill, and sincerity in depicting the events he lived through.

Murder, My Sweet (1944) - rating_4

Yet another splendid film noir they seemed to spew off in hundreds back in the day. This is definitely different from the 70s Mitchum version, and it's much more ceremonious - you know Hays Code et al, but overall I enjoyed it much more.

Tsuburo No Gara (2004) - rating_4

A pretty interesting take on "industrial" Japanese cinema. It substantially differs from classics such as Tetsuo in how balanced, quiet, slow-paced it is. The imaginery is typical for its movement. Snails. Bloody snails, man.

Dust in the Wind (1986) - rating_4

The final and probably my favourite installment in the trilogy. Strong filmmaking here - the most sentimental and dreamlike of 'em all, and also quite touching!

Mon cas [My Case] (1986) - rating_4

Oliveira's shenanigans are strong with this one! Extremely theatrical, static, declamation-based. It reprises, plays itself again, but this time with a voiceover. And then again, but this time it a Bliblical story. Unconventional filmmaking.

L' anticoncept (1951) - rating_4

When Lettrism goes too far. Okay, so it's just a circular white shape on a black screen. And a crazy Frenchman talking nonsense. His jabber is weirdly poetic for how absurd it is, though.

Le printemps [Spring] (1970) - rating_3_5
L' été [Summer] (1968) - rating_4
L' automne [Autumn] (1972) - rating_4
L' hiver [Winter] (1969) - rating_4

Hanoun's Season tetralogy consists of pretty good yet (alas!) forgettable films whose main trading card are splendid visuals.

O dia do desespero [The Day of Despair] (1992) - rating_3

A minor Oliveira.

L' annonce faite a Marie [The Annunciation of Marie] (1991) - rating_3_5

Some extremely obscure French film overrated to death by a bunch of Letterboxd posers. Well, it's good. That's it.

Dialogue d'ombres [Dialogue of Shadows] (2013) - rating_4

My relationship with Straub-Huillet (now that's a threesome *wink, wink* and to make it even weirder one of them is dead *wink, wink*) is, just like with Żuławski, a love-hate one. Just when I was greatly disappointed with their previous film, this one was really beauitful and evocative.

Les savates du bon Dieu [Workers for the Good Lord] (2000) - rating_4_5

Brisseau seems to be interested in the societal lows. Illiterate young people lost in the world is a reappearing theme in his oeuvre. This is such a weird film mixing the beauty of director's other film Celine with some weird, mainstream quirkiness of what Jarmusch could do.

Men of Novgorod (1942) - rating_3_5

Boris Barnet makes a solid film during war. It's pretty short and tries to pack a lot in this short duration time. It doesn't excel in anything, but doesn't really fail in anything either. Just not among director's best.

The Valiant Ones (1975) - rating_4

Far from King Hu's masterworks, but an exquisite film all the same. Hu is for wuxia what Leone is for spaghetti western. I simply love how he builds tension before every fight.

Hamlet (1948) - rating_4

Really nice. :) Olivier gives a respectable performance, and the camerawork as well as the mise en scene (fog, the castle) are all glorious. Now, I'm not an expert on Shakespeare, but where the hell is Fortinbras?! Where are Guildenstern and Rosencrantz?! inb4 they're dead.

Beggars of Life (1928) - rating_4

Louise Brooks as a homeless tramp? The outcome isn't as bad as it sounds, and the film is quite sweet. Some scenes (like when the hobos want to rape her) are super creepy, but obviously everybody gets meek when they see two lovebirds in their nest. The bandit even gets a portrait that is kind of... Warm? Symphatetic? Aaah, good ole pre-code.

Vrai faux passeport [True False Passport] (2006) - rating_4

Godard plays an expert on cinema (but unlike you, you dufus who is reading this right now, he really is) and shows scenes from various films appending his rating expressed in a boolean scale of "bonus" (which is for good films), or "malus" (which is for not so good films). Fun.

322 (1969) - rating_4

From the director of Images of the Old World. What a splendid Czechoslovak New Wave offering. It's playful with its form, and serious, sad with its content, but great all the same in both.

Holiday (1968) - rating_4

Nothing like watching a supremely depressing film on a gloomy Sunday when it's raining, and you already feel like hiding in a cave and covering its exit. Not only are they unhappy, and have a problem, but then all is shattered even more. That's just f*cking great. I'm impressed it's not taking place during war. Now that would've been great. This is not a feel good romance film, but it's really, really good nevertheless.

Vahşi Kan [Turkish First Blood] (1983) - rating_4

Turksploitation mon amour. Needless to say, much better than the Stallone film!

La gueule ouverte [The Mouth Agape] (1974) - rating_4

My first Pialat. As if Holiday wasn't depressing enough, here we have a slow-paced, realistic film about a dying woman and their family trying to cope with this.

De bruit et de fureur [Sound and Fury] (1988) - rating_4

Brisseau's earlier film, but one that still shows his style and themes. Quite moving, quite beautiful. Pretty surreal, absurd and funny!

The Night Comes for Us (2018) - rating_4

Okay, so it's basically The Raid meets John Wick which equals two hours of non-stop slice'n'dice'em macabre. I was even quite disgusted with its overt depiction of mindless violence at the beginning, but once the fighting chicks and (especially!) neon lighting were introduced I was sold! And then they break their bones, slash their throats, but keep going. Holy cow!

En attendant les barbares [Waiting for the Barbarians] (2017) - rating_4_5

Eugene Green's weakest full-length effort, but still a splendid film (he's my favourite filmmaker still working today, and quite honestly only Sion Sono can compete).

L' innocente [The Innocent] (1976) - rating_3_5

Pretty good, but I wasn't entirely sold. Quite predictable and in-your-face, but maybe I'm missing some hidden meaning.

Regime sans pain (1985) - rating_3_5

Ruiz goes dystopian! Pretty good.

Beduino (2016) - rating_4

The best pr0n without actual pr0n I've ever seen. The number of innuendos is high with this one. It's also co(s)mically funny how that guy would choke these girls to death (I know...), and they simply stand in line for this. This is the kind of dark Brazilian humour I want to watch. Oh, and it's pretty experimental, too. Like a bunch of amateur avant-garde wannabes made a film. I kind of dig this as hell. :P

La cinquieme saison [The Fifth Season] (2012) - rating_4

A great quirky little post-apocalyptic film. Never saw anything like this. Probably a typical rating_2 flick for mark f.

High Noon Ripper (1984) - rating_3_5

The most Satian film Sato never made! This is what I've been looking for for years! Even though I have some problems with this (the plot, twists and ending are meh), it really reminds me of Sato visually, and even atmosphere-wise. Wooh!

Topkapi (1964) - rating_4

Real fun! Who thought the director of Rififi and Night and the City would direct a Eurospy-inspired adventure film?! :D It's just so entertaining, and the heist scene shows that Dassin's still got it!

Choses secretes [Secret Things] (2002) - rating_2

Why, Brisseau? WHY?! This was so bad. It's so overtly erotic, lewd, but also cheesy, stupid, pompous, senseless, pointless, annoying, frustrating. Yeebus Crapstus, at least it had some nice moments, like the owl one, but I'm still generous with my rating out of my respect for the director.

Zimna wojna [Cold War] (2018) - rating_3_5

I really dig the visuals. :) Visually, it again does what Ida did (Nykvist would be proud), and does it soooo good. In all of this, the rest of the film is a little bit of a disappointment.

The House on Trubnaya (1928) - rating_4

Boris Barnet F*ck Yeah! The camerawork and montage are so strong in this. Especially in the first half. Also, it contains the best catch-a-goose scene in cinema history.

Cicha noc [Silent Night] (2017) - rating_3_5

A solid Polish film. The message is strong and rather straightforward - f*ck this **** and go abroad.

Children Who Draw (1956) - rating_4

An analysis of children's art, that although juvenile and primitive has something beautiful and true about it.

Snowpiercer (2013) - rating_4

A highly allegorical (maybe even too straightforwardly so, but who cares) film. A sort of blockbuster done right kind of a film. Not director's best, but still great. Love the grotesque of the film and the cynicism of the ending!

Tokyo Chorus (1931) - rating_4

I loved it, but can't remember anything about it. Oh yes, the no job is beneath you flick. gr8.

La piel que habito [The Skin I Live In] (2011) - rating_3_5

Much better than I thought. Really out there, and not as indebted in Eyes Without A Face as I thought. The ending is the most f*cked up feel good.

Body/Ciało (2015) - rating_3

A decent Polish flick. Nothing too great, though.

Flic Story (1975) - rating_3

Delon and Trintignant are cool, but the film is pretty mundane. I mean, Deray ain't Melville.

Vampire vs. Vampire (1989) - rating_3

The weakest in the series, but still pretty entertaining. Nuns. <3

Flower & Snake II (2005) - rating_4

Even better than the first one! Not as good as the original, but still a great flick! Less BDSMy than the first, but just as lewd, and has an amazing Paris, Texas-inspired ending.

Devil’s Vendetta (1991) - rating_4

A forgotten classic! The first hour is a very funny comedy. I mean, a fat guy magically turns himself into a soap to peek on ladies taking a shower! The hopping zombie magic duel is hilarious, too. The last 30 minutes means superb action with lasers and what not. Highly recommended! :D

Pickled Punk (1993) - rating_3_5

An experimental film for punk posers. A film that somebody like resopamenic will probably hate, but pretend it's the best thing ever, because it's Japanese.

Magic Cop (1990) - rating_3_5

Pretty kewl! Better than Vampire vs. Vampire, but not as good as the original tetralogy! China vs. Japan metaphors are always fun in cinema. Also that girl does the best Maggie Cheung impression.

Sea's Lid (2015) - rating_4

A really nice, warm, cuddly indie flick from Japan.

Morocco (1930) - rating_3_5

Not my style, but pretty nice.

(500) Days of Summer (2009) - rating_3

Aaah, so that's what normies watch after a break up!
I was too afraid to watch it tbh, but now I did, and the film is funnier than it is sad. WTF. :D
Of course, it's Hollywoodish af (even if they laugh at themselves and their own films they're still Hollywoodish, say whaa).
Zoey was hot? Bitch, please... *sees a random Asian girl* OH MY GOD YOU'RE A GODDESS, MARRY ME PLS!!!!!1 Wait, you're not the quiet introvert caring type? Nn...nevermind.
I just remembered I left some films on download. Cya. Wait, you're resopamenic? And you're actually a burly German dude in his late 60s? Well, at least
you dig some good music and flicks. Still better than these normies. Phew. Nn...No. We can be friends, though. H...hey, I'm not an a-hole, it's you reso, you were lying to me!
You said you were from Indonesia! Wait, what? You were on holidays there when you said this? Why, you double-crossing...

Głos pustyni (1932) - rating_3

An okayish Polish film. That's it.

Ninja Pussy Cat (2003) - rating_3_5

This film taught me to never get kinky with ninja girls.
They can, so to speak, entrap your member, and don't let go until you die. You can't even perform a cunnilingus, because they might use the honeypot technique (don't ask!).
The flick wasn't just educational, but also fun. Recommended.

Empty Room (2001) - rating_3_5

A really nice, atmospheric and depressive pink film.

Tokyo X Erotica (2001) - rating_3_5

TFW you want to make a Wong Kar Wai tribute, but then you remember you're only a pink film director. Makes up for it with absurdist humor, though!

Bonus: Me during a future job interview (joke stolen from some guy on Letterboxd, don't beat me)

I: One last thing, Sir. We found out you're using a nickname "Mr Minio" on the Internet.
Me: Oh.
I: And we found your posts on pinku eiga movies in Movie Tab II.
Me: Oh no.
I: Good f*cking taste, man. You're hired!
Me: Th...Thanks.

resopamenic

11-07-18, 10:52 AM

tldr for my phone screen, kek!

Geez Mr Minio how do yo know ima also resopknup alt account

Mr Minio

11-07-18, 11:20 AM

tldr for my phone screen, kek! Good. I actually confessed my love for you in that wall of text, but thankfully you didn't read it. Phew.
Mr Minio how do yo know ima also resopknup alt account Actually you're resopb00n's alt. But even if you're a man in real life, you will always be my friend, and will always have my respect. :3

Ultraviolence

11-07-18, 01:43 PM

Beduino (2016) - rating_4

The best pr0n without actual pr0n I've ever seen. The number of innuendos is high with this one. It's also co(s)mically funny how that guy would choke these girls to death (I know...), and they simply stand in line for this. This is the kind of dark Brazilian humour I want to watch. Oh, and it's pretty experimental, too. Like a bunch of amateur avant-garde wannabes made a film. I kind of dig this as hell. :P

I'm pretty impressed you actually watched this very good experimental Bressane movie, it's very unknown, even around here!

Mr Minio

11-07-18, 03:27 PM

I'm pretty impressed you actually watched this very good experimental Bressane movie, it's very unknown, even around here! Well, among other things, I'm the King of Obscurness, so yeah, it's a given I watch obscure stuff. Actually I found it in some TOP of the decade on some avant-garde cinema circle's website. They also had a Chinese film Night Awake there. I was quite impressed with it as well. It's like nothing I've ever seen before, but it's closest to Takahiko Iimura's "trash cinema" shorts. This is more like "noise cinema", and also a 90 minutes long film at that! Quite an experience.

Captain Spaulding

11-08-18, 02:07 AM

October Tab

https://68.media.tumblr.com/2c6738115e6ae9b50bb6654d8fa22d74/tumblr_owaliii0qt1rp0vkjo7_500.gif
The Shape of Water (Guillermo del Toro, 2017) 3.5
Irrational Man (Woody Allen, 2015) 2
Wonder (Stephen Chbosky, 2017) 2
The 13th Warrior (John McTiernan, 1999) 2 [REWATCH]
Dragon Inn (King Hu, 1967) 3
The Strangers: Prey at Night (Johannes Roberts, 2018) 2
Number One with a Bullet (Jack Smight, 1987) 1.5

https://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8se7sEfBR1qiz3j8o1_500.gif
Kuroneko (Kaneto Shindo, 1968) 3.5
Star Trek Beyond (Justin Lin, 2016) 2.5
Proud Mary (Babak Najafi, 2018) 2
Cover Girl (Charles Vidor, 1944) 3.5
Hollywood Shuffle (Robert Townsend, 1987) 3
The Devil is a Woman (Josef von Sternberg, 1935) 3

https://i.imgur.com/ukvoWlX.gif
The Lair of the White Worm (Ken Russell, 1988) 3.5
Deadpool 2 (David Leitch, 2018) 3
The Seventh Victim (Mark Robson, 1943) 2
Universal Soldier (Roland Emmerich, 1992) 3 [REWATCH]
Big Eyes (Tim Burton, 2014) 2
Track 29 (Nicolas Roeg, 1988) 3

https://i1.wp.com/www.historybyzim.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Dancing-Clocks.gif
Madam Satan (Cecil B. DeMille, 1930) 3
The Unholy Three (Tod Browning, 1925) 3
Life of the Party (Ben Falcone, 2018) 2.5
Pauline at the Beach (Eric Rohmer, 1983) 3.5
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, 2015) 3
Rebel in the Rye (Danny Strong, 2017) 1.5

https://i.imgur.com/P7OqYVB.gif
Invaders From Mars (Tobe Hooper, 1986) 2.5
Escape Plan 2: Hades (Steven C. Miller, 2018) 1
The Bye Bye Man (Stacy Title, 2017) 1.5
The BFG (Steven Spielberg, 2016) 2.5
Three Godfathers (Richard Boleslawski, 1936) 3
Den of Thieves (Christian Gudegast, 2018) 3
The Plumber (Peter Weir, 1979) 3

Monthly Total: 32
Yearly Total: 430

Thoughts on Some of the Films:

I shouldn't judge, having had carnal relations with farm animals in the past, but I was unable to get on board with the love story at the heart of The Shape of Water. Maybe it's because the creature is far more monstrous than human. Maybe it's because I'm grossed out by things that are scaly and slimy. Maybe it's because I was constantly distracted by various hypotheticals, like potential pregnancy (and how would that work? would her vagina spit out a bunch of eggs? or would she just give birth to some merman-looking motherf**ker?). I also think the relatively weak writing provides too much easy ammunition for nitpickers and plot-hole detectors. Pretty much everything else about this adult fairy-tale is fantastic, though. Sally Hawkins is incredible. Michael Shannon proves once again that he's the Michael Jordan of Dastardly Evil Characters. The special-effects are top notch. The cinematography looks amazing. I also like how this is clearly a movie for movie lovers. Every frame carries within it a reverence for cinema's golden past. This wouldn't have been my choice for Best Picture, but I love that it won since it's so atypical of what you expect from the Academy. An enchanting, unforgettable film that I'll likely admire and appreciate even more with repeated viewings. Easily Del Toro's best.

Phoenix and Stone are very good in Irrational Man, but Allen's dialogue feels out-of-touch and I want to punch his intellectual characters in the face. Besides, he's done the Crime and Punishment thing better in other films. The Strangers: Prey at Night has a few striking shots and scenes, such as the 80's-style pool sequence, but overall it's a lackluster home-invasion flick.

Since it's been given the Criterion treatment, I wasn't expecting Dragon Inn to look so much like a Shaw Brothers production, but the aesthetic makes sense after learning that it's by the same director as Come Drink with Me. The film contains plenty of gorgeous shots that look more befitting of a Sergio Leone western than a wuxia. Unfortunately, I had a hard time keeping track of who's who, which kept me from being invested in the emotional/dramatic stakes. I think this is a film that will play better on a second viewing, and I still look forward to the director's more celebrated A Touch of Zen. It also wouldn't surprise me at all if Tarantino took inspiration from Dragon Inn when penning The Hateful Eight.

The ambience in Kuroneko is insane. Creepy bamboo forests, thick ass fog, ghosts who deserve a gold medal in paranormal gymnastics. The opening scene, involving rape and murder, is surprisingly disturbing despite the camera not showing the event. The b&w cinematography is exquisite and accentuates the spooky, ethereal quality of the story. The woman's hair wagging back and forth like a cat's tail was a bit too goofy, though, and the ending just left me confused. Worth watching for the aesthetics alone.

My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1964614#post1964614) for The Lair of the White Worm.

I wasn't a fan of the first Deadpool, finding it more obnoxious than amusing, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the sequel. There's a character death early in the film that seems to leave a bad taste in the mouths of some viewers, but I think that unexpected plot development was a welcome surprise since I was never invested in that particular character anyway. The villain, story and side characters are all an improvement over the first film. I also found much of the meta humor genuinely funny this time instead of annoying. The scene involving the parachuting members of "X-Force" was hilarious. Effective soundtrack, too.

Nicolas Roeg always makes interesting films, even if I don't yet love anything I've seen from him. Track 29 is no exception. There's a lot of bizarre Oedipal sh*t going on here, with Gary Oldman hamming it up as a man-child harassing/assaulting/stalking the woman who may have given him up for adoption as a baby. The characters feel like they wandered off the set of a John Waters film. Christopher Lloyd plays a doctor with an obsession for model trains and a fetish for being spanked. Theresa Russell alternates between baby talk and an awful southern accent. The film seems intentionally grating, and everything, from the campy performances to the psychological probing to the on-the-nose soundtrack, is tiresomely exaggerated. A creative, fascinating, annoying mess.

And speaking of creative misfires, Madam Satan is one of the oddest old films I've seen. The first half is basically an unfunny sex romp. The second half feels like an entirely different film, as the setting shifts to a masquerade ball on a zeppelin where men bid on dames in sexy costumes. A husband blatantly cheats on his wife, and the wife then disguises herself to seduce the husband and win back his affection instead of kicking his ass to the curb. The movie is also part musical, but the sound mixing is so poor that it's like listening to out-of-tune nails scratching on a chalk board. I haven't made it sound too appealing, but the kooky humor and deranged creativity make it worthwhile.

Pauline at the Beach is my introduction to Rohmer. The beautiful tanned bodies in bikinis is what initially piqued my interest, but the excellent dialogue, fully-fleshed characters and the naturalism on display is what kept me invested. There's an effortlessness to the filmmaking and the performances that made me forget that I was even watching a movie. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl keeps telling audiences that it isn't like all those other quirky indie teen movies when it's exactly like all those other movies, but the art-house spoofs interspersed throughout the film are pretty enjoyable. Rebel in the Rye is a by-the-numbers, super cliched biopic about J.D. Salinger. The movie is every bit the phoniness that the man tried so hard to circumvent in his writing.

Seeing Louise Fletcher swallow a frog whole isn't a sight I ever expected to see until I watched Hooper's remake of Invaders from Mars. I liked the movie the most during the first half, when it feels like a kid's version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but once the military enters the plot the whole thing becomes a bit tedious. The Bye Bye Man is hilariously bad. It's good to see that Spielberg isn't above toilet humor, as The BFG features an extended, and genuinely amusing, fart gag. Den of Thieves is too long and involves too much macho posturing, but overall it's an engaging heist film, and that's in spite of starring Gerard Butler and 50 Cent.

Ultraviolence

11-08-18, 06:22 AM

Well, among other things, I'm the King of Obscurness, so yeah, it's a given I watch obscure stuff. Actually I found it in some TOP of the decade on some avant-garde cinema circle's website. They also had a Chinese film Night Awake there. I was quite impressed with it as well. It's like nothing I've ever seen before, but it's closest to Takahiko Iimura's "trash cinema" shorts. This is more like "noise cinema", and also a 90 minutes long film at that! Quite an experience.

Already searching this Night Awake, any tips? 'can't find anywhere.

Mr Minio

11-08-18, 06:43 AM

Already searching this Night Awake, any tips? 'can't find anywhere. Well, it's only available on private trackers. Sadly, I don't have the movie anymore.

HashtagBrownies

11-13-18, 08:45 PM

Seen in October Pt.2/2

49636
4
I think John Carpenter might be one of my favourite directors now. After seeing more of his work I’m really starting to appreciate him. Something about the film feels very quaint and small: The totally badass soundtrack is very simple, it takes place mostly in a single building, and the characters don’t have much ammo.

49637
4
[RE-WATCH]
Very entertaining film. I forgot how funny it is (My mom’s gonna be so mad at me!). I don’t exactly consider a genius piece of satire like everyone on the internet seems to think, but I think the self-aware jokes throughout makes it feel a lot more light-hearted than other teen 90’s horror films.

And of course, the opening 13 minutes and the 40 minute house finale are great.

49638
3.5
A simple, quaint film about paranoia and extremism. A very slow film that could probably be told in half an hour, but it’s still an intriguing watch. I loved all the imagery of the forest and the cars driving down midnight roads.

49639
3
This was, uh, certainly a movie alright! The concept sounds really funny and original (Bruce Lee fighting fictional characters in the afterlife), it just makes no sense whatsoever. The English dubbing was so awful it was hilarious. All the fighting scenes are really fun. I never thought I'd hear the line "The Exorcist? You’ve teamed up with the Godfather to dispose of me!" in a movie until today. Also there's some cute comedy moments that are funny.

It does have some problems though, the plot is totally incomprehensible: I mean what was even going on half the time?! The pacing also is very poor, doesn't do a very good job of keeping you interested.

49640
3.5-
Well that was screwed up, the whole idea of changing skin is just, yuck. I thought the story was pretty cool in the way it was told. It was obviously inspired somewhat by ‘Eyes Without a Face’.

49641
3.5
It was just a nice, easygoing comedy. I liked the music, performances, jokes and the overall 30’s feel.

49642
3.5+
Pretty basic found footage film. Labor Roddy’s performance was very good. There were also some very good creepy moments, and the finale was pretty intense. It suffers from a lot of problems that many modern horror/found footage films do: Generic possessed girl, post-production sound effects, demon children, bad effects, over-reliance on jumpscares etc.

(Also I met the director for a Q&A afterwards, she was very nice).

49643
3.5+
Quite the interesting experience. I see a lot of people online criticizing it for having little plot and no character motivations, but I don’t think that was the point of the film. It was one of those films you just kinda let the experience of viewing it wash over you and don’t really care for the plot. It’s a really interesting examination of Trash Culture in the modern western world. James Franco’s performance was great. My only problem is that the morally empty characters really piss me off. This usually wouldn’t be a problem, but the way Harmony Korine structured the film made me feel like he sympathized with them.

49644
4
I’m still a bit conflicted with this film. It’s use of harsh editing and colours are very effective. It’s opening scene is blunt and it's climax actually kinda scary, and the first half of the film in general was just a great story with great performances. But for some weird reason that I cannot understand, I lost a ton of interest in the film at the half way point (About when the wife leaves for London). I’m still confused about my emotions for that portion of the film.

aronisred

11-16-18, 11:55 AM

Widows

3

After a heist gone wrong that ends up getting all the robbers involved killed, the widows of the robbers are forced to get the money that was robbed within a month by it's owner. Along the way the movie explores race , gender and socio-economic relationships in america through the lens of Chicago.

The director is trying to tackle a lot of things through the movie. He is showing how the race relationships exist in Chicago. He is exploring the lives of middle class and lower class people in USA. He is also dealing with the gender relationships and the place of women in a man's world and how they are underestimated and undervalued. He is showcasing the inherent racism in the system and attitudes of politicians towards minority in their very own constituencies. Oh by the way there is a heist in the movie to get the money the widows need.

So, one of the main things about a movie is focus. A movie has to be focused because there is a human being behind a movie in the form its director and its his/her vision that is being put on screen. Unfocused human's aren't worth listening to. First and foremost a movie that is being marketed as a heist thriller should be a great heist thriller first no matter how many topics the director is trying to deal with through the movie. Otherwise it feels like a dinner with no main course and just appetizers. That's exactly the reason why I was disappointed with this movie. Director Steve McQueen bites way more than he can chew. The whole movie felt like it is holding back the thrill of heist just so it can explore other non-thriller themes. I get that a straight up thriller is very generic. But the director should have found a more effective way to covering all the topics he wanted all while maintaining the narrative momentum needed for a heist thriller. This movie is not a thriller. It is a drama with occasional thrills. Even the twists in the movie as unexpected as they were are not good. Unexpectedness is not an accurate scale for measuring the quality of a twist. Having said that one might ask , how does the movie handle the socio-political and race and gender stuff ?Well, It's half baked. The script didn't feel like a cohesive story that is being enhanced with political undertones but rather as a collection of interesting concepts and themes the director wanted to include in a movie and a story was weaved around it. It often times feels like way too many topics were covered in the movie and somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd act, in a matter of 15 minutes the director covers topics ranging from guns in america, abusive parents, sex, poverty and gang violence. That's too much.

The biggest sin the movie commits is that the heist in the movie is not exciting. I don't need romanticized violence in a movie but that doesn't mean I can't expect a great heist in a movie. Smartness can be exhibited even in terrible circumstances and is a way to exhibit human spirit. Just because characters in the movie are desperate doesn't mean they can't be smart.Even the lead up to the heist is very generic. Having seen Chicago I can say that it is one of those very few cities in the world where with in matter of few miles you can witness huge economic disparity. Huge mansions and buildings are just 2 miles away from poverty stricken neighborhoods and director captures that part perfectly. The movie also depicts inherent racism and sexism in a much more nuanced way than many other movies dealing with those subject matters. It also deals with black on black violence competently. But apart from that nothing else in this movie has any flow. The movie just doubles down on meanness of humans to each other especially to women just to make a point and all this is done with no narrative cohesion.

Spoilers

The twist in the movie involves Liam Neeson aka husband of Viola Davis faking his own death during the robbery to help Colin Farrell by robbing his mayoral political opponent's campaign money and killing his partners during the robbery to be with one of their wife whom he impregnated and there by killing two birds with one shot. So in the end even her husband becomes one of the men that is abusing Viola Davis emotionally adding him to long list of abusive male characters in the movie. This in a way justifies her killing Liam Neeson in the end. The problem with the twist is that its way too silly and unrealistic for the rest of the tone of the movie. In a movie like the dark knight these kinds of twists work because it has a guy in a bat suit at the center of it and the whole tone of the movie is hyper realistic. But this movie starts way too realistic to have this kind of silly and generic twists.

This movie also highlights two of the bigger problems with the critics community today and forcing diversity in Hollywood. One of the main reasons why some top movie stars work only with top well respected and acclaimed legendary directors exclusively for the most part is because apart from delivering a quality movie they also help in building buzz and anticipation for the movies. A Quentin Tarantino movie is highly anticipated even before anyone has seen a single shot of the movie. This does contribute to box office. Even with the critics community its the same. They anticipate and review a movie from a legendary director differently than a movie from other directors. Other directors have to work twice as hard to prove that their movie is worth receiving the acclaim. And also there is this weird brain washing that goes on with in critics community where they feel they are some sort of authority whose duty is it to decide which movies are would-be classics and which movies are not. In their quest to full fill their self created destiny they brain wash themselves into thinking that any movie that promotes diversity in current times and a movie by a director whose last movie is acclaimed and won best picture must be good. So, they tend to overlook all its incredible flaws. I was shocked at the rotten tomatoes score for the movie. Hopefully audience rejects this movie there by putting an end to this mob mentality among critics and awards pundits that just because you like a director like Damien Chazelle and Steve McQueen doesn't mean they always make great movies and audience go to them like sheep.

re93animator

11-16-18, 06:32 PM

Walker (1987) – 4
Another in the Alex Cox checklist. Hectic, zany, gritty & photogenic, comedic, anachronistic, violent commentary. It’s easy to see why this would let down anyone wanting an actual western or biopic, but this is so unique and visionary. Almost every character borders on lunacy and defies rationale. Best consumed with caffeine I think.

Ostrov (2006) – 3.5
Fedor Emelianenko’s favorite movie, so I must watch. A weathered old holy man unconventionally addresses the concerns of desperate citizens. It’s slow and spiritual, with a beautiful atmosphere; immersive sound design, powerful music, and a gorgeous drab setting.

Cairo Station (1958) – 3.5
A lowly newspaper salesman longs for a disinterested woman. Well, this went in a direction I didn’t expect. Surprisingly unrestrained and engaging.

The Lair of the White Worm (1988) – 3
A spin on vampires with a lot of bizarre eroticism and some campy humor. Entertaining and out of the norm.

The Glass Key (1942) – 3
A pretty unlikeable lead in an emblematic noir plot. It has some quick talking 40s camp, but with a better than average screenplay. Some of the one-liners got me: “When I bite a steak I want it to bite back.”

The Sword of Doom (1966) – 4
An amoral samurai’s path of terror. One of the darker movies I’ve seen from the time, with an ahead of its time soundtrack, great noir-ish cinematography, and elaborately choreographed floppy sword fights.

Iroquois

11-18-18, 12:38 PM

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (Dwight H. Little, 1988) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1965772#post1965772).

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (Dominique Othenin-Girard, 1989) - 1.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1966226#post1966226).

Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (Joe Chappelle, 1995) - 1

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1966585#post1966585).

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (Steve Miner, 1998) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1966876#post1966876).

Halloween Resurrection (Rick Rosenthal, 2002) - 1

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1967077#post1967077).

Halloween (Rob Zombie, 2007) - 1.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1967078#post1967078).

Halloween II (Rob Zombie, 2009) - 2

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1967365#post1967365).

Halloween (David Gordon Green, 2018) - 2.5

Review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=1968451#post1968451).

Subway (Luc Besson, 1985) - 1.5

An early Besson movie that sees Christopher Lambert's wild safecracker hiding from his enemies in a subway station and befriending the eccentric individuals who squat there. Not the worst concept, but I don't have much patience for its execution (even if Lambert and Isabelle Adjani turn in decent work).

Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold, 2009) - 4

It does seem like a conventionally bleak kitchen-sink drama about an inner-city teen fumbling her way through a grim adolescence, but Arnold's got the verité approach and the cast to make it work.

Mr Minio

11-22-18, 01:24 PM

Journey Into Solitude (1972) - 4.5

https://e.snmc.io/i/fullres/w/533dd4f753abdd2ef7509a0766a39f35/7224388

F*ck everything and live the way you want to. Live and let live! As rebellious as aware of the right to own choices and way of living. As fuzzily warm as oozing with melancholy. And of course I fell in love with that girl, but that's nothing new.

https://e.snmc.io/i/fullres/w/85db9e663baaea9c57b9bc7c5e447333/7224400
https://e.snmc.io/i/fullres/w/aabc16459445237590877ac03e6813ce/7224397
https://e.snmc.io/i/fullres/w/12a78a6eabbb07886539ba51dcf413f9/7224391

Correspondencia Isaki Lacuesta / Naomi Kawase (2009) - 4.5

https://e.snmc.io/i/fullres/w/07e7e855c2db0892cce0d9dad1fa9a8d/7224428

A really beautiful cine-letter conversation between two filmmakers. The first one is a Chris Marker acolyte, a sort of Eric Pauwels' spiritual brother. The second, Naomi Kawase doing her thing - again very sincere, and beautiful.

Light exists because of darkness.
Time creates light.
One light cancels the other.

Killers (2014) - 4

Mo Brothers go really far with violence in their films. This one is no different. That Japanese killer is really cool, so you feel like rooting for him even though he's a beast - now that's what I call playing with conventions! I was genuinely shocked how explicit it was in depicting the first murder, but just like The Night Comes for Us you get used to the violence quickly. Also, don't break a murderer's heart. Ever. So, summing up, I'm kind of disgusted with it, but I'm still into that (*that's what she said* :cool: ).

Like Me (2017) - 4

Lolita Vibrator Torture meets Good Time while the director scrolls through an infinite Tumblr feed while watching The Shining somewhere in the background (but only noticing Nicholson's unkempt hair). Lovely.

Rent-a-Cat (2012) - 4.5

The warmest, cuddliest movie ever. :3 The best anime that actually isn't anime. A really beautiful film that filled the hole in my heart! <3 The best pick-me-up ever if you're sad!

Glasses (2007) - 4

Another film from the same director (I hadn't even known this before I started watching!), and what a pleasant holiday film! Perfect to "twilight" to.

The Dybbuk (1937) - 3.5

A film in Yiddish language! Heavily draws from films of German Expressionism, but is much weaker technically. The simple story is quite interesting, though!

Flower & Snake 3 (2010) - 3

Pretty meh, and much weaker than the first two installments in the new trilogy. Well, it's not directed by Ishii. Maybe that's the problem. Still, the girl is pretty good-looking, and the plot acceptable albeit unoriginal.

A Gap in the Skin (2005) - 4

Instead of talking it's better to behave like animals. But apparently it says something about the animalistic nature of man, or something. Żuławski would be proud.

Save the Green Planet! (2003) - 4

The hero we need, but don't deserve! Dat ending I cri everytim. Nasty alien freaks!!!!111 Ghaaa, Swan you alien!

Woman of Water (2002) - 4

Quite an elemental film. Not much conventional story-telling here, but I love the atmosphere. :)

Perfect Lives (1984) - 3.5

An opera for genuine retro-loving vapor-ephemeral-weird-wave posers. Apparently a masterpiece according to Letterboxd posers, but quite honestly these guys are more often wrong than right, and can't hold a candle to RYM posers. Both better than MoFo posers, though. Oh, wait... !!!

The Beasts (1980) - 3

Think Lost Souls, but not nearly as exploitative or good. The director has much better films, but this definitely wasn't bad!

Tag (2015) - 4

That somersaulting wild pig during a marathon stole my heart. <3 That rotten Keiji Haino lookalike lout at the end, tho!!! And Sono goes feminism - not bad, but a little bit too on the nose. He also includes schoolgirl panty shots, and gets away with it! And you can't approve of it nor condemn it, because both make you look bad. Damn you, Sono!

Serial Experiments Lain (1998) - 4

Yes, I know it's a series. Great atmosphere and use of sound. The visuals are very solid, too! The first couple of episodes are the best, though!

Nun Story: Frustration in Black (1980) - 3

A decent nunsploitation pinku, but probably the weakest from all I've seen so far. The lead is pretty, though.

A Distant Cry From Spring (1980) - 4.5
Where Spring Comes Late (1970) - 4.5
The Yellow Handkerchief (1977) - 4.5
Home From the Sea (1972) - 4.5

Started my Yoji Yamada binge, and got punched in the guts right off the bat!

A Distant Cry From Spring is a perfect rehash of Shane embroidered with Yamada's genuine love for his characters, and his incredible skill of moving the viewer without resorting to maudlin sentimentalism. Instead, he slowly develops his characters, and then devices a powerful, climactic scene that makes you realize how close you feel to them. This holds true for all four Yamada films I've seen so far. With pure sincerity and simplicity of Ozu (albeit allowing himself to break away from the rigorous visual style of late Ozu), Yamada writes characters that above all feel human. This is a very important trait, because as far as I love exaggeration and stylization in film, I also crave for films that feel genuine and true, and these films deliver exactly this. Of course, movie elitist malcontents might whine about A Distant Cry From Spring's overtly idyllic story, but these guys only watch Bresson, and pronounce everything else worthless, don't they?

Where Spring Comes Late is perhaps his best I've seen so far. Starring Yamada's long-time muse (and my newest crush) Chieko Baisho (who played in all four of these as well as almost 50 (!!!) other Yamada films), and Ozu's favourite, a Japanese cinema veteran Chishu Ryu, it tells a story of a family's struggle in the form of a road movie. The ending is among the most beautiful, purifying and hopeful ever, so it's hard not to cry. Not out of sadness, but out of happiness, and this goes for all four of these films, too. Yamada seems to agree with Ozu's conservative (but not dogged in the least!) outlook on life, and that's fine, because it doesn't feel forced in the least, it's authentic.

The Yellow Handkerchief's poster is the worst in film history, because it spoils the ending of the film (!!!), but it's also an interesting instance of how a spoiled ending doesn't have to shatter your enjoyment of a film, and how a skillful director can make you forget what you know and still make you feel the suspense, and share the feeling of uncertainty with movie's characters. It's just so wonderful how along their journey, characters learn more and more about each other, and we learn more about them, too. Nothing ground-breaking, or innovative, of course, but something Yamada handles so well!

I think the more touchy viewers might find a certain beat slightly off putting. I mean, it contains a scene of what you could call an attempted rape, or at the very least gray area.
And the ending will probably make all hardline feminists butthurt. Not necessarily troublesome to me, but still quite weird. BUT SAYING THIS MIGHT COME OFF AS ODD COMING FROM A GUY WHO JUST WATCHED A FILM IN WHICH NUNS GET RAPED. What did I... Oh... Of course, there are remakes - both Japanese and American, but I can't possibly imagine how anyone could even get close to the level of Yamada's mastery.

Home From the Sea is the first Yamada that didn't make me cry (which makes it absolutely worthless, tbh /s), but it contains at least two extremely wonderful scenes (Chieko, you joking fiend ;_;), again stars Chishu Ryu (who reprises his role of the best grandpa in the world <3), and again talks about a simple life of a family. It's wonderful for what it is, for its simplicity and lack of pomp.

Black Board (1986) - 4
Human (1962) - 4.5

Apart from Yamada I decided to watch more Kaneto Shindo, and that too turned out to be a very good decision. Shindo excels as a writer, but he's an exceptionally good director, too.

Black Board is a harsh indictment of Japanese schools, and how they disregard pupil's well-being and safety in fear of losing status. It's about both schools and parents ignoring child's needs. It's about bullying at school, about the weakness of the teachers, and helplessness of the bullied, but also about the dangers of fighting a sword with a sword. It's about victims becoming perpetrators, and about perpetrators becoming victims. It's about irrevocable loss, about seeking the truth, about loneliness. And about sentimental popular songs listened from a radio in an old, abandoned boat. Not bad for one film, eh?

Human is a powerful and gruesome tale on the nature of man. I wasn't particularly fond of the ending. It seemed overtly moralizing. The quote that I first heard at school years ago and that stuck with me really fits the film: "Real hunger is when one man regards another man as something to eat." - Tadeusz Borowski, This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen

Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly (2008) - 4

I'll never forgive resopamenic for never recommending me this little gem of a film. It's an equivalent of quirkiness cranked up to eleven. When it introduces one of its characters, it says "He wants to be Japanese" about one of them. We all know in reality it's all about reso!

The Buried Forest (2005) - 4

Every single frame is jaw-dropping! Interesting eerie, alien atmosphere quite reminiscent of August in the Water, although the film isn't as good.

Disneyland, mon vieux pays natal (2001) - 4

What would happen if Chris Marker went to Disneyland?

Perceval (1978) - 4

Turns out Eric Rohmer can make something else than a gay romance film! /s The mise en scene is nothing short of amazing. Perceval is retarded as hell, though.

They Call Her... Cleopatra Wong (1978) - 4

https://merryfrolics.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/feat3.jpg

Very good kitsch! Godfrey Ho would be proud! Needs moar Cleo in nun costume, though. Or Cleo in general.

Elegy From Russia (1992) - 3.5

A minor Sokurov, but still very nice.

Ukrainian Rhapsody (1961) - 4

An underseen Parajanov! So beautiful audiovisually and I really dig that Soviet poetics so typical for films from the time. The Thaw was godsend for cinema! :)

Café Flesh (1982) - 3

I never thought I'm gonna say this, but TOO MUCH PORN. I wish this had more atmosphere and a little bit more to the plot, because the idea is interesting. :)

Swan

11-22-18, 01:26 PM

Whoa, I've actually seen that movie Minio, wtf.

Mr Minio

11-22-18, 04:47 PM

Whoa, I've actually seen that movie Minio, wtf. But of course you did. This proves you're an alien! A final test now! Let's see if you can survive high voltage! It's so high no human would survive. If you survive, you're an alien!!!

Iroquois

11-23-18, 12:40 AM

Wuthering Heights (Andrea Arnold, 2011) - 3

Arnold applies her rough-yet-strangely-elegant approach to this adaptation of the classic novel that lingers and rustles across character and setting alike, resulting in something that I may or may not like more if I read the book (which I do want to do now) but which creates a favourable impression nonetheless.

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Stephan Elliott, 1994) - 3

A local classic about three drag performers who have to take a trip into the outback that is still fairly enjoyable even as parts of it have noticeably aged in the quarter-century since its release.

Highlander (Russell Mulcahy, 1986) - 3

This one was a low-key favourite back in high school, but I haven't watched it in years and it just happened to be on TV one night. While I'm usually down for a spot of '80s cheese, it was this viewing that really drove home just how much dead air there really is in this film (like the entire sub-plot with the detectives) in between the lightning bolts and the clumsy-looking swordfights and the hilariously-acted leads.

Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007) - 1

I haven't seen this in full for maybe a decade and my impression of it was unfavourable (read: made a list of my least favourite movies ever), but I thought I'd try giving it another chance when it showed up on TV and, well, fool me twice etc. Even if you sandpaper away the many layers of aggravating quirk on display, what little is left proves a dull and unlikable story.

Out for Justice (John Flynn, 1991) - 1.5

I really need to stop bothering with Steven Seagal movies because they're just so damn meat-headed even by the standards of the day and even the odd amusing moment (he breaks a salami on a guy's head!) isn't enough to make the whole thing worthwhile.

A Silent Voice (Naoko Yamada, 2016) - 3

This high-school melodrama about a boy who wishes to atone for his bullying of a deaf classmate is a considerable mixed bag because it's at once filled with all sorts of overwrought slice-of-life anime antics and yet it all kind of works, though its moments of resonance are spaced so few and far between than I can't think of it as being any better than just alright.

The Age of Spin: Dave Chappelle Live at The Hollywood Palladium (Stan Lathan, 2017) - 2.5

Finally got around to checking out Chappelle's Netflix specials and, well, it's kind of funny. I'm never quite sure how to rate standup specials anyway - there are bits that make me laugh and sizeable stretches where I don't, so I think 2.5 is fair.

Deep in the Heart of Texas: Dave Chappelle Live at Austin City Limits (Stan Lathan, 2017) - 2

The problem with these specials is that when they're funny, they're funny, but when they get unfunny, they get really unfunny. It's one thing to hear Eddie Murphy do homophobic jokes in Raw because that's the '80s, but come on Dave, you're really doing this kind of material about trans people in the late-2010s? Sucks because there's some good stuff here but everything's just kind of soured after he gets #problematic.

Dave Chappelle: Equanimity (Stan Lathan, 2017) - 2.5

Hard to tell if his addressing the controversial jokes from his previous special is an honest attempt to improve matters or a recalcitrant doubling down or some weird combination of the two. Either way, it also sets a weird tone that hangs over the rest of a fairly enjoyable set.

Dave Chappelle: The Bird Revelation (Stan Lathan, 2017) - 2.5

Distinct from the other specials in how it sees Chappelle doing an impromptu sit-down set in a small comedy club rather than stand-up on a large stage and the material/production is similarly roughshod, but not without the same level of charm.

aronisred

11-26-18, 04:21 PM

Green Book

3.5

A prejudiced Italian American bouncer/driver is tasked with driving a brilliant African American piano player across south for a concert tour. The tour takes place during segregation down south and in the months leading up-to Christmas.

I think the north star for diving into reviewing this movie is the director. That's not often the case with movies but it is for this movie. Its directed by Peter Farrelly. That tells us many things. The script would have to be passed on by lot of more established directors for it to land in his hands. These types of scripts usually come with possibility of an outrage. Movies that touch of sensitive topics often times are hot button issues. This movie has 2 leads , one is black and other is white. It is okay if its directed by black filmmaker but when its white the outrage starts. So going into awards season with a movie like this makes the whole landscape full of land mines.There are even problems associated with the director. He is a comedic director trying to make a serious movie. So there is certain amount of trepidation associated with that. Rather than judging by the movie on its own they bring in all their prejudices. It almost feels like they want to punish him on his current movie because he made comedies before. No one can call out critics on that.

As for the movie, It was uncomfortable at times. The movie gets the period feel right. You can feel the 60s. There is a lot of positivity in the movie. You get this warm feeling through out the movie. It is not unflinching. Movies about racism often times have those racist white characters that have an additional set of rules that jump into action if someone is trying to cross those rules. So you are always waiting for that racism aspect or use of n-word. This movie has those but since its dealing with segregation period its much more mellow and subtle. If i wanna look at positives of tackling subtle racism in a movie then this movie does it well. It gets the uncomfortable,sad and disturbing situation of Don Shirley right. But from what I see with the reactions of critics who didn't like the movie , most of them expecting it to be this hard hitting racism movie that ends with a downer where everyone is sad and miserable that racism existed. But the movie is not going for that. It is going for something more different. However I can't call it uncompromising.

As for the oscar bait accusation against the movie I completely disagree. Its a movie that is taking enormous risks. Its slow, smooth and patient. Subtle character reactions and actions make up for the drama in the movie. Nothing unrealistic happens in the movie. The movie is not trying to make racism a shock value tool. Most movies do that. They dramatize racist elements to get a reaction from audience. But not this. Even towards the end the movie deals with a very complicated psychological hurdles people have towards giving up their inherent racism. A scene where a host of a musical performance by Don Shirley try to negotiate a deal with Vigo Mortensen's character where he treats Don Shirley as an animal in a zoo that will dance for money. All these are uncomfortable. In the end the movie deals with racism but more importantly it deals with how do we overcome it. Dwelling on the racism is not going to change anything. If you want to dwell on it then go and watch tons of other movies that do that for you. But this is about how do we move on.

Ultraviolence

11-27-18, 12:13 PM

Serial Experiments Lain (1998) - rating_4

Yes, I know it's a series. Great atmosphere and use of sound. The visuals are very solid, too! The first couple of episodes are the best, though!

And you don't seem to understand
A shame you seemed an honest man
And all the fears you hold so dear
Will turn to whisper in your ear

I love this anime.

Iroquois

11-28-18, 01:21 PM

The Congress (Ari Folman, 2013) - 3

The Waltz with Bashir director creates another vibrantly-animated tale, this time a sci-fi satire where Robin Wright (playing a fictionalised version of herself) signs away her likeness to be used in computer-generated movies and, well, I feel like the less I say about its further developments the better. Needless to say, it is my kind of movie, though not enough so that I loved it.

A Star Is Born (George Cukor, 1954) - 3

Solid enough old-school musical tale where you can tell within the first few minutes just how the ensuing three hours are going to unfold but you still have a moderate amount of fun with the singing and the dancing and the increasingly-frequent lapses into serious drama.

A Star Is Born (Bradley Cooper, 2018) - 2.5

Probably not the best idea to watch this more or less back-to-back with the Cukor version as it may have its own handful of stand-out moments but not enough to elevate the whole thing.

End of Watch (David Ayer, 2012) - 1

After having seen five of his films, I think I'm just about done with giving David Ayer chances to impress me (though part of me still wants to see Street Kings if only for the Keanu factor). There's something vaguely novel about the pseudo-mockumentary approach that mixes up the visuals a bit but the underlying story really doesn't work for me.

High Sierra (Raoul Walsh, 1941) - 3.5

A fine example of outlaw-requiem cinema as Bogart's recently-paroled ex-con is brought in to pull a heist that's complicated not just by his unreliable accomplices but also Lupino's rough-and-tumble dame and his own sense of defeatist nobility. That and it's just a good time anyway.

The Sea Wolf (Michael Curtiz, 1941) - 3

A slight Jack London adaptation about a ship of lost souls being captained by a sadistic brute and how he is challenged by the latest handful of people to end up under his watch. Watchable, but nothing more.

The Imposter (Bart Layton, 2012) - 2

A documentary about a French con-man who improbably passed himself off as a missing American teenager to the point of being taken in by said teenager's family. Split between interviews with key players, archive footage, and dramatisations, it's a sporadically interesting tale that does centre around said impostor's actions being motivated by a severe identity crisis but even its tense dramatisations and shocking revelations do not come across as having much in the way of particular depth.

Inherit the Wind (Stanley Kramer, 1960) - 3.5

A solid courtroom drama where Spencer Tracy and Fredric March are lawyers who go head-to-head over a school's right to teach evolutionary theory in a small town extensively populated by creationist Christians. The leads are good (as is Gene Kelly showing some surprising range as a reporter) and the film still offers a tautly-written and compelling piece of work that finds room for nuanced characterisation and development while still remaining steadfast in its fundamental messaging.

Manhunt (John Woo, 2017) - 2.5

I guess this is about as good as I can expect a John Woo movie to be in 2018 as he filters an archetypal wrong-man plot through his usual heroic bloodshed tropes and comes up with set-pieces that are inventive enough to show he's still got it where it counts but not enough to truly make the whole film good.

They Shall Not Grow Old (Peter Jackson, 2018) - 2.5

A World War I documentary that is distinct in how it's built out of archival footage that has been painstakingly colourised and dubbed over in an attempt to create a more vivid representation of what life was like for a soldier back then, but there's still the question as to whether or not such a bold move ultimately works against the film by being vaguely disrespectful in trying to render this documentary footage "realistic".

re93animator

11-29-18, 02:14 PM

Private Parts (1972) – 3.5
A naïve coming of age girl moves into an apartment with uber oddball tenants. There are some lapses of logic, but the mystery is strong, and the characters are an absolute blast (specially the priest).

Recollections of the Yellow House (1989) – 4
The pathetic, depressing, monotonous, and sometimes dryly hilarious life of a sickly old man. I don’t know why I liked this so much. Maybe because it feels so immersive. It’s hard not to feel for the characters, bad as they are at times.

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) – 2.5
A woman seeks revenge on a family without their knowledge. Very average psych thriller, but certainly not bad. It seems like it was made by talented pros who just clocked in and fulfilled their duties. Acting, music, cine, etc. are all very well done, but the overall result is just kind of bleh.

Pitfall (1962) – 3.5
A traveling laborer is led into a deserted town with the promise of a job opportunity. That mystery sparks a series of odd criminal events. The characters are nothing special, but the plot is consistently interesting, and has a very dark atmosphere.

Ariel (1988) – 3.5
A down and out job seeker turns to crime. Expect uber deadpan comedy, non-supermodel leads, and a hefty dose of rock n roll with pretty much any Kaurismaki flick. This is more of the same, but the editing seems much tighter, so it may be slightly more accessible than his usual sort. I wouldn’t call any of the Kaurismaki movies I’ve seen absolute favorites, but I love the guy. I think many would consider the style tedious, but I find his movies so relaxing & easy to watch, and he’s got an original voice that he sticks to. This isn’t a masterpiece, but one of the better ones I've seen. I doubt many filmmakers could find hilarity in such subtleties as passing cigarettes & a lighter back & forth.

Taste of Cherry (1997) – 3.5
A man searches at random for someone to bury him after he’s committed suicide. You’re mostly a fly in the middle of a car carried on by introspective dialogue. It feels like the writer was having this debate with himself.

Mr Minio

11-29-18, 03:54 PM

https://i.imgur.com/XL5G1ui.jpg
This post is sponsored by an elite squad of delinquent girl bosses.

Soundtrack to the post:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcRLW07jsBc

For some time now I've been watching almost only masterpieces, and I've been feeling so good! I again feel that I love cinema more than anything else, and I'm eager to watch movies more than ever. That natural wonder of discovering new masterpieces is back! At times I also feel I have OD'd on masterpieces, so I throw in some schlock to even things out! :D

母べえ [Kabei: Our Mother] (2008) - 4.5

Yoshida's weakest so far (but still so damn good!). Quite melodramatic, but not maudlin. Even though it shows a lot of sad, depressing, miserable scenes, it never drowns in self-pity, but rather tries to alleviate these moments with humour and warmth. At times the film feels like a live-action anime. This two-shot sequence of Tadanobu Asano and Sayuri Yoshinaga just plain Ozu-style walking down the street and having a conversation is perhaps the most memorable scene in the entire film. It's all thanks to how it's shot. Asano's character is portrayed as a giant, so the first shot shot on the level of his head shows just his head, and nothing next to it. The next shot however reveals his interlocutor. This time we see her head, and Asano's chest. :) This is such a simple yet for some reason heart-warming moment! The last 30 minutes of the film are very sad as the humor vanishes and all we're left with is the misery of life. Just when I survived all of this and thought this will be the second Yamada that didn't make me cry, the ending credits scene came. I exploded. The Japanese are the masters of cinema that pays tribute to a mother. Naruse's Mother. Shindo's Mother, and now this. Oh well, the Japanese are masters of cinema bar none.

アンテナ [Antenna] (2004) - 4

A very peculiar film about a traumatic event in the past and its impact on the entire family. Apparently nobody's normal in Japan, and everybody's got some serious problem! What a gut-wrenching portrayal of unnecessary feelings of guilt, trying to cope with loss, psychological trauma! The film is shot as if from behind the mirror. Especially the retrospections are. As many BDSM scenes as I've seen, I've never seen a femdom gone psychological therapy one. Holy moly!

原爆の子 [Children of Hiroshima] (1952) - 4

The 8:16 AM scene is nothing short of genius in its horrifying portrayal of the moment the A-bomb hit Hiroshima. Torn clothes of anonymous women bare their breasts* and make them look like petrified bodies of Pompei, or Bernini's sculptures reimagined by a Chernobyl victim. The scene is brief, but extremely powerful. The docudrama form is effective, but it's good to see how it more and more turns into a fictional story. The impact the bomb had on the lives of every individual is uncanny, and their personal stories are heart-breaking. It's trite to say, but it's quite horrible how it's always the innocent that suffer the most.

* This is the earliest Japanese film that shows female breasts. It's often said Suzuki's Gate of Flesh is the first one, but this film came two years prior! Then again, the portrayal in Children of Hiroshima is everything but sexual.

東京家族 [Tokyo Family] (2013) - 4.5

To remake a film that is often cited as one of the best movies ever made is a risky business to say the least, but Yoji Yamada not only came off victorious from this ostensibly suicidal task, but also created a masterpiece that stands on its own. A film that rather pays tribute to the original than preys on it, and also a work of art that takes the original idea and improves on it. Not just by mere permutations, mind you. This is the second Yamada that didn't make me cry, which, traditionally, makes it absolutely worthless! /s

PS: Noriko is the ideal human being, and a worthy successor to Ozu's Noriko. It's hard not to fall in love with Yu Aoi.

水のないプール [A Pool Without Water] (1982) - 4.5

Cinema of Moral Anxiety meets proto-Satian (but late-Wakamatsian) fetishism with incredible atmosphere and wonderful 80s music. The movie screams eighties, but at the same time predates mood-based pieces like August in the Water, and elicites the same feeling Polish Cinema of Moral Anxiety does. There is a scene at cinema, and they watch Wajda's Man of Marble! This is no coincidence. The film had a potential to become a real shocker, but (even in his most violent films) Wakamatsu never resorts to cheap exploitation. The film is quite tame in that aspect, but it doesn't mean I won't warn you: Close your windows at night, MoFo ladies!

死霊の罠２ヒデキ [Evil Dead Trap 2: Hideki] (1991) - 4

Really good! Almost as good as the first part! In the first 40 minutes the atmosphere is incredible (neon lights!), but then it all goes crazy slasher route! It's basically a dreamlike Japanese slasher paying tribute to giallo! If you like any of the things I listed, don't miss it!

兽性新人类 [Naked Poison] (2000) - 3.5

Next month I'll be returning to CAT III and watching more crazy HK scuzz! This is just the beginning. And a pretty good beginning at that! This is a rather late CAT III offering, and a manic film filled with lots of nudity and coitus. It's already a tradition to start a CAT III film on a humorous, comedic note, and then go darker and darker, and this film is no different. The protagonist seems like quite an innocent pervert at first, a cunning loser later, but then becomes really vile! The premise is that he discovers a poison that makes any girl beg for it... :)

赤い報告書　鮮血の天使 [Red Account: My Bloody Angel] (1988) - 3

A typical flick MovieGal watches while eating breakfast. Clocking in at 60 minutes, at least half of it is vintage AV (which has its charm). The rest means murder and an "autopsy" of a man's body. A crazy exorcist taking the guts in his hands and fiercely flinging them on the ground was hilarious. Then the lady starts getting kinky with a cutoff hand (using a pointy radial bone to pleasure herself!!!). Now that's 100% MovieGal-core!

逆噴射家族 [The Crazy Family] (1984) - 4

Hilariously funny! One of the craziest films I've ever seen! Ishii is no schmuck and he surely knows how to direct. You can still find traces of his style in this film. The fact Youki Kudoh really was 13 in this was creepy, but got the point across especially well. Stil, it was pretty disturbing.

La casa con la scala nel buio [A Blade in the Dark] (1983) - 3

Mario Bava's son is but a shadow of his father. The film ain't got nothing on Argento's Tenebre either. This is a much weaker offering, but still a fine flick, if you like slasher/giallo mixes (I want more giallo and less slasher next time!).

Undo (1994) - 4

Iwai being ambiguous. A girl begs her man to tie her up, but his kinbaku skills are highly questionable, so he can't fulfill her masochistic cravings. Naaah, that's not really the point, but I had a lot of fun pretending it was when I watched it. I think the film has something to say about relationships, taking care of your sick loved one (it reminded me of Welcome Home in that aspect) and communication failures, but I don't really know, because I'm still amazed by that final frame or two.

Beauty in Rope Hell (1983) - 3.5

The story is quite restrained (pun intended!) for Dan Oniroku's standards, and we definitely don't get anything like "rope hell" that the title promises. However, we do get a beauty. The film is really well-shot, too. :3

Delinquent Girl Boss: Tokyo Drifters (1970) - 4

Early Pinky Violence, the second in the series, and one that recently got English subbed! Pretty sweet if quite formulaic. The first part is just humour, then we get some sadness, to end the film with a big massacre - this feels like most films like this, including Nikkatsu's Stray Cat Rock series. As a matter of fact Toei made Deliquent Girl Boss as a response to Stray Cat Rock's huge success. The grand finale in which the ladies walk down the street all wearing red coats. <3

Nostromo87

11-29-18, 04:39 PM

Universal Soldier (Roland Emmerich, 1992) rating_3

Dug the middle third of the movie when I watched earlier this year, some amusing stuff too, can't get much better than a Van Damme-Dolph Lundgren duo. Wish the ending hadn't been quite so underwhelming.

Iroquois

11-30-18, 01:58 AM

Dug the middle third of the movie when I watched earlier this year, some amusing stuff too, can't get much better than a Van Damme-Dolph Lundgren duo. Wish the ending hadn't been quite so underwhelming.

If you haven't seen them, I'd recommend the last couple of DTV sequels, Regeneration and Day of Reckoning, which I felt managed to make better use of the premise (and arguably JCVD/Dolph themselves, even if the latter's restricted to glorified cameos) than the original did.

Iroquois

11-30-18, 02:01 AM

Thirst (Chan-wook Park, 2009) - 2.5

A bit too much of a mixed bag, this one - its central concept (extremely pacifistic priest contracts vampirism via blood transfusion and shenanigans ensue as he tries to survive) has considerable potential but is ultimately drawn out a little too much for its own good.

Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) - 2

I guess you can say that this means well with its true-story account of a closeted teenager being subjected to conversion therapy, which is why it's too bad that the resulting film is such a dour and overwrought chore to watch.

Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (Tsui Hark, 1983) - 3.5

Relentlessly fantastic wuxia action that gets crazier and more colourful with each passing frame without becoming an incoherent mess in the process. You can definitely tell that it was directed by the same man who managed to do both Once Upon a Time in China and Double Team.

The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953) - 3.5

I've finally gotten around to watching a Fred Astaire movie and this certainly seems like as good a starting point as any with its classically self-reflexive Hollywood musical tale of has-beens and up-and-comers trying against all odds to put on a good show. Numbers are generally good (if occasionally a little too bizarre for their own good like the triplets number) and it's just a fun watch.

Kwaidan (Masaki Kobayashi, 1964) - 4.5

I don't think I care that much for horror anthologies in general, which is why I'm glad that a second viewing confirms my initial impression that Kwaidan is at least one or two cuts above the rest, which is pretty staggering considering that it's about three hours long and at least half of that is spent on only one of its four segments. Such is the strength of Kobayashi finding a whole new way to expand upon his usual fixations on both military and class warfare but with added technicolour panache.

Jour de fête (Jacques Tati, 1949) - 2.5

My second Tati ends up being his debut about a French village's annual fair day and how it impacts upon the local postman (played by Tati himself). It's obviously more than a little rough, but it's still good enough that it's not about to dissuade me from checking out the rest of his filmography.

Beautiful Boy (Felix Van Groeningen, 2018) - 2

One very sluggish dramatisation of a college student's out-of-control drug addiction and the emotional toll it takes on his family (especially his loving but conflicted father). Steve Carell's good as said father but that's about all I have to recommend about it.

Suspiria (Luca Guadagninio, 2018) - 3.5

While you can still question whether or not Guadagninio's take on Argento's dream-in-a-witch-house classic truly earns the right to be as long or as drab as it is, I'd say it ultimately manages to take the basic framework (which it sticks to fairly faithfully) and fill it out with its own directly political variation on the original's more abstracted (yet still recognisable) themes and fairytale logistics, which I'd at least consider interesting enough to justify the remake's right to exist.

Hard, Fast & Beautiful (Ida Lupino, 1951) - 2.5

This tale of a young middle-class woman who finds herself pushed into tennis superstardom by her ambitious mother is a curious one in how it treats its subject matter and especially its two leads. I'm still undecided as to whether or not its attempts to bring nuance and sympathy to mother and daughter alike are subversive genius on Lupino's part or backfiring attempts at the same, but in any case you can still split the difference and find a fair bit to enjoy.

On Dangerous Ground (Nicholas Ray, 1951) - 2.5

This noir starts off considerably hard-boiled with its protagonist being an embittered cop demonstrating Bickle-esque isolation and contempt for street scum before being sent up north to deal with a small-town murder that ultimately causes him to soften up once he's away from the big mean city. Not the worst material, but there's no way an 80-minute noir (and an intriguingly subversive and emotional one at that) should be this much of a drag to watch.

TheUsualSuspect

11-30-18, 08:26 AM

Boy Erased (Joel Edgerton, 2018) - 2

I guess you can say that this means well with its true-story account of a closeted teenager being subjected to conversion therapy, which is why it's too bad that the resulting film is such a dour and overwrought chore to watch.

That's a bit disappointing.

Iroquois

11-30-18, 09:12 AM

Yeah, I think it's just a little too easy to be skeptical about films like it that may want to be about addressing important subjects but don't necessarily go about it in the best way. I think that might be because it's intended as a message movie aimed at parents who, like Jared's parents in the movie, aren't so much raging homophobes as they are well-meaning religious folks who honestly think they're doing what's right by both God and their children by putting them into such programs, which does give it an appreciable layer of complexity that is always at risk of getting lost under the more straightforward depictions of physical and psychological abuse that the subjects constantly deal with throughout the movie.

cricket

11-30-18, 07:51 PM

November, 2018 movies watched-

The Hawks and the Sparrows (1966) 2+ Not bad but it's a fairly odd film that's not my type.

Carne (1991) 3 Intense short film from director Gaspar Noe.

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) 4 Perfect in some ways.

Let the Right One In (2008) Repeat viewing 3.5+ Not quite a favorite but it's very well done and I like it a lot.

Biutiful (2010) 3.5- Worth watching even if it just missed the mark for what I was looking for.

The White Ribbon (2009) 3+ Very much like Bergman except not quite as good.

Bloody Birthday (1981) 3 Ridiculous fun.

Ghostwatch (1992) 2 It's possible I would have enjoyed it if viewed as intended.

Anthropophagus (1980) 2- A bit on the dull side save for a handful of scenes.

Day for Night (1973) Repeat viewing 4 Exceptional for movie fans.

Manila in the Claws of Light (1975) 4- Bleak realism in Manila.

Intruder (1989) 1.5 Pretty worthless besides some good kills.

Lean on Pete (2017) 2.5 Loved the first half, didn't like the second half.

BlacKkKlansman (2018) 3.5+ As much as I liked it, I think it still fell short of it's potential.

Total November viewings-14
Total 2018 viewings-287

Iroquois

12-02-18, 01:06 PM

The Wolf House (Cristobal León and Joaquín Cociña, 2018) - 2.5

On a visual level, this is a perpetually-fascinating watch as its simplistic fairytale of a girl trapped in a house in the woods is rendered in perpetually-undulating stop-motion as everything within the house is constantly shifting and reconstituting itself so that everything is always different and always the same. Unfortunately, even at 75 minutes it struggles to stay interesting even underneath its ever-changing surface.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (Kevin Reynolds, 1991) - 2

Considering how Robin Hood occupies the same pseudo-mythical territory as King Arthur, I'm somewhat disappointed that this film is arguably the closest he's come to having his own version of Excalibur, especially since it plays as a bloated and barely-coherent mix of neutered Hollywood crowd-pleaser and would-be cult oddity (the former quality best demonstrated by Costner's stiffly stalwart Robin, the latter best demonstrated by Rickman's scenery-devouring Sheriff of Nottingham).

You Can't Take It With You (Frank Capra, 1938) - 3.5

The tale of an eccentric family from a poor neighbourhood butting heads with the wealthy developers looking to buy them out (and the star-crossed lovers from both sides) plays like a veritable mishmash of every other Capra movie I've seen - fortunately, it never really becomes a problem as it's able to effectively compress most of those movies' strengths into a thoroughly enjoyable film.

All the Light in the Sky (Joe Swanberg, 2012) - 2.5

Jane Adams stars in and co-writes this mumblecore piece where she plays a character actress whose own search for work is briefly interrupted by the arrival of her niece, herself an aspiring actress. Mostly just a chilled-out dramedy with little in the way of external drama (for better and for worse), its slight and matter-of-fact nature mean that it's sporadically interesting but not enough for me to truly enjoy or appreciate.

Shoplifters (Hirokazu Koreeda, 2018) - 3.5

Definitely a worthy Palme d'Or winner with its tale of a makeshift family resorting to petty crimes in order to live through a poverty where all they ostensibly have is each other. Patiently-executed in a way that earns its emotions under unlikely circumstances and, being the first Koreeda film I've managed to see, definitely makes me want to see more.

Girlhood (Céline Sciamma, 2014) - 3

There's something to be said about this coming-of-age tale about a black teen navigating her way through the trials of living in a French housing project by befriending a gang of rebellious classmates, though I have to admit it's ultimately not that much as it proves a mildly engaging watch and little more.

Journey's End (Saul Dibb, 2018) - 1.5

A World War I drama set in the British army's trenches as the soldiers wait around for a German offensive to arrive, dealing with conflicts both internal and external even without the threat of enemy action to deal with. Though it goes some way towards evoking the desperate nature of the situation, the stilted direction tends to bring out the worst in the source play and interferes with the actors' ability to make the material really work.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 2018) - 4

The Coens' Western anthology maintains their usual high standard of storytelling with a variety of stories that cover the entire spectrum of the brothers' favoured themes and approaches ranging from nihilistic black comedy to bleakly existential drama and all points in between. Considering how much of their filmography's DNA can to be found to one extent or another across these six segments, I definitely feel like re-watching their entire output now.

The King of Marvin Gardens (Bob Rafelson, 1972) - 2.5

A decidedly standard New Hollywood piece from the people that brought you Five Easy Pieces that doesn't match that particular film, though not for a lack of trying. If nothing else, it makes me want to go re-watch Five Easy Pieces.

On Deadly Ground (Steven Seagal, 1994) - 2

Not necessarily the best Seagal movie, but maybe the most Seagal movie (for whatever that's worth). His usual brand of Gary Stu shenanigans is only amplified by him trying to give the whole thing an environmentalist bent, which manages to crank up the absurdity even more as he causes untold damage in his quest to save the environment from one appreciably hammy Michael Caine.

matt72582

12-02-18, 08:26 PM

Pitfall (1962) – rating_3_5
A traveling laborer is led into a deserted town with the promise of a job opportunity. That mystery sparks a series of odd criminal events. The characters are nothing special, but the plot is consistently interesting, and has a very dark atmosphere.

Ariel (1988) – rating_3_5
A down and out job seeker turns to crime. Expect uber deadpan comedy, non-supermodel leads, and a hefty dose of rock n roll with pretty much any Kaurismaki flick. This is more of the same, but the editing seems much tighter, so it may be slightly more accessible than his usual sort. I wouldn’t call any of the Kaurismaki movies I’ve seen absolute favorites, but I love the guy. I think many would consider the style tedious, but I find his movies so relaxing & easy to watch, and he’s got an original voice that he sticks to. This isn’t a masterpiece, but one of the better ones I've seen. I doubt many filmmakers could find hilarity in such subtleties as passing cigarettes & a lighter back & forth.

Taste of Cherry (1997) – rating_3_5
A man searches at random for someone to bury him after he’s committed suicide. You’re mostly a fly in the middle of a car carried on by introspective dialogue. It feels like the writer was having this debate with himself.

All EXCELLENT movies by some great directors of the time... "Taste of Cherry" is my favorite of Kiarostami, and "Close-Up" is pretty great with the idea.. I'm a big fan of Kaurismaki, but mostly of movies with Matti Pellonnpaa in them, "Shadows in Paradise" being my favorite... "Woman in the Dunes" or "The Man With No Face" are the only ones I like better by him.

re93animator

12-03-18, 12:31 AM

All EXCELLENT movies by some great directors of the time... "Taste of Cherry" is my favorite of Kiarostami, and "Close-Up" is pretty great with the idea.. I'm a big fan of Kaurismaki, but mostly of movies with Matti Pellonnpaa in them, "Shadows in Paradise" being my favorite... "Woman in the Dunes" or "The Man With No Face" are the only ones I like better by him.

Taste of Cherry is the first I've seen from him, but I'll check out more soon. Close-Up should be in the near future. Shadows in Paradise is very good; I Hired a Contract Killer & La Vie de Boheme are my favorites. I prefer Woman in the Dunes & Face of Another as well, but I liked the darkness of Pitfall. It seems like those are all of his 'notable' movies unfortunately (at least where I live).

thracian dawg

12-03-18, 04:50 PM

★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

Gemini (2017) – Katz
The film uses the conceit of the movie star instantly identifiable to millions of adoring fans, then pretends no one notices (despite having distinguishable marks) it’s not her corpse on the floor. The film tells the audience several times that her personal assistant is a detail person and whip smart, yet shows us the exact the opposite; the moment the detective told her, only her fingerprints were on the murder weapon, she should have hit the ground running. At the end, she doesn’t seem to harbour a grudge about her glamourous movie star boss stitching her up for murder.

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

Killer Joe * (2011) – Friedkin
This was less sensational the second time around, the scenes where they opened it up from the play are more obvious and the characters became relentlessly stupid and dumb in the process. The violence seemed scripted and gratuitous, like when the loan shark takes a quiet moment with the kid before having his biker buddies stomp him into oblivion. The pit bull at the next trailer over always kicks into gear whenever the kid comes along, but never dares to open his yap around Killer Joe; which for some strange reason, I am willing to bet money this is an obscure film quote from Shane.

A Cure for Wellness (2016) – Verbinski
It is kind of fun to spot all the borrows in this piece about the quest for immortality; it’s almost as if the director can’t digest his influences and the moment he sees something cool in another film he has to use it in his next film.

Last Letter (2018) – Iwai
This is a melancholy epistolary Chinese film of one sister going to her older sister’s 20th high school reunion to deliver the news she has recently passed away, but chickens out at the last moment and ends up impersonating her. The only one to notice the ruse is a man who has been obsessively in love with her sister all his life and he goes along with the pretence in order to get a line on her current address. It seems improbable the younger sister doesn’t seem to recognize the man, being the go-between for his letters to her sister and being head over heels in love with him during high school.

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

A very special favor (1965) – Gordon
This took a little time to set up the intrigue; but once comedy was on the rails, this moved along nicely. A French lawyer is about to see his American daughter for the first time in 20 years. He has just lost a million dollar litigation when the judge threw out his case. On the flight over to America he bumps into the opposing litigator and all the women on the plane are throwing their phone numbers at him and immediately he understands why he lost the case. He seduced the judge. He doesn’t bear any grudges. The smiling playboy tells him, if there is anything he can do while he is in New York, don’t hesitate to ask. The French man is shocked to discover his little girl has become a passionless, dour psychoanalyst (and despite having grown up in the states still has a French accent). He calls in that favor and asks the playboy to fling her into the sensual world. I have to single out Dick Shawn; his fiancé is a genius for finding and correcting faults in him he didn’t even know existed, and he is happy to have her. When he sees Rock Hudson in her bed, he knows there is a perfectly logical therapeutic reason for him being there and doesn’t give it another thought; his reaction shots are priceless.

The Golden Blade (1953) – Juran
After Harun’s father is mortally wounded in the first scene, he has the presence of mind to wait until his son fights his way into his tent before dying in his arms, placing in his hand the scorpion amulet his killer wore. Basra born Harun sets out for Bagdad withvengeance on his mind. Arriving in the palace city he finds a sword in a bundle of clothes (along with the bones of the previous owner) in second hand clothing store. Then rushes out with it and decimates a phalanx of palace guards and the market square to boot. It turns out to be a magic golden sword that makes him invincible. A lot of this story is just plain goofy. The sword even came with instructions. His new side-kick draws out the faint inscriptions on the sword until they are instantly legible. Harun then spends an entire afternoon sword fighting (the victor claims a wedding with the princess as the prize), not noticing the bad guys have switched magic swords and he astonishingly loses. The film moves along a good clip. When this film was originally released, I suspect it wasn’t this delightful tongue-in-cheek Technicolor comedy it’s become.

Novo (2002) – Limosin
The short term memory loss character has appeared before in films, most notably in Memento and 50 first dates and now appears in this French drama with uh … European sensibilities (okay that meant matter of fact nudity). The main female character, can clock to the exact gestures of the new men in her life pulling away in the relationship; the battle of the sexes is clearly marked by mind games, defensive manoeuvers, and yawning interest, so it is next to impossible to resist a man---who is dazzled each time he looks at her. Other women also find this vulnerability impossible not to exploit, by simply pulling a few pages from his notebook he keeps velcroed to his wrist and they can get hot and heavy in a heartbeat, hell they can even ask for seconds; it doesn’t hurt he looks like the younger brother of the Marlboro man.

Suspiria (2018) – Guadagnino
A new American dancer tries for a place in an avant-garde dance troupe in the divided, cold war city of Berlin, circa 1977. When she quickly steals the spot of the another top dancer, she symbolically kills off her competitor during her dance, the movements of her body become kicks and punches as she wrenches the life from her rival. Except for two cops (who are openly belittled by the women) this is an exclusive female cast. The new girl has three different character strands; emancipating herself from her fundamentalist upbringing; asserting her talent in her new artistic career; and she doesn’t know it yet, but she is also being groomed for a top spot in the operation. She is about to be given the symbolic title of Mother Suspirium. I liked the suggestion that art is more than just idle entertainments, that there are deep seated psychic reasons for these rituals of sacrifice and regeneration. Even the events in the background seem like political theater.

Magnificent Obsession (1954) – Sirk
This is gorgeous, Technicolor hokum; the rear projection scenes, the studio sets and the outlandish story line clearly distance the viewer. Our hero is a one man wrecking crew, not only does this millionaire playboy knock off the saintly doctor by scheduling his medical emergency before his, he has to blind the doctor’s grieving wife in a freak auto accident. But hey, this is melodrama so he then has to fall head over heels in love with his frumpy, disapproving widow and become a practising altruist to boot. The overwrought artificiality in the film creates a wonderful kind of reverb effect.

The Bad Batch (2016) – Amirpour
The world presented here was a little disturbing and off putting. In the near future America not only bars immigrants (dark skinned) from entering the country (the go-to-example that Globalization is a complete fraud), they also expel their incorrigible social misfits. The film is less science fiction in a dystopian outland than full blown allegory. The political creation of a race of disposable human beings creates the eco-system that allows the fascists to thrive in the homeland and the community of flesh eaters to congregate near the free range food source being released close to their barbecue pits.

All that Heaven allows (1955) – Sirk
Like the pharaoh’s of old, widows are supposed to immure themselves when their husbands die and suffer in silence; a chorus of disapproval emerges if she dares to seek happiness by remarrying. This proves difficult when the hunky landscaper is around who rejects crippling social conformity; his vibrant red flannel jackets always contrast with her dark grey suits. You are here for the great set design and lush coloration; there is always a blue spot on her front door and windows, almost like a blueish hoar frost freezing her inside the mausoleum. There is one gorgeous shot (among others) near the end when she realizes that everyone was wrong and she was wrong to reject him and she goes to his house, and she turns to the camera wearing this spiky, cream colored shawl that rings her face perfectly, it almost looking like a nimbus.

Night and the City (1950) – Dassin
This begins on a high note with a desperate man being hunted through the back alleys of London, it turns out it’s just a guy chasing down some scratch the other guy borrowed. Our hero, Harry Fabian is a terminal loser. He sees bags of money everywhere, but completely clueless when it comes to turning any of his schemes into a workable reality. He assumes (when he latches onto a legendary Olympic wrestler) that the public is going to pay good money to see his authentic Greco-Roman wrestling over the live action cartoons currently being promoted. The film gains nicely in the third act where other dreamers have unknowingly placed all their own hopes in Fabian’s doomed scheme, and the curtains come crashing down on their own dreams one by one.

★★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***%C2%BD)

Win Win * (2011) – McCarthy
It begins with family man and lawyer realizing his practice is slowly being nickel and dimed to death and he starts having panic attacks. He sees the successful people around him cutting corners and cheating to get ahead and when he spots an opportunity to be a little more prosperous: hey, why the hell not? The story shifts to a gifted high school athlete and there is a great wrestling move at the end where the film body slams the original drama back into the spotlight when the (soon to be disbarred) lawyer is caught for all to see with his hand in the cookie jar. You are here for the acting: the director sends everything down the center of the plate and the actors just swing away for the entire film. With her performance Amy Ryan rockets to the number 3 spot on the all- time top ten best mother characters in a film.

Necrology (1973) – Lawder
This is a single take 9 minute film of a down escalator in New York City. But the film comes to life by simply playing it backwards. Instead of commuters heading off to work or returning home, these travelers are lit for a moment at the bottom of the frame then float into blackness at the top. The title is a roll call of the dead or an obituary page: is this the result of an airplane crash? There is a complete cast scroll after the film and it is almost as if they were asked at the bottom of the escalator to describe themselves before hurrying off; most of them were too busy to spare a moment to get their obituary notice correct and are simply listed as yawning woman, or man in fedora, but some people did stop and answer the question as best they could: who were you?

Monkeypunch

12-03-18, 08:05 PM

The Proposal - Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in a rom-com about a seemingly heartless book editor who makes her assistant marry her to keep her work visa (She's Canadian). Predictable? sure, but it's a fun, sunny little film with enough likable actors for me to say I enjoyed watching it. A few really good laughs throughout. 3

28 Days - Sandra Bullock (yes, again) plays a woman who checks into rehab after ruining her sisters wedding. It's a really good film, it finds humanity and humor in it's dark premise, and has some fun supporting turns from Alan Tudyk, Steve Buscemi, and Viggo Mortensen as a drug and sex addicted baseball player. 3.5

Mr Minio

12-04-18, 01:40 PM

Sur [The South] (1988) - 4

https://i.imgur.com/VI0i8xx.jpg

Reminiscing the past when the past of an individual is inevitably connected to the past of a country. I loved the fog/smoke in the streets and the phantoms of the past transcending the real and the imaginary. The music by Piazzolla is of course sublime. Had this had Angelopoulos-esque long takes, it would've been even better!

十六歳の戦争 [The War of the 16 Year Olds] (1973) - 4

https://i.imgur.com/VH1fple.png

Really great, and masterful in how easily it changes its atmosphere, and how well it uses music to accentuate the point (especially towards the end - the horror parts are SPOOKY!). The weakest Matsumoto out of 3 full-length films of his I saw, but still a great film!

ねらわれた学園 [The Aimed School] (1981) - 3

https://fourthreefilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/The-Aimed-School-article.jpg

Feels like a poor Sukeban film (back in time I tried the TV series with Yuki Saito and gave up after four episodes), but the sequence of the fight with that Venusian god partially makes up for it! Still, a big disappointment!

Молитва за гетьмана Мазепу [A Prayer for Hetman Mazepa] (2002) - 5

https://i.imgur.com/ucuRhnT.jpg
That feel when you spend 15 minutes censoring naked mannequins...

Ruiz raped by Jakubisko during the battle of Poltava in 1709: The Movie! It's been a long time since I've seen such a visually brilliant film! The film is almost solely shot using a Steadicam to a staggering effect. The mise en scene that often consists of theatrical, weird, sparkly, vivid decorations really works. Mazepa is played by like four actors, and he is portrayed as a sort of a demigod - dying/undying, changing shape and form. The film tells the history in a highly surreal way using the means of allegory and satire.

海と毒薬 [The Sea and Poison] (1986) - 4.5

https://i.imgur.com/Hcgtb2g.png

Harrowing!

俾鬼捉 [The Ghost Snatchers] (1986) - 4

https://i.imgur.com/2TOe4rC.png

FUN! The TV ghost blew my mind! Zombie-ghosts are so funny, and that bloody skeleton fight! The director of Story of Ricky ALWAYS delivers! Joey Wong is such a babe. <3

午前中の時間割り [The Morning Schedule] (1972) - 4

Pretty good, but still a minor disappointment, but I guess every film of the director is when compared to his magnum opus Nanami. When I heard this mixes the stark black and white film with Super 8 color footage I was floored, but in the end I wasn't that big on the hippie-like feel of it. The color sequence in Nanami is much better. :P Still, the editing, sound, cinematography are all wonderful, and this is a great film.

Les démons [The Sex Demons] (1972) - 2.5

No way I'm posting an image from this!!!

A lousy Jesus Franco flick that mixes erotica with medieval tortures in a pretty boring and cheap way (BUT WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?!). I watched the Director's Cut that lasts for two hours, which was too much even for me. The guy was making 10 flicks like this a year, so it's hard to maintain quality with such quantity. I mean, he ain't no Fassbinder. He did make some great flicks, but this film is by no means his top trier, and it pales in comparison to his masterpieces like Eugene or Vampyros Lesbos!!!

性戯の達人　女体壺さぐり [Teachers of Sexual Play: Modelling Vessels with the Female Body] (2000) - 4

No way I'm posting an image from this!!!

Early Sion Sono pink film means almost non-stop coitus!!! Seemingly nothing too great, but the little of the plot it has is absolutely hilarious! I love how this time the title is perfectly descriptive of the contents of the movie, and I love the different modelling techniques employed by the female employees to MAKE ART! The entire film is about making phallic scuplture-like vessels for the sake of art, and the motto is to make vessels by day and have sex by night, but in reality they have sex day and night, which definitely isn't a bad thing! SPOILER! The best modelling technique turns out to be the between-the-legs modelling technique! The girl was so hard-working the vessel made her thighs sore and left a reddening! Now that's what I call sacrificing for art! Of course, every girl wants her art to be appreciated by the critics, so they're willing to "convince" the critics in the hilarious finale. Sion Sono acts in this himself, the lucky bastard!

Le livre d'image [The Image Book] (2018) - 4

https://i.imgur.com/jkkGvP7.jpg

The newest Godard, and what a normie destroyer he is! He takes no prisoners and uses all means of cinema to his advantage! He changes the aspect ratio, turns the sound on and off, adds English subtitles to some parts, and leaves other parts completely unsubbed, uses (suitably modified) paintings and movie clips, stills and contemporary footage, quotes from books, his own raspy voice... and the voice of his long-time partner Anne-Marie Mieville... He makes fifty references a minute, mixes poetry with politics, believes only a single moment can hold truth, so uses a chopped and screwed technique by assembling ideas into blocks

ずべ公番長はまぐれ数え唄 [Delinquent Girl Boss: Ballad of Yokohama Hoods] (1971) - 4

https://i.imgur.com/k859Z9I.jpg
Since when am I into Japanese girls with blood on their faces? *thinks about Lady Snowblood* Yep since I can remember.

The third in the series, and the last one I still hadn't seen. Again the same old yarn, but Reiko Oshida is so badass! She rides a motorcycle while slashing Yakuza with her katana. She also shoots them down using a machine gun. And there is an entire gang of female motorcycle-riding girl bosses to boot!

Monkeypunch

12-04-18, 07:23 PM

Leprechaun in the Hood - Ice-T steals the Leprechaun's magic flute, sending the tiny terror on a rampage. Kind of dated (does anyone even remember terrible rapper Master P enough to get that the main character's name, Postmaster P, is a parody of him?), and only fitfully funny. One scene featuring a drag queen is incredibly distasteful. Not my favorite Leprechaun movie, but it has it's moments. Lep in the hood, it isn't that good...2

Iroquois

12-06-18, 01:03 AM

Bend of the River (Anthony Mann, 1952) - 3

Mann's a pretty dependable director and never more so than when he does a Western with James Stewart, but I've definitely seen the pair do better than this rather slight (but still enjoyable) effort.

The Sword in the Stone (Wolfgang Reitherman, 1963) - 3

A Disneyfied take on the King Arthur myth that follows him during his time as a young squire who is tutored in the ways of righteousness by Merlin and eventually becomes the once and future king by (you guessed it) pulling a sword from a stone. Definitely comes across as repetitive and episodic (in this sequence they turn into fish, in that sequence they turn into birds) as it tries filling out its brief running time, but there's energy a-plenty that helps it hold up even now.

The Jungle Book (Wolfgang Reitherman, 1967) - 3.5

Part of me wonders how I'd rank every animated Disney film I'd ever seen, especially since so many of them kind of blur together quality-wise. This one bears similarities (simple bear similarities) to Reitherman's earlier Sword in the Stone in its largely episodic structure involving the hero bouncing through all sorts of similarly-structured adventures and musical numbers, none of which manage to outstay their welcome. I reckon this one would do fairly well if I ever ranked Disney cartoons, never mind the moments of obviously-recycled animation.

The Little Mermaid (John Musker and Ron Clements, 1989) - 3

Considering its status as the film that sparked Disney animation's so-called renaissance, it's easy to look at this less as its own film and more as the malleable blueprint that the next decade or so of their big movies would follow for better or worse (and also the inspiration for the gloriously bizarre Ariel Needs Legs (https://imgur.com/gallery/E8s43)). On its own terms, it's a decent enough movie even as I don't care all that much about the songs.

Hercules (John Musker and Ron Clements, 1997) - 2.5

Regardless of era, I don't think you can watch too many of these Disney fairytale movies in a row as they do start to bleed together a little too much for their own good. Even with that in mind, it's hard to really get engaged in their incredibly soft, dated, and garish rendition of the eponymous Greek hero of myth. Also, it's really distracting when they resort to referencing Roman culture for the jokes.

The Train (John Frankenheimer, 1964) - 3.5

A solid tale of French resistance members trying to foil a Nazi officer's plan to steal a collection of priceless paintings as they are transported across the country on, well, take a guess. Frankenheimer definitely knows how to craft a setpiece, though the downtime between each one isn't put to especially good use.

The Man From Laramie (Anthony Mann, 1955) - 3.5

I get the impression that Mann and Stewart ran through seemingly every archetypal Western plot available over the course of their creative partnership, if only because this sees Stewart play a familiar Western role of the lone drifter who ends up embroiled in a real town-ain't-big-enough dispute between a couple of landowners. Definitely one of their better collaborations, at least.

Roma (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018) - 4

A Fellini-esque slice-of-life drama about the members of a well-to-do household in early-1970s Mexico (primarily the young housekeeper who has to deal with problems of her own) that drifts patiently and monochromatically through a turbulent narrative and setting, never once allowing Cuarón's now-patented capacity for long takes to become distracting for their own sake (if anything, I'd argue that this only renders one of the film's most striking images all the more so because it happens in a split-second shot). I'm still undecided as to whether or not this absolutely needs to be seen in a theatre (mostly on a sound level as off-screen dialogue comes across as audience members whispering when in surround sound) but I'd still say it's worth making the effort.

Cry-Baby (John Waters, 1990) - 2

As of writing, my least favourite John Waters movie. His tale of 1950s greasers going up against the local squares reads like a sub-plot from the first draft of Hairspray that he somehow thought was worth turning into a feature-length musical. Even the recognisable elements of Waters' filmmaking are not only diluted but now come across as actively obnoxious more so than genuinely enjoyable.

Beyond the Hills (Cristian Mungiu, 2012) - 3.5

Mungiu follows a group of Orthodox nuns whose lives in a remote Romanian monastery are up-ended when one of their number brings her non-believing friend to stay. While it initially seems to settle for a fundamentally simple criticism of religion as an archaic and oppressive institution, it goes deeper than that as it offers a genuinely conflicted tale of how faith (and how said faith is rewarded or not) intersects with mental illness and life both inside and outside the strictures of the church.

Captain Spaulding

12-06-18, 06:09 PM

November Tab

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Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (Kenji Misumi, 1972) 2.5
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (Kenji Misumi, 1972) 3
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (Kenji Misumi, 1972) 3
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril (Buichi Saito, 1972) 3
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Land of Demons (Kenji Misumi, 1973) 2.5
Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell (Yoshiyuki Kuroda, 1974) 3

https://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2wzhicuak1qi5axlo1_500.gif
Wait Until Dark (Terence Young, 1967) 3
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (Melvin Van Peebles, 1971) 2.5
Love & Mercy (Bill Pohlad, 2014) 3
Skyscraper (Rawson Marshall Thurber, 2018) 2
The Devils (Ken Russell, 1971) 2.5
Doctor Strange (Scott Derrickson, 2016) 2.5

https://78.media.tumblr.com/b8981d4365117c27649311e0f63b16d0/tumblr_muf7m7R0Kq1qzzkr9o1_500.gif
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Niels Arden Oplev, 2009) 3.5
The Girl Who Played with Fire (Daniel Alfredson, 2009) 3
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Daniel Alfredson, 2009) 3
Leatherface (Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury, 2017) 1.5
Tag (Jeff Tomsic, 2018) 1.5
Trumbo (Jay Roach, 2015) 2
Hotel Artemis (Drew Pearce, 2018) 2

https://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7squ3neLD1qzlozwo1_500.gif
Cure (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 1997) 4
Sanshiro Sugata (Akira Kurosawa, 1943) 2.5
Sanshiro Sugata Part Two (Akira Kurosawa, 1945) 2.5
Happy Death Day (Christopher B. Landon, 2017) 2.5
Street Smart (Jerry Schatzberg, 1987) 3
Vegas Vacation (Stephen Kessler, 1997) 2
Daddy's Home 2 (Sean Anders, 2017) 1.5

https://78.media.tumblr.com/338869b9f44599f0b870a8358abca95b/tumblr_pb8qznZV3h1wzypxlo1_500.gif
The Black Hole (Gary Nelson, 1979) 2.5
Cruel Story of Youth (Nagisa Oshima, 1960) 3
The Plague of the Zombies (John Gilling, 1966) 3
A Star is Born (George Cukor, 1954) 3
Watership Down (Martin Rosen, 1978) 3
Legend of a Duel to the Death (Keisuke Kinosh*ta, 1963) 3
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (J.A. Bayona, 2018) 1

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Three on a Match (Mervyn LeRoy, 1932) 3
Dreams (Ingmar Bergman, 1955) 3.5
Cell (Tod Williams, 2016) 0.5
Upgrade (Leigh Whannel, 2018) 3
The Harvest (John McNaughton, 2013) 2
Safety Last! (Fred C. Newmeyer & Sam Taylor, 1923) 3

Monthly Total: 39
Yearly Total: 467

Thoughts on Some of the Films:

I've wanted to see the Lone Wolf and Cub series for years. Now that I have, I'm fairly disappointed. Despite most of the movies clocking in under 90 minutes, each entry drags when the action ceases. The unremarkable plots blur together and the multiple sub-plots feel like padding. The "Lone Wolf" of the series, Tomisaburo Wakayama, wears but one expression: stern constipation. Part of that is how his character is written, but he came across similarly in the Hanzo the Razor Trilogy. He doesn't make for a compelling lead. The same can not be said for the little boy who plays "The Cub," as he alternates between cutely menacing, cutely quizzical, cutely amused, and a host of other (cute) emotions. The violence is spectacular. Geysers of blood gush and spray from decapitations and dismemberments, often against a beautiful backdrop. I loved every moment that utilized the tricked-out baby cart, with its hidden guns, bulletproof panes and retractable blades. The last movie ends without a true conclusion, as if the series was meant to continue, but the lack of finality also fits the self-appointed purgatory of the main characters, as they find themselves trapped in a never-ending cycle of violence. The second movie was probably my favorite, although I also really enjoyed the fourth movie, with its memorable involvement of a topless assassin and her mesmerizing breast tattoo. Might watch and review Shogun Assassin sometime.

I was also disappointed with Wait Until Dark. The elaborate con game was just too ridiculous and contrived to generate much suspense or intrigue. The small apartment setting was also a hindrance and betrayed the movie's theater origins. The performances were great, however. Hepburn's frailty and convincing blindness made for a very sympathetic lead. Alan Arkin was entertainingly over-the-top. Also enjoyed Richard Crenna's performance as a likeable villain. The last act finally delivered on the thrills and suspense.

I had planned on writing a review for Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, but too much time has passed since I viewed it for me to do it justice. I can't say I necessarily enjoyed the movie, but its cultural importance can't be understated. It feels like an anti-movie, basically; an angry, indignant middle finger to "The Man." It also feels too much like a vanity project, with Van Peebles doing everything himself. He's like a chef in the kitchen using everything at his disposal, often to the detriment of the film. His unrestrained experimentation makes for a jarring, chaotic, anarchic viewing experience, although I guess that's sorta the point. Reading about the production was arguably more interesting than the film itself.

Paul Dano, in Love & Mercy, gives an excellent performance as a young Brian Wilson, although I personally found the storyline with John Cusack the more intriguing of the two time periods. Not being a fan of The Beach Boys probably lessened my emotional investment, especially during the scenes showcasing the making of Pet Sounds. I never realized how useful a detachable leg could be until watching the ridiculous Skyscraper. I enjoyed the trippy visuals of Doctor Strange but little else. The abrupt character change from the titular wizard was unconvincing; Mads Mikkelson was sorely wasted as the villain (as was McAdams as the love interest); and the big, blustery set piece at the end was a shiny bowl of who-gives-a-f**k.

The Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo lacks the polish and industrial-metal style of Fincher's version (of which I'm quite the fan), but the central mystery remains compelling despite already knowing how the pieces come together. Noomi Rapace's interpretation of Lisbeth Salander isn't as multi-layered as Rooney Mara's, although Rapace remains a magnetic screen presence. Years have passed since I read the books, but from what I remember of them, the Swedish adaptations are very faithful to the source material. Michael Nyqvist is a better fit for the written Blomkvist character than was Daniel Craig. My rating for the bloated sequels and their pedestrian direction (which has the mundane look and feel of a TV-movie) would likely be lower had I not been anxious to see the events of the page played out on screen. My fetish for gothic chicks might also play a factor.

The Japanese Cure is an essential thriller. The premise involves a string of dead bodies, each with an "X" carved into the throat, and the investigation into the killings, since each murder involves a different perpetrator with seemingly no motives. Early on the movie reminded me quite a bit of Fincher's SE7EN and Zodiac, but over time the movie slowly shifts from crime-thriller to psychological horror. The slow-burn pace has an eerie, unnerving, hypnotic quality, as many scenes are filmed in deceptively long takes that draw you in as a viewer. There's an eerie, mysterious quality to Cure that separates it from most crime-thrillers. The film also invites repeated viewings due to its enigmatic, ambiguous nature. Highly recommended.

The Sanshiro Sugata films mark the first occasion that I haven't given an Akira Kurosawa film a positive rating. They still feature some of Kurosawa's directorial trademarks, but both films are very rough around the edges --- especially the first film, which is missing 17 minutes of footage due to Japanese censors, resulting in a very disjointed narrative. For a PG-13 horror, Happy Death Day is surprisingly decent, as the slasher version of Groundhog Day makes for a fun, albeit flawed and predictable, thrill ride. I just wish that the script was a little more clever and less hackneyed. Street Smart is worth watching just to see Morgan Freeman's Academy Award nominated performance as a pimp. He still displays plenty of his usual likeability and charm, but he also flips a switch to terrifying menace like I've never seen him do, as he threatens to disfigure hookers with a switchblade. Being a Canon Films production, there's still plenty of delicious sleaze, despite the movie feeling like one of their more "prestigious" efforts.

The Black Hole, Disney's answer to Star Wars, likely felt dated even at the time of its release, as it feels like something made in the 50's as opposed to 1979. The cast boasts many familiar faces (Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Ernest Borgnine, among others) but most of them look out of place among the robots and lasers. The talky nature of the film makes for boring proceedings early on, but things eventually pick up as events take a turn for the dark and surreal. I enjoyed the sets and special-effects. I did not enjoy the corny floating robot that serves as comic relief.

While I loved select scenes and moments from A Star is Born, the movie is ultimately too damn long and self-indulgent. I watched the restored version and was completely taken out of the film every time the pan-and-scan of production stills are shown. Garland was excellent and she sings her ass off. I thought James Mason was miscast. Having watched the 30's version a few months ago, I was crossing my fingers that this version would adopt a different tragedy, but no such luck. Hopefully the Streisand and Gaga versions go in different routes.

Iroquois

12-08-18, 01:16 AM

The Old Man & the Gun (David Lowery, 2018) - 2.5

A lackadaisical New Hollywood-esque biopic of sorts about an elderly bank robber that gets by largely because said robber is played by Robert Redford mustering all the easygoing charm he can in a fundamentally basic tale that's by and large a nice and chilled-out take on the heist film - perhaps a little too nice and chilled-out even when things inevitably take a turn for the seriously dramatic.

Carlos (Olivier Assayas, 2010) - 3

I watched the full 330-minute miniseries version as opposed to the considerably shorter feature version, which I'm not entirely sure was for the better or for the worse. Even so, I have a hard time determining exactly how much of the full version of this decade-spanning biopic about the eponymous terrorist could afford to be cut, which I suppose is a point in its favour even as I'm not entirely sure that it's saying or doing a whole lot to truly merit such length.

Passion (Brian De Palma, 2012) - 2.5

De Palma has long since been established as one of those I'll-watch-anything directors for me and this quick little tale of the rivalry that develops between two advertising executives is at once testament to the truth and falseness of that statement. Even his seemingly by-the-numbers use of trademark techniques is still used with some degree of effectiveness, though not enough to seriously elevate proceedings.

I Am Love (Luca Guadagninio, 2009) - 2.5

Yet another Guadagninio piece about Italian affluence and the ways in which it can both accentuate and stifle the melodramatic adventures of the people who exist within it - in the case of this film, it's the lovelorn matriarch (Tilda Swinton) of an industrialist family who develops an attraction to her son's best friend. A bit on the stuffy side for my liking barring the occasional isolated moment where it rises above that.

Anna and the Apocalypse (John McPhail, 2017) - 2.5

An earnest attempt at doing one of those zany parodic genre mashups - in this case, a high school musical set during the zombie apocalypse at Christmas - that's regrettably light on laughs, enjoyable songs, or even gory undead mayhem.

My Winnipeg (Guy Maddin, 2007) - 3.5

Maddin's weird and wonderful film is a documentary of sorts about the eponymous Canadian city that refracts its long and storied history through the prism of his own incredibly subjective and idiosyncratic perspective (most prominently through him crafting dramatisations of his own childhood memories that vaguely brush up against any kind of historical fact). I do like this kind of matter-of-fact approach to the mundane weirdness (or is that weird mundanity?) of a life that was ever-so-slightly off-kilter (it certainly feels like it influenced Don Hertzfeldt's It's Such A Beautiful Day in this regard) and the ways in which it assembles surreal montage ("The Forks!") to get across a greater truth about the city than any dryly straightforward documentary ever could certainly makes it noteworthy.

Birds of Passage (Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra, 2018) - 3.5

Guerra's Embrace of the Serpent was one of my favourite films of 2015 so I'm pleased to report that his follow-up shows a decent effort at maintaining that standard in its somewhat unconventional tale of an organised crime saga that, much like Embrace, shows the jagged intersection between native traditionalism and the corruption caused by the encroachment of Western civilisation (this time via the burgeoning drug trade giving rise to whole new levels of greed and violence).

A Field In England (Ben Wheatley, 2013) - 3

Wheatley's one of those directors where I haven't exactly loved any of his films yet I still feel compelled to check more of his work out anyway. This decidedly surreal tale of a ragtag group of 17th-century deserters wandering around in, well, a field in England for ninety minutes gets consistently weird and nasty in a way that I find vaguely agreeable in a way that most of his films aren't.

Drop Zone (John Badham, 1994) - 2

A Point Break knock-off where Wesley Snipes must track down a gang of thieves by going undercover in the local skydiving scene. Fun enough from time to time, but unless you're really in the bag for some thoroughly '90s Snipes action you might as well just watch the actual Point Break.

Kill List (Ben Wheatley, 2011) - 3

I remember not thinking of this as particularly good when I first watched it, but that didn't stop me from thinking it was worth another shot and now it may well be the closest I have to a favourite Wheatley. It's a dark little exercise in taking a simple set-up - two veterans-turned-hitmen are given three new targets to kill - and then twisting it up into something truly sinister by putting its already-troubled protagonists on a seriously dark and twisted journey into a darkness that is at once disturbing in its incomprehensibility and then even more so when it is comprehended (which it very much is a second time around).

Nostromo87

12-09-18, 08:14 AM

Anna Karenina (1997)

Based on the novel by Russian author Leo Tolstoy, this version caught my eye for starring Sean Bean as dashing young Russian Imperial military officer Count Alexei Vronsky and Sophie Marceau, who I recognized from one of the Pierce Brosnan Bond films, as Anna. Anna is married to a prosperous nobleman twenty years her elder, and then she meets Vronsky at a ball in Moscow. After the two dance under the lights, Vronsky unabashedly pursues Anna to St. Petersburg, where they effectuate a scandalous fling. Tragic anti-Imperialist story about withstanding excitement.

Rating: rating_3 6.0 / 10

The Second Waltz (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3xbME5jVlG4&t=81s)

Urban Legend (1997)

A glimpse into a series of murders at private Pendleton University in New England, in which the butchery seems to be designed in-line with fashionable teen folklore legends. The film has a keen company of characters including Joshua Jackson, Rebecca Gayheart, Jared Leto, Danielle Harris, Tara Reid, and Robert Englund. Went full on love-fest on first viewing earlier this year, and remains a highly enjoyable 90s Teen-Horror flick in connection with I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream.

Rating: rating_3_5+ 7.5 / 10

Soldier Of Orange (1977)

A Paul Verhoeven (Starship Troopers, RoboCop, Total Recall, Showgirls, Basic Instinct) film starring Rutger Hauer as enlisted resistance courier Erik Lanshof in the German-occupied Netherlands during the Second World War. The story tracks a set of six friends from the town of Leiden, as the situation drives their lives in dissimilar directions. As a sincere enthusiast and college graduate in history, I am frequently let down when films focus too much on the personal while neglecting the crucial larger sweep of what is at stake. While Soldier Of Orange doesn't necessarily CRUSH that aspect of wonder and spectacle, it provides a lot that other productions from the period don't, and for that reason resembles a feel of a favorite-kind-of-film.

Rating: rating_4+ 8.5 / 10

Theme by RV Otterloo (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CvQkBqtUpvI)

http://i.ibb.co/XD75V6C/Soldier-1977.jpg

Night Of The Demons (1988)

The first movie I chose to watch in groundwork for the upcoming forum list about Angela's party she throws at Hull house, an old haunted estate with a hidden secret in the basement. Director Kevin S. Tenney's follow-up to Witchboard, the most memorable sequence features Linnea Quigley and her psychotic lipstick transformation, along with several other highlighted gore effects from effects designer Steve Johnson (Dead Heat, Species). A fun atmosphere is presented at times, but it all flops at surpassing better films from the time.

Rating: rating_3 6.0 / 10

Battle Of Britain (1969)

The military campaign set in the air in 1940 of The Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) shielded the United Kingdom from assault by National Socialist Germany's Luftwaffe commanded by Herman Göring. The film stars a bevy of famous actors including Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer four years after The Sound Of Music, and Robert Shaw. The German Luftwaffe, or Air Force, targetted RAF airfields, infrastructure, and production factories, but made a fatal flaw to re-direct their assault after Great Britain desperately carpet-bombed German cities and civilians in response. Germans were forced to assail Britain by air as a seaborne strike would prove too severe with English Naval control of the Channel and The North Sea. Hitler (appearing in the film for a speech to the German volk) desired to launch Operation Sea Lion, a combined amphibious (sea) and air assault once the Luftwaffe gained air superiority, but that failed to materialize. The movie is dated theaterically, but gets a lot right both factually and especially with the music. This is the movie George Lucas used to track, imitate, and translate the aerial battles into his first installment in his space saga Star Wars.

Rating: rating_3_5+ 7.5 / 10

Berlin 1940 (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z__YAGCPOv8)

http://i.ibb.co/LkQYGVs/Battle-Of-Britain-69.gif

Sedai

12-10-18, 11:11 AM

The Edge
Tamahori, 1997

4

http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/2016/10/the_edge.jpg

Much better than I remember it being, both Hopkins and Baldwin dial in good performances as they endure the Alaskan Wilderness as intrigue between the two mains unfolds slowly as the film progresses.

A Lonely Place to Die
Gilby, 2011

3

https://fanart.tv/fanart/movies/81390/moviebackground/a-lonely-place-to-die-55235015cbb88.jpg

Continuing along with the wilderness theme, five mountain climbing friends become entangled in the machinations of a child trafficking ring when they discover a child hidden in a wooden box in the mountains. A couple of minor quibbles with this one, but it was pretty well done.

Touching the Void
Macdonald, 2003

4_5

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-34BcZ8FWmOg/Ti-yjdhy4tI/AAAAAAAADYI/s1ilX97ORQI/s1600/Touching.the.Void.2003.BluRay.1080p.DTS.x264-CHD.mkv_snapshot_00.15.40_%255B2011.07.26_23.30.39%255D.jpg

Gripping docudrama concerning the true events of a mountaineering duo in the 80s. A story of the indomitable power of the human spirit in the face of crippling diversity.

Everest
Kormakur, 2015

3

http://back-to-nature.gr/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/everest-movie-climb-pointofgeeks.jpg

Yet another stuck on the mountain movie! Not as compelling a watch as Touching the Void, for sure, but still pretty well done. Did I mention I am going to avoid icy cliffs in the near future?

Leave No Trace
Granik, 2018

4

https://kzwhatever.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/image12.jpg?w=1108&h=737&crop=1

Let's hang out in the wilderness some more! An off-the-grid father and daughter duo get caught living on government land illegally, and are relocated to a Christmas tree farm. While the daughter adapts to and even begins to like being in society, the father has trouble adjusting and soon they are off into the woods again. I liked this one a whole lot. I will mention that my wife did not like this film, mostly due to some decisions the characters made at certain points in the film.

Mission Impossible : Fallout
Abrams, 2018

4

https://screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Luther-Benji-Mission-Impossible-6.jpg

I almost want to give this a higher rating simply due to the fact that it is ridiculously entertaining. That said, the story is a bit convoluted, as in most of the M:I flicks. Also, more so than the others, knowledge of the previous film is almost required, as this is pretty much a direct continuation that story. Still, this thing rocks! Awesome action set pieces, intrigue, fun characters, stunts... Pure entertainment, especially when watched in tandem with Rogue Nation.

You Were Never Really Here
Ramsay, 2017

4

http://theupcoming.flmedialtd.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/You-Were-Never-Really-Here.jpg

Grim stuff! While clearly derivative of Taxi Driver, this film eventually establishes its own identity. And let's face it, there are worse films to ape themes from. Phoenix dials in a tortured performance as he is thrust into a nightmarish child trafficking plot. A visceral experience awaits those brave enough to venture into the dark corners exposed by this film.

A Simple Favor
Feig, 2018

3

https://locable-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/resource/file/484348/A_20Simple_20Favor.jpg?timestamp=1536985479

Feig has been hit or miss for me, but this flick was both just funny and just clever enough to win me over. Not a great flick, and it tacks on one or two twists too many, so it sort of stumbles over the finish line, but Kendrick is a funny gal, and Lively is quite a looker, so it all works fairly well. Worth a watch for a few chuckles.

TheUsualSuspect

12-10-18, 11:26 AM

They Shall Not Grow Old (Peter Jackson, 2018) - 2.5

A World War I documentary that is distinct in how it's built out of archival footage that has been painstakingly colourised and dubbed over in an attempt to create a more vivid representation of what life was like for a soldier back then, but there's still the question as to whether or not such a bold move ultimately works against the film by being vaguely disrespectful in trying to render this documentary footage "realistic".

I don't consider this disrespectful at all. If anything, it shows how much respect these people are given that a team of people did what they did. I think there is an obvious disconnect with people when they see something old, black and white and grainy. This at least gives them some idea of what life was like. Such an odd thing to say. I get that they digitally put in a lot, but I don't see how it takes away from the 'realism'.

This is from someone who hasn't seen it yet though.

Swan

12-12-18, 08:51 AM

I'm ditching my thread. Hello Movie Tab!

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

You know, I really liked this. I wasn't expecting to but I really did. I think Newt is a fantastic protagonist and character and in many ways I loved how this delved into the mythology. I know it has some problems there, and I don't think the film is without flaws - the main one is not partial to this entry but the whole franchise (though most notable here perhaps), and that is the fact that Rowling seems to be able to make up a spell for any situation. There is no restraint with the magic, and I think if there was it would make the storytelling much more impactful. But for my low expectations, I was pleasantly captivated by this movie.

Creed II (2018)

Stuff like this is pure fuel for me right now. Nowhere near as good as the first Coogler-directed entry, but it still has some fantastic stuff. The training montage. Creed punching the floor. "What's your name?!" "Creed!!!!" this stuff really gets me pumped, and with these two first Creed films I've really come to connect with all these characters (Rocky, who I always loved, is further explored in these entries). The direction is surprisingly good and doesn't pale in comparison to Coogler as much as I expected, though it still does a little bit.

Instant Family (2018)

It's a fairly mediocre film really, but I was able to invest in the more heartfelt stuff. Better directing would have helped immensely.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Stunning flick, always loved this. Gut-wrenching. I love that the narration comes not from Eastwood or Swank, but the bystander, the observer - Morgan Freeman. For something that starts so seemingly muted, it takes a powerful turn near the end, as anyone who has seen it would know.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

Hot Rod is one of my favorite comedies, and I had been looking forward to this since it came out. While there was no way I would like it as much as that film, I still liked it a lot. Some greatly clever silliness and possibly the most celebrity cameos of any film ever.

The Karate Kid (1984)

It's a classic 80's film, and another good "fuel" type of thing. The scene that pays off the "wax on, wax off" stuff is the best scene in the film, only challenged by that freaking crane kick at the end!

Wrong Turn (2003)

Saw this a few times growing up - I remember my sister and her friend watching it and me asking them how the hell the filmmakers did one of the special effects sequences. They tried probably for ten minutes to explain it to me, but I couldn't understand. :p Rewatching it proved to be a treat. It a pretty tame movie-going experience but has enough tension and for me, nostalgia, to be enjoyable, especially when you are watching it with your horror pal.

Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007)

Pretty awesome flick due to it's quirk, weird premise and freakin' Henry Rollins. Perhaps not as competently-made as the first, which isn't even that stunningly-made in the first place, but it makes up for it with some batsh*t insanity. Seems to be a bit of a tonal shift as it heads to it's second half, but overall it works. Mostly because of freakin' Henry Rollins! What a bad motherf*cker.

As Above, So Below (2014)

This one really surprised me. I loved the twists and turns and ideas, especially the ending. I thought a lot of that stuff was clever and am really surprised how abysmal the reviews are. I did hate the forced attempts at infusing heart and character development, none of which worked even a little bit. But that aside, this is a damn cool movie.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

This is a great one that I rewatched partly due to my sci-fi blockbuster loving friend having never seen it, and partly due to my growing appreciation for Emily Blunt.

Day of the Dead (1985)

I remember seeing this around age 12 and then posting a review on Netflix bragging about how I watched it while eating pepperoni pizza. Anyway, I always liked it a lot but never as much as I did yesterday. To me now, this is a bonafide masterpiece and on par with the first two Romero zombie flicks. Hands down. It has the best gore and effects, and my favorite zombie of all-time - Bub.

Iverson (2014)

Not much to say about this one. It was pretty good but never elevated itself. Some weird tonal jumps and the ending kind of rushes through his career. But the first1/3 is pretty engaging.

Iroquois

12-14-18, 12:32 AM

Van Helsing (Stephen Sommers, 2004) - 1

Sommers follows up the success of his Mummy remake with this similarly-styled Universal monster mash that involves Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man (plus Hugh Jackman as the eponymous vampire hunter at the centre of it all). Unfortunately, the whole thing proves a tiresome eyesore that barely manages to have anything of worth happen throughout this supernatural swashbuckler.

Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (Nick Broomfield, 1993) - 3

With Kurt and Courtney, Broomfield struck me as more than a little annoying when it came to being a documentarian but his ambush-like approach seems a little better suited to his work chronicling the trials of the eponymous murderer and those that surround her during this difficult time (and are all too liable to exploit her notoriety). The result is a decent true-crime doc that manages to depict Wuornos as a complicated individual.

The Longest Yard (Robert Aldrich, 1974) - 2

It probably doesn't help that I already saw the Adam Sandler remake that severely broadened the original's humour, but it doesn't help that that film effectively did a scene-for-scene remake to the point where this one plays like a dull and uninspired remake of itself. Fortunately, it still proves a semi-watchable Burt Reynolds vehicle that is still (technically) superior to the Sandler version.

Hellraiser: Inferno (Scott Derrickson, 2000) - 2.5

Another passable Hellraiser sequel, this time about a corrupt detective who becomes a little too involved with a murder investigation that obviously crosses over with everyone's favourite nail-riddled demon. It's an interesting enough angle through which to filter the usual depictions of torture (and especially remarkable in how it emphasises psychological horror as the detective starts to lose his grip on reality), but too often it comes across as a middling police procedural.

Robin Hood (Otto Bathurst, 2018) - 1.5

The altruistic bandit of legend gets reworked as a thoroughly generic 2010s blockbuster hero in a film befitting that description (right down to the aggressive orange-and-teal colour-correction and overly optimistic sequel hook) in a way that is ever-so-slightly entertaining to watch as it shambles its way through clumsy (albeit semi-respectable) attempts at socio-political commentary and an origin story filled with some extremely passable setpieces.

Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill, 2003) - 3

A decidedly necessary companion piece to Selling... that picks up over a decade later (amusingly enough, with Broomfield being subpoenad for Wuornos' latest trial where Selling... becomes a key piece of evidence and turns his often-obtrusive search for truth back on himself) and (as you can probably guess) brings this extremely layered story of the notorious serial killer to its inevitable conclusion.

Samurai Saga (Hiroshi Inagaki, 1959) - 2.5

The quick logline would be "Cyrano de Bergerac but with samurai" as Toshiro Mifune plays a big-nosed warrior poet who ends up siding with an inarticulate rival to romance a fair princess. A bit too simple for my liking, but still has tangibly good moments scattered throughout (mainly because of Mifune himself).

Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present (Matthew Akers, 2011) - 3.5

A documentary following the legendary performance artist as she sets up her latest exhibition, the centrepiece of which involves sitting motionless day after day in the middle of the gallery as patrons take turns trying to meet her gaze (also delving into her own history of elaborate and masochistic performances in the process). Assuming you've got the patience to put up with what may be all the biggest performance art clichés rolled into a single package, it's a compelling watch.

Charlie's Country (Rolf de Heer, 2013) - 3

Low-key drama about an indigenous elder (the legendary David Gulpilil) trying to eke out a living on the outskirts of a rural town that has effectively dispossessed him and his people. Uncomplicated by design with its matter-of-fact approach to following Charlie that's definitely carried by Gulpilil's largely-internalised performance.

The Wailing (Na Hong-jin, 2016) - 3.5

The kind of horror that's maybe not a high-wire act of tension (especially when considering its sizeable runtime) but one that still gets under your skin with its tale of demonic possession slowly infecting the citizens of a small mountain village and how they struggle to defend against it (especially when it gets into morally ambiguous territory as the protagonist's desperation gives way to stark brutality).

Mr Minio

12-14-18, 02:15 AM

Magasiskola [The Falcons] (1970) - rating_4

From the director of Dead Landscape! An indictment of Communism hidden in a simple story about falconers living in a Great Hungarian Plain. Falcons are majestic creatures, but they're held captive and trained to do exactly what's expected from them. A newcomer is quite eager to become a falconer himself, but quickly becomes disillusioned with falconry, which has its climax in a beautiful scene of him catching a wild falcon. Pretty photography of the steppes, wild life, landscapes...

黒い河 [Black River] (1956) - rating_4

Nakadai's vilest role I've seen! He plays an absolutely despicable son of a bitch who rapes, beats, abuses women, and does some legal trickery to deprive the poor of accommodation! It's a strong film by Masaki Kobayashi whose next effort will be his magnum opus The Human Condition - a film that talks about people during war; Black River talks about Japan after war - a poor, dilapidated country inhabited by damaged people. A great film, but hardly an uplifting one!

A Foreign Affair (1948) - rating_4

A minor Wilder, but such an entertaining film! I'm not too big on Dietrich, but she's good. So is Jean Arthur who's quite cute in this nerdy kind of way. I'm starting to really appreciatethe impeccable writing of these old, classic Hollywood films, too. Didn't find it particularly laugh out loud funny, but surely appreciated the witticisms. I guess I'll have to watch more Wilder flicks! Even his lesser films are soooo enjoyable!

Córki dancingu [The Lure] (2015) - rating_3

A decent Polish film with some solid visuals and popping music. A horror musical! The dichotomy between the prevalent hate for this film in Poland, and the unexpected love in the West (released in Criterion Collection - WTF?!) is intriguing. Those siren tails really reminded me of snake tails in Green Snake, but surely two wan Slavs can't compete with Maggie and Joey - two absolutely stunning Chinese beauties. I wish the film was even crazier and more out there! I want a scene of those sirens and that aquarius slaughtering everybody to some pumping music, and then having a wild threesome while bathing in blood and guts! I... I mean... we want to be edgy, right? So let's be! In all seriousness, though, it's good such films are being made in Poland!

戒厳令 [Coup d'etat] (1973) - rating_4

Every time I watch a Yoshida I'm first convinced I'm watching the best-looking film ever, only to be reminded that I'd indeed seen a more visually stunning film, and it was also directed by Yoshida! I didn't find this one too interesting plotwise, but the cinematography is sooooooooooooo good.

অশনি সংকেত [Distant Thunder] (1973) - rating_4

Quite a touching, down-to-earth Ray film on the Great Bengal famine of 1943. It might be a little bit rough around the edges, but it surely makes up for it with the story and Ray's humanism!

A Dança dos Paroxismos (1929) - rating_4_5

A Portuguese take on French Impressionist Cinema - a direct tribute to Marcel L'Herbier! The camera is absolutely free in this, and it's a pleasure to see such unchained, experimental cinematography! The story is so poetic and fairy tale-ish, too.

Flicka och hyacinter [Girl with Hyacinths] (1950) - rating_4

Swedish Citizen Kane! Just as cold and objective as the Welles film, but the final twist is so much better and more subversive than the Rosebud one!

恐怖雞 [The Intruder] (1997) - rating_3_5

A solid CAT III offering that felt more like one of those bloody Korean thrillers than an actual Category III film. Produced by Johnnie To, which resulted in a little bit too polished and mainstream a look. You see, I prefer my CATs rough and dirty! Still, the story is engaging and not devoid of scuzz. I only wish it had more sleaze!

Mirage (1965) - rating_4

Absolutely delightful! Loved the mystery of it and C̶a̶r̶y̶ ̶G̶r̶a̶n̶t̶ Gregory Peck (thanks, mark f) character's struggle to find out who he is. Even the supporting characters are quite vivid and have some punch to them. They all have their own motivations. For example, the thugs want to get G̶r̶a̶n̶t̶ ̶ Peck not only because they've been paid to, but also because they want to retaliate for him beating them up earlier. The first two thirds of the film are absolutely perfect, so when the solution starts to slowly unfold, one can be nothing but disappointed. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with the denouement, but it only induced a "Oh, okay." reaction from me. Still, a really great film, and for what it's worth, I prefer it to most Hitchcock.

The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933) - rating_3_5

A dubious soap opera romance, but the cinematography is ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS, and it successfully overshadows the shallowness of the story. I found the final bits of the film quite problematic, because:
1. He basically kidnapped her just to make her his (because he got bored with the Chinese girl) - just like the corny tagline says, in the end he lost, but at least he conquered the woman. That's all she was to him. A conquest.
2. She... well, she basically had erotic dreams about him back when she only knew him for not giving a flying damn if he ran over a boy, or not, because "in China human life has the least worth", or something, right when they're shooting people behind the window! But yeah, he was handsome, so sure. I don't mind her falling in love with him only on the basis of his good looks, but I do mind her actually begging for it (with the good ole Christian preaching reluctance just for show) just when you can clearly see he's not exactly a prince charming to put it lightly - and all of that even if you consider she wasn't aware of his ruse.

And yet the ending suggests a powerful love, and a great tear-worthy romance of the century.It's quite cool the characters are not perfect, but it's still bothersome how it was portrayed.
I know they couldn't have cast an Asian actor as the lead, but it doesn't change the fact Asther looks really silly in yellow face - not to mention the ridiculous eyebrows! And the Fu Manchu reference during the dream scene was most unexpected and quite amusing if farsical! Kudos they at least cast a Japanese (albeit very Chinese-looking) lady instead of another yellow face!

Iroquois

12-14-18, 02:37 AM

Why do Poles hate The Lure?

MijaFrost

12-14-18, 03:46 AM

^ I'm wondering that too. I've seen it as well and gave it the same rating as Minio. Definitely good effort, just felt like the producers lost an opportunity there by not delving more into the interesting concept, and kind of flaked out with the "love story."
Haven't viewed Green Snake yet although it's been on my watchlist.

Mr Minio

12-14-18, 09:58 AM

Why do Poles hate The Lure? To be exact, about half of my 67 Polish cinema buff "friends" liked the film to some degree. Also, most mainstream Polish viewers were more or less disappointed with the film (it scored the average of a really low 5,1/10 from 26k voters on the biggest Polish film-rating site).

There might be a plenty of reasons for this:

1. The differences between the Polish and American (international?) trailers. The Polish trailer is false advertising:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3n_MUdwUPI
It doesn't even show or tell the girls are human-feeding mermaids, and that this is a highly stylized horror film. Quite honestly, it looks like a trailer for yet another awful Polish romantic comedy, so it apparently drew such crowd, that as a result was disappointed.
Here's the International trailer for comparison:
[removed]
Much darker! Watch both, and tell me which one is a better representation of the film.

2. Highly stylized art films that tell the story through symbolism etc. are oftentimes hated by the general Polish audience. Only God Forgives, Neon Demon, The Tree of Life. Mandy... to name a few.

3. The Poles are not used to this kind of films (honestly I've never seen a Polish film of this kind before!). Also, some more conservative (and older, I guess) people found the film disgusting.

Bonus:

Some examples of comments (translated by me):

"Yet another Polish film that tries to be (like an) American (film). It will make you disgusted with fish!"
"Good direction wasted on idiotic screenplay. Pretty but empty!"
"Just sick!"
"Just when I thought Suicide Squad had no screenplay."
"Lack of reason and human dignity."
"Disgusting."
"Absolutely terrible as far as screenwriting goes. The characters are merely shallow silhouettes with no psychological depth to them. Not to mention the terrible songs! I've seen another film about a mermaid who met a prince and they really loved each other. Unlike in The Lure, she didn't become a whore for whom the only thing she wants and knows is sex. She gets humped by a random fag who then marries another, which leaves the mermaid with no other options. No moral. A film of its times."

Iroquois

12-14-18, 10:31 AM

Yes, I suppose in hindsight it was silly to ask why the glam-punk musical about human-eating mermaids wouldn't have a particularly wide appeal, false advertising or not (you weren't kidding about the Polish trailer).

Also, lol at the comment that complains about the movie having no morals while dropping the f-slur.

Sedai

12-17-18, 12:15 PM

Molly's Game
Sorkin, 2017

3_5

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/34uV7xLDyK_7oyhxdLGyJp7Rj1M=/0x0:1200x600/1200x800/filters:focal(322x108:514x300)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56603561/molly_sgame_01.0.jpg

A crime flick primarily driven by snappy dialogue sequences, Molly's Game tells the story of Molly Bloom, a post-injury Olympic skier that starts running back room poker games in LA, and later in New York City. Chastain is excellent, as is Elba, even if the narrative is a bit scattershot at times.

The Florida Project
Baker, 2017

4

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/2017/11/the_florida_project_still_1.jpg

Seen mostly through the perspective of a six year old girl living in Florida just outside Walt Disney World, this film paints a colorful portrait of the day-to-day life of several kids and their derelict parents, all of who live in a brightly painted hotel called The Magic Castle. Unlike the nearby Magic Kingdom, this castle is populated with tattooed skanks and down-on-their luck single parents trying to make their weekly rent payments. Willem Defoe shows up in a supporting role as the hotel manager/reluctant playground monitor, but the film is primarily focused on one child, her playmates, and her mother, all played by unknowns. Despite its over-saturated color palette, the film is stark and realistic, and is equal parts uplifting, depressing, heartbreaking, and infuriating. The director preserves the main character's innocence for as long as he can, but as the film progresses, and the mother's conduct deteriorates, we know that something has got to give.

Iroquois

12-17-18, 12:25 PM

Creed II (Steven Caple Jr., 2018) - 3

Overall a step down from the soft-reboot original, but it finds interesting ways to compensate - most notably by taking the most cartoonish of the classic Rocky villains and doing such an astounding job of humanising him that it makes you wish he and his son got their own movie - and also do a passable job of maintaining the action standard set by its predecessor.

Widows (Steve McQueen, 2018) - 3.5

A solid heist film with a twist - that of a gang of thieves dying during a job and their widows effectively being forced to learn how to carry out their next job to pay off a vindictive gangster - that dabbles in various strata of political drama as it does so but never loses sight of its thriller elements in the process, resulting in a markedly above-average potboiler experience.

Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (Michael Rapaport, 2011) - 3

A simple but effective documentary about the influential hip-hop group that traces their history from formation to success to in-fighting to reconciliation and all points in between. Definitely a little rough to watch the film's continued focus on Phife Dawg's health problems and the associated drama in the wake of his passing.

The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer, 2012) - 4

A superficially absurd exercise - tracking down participants in Indonesian death squads and convincing them to produce their own cinematic re-enactments of the war crimes they committed - proves a troubling window into the psychology of not just the individuals who all too willingly participated in brutal genocide but the system that enabled them then and continues to do so now.

The Look of Silence (Joshua Oppenheimer, 2014) - 3.5

A companion piece to The Act of Killing that takes a different approach in how it allows one man to talk face-to-face with various executioners and participants in the military coup so as to confront them with the weight of their actions (or inaction). While decidedly more conventional an approach than the theatrics of Act (though the "optometrist" angle still can't help but feel like a cinematic device no matter how true it might be), it's still served well by examining the psychological fallout on victim and perpetrator and loved one alike.

Barbara (Christian Petzold, 2012) - 3.5

I quite liked Petzold's Phoenix and Transit so while this film's treading of similar narrative ground - that of a hospital nurse planning to escape her exile in East Germany - does come across as a little rough compared to his later films, it still proves a solid watch.

Lean On Pete (Andrew Haigh, 2017) - 2

I do think it's worth questioning just what makes this tale of a teenage ranch-hand becoming emotionally attached to a slow-moving racehorse significantly lesser than other similarly meandering films about life on the skids (an easy point of comparison would be this year's considerably superior The Rider). Maybe it's just that it does a little too well at emphasising its troubled protagonist's alienation from other people by barely giving the audience anything to get attached to in the meantime, resulting in a repetitive structure as he wanders from place to place faster than we can find a reason to care what just happened at each place.

Murder at 1600 (Dwight H. Little, 1997) - 1.5

This could be the poster child for dull '90s thrillers with its tale of Wesley Snipes and Diane Lane investigating a murder at the White House. While the former makes it somewhat watchable, he can only do so much to carry such a plodding excuse for a thriller.

Cam (Daniel Goldhaber, 2018) - 3

Blumhouse does techno-paranoia with this tale of a camgirl whose quest for online fame and fortune is compromised when her account is stolen by a mysterious doppelganger. It's definitely unsettling well before dropping its doppelganger angle a full 30 minutes into its 90-minute runtime and does a decent job of maintaining its unease as it not only probes Internet-based fears but also by commenting on the stigmatisation of sex workers in the process.

Love, Simon (Greg Berlanti, 2018) - 2.5

I guess this is a nice and inoffensive little variation on the Hollywood teen rom-com with its tale of a closeted teen whose anonymous online exchanges with an unknown student end up causing unwanted complications.

Sedai

12-18-18, 11:03 AM

I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore
Blair, 2017

4

https://thedullwoodexperiment.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/i-dont-feel-at-home-in-this-world-anymore-netflix.jpg

Quite a few belly laughs and a couple of surprise turns make this is super fun watch. Highly recommended.

Spring Breakers
Korine, 2012

2_5

https://media2.fdncms.com/riverfronttimes/imager/u/original/2502765/8638708.0.jpg

I almost rated this 3, as it does pull off some decent stylistic flourishes, and Franco is fun to watch, but ultimately, this is just a bunch of beaver shots attached to a group of idiots doing idiotic things. Reminded me of Natural Born Killers a couple of times, and I dislike that film.

Swan

12-20-18, 05:22 AM

Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever (2009)

I had a lot more fun with this the first time I saw it. It's not without some charm and boasts a great cameo by the legendary Mark Borchardt. But Ti West can do better, and it definitely pales in comparison to the wonderful first film.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Ended up seeing this twice. What's not to love about it? The filmmakers clearly had fun playing with the superhero genre and blockbuster cinema in general, both challenging conventions while also embracing the format. The overall style is so breathtaking it could have been a case of style over substance. Fortunately, the script is just as good, with six different versions of Spider-Man that are all distinct, colorful characters all their own. To me, that's a good achievement.

The Favourite (2018)

Here's what I wrote about the film on Letterboxd when I saw it a week ago:

"One of the most fascinating films about power dynamics I've seen in a very long time. I was unsure about it during the first 20-30 minutes, but then my interest began to ramp up until, by the end of it, I was wondering if this was my new favorite film of 2018. I'll have to sit with it a while to decide that, as I will have to regarding it's place in Lanthimos's current filmography. But it's hard to deny that it features some of his best work to date."

Turns out I am still thinking about it and still hold it to high (if not even higher) esteem. That's important to me even more than the initial experience.

Roma (2018)

Some great craft here that is in some ways distinctly Cauron, although he's also pulling from the likes of Ozu and Fellini, at least in my eyes. Ultimately it hinges on Cleo, who is an absolutely wonderful character, someone who is a genuinely good person even if she doesn't know it.

Demons (1985)

What I wrote in Nostro's Top 100 Horror thread:

"Shout-out to Demons, which I revisited the other day. Turns out it's way more amazing than I remember. Plays *a little bit* like an Evil Dead flick set in a theater instead of a cabin, and instead of a chainsaw it's a katana. And it touts one of the best horror themes ever. Overall, it's a masterpiece."

The Mule (2018)

When I saw 15:17 to Paris earlier this year, I was left wondering what happened to Clint as a filmmaker. It remains my least favorite film of 2018 (and that’s unlikely to change) - a truly perplexing experience for me to see someone I always viewed as wonderfully competent in the director’s chair delivering a film so unbelievably incompetent. While some of that bleeds over into The Mule, it proved to be a much more rewarding experience, even if it doesn’t match the level of his best work.

Regardless of all that, and if my speculation is correct, then I kind of love that Mr. Eastwood is just kind of doing whatever the hell he wants at this point. Perhaps he is sacrificing technical ability that he has proven to have in the past for a certain level of unhinged creative experimentation. Or perhaps I am being too optimistic.

Whatever the case, at least the guy can still act. His performance here carries the film through to it’s end, with enough charisma and depth to make the overall film work much better than it might have otherwise.

Sedai

12-20-18, 12:31 PM

Bad Times at the El Royale
Goddard, 2018

2_5

https://d26oc3sg82pgk3.cloudfront.net/files/media/uploads/zinnia/2018/06/19/bad-times-at-the-el-royale-trailer-video-watch.jpg.644x500_q100.jpg

When I saw that the guy who directed Cabin in the Woods was at the helm here, I was excited to see this. Alas, it's not much more than a Tarantino clone with several cardboard cutout characters and some ham-fisted social commentary. A couple of the characters, played by Jeff Bridges and Cynthia Erivo were well done, and their performances are probably the best aspects of the film. Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth and Dakota Johnson were wasted, for the most part. I just couldn't shake the been-there-done-that vibe I got from this flick. Bad times, indeed.

Nostromo87

12-20-18, 02:52 PM

The Mule (2018)

When I saw 15:17 to Paris earlier this year, I was left wondering what happened to Clint as a filmmaker. It remains my least favorite film of 2018 (and that’s unlikely to change) - a truly perplexing experience for me to see someone I always viewed as wonderfully competent in the director’s chair delivering a film so unbelievably incompetent. While some of that bleeds over into The Mule, it proved to be a much more rewarding experience, even if it doesn’t match the level of his best work.

Regardless of all that, and if my speculation is correct, then I kind of love that Mr. Eastwood is just kind of doing whatever the hell he wants at this point. Perhaps he is sacrificing technical ability that he has proven to have in the past for a certain level of unhinged creative experimentation. Or perhaps I am being too optimistic.

Whatever the case, at least the guy can still act. His performance here carries the film through to it’s end, with enough charisma and depth to make the overall film work much better than it might have otherwise.

Fine, enjoyable flick. Saw The Mule yesterday with my Dad, looked to be Morpheus, Bradley Cooper, Andy Garcia, and Clint mainly having a good ole time together.

http://i.ibb.co/0BqkHG3/The-Mule-2018.jpg

Swan

12-20-18, 03:17 PM

Fine, enjoyable flick. Saw The Mule yesterday with my Dad, looked to be Morpheus, Bradley Cooper, Andy Garcia, and Clint mainly having a good ole time together.

http://i.ibb.co/0BqkHG3/The-Mule-2018.jpg

Yeah, I will usually appreciate a film more if I can sense the filmmakers are at least having a fun time making it. That was the case here.

Unless I'm misinterpreting the situation I get the feeling that Eastwood, in his late age, is letting go of any sense of prestige and just having fun. I admire that greatly, even if the results aren't as great as they could be.

I weirdly had both low and high expectations going in - low because of his other 2018 film, high because it looked good and I like Clint. Fortunately, the experience steered closer to meeting the high expectations than the low expectations.

Iroquois

12-20-18, 11:32 PM

It's been...interesting to see the takes that say he's getting "experimental" and inviting comparisons to the likes of Bresson and Kiastorami by casting the soldiers as themselves in The 15:17 to Paris (thus making them stand out against the rather stodgy utilitarianism that tends to characterise his films). But yeah, I've seen about 20 of his movies and I'd say that he's generally that good as a filmmaker. For every Unforgiven or Outlaw Josey Wales there's a Firefox or Heartbreak Ridge. That being said, we'll see what I end up making of The Mule if/when I get around to watching it.

Iroquois

12-21-18, 11:00 AM

Climax (Gaspar Noé, 2018) - 3.5

This inspired-by-true-events tale of a dance troupe's ill-fated after-party might be Noé's tamest film (out of the ones I've seen anyway) in that it's not quite as graphic or disorienting as his other major releases (though it's not for a lack of trying). He keeps it lean and focused (under a hundred minutes, confined to a single location) in a way that accentuates the qualities that distinguish him for better or worse but appreciably downplays just how obnoxious he and his filmmaking can be.

Elf (Jon Favreau, 2003) - 1.5

I guess this is what passes for a modern Christmas classic these days with its blithely earnest tale of a human adopted by Santa and his elves who decides to go looking for his real dad. Not the worst premise and I obviously understand why it opted to go the family-friendly route (and there was definitely potential for this thing to go darker), but more often than not I found it a grating and unfunny mess.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Bill Melèndez, 1965) - 3.5

Another first-time viewing of a Christmas classic, this time yielding some pleasant results with its animation that has visibly aged but only in a way that emphasises its distinct style for the better and accentuates the better parts of its simple-but-effective narrative about Charlie Brown trying to deal with a sudden onslaught of Christmas neurosis (which, coming on the heels of something as obnoxiously giddy about Christmas spirit as Elf, was thoroughly welcome).

Overlord (Julius Avery, 2018) - 2.5

A weirdly disappointing piece of Nazisploitation where American G.I.s on a vital mission in occupied France end up uncovering a mad science lab. It's still entertaining enough in parts - you get a decent feel for the squad (including Wyatt Russell breaking from his slacker typecasting even if it's only to do a really good impression of his dad) and it doesn't exactly skimp on gory horror (though I question if it really earns its R18+ rating), but it's still got enough problems that I'm ultimately underwhelmed by the whole thing.

Bill Cunningham: New York (Richard Press, 2010) - 3

A slight and economical documentary about the eccentric fashion photographer of the title. It's a modest piece of work about an equally modest subject whose chipper demeanour and fantastic obsession with fashion ultimately grow on you.

Bunny and the Bull (Paul King, 2009) - 2.5

Somewhere between directing episodes of The Mighty Boosh and the Paddington movies, King made this very Boosh-like buddy comedy that trades in everything from odd-couple banter to outlandishly animated (in both senses of the word) storytelling. It's definitely got its strengths (the leads have some decent chemistry together and King knows how to deploy some appreciably comedic surrealism) but it's still rather hit-and-miss.

Tokyo Godfathers (Satoshi Kon, 2003) - 4

At once notably different to the other Kon works I've seen and yet still distinctly his, this tale of three homeless people finding an abandoned infant and getting into all sorts of escapades as a result manages to play the situation for a variety of tones ranging from the broadly comical to the genuinely melancholy without managing to come across as either patronising or cloying. Not sure if it'll become an annual Christmas-viewing staple but honestly I'm starting to get the impression that I don't really need to arbitrarily watch the same movies over and over again at the same time of year.

Sorry To Bother You (Boots Riley, 2018) - 4

Delightfully deranged and off-kilter satire about a black telemarketer deciding to use an uncanny-sounding "white voice" to become a high-flying salesperson. It's subtle as a brick through a skylight with its no-holds-barred approach that targets everything from racial tension to class warfare to late capitalism to performance art to [spoilers] and, well, the list goes on. While that may make the film sound messy and unfocused, it's mainly a by-product of the film's generally manic and propulsive energy that definitely leaves an impression and results in one of my favourite films of 2018.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (Brian Henson, 1992) - 3

That most classic of Christmas stories gets a rather novel adaptation through the addition of Jim Henson's troupe of felt-skinned puppets and an assortment of Paul Williams-penned musical numbers that do make for an enjoyable (if somewhat slight) experience.

The Snowman (Dianne Jackson, 1982) - 3

Another brief made-for-TV Christmas special, this time a simple fairytale about a boy whose snowman comes to life for fun and merriment on Christmas Eve. Above average as far as Christmas classics go, though we'll see if it really holds up (and I can't tell if the song that plays during it is actually good or if it's actually an annoying earworm).

Sedai

12-22-18, 12:42 PM

Tron: Legacy
Kosinski, 2010

4

http://basementrejects.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/tron-legacy-army.jpg

A visual and aural feast with a couple of blemishes here and there, but overall, I love this one. Just the right mix of nostalgia and some classic father/son mythology give this enough substance to elevate the proceedings. The CLU animations are dated, but everything else holds up just fine. The soundtrack is phenomenal, and Quora is quite the cutie. Perhaps it's a guilty pleasure, but I am fine with that.

Daniel M

12-23-18, 09:51 AM

3 Godfathers (John Ford, 1948) rating_3_5

A very well crafted enjoyable film, nothing too spectacular and lulls slightly in the middle but the performances and cinematography are superb as usual.

Solaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1971) rating_4_5

Having loved Tarkovsky's other films, it was only a matter of time before I would eventually get to this. I thought it was superb, every frame is beautiful and I found it quite scary and disturbing, great atmosphere and examination of the human consciousness.

Ride Lonesome (Budd Boetticher, 1959) rating_4

I love films like this, relatively short, simple story with everything perfectly shot and nothing wasted in the camera. A real brutal, raw Western with a fantastic ending.

The Descendants (Alexander Payne, 2011) rating_2

I loved Nebraska so I was excited to finally see another Payne film, so I was dissapointed that I didn't really enjoy this. It has some funny moments, but overall it lacks any sort of rhythm or energy to keep me interested. It all seemed a bit vacuous.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (Joseph Sargent, 1974) rating_4

Like other films of its time, this one makes excellent use of locations, has awesome villains, and has an amazing soundtrack. Just so cool throughout and very gripping too.

Sedai

12-23-18, 10:12 AM

Krampus
Dougherty, 2015

3_5

https://cdn.skim.gs/images/mf0tbztfkbn9brlmnbpq/the-real-story-behind-krampus-things-to-know-about-the-film

I think this has made it into our annual batch of Christmas movies, along side Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Carol, and Die Hard.

Mid90s
Hill, 2018

3_5

http://www.awardscircuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Mid90s-1600x900-c-default.jpg

My wife and I both liked this quite a bit. The two actors above were the best of the bunch. Not bad for the Freshman effort from first-time director Jonah Hill. Definitely transported me back to the 90s.

Halloween
Green, 2018

3

https://www.screengeek.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/halloween-movie-michael-myers-1000x600.jpg

Hey, isn't it Christmas? Oddly, one of the characters had a Christmas sweater on. A fine sequel, and probably the best of the bunch since the original.

Swan

12-23-18, 11:06 PM

Bumblebee (2018)

A few scenes were shot at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, where I live. Absolutely surreal seeing that in a big modern blockbuster. Unfortunately, I didn't care for the movie. I guess it's technically more "competent" than the Bay ones, if you see competency as safe, conventional, generic filmmaking. Because this is one of the most generic blockbusters I've seen recently, so generic I started drifting away due to boredom. There is nothing compelling here in the craft or storytelling. In a weird way, I almost like the Bay entries more, for the sole reason that at *least* they have the unhinged insanity as you would expect from Bay. Quality filmmaking or not, the batsh*t craziness of those outweighs the play-it-safe filmmaking of this one for me.

Christmas Evil (1980)

I liked this one when I first saw it, but I found it mostly lackluster this time around. I guess because it doesn't seem to add up to much at the end (although the final moment was pretty awesome). Fiona Apple's dad (who she definitely got her sad eyes from) is awesome, hilariously creepy throughout, and any enjoyment I got out of it this time was because of him.

The Favourite (2018)

Such a vibrant film, booming with life. The first time I saw it I was struck by the main trio (Weisz, Colman, and Stone) and the power dynamics between their characters. I still think that’s the highlight - easily the best ensemble of the year.

This time though I was really taken by the cinematography. I seem to like the fisheye shots more every time they show up, and the close-ups - of Stone in particular - are gorgeous. It feels like Lanthimos and his DP Robbie Ryan had a confident understanding of what they wanted with the camerawork overall while still allowing themselves an avenue for creative freedom, because there are plenty of recurring techniques and as a whole it feels strongly cohesive, but also never stops feeling fresh and inventive. A nice balance to have.

Aquaman (2018)

I thought this looked really terrible and I was considering not seeing it. But I did anyway. Turns it it's mostly bad, but there is some stuff I appreciated. It seemed Wan was having a fun time which is always a good thing. I also thought the action was pretty damn cool (the best action bit was Kidman in the intro), and I just love the underwater fishy setting. In the same way Star Wars is a "space opera", this is a "fish opera". The CGI, which any other day I would loathe, was weirdly enjoyable - I think because the crazy CGI-fest quality is exactly what Wan was going for. Lastly, Patrick Wilson was pretty good as the villain.

Those are fine compliments, but the cons are more affecting. The script is lazy, exposition-heavy and shallow (pun! ;)), which may be the key reason I watched it - and admired what I did - at a distance the whole time. Just as detrimental is that Momoa does not work at all as Aquaman and should not have been cast.

Iroquois

12-24-18, 11:17 AM

Mystery Train (Jim Jarmusch, 1989) - 4

Jarmusch's anthology film centred around a run-down Memphis hotel and the various guests who come to stay there one night still proves an enjoyable watch a second time around with its eccentric cast of characters, uncomplicated approach to overlapping narratives, and off-beat sense of humour.

The Christmas Chronicles (Clay Kaytis, 2018) - 2

It turns out that there's only so much novelty value to be had in having Kurt Russell play Santa Claus in what is otherwise a decidedly generic saving-Christmas kind of movie. That being said, it's at least a semi-tolerable example of a saving-Christmas movie and the man himself commits to the role well enough.

The Predator (Shane Black, 2018) - 2.5

Yep, I watched it a second time and...no significant change here. Still can't deny that it's a disappointment, though not the biggest disappointment. Undecided as to whether or not it's the worst in the series (might be tied with Predator 2 in that regard).

The House With A Clock In Its Walls (Eli Roth, 2018) - 1.5

While the prospect of seeing a notorious gorehound like Roth try his hand at a family-friendly brand of horror is too much of a novelty to disregard, for the most part this means that he is so far outside his wheelhouse that he can only resort to delivering a barely-remarkable piece of sub-Tim Burton dark fantasy.

The Foreigner (Martin Campbell, 2017) - 2

A promising logline - Jackie Chan seeks vengeance against the IRA bombers who killed his daughter by targeting former ringleader turned seemingly legit politician Pierce Brosnan - barely goes anywhere as Chan and any possible action antics (even some relatively easy stuff given Chan's advanced age) are sidelined in favour of an intrigue plot that isn't all that intriguing.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (David Yates, 2018) - 1

I barely have any tolerance for the original Harry Potter series so I'm not sure why I've managed to watch both the prequel spin-offs, especially when I didn't much care for the first Beasts. The second one seems like it has room for improvement but quickly exacerbates the same faults that plagued its predecessor and just makes for a film that does an exceptional job of speaking to the worst aspects of contemporary franchise filmmaking. Can they even get to five installments at this rate?

The Night Comes For Us (Timo Tjahjanto, 2018) - 3

I don't think I'm as overly impressed by this recently-popularised brand of hyper-kinetic Indonesian action movie as other people. While I somewhat appreciate that this film makes a decent effort at providing fast-paced and bloody carnage that's tinged with the sort of eccentric extremity that plays like an attempt at attaining cult status, it's still weirdly middle-of-the-road for me with its bloated running time and lacklustre heroic bloodshed narrative.

Mortal Engines (Christian Rivers, 2018) - 3

Though I will concede that this is a fundamentally generic example of a young adult dystopia, I find it sufficiently distinguished by its fantastic (if implausible) core concept of a post-apocalyptic world where entire towns and cities move on gigantic tracks that's aided by Weta-level effects wizardry that places it on the right side of average.

Thief (Michael Mann, 1981) - 4.5

Though I'd obviously still consider Heat to be Mann's masterpiece, I reckon this is a worth choice for a runner-up. Right from the very first frame where Tangerine Dream meets neon-lit bitumen, it's very much my kind of movie and (depending on what you do or do not count as part of the sub-genre) a strong contender for the best one-last-job movie out there.

Prince Avalanche (David Gordon Green, 2013) - 2.5

A fairly standard two-dudes-bickering indie. Really not a whole lot to say about it.

aronisred

12-25-18, 09:39 PM

VICE

5

I just watched the best movie of the 2018. Adam McKay directs a satirical comedy/horror about the rise of Dick Cheney through the ranks of Washington D.C.

I am a huge fan of the big short and with this movie Adam Mckay takes a shot at Washington D.C and the political power during bush era. The movie is one of the most unique movies ever made. It grew on me after I watched it last night. McKay avoids so many pitfalls in the movie. When you make a movie about Dick Cheney, you never make a hero out of him. It is incredibly easy to make a success story with a bitter social message tagged on as cautionary tale. It is tempting. But a movie about Dick Cheney should be more about the effects of his actions and how he became what he became and less about accidentally idolizing him. The movie is dense and loaded with lot of stuff and facts. McKay has slowly but surely became an auteur. I love his style so much. In the first 10 minutes you notice that the movie is creating this portrait of warped American dream. You know about his background and where he is now. It competently wraps up lot of threads and starts focusing on his current timeline. It never goes overboard with emotions. There is a lot of emotion in the real life itself. You don't have to make up fake emotional scenes. The movie super imposes dramatic scenes with real life footage to kind of paint a grim picture of people in power and how decisions made in closed doors impact the world.

The stands outs are Christian bale's realistic tranformative performance, editing, screenplay, and sam Rockwell's performance. All these things work extremely well. It gets better a second time. FINALLY a movie doesn't feel like it could be directed by anyone. I honestly don't think any director could have made a movie like this.

Yoda

12-25-18, 10:16 PM

There was zero risk of McKay painting a sympathetic portrait. He hates that whole group of politicians and is almost comically unsubtle about it. Remember that shoehorned anachronistic joke about Brick working for the Bush administration at the end of Anchorman?

I agree that he's proven himself a very good director, though, so I'm sure I'll see this at some point, if only to see Bale's performance. I'll also be sure to Google around for any related fact checks.

Iroquois

12-26-18, 12:06 AM

I was wondering how long it would take for aronisred to reappear on this site just to say that Vice was awesome. I've got half a mind to see it today, though I'll obviously temper my expectations.

I don't think that Brick/Bush joke counts as anachronistic (assuming Brick is in his early-40s like Steve Carell was in 2004 and the film takes place in the early-'70s then Brick would be in his early-70s during the early-2000s - old, sure, but not exempt from working in federal government as a certain other idiot TV personality has proven) or even particularly shoehorned (if only to draw the connection between one idiotic boys' club and another).

Nostromo87

12-26-18, 05:59 PM

The Howling (1981)

A reign of urban terror begins at a bizarre Western Avenue trashy adult theater, as TV Newscaster Karen White fights against her stressful impulses, leading her to "the Colony" to conquer her inner demons. She's tormented by night of savage shrieks and unearthly cries, of warlocks and demons, sending her out into the trees for answers... where elemental Marsha roams like a bitch in heat. Cool events unfold for the characters inside the story, this was better than my first viewing, and a successful film when released... Though not enough pull despite cruelty and violence, and the audience is kept at a distance.

Rating: rating_3 6.0 / 10

Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Been a while since the whirlpool of Deep Sea adventures caught me quite like they have over the past few nights. Character interplay as the wedding of Elizabeth & Will gets broken up immediately by the wickedly charismatic Cutler Beckett, Governor of The East India Trading Company. When it comes to film-making, there's so much for me here. Seabound excitement, misty boat air, and the deep sea creatures of Davy Jones. Actually, these movies are like the True Star Wars of the 2000s. You've got The Triangular Love of Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, & Jack Sparrow. The Middle Chapter where the Dame is tempted by the charming scoundrel Jack, who drives the fastest ship in the galaxy The Millenium Falcon, err The Black Pearl... Where's he's chased by The Darth Vader of The Caribbean, Davy Jones, played wonderfully through Motion Capture by Bill Nighy, whose heart is RIPPED out and hidden in a chest. What wonderful characterization with the mystical Tia Dalma Sea Witch tucked up the in wooded bayou. More galaxy war tie-ins with pirates Pintell & Regetti, one tall and lanky, the other short and tough, resembling 3PO and R2. You mus sail to end of the ert and beyond. The first movie in this series, it's great, yet SO OVERPLAYED, I can't watch it anymore. This one though, tremendous and fresh, hadn't seen it in a while either. "We have our heading," Summon THE KRAKEN. I could say A LOT more about these movies. I could talk about them forever. And pledge myself to an entire venue assigned to these films. Slap Me, Not Lying, Watch The Movie. Whoops, You Found Me!

Rating: rating_4+ 8.5 / 10

Summon The Kraken (http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WsMuLaHzQ68)

http://i.ibb.co/6B3wSMB/Dead-Mans-Chest.gif

Hell Night (1980)

As an Initiation into their fraternity and sorority, four pledges must spend the night in Garth Manor, twelve years to the day after the previous resident murdered his entire family. This horror flick's cast includes Vincent Van Patten (Rock 'N Roll High School), Peter Barton (Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter), Kevin Brophy (The Seduction), and Linda Blair. The pledges ignore the warnings that the deserted-mansion is haunted by a crazed killer, until one-by-one, their group mysteriously disappears either through a prank or otherwise. Fun, but also a college movie, seemed like it could've been made by any scrubs, only this one has then 21-year-old Linda Balir, caromming oversized breasts and all.

Rating: rating_3 6.0 / 10

http://i.ibb.co/qg8b4N3/Hell-Night-1980.gif

pahaK

12-26-18, 08:54 PM

The Howling (1981)

Rating: rating_3 6.0 / 10

Yeah, I don't think The Howling is superb either but it has one of the best looking werewolves ever. A proper crinos form from White Wolf's RPGs :D

http://projectdeadpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TheHowling.jpg

Nostromo87

12-27-18, 02:13 PM

Christmas Evil (1980)

I liked this one when I first saw it, but I found it mostly lackluster this time around. I guess because it doesn't seem to add up to much at the end (although the final moment was pretty awesome). Fiona Apple's dad (who she definitely got her sad eyes from) is awesome, hilariously creepy throughout, and any enjoyment I got out of it this time was because of him.

I remember a lot more of Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) when I watched these two around the same time a few years ago. Like when Santa Billy pins the topless girl on the deer antlers while yelling out BONUS.

Swan

12-27-18, 04:47 PM

Mary Poppins Returns (Rob Marshall, 2018)

It's fine and I was able to get through it mostly because I can watch anything with Emily Blunt, but I was left wishing there was a bit more magic here. And honestly, I just don't have a lot to say about it, which is never a good sign for me.

Ben is Back (Peter Hedges, 2018)

Absorbing and powerful, with less heavy-handedness than I was expecting. I have a family member who is a recovering alcoholic, and while Ben deals with a different drug addiction, the parallels definitely hit home. With some better direction it could have been outstanding, but the gut-wrenching nature of the story, the great performances by Roberts and Hedges, and an absolutely fantastic ending (one of the best of the year, in my opinion) make this film a solid piece of work for me.

Green Book (Peter Farrelly, 2018)

I'm a bit mixed here. On one hand, the script is so unbelievably superficial and heavy-handed. Everything is forced in the storytelling. On the other hand, it's a very competant film, with a wonderfully vibrant performance by Viggo, as well as solid pacing and cinematography that - while not flashy - was very technically sound. I loved the use of focus and different types of focal lengths that add up to very competent camerawork done with obvious skill.

Snowbird (Sean Baker, 2016 - Short)

Of all the work I've seen by Sean Baker - Tangerine, The Florida Project, and now this 2016 short film he made after Tangerine (both of which use an iPhone) - this one has to be my favorite. It's a beautifully understated and stripped-down story about a young (I'm guessing 20-something) girl who bakes a cake and goes around the trailer park having a slice with each of her neighbors. We get a snapshot of each meal, a glimpse into the lives of these people and their relationship with our main character (some seem close, some not so much). It all concludes with a fascinating last meal with a neighbor named Bob. The final moment seems surreal and ambiguous at first, but quickly makes sense. Despite the simplicity there is an undeniable, organic humanity that I just love and is an unmistakable part of Baker's style. I also think the guy does a great job of making the iPhone quality an inherent part of the film that can't be taken away from it.

Iroquois

12-28-18, 12:45 AM

The Endless (Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, 2017) - 2.5

I ultimately felt rather ambivalent about this story of two former cult members revisiting said cult for the first time in years only to realise that there may actually be something legitimate about the movement's rather kooky-sounding beliefs and practices. It's a bit of a slow starter for me even as it builds an investment-worthy relationship between the two leads (played by the directors themselves, no less) that does lead into some bizarre supernatural shenanigans, but it never quite manages to rise above passable.

The Sacrament (Ti West, 2013) - 2

The third West movie I've seen is my least favourite so far as he does a found-footage horror about some VICE journalists checking out a totally-not-inspired-by-Jonestown compound. Unfortunately, his films' fatal flaw (a knack for building unease ultimately coming at the expense of satisfactory pay-offs) becomes especially pronounced here. Maybe I just don't care for cult-themed horrors in the first place - or, at the very least, this film makes me question if I ever truly liked the sub-genre.

Starry Eyes (Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch, 2014) - 1

Rounding out this trifecta of underwhelming cult-themed indie horrors is this Hollywood-based tale of a struggling actress whose desperation for a role inevitably takes a turn for the sinister. Superficially familiar, subtextually basic, and overall a viewing experience that is unpleasant with very little in the way of justification.

Short Term 12 (Destin Daniel Cretton, 2013) - 4

Original review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/1394002-short-term-12.html). I stand by a good chunk of what I wrote a few years back and am even willing to acknowledge that I didn't give the film its due in certain areas. The subsequent years have only confirmed its indelible demonstration of Lakeith Stanfield's acting ability.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Rodney Rothman/Peter Ramsey/Bob Persichetti, 2018) - 3.5

Still going back and forth on whether or not to give this the full four. I do appreciate how it hybridises different styles and emphasises its brashly cartoonish nature while still making sure to ground its wackiness in the sort of good-natured heroism one has always associated with the character (no matter the specific incarnation). However, it never quite manages to cohere as well as I'd have hoped (even after allowing for how its premise requires a certain degree of incoherence) and for long stretches it's only mildly entertaining in terms of both humour and adventure, though it does make up for that with certain moments of extravagance in both departments.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Bryan Singer and Dexter Fletcher, 2018) - 1

As much as I like Queen, I really couldn't put up with this aggressively by-the-numbers biopic that plays less like a warts-and-all portrayal of its subject than a character assassination (to say nothing of how clumsy it tends to be on both technical and artistic levels).

The Five Venoms (Chang Cheh, 1978) - 4

"Toad Style is immensely strong and immune to almost any weapon. When properly used, it's almost invincible." (ooh-ah)

One of the classic Shaw Brothers movies that's interesting because of how much it leans on its heavy plot - an elaborate murder mystery involving secret double lives and buried treasure - instead of just being a straightforward beat-the-titular-bad-guys piece. Not likely to top 36th Chamber of Shaolin as my favourite of theirs, but still an essential piece of the martial arts canon.

Goon (Michael Dowse, 2011) - 3

Surprisingly enjoyable sports comedy that takes a similiar premise to The Waterboy - hard-hitting manchild ends up joining sports team - and plays it for the same kind of dramedy that crystallised Punch-Drunk Love so well, which is a fair comparison considering how this also involves an actor known for playing idiotic meatheads getting to do the same thing but with more feeling and son-of-a-bitch does Seann William Scott make it work.

Red Christmas (Craig Anderson, 2016) - 0.5

An ostensibly Australian Christmas-themed horror where an already-tense family gathering is set upon by a hooded figure who plans to attack everyone there because of abortion (long story). The ways in which this film supposedly tries to both-sides the abortion issue through its rather grotesque and tasteless plot and character developments definitely don't work in its favour (coming across more as anti- than pro-choice despite its villain's motivations) and even as a straight-up slasher it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of either tension or gore. At least the Argento-style lighting is fun to watch.

Friday After Next (Marcus Raboy, 2002) - 1

The original Friday is a low-key comedy favourite so it's disappointing to see such rapidly diminishing returns from the sequels, especially this Christmas-themed threequel (speaking of which, I wonder how many franchises have Christmas threequels - National Lampoon's Vacation, Harold and Kumar, Iron Man...any others? Anything to take my mind off what a disappointment this is.)

donniedarko

12-28-18, 05:24 PM

https://cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/img/mt/2017/10/killing/lead_720_405.jpg?mod=1533691910

Everything I've seen since like July:
RW Blue Velvet (Lynch, 1986)- 4.5
The Killing of A Sacred Deer (Lanthimos, 2017)- 4+
M (Lang, 1931)- 3.5+
Mother (Arnofsky, 2017)- 3.5
The Death of Stalin (Iannucci, 2017)- 3-
My Darling Clementine (Ford, 1946)- 2
Daddys Home Two (Anders, 2017)- 2
The Man Who Knew Too Much (Hitchcock, 1934,)- 1.5

Swan

12-30-18, 03:31 AM

Cam (Daniel Goldhaber, 2018)

Pretty solid movie with a good lead actress. It boasts a concept that's booming with creative potential - I was constantly thinking up interesting places the film could go while my friend and I were watching it. But the actual movie doesn't seem to make that absolute most of that potential, even if the result is respectable. Because of that I was left feeling a sort of empty appreciation, I guess.

Vice (Adam McKay, 2018)

Cringe-worthy. In it's defense the acting is great and there was a sharp, positive shift in quality during the last five minutes. But the rest is a tonal catastrophe with some of the worst attempts at humor I've ever seen in cinema.

Death Proof (Quentin Tarantino, 2007)

Tarantino's messiest film, maybe, but it has enough style and an incredible final chase sequence that it's all worth it by the end. Zoe Bell is the real highlight here; I wish she got more of the attention she deserves.

Skate Kitchen (Crystal Moselle, 2018)

I really love the kind of stripped-back realism this film so effortlessly achieves throughout most of it's runtime, and that Mid90s didn't. Where with the latter Jonah Hill seemed so desperate in his attempt at "hangout cinema" that it all felt kind of forced, this one does it with ease. Maybe it's because Moselle's first film was a documentary, but I think it has more to do with the creative process behind the film. I was reading about it: Moselle had met the girls (all real skaters and non-actors) on a train, and became friends with them. A movie came out of that, drawing from their real lives and conversations. To me, having that kind of loose creative process and making something very worthwhile out of it seems difficult to do, and therefore I always appreciate movies like this. I loved sitting around with all these characters, listening to them talk about everyday stuff. And for non-professionals these girls can act very well. The main character Camille, played by Rachelle Vinberg, was my favorite character, but I thought the best performance was given by Nina Moran. My only criticism may be that the film was so light in plot (a good thing to me), and the realism so intensely real, that whenever there were plot devices they felt like just that. However, I do think Moselle did a pretty commendable job blending those moments with the rest of it.

Three more movies of 2018 to see until I hit 100!

HashtagBrownies

12-31-18, 12:05 PM

God I'm behind on this.

Seen in November Pt.1

50591
3.5-
Wasn't expecting this to be a comedy! Overall the film IS pretty funny (Especially the monk segment). The soundtrack was very good, as is to be expected from Morricone. The title sequence was very original, never heard of a film before where the main credits are sung. The main performances were good too (Loved that little neck move Toto kept making). Also woah, the Italian censors were WAY more lenient than the American ones were back then (I seriously can't believe they got away with 'You have nice t*ts'!)

But unfortunately, the film isn't all pros. The second half is more focused on boring political junk. If the whole film was a silly comedy like the first half I would 'love' it instead of 'liking' it.

50592
4-
You can't go wrong with Leo and Scorsese. I didn't know anything about Hughes so I was expecting this to focus alot more on the film-making aspect, when that wasn't the case. Leo and Blanchett's performances were on-point (Was Hepburn really that sassy in real life? I hope so!).

It is quite the interesting story. Nowadays celebrities are very open about their mental issues, but less than 80 years ago a person like Howard Hughes could get lobotomized if he was in the wrong place/said the wrong thing at the wrong time. I like the way in which the film portrays Hughes, he isn't necessarily a s*itty person, he just has alot of problems. At first I thought he had Autism, due to the dinner scene: It perfectly shows how awkward Hughes feels around this quick, careless chatter and doesn't pick up on the social cues very well.

The film's also very well shot. The scene where Leo locks himself in the theatre and is talking to Hepburn on the other side looks gorgeous. Also that final scene is great too.

50593
2.5
Apart from one cool looking shot, this film is kinda a turd. The music was so annoying and strange, the wackiest, most abrasive damn noises play when nothing remotely creepy was on-screen. The acting was, uh, not good ("You killed my mother" Wow you sound really angry about it). The blood looks like paint and the ending really, really tries to stretch its ending past a reasonable limit. In fact the whole film stretches itself past a reasonable limit. So many scenes go on for too long and feel like they go nowhere.

50594
4
RE-WATCH
Still has the best effects in the game. Didn’t remember the soundtrack being this amazing. It’s a lot slower than I remember, I think I might like it a little bit less. Still a classic though.

50595
4.5-
What a hidden gem I’ve stumbled upon!! A film with only 2 characters (Technically 3 if you count Alec Cawthorne’s appearance in the middle act) in one location could have so many twists and turns? This is basically a dialogue film that mystery fans will get a kick out of with non-stop back and forth. Michael Caine is starting to become one of my favourite actors now. This film has so many different and clever twists. Apart from one twist, I didn’t see any of the rest coming. The ending is just insane.

50596
3.5
This was actually a very entertaining watch! This is the type of film I could imagine watching while behind the counter at a VHS store. A couple of generic upstanding citizens of America face off against the EVILLL! hillbillies. I enjoyed all of the dialogue before crap went down. The music was good. The blood may have looked cheap but that didn't stop me from lovin' all the shootin' (That one effect of the guys face blown off, holy crap!) I find it really funny how they condemn the hillbillies for hunting even though they're doing THE EXACT SAME THING!

That shot at the end with the dude in the water looked very cool. The sequel-bate ending kinda annoyed me though: I just wanted a happy, satisfying conclusion for the film, I doubt people are rallying in the streets for a sequel to Hunter's Blood. Also maybe it hasn't aged well politically: Like, holy s*it, he just randomly puts his hand down the woman's' shirt? Was that even ok back then?!

50597
3.5
A slightly weaker Carpenter but still a good film. I quite liked the performance of the main lead, how he slowly transformed from a likeable nerd to a villain. There were many cool moments with the car (When it was on fire holy crap that was cool!). The ending didn’t feel satisfying though, it left me wanting more.

50598
3+
I could talk about how this movie's really dumb and has terrible dialogue (The Jurassic Park girl says some weird stuff), but i just don't have the heart to do so. The reason: These were the exact type of movies I watched when I was in single digits. You know the ones, dumb kids movies that always had simple character types, a generic but nostalgic soundtrack and a 'race against the clock' finale. I guess they would be films like Dunston Checks In, Snow Buddies and Baby's Day Out (Hey, this is by the same director as 'Baby's Day Out', a true auteur!). All else I could really say is that I thought it was funny when the dude gave the kids cigarettes and the duck kid was very cute.

50599
4-
A very good looking film, there’s lots of shots and film-making comparable to Ozu and Haneke. The simplistic filming style shows us that a good story is sometimes what is only needed to carry a film along. A great performance from Ethan Hawke.

The ending was a bit ‘eh’ though. I know it’s supposed to be ‘ambiguous’, but no, it’s not, he definitely died from drinking that crap. I feel like him blowing up the church would have been a more appropriate ending just in terms of the story and themes.

50600
3+
I didn't understand any of the jokes as I've barely seen any Giallo films (except maybe Suspiria), but overall I enjoyed myself. If I did notice any reference it's the unique colours and bizarre zooms. It kinda looks like a student film. The 'whodunnit' story-line was fairly entertaining. The gore and violence were awesome. The screams sound genuine and pretty horrifying. There were lots of sexy ladies!

That's all i can say, how is someone who's watched almost no Giallo films supposed to get the full experience of a parody of one. I'll stick with the first Scary Movie for now.

Also the dude from The Human Centipede 2 plays the priest, how ironic.

HashtagBrownies

12-31-18, 12:31 PM

Seen in November Pt.2/2

50601
4+
The more I watch these damn animal films, the more I think I’m a furry. This is probably one of my favourite Disney films, I enjoyed it more than the classics. I loved the characters and the adventure between the main leads. The script was great. It’s really funny and there’s lots of great scenery.

50602
4
A nice wholesome Christmas film. A real family treat, kids who believe in Santa and grown-ups who don’t believe can enjoy it the same. Edmund Gwenn gives a great performance as the supposed Santa. His friendly, happy nature is exactly how many people imagine Santa to be (Glad he won an Oscar for the role). I couldn’t help but notice some homosexual undertones with John Payne’s character, or maybe that’s just my wild imagination. Also "Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to.” is such a good line.

50603
3
The first 15 minutes had me really confused, I kept thinking to myself "Is this the right movie?!". The music in the film is horribly inappropriate, it sounds more like a buddy-cop movie than a horror movie. I really liked the mystery aspect to it, it felt like a spooky version of Cluedo. I thought it was cool how the film gave you time to decide your choice (Did anyone pick correctly?). Some of the scenes were kinda tense I guess. Also it was cool to see General Tarkin in it.

50604
3
A film that really holds no boundaries when depicting the terrible lifes of these people. The film portrays these events without exploitation or obvious emotional manipulation, as if these are just the facts of life. Nothing particularly wrong with it, it’s just not my type of film.

Swan

01-01-19, 08:53 AM

Welcome to Marwen (Robert Zemeckis, 2018) - 2.5

I guess it's low expectations that led to me appreciating this more than most. It's heavily flawed and I'm sure the real guy is way more interesting, but the movie ended up being more of a compelling tale about a damaged soul (played pretty wonderfully by Carrell - c'mon, he's great here) than I was expecting. Nothing special at all but a bit better than people are saying.

We the Animals (Jeremiah Zagar, 2018) - 3.5

I get a lot of enjoyment seeing some current burgeoning filmmakers internalize post-Tree of Life Terrence Malick's style - the introspective narration, flowing camerawork and tone poem quality - and make their own artistic statement out of it. This is a great example of that. Specifically, it's a tone poem about childhood that blurs the line between reality and a 9 year old boy's imagination and interweaves that into his feelings and internal struggles. All captured on glorious Super 16mm film.

Support the Girls (Andrew Bujalski, 2018) - 4+

I guess it's a good thing that the last film I watch this year, and the 100th film of 2018 I've seen, goes to the one with maybe the best but certainly my favorite ending of the year. Something about it, despite being one of the emotionally quietest (albeit entirely cathartic) moments of the film, is incredibly memorable. I'll leave it at that regarding the ending.

It's such a charismatic flick and one of my top favorites of the year right now. The story rests entirely on the main character of Lisa - she's our emotional core - and Regina Hall's down-to-earth performance doesn't just gain that necessarily basic investment but accomplishes a much stronger bond between audience and protagonist. I dug everything about this, but none of it would have worked without Regina Hall. It's not a showy performance but it's a damn good one anyway, and she deserves whatever accolades she has gotten or will get for this film.

And with that, I can get back to watching movies of any year. :p

MijaFrost

01-01-19, 10:40 AM

I guess it's a good thing that the last film I watch this year, and the 100th film of 2018 I've seen, goes to the one with maybe the best but certainly my favorite ending of the year.

That's a lot; I've only managed 45 thus far, and this isn't including most of the "popular" films that are winning awards and are included on people's Best-Of lists.

Do you have a list somewhere on the site with all the 2018 releases you've seen? I like your reviews so I'm curious.

(I did watch Support the Girls and I agree about that one.)

Iroquois

01-01-19, 11:14 AM

Quitting the Tab indefinitely. In the meantime, have this:

The Nightmare Before Christmas (Henry Selick, 1993) - 4

Second viewing. Time will tell if I decide to work this into an annual Christmas rotation, but as it stands it's still a thoroughly enjoyable subversion of the saving-Christmas formula that fills its short runtime with well-aged stop-motion, excellent musical numbers, and one of the better distillations of Tim Burton's extremely distinct style.

Die Hard (John McTiernan, 1988) - 4.5

Original review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/1428739-die-hard.html). Probably my first time watching this since writing that review and I could go back and forth on whether or not to give this the full five.

John Dies at the End (Don Coscarelli, 2012) - 3.5

Original review found here (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/1322852-john-dies-at-the-end.html). Good to see that I called it growing on me, though given what this film's about that may not be the best metaphor.

Meek's Cutoff (Kelly Reichardt, 2010) - 3.5

Reichardt does a Western, this time applying her extraordinarily patient and methodical approach to the tale of a wagon train getting lost on the Oregon trail. Balancing between the direct and the oblique as often it needs to - perhaps a little more so in the latter's case, though it at least makes sense for it to do so in its contradiction of manifest destiny.

Aquaman (James Wan, 2018) - 2.5

It's easy to be skeptical of how the DCEU has more or less settled into creating their own off-brand variations of MCU installments (with this obviously inviting comparisons to the cosmic spectacle and socio-political intrigue of Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther respectively). It's not without its fun moments and there's quite a bit to appreciate about how much it commits to its bombastic science-fantasy that even finds time to appropriate and subvert H.P. Lovecraft's capacity for nautical horror, but it's still a little more sluggish and shambolic than it really should be.

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (David Slade, 2018) - 3

Does the notorious sci-fi anthology series' choose-your-own-adventure "event" qualify as a movie? Given how much its multitude of binary choices lead the hapless protagonist in circles or down unavoidable paths, it might as well be. To that end, it's a novel variation on Black Mirror's usual format where technological dreams inevitably give way to nightmares, but in doing so it sacrifices the series' tendency towards human-centric messaging in favour of merely dicking around with its concept. To this end, I question if I'll ever revisit it to take paths I originally missed.

The Squid and the Whale (Noah Baumbach, 2005) - 3.5

In my experience, Baumbach's films tend to be a hard sell because of how much they involve putting up with such irritatingly self-absorbed characters acting out in such obnoxious ways that even in-story justification does little to make it easier to process. That being said, this is the first time I've re-watched one of his films, which I think should speak for how well the film manages to justify its depiction of such shamelessly flawed individuals and criticises its male leads' behaviour.

Vice (Adam McKay, 2018) - 2

While a technically well-meaning film that aims to depict career politician Dick Cheney's negative influence on a political system that was already pretty broken and how severely it impacted the course of modern history, it's still quite a mess in terms of its filmmaking and the ways in which it attempts to be actively satirical of its subject that somehow fail to gel with how much of the film proves a little too good at humanising him. Points for effort, I guess.

The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018) - 2.5

Watching The Lobster in 2015 felt like a breath of fresh air with its none-more-black humour, but it's only meant that Lanthimos' last couple of films have felt like diminishing returns in that regard, especially this debaucherous exercise in period-piece power games. Still enough going on that I don't particularly mind it, but I'm not overly thrilled about it either.

Cold War (Pawel Pawlikowski, 2018) - 3.5

A brief but patient and low-key tale of two Polish citizens - one a professional musician, the other a peasant with a lovely singing voice - whose constantly-complicated love story plays out against many different geographical and political backdrops over the years. Its running time keeps things appreciably concise - a quality that is reflected in the crispness of the cinematography, the sharply-crafted diegetic musical numbers, and the effectiveness of a romance that plays out largely in the most fleeting of moments.

The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960) - 4

Opted to revisit this for New Year's (for some reason I was under the impression that this was like a New Year's movie but it's really only the last five minutes or so) and I don't think I'll contest its position as one of the best films ever made.

Daniel M

01-01-19, 11:27 AM

Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012) rating_3_5

A fascinating take on the modern world of capitalism. As our protagonist takes his journey in his limo, the images convey both his personal life and capitalism collapsing around him, standing strong in the face of attack, determined to persevere. As the protagonist attempts to draw conclusions that aren't there from incomprehensible patterns and data, he also struggles to draw meaning from his own life, acts of sex and violence are meaningless for most the part as the film travels towards a fascinating final act.

Key Largo (John Huston, 1948) rating_4

Although regarding as a classic of the "film noir" genre, apart from having a stellar crime cast, the rest of the film is quite far removed from other similar films of the time. Set largely inside a Florida hottle, with our characters cooped up together because of a hurricane, John Huston's suspensful direction and a few fantastic performances help to ratch up the suspense to the maximum before a tonal shift to a more usual thriller in the final act. It's easy to see how this has inspired a number of "hold up" films, with the most obvious being the The Hateful Eight.

Maps to the Stars (David Cronenberg, 2014) rating_2_5

Another cynical Cronenberg film, this time taking aim at the lives of the people of Hollywood. Like similar films, although shallow characters and obvious messages become repetitive, there is enough stylistic direction to keep things interesting enough. In the second half it turns from a more loose critique of the world of Hollywood to a personal story. It didn't pack the same visceral punch as Cosmopolis, but like all of Cronenberg's work that I've seen so far it was filled with memorable scenes that made me feel very uneasy. Decent enough, but I don't think I would rush to watch it again.

The Other Side of the Wind (Orson Welles, 2018) rating_4_5

Although much closer to F for Fake than Citizen Kane, this film is completely fresh and nothing like Welles had done before. Even though the film has been finished by people other than Welles, from what I understand about the history of the project, I doubt the finished product would have looked much different to what we see now. Welles' desire to challenge viewers, to evolve as a filmmaker and create a lasting masterpiece is absolutely fascinating. Essentially we have three Welles characters, that is: Welles portraying two different film directors, and John Huston playing Orson Welles the character. Although directed by Welles, Welles directs the primary film as if he is the editor for a documentary film crew, then there is the film within the film that Welles directs as if he is an artistic avant-garde film director like Antonioni. Although this film is more akin to a parody than a serious effort, it has some absolutely incredible sequences that you wont soon forget. Then there is John Huston's character who is undoubtedly supposed to resemble Welles, he gives a furious raw performance that is genuinely terrifying at times. I found the film to be absolutely mesmirising, a must watch for film fans.

In the Shadow of Women (Philippe Garrel, 2015) rating_3

Although this film is extremely short in length and deliberately strips down the story to the bare bones of a male and a female couple and not much else, it surprised me in how it was able to my experience accurately convey an interesting picture of modern relationships.

They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead (Morgan Neville, 2018) rating_3

An accompanying documentary to The Other Side of the Wind, this is an insightful piece of work which helps explain the context behind the film and understand why Welles made the decisions he made. The main feeling I felt after watching this was sadness and frustration of how Welles was treated by the American studios after Citizen Kane.

cricket

01-01-19, 11:27 AM

December, 2018 movies watched-

Rush (2013) Repeat viewing 3.5+ It's just a very well crafted film that I enjoyed a little more the second time.

Memories of Murder (2003) 3.5 I needed a more consistently dark tone in order to love it.

First Reformed (2017) 2 Pretty much a dud.

Carnival of Souls (1962) 3+ Creepy and surreal.

The Editor (2014) 2.5 Horror comedy that was enough fun to be worth watching.

Onibaba (1964) Repeat viewing 4.5 Such a unique movie.

The House on Straw Hill (1976) 2.5- Decent exploitation that could have used more exploitation.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Repeat viewing 4+ One of my favorites in the fantasy category.

Deep Red (1975) Repeat viewing 4.5- The first time I gave it 2/5. Go figure.

Hellboy (2004) 2.5 Cool character and lead performance.

Hour of the Wolf (1968) Repeat viewing 3.5 Effective psychological terror from director Bergman.

Baskin (2015) 2.5- A messy horror even with good tension and gore.

Friday the 13th (2009) 3- Just as good as any other in the series for me.

Train to Busan (2016) 3.5 I would have loved it if it were a little nastier.

Haxan (1922) 3+ I couldn't get into the narrative but it is awesome visually.

Pulse (2001) 2.5 A pretty solid horror/drama that unfortunately lacks thrills.

Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre (2009) 2 Some qualities I really like but just not that good.

Eden Lake (2008) Repeat viewing 3.5 I wouldn't call it great but it's totally my kind of movie.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) 3 Pretty solid from start to finish.

Singapore Sling (1990) 3 One of the strangest movies I've ever seen.

Roar (1981) 2.5 A crap movie whose production story makes it fascinating to watch.

The Amityville Horror (1979) Repeat viewing 3+ A good classic horror carried by James

The Howling (1981) Repeat viewing 3.5+ Still love it but I don't think it's as great after many years.

A Simple Favor (2018) 3.5- Good dark humor and a very good Anna Kendrick.

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) 3.5 What I would expect the average good Giallo to be.

Total November viewings-25
Total 2018 viewings-312

HashtagBrownies

01-02-19, 11:13 AM

Seen in December Pt.1

50648
3.5+
Watched the dubbed version. I loved the over-the-top action, it was completely ridiculous but also fun. I liked the relationship between the two male leads. That scene with the two of them with guns drawn in the blind lady’s house was super cool.

50649
RE-WATCH
4
Saw it in a theatre. I mean it’s Die Hard, what can I say?

50650
3.5
I mean I had no interest in seeing this but my school group had to go so ummmmmmm......
I liked the development of the Rocky IV character from "EVIL COMMIE REE!" to an actual human being. Fight scenes were good, pretty inspirational. The overuse of pop songs for the soundtrack didn't work for me. I feel like watching the first Creed now.

50651
4
You can’t go wrong with John Hughes. The comedy was great, lots of creative set pieces. I love the characters in this, with the late-great Candy as the talkative goofball and Martin as the ‘proper’ businessman.

50652
3.5
It's funny, the characters are interesting, the visuals are amazing. My only real issues were that it felt kinda claustrophobic being set entirely in the city (I dunno the trailer made it look like a big epic adventure) and the second act felt very short.

50653
3+
Had no interest in watching this but we watched it in religion class so ummmmmmm……

The script is incredibly average and predictable and you could probably disprove 95% of this film with a five minute Google search. It’s just a simple, not boring film that gets you excited about conspiracy theories and makes you want to research them.

50654
RE-WATCH
5
I mean it’s Toy Story 2 what am I supposed to say?

50655
RE-WATCH
4.5
Classic. The ‘Walking in the Air’ sequence is incredibly beautiful. The whole short is just solid overall.

50656
RE-WATCH
3.5
This film is an actual fever dream and I love it. So many dumb scenes and lines that make you laugh (Put that cookie down, NOW!). I just love anything with may boy Arnold.

50657
3.5
Solid thriller from the director of my favourite episode of Black Mirror. ’Solid’ is the perfect description for it because it does everything to exactly an above-average level and nothing else (Likeable protagonists, hate-able villain and slightly sympathetic cohorts, good tension). That’s not a bad thing (It’s actually a very good thing), it just makes it impossible to talk about. I didn’t like the ending, felt unrealistic and bleak for the sake of it.

thracian dawg

01-05-19, 09:58 PM

½
Grey Lady (2017) - Shea
A policeman’s partner / wife is executed before his eyes and he is either locked out of the investigation (she was shot with his gun) or suspended or given forced time off or whatever, so he travels to Nantucket to continue his own insular investigation from there---fortunately the murderers follow him. Our hero has a great authentic Bostonian accent; he majestically pronounces “auhnt” through-out the film but forgets to do all the other words with the same inflection. The director has an unfortunate tic of giving certain characters a big splashy moment which means they are going to be killed off in the next scene. This was hypnotically bad; I would liken this film to watching someone completely drunk trying to get to his feet and falling down again and again and again, unaware he’s trying to stand on ice.

★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

The Rewrite (2014) - Lawrence
A tale of dueling shticks: Hugh Grant does his loveable bumbler routine as a washed up screenwriter taking a temporary teaching gig in the sticks and Marisa Tomei does her fetching older woman (with two young daughters) routine. That they will end up together is never in question as they bumble and fetch together. The great drama is that he insults a sensitive Jane Austin specialist the first day at a faculty party and she is out for blood the rest of the film and wants to have him fired. At the end of the movie he simply asks her to give him another chance and she does.

★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

Instant Family (2018) - Anders
The film almost has too much sugar content to be legitimately classified as an adoption PSA. Wahlberg shows the guns in his designer tee-shirts and strikes a manly pose in his signature line of Tough Guy Trousers © throw in a tool belt and adoption is no longer a viable challenge. Once Rose Byrne makes goo goo her eyes at her new brood, it’s a done deal. Hell you can even throw in the most dangerous type of child in the system, the dreaded older teenager. Iliza Shlesinger gets a small bit part as a single white woman who wants to blind side the dickens out of some future hall of famer.

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

The Collector (1967) - Rohmer
This is a talky French film with some insufferable intellectuals squatting in their rich friend’s St. Tropez villa. The collector is a lusty young woman who sleeps around indiscriminate of emotional attachments but totally uninterested in our bookish older man. He’s a professional collector. He says he wants to revel in his solitude; he wants to spend the month reading important books, swimming in the ocean, and sunbathing but the second he gets his wish, he bails on the vacation. This felt a bit slight but on reflection this is going to get a lot better with a re-watch; there are some deeper structures at play here. The objet d’art: a pop can lined with razor blades which seems to be symbolic of the way they use language and conversation to keep the world from getting a hold on them.

Inherent Vice (2016) - Anderson
This started off as a nice soft-boiled detective story in stoner land, where everyone suddenly goes missing only to be discovered alive and kicking and stoned a couple hours later. Near the end unfortunately, there is a rather cruel and nasty tonal shift that sabotages everything that came before it.

Barton Fink (1991) - Coen
Although presented as a nightmare scenario, this is actually about a winning lottery ticket. At the end the studio head will deprive the world of Barton Fink’s genius and as a punishment he will be kept on salary---not to write. This is a version of heaven. This princely sum would come in today at over 17,000 dollars a week--- to do nothing. His biggest problem will be in deciding which mansion he should buy. The range of craftsmanship between the stellar heights of Bunuel’s buzzing box and the cellar lows Coen’s of brown paper gift is painfully evident here.

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

The Hangman (1959) - Curtiz
If you hunt monsters for a living, you ought to be very careful that you don’t turn into one yourself. Our lawman no longer does range work and travels exclusively from town to town by stagecoach. He simply collects and escorts the garbage to the gallows. Hunting the worst of the worse has made our lawman cold and cynical and the people he meets utterly predictable. This last job is a little more problematic, when people find out the identity of the condemned criminal he is in town to collect; no one believes him for a second. The guy is a decent, hard- working family man and everybody is willing to help him escape his clutches, to the point of breaking the law themselves to protect him. Rather than a western this is more of reflection (with some cheese cake) on frontier justice.

Shadows in Paradise (1986) - Kaurismäki (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0442454/?ref_=tt_ov_dr)
Numbed by the years a working guy is nudged towards a life change when an older worker secures financing for a new company and taps him as his second in command. The old guy has been working as a garbage truck driver for 25 years and vows he is not going to die there. He had promised his wife as newlywed that he would show her the world and he wants to make good on that promise in their twilight years. He promptly has a heart attack and dies a couple of days later; but a seed has been planted in our hero. Having his lethargy shaken from him, he feels adventurous enough to ask out a mousy supermarket cashier and wows her with a hot and heavy evening of bingo, she dumps him after the second game but their paths keep crossing.

Green Book (2018) - Farrelly
This follows the standard recipe for the prefect martini (and road movie); take two opposite characters that go together like water and oil, put them in a martini glass (or motor vehicle) and they are shaken by the trip, but not stirred. There is some nice method acting riffs by Mortensen, he’s got a pot belly here; he does gluttony contests at the drop of hot dog; he’s handy with his mitts but draws the line at becoming a career thug. He’s a great contrast to the lonely, articulate jazz musician who wants to make a difference in the world, one concert at a time. I liked the time posts, obsessively identifying the months and weeks in question, either to show how far America has come from that period or how America has scarcely changed.

Body Snatch (2003) - Hanss
The other dancers in the gentlemen’s club tease Laura about her new conquest who sits in a corner week after week worshipping her, although they choke a little on their cackles after they discover the guy is loaded. He keeps proposing the storybook life to her and finally she decides to take him up on it and leave her crazy life behind. She has a fiery car crash on the drive to her future mansion. She awakens in a long term care facility; the crash has rendered her deaf, her body is horribly scarred and burnt, and yet the first thing she sees when she opens her eyes is her Prince Charming arriving with her daily bouquet; he maintained a bedside vigil for weeks and months when she was in a coma, and his undying, eternal love for her shines even more brightly. Wow, she really lucked out. Or did she?

At Eternity’s Gate (2018) - Schnabel
This is the umpteenth hagiography on the unappreciated, mad genius of Vincent Van Gogh; a painter so original he never sold a single painting in his lifetime which has obvious appeal to commercial film makers where the box office determines each and every artistic stroke. You’re here for the lush imagery that transcribes his desperate passion; the director uses a strange bifocal lens in certain scenes which obscures the bottom of the frame. The end credits state a priceless notebook was recently discovered (conveniently forgotten and undiscovered in someone’s bookcase) for 116 years … ka-ching ka-ching. Van Gogh is now the artist with the most prestigious amount of forgeries hanging in the world’s great museums; it turns out originality is the easiest thing to fake. On the downside the director gives himself a huge continuity headache when the artist slices off his ear half way through the film.

Good time (2017) - Benny & Josh Safdie
The only thing our anti-hero has going for him is the gift of gab; he can talk his way in and out of any situation but he doesn’t seem to realize that not all forward motion is motion forward. Our boy puts his head down and just bulls his way past each and very obstacle; the film is a winner-take-all endurance contest between grim reality and relentless optimism. There are only two tiny pin pricks of intrusive reality in the entire film. The first one is a character-tell where a mother has loaded up her (dim witted and vulnerable) daughter’s purse with a fistful of credit cards, but none of them work. And the second one is near the end when a character suddenly turns to our boy and says; “Jesus, how many years are you facing?” And the audience realizes with a gasp that the meter has been on and running the entire time during his crime spree and he won’t see daylight a very long time indeed. That is, unless he gets the chance to speak in his own defensive.

The Favourite (2018) - Lanthimos
In a feudal society the royal court is the only place where fortune can be made. This is a glimpse at the wretched aristocracy and a cautionary tale between two actresses losing and gaining the upper hand. I loved the fish eye lenses, where the gravitational pull was so compelling you can feel the heat on your face as one approached the realms of power and immediately your life became small and insignificant the moment favor moved away from you. Although the thematic question the film poses is a little underwhelming: given the choice which would you prefer; getting unvarnished reality every day or the candy coated, soft tongued version of it … no one chooses the former.

Sisters (1972) - De Palma
This is a great little Psycho knock-off from the 70s. Bernard Hermann brings all his requisite Hitchcock baggage with the soundtrack. A fresh faced Margo Kidder works a French-Canadian accent trying to make it as a model in the Big Apple. Jennifer Salt is the intrepid reporter who sees a murder in broad daylight but no one believes her. Charles Durning has a nice supporting role as a recent night-school detective graduate who will go by the textbook and grind it out, no matter how long it takes to get his man. The film has a great body scar ever that would make even David Cronenberg flinch.

The Women (1939) - Cukor
True it to its title, there are no male actors in the film. The cast is a motley crew of high society women living only for the latest gossip; sultry vixens with fingernails painted gold digger red; and rich dumb divorcées ready for another stroll down the aisle. There is a strange product placement segment where the black and white film blossoms into glorious Technicolor for a fashion show then returns its regularly scheduled programming. The film even includes a work-out video and a cat fight at the Nevada divorce ranch.

Little Foxes (1941) - Wyler
I thought (because of the title) I was going to see and some southern belles preparing for their first Cotillion and a few gratuitous pillow fights, not quite. There was a slow set-up (but the fireworks in the third act more than make up for it) where the ultimate bad ass is revealed. This wouldn’t be out of place on a double bill with The Founder (2016)

★★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***%C2%BD)

Klute * (1971) - Pakula
This is a brilliant character study of a complicated career gal in New York City. There is a great jittery soundtrack which immediately suggests the 70s paranoid thriller genre. She lives next door to a funeral home. Bree is irresistible; she supplies the permissive okay to her clients with her “Let it all hang out, baby; we are both mature adults here” spiel. The villain is wonderfully bent. He gets away with all his crimes, but can’t leave well enough alone. He jump starts the cold case by bringing in a private detective and begins dropping bread crumbs for him. Bree is the only clue to a missing (and now feared dead) business exec. She gets a seedy glimpse into her future when she helps the detective (Klute) track down a missing junkie /hooker. Klute is unafraid of her moods, unafraid of her anger, even though Bree keeps pushing him away he is always right there, in her face. She is completely baffled by this small town cop from the sticks. Fonda is given a couple of great acting scenes.

Four Days in September (1997) - Barreto
The film allows each and every character to be sympathetic in this kidnapping drama. Although a few of the characters carelessly self-incriminate themselves with their time in the spotlight. The ambassador is great with his semantic tap dancing. There is a horrid moment when the policeman justifies torture. He even admits the majority of his brutalized and broken victims are unsuspecting Poly Sci majors who learn the hard way that the state will do everything (up to and including mass murder) to keep power from falling legitimately into the hands of the people. There is a nice reminder that in a police state, all the old hens and malcontents will to remain at their assigned post as a sacred trust and flood the police snitch lines with tips on the people in their neighbourhood who appear odd, walk funny, do suspicious things (according to them) and they not above having people disappeared over old simmering grudges.

Mrs. Miniver (1942) - Wyler
This was made has a special invitation to the Yanks to please join World War 11. The British stiff upper lip is embodied by this one suburban family during the bombing campaign. The husband takes his Yacht for a spin over to Dunkirk and returns with it riddled with bullets. The son becomes an ace pilot. The entire male population of the town is hunting for a downed German bomber but the wife is the one that disarms and captures him. The poor sod’s arm hangs limp and useless at his side, he hasn’t eaten in four or five days, yet he still manages to uncork a great bug eyed, Hitlerian rant before being led away. Sunday service continues every week in a bombed out church. The morning after their house was bombed, they gather to survey the improvements: a splendid new panoramic view of the entire neighbourhood from the living room couch. It was at this point I imagined a comedy troupe was about to wander on screen and commandeer the film. “I’ve ‘ad worse, Gerry! Give it up!” The eponymous Mrs.Miniver is a prize winning rose: the secret ingredient? Horse manure; not unlike the propaganda in this film but this is devastatingly glorious propaganda.

Clara (2018) - Sherman
This is a low budget love fable masquerading as Science fiction. Our astrophysicistprofessor is on a downward trajectory. Ourcurmudgeon gets one smart ass question too many during his lecture and decides to go for the full body slam by proving logically that searching for the presence of extra-terrestrial life in the universe is a much a smarter bet then trying to find true romance here on earth. He’s called to the Dean’s office later that afternoon after a never ending parade of emotionally distraught and teary eyed students complaining he used big math to prove they were going to die alone and unloved. He is given the boot (who cares) but he gets his telescope time revoked (major problem) and now he needs a way back in.

A Pain in the Ass (1973) - Molinaro
This starts off a serious crime drama with a car bombing gone wrong; there is a quick settling of accounts where the careless bomber (the target is now in protective custody) is made redundant (bullet to the head) and a more competent man is given the contract. There is a nice hand held camera in certain scenes and the great stone face of Lino Ventura. The best thing about this film is the seamless transition; where the hitman remains in his gritty gangster film but a comedy slowly forms around him from until he is up to the neck (and I can pinpoint the exact moment when he goes under.) The hitman ends up in the countryside and needs to get back into town immediately for the kill shot. He simply steps in front of an oncoming car. The camera holds on the driver so I’m guessing this was a famous race car driver from the 60s, and they take off at a 120 mph. When he nervously reaches for the seat belt and buckles up, that is the moment when he concedes the defeat.

Hurry Sundown (1967) - Preminger
The film begins with an aerial shot of the wheelers and dealers already counting their lucre; the only thing that stands in the way of progress (in the year of our Lord 1946) are two plots at the edge of a (whites only) real estate development, and securing them from the share croppers is a mere formality. Resistance to change in the film is established with an ironic counterpoint; the new preacher man desegregates the highway to heaven and mixes the races during the Sunday sacrament, and an old white cracker goes ballistic over having to share his communion wafer with the coloreds. On the down side, the movie fails to establish and hold a realistic tone to the proceedings; Michael Caine and Jane Fonda both take a run at a southern drawl and fail; there is some bad looping (you can hear the redubs in certain scenes) and clocking in at 2:26 it’s one cool, lingering lemonade drink in the shade too many. On the upside, there is sly sexual innuendo and hilarious characterizations, like the old judge never goes anywhere without his rubber donut. This is a kind of a curiosity; but I liked this because of the duplicitous absurdity on display there.

Broken (2017) - Norris
Three (broken) families form an interactive triangle on a dead-end street in North London. The lead character’s name (Skunk) immediately suggested Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird and immediately imposed that film’s perspective of a young girl’s point of view leaving childhood and entering the bewildering adult world. Her mom simply skipped town with another man. Her older brother delights in tormenting her about the sadistic hazing she is going to get when she enters high school at the end of summer. The first time director fills his scenes with business; there are delightful throwaway moments like tiny terror dancing on the stairs. This actually wants me to revisit TKAM simply to check out the age of Scout’s au pair.

Daniel M

01-06-19, 07:55 AM

The Favourite (2018) - Lanthimos
In a feudal society the royal court is the only place where fortune can be made. This is a glimpse at the wretched aristocracy and a cautionary tale between two actresses losing and gaining the upper hand. I loved the fish eye lenses, where the gravitational pull was so compelling you can feel the heat on your face as one approached the realms of power and immediately your life became small and insignificant the moment favor moved away from you. Although the thematic question the film poses is a little underwhelming: given the choice which would you prefer; getting unvarnished reality every day or the candy coated, soft tongued version of it … no one chooses the former.

I'm debating whether to go and see this in the cinema. Maybe it's harsh to judge after one film but I hated Dogtooth so I haven't wanted to watch any of films from Lanthimos since. Trailer looks interesting and the subject matter quite suited to comedy, I think it would at least be interesting to see the audience reaction to the film.

thracian dawg

01-06-19, 02:21 PM

I’ve only seen his last three films and apart from a mild progression there is no great stylistic jump between them. Lanthimos's films seem to be about individuals trapped in closed social worlds with rigidly prescribed and enforced behaviors. The main characters seem to have self-awareness that their world is completely false and perverted, yet they deliberately harm themselves in order to belong to the group because the price for non-conformity is even worse.

There is a scene in the film where Emma Stone enters the castle as a lowly scullery maid and as a hazing prank the kitchen crew tricks her into plunging her hand into a bucket of lye.
Lanthimos clearly has a wry (sadistic?) sense of humour and a certain sector of the movie going audience will never ever find him funny. So I imagine your reaction to the Favourite would not be that much different from Dogtooth.

HashtagBrownies

01-09-19, 07:21 PM

Seen in December Pt.2

50899
3.5
My second Andrew Haigh film. He seems to have his own unique style, he portrays his stories in a very quiet and quaint way, no over-the-top camera angles or music. He also really has a way with direction, there's lots of gorgeous shots of nature in this (Like there were gorgeous shots of the rain-soaked English country-side in 45 Years). Despite being only 2 hours, it felt very long, probably because it has so much content in it. The performances were fine, didn't like how the main guy kept muffling his words. It was pretty emotional too: In a sad way and in a happy way, like when he's with the horse at the lake and he's just very happy and content, that got a smile out of me.

50900
3.5+
RE-WATCH
Ok, I’ll be honest, it’s not as good as I remember. I still enjoyed it though. There are still bits that are really funny (When someone asks you if you are a god you say YES!) and the final battle is still cool as hell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM70TROZQsI&t=s
4
So if you don’t know, this is ‘Shrek’ recreated shot-for-shot by over 200 different people. I noticed a TON of people I recognized while watching the film: Antony Fantano, Chris Chan, UnkleJoel, Big Man Tyrone and Noah Munck (aka Gibby from iCarly). The film is made with a very ironic, meme sense of humour which may not appeal to some, but I’m a sucker for that s*it. It’s just a wonderful expression of passion and creativity. I loved the ‘Hallelujah ‘ scene.

50901
4
I mean I loved Bill and Ted so it’s no surprise I loved this. The slightly ‘plotless’ nature of the film may be off-putting to some, but it didn’t bother me. I loved all the ‘dude-bro’ language and humour and the fourth-wall breaks were very funny too.

50902
4-
Almost finished with Denis Villeneuve's filmography. He's just great at his craft, he manages to make this film so good looking, the shots (The bus one holy crap), the tint, the shot composition, this dude's got himself perfected I think. The story is pretty original and great. It's really emotional too. I noticed that in one scene Denis used that stupid stock scream you hear in every cartoon or screamer video from the mid-2000's, but he actually makes it work. Just shows how talented he is. It was a good choice to have it take place in an unknown country in a fictional war, using a real war may have felt exploitative.

That twist was also really good as I didn't see it coming

50903
4+
RE-WATCH
I don’t like it as much as my other nostalgia-fest films but it’s still a classic. The spooky score by John Williams is amazing and the comedy is great.

50907
3.5
You can tell that the dude who made this absolutely loves movies. References to famous directors, Citizen Kane, the Godfather. There are montages of the film production set to beautiful classical music. The passion is steaming up the room. As a film nerd there's something so lovely about this film about films, it expresses perfectly what the appeal of cinema and the creation of it is. Usually in these 'film within a film' films the fictional film is very half-assed, but in this film it looks like a legit film the director would make. On the technical side it's great film-making with excellent montages and engaging characters.

50906
4-
Having the Muppets act out A Christmas Carol sounds bonkers but it actually works. Michael Caine makes an excellent Scrooge and an excellent singer! There’s some funny moments, sad moments and absolutely heartwarming moments. The songs are great too. The amount of puppetry that must’ve gone into this is incomprehensible, so much talent here.

50905
3
Interesting opening. I see some people don't like the washed-out colours and film tint (A big contrast to the colourful Amadeus), but I think it works: It shows how dirty (physically and morally) people were back then. Nobody took showers, they were constantly sweating underneath their white face-paint, just general grossness. I won't lie I got bored and inattentive halfway through (Committed the unforgivable sin of looking at different tabs on my laptop). There's lots of good about the film though. The make-up is really nice, there's good performances and casting choices all around, and the soundtrack was great (My favourite element of this film). I loved the scenes where Depp was teaching Morton to act.

50904
3.5+
I don't think I've ever seen a film like this before. It just has a very unique tone. It feels nostalgic and rural, being set in a tiny village in the '50's. I got incredibly invested in the story and characters. I loved all the characters. I loved the mystery. I loved the romance. I just don't know how to describe it cause it's so unique. The light-hearted tone and comedy was very nice. The performances were great.

50908
4-
The script seems to jump from one story to the next, one minute it's a murder mystery the next he's stopping the end of the world. I feel like this film would be better if it was shortened and focused on the president story and the moral dilemma of it. I liked Walken's performance and so is the film-making.

HashtagBrownies

01-22-19, 04:09 PM

Final films of 2018!

51131
3.5
An interesting take on the story. There’s lots of good comedy. Murray is great in this. I really loved that ending speech.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4AeXMEIeNI
4
Aw, this was so nice and wholesome! I hope that ticket boy got the message.

51132
3.5?
This is one strange film. It has no style or grace, but the songs and the whole corniness makes it a blast to watch. Streep was a good singer but apart from that…oof (Pierce Brosnan singing ’S.O.S.’ was so bloody surreal). Most certainly gonna watch the sequel.

51133
3.5
1.Loved this short, Buster Scruggs is a really fun character (That scene with the table OMG that was amazing!). I wouldn’t have mind if the whole film was about him.
2.This was a strange one, it felt like it was taking too long to get to a single punchline.
3. A simple, sad tale with minimal dialogue.
4. I loved this one, the scenes of the nature were beautiful.
5.The ending was cool but this story was just too long.
6.What was even the point of this one?

Ranking: 1.4.3,2,5,6

Monkeypunch

01-27-19, 03:50 PM

Julie and Julia - Rewatch. I still liked this one. Julia Child's voice is irritating. Amy Adams is adorable. good flick. 3.5

Little Women - Masterpiece Theatre version with Ethan Hawke's daughter and Angela Lansbury. This is emotionally draining. Well made, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. 3

The Dark Tower - Dreadful. Could they have tried any less to make a good movie? Not an adaptation of Stephen King's epic fantasy, but a continuation of the series....sort of. It's slow, dull, joyless, confusing, and the casting is really bad. 1

cricket

02-02-19, 01:37 PM

Where is everyone in here?

January, 2019 movies watched-

Ginger Snaps (2000) Repeat viewing 3.5- I don't think the last half hour is quite as good as the rest.

A Field in England (2013) 2 Some good qualities that don't quite add up to a good film.

Mandy (2018) 2.5 Not as crazy as I expected.

The Killing Gene (2007) 2.5- Brutal with a good cast. Just wish it were better.

Philosophy of a Knife (2008) 2.5 Maybe the most depraved movie ever made, and it's over 4 hours long.

[B]Saw (2004) Repeat viewing 3.5+ I enjoyed the hell out of it even if much of it seemed preposterous.

The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971) 3 Pretty good British horror.

Peppermint (2018) 1.5 Way too run of the mill.

Shadow of the Vampire (2000) 2.5+ Pretty well done but forgettable.

Martyrs (2008) Repeat viewing 3.5 Much better this time around even though I still find the last 40 minutes to be a bit of a let down.

Saw II (2005) Repeat viewing 3.5- Not as good as the first but I was just as entertained.

Trip with the Teacher (1975) 1.5 An exploitation movie that barely passes as exploitation.

Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) 3.5 I was surprised by just how solid this movie was.

Chaos (2005) 2.5 Garbage that I wouldn't recommend to anyone, yet I liked it. This is not the Jason Statham movie of the same year and name.

Faust (1926) 3.5 Maybe I'll love it the next time because it seemed like the total package.

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981) 3 Way more fun than it has any right to be.

The Last House on the Beach (1978) 2 Ok Italian rape and revenge.

Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) 3.5 As much as I liked it, it should have been better.

Sleep Tight (2011) 4 A great hidden gem thriller.

Ringu (1998) 3.5 At least as good as the remake.

Saw III (2006) 3- I liked it but the series is definitely trending downward.

Girls Against Boys (2012) 2.5- Would have been better if more consistent.

Halloween (2018) 2 Has it's moments but not notable for anything.

Opera (1987) 3.5+ One of Argento's best.

Scream (1996) Repeat viewing 3.5- Not a favorite but plenty entertaining.

Absurd (1981) 2+ Some great scenes.

Total January viewings-26

Iroquois

02-03-19, 07:59 AM

Where is everyone in here?

I think it's got something to do with quite a few of the usual contributors (e.g. mark f, Minio, myself) giving up posting in here.

MovieMeditation

02-03-19, 08:22 AM

The Last House on the Beach (1978) 2 Ok Italian rape and revenge.
A description so straightforward I'd go gay for it!

cricket

02-03-19, 09:07 AM

I think it's got something to do with quite a few of the usual contributors (e.g. mark f, Minio, myself) giving up posting in here.

At least you post in the other thread but I still would feel a certain comfort when seeing your tabs here. Not seeing Mark's thoughts anywhere makes me absolutely mental, and as far as Minio, hopefully he escapes custody and comes back.

I think some folks get frustrated when they take the time to post and nobody comments. For me, I actually am not that into talking about movies that much. I love movies and the site, but prefer to mainly just read, digest opinions, and take notes.

Yam12

02-03-19, 10:51 AM

Watched in January 2019
Key

Like
Meh
Dislike

Rewatches are in italics, underlined and marked with asterisk*

Basic Instinct (Paul Verhoeven; 1992)
Network (Sidney Lumet; 1976)
Dogtooth (Yorgos Lanthimos; 2009)
Good Time (Benny and Josh Safdie; 2017)
The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos; 2015)*
Monty Python & the Holy Grail (Terry Jones/Terry Gilliam; 1975)
Life of Brian (Terry Jones; 1979)
Ida (Pawel Pawlikowski; 2013)
I, Daniel Blake (Ken Loach; 2016)
The Man Who Fell to Earth (Nicolas Roeg; 1976)
The Fighter (David O. Russell; 2010)
The Lady Vanishes (Alfred Hitchcock; 1938)
Young Frankenstein (Mel Brooks; 1974)
Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu; 1953)
Good Morning (Yasujiro Ozu; 1959)
Carol (Todd Haynes; 2015)
City of God (Fernando Meirelles/Katia Lund; 2002)
Haywire (Steven Soderbergh; 2011)
Repulsion (Roman Polanski; 1965)
Touch of Evil (Orson Welles; 1958)
La Vie en Rose (Olivier Dahan; 2007)
Blood Simple (Coen brothers; 1984)*
Rosemary's Baby (Roman Polanski; 1968)
The Tenant (Roman Polanski; 1976)
Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi/Vincent Parannaud; 2007)
The Ice Storm (Ang Lee; 1997)
The Old Man & the Gun (David Lowery; 2018)
Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig; 2017)
Eighth Grade (Bo Burnham; 2018)
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (Charles Reisner; 1928)
Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola; 2003)*
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson; 2009)*
Grabbers (Jon Wright; 2012)
Shadows (John Cassavetes; 1959)
Looper (Rian Johnson; 2012)
Split (Chris Shaw; 1989)
Abandon Ship (Richard Sale; 1957)
Perfect Blue (Satoshi Kon; 1997)
Bubba Ho-Tep (Don Coscarelli; 2002)
Sherlock, Jr. (Buster Keaton; 1924)

Jan 19 total: 40
2019 total: 40

Iroquois

02-03-19, 01:10 PM

At least you post in the other thread but I still would feel a certain comfort when seeing your tabs here. Not seeing Mark's thoughts anywhere makes me absolutely mental, and as far as Minio, hopefully he escapes custody and comes back.

I think some folks get frustrated when they take the time to post and nobody comments. For me, I actually am not that into talking about movies that much. I love movies and the site, but prefer to mainly just read, digest opinions, and take notes.

It really is a question of whether or not the endeavour is truly worth the effort, which I've definitely been going back and forth on for a variety of reasons before deciding to quit.

HashtagBrownies

02-04-19, 06:57 PM

Seen in January Pt.1

51423
RE-WATCH
4.5+
You know how you’ll see people referring to certain movies as ‘classics’ and ‘masterpieces’ and then when you see them you’re like “Yeah it was good, but it wasn’t anything special’. But with Alien, I think I agree with those guys. I realised this in the scene when they were going to inspect the ship: The atmosphere, the music, the sets, it was so effective. Some may see this as bias due to the film’s popularity, but I just find this a masterful exercise in atmosphere, hour and film-making.

51424
4
It’s a cool concept made into a great story. I loved all the characters and different stories (Holy crap the Diner guy was such a good character). All the performances are good. It’s themes of race and gender are a bit on the nose, but they’re effective. Tobey Maguire's (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TRgdA9_FsXM) little speech at the end of how things are changing that old people don’t understand is still so relevant today.

51425
3.5
I really don't understand the glowing reviews of this, but as Clint Eastwood once said "Opinions are like butt-holes, everyone has one". You don’t know how glad I was when I found out this didn’t have any stupid monotone dialogue like the previous Yorgos’ films. The performances from the leading ladies were great, wouldn’t mind them taking home the Oscar’s. As a period drama it’s quite effective: The sets, natural lighting and soundtrack are all very good. The comedy wasn’t laugh out loud or anything, but it was fun. The ending was very interesting. Maybe Yorgos’ best film so far?

51426
4
David Slade is one of those directors who you don’t actively seek out his films yet they sneak up on you anyway. This feels like a Black Mirror episode (Cute references to previous episodes) and it’s own thing at the same time. The way in which it played with the concept of ‘choose your own adventure’ was really cool; How the main character soon started to become aware of you. I felt like I was violating someone. Good performance from the main lead.

Also the ‘Netflix’ ending, holy mother of god, that was glorious.

51427
3.5+
Off the bat, this film is really well lit. The ‘calm before the storm’ atmosphere in the first half was handled very well. Not much else to say, just a very good horror film.

51428
4
Not only is it silly popcorn fun, it’s also great film-making! Can’t wait to check out the sequels. The CIA heist scene was masterful.

51429
3.5-
Did we REALLY need this film? The direction appears to be trying to emulate the direction of the first: Lots of scenes where Michael is silently stalking people in the shadows (That one shot where the nurse is talking and you can see him slightly in the baby ward, so spooky!). I guess what brings this film down a lot is it’s more focused on violent slasher deaths than actual suspense.

51430
3.5+
While we have Marvel movies, baby boomers had James Bond. Silly popcorn fun with great suspense, action and soundtrack.

51432
3+
Was very excited for this after seeing the trailers. After seeing it, I thought it was ok, but fairly disappointing.

Good stuff:
-Opening scene
-The references to the original didn’t draw attention to themselves in an annoying fanboy way.
-The long shot was impressive.
-The black kid being babysat was hilarious.
-Soundtrack by Jon Carpenter was very good.
-Jamie Lee Curtis’ performance was great
-The film shows off really well just how f*cking evil Michael is: Violently smashing people against doors etc. I think the casting choice added to this: The man playing him is very fit looking and is 2 meters tall. Very threatening.
-The final battle was intense as hell (Also that ‘gotcha’ moment gave me goosebumps it was so good.

Bad stuff:
-While Laurie was pretty badass in the film, she also seemed a bit of a jerkwad. Kinda out of character for her.
-The fast paced editing was very annoying.
Laurie has apparently been training 40 years for Michael’s return, so it feels very cheap how she nearly gets killed multiple times and has to kill him with fire instead of her own combat skills (Also Michael probably hasn’t done an ounce of exercise in his life so that makes your chances even better)
Apart from the stuff with Laurie, the whole film felt unnecessary.

51431
2.5+
It was fine

thracian dawg

02-05-19, 04:12 PM

★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

They shall not grow old (2018) - Jackson
This is essentially war propaganda; footage from a century ago is given a digital spit and polish with not a single thing added from the present day. There is a simple arc of enlistment, training, trench warfare, a jog over to the other side, the armistice, and the return home to the clueless civilian population. The climax of film is one horrific push across no man’s land while being strafed by machine guns---they didn’t do that once---they ran across no man’s land every single week for four long years, so the open insanity of war is effectively concealed for the audience. There is only a glancing shot in the film of one soldier with the beginnings of shell shock (his hand twitches with the pulse of adrenaline) which is a natural reaction to aerial bombardment for days and weeks on end. It’s irresponsible to present this material shrink wrapped of any political content. Simply presenting footage from the other side that also loved God and country and apple pie (or strudel in their case) and went off to war to protect their way of life would have raised the essential question: why was that war fought if they are fighting for the exact same things? It’s absolutely astonishing the truth remains an official secret a hundred years after the fact. I have to give top marks to New Zealanders for still referring to the Armistice, in more dishonest nations it has been rebranded as Remembrance Day. As for the eponymous title, this is just the Darwinian thinning of the herd.

Mishima: a life in four chapters (1985) - Schrader
What a waste of celluloid. The film strangely uses encapsulations of his novels (which are fictitious) and crass publicity stunts as actual, lived life. Even a cursory glance at the encapsulations the film uses reveals far more banal explanations. In one of his books he wants to kidnap and kill the top ten capitalists in Japan then leave everything to the one remaining hyper capitalist; the emperor/ living god who will then redistribute all wealth and privilege based on direct blood lines. It’s hard to take this bird brain seriously. I did like the moments of pink; some set decoration and lighting---and the vibrant sound track from Phillip Glass contributes hugely in the effort, but this is all wasted on a pathologically vain, egocentric, strutting glory hound that only opened his mouth to remind everyone what a genius he was. The biggest lie is that he was too damn beautiful to go on living; his suicide was merely a marketing device to sell more books and the film becomes another embarrassing publicity plug in that continuing effort.

Glass (2019) - Shyamalan
This movie celebrates the buying and collecting of comic books as essential education about the real world; only they tell the dark truths. This comic book universe is set up immediately by a guy (a fruit cake with multiple personalities who can’t manage to go two minutes without being bumped off-screen by another raging drama queen scrambling for their time in the spotlight) who waltzes into a cheerleader practice and makes off with not one, but four bonny lasses without anyone noticing or caring. Kudos to McAvoy’s agent who cleverly reworked in the fine print of his contract to state he was to be paid---not for the role but for each the individual character creation in the film resulting in McAvoy’s biggest film paycheck ever, the producers of the film are still bitching and moaning they had to shell out twenty times more than what they had originally budgeted for.** Jackson’s roles are becoming increasingly sedentary; here he is comatose for three quarters of the film, he executes one daring stunt during the film; he falls out of his wheelchair---which actually is fraught with real danger because Jackson is 71. Old ladies are breaking hips at that age. These senior citizens are way too old (Willis is 64) to be still doing action films.

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

UFO (2018) - Eslinger
The story is actually missing the third act, what we have here is a low budget sketch of a math genius (on the eve of his year-end finals) becoming obsessed with the mathematical contradictions emanating from an UFO incident at the local airport. He begins to work the problem which becomes his audition and job application (the extraterrestrial travel section) for DARPA. I liked it because a section of the FBI simply does public relations, they feed the gullible public a routine cover story and lock down any challenges to the official narrative; eye witnesses are simply held until they sign an affidavit of secrecy. Part of the exercise involves the media following along in lock step,ridiculing everyone who doesn’t believe the official cover story.

Kanto Wanderer (1963) - Suzuki
The criminal gang in question is on its last legs, everyone would immediately get a huge salary bump with a day job or a legit business; the only one who holds the clan together and still believes in the code of honor is thelieutenant Kanto. The amorality here is that the crooked allegiances can’t be broken but probably should be. Suzuki uses the women in the film to mirror how ridiculous is the Yakuza code of honor. You are here for the mise-en-scène, the lightning tricks, and the flashes of color.

Ride the Pink Horse (1947) - Montgomery
Our hero arrives by bus in a sleepy little Mexican town swollen to the gills for the annual festival. He doesn’t understand Spanish; all the hotel rooms have been booked in advance for months; he hides a piece of paper in a luggage check in the bus station then hides the key to it with a piece of chewing gum behind a wall map in the waiting room. Clearly our man is a rocket scientist. In the swanky hotel, he sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the rich American tourists and a big city cop simply strolls up to him in the lobby and asks him instead avenging and blackmailing his best friend’s killer would he be so good as to simply hand over the proof to him and he’ll take care of everything lawfully. When our hero goes looking for a room for the night in the poorer Mexican quarters he drops his tough guy routine and is warm and affable amongst them. There is a suggestion he is suffering from PTSD from the war.

Cold War (2018) - Pawlikowski
The difficult story at the heart of this film doesn’t really match the marvelous black and white photography. She’s a hard luck woman; an abusive father has left her scarred with a permanent mistrust of men. This is a love story with a curse; they run parallel to and criss-cross each other briefly all their lives, unable to be together and unable to be apart.

The Shooting (1966) - Hellman
This is a strange western where a question mark is placed at the end of every sequence. A prospector bringing supplies back to his gold camp suspects he is being followed by someone, so he pierces the 10 pound bag of flour so they won’t have any trouble following him. Say what? When he arrives in camp only one terrified man / child remains; hiding inside his tent and taking pot shots any sounds outside. The two other guys in the crew went into town a couple days earlier and something happened (which is never explained) someone was run over and there may have been a child involved and they immediately high-tailed it back to camp. The other guy was killed by an unknown sniper during his morning coffee. And his brother not wanting to join him six feet underground has wisely taken to the hills. The next day, a woman wanders into camp and offers the prospector a fortune to hunt someone down. The woman echoes the man/child’s fear; ever so often on the trail she empties her gun in all directions for no apparent reason. They follow the trail into the desert, their horses drop dead from exhaustion, their empty water canteens soon follow and they continue on foot in the scorching sun … chasing what?

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

Fight Club * (1999) - Fincher
Jack in not insensitive to the world. Jack’s insomnia and alienation comes directly from his day job of cheating people out of their insurance claims and hiding corporate crimes scenes. He even spills the beans to a complete stranger on an airplane: if all the payouts remain less than an actual recall (the idea being that dead customers tell no tales of corporate culpability) it’s business as usual. The hunter-gather society has disappeared and all the red meat has been placed in the glossy pages of catalogues and on-line shopping with advertising orchestrating the cravings of the consumers. One of reasons for avoiding a film is the presence of one of these two lunkheads in the lead role, so this is a double whammy which unexpectedly improved with a second re-watch.

Sleep Tight (2011) - Balaguero
This is s mean spirited thriller about a concierge who wants to spread as much misery as he can in the world (it’s the only time he feels truly alive) all the while maintaining his polite, fawning exterior for the tenants. The owner of the building hates his guts and patiently collects each dereliction of duty for his iron-clad dismissal notice one proof at a time. When the axe falls, the concierge says farewell to an elderly lady (the sweetest person in the whole the building) by describing when she dies alone in her apartment she is going be eaten by her poodles. The film is rather off-putting because it’s so laced with malice.

Ben is Back (2018) - Hedges
When a wayward son in rehab shows up unexpectedly on the family doorstep, I was bracing for one belated, humdinger of a Festivus celebration where the all the family secrets where painfully revealed. Instead, this strangely resembles the visit from the first ghost in A Christmas Carol in that Ben is forced to revisit all his horrible deeds and rock bottom moments as a drug addict with his mom in tow during Christmas Eve. The film fudges a bit during his quest (ruling out all the suspects one by one) because he knows in advance he skipped town with a huge outstanding debt to a drug dealer who has climbed the ranks in the underworld and become even more powerful in during his absence.

Shoplifters (2018) - Kore-eda
There is a great reveal when the boy returns home and asks the little girl if she is going to return to her family; this functions as a soliloquy because he is standing alone in the alley looking at her off-screen, which immediately suggests her story is repeating his, the family also “rescued” him. It’s the boy’s conscience that fuels the drama, he gets tiny signals that confirm this from the elderly shopkeeper who loads him up with sweets then whispers in his ear: please don’t to teach your little sister to steal, to the way the parental units ghoulishly celebrate finding grandma’s secret money stash. Japanese society appears to be far more rigid and conformist; in western societies (I would hope) any openly loving surrogate family would be accepted as genuine.

The film slyly points out the financial structures in Japanese society are the actual shoplifters in the film creating the dysfunction of people who fall through the cracks of society. Bosses no longer fire anyone but send workers out into the alley outside to fight it out amongst themselves and the only the most desperate and clueless return. The father works renegade construction so when he is injured, there is no workman compensation to help him recover. The family can no longer afford to go see the annual fireworks display downtown, so they instead sit on the back porch and look up at the empty sky imagining the iridescent bursts from the sounds of a booming market economy.

Inju: the Beast in the Shadow (2008) - Schroeder
Alex Fayard travels to Japan to promote his first novel, which is a kind of pastiche of a reclusive Japanese pulp fiction writer’s style (who is notoriously publicity shy) he has never be seen or spoken in public yet he phones the live TV literary program Alex is appearing on to say how displeased he is with this foreign devil ripping him off and warning Alex to leave Japan or else. The book publisher immediately begins doing cartwheels in the wings because this public feud virtually guarantees the novel will be a best seller. Apart from an impeccable first sentence in Japanese Alex appears immediately lost afterwards so everyone speaks French to him. The identity of Japanese writer is complete mystery for the entire population of Japan, yet Alex quickly zeroes in on his true identity and is within days of meeting his idol in the flesh. The tone of the film is overtly theatrical and stilted; the lead is wonderfully wooden and out of place.

Kids Return (1996) - Kitano
This is about two best childhood buddies entering the adult world (which is far more corrupt than anything they could have imagined) and the proverbial parting of the ways. The prevailing opinion amongst the teachers is that expelling the twin terrors of the hallways would require too much effort so they tolerant them coasting through their remaining months of high school, pranking students and teachers alike. Masura joins a boxing club for revenge when he bullies the wrong boy out of his pocket money. The quieter one, Shinji (who taxis him around town on his bike) eventually begins training at the gym also, but he has a real gift; he can knock people out. One great prank finally gets them kicked out of school. Masura quickly loses interest in the amount of hard work involved in becoming a professional boxer and joins the Yakuza tragically learning, as an organization they have no sense of humour. Shinji continues training but he is too meek to stand on his own and is corrupted by a second rate boxer that shows him all the short-cuts to his own ruin. Their tale is sandwiched between two other stories; an aspiring comedy duo that eventually makes it; and in an attempt to gain the attention of a daughter in a family restaurant, a shy classmate works himself to death.

Pillow Talk (1959) - Gordon
Great set design and costumes in this film. The two leads are supported by strong secondary characters; the hapless, twice divorced multi-millionaire who is willing to book a church the moment she says yes to his declaration and her maid who shows up for work each morning with a hangover and has to hang on for dear life during the elevator ride to her apartment. I liked the slightly malevolent idea that the playboy originally set out on a Frank T.J. Mackey seduce and destroy mission to personally deliver hercomeuppance then for the good of the comedy ended up falling in love with her.

Of Time and the City (2008) - Davies
A dazzling opening reveals the shadows of the past and the ghosts of days gone by. There is a direct comparison between a small child’s first tottering steps and the last shuffles of octogenarians held up by canes and elbows at the ready. This is fleshed out with a few poetic observations and one of the best lines I’ve heard in a movie in a long time: “As you are now, we once were” which speaks to the futility of old age standing in the optimism of youth and the look of utter disbelief on their face. As in listen to me you whippersnapper, one day in the not too distant future, your hair will turn white, your teeth will fall out, your magnificent body will become a frail bag of bones like mine. And by the time you realize this: it will be too late.

There is a sly suggestion that the repressive ideologies of the past (church and state) have been replaced with that of the global market place which is even more cruel and mercenary. The gargantuan dock structures do the work of a thousand men; the monumental daggers of crystal (each condo has marbled floors and an east European maid) that slice the sky; the exclusive franchise restaurants that sell the same 125 dollar sandwichin Miami, Shanghai, and Liverpool. It’s not alienation, baby---you just can’t afford it.

Cyclo (1995) - Tran
This film has a great villainess. She is a successful businesswoman who sings like a songbird; dotes on her mentally disabled son; and lives in luxury from the people she ensnares with her miserable debt traps. Her right hand man is a reluctant gangster; in better world he would have been a poet and a teacher, but in this one he is a blackheart and a pimp who gets nosebleeds whenever he is overwhelmed emotionally. The indentured slaves (brother and sister) despite being lodged across the street from one another are tricked into paying off each other’s debts. She becomes a prostitute. And he starts as entry-level muscle in the underworld---a slight step up financially from being a cyclo-cab driver but a huge step down as a human being. From their second story apartment windows, there is a river of bicycles glimpsed at any hour of day or night.

★★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***%C2%BD)

Raise the Red Lantern * (1991) - Yimou
Unable to afford her tuition when her father dies, a college student is yanked from university and shipped off on a rich man. Penniless and powerless in the world, her only remaining act of autonomy is to refuse. Unfortunately, she can’t afford to be emotionally detached as the fourth wife in this medieval estate: this is a swim or sink competition and not being in the master’s favor seriously reduces her quality of life in the great house. These women have to live in the ethereal hue of the red lanterns, but there is no way to actively influence the master’s nightly whims; the only options available are to outmaneuver and aggressively neutralize the other women. The greatest prestige of a foot massage is that you are denying this privilege from the other wives. The acoustics are such that the sounds (or the cries and secret whispers) emanating from one house resonate just as clearly in all the other houses … omigod, it’s a wonder they all didn’t go insane.

Rebellion (2o11) - Kassovitz
This starts off as a kind of delta force thing (the French GIGN is a kind of national SWAT team for crisis situations) then morphs into a moral awakening for our hero. As a seasoned negotiator he works the problem and finds common ground between the two warring parties; he diffuses the situation and wins the day; unfortunately by the time he realizes he is only used as the moral facade to briefly engage their attention, it’s too late. There is a whole witches' brew of self- interest here of people who want to exploit the situation; the main one being this crisis is occurring during an election period and no electorate on earth would elect a wimp. The back room boys gleefully seize the opportunity to show the voters they are law and order candidates to the bitter end. One interesting idea: he actually says the use of the term “terrorist” is a dissociative trick deliberately used to make mass murder more palatable for the masses, one wouldn’t feel remorse over killing a rat or cockroach, why would one shed tears over a terrorist?

UV (2007) - Paquet-Brenner
Everything is suggestion in this story where a mysterious, hunky stranger shows up at a palatial villa on the French Rivera looking to reconnect with his boyhood friend. The young people frolic in the sun. The father is a spry old fogey who knows the limits of his failing power. He putters around the villa in his slippers but his presence and routine dominates the house. Every so often the old guy gives a glancing look of quiet evil; his children are indolent layabouts waiting for a hand out simply because he would never tolerate ambition or talent in anyone close to him otherwise his animal instincts would kick in, those ones about eating the young. The title suggests the father is a monster who has quietly irradiated his family. Each year the waters off shore from this municipality claim a victim or two who foolishly over-estimate their ability to swim with the sharks.

* = rewatch
** I’m kidding

re93animator

02-07-19, 01:02 PM

Pretty old tabs, but I haven’t gone a movie binge for a while now…

November (2017) – 4
A beautiful, twisted, and sometimes amusing folk tale. The focal romantic tragedy isn’t that interesting, but the odd folklore enveloping it is great, and the opening scene is one of the more hilarious I’ve seen lately. Music, cine, and setting are all gorgeous too. As a Floridian, seeing Estonians’ tolerance for cold weather is like struggling to lift 200 pounds while the guy next to you is benching 500 with one arm.

The Predator (2018) – 1.5
I’d like to earnestly rate it higher, because it did make me laugh, but the thriller/action portions are just so bleh, and the leads are cutouts. The movie would be worth watching if it’d just gone full comedy.

What We Do in the Shadows (2015) – 4
Vampire mockumentary. It’s hard not recommend to everyone. Characters and writing are just so enjoyable and funny.

Halloween (2018) – 3
Some odd unnatural dialogue and cringey scenarios, but entertaining overall. Jamie Lee is very good, and MM was exhibited pretty well for a 60-something year old unstoppable killer. It’s far from great, but it did tingle my nostalgia senses, and I think there’s rewatchability here. Mr. Carpenter assists with the score again as well, and it sounds good. I’ll have to give Halloween II another spin, but this is probably my favorite of the sequels.

The Seventh Continent (1989) – 3.5
A depiction of depression and routine dreariness that feels much more genuine than most. There’s no sense of hope or relief in mood; just a feeling of being trapped in first world monotony. In effect, it gets boring, but it needs to.

MovieMeditation

02-07-19, 02:39 PM

Halloween (2018) – 3
Some odd unnatural dialogue and cringey scenarios, but entertaining overall. Jamie Lee is very good, and MM was exhibited pretty well for a 60-something year old unstoppable killer. It’s far from great, but it did tingle my nostalgia senses, and I think there’s rewatchability here. Mr. Carpenter assists with the score again as well, and it sounds good. I’ll have to give Halloween II another spin, but this is probably my favorite of the sequels.
I got so confused for a moment thinking this was me. :laugh:

Also a bit insulted... 60!? The killing-thing is on point, but I'm not 60! :p

Swan

02-07-19, 03:35 PM

I am looking forward to see November, reanimator!

aronisred

02-22-19, 11:11 AM

Iroquois

02-22-19, 11:18 AM

Yeah, let us know if you still feel that way when they pass over ya boi for Rami Malek.

aronisred

02-22-19, 11:18 PM

Yeah, let us know if you still feel that way when they pass over ya boi for Rami Malek.

it's an honor to be nominated. The movie is already in the record books of film history.

Iroquois

02-22-19, 11:33 PM

Not when you consider some of the films they decide to nominate (especially Bohemian Rhapsody, which I'd actually consider an inferior film to Vice even as I acknowledge it's more likely to win an Oscar).

Cobpyth

02-22-19, 11:45 PM

VICE was nominated for 8 oscars ...so i know whose opinion I value the most....take a seat pal.

Clearly a statement by someone who doesn't understand how films get nominated for Oscars (hint: it's not all about quality).

MijaFrost

02-23-19, 12:11 AM

I've seen the type of people who are part of the Academy... no offense to them, it just explains why the actual nominations are rarely surprising. So yeah, I don't take awards ceremonies seriously either.

John-Connor

02-23-19, 06:08 AM

https://i.imgur.com/gVyVQvg.jpg
Re-watch Jan. 2019:
5 High and Low 1963
5 Le Samouraï 1967
4_5 M 1931
4 They Live 1988

https://i.imgur.com/7mog0eK.jpg
First time viewings Jan. 2019:
5 All About Eve 1950
5 A Man Escaped 1956
4_5 Out of the Past 1947
4_5 Sorcerer 1977
4 The Great Silence 1968
4 ..and justice for all. 1979
4 The Verdict 1982
4 Manhunter 1986
4 The Florida Project 2017
4 Green Book 2018
4 Widows 2018
3_5 Sonatine 1993
3_5 Leave No Trace 2018
3_5 Burning Beoning 2018
3_5 First Reformed 2017
3 Hereditary 2018

John-Connor

03-01-19, 06:37 AM

https://i.imgur.com/1S0toCV.jpg
Re-watch Feb. 2019:
5 Cinema Paradiso 1988
-Reviewed- (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/1992246-shogun-assassin.html) Shogun Assassin 1980
4_5 One-Eyed Jacks 1961
4_5 Unforgiven 1992
4 Days of Heaven 1978
4 The Fog 1980
4 The King Of Comedy 1982
4 The Dead Zone 1983
3 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country 1991
2_5 Silent Running 1972
https://i.imgur.com/d0tvEIN.jpg
First time viewings Feb. 2019:
5 The Invisible Guest, Contratiempo 2016
5 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2018
4 Le Trou, The Hole 1960
4 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1966
4 Ghost World 2001
4 Miss Sloane 2016
4 The Rider 2017
4 The Hate U Give 2018
4 Shoplifters, Manbiki kazoku 2018
4 Blindspotting 2018
4 Cold War, Zimna wojna 2018
3_5 Touchez Pas au Grisbi (Hands Off The Loot) 1954
3_5 Prince of the City 1981
3_5 The Guilty, Den Skyldige 2018
3_5 Can You Ever Forgive Me 2018
3_5 Eighth Grade 2018
3_5 If Beale Street Could Talk 2018
3_5 Hearts Beat Loud 2018
3 Prospect 2018

3_5 Ray Romano: Right Here, Around the Corner 2019
2_5 Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho 2019
1_5 The 91st Annual Academy Awards 2019

re93animator

03-01-19, 11:50 AM

Cash on Demand (1961) - 3
A man eloquently robs a bank run by a snooty manager. Don’t read the IMDB synopsis; it gives away the whole plot.

The characters are multifaceted, and Andre Morell is wonderful. The story is told in what feels like real time, which gives it a Hitchcockian tension. I think this may be the only non-horror Hammer flick I’ve seen, but it seems someone forgot to tell the composer. dun dun

The Wailing (2016) – 3.5
A sort of bumbling small town policeman tries to quell an evil entity infiltrating his village. Comedic for the first hour, but gets serious and disturbing when it needs to. Loved the ending.

Far from Men (2014) – 3.5
Two men in a warring Algeria try to avoid human and natural threats during a tumultuous trek. A pretty slow pace and depressing ‘post’ sounding score give subtle moments poignancy.
https://i.imgur.com/xbdhcAg.jpg?1

The Cars That Ate Paris (1974) – 2.5
An eccentric small town with a twisted collective secret takes in a newcomer. It’s not horror or comic enough to recommend to genre fans, and not quirky enough to watch for oddness alone, but it’s not bad.
https://i.imgur.com/Vn26mJS.jpg?1

Frightmare (1974) – 2.5
A formerly committed mental patient may be having a relapse in her old age. A decent horror mystery. Not much more; not much less. Some characters are grating (by intention), but the acting can get pretty entertaining (especially from the old bat).
https://i.imgur.com/L8gYRzX.png?1

HashtagBrownies

03-01-19, 08:33 PM

Seen in January Pt.2/2

52086
3.5
It’s a very average, by-the-books biopic but I liked it a lot as it’s about a a topic I’m actually interested in. Steve Coogan’s and John C. Riley’s performances were so good. They fit into the roles so well.

52087
4-
Incredibly British. I loved the characters and the story. The animation is great too, the fast-paced nature of it adds to the physical comedy.

52088
3.5+
Pretty strange that everyone’s calling Black Panther revolutionary for having a mainly black cast in an American movie when this movie came out way before. Another solid comedy from John Landis. I loved James Earl Jones and Arsenio Hall.

52089
4-
The more I think about this, the more I like it. It feels like a subversion of the superhero genre, even before the superhero craze became a thing. It’s very quiet compared to most superhero films, it’s mostly just talking: I don’t think I’ve ever seen that done with the genre before. Most superhero films have super-hyper-death-gods destroying cites. What does Bruce Willis do? He’s stronger than the average human and has unbreakable bones. I think what makes this film so interesting is that if there WAS superheroes in our society, this is probably what they would be, not Thor.
Also that twist, holy crap.

52090
4
My third Ken Loach film and it was great. Nearly every film I’ve seen from the ‘Kitchen-Sink’ genre has been a banger. Main character’s performance was great. Something about the film just feels so ‘real’, guess that’s common with the genre though.

Also that food court scene, so sad.

52091
3.5-
It was enjoyable, but it felt pointless; I don’t think it added anything to the ‘Unbreakable’ universe. Couldn’t Split have not been set in the same universe and just be its own standalone film? Once again James McCoy is superb in this (I’m glad we got to see more personalities). The ending felt very rushed and weird.

52092
2.5
Not for me. The first 40 minutes were SO BORING! After that there were some cool scenes (The hands coming out of the wall), some really good spooky moments and music, but apart from that it’s just our blank-state of a main character prancing about.

Nearly every film I’ve seen so far by Polanski I found over-rated and didn't live up to the hype at all. Weird.

52093
3+?!?!??!?!
There’s a scene where a girl runs over a kids head, masturbates to a photo of it, then gets her ass burned by the main character who's voiced by a cheesy trailer narrator.

Absolutely awful, but fun.

52094
4-
I really liked Carrey’s performance, but I guess he’s always like that. I loved that karaoke scene. Even though this is a dark comedy, I thought it got REALLY dark in the second half and not in a funny way.

52095
4
Lads, if you haven’t seen this, watch it now. It’s one of those “Don’t look up anything about it before seeing it” types of movies.

After hearing about it you think "A film within a film?" cool. But then it turns out it's actually "A film within a film within a film" and I'm just there like "HOLY CRAP WHAT A TWIST!”. The sudden shift from a zomcom to a dramedy is probably one of the craziest genre shifts in a film I’ve heard about.
Watching the short you notice a bunch of weird stuff (The dead lady waking back up, the long awkward pauses) and you just assume it's a niche genre of comedy, but when the twist comes and they explain it all it comes together and is really clever.

HashtagBrownies

03-01-19, 08:43 PM

Short films seen in January
(I put the director/date beside them in case you wanna check them out yourself)

Playstation 2 :The Third Place (Lynch): Really cool, felt very Eraserhead-ish
Barilla Commercial (Lynch): I have no idea why Lynch made this. It’s so crazy I have to watch it every now and again because it’s so weird.
Georgia Coffee commercials (Lynch): Imagine Dale Cooper comes to your coffee shop and he says: “No thanks, I got come crappy ass packet coffee thank you very much”.
The Flying Coffer (Reiniger): Sad story.
The Secret of the Marquise (Reiniger): Cute commercial
Christmas Is Coming (Reiniger): Eh...
The Heavenly Post Office (Reiniger): EEEHHHHHHH...
Homage to Zgougou the Cat (Varda): What a nice kitty.
DoodleBug (Nolan): Cool.
The Calligrapher (Quay Bros.): I wanna see more by these dudes now.
Rated R For Nudity (Villeneuve): Kinda terrifying but I loved it.
Far Far Away Idol: Simon Cowell was the REAL villain of Shrek 2.
Men Boxing (1891): They didn’t box, incredibly disappointed.
Poor Pierrot: Interesting early attempt at animation, but it hasn’t aged well at all

Joel

03-01-19, 08:50 PM

Down by Law - (1986) - JIM JARMUSCH

Not much I can say. I liked it. I've always liked it, and I've liked it again and again. Just a sweet tale with semi hallucinogenic imagery. And that jail-break scene, wow! ;P

Nothing in Common - (1986) Garry Marshall

Half good, half not that good. Hanks is still in peak immature form but also shows some restraint and intensity. RIP 1986.

A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon - (1988) - William Richter

Dull, boring,.. and yet somehow captivating at the same time. It was and is a cadence to my movie watching metronome. Simulated underwear sex and Norman Rockwell style narration on the director's cut is so misleading. This is not an 80's teen romp. It's a 1960's nostalgia trip that somehow almost evades a family reconciliation, but thankfully does not..in the end.

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot - (2018) - Gus Van Sant

Joaquin has always struck me as a capable but purposeful victim of stroke blob of meat style actor. Here he is no different. Jonah Hill adds his comedy to underwhelming effect. It's OK. It should have been magnificent, but that's what's wrong with most modern dramas. They try to be cutting edge and they fumble it all up, like a 9 year old trying to cook up 4 star cuisine.

HashtagBrownies

03-02-19, 09:35 PM

Seen in February Pt.1

52107
4-
A solid haunted house film. I liked the characters and the story was pretty cool: The second half was basically the plot to Poltergeist but told in a very unique way. I know everyone thinks this is spooky cause of all the big scares, but the stuff that scared me the most were the little stuff (Could you close the door? I don't like it when he walks around). The last two minutes were very cheesy though.

52108
3.5-
Not as fun or action-packed as ‘Goldfinger’. I thought the main villain was very threatening, but I feel like he didn’t get much use: When you compare his fight with Bond to Bond’s fight with Oddjob in ‘Goldfinger’, the former is very lacklustre. It’s a shame because there’s lots of potential for suspense with that strong-ass metal hand.

I will give the film one thing though, it introduced me to that amazing “Three Blind Mice” song.

52109
4
Another zinger from Cuarón. A slice of life drama about a housemaid, What caught my attention immediately was the miss en scéne, it’s fantastic: In the background of nearly every scene there’s tons of characters doing their own unique thing. Great performances and great characters. The B&W cinematography is lovely. The birth scene and the beach scene were very emotional for me, and I'm not that easy to get emotional.

Not as good as his other work, but to be fair it’s pretty bloody hard to top ‘Children of Men'.

52111
4-
Normally this is the type of film that would bore me to tears, but there was something about it that grabbed me. Was it the characters? The performances? The shot composition? I don’t know. I’d say it has a lot more going for it thematically than ‘Through a Glass Darkly’. I thought the interpretation of Jesus’ suffering at the end was incredibly beautiful. I noticed after some later thought that First Reformed is basically a modern day remake of this, I enjoyed First Reformed more.

52112
3.5-
I thought the comedic bits were good. A few of the more plot-centric bits were kinda boring, even though it is an interesting story.. The ending speech was incredible, still relevant today.

52113
4-
I liked the first one, but after enjoying this one alot I wanna re-visit it and see if my opinions on it have changed.

I liked the direction it took and how it developed more on the idea of the 'human world'. The script is very good (If a little predictable). The comedy is great. The fast-paced animation is really fun. I loved all the little in-jokes and unexpected references to different films, and the original songs are catchy as hell.

52114
4
A slick, simple thriller with a funky soundtrack. What makes this one so unique from the crowd is the depiction of the terrorists. Usually in these types of movies whenever the protagonist gives in a deal or bargain to give him some time to save the day the antagonist usually complies. In this film however, the terrorists have a no-BS policy, no bargaining whatsoever. I loved this, it makes the film so much more intense and it makes me wish more films with similar plots would do this kind of thing.

52115
4
It’s obvious Lloyd Kaufman has improved on his craft because this is alot more fun and way less boring than The Toxic Avenger. Nearly every joke in this film is made to offend someone, the acting is purposefully bad, and this all adds to the terrible but hilarious script. If you’re looking for a satire on capitalism and animal cruelty, this is certainly something.

“The chicken has declared jihad on us all"

52116
3.5
Michael Powell is an absolute master with colours. Apart from that it’s just a fun fantasy flick with some great sets and diversity considering the year it was made.

52117
4+
Never heard about the act of ‘free soloing’ before this. Alex is a really interesting person, whenever there’s no climbing scenes were shown his life and discussions about climbing, all very interesting. The theory that he has Aspergers makes sense: He’s kinda monotone and witty, he’s emotionally distant from his girlfriend, and he has an avid interest in a specific subject (Free soloing). The climbing scenes are amazing: The cinematography is so good and the fact that you’re watching real life footage of someone doing this is astounding. The fact that a human being can do that makes me proud to be one.

cricket

03-03-19, 12:42 AM

February, 2019 movies watched-

The Descent (2005) Repeat viewing 4- One of the best horrors of the last 20 years.

Boy Erased (2018) 3.5- Hedges is a stud and the story has real meaning.

Beautiful Boy (2018) 3.5 Emotionally effective.

eXistenZ (1999) Repeat viewing 3- Not much my type but still pretty good.

Blade (1998) 3.5- Nothing but a good time.

The Old Man and the Gun (2018) 3 A very good watch but nothing that especially stands out.

Overlord (2018) 4 A high rating for my entertainment.

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) 3 A good flick but Sherlock Holmes has never been of interest to me.

Razorback (1984) 3 Pretty good for a B movie.

Widows (2018) 4+ I'll be surprised if there's a movie from 2018 that I like more.

Roma (2018) 4- It took a while but it finally hooked me.

White Boy Rick (2018) 3 The kind of story that appeals to me and they did a decent job.

What Have You Done to Solange? 2.5 Average Giallo.

Polar (2019) 3 Good for an action fix.

A Star Is Born (2018) 3.5 Worthwhile remake. I think I'd watch 100 versions.

The Night Comes for Us (2018) 3.5 Insane amounts of action and violence.

Total February viewings-16
Total 2019 viewings-42

aronisred

03-08-19, 04:11 PM

Senna

3

The life and death of Brazilian formula 1 race car driver Ayrton Senna.

This documentary movie treats its subject as a tragic figure. I am not sure I agree with that point of view. From the get go the movie shows him as someone different from other race car drivers and someone who naively happens to pursue his goal against all odds. It felt like there is another clear way to look at this whole ordeal. But what makes this point of view stick is the personality of Senna. He comes off as someone who just goes about by his business.Look, this movie covers all the standard tropes of traditional biopic but since in this case its documentary, the movie uses real footage to build a narrative. That is the most admirable aspect of the movie.

The main challenge involved in making a great auto racing movie is to sustain the adrenaline rush for the entire run time of the movie. There is a way to go about it but time and again all the racing movies drop the ball. Most of the movies in general have lot of filler scenes. The actual juicy part is 30% of the movie. This is especially true with a racing movie. Merging the adrenaline rush of an actual racing sequence with the legacy and conflict of race car drivers outside the race track is a near impossible task. There is a canned approach to it and every movie follows that. Race to tragic to legacy to doubt to conflicts to race. This cycle keeps going on and on. The problem with this approach is that there is nothing unique about it. You can literally replace auto racing with any other sport and you don't see much impact or difference in any of this.

Personally, I think the best and unique way of dealing with auto racing movie is to hold the audience attention and not let go the entire run time of the movie. No other sport can do that. It is the only sport which is intense from star to finish once it begins. Almost all other sports have pauses built into them. This is the key factor most racing movies forget. They sort of lean into the "short" duration of races and use the races to create the intense parts of the movie and use the rest of the movie to tell either a heroic conflicted story or a tragic conflicted story. There is nothing special about that. Same with this movie. Since the driver is from Brazil which is full of poverty, he helps people. Auto racing is known for its politics and the movie shows him being treated unfairly due to politics. The movie shows him as an ambitious person whose only goal in life and one true passion is to race and the movie makes him out to be quite uncomfortable in any other social circumstances. It doesn't show him having fun. In the end it treats his death as a combination of failure of auto racing safety regulations and his never quit attitude and human spirit. To me that just doesn't cut it. Even though the movie deals with his rivalry with a fellow race car driver in great detail it all somehow feels very cliched. The conflict is there in real life and the documentary doesn't do anything outstanding. All in all , despite setting the movie exclusively in formula 1 racing tracks and Brazil the movie and storytelling lacks cerebral touch and feels safe in its approach. Hopefully future movies like Ford v. Ferrari by James Mangold avoids these cliches. The key here is to make the whole movie feel like a race. Director needs to get creative in telling the story and at the same time use the scenes outside race tracks to build momentum in the race. Make the people observing the race feel unsafe themselves as to what it all means. Most of the spectators in auto racing movies are speed junkies. So why not use them to build the momentum in the race tracks. If there is corporate pressure on the drivers then use that to build momentum on the race and not treat it as an element from a different movie. I believe that since Ford v. Ferrari deals with endurance racing and I don't think there is another movie that deals with endurance racing the length of races is long and that might help the movie to be different and be the definitive car movie of all time.

One more thing I liked about this movie is its origins. The movie was made because the filmmakers involved are massive fans of Senna and since his name will soon be forgotten from pop culture with passing of time, the filmmakers as fans decided to make the movie. That is quite rare in film industry. Movies getting made just due to the passion and desire and fandom of its filmmakers towards its central character is quite rare. That's highly admirable.

thracian dawg

03-08-19, 04:33 PM

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

House of Games * (1987) - Mamet
Dr. Margaret Ford’s life is coming up aces. Her psychiatry practice is thriving. She donates personal time at the loony bin. She just wrote a best seller so she is becoming a minor celebrity; when a patient says he is perhaps in danger of being killed over his gambling debts, she feels she had enough street cred to intervene personally with his bookie. It’s interesting that the conmen see her as easy mark at the onset, her carefully concealed manias are all readable tells for them; it’s unstated that she is also running a con game on the public with her self-help platitudes. The irony is the conman misreads just how bent she turns out to truly be.

Flowers of Evil (2013) - Nagahama
I’m including this simply because of the last four or five animé series I’ve tried to watch, I’ve given up on each one after the first couple of episodes and I surprisingly (finally!) made it all the way to the end of one. This bizarre love triangle that was pretty solid except for the last ten minutes in the series, where it dissolves into gibberish setting up season two. This is about teen-aged angst with varying levels of rotoscoped alienation; our shy hero secretly worships the straight A student from afar; she seems to understand she is a beautiful doll doing exactly what her parents and teachers demand of her. Because he reads Baudelaire’s The Flowers of Evil, he imagines himself a closet rebel, above the numbing conformity of their small town. Whereas the quiet girl that sits behind him in homeroom class may be the actual item, genuinely damaged and alienated.

Moonrise (1948) - Borzage
The director disposes of all the suspense immediately and the audience is left with an internal drama of a man stumbling towards the light. He has a festering rage against the world because he has been bullied and tormented since childhood. The film has a lot of really crisp subtext: a baby in a crib is indelibly marked by the sins of his father. At the end of a racoon hunt, he climbs up a tree to shake the trembling animal from the limb aware that only his name will soon remain on the list of murder suspects and the baying bloodhounds will soon be set upon him. There’s a wonderful visual echo of a hangman throwing the gallows lever and a speedometer needle inching up before a car crash.

Captain Conan (1996) - Tavernier
The film points out that although millions of men fought in the World War 1, it was won by only a thousand or so true warriors. Captain Conan leads one such autonomous commando unit that use the cover of darkness to slip through no man’s land to massacre the enemy then disappear like wraiths. Captain Conan chooses their own targets and battles; they independently commandeer whatever they need or want. With the Armistice quickly approaching soon they will be tossed aside to rot; the war has made wolves in human clothing unfit for civilian life.

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

The Killing * (1956) - Kubrick
Before the martial arts film was invented, back in the old days, wrestlers were the go to example of dangerous brawlers. So it’s always a laugh to see them taken seriously in old films with their wrestling moves. He’s wearing a tearaway shirt that reveals his barrel chest, but then this is only a staged diversion. There is a wonderful bit of fun with the time stamps, for example: Maxwell Cornblower entered the Bus depot at precisely 10.15 a.m. This conflates that idea that arriving somewhere at a preordained time means you have complete control and mastery over your destiny; this is a delicious bit of self-delusion. After the heist the mastermind (he just got out of prison the week before) unconsciously begins to self-sabotage himself; getting lost in traffic; forgetting where he lives; he’s carrying a duffel bag full of money with him; yet he buys the cheapest, flimsiest suitcase he can find at a pawnshop. The film is wonderfully bleak.

M * (1931) - Lang
Lang uses match-cuts to establish the similarity between two groups of men. A criminal will make a gesture in one scene which will be cross-cut and finished by a cop in another scene. In one meeting, the authorities redouble their efforts and in the other, the criminal underworld decides the cops are useless and decide to catch the killer themselves. A child’s balloon floats up to the sky---touches and lights up the telephone lines of her death; the next scene has street vendors running in the streets screaming the sensational news. I was surprised by the level of complexity in the film.

Miss Bala (2019) - Hardwicke
The great despair of the original film is remade as a paltry thriller about grrrrl power. At the end of the film Gloria is recruited as a CIA operative as some kind of secret agent superhero; they keep dumping her on suicide missions yet she keeps popping up without a scratch. Even in this minor league beauty pageant, she barely makes up to the other contestant’s shoulders, she’s got a snowball’s chance in hell of winning. Just how far they are from the original film, the audience is told, not once, but twice that the “Star” gang is going to bribe the judges to make her winning believable for the audience. The original film is far subtler; in that film a representative from the gang merely tells the pageant organizers that Miss Bala is going to win; disagreeing would mean they would simply be escorted to the back alley and disappear. This has the best tattoo of the month: the bony hands of death clutch the back of one thug’s neck; this is either a curse or a blessing.

Capernaum (2018) - Labaki
The plight and pathos was trowelled on a little too thick for my tastes in this nightmare scenario when an Ethiopian mother is caught in a routine police sweep of an overseas phone call center. The (hard boiled, foul-mouthed) 12 year old boy she has taken under her wing as an au pair to watch her one year old child while she works during the day are abandoned without resources in a roadside, Lebanese shanty town. He sets out every morning looking for her and you are waiting for the horrible moment when he loses the enfant.

The River (1951) - Renoir
Renoir uses great authentic amateur actors like a factory owner with a glass eye or a one legged man. A visiting relative (a disillusioned war hero) stirs the hearts of a few young women living in some great houses lining the Ganges. This is unhurried storytelling that flows by just like the river. There is a recurring motif of rebirth; the annual festivals are time markers signalling the passage of time which suggests that everyone is dying a season or a celebration at a time, but each morning is a kind of rebirth. I loved at the end of the film, each of the girls got a personal letter from Captain John who returned to the states and they all dropped his letters and dashed off when something more interesting happened.

Believe in Me (2006) - Collector
This story about a high school women’s basketball team really gains because of the epoch and setting; it was the early sixties so there was no future for gifted women athletes, no college scholarships up for grabs, no Olympic teams to fill; these farm girls play for love of the game and a brief moment in time.

Cold Water (1994) - Assayas
A producer asked a few up and coming directors if they could do an hour long film about their memories of being young and Assayas was the only one to submit a script with a stipulation he would bump up it to a feature length film for the same amount of money. The high point of the film will be the holiest of holies, the house party; add a killer sound track and a sound system you crank up until the windows vibrate and it’s a done deal: the pangs of seventeen. I don’t think the bar was placed particularly high. I’m beginning to believe the power mix is a cliché that doesn’t quite work in cinema, sure one can appropriate a time period by merely looking up and playing all the chart toppers from a certain period, but is that really genuine? There is an inarticulate adolescent rage about the falseness of the world and being pushed into a vocational cubby hole for the rest of their life. Their rebellion is limited to futile acts of self-destruction and vandalism; the young couple seems to be united in their confusion rather than their passion.

Fury (1936) - Lang
It was a bit odd that the film immediately hammered down the character traits of the lead within the opening minutes, but this pays off in spades at the end where the audience knows exactly where the story is going. The complex subject matter made surprisingly simple; the prosecuting attorney simply takes the witness list from the defense and allows each man accused of mob violence to produce their iron-clad alibis, before introducing news footage of the event that shows each defendant is guilty as charged and every single person in town is a liar. One can almost as feel the pressures on the director to make the story more palatable for a mainstream audience; the unstated subject of the film is the lynching of black people in the south. The film suggests obliquely that his fiancé is black but can pass for white.

Destroyer (2018) - Kusama
Detective Erin Bell knows the exact moment when her life turned to **it and her fall from grace began. She was one half of a duo of undercover cops who fell in love and decided to run away together after the job; the mickey mouse gang they infiltrated wouldn’t notice if a duffel bag or two went missing during a planned bank heist. Decades later (filled with empty whiskey bottles) the ground is finally rushing up at her with one last case. Best hair and make-up of the month, there are liver spots galore in this film. This is also a textbook example of what one transposed edit can accomplish in a film.

T-Men (1947) - Mann
There is an evocative use of shadow and chiaroscuro in the film; characters leap out of curtains of black or disappear into the shadows. This somehow reminds me a little of To Live and Die in L.A; since they both involved undercover treasury agents.

Smashed (2012) - Ponsoldt
The story differs from the usual addiction film in that it skirts the fall to absolute rock bottom with romance and humour (each night is just another party for this couple) they are avid cyclists, since this avoids obvious transportation problems when the bars close down for the night, although later on in the film the husband gets arrested for impaired bicycle riding. Her husband strode into an AA meeting as a prank one night and stole a handful of pamphlets; it’s no longer the laugh riot it once was that they answered yes to every single question because nighttime is become increasingly scary proposition for her; where is she going to wake up tomorrow morning? Our heroine realizes that her body is beginning to seriously betray her. She has to deliberately avoid temptation and choose sobriety to move forward in her life or remain on a downward spiral of self-destruction.

Sudden Fear (1952) - Miller
The set-ups were great. The playwright waltzes into the Broadway rehearsals and immediately fires the lead actor because in her opinion, he isn’t handsome enough to be the lady killer the role requires. He is surprisingly understanding about the whole thing when he bumps into her on a train ride to the West coast a few months later and they spend time with each other and end up falling in love. In her study, she has a state of the art, voice activated Dictaphone, which can remain idle for hours, then catch that great one liner or complete unfiltered conversations like when Hubby (now married to her) and his mistress take refuge in her office to fine tune their plan to dispatch her from the land of the living and really start spending her money. After crying her eyes out, she does a quick professional re-write on the spot: she is going to whack her two timing husband and send that little tramp to the gas chamber for his murder. There is a great bit with wind-up toy poodle in his mistress’s apartment; when he shows up there, he winds it up and sets it on the ground and it runs straight to the closet where she is hiding.

I Know Where I’m Going! (1945) - Pressburger & Powell
I liked the momentum of this romantic comedy; there is a mad rush to make it to Kiloran Island in Scotland and get hitched to the richest man in Britain. Before leaving on the train, the future bride is given the itinerary of their wedding/honeymoon week clocked down to the minute and hour. Unfortunately a gale takes up permanent residence between the mainland and the island, making the trip too dangerous to be undertaken, the wind also snatches her agenda from her hands. She is forced (probably for the first time in her life) to reflect on what she genuinely wants out of life as she kills time in this small seaside community brimming with colorful characters--- monetarily challenged, but rich in spirit. At a fiftieth wedding anniversary celebration, you can see the dancer’s feet bouncing from the thin planks making up the floorboards. It doesn’t hurt there is also a handsome Laird vacationing in the village and slowly they begin to embody the tragic curse of two doomed lovers of the nearby haunted castle.

★★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***%C2%BD)

Something in the Air (2012) - Assayas
Assayas revisits the same subject matter of Cold Water eight years later. This time he sets his film just after the May 68 protests (which almost toppled the state) the activists still go out to regularly protest (and get their fair share of abuse) the idea that one could make a better world lingers in the air, unaware the moment has passed. There is a nice counterpoint between his militant, driven intellectual world (he begins to notice the various fudges and shortcomings) and the youthful bliss he follows to find paying gigs for his future vocation as a graphic designer. The end of the film has him working at Pinewood studios in London on a ridiculous creature feature: a bikini bimbo has taken refuge on a submarine with crew made up of both the Nazi’s and the Allies yet she is still being chased by a phallic sea monster. There is a bittersweet ending, where his high school sweetheart (she perished in a house fire) mentions she did a film one summer. He sits down for an evening of avant-garde short films at a local theatre and she appears on screen.

Abigail’s Party (1977) - Leigh
This drama was restricted (for the most part) to a single room. The first surprise was there is no Abigail; Abigail’s party is the gathering of teen-agers a couple of houses down and they are never seen, although the thumping of their music is heard at certain times. This is primed for drama in the way the hostess expertly needles her husband; the way her party dress complements her couch and the passive-aggressive way her husband bails on greeting her guests for a work related errand. The glowering husband of the second couple is always framed reacting disapprovingly to everything his silly wife says. This was one of Leigh’s contributions to the long running British “Play for Today” TV series.

The East (2013) - Batmanglij
I loved that these activists were all privileged children of the elite that experienced the curtain malfunction in their million dollar educations; noticing their position in life was not earned but bequeathed like diamonds. At the end, her boss asks our undercover heroine the great head scratcher: why the dumpster diving? They are rich, why not just put in a garden in their back yard? She has to explain, there is nothing wrong with the food supermarkets throw away, this is merely a way they maintain their outrageous profits; she turns and finds a nibbled piece of fruit from the tree of knowledge in a waste basket, and takes a big bite out of it, signaling her own epiphany and transformation. Unfortunately the ending peters out into complete fantasy, instead of publically outing this phalanx of well paid, corporate spies; she is going to take this list of names and visit them one by one, and personally explain to them how the world actually works and magically a light bulb will appear over their heads. “Oh, the violence and deceit inherent in the system, I never noticed that until just now, thank-you so much.” Belief systems by design are impenetrable to reason and logic. The corporate overlords have of course, cleverly gamed the system; all their work product is protected with non-disclosure agreements, meaning they are going to deliberately become criminals in the eyes of the legal system in order to do what is morally right.

★★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/****)

Miss Bala * (2003) - Naranjo
This is an exposé about the creeping corruption in a Mexican border town ruled by the gun; human life is next to worthless and no amount of street smarts or intelligence will save you. This is clear the morning after, when Laura Guerrero simply asks a cop for some information about the shooting at the night club and he radios headquarters with her inquiry and volunteers to drive her to the police station---seconds later he is called on his cellphone and told where to deliver the witness and she is simply handed over to the gang. There doesn’t seem to be any establishing shots in the film, our heroine is always seen three ways: head and shoulders looking into the camera; a tight frame directly follows behind her; or a stationary point of view near to her, which emphasizes the feeling of helplessness and dread. The fraudulent beauty contest is a metaphor; the bathing suit portion of the competition is when they trot out a captured drug kingpin every once in a while and crow about what great progress they are making in the war on drugs. With the amount of prestige (all the security forces all get their annual 20% budget increase, year in, year out) and the endless river of money involved: this gravy train is never coming to an end.

HashtagBrownies

03-12-19, 08:05 PM

Seen in February Pt.2

52289
4
Alex Garland is a really creative dude. The main characters gave great performances. The visuals are very nice. The script is really good (Lots of philosophical musings). Great soundtrack and characters. The tension and fear the film creates with its ‘who can you trust’ approach was very effective. The whole film provokes an interesting conversation on artificial intelligence.
The twist was actually really great: The whole time you think Nathan is a villain and that Caleb and Ava are gonna escape together, but by the end it turns out that Nathan was right the whole time and that Ava was a heartless machine. Leaving Caleb to die at the end put a sour taste in my mouth, but to be fair I don’t think an evil robot cares about humans.

52290
4
Incredibly fun. To think this came from the same director as ’The Evil Dead’. I think I liked this more than Spiderverse. The best part about the whole film is the score, it sounds so epic in scale. I really liked the performances by Tobey Maguire and J.K. Simmons. I loved most of the characters, all very charismatic. The story is very simple, but it’s effective. The action scenes are fun and the romance is super cute. The only thing I can really criticise is that the CGI is very outdated and the Green Goblin looks like a f*cking Power Rangers villain, but it didn’t take away from my experience of the film at all.

Now all I have to do is watch the sequel and I’ll finally understand all the memes!

52291
3
As a guy who’s seen every William Hartnell episode of Doctor Who, it was really weird seeing him as a tough gangster instead of a grumpy, cheeky old man. Overall it was an entertaining noir, even if the ending was really dumb.

52292
3.5
A really fun body horror flick. It feels a bit wrong to call it that as it only goes body horror in the last twenty minutes. The effects and the overall atmosphere of those scenes are amazing though (Also that butthead scene, classic).

52293
4
What a creative film! Music is usually very abstract, even if it revolves around a very basic story. I feel like this film captured this perfectly, it’s like ‘looking’ at music. The songs are great (I absolutely loved ‘The Trial’). The animation is amazing, and all the set design is very good. It’s a shame the animated segments only took a small portion of the story, they were the best part.

52294
3.5
I won’t spoil anything, but it’s an interesting, Americanisation of the Agatha Christie formula. Pretty mysterious and suspenseful. Would recommend if you’re into that kinda ‘Agatha Christie’ stuff.

52295
3
Cute barely feature-length film by the director of ‘The Redd Balloon’. One thing that stood out was that there was a cute scene of a horse chasing a rabbit with funny music playing over it, then it just suddenly jump-cuts to the kid eating the rabbit on a spit. I don’t think that was intentional was it was so dark and funny.

52296
4-
A really fun movie. I thought the mystery was genuinely interesting. I find it a bit weird how the film didn’t delve into the moral ambiguity of arresting someone for a crime they have yet to commit. The action and suspense scenes were very well handled. The unique visual style was pretty cool.

52297
4+
The most unique film I’ve seen from the prison escape genre. The first 30 minutes are setting up the characters, and the rest of the film is them planning their escape. A film with a simple premise that really takes its time, filled with long scenes of the characters just chipping away at walls, cutting through bars or unlocking doors. I’ve never seen this approach before, and I found it quite relaxing yet engrossing at the same time. Despite all this, it still manages to have a constant aura of suspense (Are the guards coming?). The cinematography and lighting are also great. The use of diegetic sound is genius: The constant banging of the hammers is like a soundtrack in this music-less film.

Also that ending, Oh My God, what an absolute gut punch

52298
3.5-?
My first Tati film, and I don’t really know what to say about it. The production design, colour scheme and sets are absolutely fantastic, I can’t deny that: It’s like something out of a bloody sci-fi film! The soundtrack is very memorable. There’s something quite interesting about the presentation: Just watching strangers do stuff for two hours. The thing is though I thought that worked quite well in the first half, though it got kinda boring in the second half (I fell asleep though a good portion of the restaurant section). That’s why I’m quite mixed on the film. Still wanna see the other films by Tati.

re93animator

03-13-19, 03:20 AM

3.5-?
My first Tati film, and I don’t really know what to say about it. The production design, colour scheme and sets are absolutely fantastic, I can’t deny that: It’s like something out of a bloody sci-fi film! The soundtrack is very memorable. There’s something quite interesting about the presentation: Just watching strangers do stuff for two hours. The thing is though I thought that worked quite well in the first half, though it got kinda boring in the second half (I fell asleep though a good portion of the restaurant section). That’s why I’m quite mixed on the film. Still wanna see the other films by Tati.

Mr. Hulot's Holiday is my favorite. I like the more relaxed pace & commentary in Play Time, but MHH is a bit sillier and more fun, just not as highbrow (for lack of a better term) as his later movies. I love that charmingly French atmosphere; like cinematic candy. Big inspiration for Mr. Bean I think.

aronisred

03-14-19, 03:40 PM

Triple Frontier

2

A group of ex-special force soldiers decide to rob a drug lord in remote south america. But the plan goes awry and they must decide what they are willing to live with.

I have to be honest, I went into this movie with skepticism knowing that its a Netflix release. As the movie went along it only reaffirmed my doubts in it. Why was this movie not a theatrical release ? I have an answer after watching the movie. Firstly , there is a certain kind of stardom that is very toxic for the actor with that reputation. If you can bring audience to theaters no matter what kind of movie it is, as long as its good is a good stardom to have. But then, there is other kind of stardom which plagues mainly handsome men with black hair and black eyes and strong facial features that is very bad for the actor. These kinds of guys can't play different kinds of roles and they should make different variations of action movies to turn in profits. But the problem is, they start effecting the quality and tone and legacy of a movie they are in. For example, a few good men is first and foremost a court room drama. Rest of the movie is working so good that whenever you see Tom cruise in the movie, as good as his dialogues and scenes are, whenever you see him, you are reminded of a variation of top gun or days of thunder. That in a way takes you out of the movie. But the moment you see jack nicholson in a scene, you are brought back to the best part of the movie. That is very telling. Ben Affleck suffers from this. Sicario also dealt with cartels. One of the reasons why that was so good is because none of the actors in the movie jumped out of the movie or took you out of the movie. But Ben Affleck takes you out of this movie.

The movie starts with a bust and the officer in the drug bust catches wind of a large sum of money stored in a house in south american jungles guarded by drug lord. So, he assembles his former colleagues to rob that money and set for life. The best version of this story has to be either very elemental or very complex. Run of the mill is not ambitious enough but it can be entertaining although this movie after a certain point is neither. I hate to be the guy that craps all over the hard work of the filmmakers but certain parts of this movie are not well thought out.

The problem with this movie is that there is no pay off to all the build up. This movie doesn't have enough bite to it. Once they are in the house where they are supposed to rob, the movie falls off the cliff in its tension building and consequences to actions. Basically they have a 40 minute widow to rob the house and get out with minimal but essential causalities. They should kill the drug lord and rob a certain sum of money. But once in the house the actions escalate and one kill turns to a massacre and certain sum of money turns into robbing as much as possible and then burning the rest to the ground. The problem with this approach is that it feels scripted and not accidental or out of control. In order for this to happen, the atmosphere and circumstances in the house should feel out of control. The movie tries to show them as being greedy and out of control once they see the wealth that they loose track of time and make bad decisions killing more people than needed. But the problem is, script and actors were not able to sell that. Ben Affleck is tasked with acting greedy once they see all the money but he is not that good of an actor to sell that aspect. So it just come off as not being consistent with his character. Because until that point, he is the one who is the most hesitant about robbing and all of a sudden he acts as complete 180 shift.

Another major problem with this movie is that it kinda feels like it has a movie star reject cast. The cast is filled with actors that the studios tried to make happen for quite some time and audience rejected them. Charlie Hunnam or Garet Hudland or Oscar Isaac fall into that category. So you already feel this overwhelming mediocrity in the cast because you have seen all these actors play in supporting roles in other movies and all of a sudden you are supposed to buy these guys as leads ? its a subconscious dilemma the movie leaves you with in the first 20 minutes of the movie. It almost feels like they cast your next door handsome neighbor whom you don't particular care for and ask you to believe that he is an ex-army soldier. The production on the other hand is massive. It looks like they shot in location. The director cleverly avoid cityscapes through out the movie. The whole movie takes place in pretty rural and non-urban places.

The second half of the movie is a poorly made survival tale with characters having no conviction. None of the actors were able to sell me on the absolute desperate nature of their situation or their will to become rich. After crashing helicopter several miles from the coast in a remote farm due to overloading it with extra cash, the characters are forced to move the cash by foot. When their actions lead one of them to die, the rest of them just loose their will so fast , its ridiculous. First they loose some cash in a mudslide. Then they burn some of it to stay warm aka Pablo Escobar style. After one of them dies, they drop most of the money in a deep valley and just fill their carry on bags with cash and carry the body of their dead partner. I do understand the mindset of people like that who are so focused and trained as army soldiers that they have certain carelessness about stuff they didn't earn or stuff that doesn't feel right to them. Men in army have certain level of righteousness built into them. So it makes sense that they don't behave as thugs and thieves that are cunning and calculated. But still its a bummer to see them act with such carelessness considering they are highly trained soldiers.

The ending scene is also ridiculous where all of them give away whatever they bring home to a family trust of their dead partner so it goes to his daughters. By this point it almost feels like the worth of the money is lost in the eyes of the audience. Because it goes from 250 million $ to 5 million $ because of their lack of planning and will power. So all I can think of looking at the money is what it could have been. So the moment they give away whatever is left, I didn't care one bit. That's a very bad note to end the movie on. Moreover this movie once again proves that South American landscapes and jungles are not particularly appealing for theatrical experience. Despite these huge landscapes and mountains and jungles and snow mountains surrounding our characters, the script is too weak to take any advantage of any of this. I started noticing that one of the biggest giveaways of a movie's quality is if its leads are movie-star rejects because that indicates that there is something wrong with the script. All the actual movie stars have passed on the script and since the script demands someone that looks like a movie star they cast movie star rejects.

HashtagBrownies

03-14-19, 07:42 PM

Seen in February Pt.3/3

52336
3.5+
Sacha Baron Cohen is a very funny artist (Both in a ‘haha’ way and in a weird way). In terms of hidden camera comedy, this goes full out: I was cringing uncontrollably at like three scenes. The film is actually a very interesting document in terms of showing homophobia in America in 2009 (In the way the people react to Bruno). The final scene in the wrestling ring was so good.

Also that one scene where Bruno says that Kevin Spacey is straight, oh boy!

52337
3.5-
This is just such a weird film to comprehend. We’re witnessing probably the most destructive murderers of our time (In terms of kill count) casually talking about it and acting like normal people. It’s so horrible the way they relish in their sins and the way daytime television hosts casually talk about Communists the way Nazi media talked about the Jews.

I think the final scene is almost perfect. A man who’s killed about 1,000 people slowly realising the absolute fear his victims must have felt, then helplessly retching. It’s so poetic it’s hard to believe it’s not fictitious.

aronisred

03-14-19, 11:11 PM

Ghostwriter

4

A ghostwriter for a controversial ex-prime minister gets mixed up with his shady political dealings and the people close to him.

This is the first Roman Polanski movie since Chinatown that felt like its in his wheelhouse. Auteur theory is something very very magical. It is the stuff of legend in the art of film making. Because a lot of things have to go right for something like that to work. A director considered an auteur knows what he wants from each and every department. His style is as important as the script of the movie. He needs to be able to communicate what he wants from cinematographer, editing and other major departments to fit his style. So, as soon as I noticed the uneasiness in the air I knew I was in for a unique film experience.

Majority of the movie takes place in a remote countryside in US. But since Polanski can't enter US, he shot it in Europe and it feels like something is a bit off. But surprisingly that works to the film's advantage. Seeing all these places that doesn't look like american locations but we are told its in america makes for a pretty weird experience while watching the movie. We follow a ghostwriter who accepts the assignment to work on an ex-prime minister's autobiography for a London publisher. He is replacing his deceased predecessor. The movie keeps audience at the same level as the protagonist. So we know what he knows when he knows about it. As he accepts the job he starts noticing weird occurrences happening around and to him. He gets mugged and robbed. While on his way to US he finds out that the ex-PM is being investigated for war crimes involving CIA torture. Tempted by the financial offer he decides to go anyway and be done with it. The performance of Ewan McGregor is pretty bland. You never get a sense of who he is and what his personality is. He might just be a curious nerd. But since it's an imaginary character based on the novel, actor should have taken it into more expressive territory. When you are playing someone like Dick Cheney, you can't really make him super expressive because everyone knows how he is and making him something he is not will never work. So he goes to this vacation spot of ex-PM in remote US to read the draft written by his predecessor and finish the book using it.

The atmosphere of the US location is quite fascinating. There are 4 or 5 locations on the whole. You got the house, a water crossing harbor with a ferry, a motel nearby, a lodge by the harbor and the woods near the house. The mystery of it all stems from the unsettling nature of the death of the previous ghostwriter. The replacement catches up with his work and continues getting to the heart of who the prime minister was during his life. While all this is happening, the outrage and actions of the prime minister when he was power comes under scrutiny as well as push by government officials to try him for his crimes. What the ghost writer doesn't know is how far his predecessor has come in his unearthing of the life of PM while researching for the book. So through a combination of his predecessor's work and his own digging, Ewan McGregor comes to a conclusion that his college buddy might have been working for undercover CIA even before joining the college. That ratchets up the thrill a notch.

The movie has 2 spectacular sequences going for it. These sequences prove why roman Polanski is a great director. Both are not exactly wordy sequences but the framing of those sequences and the atmospheric nature of them kinda makes them stand out. One involves the protagonist escaping 2 killers sent after him after his encounter with a culprit. The escape is from a ferry. So he gets on the ferry in his car and gets off it as it is about to leave the harbor there by getting rid of the killers on the ferry. That is such a clever Roman Polanski sequence. Because the danger is there but it is subtle danger. Those guys are going to kill him if he stayed on the ferry. Even after getting off the ferry the sequence sustains the eeriness. The whole architecture of the ferry and its harbor quite brilliantly fits into the tone of the film. The protagonist doesn't try to leave the harbor because he knows that the ferry is not going to turn around and the killers will have to take the trip of ferry. So he just stays in this eerie lodge which is by the harbor and it's in of itself is very creepy. The second sequence involves the house itself. It is a very strange house with wind blowing all the time and with the increasing scrutiny on the ex-PM , protestors started waiting outside the gate of the compound. This movie uniquely shows how it feels like to be be in the vicinity of a politician under immense scrutiny.As the ghost writer makes contact with the ex colleague of the ex-PM, who is still a government official trying to bring him to justice, he is tasked with getting confession from the man himself and in the process of doing so it appears that things appear not to be what they seem. Following the assassination of ex-PM and during the unveiling of his book that is finished by the ghost writer himself, he uncovers that the wife of ex-PM herself is a CIA recruit.

What the movie does so well is it shows how dangerous people in extremely high positions can be. They play mind games all the time to control and manipulate others to get them to do what they want. This ghost writer is way out of his depth from the get go. Even before he set foot on American soil he is out of his depth. He has been seeing warning signs that are telling him to not take the job. The thing is, ex-PM's wife and his CIA buddy don't want any writer to get close to the truth. When the first writer was doing his research, he came way too close to the truth and was killed by them. All this is unbeknownst to the ex-PM of course. But since he wants to finish the book, he hires the next guy to finish the book. But what they don't know is that the previous writer hid some sensitive information in the house and the new ghost writer catches wind of that. It's basically powerful people that are too big to get caught are too willfully careless to tie up the loose ends and the new writer catches wind of one of such ends. The whole time his focus was on the CIA pal of ex-PM but once he catches wind of the information that the secret in the manuscript is in "the beginnings" and that was the reason the script was not allowed to leave the house, he puts the puzzle pieces together and uncovers the truth.

The movie adds an extra level of sinister element to it all. Because, from the get go we have a layer of sinisterness to the whole setting that we see through the fresh eyes of the ghost writer. Our ex-PM is believed to have been willfully involved in US torture program. So the ghost writer is sitting and talking to a guy who seem to have enough proof against him to convict him of war crimes. All this adds certain uneasiness to the conversation and as the resident writer he unwittingly becomes an ally to the ex-PM. But, the moment he gets close to his college buddy who happens to be a CIA operative even before he joined the college it starts turning dark and with final revelation that the wife herself was recruited by CIA before she met ex-PM decades ago makes it pitch black. Because the implications of these findings point to something far more nefarious than anyone could imagine. So, have they been brainwashing the prime minister from his college days to make him run for public service and with the help of US government he moves up the political ranks and once he becomes PM he supports US in all their political policies including the torture program ? is he the Manchurian candidate of US government ? because all this leads to an explosive political scandal of sinister proportions almost to the point of fantasy and unbelievable.I mean, who would believe someone could be manipulated for decades on end ? was he brain washed by his wife ? was she able to manipulate him for so long in such serious decision making processes ? So all the sinisterness is captured in the movie through its style and tone. It is one of its kind.

The movie's flaws are mainly with Ewan McGregor's character portrayal and his character's decisions. He takes no measures in hiding his tracks when he veers of-course. A lot of times in the movie he does something that could potentially puts him in harms way , yet he simply is not careful enough. At one point he steels the manuscript and at some other point he just gives away some information he knows about the situation to the wife or to the ex-PM himself and thats too risky and dumb. All this makes the film good but not great. But man can Polanski direct ! you see this movie and then see china town or ninth gate with Johnny Depp and you can feel the directorial flair.

John-Connor

03-17-19, 04:37 PM

Ghostwriter
4
Gave it 4/5 as well, one of my favorite suspenseful thrillers of the last decade.

Daniel M

03-21-19, 03:47 PM

Too much of a backlog to write up comments, so here we go:

A Star is Born (William A. Wellman, 1937) rating_4_5

Steamboat Bill Jr. (Buster Keaton and Charles Reisner, 1928) rating_4_5

Paper Moon (Peter Bogdanovich, 1973) rating_4

Late Spring (Yasujirô Ozu, 1949) rating_5

The Image Book (Jean-Luc Godard, 2018) rating_4_5

Apache (Robert Aldrich, 1954) rating_3

A Woman Under The Influence (John Cassevetes, 1974) rating_4

Come and See (Elem Klimov, 1985) rating_4_5

BlacKkKlansman (Spike Lee, 2018) rating_3

L'Animale (Katharina Mückstein, 2018) rating_1

Hold the Dark (Jeremy Saulnier, 2018) rating_2_5

Isle of Dogs (Wes Anderson, 2018) rating_3_5

Blue Ruin (Jeremy Saulnier, 2013) rating_3

Annihilation (Alex Garland, 2018) rating_2

Roma (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018) rating_2

The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018) rating_1

Je vous salue Sarajevo (Jean-Luc Godard, 1993) rating_4

Renzo Piano: The Architect of Light (Carlos Saura, 2018) rating_3

Hedgehog in the Fog (Yuriy Norshteyn 1975) rating_3_5

Akira (Katsuhiro Ôtomo, 1988) rating_1_5

Cléo from 5 to 7 (Agnès Varda, 1962) rating_4_5

Harakiri (Masaki Kobayashi, 1962) rating_4_5

Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018) rating_3

I, Daniel Blake (Ken Loach, 2016) rating_2

Buchanan Rides Alone (Budd Boetticher, 1958) rating_3_5

The American Friend (Wim Wenders, 1977) rating_4

Yourself and Yours (Hong San-soo, 2016) rating_3_5

The Virgin Spring (Ingmar Bergman, 1960) rating_4

A Matter of Life and Death (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1946) rating_4

Black Narcissus (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1947) rating_4_5

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1943) rating_4_5

Under The Silver Lake (David Robert Mitchell, 2018) rating_2

honeykid

03-21-19, 04:21 PM

Too much of a backlog to write up comments, so here we go:

Roma (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018) rating_2

The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018) rating_1

I, Daniel Blake (Ken Loach, 2016) rating_2
Any chance of a few comments about the rating of these films. A lot lower than I would expect from you. Why didn't these films work for you or what didn't you like about them?

MovieMeditation

03-21-19, 04:31 PM

Any chance of a few comments about the rating of these films. A lot lower than I would expect from you. Why didn't these films work for you or what didn't you like about them?
I would like to hear more as well. Maybe also on Annihilation. Personally I really enjoyed that too.

But I mean, I save 1/5 for some true ****fests. I’m very surprised to see The Favourite receive such a low rating from a film lover. Not that the latter makes it not-okay to dislike it, but I just thought maybe one would at least see stuff others don’t. Really can’t see what would make The Favourite that bad. The acting and cinematography would take it away from that 1 star alone imo.

I didn’t really like Yorgos’ past films too much, but this one I liked much more.

Daniel M

03-21-19, 06:02 PM

Any chance of a few comments about the rating of these films. A lot lower than I would expect from you. Why didn't these films work for you or what didn't you like about them?

I actually wrote up short thoughts on these three films already, so quite convenient for your question :D

I, Daniel Blake

Whilst I deeply sympathise with Loach's relevant attack on the conditions of the welfare state within my country, I cannot lie and say that I was impressed with this film. Deeply lacking any type of structure or language, instead choosing to capture scenes that would normally be unique and attempting to string them together into a narrative, desperately lacking in focus and unfortunately feeling scattered.

I just felt like it was more a collection of scenes and thoughts, and the ending felt too forced too. I am a proud Labour member so I keep my thoughts on this one too myself normally :p

The Favourite

Lanthimos continues his mission to repulse the audience through the degradation of his actors. I am unsure why his vulgar images are being lapped up by critics, who like him seem to have a propensity for weirdness without actually saying much. The scene where a group of men pelt a naked man with tomatoes until he eventually falls over felt like an appropriate analogy for his enjoyment of human suffering.

I hated Dogtooth too and don't like these weird films, filled with humiliation and weird things, shot in what the director thinks is an "arty" style.

Roma

When film works best, it utilises all its the tools available to its disposal such as the editing and mise-en-scene, combining them to create a whole that can convey a story in a language only cinema can. Here the technical choices, long takes and detailed crowds seem designed to impress rather than used to best tell the story. As a result I was left cold and felt not immersed.

The whole thing felt detached and emotionally soulless, similar to Dogtooth in a way where its style over substance. I just feel like the more I watch older films, say the Powell & Pressburger ones, everything is just utilised so well. The editing, the formal construction of everything, they're proper good old stories well told making actual use of the format they're created in. New films just look nice and realistic/arty and tackle sensitive or controversial themes but I don't like them. I actually like Cuaron's other films so this is a bit of a surprise, I thought his Harry Potter and Gravity were more immersive and the form served the stories and immersed you in the worlds. L'Animale was another one actually, some nice photography and tackles unconventional themes, but in the end nothing except a really pretentious signing scene.

Daniel M

03-21-19, 06:10 PM

I would like to hear more as well. Maybe also on Annihilation. Personally I really enjoyed that too.

But I mean, I save 1/5 for some true ****fests. I’m very surprised to see The Favourite receive such a low rating from a film lover. Not that the latter makes it not-okay to dislike it, but I just thought maybe one would at least see stuff others don’t. Really can’t see what would make The Favourite that bad. The acting and cinematography would take it away from that 1 star alone imo.

I didn’t really like Yorgos’ past films too much, but this one I liked much more.

When I saw Annihilation I actually thought it was okay, maybe a 2.5, but I lowered it after thinking some more. I wrote this little bit when I saw it.

Although easily compared to the stories of Tarkovsky or the horror of Carpenter, I was more often reminded of the disturbing visceral feeling from the works of Cronenberg. The film has a number of thought provoking sequences that linger with you long after viewing. Its mixture of styles feel muddled, I would have preferred a more focussed, reflective feel utilising the space/time for thought rather than action.

It just wish it had been more ambitious, maybe if it was longer and used the space to convey its thinking in a way that Tarkovsky does in Stalker or Solaris. Instead it seems stuck between that and a more popular appeal thriller/horror, maybe not the directors fault. It kept me interested anyway.

Also for The Favourite I didn't like the acting or cinematography either, sorry. For the acting, too much nowadays acting is about realistic performances and dedication the role rather than gravitas and what the character does combined with the other elements. I would rather watch 20 John Wayne films than most of the actors around today. It was just women abusing each other and being over the top to amuse audiences. The cinematography yes there were some pretty colours and lighting, but again the focus is on making it look pretty rather than actually using the cinematography to tell the story, I'm not sure how it aided the film in the way that cinematography is used in older films properly. Even the lesser known Western autuers that I watch recently like Boetticher completely understand cinematography and mise-en-scene.

MovieMeditation

03-21-19, 06:31 PM

When I saw Annihilation I actually thought it was okay, maybe a 2.5, but I lowered it after thinking some more. I wrote this little bit when I saw it.

Although easily compared to the stories of Tarkovsky or the horror of Carpenter, I was more often reminded of the disturbing visceral feeling from the works of Cronenberg. The film has a number of thought provoking sequences that linger with you long after viewing. Its mixture of styles feel muddled, I would have preferred a more focussed, reflective feel utilising the space/time for thought rather than action.

It just wish it had been more ambitious, maybe if it was longer and used the space to convey its thinking in a way that Tarkovsky does in Stalker or Solaris. Instead it seems stuck between that and a more popular appeal thriller/horror, maybe not the directors fault. It kept me interested anyway.

Also for The Favourite I didn't like the acting or cinematography either, sorry. For the acting, too much nowadays acting is about realistic performances and dedication the role rather than gravitas and what the character does combined with the other elements. I would rather watch 20 John Wayne films than most of the actors around today. It was just women abusing each other and being over the top to amuse audiences. The cinematography yes there were some pretty colours and lighting, but again the focus is on making it look pretty rather than actually using the cinematography to tell the story, I'm not sure how it aided the film in the way that cinematography is used in older films properly. Even the lesser known Western autuers that I watch recently like Boetticher completely understand cinematography and mise-en-scene.
Thanks for your answer.

While I appreciate the in-depth you actually went instead of a one-sentence reply, I’m not a huge fan of all the references you throw about. While I can appreciate a connection to me it just seems like name dropping. “This gangster drama was good but it was no Godfather!” While I can, to some extent, see the comparison to the mentioned directors and films in connection to Annihilation, I don’t think it makes too much sense to compare it to those.

I also think the over the top acting does fit with the story and subject in The Favourite, being a dark humored satirical style costume drama on that period and its politics and so on. I also think the cinematography do help tell the story and is like a character in the film. If I should go your route here, there’s a clear similarity to that of Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon. Anyways, I also have a review up of The Favourite if you are interested. :up: link in signature.

Daniel M

03-21-19, 07:04 PM

Thanks for your answer.

While I appreciate the in-depth you actually went instead of a one-sentence reply, I’m not a huge fan of all the references you throw about. While I can appreciate a connection to me it just seems like name dropping. “This gangster drama was good but it was no Godfather!” While I can, to some extent, see the comparison to the mentioned directors and films in connection to Annihilation, I don’t think it makes too much sense to compare it to those.

I also think the over the top acting does fit with the story and subject in The Favourite, being a dark humored satirical style costume drama on that period and its politics and so on. I also think the cinematography do help tell the story and is like a character in the film. If I should go your route here, there’s a clear similarity to that of Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon. Anyways, I also have a review up of The Favourite if you are interested. :up: link in signature.

But when I compare them to those films I don't expect them to be as good or regard every film as inferior to the leaders in its genre, but ith something like Annihilation I thought that the inspirations were so clear, that it was difficult not to draw comparisons in terms of style. The plot is a mashup of Stalker and Solaris, and then The Thing type creature stuff is thrown in. What Tarkovsky does is allow the landscape to act as reflections of the characters, and for the images to act as space for the viewer to think, draw conclusions about the ambiguities of the plot and so on. I enjoyed the mysterious stuff and ideas behind Garland's film, I just think that it could have been longer and more subdued, I thought that the message became a bit too forced and it's most thrilling horror-like themes although impressive didn't add too much to my experiene. Like I say, I thought it was a decent effort, it just didn't fully work for me.

I understand that, if you enjoy the sense of humour Lanthimos clearly has, then the acting and cinematography probably work for that. His actors are clearly dedicated and put in some fantastic work for what they are asked. I just really don't enjoy it, it's humiliating and not comfortable to watch for me.

To be honest it's been too long since I saw Barry Lyndon to comment too much on that, but from what I remember he uses all natural lighting, and I think I recall I enjoyed his choices because they gave the story a delicacy and warmth, and went with the story-being-told type narrative. Also in The Favourite I didn't enjoy the fish eye distorted camera angles, but again I guess if you enjoy the chaos of the film this probably adds to that too.

MovieMeditation

03-21-19, 07:13 PM

Daniel M I’ll just add you instead of quoting.

This prolonged answer on Annihilation made more sense to me. And regarding Lanthimos, I actually dislike his style and humor. I didn’t click with The Lobster at all and though I moderately liked the darkness of Sacred Deer it still wasn’t quite for me. The Favourite has been the first one I liked of his...

Yeah, I do like what Lanthimos does with The Favourite and I can understand one not doing so. I just that the 1 star seemed more extreme than the wide angles of the cinematography. ;)

Anyways, thanks for your very sober answers. It often rare you can disagree and engage in a discussion without someone getting ticked.

- oh, and a last note just for information: Kubrick did use natural lighting for most of the film but it’s a common mistake that it was purely natural light. There was used some in a few scenes. Actually you can pause the film at one point and spot the edge of a big lamp outside a window. :D

Iroquois

03-22-19, 09:45 AM

I'm more bothered by the 1.5 for Akira.

aronisred

03-27-19, 07:38 PM

Panic Room

3.5

A single mom and her daughter move into a posh suburban house. On the first day at the new house they become subjects of a home invasion and robbery. The twist is they have an impenetrable panic room in the house.

It's a david fincher movie. So you know the kind of aesthetics and atmosphere that will be in the movie. Right from the title cards the movie is very much easing audience into its urban setting. Cast and crew names are displayed graphically across buildings in the city. Its a cool neat trick that works. Fincher's focuses mainly on the house for the whole movie. Pretty much from the first minute till the end of the movie it mostly takes place in the house. The advantage of doing that is to make audience feel the sense of home and a home invasion in the movie can feel immersive to the audience. The main objective of the robbers is to get stuff from a safe that is in the panic room and get out unnoticed. It has been there long before the new tenants moved in. One key mistake they make is they miscalculate when the new tenants are going to movie in. So a theft turns into a potential home invasion. In Addition to that fluid element in the plan there is also a new unpredictable member in the team who was invited to assist in the robbery by the leader.

The way to dissect this movie is to start talking about the two parties on the opposite ends of this conflict. First is the robbers. We don't get explicit background about them but we get insight into who they are by their actions and how they fit into robbery. Jared Leto is the cocky inexperienced member but since he planned the robbery, he is their self appointed leader. Forest Whitaker is the brains of the operation. He works for the security company that built the panic room in the house. Last but not least Dwight Yoakam. He is the most menacing of them all. Their dynamic is quite unique. It has shades of Breaking bad. Usually good/conflicted people resort to crimes out of desperation. But deep down these are good people. They are incapable to committing heinous crimes. But once in a while in the criminal world you find true evil and there are some people who are capable of horrible crimes and even the people who know them don't know how much they are capable of. It proves the saying that if you hand around in the wrong places long enough you will find what you are looking for. Throughout the movie we see Forest Whitaker opposing to the idea of committing any murders and just want to take the money and leave. Jared Leto to some extent is in a similar mindset. But Dwight Yoakam talks like them but he is a new level of evil and is capable of horrible crimes. So when the family locks themselves inside the panic room. His true evil progressively comes out.

The second team is the family consisting of Jodie Foster and her daughter. She is divorcee and is in mourning phase. But make no mistake , she is resourceful and strong. Throughout the movie she shows extraordinary courage and her actions feel true to her character.The movie revolves around the idea of who is in the panic room and who is outside. For most part the owners are in the room but two thirds of the way, the robbers get in there. How they get in and how they get out is the major part of the movie. The goal of the movie is to squeeze every bit of tension and thrill and scares from home invasion subgenre. The movie is unapologetic about that. The home owners are set up in such a way that they are fighters.
Every interaction with outside world is filled with thriller genre filmmaking elements. The movie is not going for any big ideas.

Speaking of how the movie is put together and the directorial style the main question would be , is it the work of an auteur or is it a well made high quality commercial movie. I would say it is a commercial movie. One of the reasons why Fincher didn't win best director for social network is because his style of filmmaking is highly stylized and heavily influenced by his music video directing background. Through his background he was able to develop a style that is designed to keep audience engaging. But the way he used this skill is to make movies about robbers, serial killers or perverted people is a bit of an easy route for a filmmaker. Every movie by him expect benjamin button is about horrible people. There is something inherently attractive to watch movies about people doing bad things so his style of filmmaking enhances that. As good as the movie is, it never feels like an uncompromising vision of a director. It feels like a well made movie that is intended to satisfy the audience and deliver on the promise of what they came to the movie theater for. So in a nutshell, the genre and type of scripts he work on makes his work easier and not the other way around. His movies are consistently good but they are good because all those movies are in his wheelhouse. Your work is cut by half if the script alone can hold audience interest. Mysteries are like that. Very easy for director to make the movie engaging. Many times in the movie I found myself noticing cliches in these kinds of movies.

Ultimately it is very suspenseful and thrilling movie. Two aspects in the movie that elevate it from the usual thrillers of this kind to the next level are the characterization of Dwight Yoakam which added a touch of pure evil to the movie and how they use her ex-husband in the plot.

John-Connor

04-01-19, 02:22 PM

Re-watch March 2019:
https://i.imgur.com/WcsQfkc.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MA7gw87.jpg
5 Zodiac 2007

4.5 Lawrence of Arabia 1962
4.5 The Blind Swordsman: Zatôichi 2003

4 The Leopard ‘Il gattopardo’ 1963
4 McCabe & Mrs. Miller 1971
4 The Outlaw Josey Wales 1976
4 Escape from Alcatraz 1979
4 Blow Out 1981
4 Angel Heart 1987

3.5 The Big Gundown ‘La resa dei conti’ 1966
3.5 High Plains Drifter 1973
3.5 Runaway Train 1985

https://i.imgur.com/A6RTJmn.png
3.5 Crying Freeman 1995

https://i.imgur.com/JS5hgrp.jpg
3.5 Brotherhood of the Wolf ‘Le Pacte des loups’ 2001

2_5 Logan’s Run 1976

First time viewings March 2019:
4.5 The Lives of Others 'Das Leben der Anderen' 2006
4 Army of Shadows ‘L'Armée des ombres’ 1969
4 Free Solo 2018
3.5 Zombieland 2009
3 Captain Marvel 2019

Total March viewings: 20
Total 2019 viewings: 69

cricket

04-01-19, 02:35 PM

March, 2019 movies watched-

Fright Night (1985) Repeat viewing 4 Just an old favorite that still holds up.

Dead of Night 3 British horror anthology that's probably better than what I got out of it.

The Skin I Live In (2011) Repeat viewing 4 Didn't like it before, love it now.

The Favourite (2018) 2.5+ Plenty of good qualities but yet I found it dull.

The House that Jack Built (2018) 3 Could have been much better if less ambitious.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) 3.5- Could have been much better if more ambitious.

The Equalizer 2 (2018) 2.5 Ok at best.

The Dirt (2019) 3.5 I wouldn't say it was good but it was great for nostalgia.

Almost Human (1974) 3.5- Italian crime film with a nasty exploitation feel.

Bird Box (2018) 3+ I liked it blah blah blah.

Total March viewings-10
Total 2019 viewings-52

My lowest monthly total since being at Movie Forums.

MijaFrost

04-01-19, 07:31 PM

Total March viewings-10
Total 2019 viewings-52

My lowest monthly total since being at Movie Forums.

Well hey, I only watched these movies in March:

Green Book (2018) - 3

Isn't it Romantic (2019) - 3

Aquaman (2018) - 3

For a total of 54 films viewed so far in 2019.

I took a break from movies because it was easier to keep up with TV shows as per my work schedule...

thracian dawg

04-05-19, 01:13 PM

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

The Mustang —(2019) — Clermont-Tonnerre
This was a bit thin; it needed a little more to flesh out the story. I think going in, the audience could assume from the poster that the untameable Mustang is going to symbolize the captive man’s struggle, but in the end, the convict isn’t really worthy of the comparison.
http://www.impawards.com/2019/mustang_xlg.html (http://www.impawards.com/2019/mustang_xlg.html)

Torch Singer — (1933) — Hall & Somnes
A chorus girl is seduced and abandoned and left an unwanted pregnancy. She tries to make it on her own but finally has to give her baby up for adoption than goes on to become a notorious club singer by night and the host for a children’s radio program by day. Things come together a little too neatly for the happy (?) ending.

Hot Saturday — (1932) — Seiter
This is a small town where everyone spends the entire week talking about the only thing interesting in town, the Saturday night dance. This active rumor mill gleefully ruins the reputation of a young woman. There is some real cruelty that she has no longer has a future (no one will employ her) and has to leave town. This is so old; Archilbald Leach is still a supporting character.

Sabotage — (1936) — Hitchcock
The story has a quick pace, a random terrorist event occurs but the guy is already under surveillance by Scotland Yard and so the dragnet quickly intensifies around him and the cops begin to focus on his innocent (?) wife as an accomplice.

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

The Invitation — (2013) — Kusama
A get together in one of the gated big houses in the Hollywood hills seems to be a kind of high class Tupperware party from the outset, with the guests waiting for the moment when hosts finally pitch whatever it is they are selling. In addition, this is a kind of reunion of sorts; four or five years ago they were all the best of friends then everyone went their own separate way. I liked that our hero’s beard wasn’t a fashion statement, but a symbol of grief; he refuses make nice and join in on the festivities. He can’t get over the past as easily as they did.

Flight of the Innocent — (1993) — Carlei
A young boy growing up in the country becomes the only survivor when a rival gang wipes everyone out (the family business is kidnapping) to steal the huge ransom pay-out they have coming. He escapes death by hopping on a train to the big city and they pursue him like he is the final detail that will allow them to sleep peacefully at night. Too young to know better, he is a true innocent in this totally corrupt world.

Tess — (1979) — Polanski
I liked the detail in the costumes and the various work processes, circa 1880 before the machines took over. The length of the film works in the favor of Nastassja Kinski, at the beginning she is slightly uninvolved with the proceedings, but as the film goes on, this detachment begins to work in her favor, the longer her ordeal and more horrid it becomes, it mutates into a kind of heroic stoicism, No one could be this unlucky. Notice at the field dance at the beginning of the film, instead of passing to the left of the woman who invited him to dance, if Angel had turned right he would have clasped hands with Tess at the first scene, and their lives would have been completely different, they could have had a lifetime of happiness together.

Narrow Margin — (1952) — Fleishcher
There is a nice claustrophobic, hall of mirrors feel to this Film Noir where everyone on this bullet train isn’t quite who they pretend to be. The policeman escorting a witness to a big mafia trial on the west coast is immediately outed as such and the hitmen quickly shadow him trying to find where he stashed the witness. It takes him a little more time to identify the villains.

Almanac of Fall — (1984) — Tarr
A slow moving story revealed in drips of molasses with the random, one-sided conversations with a cast of strangers added incrementally. This is a strange place of emotional dependency and distance; strained intimacy with simmering threats of violence. The audience can’t quite figure out the power games until the end and even then the exact situation isn’t clear. For instance, about twenty minutes in, a name drops: Hédi but we don’t actually connect the name to a face for another forty minutes as the owner of this dilapidated mansion and everyone is guest in her home. Great cinematography; in a scene near the end it appears two separate monologues have been intercut, then the camera pulls back at the end to reveal them sitting around a small table and each character is lit completely differently.

Never Look Away — (2018) — Donnersmarck
This film explores the individual (an artist) trying to survive isms and group think during three different eras: Nazism, Communism, and (when he escapes to the west) Capitalism–although that will probably fly over the heads for a large part of the audience. The third act when he goes after (through endless trial and error) his visual trademark for his product line is the most boring part of the film. His father-in-law is a great sociopath (a cat with nine lives who always lands on his feet and prospers under any regime) but he is a truly amazing doctor who can read your health at a single glance. He notices his daughter’s pregnancy from the way she acts weeks before she even realizes it and he out-manoeuvres the young couple’s plans for future happiness. Our hero also has a skill; he reveals the hidden connections between things in his pictures.

Everybody knows — (2018) — Farhadi
When a guest is kidnapped during a wedding feast, the kidnappers warn that the victim will be simply killed if they go to the cops; but one brother-in-law sneaks in a personal acquaintance; a retired cop who knows the kidnap game inside and out. He always draws devastating conclusions from the evidence, like this can only be an inside job; so a hireling amongst them, or a friendly neighbour a few houses down is the scumbag responsible. What once was one big happy, extended family before the kidnapping is now torn apart by stewing resentments and unforgotten grudges. I liked that Penelope Cruz went without make-up for most of the film and that some connections between people are unbreakable.

re93animator

04-10-19, 03:38 AM

Island of Terror (1966) – 2
A scientist trying to devise the cure for cancer mistakenly creates rubbery bone sucking tentacle monsters. A known risk. It’s set in a quaint old small town, with some nice interiors and mystery music straight outta Scooby Doo. I appreciate that the bone sucking is accompanied by milkshake slurping sound effects.

The House That Jack Built (2018) – 3.5
An atypical serial killer flick that lives off aptly awkward & uncomfortable scenarios. The transient diatribes about the nature of man are fairly pompous, but that fits the character. The tonal shift towards the end made me like it much more, though I could see it letting down those that just want a categorical killer thriller. I really could’ve done without the 10-minute tinnitus simulation though.

Keeping Mum (2005) – 2.5
A family gets a new nanny with a penchant for revenge. Not quite as funny as I’d hoped from an Atkinson movie, but darker and more mysterious than expected.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) – 3
Blind man and deaf man collectively ‘witness’ a murder. You can expect the blind man/deaf man scenarios to be beaten to death, but it’s still very funny and easy to watch.

donniedarko

04-10-19, 04:37 PM

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/media/5654921/favouritetwo-20190104120439781_web.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=818&height=500&rnd=131910778110000000

Everything I've seen in 2019:
Green Book (Farrelly, 2018)- 3.5
The Favourite (Lanthimos, 2018)- 3.5
Black KkKlansman (Lee, 2018)- 3.5-
Bird Box (Bier, 2018)- 3.5-
Eastern Promises (Cronenberg, 2007)- 3
Loveless (Zvyagintsev, 2017)-2.5+

TokeZa

04-14-19, 01:43 PM

Feature Films:

https://assets.mubi.com/images/film/1792/image-w1280.jpg?1481541694

An Autumn Tale (1998) by Eric Rohmer 3.5+

https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/great-movie-forbidden-games-1952/hero_EB20051218REVIEWS08512180301AR.jpg

Forbidden Games (1952) by René Clément 4.5

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/films/2017/05/16/TELEMMGLPICT000013791998_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqbGGFpKb0ZSkVWHuPGASy6uOsOjoPmMm2gdTnmifqMAI.jpeg?imwidth= 450

The Portrait of a Lady (1996) by Jane Campion 3

https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2018/08/loro_0hero-h_2018.jpg

Loro (2018) by Paolo Sorrentino 2.5

https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/suspiria-2018/hero_suspiria-image-2018.jpg

Suspiria (2018) by Luca Guadagnino 3.5

https://i2.wp.com/www.moviehousememories.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/phantom-lady-1944-featured_2.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1

Phantom Lady (1944) by Robert Siodmak 3.5

https://p3.storage.canalblog.com/32/96/110219/70379869.jpg

À nos amours (1983) by Maurice Pialat 4

http://store.grasshopperfilm.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/HalfLife_miva.jpg

Half Life in Fukushima (2016) by Mark Olexa and Francesca Scalisi 3

http://sensesofcinema.com/assets/uploads/2017/12/Feature-Efremova-Image-1-750x400.jpg

Blockade (2006) by Sergey Loznitsa 3

http://www.midnightonly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bugsy-malone-1.jpg

Bugsy Malone (1976) by Alan Parker 2.5

https://media.newyorker.com/photos/5b21330aa721442d1d96c1c5/16:9/w_1200,h_630,c_limit/Lipstein-REC-LifeIsSweet.jpg

Life Is Sweet (1990) by Mike Leigh 3.5

http://sensesofcinema.com/assets/uploads/2007/08/Black-Girl.jpg

Black Girl (1966) by Ousmane Sembene 3.5

https://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion-production/janus_stills/370-/297id_1228_124_w1600.jpg

Germany Year Zero (1948) by Roberto Rossellini 4+

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/554faa2de4b02d0d0240270a/t/5872780d6b8f5b2a8eeb2d7c/1483896847289/

A Canterbury Tale (1944) by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger 3.5+

https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/in-my-room-ulrich-koehler-cannes.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1

In My Room (2018) by Ulrich Köhler 3

https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/johnny-guitar-1954/hero_EB20080508REVIEWS08650962984AR.jpg

Johnny Guitar (1954) by Nicholas Ray 4+

https://www.moma.org/d/assets/W1siZiIsIjIwMTUvMTAvMTQvM3N5MXlhM21ydV96b29tXzE0MjM1MTMyODJfS2luZ3Nfb2ZfdGhlX1JvYWRfS09SMDJfY19XV1Nf MnguanBnIl0sWyJwIiwiY29udmVydCIsIi1yZXNpemUgMTAyNHgxMDI0XHUwMDNlIl1d/zoom_1423513282_Kings%20of%20the%20Road%20KOR02%28c%29WWS%402x.jpg?sha=8bf8960b86cdf4b4

Im Lauf der Zeit (1976) by Wim Wenders 5

Short Films:

The Song of Assisi (1967) by Jonas Mekas 2+

The Song of Avila (1967) by Jonas Mekas 2.5

The Song of Moscow (1971) by Jonas Mekas 2.5+

The Song of Stockholm (1981) by Jonas Mekas 2.5

The Song of Italy (1967) by Jonas Mekas 2.5

Isabelle aux Dombes (1951) by Maurice Pialat 2.5+

Congres Eucharistique Diocesain (1953) by Maurice Pialat 2

Oncle Yanco (1967) by Agnès Varda 3+

Happy Birthday to John (1997) by Jonas Mekas 2+

Après le bal (1897) by Georges Méliès 2

The Haunted Castle (1897) by George Albert Smith 2.5

A Trip to the Moon (1898) by by Georges Méliès 2.5+

La tentation de Saint-Antoine (1898) by Georges Méliès 2

La colonne de feu (1899) by Georges Méliès 2.5

The Insects' Christmas (1913) by Wladyslaw Starewicz 3.5+

The Cameraman's Revenge (1912) by Wladyslaw Starewicz 3

Métamorphoses (1912) by Segundo de Chomón 2

Liliya Belgii (1915) by Wladyslaw Starewicz 2.5+

Christmas Eve (1913) by Wladyslaw Starewicz 2

Unsere Afrikareise (1966) by Peter Kubelka 3.5

Schwechater (1958) by Peter Kubelka 2.5

Monkeypunch

04-25-19, 06:09 PM

Pet Sematary (2019) - I could write a full review of this one, and I probably will eventually. The new version of Stephen King's most horrific novel is dark, twisted, cruel, and provocative. I feel like they should have kept the plot twist firmly under wraps instead of showing it in the trailer, but it's still a kick in the teeth, emotionally. Possibly more so than if it had simply followed the novel word for word. It never pulls it's punches, instead letting you live in it's world of despair, grief, and unfathomable anger. If I have one complaint it's that the film's pace is a sprint instead of the dread inducing crawl it should be. But that's minor. It's much better than the original B-Movie shlockfest from 1989. 4.5

John-Connor

04-28-19, 12:36 PM

Re-watch April 2019:
5 In the Heat of the Night 1967

https://i.imgur.com/Dtoy7Ju.jpg
4.5 Bullitt 1968

https://i.imgur.com/mmouaF2.jpg
4.5 Caliber 9 ‘Milano Calibro 9’ 1972
4.5 Jeremiah Johnson 1972
4.5 Fireworks ‘Hana-bi’ 1997

4+ Bicycle Thieves ‘Ladri di biciclette’ 1948
4+ Dirty Harry 1971
4 The Towering Inferno 1974

https://i.imgur.com/BpwbjfH.jpg
4+ Master and Commander 2003

3.5 Barry Lyndon 1975
3.5 Southern Comfort 1981
3.5 Kingdom of Heaven 2005

2 The Poseidon Adventure 1972

First time viewings April 2019:
4.5 The Long Goodbye 1973

https://i.imgur.com/27XMupB.jpg
4 The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean 1972

3.5 Slap Shot 1977
3.5 Night on Earth 1991
3.5 The Cabin in the Woods 2011
3.5 Foxcatcher 2014
3.5+ Avengers: Endgame 2019
3.5 The Professor and the Madman 2019

3 The Italian Connection 1972
3 American Flyers 1985
3 The Quiet Earth 1985

2.5 Solaris 1972

Total April viewings: 25
Total 2019 viewings: 91

cricket

04-30-19, 07:49 PM

April, 2019 movies watched-

The Wailing (2016) 3.5 A worthy entry to the top 100 horror countdown.

Green Book (2018) 4+ I don't know how anyone could not like this.

Victoria (2015) 3 Good but I think the one continuous shot gimmick hurt it.

Total April viewings-3
Total 2019 viewings-55

Yam12

04-30-19, 08:04 PM

April, 2019 movies watched-

The Wailing (2016) rating_3_5 A worthy entry to the top 100 horror countdown.

Green Book (2018) rating_4+ I don't know how anyone could not like this.

Victoria (2015) rating_3 Good but I think the one continuous shot gimmick hurt it.

Total April viewings-3
Total 2019 viewings-55

Only 3 movies? What you been up to all month?

rauldc14

04-30-19, 08:31 PM

I didn't like Green Book.

I think I only watched 19 this month, but that's about what I've been doing per month.

Yam12

04-30-19, 08:39 PM

I watched 26 this month and 105 total.

Currently my year's been

January: 40
February: 16
March: 23
April: 26

cricket

04-30-19, 08:49 PM

Only 3 movies? What you been up to all month?

Been addicted to watching Joanie Loves Chachi reruns.

Iroquois

05-01-19, 03:45 AM

I watched 50 movies last month (which makes a total of 204 this year).

honeykid

05-01-19, 07:31 AM

I watched about 50 minutes of one last month. :D

donniedarko

05-01-19, 07:33 PM

I watched about 50 minutes of one last month. :D

50 more than me

honeykid

05-03-19, 07:50 AM

50 more than me

lol... 50 more than I usually do.

thracian dawg

05-04-19, 03:29 PM

★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)
Pet Sematary (2019) — Widmyer (https://www.mrqe.com/search?q=Dennis%20Widmyer) & Kolsch
There is a lot of laughable character development here; the big city family seems to have purchased their new house sight unseen but with full disclosure, aren’t the sellers required by law to inform potential buyers of any ancient Indian burial grounds on the property? The doctor is fleeing the nightmare shift in a big city ER, yet out here in the sticks is traumatized to discover that people can kick the bucket? When he was a boy the next door neighbour, once revived his dead dog that became the hound from hell then is shocked to discover when he reboots the family’s kitty, it turns out just as gnarly and vicious. Go figure. Some nice bits; the dumbwaiter has knobs that look like human eyeballs and the daughter was well cast, she has a great angular face that works well as a young girl and as a ghoul returned from the dead.

★★½

Taxi for Tobruk (1961) — de La Patellière
A French commando squad gets separated and lost in the desert after attacking Rommel’s supply depot. When their jeep gets stuck in the sand, the captured German Officer refuses to do work (it’s against the Geneva Convention) so he sits in the shade while they dig it out in the burning sun. When he gains the upper hand and steals back his jeep, rather than abandoning them to die in the desert he makes them his prisoners. When he gets stuck in the sand, he doesn’t force them at gun point to dig out the jeep, and so they wait, the French soldiers taking turns napping until he falls asleep from fatigue. There is a nice humanity here. Although this is set in a war zone, this is more of a story about different men from different walks of life being thrown together and bonding.

The Quietude (2018) — Trapero
The patriarch is hospitalized from a stroke days before an important trial is about to begin and the control of their financial empire passes into the hands of his wife. The good daughter returns from Paris, but can the bond between two (hot blooded) Argentinian sisters survive all the family secrets tumbling into the light of day and their own sibling rivalry?

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

Still Life (2006) — Zhangke
The two main characters (a husband and a wife in name only) travel to a doomed city (where the economic imperatives take precedence over everything) looking for their estranged spouses. The coal miner wants to meet the sixteen year old daughter he has never seen before it’s too late. The woman wants her husband to sign the divorce papers so she can get on with her life. There are a few moments of beauty and sadness (the past is being flooded. It’s kind of evocative that at this point in time, the mansions on the hills are still there, whereas, the quarters where the poor lived their lives were simply erased in the name of progress.

High Life (2018) — Denis
Deep space travel actively invites comparisons to other films in simply because there are so few of them in this Science Fiction sub-genre. Where once only the best and the brightest went into space, here death row prisoners volunteer on the slim chance they may have a longer throw of years on a space craft researching black holes. The punitive incarceration continues in outer space; life support is portioned out twenty-four hours at a time and only after all the day’s chores have been completed. There are some elements of horror, like Doctor Dibs visiting (she is pushing sixty) the ship’s masturbatorium—there are certain things you can’t un-see. This is definitely art house with its fixation on taboo, decay, body secretions, and an open ended conclusion. There was a slight problem of budget where there is not enough oomph in the special effects, there seems to be a hell of a lot of unexplained gravitational pull in and around this supposedly weightless environment. And is it my imagination or is Robert Pattinson quietly becoming one of the best actors of his generation?

★★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***%C2%BD)

Fanny and Alexander * (1982) — Bergman
How can one not adore a sprawling, epic story (three or five hours depending on the version) with sumptuous set design and costumes; great reversals of fortune framed at the first image as a simple puppet play (introducing the Matryoshka doll theme) pulled by the giggling, childish fingers? Even at his lowest point, when Alexander tells a mousy servant the master of the house killed his previous wife and children, whatever the sadistic punishments he’ll receive for telling this fantastic tale, the gift of imagination (which allows him to see the past and animate the present) is always going to save him.

Diane (2018) — Jones
Diane the baby boomer and her community of close friends enter the chronic years (ninety-five per cent of all your hospital time will be spent in the last five years of your life). In addition to being a character study (she seems to be atoning for something) this is also nice spiritual slice of vanishing Americana; when the Republicans finally kill Medicare, these golden years when everyone had the right to die in dignity will be rebranded as depraved Socialism, in addition to being fiscally irresponsible.

re93animator

05-26-19, 04:42 AM

Dersu Uzala (1975) – 4.5
Russian surveyors gradually develop a bond with an old mountain man that guides them through tumultuous territory. It’s not as aesthetically stunning as I expected, but still epic and powerful. A movie with an imperfectly human, but very good and simple soul. Just be prepared to get your heart ripped out.

The Bad Sleep Well (1960) – 3.5
A corrupt businessman vs. a hidden enemy with a vendetta. Noir-ish mood with an engrossing plot. It does take some time to get there though. The first half hour smacks you in the face with establishing details and names, but it ends up turning into a simple enough revenge plot with plenty of turns to stay generally unpredictable. I always find it refreshing to see leads meant to conflict the viewers interest.

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) – 3.5
About 80% cinematography exhibition, oft paired with Lynchian dark ambience and dreamlike dialogue (a kind way of saying unnatural). The cine does create the feeling of an alternate world, which I love. A bit too much slo mo and soundtrack worship makes it seem like a bunch of music videos crammed into a feature though.

Antichrist (2009) – 3.5
Dark foggy beauty with surreal flourishes (my taste in a nutshell), and a lot of content that’s pretty rough even for me. A couple of silly bits amidst the uber grim tone, but the gruesome parts are gonna stick with me much longer.

The Skull (1965) – 2.5
A demonologist (Peter Cushing) comes across a potentially supernatural skull. It feels cheap and campy at times, but still entertaining, with a proto-Ninth Gate atmosphere. There is one standout Kafka-esque scene towards the end too.

Johnny English Strikes Again (2018) – 3
Just write a perfunctory espionage plot and give the keys to Mr. Atkinson. Unplug your mind to get through the cliches, archetypes, and juvenile humor. I still can’t help but laugh at Atkinson’s expressions and delivery though. Maybe it helps that I grew up with them, but he’s still got it.

John-Connor

05-29-19, 10:22 PM

Re-watch May 2019:
https://i.imgur.com/RYkC1bW.jpg
5 The Godfather
5 Pulp Fiction

4.5+ Sunset Boulevard 1950
4.5+ Aliens 1986
4.5+ The Player 1992

4+ Throne of Blood 1957
4+ Tora! Tora! Tora! 1970

4 Blood Simple 1984
4 Déjà Vu 2006

3.5+ Open Range 2003

3.5 Videodrome 1983

3 Return to Paradise 1998

First time viewings May 2019:
https://i.imgur.com/vOjZ17A.jpg
4.5+ The Battle of Algiers ‘La battaglia di Algeri’ 1966
4.5+ Network 1976

4.5 Dragon Ball Super: Broly 2018

4+ Patton 1970

4 Lion of the Desert 1981

3.5+ Ace in the Hole 1951
3.5+ Django 1966
3.5+ Us 2019

3.5 Rocco and His Brothers 'Rocco e i suoi fratelli' 1960

3+ Seconds 1966
3+ Timecrimes ‘Los cronocrímenes’ 2007
3+ The Wandering Earth 2019

Total May viewings: 24
Total 2019 viewings: 116

cricket

06-01-19, 08:48 AM

May, 2019 movies watched-

Schindler's List (1993) 5 Deserving of all it's praise.

Cockfighter (1974) 1.5+ I thought cockfighting sounded like a cool subject for a movie. Wrong.

Mother (2009) 3.5- Good thriller from what's probably my favorite foreign country to find modern movies.

Hitch-Hike (1977) 3 David Hess rules.

Utoya: July 22 (2018) 3 Chilling look at the true story.

China 9, Liberty 37 (1978) 3 Unfortunately I watched the censored version.

The Mule (2018) 3.5+ Another feather in Clint's cap.

The Hunt (2012) Repeat viewing 4+ Great movie even if it didn't quite blow me away like the first time.

Intolerance (1916) 4.5 I'm sure there's a lot I didn't get.

Total May viewings-9
Total 2019 viewings-64

thracian dawg

06-04-19, 04:30 PM

★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

To the wonder — (2012) — Malick
Malick is one of the few motion capture specialists (without all the paraphernalia and green screens) still doing it old school. It’s nice to look at the poetic ebb and drift of life, the moments of (dis)connection; I only wish this went somewhere. The plot is rendered with specific postcard locations and settings then everything else is implied, not a winning mix for getting from point A to point B in any story.

★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

Red Joan — (2018) — Nunn
This film wants to be both a rabid love-your-country-or-leave-it story and an ode to brotherhood of mankind and the film is pulled apart by those polar opposites. They actually state that nuclear weaponry is the monkey’s paw for global hegemony but don’t develop it any further. The film fails by not highlighting the absurdity of arresting a 87 year old senior citizen for a show trial then deciding not to go through with her prosecution because had she croaked a few months later in prison it would have been a public relations nightmare.

★★½ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/**%C2%BD)

My Effortless Brilliance — (2008) — Shelton
While on a book tour for opus number three, a pompous novelist makes a detour into the wilds of Oregon to visit and reconnect with a former acquaintance (no longer wanting to be the foil in his shiny tin hat) he slammed the door on their friendship a couple of years earlier. This is basically two (or three) actors improvising their scenes.

The Bishop’s Wife — (1947) — Koster
The actress in this film must have been a huge star when this was made because I didn’t see why an angel (played by the devilishly debonair Cary Grant) would fall head over heels in love with this frumpy married mom; and most of his divine interventions seem more like clever card tricks than angel magic.

Edge of Tomorrow — (2014) — Liman
Our hero gets splashed with dragon blood and becomes immortal. Unfortunately if the film simply restarts every time he blunders this removes all the drama and emotional stakes from the story. Because there is not a lick of kryptonite in this fictional world the hero becomes even more powerful than superman. This is a video game disguised as a thriller. He is simply a little mouse memorizing an intricate maze to get at the nibble of cheese at the end. They also didn’t lick the problem creating of a compelling movie monster; you can from which films they borrowed their ideas.

The Magnificent Ambersons — (1942) — Wells
How the world turns away from one if one is not actively attuned to its turning is difficult subject matter. Who sees the future? The economic decline of the Ambersons is not one mistake but an endless series of mistakes. The little prince sits in his horse and buggy, cursing all the tin lizzies that slowly multiply all around him and pull away leaving him metaphorically exhausted; repeating the same mistake as his mother. She rejected the man who would love her forever because he made one embarrassing little stumble in the courtship ritual and rejected him for appearance sake only and married someone else, dooming the family fortune in the process.

★★★ (http://www.filmsufi.com/search/label/***)

Shadow — (2018) — Yimou
There is a convoluted set-up; the story is about a street kid becoming a great warrior’s stand-in (the only downside is hiding his growing attraction to his gorgeous wife) but this is hidden by all the palace intrigues; all the King’s men tend to take matters into their own hands and go off and do battle for the young King and his fragile hold on his kingdom. This is kind of an action film with a few moments of gorgeous artistry woven in; the slow motion horizontal pirouettes; with a spin of the ying-yang diagram and the situations and roles reverse, what was once shadow is now commands the shadow.

Hotel Mumbai — (2018) — Maras
There is obviously some major product placement here but I’ll let it slide since the characters are simply hotel staff forced into an extraordinary situation to become heroes. There is a nice nail biter between the parents of a new born enfant, both mother and father are alternately placed in death and death situations.

Demonlover — (2002) — Assayas
The department head just loves her brand new toy, a state of the art, exclusive luxury vehicle, until she is unceremoniously dumped into the trunk for 18 hours after a carjacking never to be the same. The people in the mergers and acquisitions department are cut-throats always jockeying for position; back stabbing is as common as your morning coffee. With the corporate espionage and pornography commingle; this is a cautionary, hall of mirrors tale. Be careful what you wish for.

Les Invisibles — (2018) — Petit
The manager for a drop-in day center for homeless woman finally snaps one day and provides the women with what they need and not what the law portions out for the poor. The strings are always attached towards social integration (getting a low paying, exploitive gig job is the height of success). But with any kind of with any kind of systemic unemployment (4% - 8% - 12%) social reinsertion is merely shuffling the faces around in the unemployed caste. This is social commentary with a wicked satiric bite. Making a paranoid schizophrenic take a day seminar on interviewing well then grabbing an upper management position with mega-corporation is delusional. There is also a nice mix of professional actors and actual homeless women in the film.

The Phenom — (2016) — Buschel
The cover art makes this looks like a sports drama, but there is a great bait and switch to a subtle coming of age film. On paper, the rookie pitcher appears to have the million dollar arm although after a very public meltdown on the mound during a game, they may only get five cents to the finger now. He’s got the Yips. He is sent down to the farm club and to a sports psychologist who discovers an unresolved, Oedipal-complex in the kid. His dad (Shortcut man) has a great character tell where he is always offering to poison his son with anabolic steroids—not the bad kind—the great, undetectable, never-be-caught million years ones. The afternoon before his return to the majors when he should at the stadium preparing his game face for later that evening, he visits instead his father in prison which is the only time the old man stops grumbling and expresses admiration towards his son; the son is of course symbolically killing him with that visit.

Joel

06-08-19, 01:10 PM

Monster Party

Unique premise and nasty execution. Killer slice em dice em up with manic energy.

The Collector

Massive home invasion thriller with crazy editing creating the dictionary definition of the word visceral. Prime example of music and sound set perfectly to violent imagery and unrelenting tempo. This film was dismissed as a "Saw" knock-off. It's insults like that that indicate the reviewers were colored before even watching the film. Colored with knowing the producers involved and not experiencing the film from a fresh perspective. This movie is vicious. Awesome.

The Witch in the Window

Creep haunted house drama done right. The acting is absolute top drawer after the 3 minute opening where acting seems shaky. A real achievement in atmosphere and writing based around a common story. Excellent movie.

Excision

Ex porn star Traci Lords gives a remarkable performance in a film that tries too hard to be camp black comedy. A devastating final act had me forgiving some of the sluggish moments of the film, but all in all this is pretty OK. Sick and twisted and a bit slow but not too shabby. Reminds me of why I disliked Heathers, though.

Parents

Creepy and a bit over the top with some of the sick writing, Randy Quaid makes a great villain and Bryan Madorsky as the 9 year old kid is a spitting image of Bob Balaban, right down to the nervous mouth movements - like he's dislodging tuna salad from his lower front teeth. Typical ending isn't very good but the events leading up to it are really well done. 1950's american cannibal better homes and gardens time capsule.

Suspiria - remake

An utter bore. Not sure why it had to be done but here it is. I suffered.

Spring

A romantic monster movie hybrid. I give it points for some of the results but it's far too dialogy to be engaging and toys with the idea rather than deliver the idea to satisfaction. I'm sure it looked much better on paper written down. Kind of draggy and overlong. Not enough chemistry. Make pretend chemistry is my issue with it.

Magic

Anthony Hopkins is a failed magician turned ventriloquist sensation with some mental problems and an obsession to rekindle an old flame. This is a disturbing movie and has a lot of great creepy moments. I'd recommend a viewing at least once.

The Mule

This isn't a bad movie. It was entertaining. Dianne Weist is a little too much for some scenes but I forgive her since she's usually always hitting good notes with her prior appearances in movies. Mostly a family drama, but some nice comedy bits and some tension round things out.

Evil Ed

A superb premise is wasted on one of the dumbest movies I've seen in recent time. Unbearably bad and not entertaining in the least. Gong.

Bully

Based on true events, Larry Clarke is a perverted devil roaming the land a free man but he knows how to deliver the carnal curiosities to us mortals. This is a tense and nasty minded picture but I found myself enjoying it so, no matter how much I wish Clarke would land himself behind bars - I can't discount this flick. It's awful but effective. And the truth of myself is yet again confronted by a provocative lenser like Larry Clarke.

Hobo with a Shotgun

If this were made in the 80's it'd be a masterpiece. Since it was made more recently it's seen as exploitation and throwback. It works. Rutger finally gets a role he can play with. It's bloody, sick and mean. Love it.

Life

Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence together in this comedy drama that isn't nearly as stupid as the theatrical poster art would have you believe. This is a well done picture that may stretch its sentimentality a bit thin, but still manages to deliver a solid enough movie experience to mark as some really good chemistry between the two leads as well as supporting cast. It's a shame it got trashed the way it did. It's a good movie and having these two in a movie together again would be a great idea. Too bad people didn't know back then what they know now about the careers of the two leads. It should be a national treasure.

Blue Sunshine

Laughable and creepy, this story about lsd after effects driving people murderous is a curiosity.

Uncle John

Top notch amalgam of romantic comedy and nerve wracking crime thriller, John Ashton gives a tremendous performance about a well respected small town carpenter battling his wrong doings for reason we're not entirely sure of. It's a really unique genre blending that has to be seen twice. Great, great movie.

Night of the Virgin

So sick and perverse. Runs too long and most of the comedy is a miss but it has balls. The subtitle translating is piss poor, though.

Sun Don't Shine

Surprisingly solid head thriller about a murder cover up from refugees on the road. Not super memorable but I was invested early on. Good looking film.

We Are the Flesh

Technically a well made film visually speaking. But it's essentially mean spirited porn dealing with incest and blood lusting. Not really my cup of tea since the story couldn't even deliver. Obviously the film maker is cocky and delusional with his Yngwie chops. Gong.

Revenge

Rape revenge fantasy is not nearly as smart as it thinks it is. I'm not sure exactly what the film maker is trying to say here but I found this movie to be a bore and existing only to hammer home a tired point most good folks already know. If you like blood, though..have at it. Also, I have to say - this is one of the most far fetched movies I've ever seen. I mean, come on...the girl gets a tree branch through her spine/gut from the back to the front and still manages all this? GTFOH! Credibility goes out the window within 25 mins so forgive me if I don't think this is the masterpiece everyone else seems to think.

Satan's Little Helper

Strange movie. Definitely a midnight watch. I liked it. Goofy, creepy and has a sense of place in the suburban location. Eleven year old kid unwittingly assists an escaped serial killer on Halloween.

Dragged Across Concrete

Vince Vaughn and Mel Gibson do their Lethal Weapon grind house flick justice in this violent, dialog heavy character piece that takes a while to get going but is still very much enjoyable.

Only Lovers Left Alive

I'm sick of Jim Jarmusch. Hipster nonsense and his uaul parlor trick of using the mundane to act as comedy has me wanting him to make a sequel to Ghost Dog, his last really good picture where he takes some chances with genre blending.

donniedarko

06-23-19, 08:26 PM

Damn is this thread dead?

cricket

06-23-19, 08:41 PM

Damn is this thread dead?

Pretty much with no Mark, Iro, or Minio posts.

Ultraviolence

06-24-19, 11:12 AM

Don't like the idea of this thread dying, so I'll post this here. Don't have time to write about the films now, but in the future I'll sure put more effort.

Dirty Harry (1971) [Don Siegel] - ★★★★
Kingdom of Heaven (2005) [Ridley Scot] - ★★★
Us (2019) [Jordan Peele] - ★★
Le Cercle Rouge (1970) [Jean-Pierre Melville] - ★★★★★
The 6th Day (2000) [Roger Spottiswoode] - ★★★
Eyes Without a Face (1960) [Georges Franju] - ★★★
Double Team (1997) [Hark Tsui] - ★★
Payback (1999) [Brian Helgeland] - ★★★
Replicant (2001) [Ringo Lam] - ★★
Twelve Monkeys (1995) [Terry Gilliam] - ★
High Life (2018) [Claire Denis] - •
A Scanner Darkly (2006) [Richard Linklater] - ★★★★
Romeo Must Die (2000) [Andrzej Bartkowiak] - ★★★
The Number 23 (2007) [Joel Schumacher] - ★★
Dark Crimes (2016) [Alexandros Avranas] - ★★★★
Signs (2002) [M. Night Shyamalan] - ★★★★★
The Sixth Sense (1999) [M. Night Shyamalan] - ★★★★
Manchester by the Sea (2016) [Kenneth Lonergan] - ★★★★
Magnum Force (1973) [Ted Post] - ★★★
Gran Torino (2008) [Clint Eastwood] - ★★★★
The Grapes of Wrath (1940) [John Ford] - ★★★★★
The Rock (1996) [Michael 'BOOM' Bay] - ★★★
Near Dark (1987) [Kathryn Bigelow] - ★
Blood Simple (1984) [Coen Brothers] - ★★★
Payback: Straight Up (2006) [Brian Helgeland] - ★★★★

HashtagBrownies

06-27-19, 11:49 AM

Yes I know I'm late, I only got the passion to do this again now.

Seen in March

Howl's Moving Castle: 3.5 : Watched the dubbed version (You’re gonna question your sexuality when you hear Christian Bale’s voice). It’s a very typical Miyazaki film. It has lovely animation, great characters and humour, and lots of quiet moments (Also a very rushed ending).

Three Identical Strangers: 3.5 : It’s a very interesting tale told by some very interesting characters (David was my favourite). The story’s the only thing that makes this film worthwhile, the filmmaking is just kinda ‘there’. It feels like a diet version of ‘The Imposter'

The Hole in the Ground: 3.5+ : Normally I wouldn’t watch something like this, but I wanted to support Irish filmmakers. Not particularly scary, but I found the whole ‘Is he or isn’t he’ aspect entertaining.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW-tdaO2s9o
2.5????
Had to watch this for school. I was so confused. What was the point of it? What message did the director want to get across? Why the hell did Brendan Gleeson agree to this?

Eighth Grade: 4- : Incredibly touching. As a teen I can confirm that Bo Burnham got everything very accurate about teenagers today.

True Lies: 3.5 : Not nearly on par with James Cameron’s other action stuff, but I simply can’t resist Arnold and cheesy lines.

First Man: 4- : At face value this seems like a standard biopic, but there’s a few elements I feel separate it from that: The soundtrack is amazing. The effects are great. The scenes in space feel so intense.

ANVIL: 4 : Very simple documentary, but I think it’s pretty cool, mainly for the characters. I loved seeing a couple of old guys who are still super cool still making music, not deterred by the fact they’re not famous anymore.

Three Colours blue:: 2.5 : Not my thing, sorry.

Sorry To Bother You: 4- : This feels like this film was made with a blaring passion; Like the director really badly wanted to say ‘F*ck capitalism, f*ck big corporations, f*ck viral trends, f*ck racism, f*ck modern rap etc.’ I thought this movie was so creative and weird, I love when I see people using filmmaking to its full potential and doing crazy stuff with it.

MANDY: 4- : The whole atmosphere of pure 80’s neon was pleasing. Nic Cage was great as always, and the action and gore was incredibly satisfying. Only thing is though the first half is SUPER slow.

Sir Crazy: 3.5- : Yup, I found it funny. Didn’t even know Sidney Poitier made a film!

Manchester by the sea: 4 : Love these down-to-earth character dramas. Casey Affleck really annoys me but I really liked him as the apathetic uncle.

Upgrade: 4+ : Holy crap, this was fun! The fact that the budget was only 1 million shows how effectively you can use a budget.

To catch a thief: 3- : Eh, a very middle-of-the-road Hitchcock.

The Perfect Storm: 3.5+ : Even though it’s quite cheesy and very early 2000’s, it effectively takes over the senses during its chaotic action scenes.

The Hustler: 3 : Couldn’t get behind it, sorry, the main character was a total butthole.

Us: 4 : Despite having a bunch of stupid plot contrivances, it’s a fun comedy horror with brilliant performances and great use of music.

Red Eye: 4- : You wouldn’t expect this to be made by Wes Craven. An effective thriller.

Ringu: 3.5 : This whole film strikes me as professionally produced creepypasta. Someone picks up a spooky VHS, watches it, then dies. The tape itself is brilliant, something that you wouldn’t watch with the lights off. What I liked the most about the film however was the two exes reuniting platonically to carry out a task; Something about that is just a cool dynamic to me.
I didn’t like the ending. It made me feel that the characters actions through the whole thing were worth nothing and that I just wasted my time

Good morning Vietnam: 4- : I mean, c’mon guys, it’s Robin Williams being Robin Williams, how is that not great?

Widows: 3.5- : My least favourite Steve Mcqueen movie unfortunately (He sure likes his Irish actors doesn’t he?). All I can really say is that Voila Davis’ performance was great. Also I watched this after the ‘Liam Neeson interview controversy’ so whenever he was getting intimate with Davis I was jokingly shouting ‘VIOLA DAVIS LOOK OUT!'

Prevenge: 3+ : Who knew the therapist from Bandersnatch made a no budget slasher film while eight months preggers? I guess it was fine, a few funny moments but that’s about it.

Pool of London: 3 : I fell asleep during the last 20 minutes so that’s quite awkward, but the fact that it was the first British film to show an interracial romance was pretty cool.

The Ritual: 4.5- : I’ve heard a lot about this David Bruckner guy so I check this out and holy crap, it was brilliant. Gorgeous scenery, interesting character dynamics, effective scares, great acting, I feel this is a very underrated film.