Chyp mumbles to himself
 

Time to start a new thread as an aide-memoire for my movie-watching. Sadly didn't end up putting much in the 20/20 thread so might as well make this generic rather than specific to any year. No idea how the thread will pan out - que sera, sera.

Jan 2021 Index:
Denver & Rio Grande
Westward The Women
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald
Assignment In Brittany
Finding Your Feet
Magnolia
Ghost Ship
Manbiki kazoku - [Shoplifters]
The Counterfeit Traitor
Objective, Burma!
The Badge Of Marshal Brennan
Annihilation
Heaven With A Gun
The Wrecking Crew
Border River
Young Fury
Gentle Annie
Dolly Parton - Here I Am
Nam-ja sa-yong-seol-myeong-seo - [How To Use Guys With Secret Tips]
O' Horten
The Endless
Fire With Fire

Link to Feb 2021

Two rival lines vie to expand the railroad through the Colorado mountains and are set at loggerheads early on by a fatal act of violence which not only leads to some expected acts of sabotage but also allows for a fairly generic revenge/love aspect to be brought into proceedings.

There's nothing to either overly excite or surprise, the final action scenes do generate a little tension but essentially it's a b-movie that never really aims higher. The railroad scenes are generally staged well enough though, the tale moves along at a reasonable clip for the most part and both Kasey Rogers and Edmond O'Brien manage to make the human drama palatable. Sadly Sterling Hayden's contribution is somewhat disappointing and whilst it's always nice to see Zasu Pitts, the scenes between her and her engineer paramour (played by Paul Fix) may endeavour to add a little light-relief but would have been better left on the cutting-room floor imo.

'Route 66' western that follows a wagon-train full of women looking to settle down with farmworkers already in the West.

Being more oestrogen than testosterone filled makes for a nice change but that doesn't mean it's entirely bereft of character conflicts and there's also a nice touch whereby the women are the ones to pick their intended partners before the start of their journey (thus helping dispel any notion that they may be used as mere substitutes for the more usual cattle-drive). Proceedings may lean more toward the dramatic than moments of out-and-out excitement but it generally stays out of melodramatic territory and mostly maintains an air of credibility (the scene immediately prior to crossing the desert does stand out as a possible exception though).

All-in-all I found it a solid enough adventure that's quite well crafted and although somewhat predictable, and perhaps a little slow in places, still manages to maintain interest and deliver an engaging enough couple of hours.

Re: Chyp mumbles to himself
 

Second in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter prequel spin-off series.

Any movie containing wondrous CGI creatures and magical effects should really be right up my street but, alas, whereas in the Harry Potter series it was easy to get behind the central characters and therefore care about what ensues I don't much care for Eddie Redmayne's socially awkward Newt Scamander nor any of the other various characters who populate the tale. As a result, much the same as its predecessor, I'm simply not really invested in what transpires ... but at least the first one (iirc) had a plot that felt a little more cohesive whereas this one feels rather cobbled together and fractured.

WWII espionage drama about locating a Nazi U-boat base.

Serviceable enough b-movie wartime tale, though those looking for a tense action piece are likely to be rather disappointed as much of the first half is more a romantic drama with lighthearted overtones. Proceedings do gradually get a little grittier though, with the odd poignant moment along the way, and lead to an action-packed finale designed to send most home at least somewhat satisfied.

As a whole it's modest fare that perhaps could have done with a little more lift in the first half, but there are certainly far worse ways to pass an hour and half imo.

British comedy drama centred on a retiree with social standing (who's marriage suddenly falls apart) and her estranged, more bohemian, sister.

It's not unusual for this type of offering from the UK to involve a fairly strong cast and, the thankfully minor involvement of John Sessions aside, this is no exception. Sadly though that cast is pretty much wasted on material that imo rarely surpasses mediocrity and certainly struggles for originality. That's not to say there isn't the odd worthwhile moment of either humour or pathos but they are too few and far between.

From IMDb:

An epic mosaic of interrelated characters in search of love, forgiveness, and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.

Very much a film of two halves for me. The opening worked reasonably well to draw me into the tale and some segments in the first half were nicely done, but far too often (thanks to the score) I found the dissonance between tone and material too glaring. Perhaps it was because I was expecting a more serious piece throughout, something the second half generally delivered on to give an experience I found much more watchable and easy to engage with. As far as the 'frog' scene goes I was fine with it in general though I do think it was a little overly drawn out. Definitely something that may benefit from a rewatch in the future, though I'm not sure I'll ever be able to fully reconcile myself to the tone in the earlier parts.

From IMDb:

A salvage crew discovers a long-lost 1962 passenger ship floating lifeless in a remote region of the Bering Sea, and soon notices that its long-dead inhabitants may still be on board.

This may have a recorded budget of $20M but it opens with the look and feel of a cheap made-for-television piece. From the script and effects one has to assume much of that budget went on sets, and to be fair sections of the cruise liner do help to generate a little atmosphere here and there. It's to no avail though as they are too few in number and the tale portrayed in a manner that mostly renders it ineffective. Even some of the cast don't seem to believe it worth putting much effort in and from the point the bizarrely executed flashback sequence occurs all hope of anything else worthwhile is pretty much gone.

Re: Chyp mumbles to himself
 

This will be a nice thread to dip into, look forward to your words.

hm. Without looking it up (cuz I'm ultra liz-AY-zee), is that the one that opens with a steel cable snapping and ripping through half the people on deck? "Half," ha! Unintentional, that one.

IF it's the one I'm remembering, yeah it was rough. I'm thinkin' there were a few monster/ghost ship movies floating around (sinking, mostly) at about that time. I suggest washing that mess down with a watch of Treat Williams' fun, super B horror'ish/comedy'ish flick, Deep Rising. I'm still chomping at the bits to force my nephew through this one.

Nah, it's probably best ignored for the most part - I'm absolutely dreadful at communicating my thoughts. Tbh my scribblings are generally intended to act merely as aide-memoires for me to help me recall at least something about the movies I've watched, in a world in which I all too frequently forget what I've gone to another room for (even before I've left the one I was in) and feel in need of a pen and paper if asked the simple question of how old I am :(

Yep - that be the guilty party. Thankfully IMDb says Steve Beck only directed two feature length movies. Unfortunately in a moment of complete madness (or simply needing something cheap with which to fill an order so as to receive free shipping) I own the other one :blush: - the almost equally unimpressive remake Thir13en Ghosts.

Yeah Deep Rising is infinitely superior and a fun watch. I'm not at all ashamed to own that one :) Hope you do get to introduce your nephew to it some time :up:

From IMDb:

A family of small-time crooks take in a child they find outside in the cold.

Koreeda certainly has a knack for showing the humanity in his characters and even though some of their actions here are quite reprehensible their motives are sometimes less so, meaning one is still able to empathise with them. For me the final act does suffer a little from the dynamic having changed, but tbh I think that is more to do with how much I was enjoying watching the interplay between the 'family' prior to the upheaval. Well acted, generally nicely paced and directed, probably my favourite Koreeda of the four of his I've seen thus far.

+

One of my favourites of his. That bus scene at the end had me.

Yeah, I was actively willing the little feller to turn around.

From IMDb:

Blacklisted in modern day WW2, a Swedish oil trader opts to assist British Allies, by means of infiltrating and surveying Nazi Germany.

Acceptable offering that doesn't take long to set out on what is an easy enough to follow tale without a mass of twists and turns. Naturally it's an allied-centric affair but it does deliberately try not to present an entirely one-sided viewpoint, and in one scene was probably a little risqué for the time with a couple of quaint intimations toward homosexuality and pubic hair. Unfortunately much of the tale struggles to build any lasting tension or suspense and although quite laconic by design is not aided by the romance, which although necessary does serve to further slow any impetus a little in the mid-section.

+

From IMDb:

A platoon of special ops are tasked to parachute into the remote Burmese jungle and destroy a strategic Japanese radar station, but getting out isn't as easy.

The opening minutes prior to the mission beginning are rather weak imo which is a shame as what transpires on the actual mission is for the most part pretty decent. Still, aside from the character introductions, they're quite easily forgotten as the mission objective is reached fairly quickly. The strength of the film is in the lengthy exfiltration passage though. Sure there's the odd eye-rolling moment along the way but the actual war was still ongoing so a little jingoism/propaganda is not unexpected and thankfully it never really intrudes too much - yelling at aeroplanes whilst behind enemy lines and the like tended to irk this watcher a little more but it's really only there as a means to show their growing desperation. Despite some fairly lengthy periods with little action the plight of those involved always remains of interest, and the action pieces are for the most part well enough presented with a nice couple of small pockets of tension too imo.

I always confuse Ghost Ship and Ghost Rig. They even have very similar dvd covers.

Not even heard of, let alone seen, the latter - I see its IMDb rating is even lower, how would you compare it to Ghost Ship in terms of craptitude??

And yeah, looks like the same person might have designed both dvd covers lol.

Honestly, the 2 movies are quite craptastically interchangeable. I even have to check every time which one has my beloved Rory McCann in it. :lol:

Yeah, I'll probably pass then unless I'm incredibly bored and it happens to be available :D

From IMDb:

A pseudo-marshal, a local doctor and the town sheriff must join forces to battle a greedy cattle-baron whose herd, locally sold, is contaminated with a contagious disease.

This doesn't begin all that well, the song that bookends proceedings is unremarkable and repetitive whilst the first fight scene isn't particularly convincing. The core tale is perfectly serviceable, but as most of it recycles tried and trusted elements it really ought to be. To be fair to the cast many of them do what they can to salvage it but it has to be said that in places the writing really isn't up to much and the action scenes not exactly of the highest quality even for a budget affair such as this. What really sinks this movie for me though is the score, it may well sound perfectly pleasant in isolation but there's been little to no effort to match it to the visuals which too often just makes it grate.

+

From IMDb:

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.

Mixed offering that has some nice visuals accompanied by a well suited score (for the most part) and was quite enjoyable during the quieter moments within the 'Shimmer' (the journey reminded me somewhat of that in Tarkovsky's Stalker). On the downside though the action scenes with the mutated animals were extremely poorly realised (one of them also being quite ludicrous), none of the characters were particularly well developed and the climactic confrontation summed up the feeling of 'style over substance' that pervaded throughout. So sadly, despite some visually quite beautiful world-building, for me the overriding feeling at the end was more one of frustration with what could have been than wonderment at was.

+

Despite this being one of my favorite movies of recent years, I can't argue with much of this. It does suffer from the items you mentioned, though I would argue the character development was sound. I think the book definitely handled the substance better, including the climax.

Weirdly despite its faults I already feel it will be one I return to in the not too distant future, the atmosphere worked really well in places I think.

I thought this too. The ending is apparently explained by the scientific phenomenon of 'informal refraction' or something like that. Now I'm all up for an ambiguous film or a film that keeps you thinking and reading up on it's themes, but for such a huge event (basically the meaning of the film) to rely so heavily on a scientific theory that you have to go and read up on is what made it an average movie for me. I liked it but it pales into comparison with pretty much everything else that Garland has done.

From IMDb:

In a frontier town, gunslinger-turned-preacher Jim Killian is caught in the middle of a violent range war between cattlemen and sheep-men.

Fairly standard tale involving a black-hat-turned-white, played in the usual dependable manner by Glenn Ford, that ends up having to intervene between two warring factions. It's a fairly competently handled affair, though it does feel more like a made-for-tv offering at times, and perfectly watchable even if for the most part also rather unremarkable.

+

I gave this 3/5 as well, but you were more forgiving than I. I've started but never completed a more formal review of this movie since its release. The problem is that I need to watch it again to make notes and to try to confront my own bias in reviewing it. I've started the movie twice since my theatrical viewing and have been unable to finish it again in pure frustration.

=*(

Re: Chyp mumbles to himself
 

dangit, Chyp! I'm now combing through every post I've made on this movie to see where I might have dropped the ball only to pick up all that emotional baggage that I tried so hard to leave along the roadway years ago. And obsessively so! OMG I have to watch this crappy movie again..... thanks.

Sowwy Meester Wootf :(
Eversoeversosowwy.

Awwwwe, shucks. I can't stay mad at you....


:D

Careful, Chyp, you can get thrown into a padded room for mumbling to yourself too often. ;)

Glad to see this thread. I appreciate that you're posting about each movie separately compared to in the past when you'd edit them into the same post, seemingly doing your best to "hide" any updates from the rest of us. Also glad to see that those penis enhancers I mailed to you have had the pleasant side-effect of lengthening your write-ups as well. Why else do you think my write-ups are so long?

So far I haven't seen many of the movies you've mumbled to yourself about in here. I thought the first Fantastic Beasts was moderately entertaining, but Crimes of Grindelwald was a slog. The opening carnage of Ghost Ship, which ynwtf referenced earlier, was gory, over-the-top fun. The rest of the movie was a complete . . . shipwreck. (Oh, god, I'm catching your pun-icitis just by visiting your thread!) I need to revisit Magnolia. I mostly just remember Tom Cruise respecting the cock and taming the c**t. I liked Annihilation a bit more than you, but it's not a movie I've thought much about since watching it.

I've heard a lot of great things about Shoplifters and look forward to seeing it at some point. Heaven with a Gun sounds like a decent, low-effort, Saturday afternoon watch if I'm the mood for a western.

Hey Cap, long time no see in one of these :up:

Worth a one-off watch perhaps if you like Glenn Ford but other than that I wouldn't really recommend it tbh. Plenty better easy-watch Westerns out there.

From IMDb:

Gold bullion worth USD 1 billion has been stolen from a hijacked train in Denmark. The main suspect is Count Massimo Contini. The US government sends Matt Helm, one of its top agents, to investigate and recover the gold.

Fourth and final outing for Dean Martin as secret agent Matt Helm and one can only hope the previous three were better than this offering. I assume from the general demeanour and cartoonish action scenes that this was meant to be some sort of Bond spoof but it never really worked as one for me as the comedic elements just mainly fall flat and the whole was never quite preposterous enough. Martin puts very little effort into his character, pretty much playing a version of himself albeit with less charisma ... but tbf the material doesn't really seem to expect any more of him. I dunno, perhaps one needs to have seen the previous three to be able to appreciate this one but for me it was rather dull, dated and a waste of a damn fine entrance from Elke Sommer.

None of the Matt Helm movies were great, but if you just go into them with low expectations of a goofy Bond spoof, they're fun to watch.

Re: Chyp mumbles to himself
 

The Wrecking Crew is only on my radar because of its extended reference in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I want to see firsthand how Sharon Tate used those Bruce Lee teachings.

Ok, maybe just not for my sense of humour then as I went in with no expectations whatsoever :shrug:

Saw his name in the opening credits with regards the martial arts, thanks for providing a little more clarification as to his role. Yet to see OUATIH here so didn't even know I might be watching something that was currently 'of general interest'. Makes a nice change for me to not get there last for once :)

For a sec, I thought you meant that documentary on the Los Angeles studio gig musicians from the 60s. Kind of an interesting one to pair with Love & Mercy, as the group is shown playing some of the tracks in Pet Sounds. I would never have known their significance had I not seen The Wrecking Crew first.

From IMDb:

A Confederate officer and his men journey to Mexico to buy guns to continue the war effort. A Union officer determines to stop them.

A little slow at times and promised more action than it delivered but overall I found it a fairly enjoyable way to spend an hour and twenty. Joel McCrae is unsurprisingly solid enough as the lead and I thought Pedro Armendáriz and Alfonso Bedoya made for watchable enough adversaries, while Yvonne De Carlo makes a decent love interest caught in the middle.

Re: Chyp mumbles to himself
 

Missed a trick here, Chypmunk...

Shoulda called this thread MicroChyps

Nah, I'd only be able to watch sci-fi and spy films then :(

From IMDb:

With the Dawson gang on his trail, gunslinger Clint McCoy returns to his hometown where he finds his old farm abandoned, his wife in charge of a saloon and his son in charge of a group of young thugs.

There's enough action in this offering but sadly a fair bit of that involves juvenile high-jinks, perfectly in keeping with the ages of the protagonists perhaps but renders parts a little too immature for my taste. The inter-generational conflict is one that always has plenty of scope, but it's not really developed beyond the basics here and mostly plays out in fairly predictable fashion. The shootout in the final act is easily the high-point of the film, even managing to add a small touch of tension into proceedings. On a sad footnote though this would prove to be William Bendix's final film :(

+

From IMDb:

In 1901, an undercover US Marshal is sent to Oklahoma Territory to investigate a string of train robberies and arrest the culprits.

Those reading the above synopsis and looking for an action-packed b-movie full of gun-play or chase sequences would be better looking elsewhere, not that it's completely devoid of such elements but this is far more a character drama. Although a little weak in the opening minutes once the tale settled into its stride I found it a fairly enjoyable one with decent performances from most of the principal players.

From IMDb:

In this documentary, the life, career and music of Dolly Parton are reflected in interviews with friends and companions and the artist herself, interlaced with clips of Parton's performances.

Have to say this doesn't open well at all with a dreadful pre-titles sequence, cutting tiny snippets together in a style that provides nothing but annoyance and frustration - thankfully this frenetic style of presentation doesn't extend too far into the documentary. There really isn't anything out of the ordinary in the way things are presented, and there will always be weaker contributors or material skirted around or omitted entirely in these things, but she's a fascinating subject and even if one already knows much of the material on offer it remains an interesting enough watch imo. There's plenty of emphasis on her extraordinary songwriting ability and certainly a love for the lady herself on display, which is perfectly fine with me.

I really dug this. I've been meaning to rewatch it, but I think it handled the themes of creation vs. destruction, and the many ways people can cope with grief in interesting ways.

From IMDb:

A messed-up life's woman buys a video tape named 'How To Use Guy with Secret Tips' that will change her life forever.

South Korean humour can be rather hit and miss with me and this one is no exception with it being a very mixed bag in that department. The concept is neither new nor remarkable (and probably regarded as outdated by some), but is executed well enough with both Lee Si-young and Oh-Jeung-Se inhabiting their roles nicely. The tone becomes more serious in the final third but that's no bad thing and, all-in-all, while a little too juvenile/silly at times for my taste it still brought a few smiles, did enough to make me care for the predictable ending and the hour and fifty passed pleasantly enough.

+

From IMDb:

A drama focused on a life-changing moment in 67-year-old train engineer Odd Horten's existence: the evening of his retirement.

Dryly comic and absurdist/surreal by nature, but most of all a quietly effective character piece with a central character that is just so human and relatable even if one bears nothing at all in common with him. There's a level of restraint to both proceedings and the beautifully appropriate score that accompanies which enhances the material, and turns what could have been a cold, matter of fact presentation into one full of warmth and empathy. Odd by name and odd by nature perhaps, but imo it's a delightfully rewarding watch if you're willing to let it in.

+

:D

From IMDb:

As kids, they escaped a UFO death cult. Now, two adult brothers seek answers after an old videotape surfaces and brings them back to where they began.

Lower-budget offering that does manage some nice cinematography here and there but really isn't that visually appealing. The tale does give a portrayal of a cult organisation that's somewhat believable but any ambiance it manages to build is too often undercut for me whenever the score (that I find both formulaic and grating) is present. The attempts to add mystery to elevate proceedings don't really bear fruit until the second half, but even then all too often either a verbose slice of script or flat acting (particularly that of Justin Benson but most of the performances are rather one-note) quickly drag it back down. A shame as the core idea is ok but the execution is mostly lacking imo, perhaps a slightly better paced first half or a little more varied tonality might have improved it somewhat.


+

From IMDb:

A fireman takes an unexpected course of action when a man whom he's been ordered to testify against, after being held up at a local convenience store, threatens him.

Actioner that has nothing which rises above mediocre and a number of aspects that don't even attain that level. The narrative is unremarkable, there's nothing here that hasn't been done before and far better. The score is generally uninspired and adds nothing to proceedings aside from a little annoyance. One or two of the lesser parts are acted ok, but of the main players only Vincent D'Onofrio seems to want to inject his character with any sort of personality. The action scenes are mainly disappointing and on occasion even laughably poor.

+

February 2021 Index:
The Moonlighter
La femme du Vème - [The Woman In The Fifth]
The Two Faces Of January
Hounds Of Love
Daeho - [The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale]
When Eight Bells Toll
Breakdown
Saikaku ichidai onna - [The Life Of Oharu]
Fiend Without A Face
Bat sin fan dim: Yan yuk cha siu bau - [The Eight Immortals Restaurant: The Untold Story]
Videomannen - [Videoman]
Love, Simon
Gisaengchung - [Parasite]
Halloween III: Season Of The Witch
Un long dimanche de fiançailles - [A Very Long Engagement]
Baba Yaga
Pickpocket
Funny Face
The Miracle Woman

Link to Mar 2021

From IMDb:

A cattle herder turned rustler runs from a lynch mob and falls, again, for an ex-lover.

Modest little affair that opens nicely but then struggles to live up to the promise of those opening few minutes. The cast generally do what they can with the material but are not helped by some of the dialogue or the plot completely ditching its initial premise for a serviceable but rather unremarkable tale with few standout moments and an ending that feels akward and rather abrupt. Apparently this film utilised 3-D but apart from the crappy opening credits it wasn't really noticeable to me.

From IMDb:

A college lecturer flees to Paris after a scandal costs him his job. In the City of Light, he meets a widow who might be involved in a series of murders.

Mixed affair that appears rather mundane initially and struggles to engage as I simply just didn't care much for the central character. Slowly paced throughout, it's not until the relatively late introduction of a murder and that which follows where it really generates any interest, and whilst the final minutes do provide open-ended intrigue it all just left me feeling that it was sadly too little potential payback for enduring that which went before.

+

From IMDb:

A thriller centered on a con artist, his wife, and a stranger who flee Athens after one of them is caught up in the death of a private detective.

Generally low-key affair that for the first half centres more on the relationships between the main characters with the 'thriller' aspect forming more of a backdrop to proceedings. The dynamic shifts in the second half where it moves into more standard territory but all three of the main players perform their parts well and the score helps create a suitable atmosphere through both halves. Lacks a little credibility in places and none of the twists and turns should surprise anyone but on the whole it's a nice enough watch imo.

Re: Chyp mumbles to himself
 

From IMDb:

Vicki Maloney is randomly abducted from a suburban street by a disturbed couple. As she observes the dynamic between her captors she quickly realises she must drive a wedge between them if she is to survive.

No frills affair that's loosely based on real events and although any violence is mostly either implied or off-screen still manages to be surprisingly effective in its portrayal. Both kidnapee (Ashleigh Cummings) and her captors (Stephen Curry and Emma Booth) are played convincingly enough, with the first two both putting in excellent performances. There is a slight tendency to occasionally use slo-mo for no real reason in the earlier stages (it's good for the opening scene though) and the ending is a bit clichéd, but other than that it's a decent watch imo.

From IMDb:

While the Kingdom of Korea is under occupation by the Japanese, an old and experienced hunter is challenged by the hunt of the last tiger.

Nicely enough acted offering that for the most part looks pretty good in the presentation, unfortunately the CGI isn't that convincing though. The tale itself struggled at first to draw me in, partly because there wasn't much differentiation between the intermingled timelines I think. It does eventually overcome that difficulty but sadly it's not too long before proceedings just become far too implausible and the whole moves into fantasy territory, which is neither what I expected nor wanted. It isn't a particularly badly made film, just one that's not that well suited to my personal taste.

+

Absolutely :)

This was the first Oscar Isaac film I saw, and he left an impression with it. As for the film itself, I more or less agree with your assessment.

Yeah, I thought he played his part pretty well in it.

From IMDb:

In a vein similar to the James Bond movies, British Agent Philip Calvert (Sir Anthony Hopkins) is on a mission to determine the whereabouts of a ship that disappeared near the coast of Scotland.

Watchable but rather dated affair that generally moves along at a decent enough clip. The Alistair MacLean tale never really hits any highs (the helicopter scenes are probably the highlight for me) but is serviceable and Anthony Perkins makes a fairly decent fist of being the lead (he's certainly no Bond though) whilst Robert Morley is his usual fun self to watch.

From IMDb:

A man searches for his missing wife after his car breaks down in the middle of the desert.

Simple but reasonably effective mystery thriller that doesn't take long to get going and is paced quite nicely. It does dispense with any intrigue by the halfway point but there's enough suspense and excitement left in proceedings for that not to be an issue. Kurt Russell is his usual reliable self as the protagonist while J.T. Walsh is solid as his principal adversary.

From IMDb:

Follows a woman's fight and survival amid the vicissitudes of life and the cruelty of society.

Kinuyo Tanaka puts in a very nice performance in this tale that charts more than three decades in the tragic existence of her central character, portraying Oharu with an inner strength and dignity despite all that befalls her. One could argue that she struggles to fully convince during the earlier years (not many forty-two year olds can pass as mid-to-late teens in fairness) and that the initial relationship which sparks the tale is too briefly portrayed but for me neither of those concerns impact that much on proceedings.

Purely based on the narrative this could easily be quite a harrowing watch, that it isn't is testament not only to the central performance but moreso the way in which it's presented.

From IMDb:

Invisible atomic monsters attack a U.S. Armed Forces base and the local residents.

What self-respecting sci-fi lover doesn't enjoy invisible foes and effects which incorporate the movement of branches and other things by ultra-thin wires? With this B-movie that plays on the fears of nuclear energy (and touches on the Cold War) you have to as, aside from the occasional solo enactment of a death scene, that's about as exciting as things get for much of the first hour. Thankfully though the final minutes are much more dynamic as those foes become visible and both the effects team, the cast and the audience get to have way more fun.

Yeah, this is a really, really solid thriller. I saw it in theaters back in the day and remember being stressed like hell as we tried to figure out what happened to the Kurt Russell's wife. It does lose a bit of steam once the mystery is revealed in the last act, but I would still take it over many other thrillers of the era.

I rewatched this maybe midway through 2020, or late 2019? I don't know why I'm asking you, but there it is. Anyway. This one always stuck with me having seen it as a teen, college years. I remembered liking it well enough. The movie still holds up for the most part and I agree with *rutterbug, above, that it was a stressful watch for the same reasons. I use "rutterbug" because I'm in the reply page and can't see the conversation at the moment to see the user name that actually posted before me. My apologies. I mean that name with all affection and respect.

My only gripe with this movie is perhaps the casting of Mtv's Dead at 21 star, Jack Noseworthy as the feigning country bumpkin. I never really cared for the guy. he was another forced-down notch in my Event Horizon's enjoyment as "baby bear." *cringes* Huh. I thought he was in another weird horror flick about turning into a cat but I can't seem to find it. Maybe I should post in the questions forum.

Good summary up there, sir! I need to watch Sling Blade now for J.T. Walsh's bit.

*Edit:
Thief

From IMDb:

Macau cops begin to suspect a man running a pork buns restaurant of murder, after tracing the origin of a case full of chopped up human remains that washed ashore, which leads them to him.

Odd mix of light-hearted silliness and grittier moments that unfortunately just doesn't gel that well at times. Without the grittier moments this would probably be nothing more than a modestly amusing affair, without the silliness it would possibly be a fairly decent piece of somewhat visceral cinema. As it stands though the shifting tones sometimes undercut each other for me, resulting in a slightly frustrating experience that I wished was better. Cheers to @cricket for the heads-up in RTLMYS.

From IMDb:

A VHS collector and a woman obsessed with the 80s, both alcoholics, initiates a romance that helps them battle their personal failures.

Offbeat debut feature-length offering that throws a lot of 70s and 80s nostalgia onto the screen, which may appeal to some, but there isn't much in terms of narrative to really hold one's interest in what feels like a short padded to feature length. Lena Nilsson's ageing alcoholic, Simone, does at least provide a character that one can somewhat empathise with, but the attempts at adding a little light-heartedness mostly fall flat. Sadly the 'thriller' aspect, concerning Stefan Sauk's central character, Ennio, and a missing VHS tape also fails - it may give the opportunity to aesthetically hark back to the giallo era the character so loves but as a storyline it's a weak attempt and unrewarding imo. As for the little bit of social commentary on modern life thrown in - it's suitable for the story but is hardly either subtle or particularly insightful.

+

From IMDb:

Simon Spier keeps a huge secret from his family, his friends and all of his classmates: he's gay. When that secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and come to terms with his identity.

Formulaic coming-of-age drama that's far too 'busy' in the opening minutes and even when it does decide to settle into a more watchable rhythm there's nothing of any real note on offer that hasn't been seen before. The song choices for the soundtrack are actually quite decent but the score intrudes at times and isn't always particularly well suited imo. The screenplay follows some of the usual contrivances but does manage a few moments that feel a little more heartfelt (mainly later on in proceedings) though not enough to raise the whole above mediocrity for me.

Where do you find some of these? Er, more, HOW do you find them? Are you seeing adverts? Word of mouth? You stumbling on some random title somewhere you find interesting? Or are you Googling, "find me movie now" type searching and jumping on whatever lands?

lol that may read snarky. NOT my intention. I'm actually curious cuz some of these I would NEVER even come close to happening upon.

Doesn't sound snarky at all, a perfectly reasonable question. That particular one our very own cricket watched and posted about in the RTLMYS thread, noting it was freely available on the Tube of You, and it sounded of interest to me ;)

Most of what I watch is from either televisual outlets (TCM, Film4 and the like) or from DVDs I own but I also have a diverse list of fillums I'll hopefully also get round to at some point via streaming ... as long as I can find them via free and legal sources.

Outside of 'cramming' for genre countdowns I prefer to watch a variety of viewing material.

From IMDb:

Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

Nicely shot and acted affair with a delightful first half in which the Kim's gradually inveigle their way into the Park house. Sadly though for me the second half isn't as strong with proceedings going over the top too often, I think a little more restraint/realism in the violence would have better complimented the first half without lessening any impact. Shame, after all the gushing over it I really hoped I'd like it better.

+

From IMDb:

Kids all over America want Silver Shamrock masks for Halloween. Doctor Daniel Challis seeks to uncover a plot by Silver Shamrock owner Conal Cochran.

First off I should admit that I've only ever watched the original before so I had no idea whether the franchise at this point had any continuity but based solely on the original I guess the answer to that is a resounding 'no'. As for this entry itself, Carpenter & Howarth's score certainly adds to proceedings and as a whole it's quite watchable. Unfortunately though the tale is not only rather hokey but also feels unpolished and whilst there's atmosphere a-plenty in places there's sadly far too little by way of payoff imo.

+

From IMDb:

Tells the story of a young woman's relentless search for her fiancé, who has disappeared from the trenches of the Somme during World War One.

The tale maintains interest in the way it gradually unfolds, though personally I do find it a little difficult to reconcile the Amélie-esque tone employed at times in the first half with the inhumane event which underpins proceedings. That's only a minor quibble though and one that never comes close to derailing the enjoyment of a piece that is certainly well acted, generally well presented and manages to depict both the horrors of warfare in the WWI trenches alongside the undying love and determination of a young woman to uncover the truth about her fiancé.

+

From IMDb:

A photographer finds herself falling under the spell of a witch.

Slow-burn affair that's rather low on thrills but does build some nice atmosphere in places and despite the relative paucity of the central narrative provides a decent enough watch. The fantasy scenes add a level of bizzare to proceedings but do help maintain interest, not so keen on the use of still images and artwork though. Odd but oddly compelling .... as long as your not offended by nudity.

+

From IMDb:

Michel passes the time by picking pockets, careful to never be caught despite being watched by the police. His friend Jacques may suspect, while both men may have their eyes on Jeanne, the pretty neighbor of Michel's ailing mother.

This is quite nicely shot and not afraid to limit the use of sound to enhance proceedings at times. Sadly though whilst the sleight of hand sequences are nicely done and prove fascinating, there are akso times when the narrative frustratingly lacks flow and the dialogue is stilted and unnatural. Considering Bresson's penchant for utilising raw talent in his cast the acting is for the most part actually acceptable (Marika Green is very good as Jeanne) though there are moments where it is wooden or actors are clearly seeking cues/direction. Sadly nowhere near the excellence of his A Man Escaped for me.

+

and now you're going to have that jingle in your ear brain for at least another three years. *tuba BOM bom BOM bom...* happy happy Halloween, Halloween, Halloween! happy happy Halloween, sillll-VER sham-rock!

(sorry)

Oh no. Oh no no no no! It’s the beating of his hideous Halloween jingle!!!

You are most welcome!

*furiously rips up the floorboards*

I need to rewatch this. Haven't seen it in decades but the ending is seared in my mind :eek:

From IMDb:

An impromptu fashion shoot at a book store brings about a new fashion model discovery in the shop clerk.

Rather lacklustre affair that perhaps works better as an advert for the Parisian tourist industry but as a spectacle sadly none of the songs are particularly memorable and the dance routines rather mixed. Audrey Hepburn is cute once the role allows and Fred Astaire is his usual enthusiastic self but there isn't a huge amount of chemistry between them (the obvious age difference possibly doesn't help) and neither they nor the use of some vibrant colours in places can elevate what is a fairly mediocre and predictable tale.

+

From IMDb:

After an unappreciated minister dies, his daughter loses her faith in God, prompting her to open a phony temple with a con man. Can the love of a blind aviator restore her faith and happiness?

Barbara Stanwyck is very good in the central role (especially given her young age here) with Beryl Mercer delightfully providing a little light-relief as the housekeeper, Mrs. Higgins, whilst those in secondary roles generally play their parts well enough. Surprisingly the tale doesn't drift into melodramatic territory very often, though the moments with the ventriloquists doll, Al, are a touch cringe-inducing. The final minutes are a tad rushed and do let proceedings down a little but the damage isn't too much and it's still a nice enough watch overall imo.

+

Re: Chyp mumbles to himself
 

March 2021 Index:
Il bidone - [The Swindle]
Somebody Up There Likes Me
Koirat eivät käytä housuja - [Dogs Don't Wear Pants]
Love Simple
Le sac de farine - [The Bag Of Flour]
Badmen Of Tombstone
La decima vittima - [The Tenth Victim]
Inale
Chuma v aule Karatas - [The Plague At Karatas Village]
New Voices In An Old Flower
L'amore - [Ways Of Love]
Mandabi - [The Money Order]
La Madre del Cordero - [The Mother Of The Lamb]
Talea
Frantz
Qiu Ju da guan si - [The Story Of Qiu Ju]
Rives - [Day]

Cheltenham week round-up

Mahanagar - [The Big City]
Sivil - [Civilian]
Dimmi che destino avrò - [My Destiny]
La Terra Trema - [The Earth Will Tremble]
Dog Men
Délicate gravité - [Delicate Gravity]
Kozje usi - [Goat Ears aka Baba]
Despre oameni si melci - [Of Snails And Men]
Arima

Link to Apr 2021

Re: Chyp mumbles to himself
 

From IMDb:

A trio of con-men led by a lonesome swindler must deal with their job and family pressures.

Middle-child of his 'loneliness' trilogy that perhaps could touch on that theme a little more but is still an effective enough watch in that regard. Well acted, well shot and well worth a look imo with Foreign-Language being the next countdown in line.


+

From IMDb:

A comedy about a man, his best friend, and the woman they both adore watching their lives fly by.

Dry comedy that does have the odd moment but they are very few and far between and for me the whole mainly comes across as a pretty flat and lifeless series of episodes, centred around unlikeable characters, that are rather lazily strung together. As for the ending ..... I'm sure the maker thought it would be clever and amusing but it feels a bit like them giving the audience the middle digit to me tbh.

From IMDb:

Juha has lost his wife in a drowning accident. Years after he still feels numb and unable to connect with people. Meeting Mona, a dominatrix, changes everything.

BDSM drama that doesn't really portray that world of 'kink' very well and whilst his motivations are made fairly clear the relationship is never really believable from the side of the dominatrix, with the initial encounter being quite ridiculous. That there's no on-screen discussion about safety prior to any relationship forming perhaps can be overlooked (it does have him give reference to the phrase 'safe word' later in proceedings so one can at least assume some sort of safety conversation has taken place at some point) but she clearly has no in-depth understanding of his needs/wants or motivations - making it difficult to believe that she would not only take him on as a client but also at one point give him preference over other clients. It's also hard to believe that she would invite him into her own home after her clearly indicating any 'relationship' was over and his stalking her. On the plus side it does have a couple of moments that will have parts of the audience squirming in their seats and using sexual peccadillos as a means to coping with loss could have made for an interesting subject ... just a shame it wasn't handled far better.

From IMDb:

A man and woman fall in love but lie about who they really are due to their mutual insecurities.

Modest affair that doesn't have the greatest acting or script and is fairly sedate in terms of pace throughout. Although labelled as a comedy on IMDb it's rather lacking on that front imo and there's nothing in terms of drama that hasn't been seen before, but it did just enough to make me care something about the fledgling relationship and for me the scene where they both eventually come clean with each other was the high-point of proceedings.

+

From IMDb:

Alsemberg, 1975, Sarah an 8-year-old-girl is living in a Catholic foster family. One day, her biological father whom she has never seen before, comes to take her for a weekend in Paris.

Nicely enough presented affair with decent performances from all involved. The social commentary (of which there is plenty) is generally woven into the story quite well and thankfully never let dominate proceedings. Not sure the ostracised mother was really needed but it doesn't detract too much. A generally slowly paced tale but one that remains of interest throughout imo.

+

From IMDb:

A marshal goes up against a collection of vicious outlaws terrorizing his town.

No idea who wrote the brief synopsis above but perhaps they might want to actually watch a movie before adding any more - this tale centres on a group of outlaws, first and foremost Tom Horn and William Morgan, not any marshal or lawmaker. It's a fairly well presented tale that's kept at a reasonably brisk pace, even the romantic element not interrupting that flow too much. Both Barry Sullivan and Broderick Crawford inhabit their roles well enough, the rest of the main cast providing able support, and though there's nothing groundbreaking on offer what there is proves entertaining enough. Could have done without the final voiceover and coda though.

+

From IMDb:

In the 21st Century, where a human vs. human "Big Hunt" is used as an alternative to war, a veteran huntress agrees to kill a "victim" to get a major TV sponsorship deal, but romantic entanglements between the two complicate matters.

Satirical offering that has a few enjoyable moments and does have some relevance to the modern era, but until both leads begin to develop feelings for each other suffers from being neither that amusing or exciting. Not that it's particularly amusing or exciting after that point but the interactions between the two are at least more fun to watch.

From IMDb:

Inale is the beautiful daughter of the great King Oche, of the Idoma people in Idomaland, Nigeria. Her beloved Odeh must win the wrestling tournament to win her hand in marriage.

The opening and periodic narration/interludes feel terribly condescending (even allowing for it being a story told to a young girl) and production values really aren't very high. The acting struggles to even reach am-dram level and musically whilst one or two of the songs might be passable lyrics is certainly not a strong point and at times they are mere fragments of songs. The fairytale story lacks a little credibility (I think I'd probably notice if my bride-to-be completely changed in appearance) and is rather simpisitic but it's nowhere near the weakest element. At least with the vast majority of it being in English I won't have to struggle with whether or not to include it on my Foreign Language ballot.

From IMDb:

A new mayor comes to the remote village Karatas. A very strange illness reins over here. However somebody is used to live with it and says this is a simple flu.

Surreal nightmarish tale which has some wonderful imagery and a sense of humour that suits mine in places. I'm sure there's probably a ton of symbolism and meaning therein but even for someone as ignorant as myself about matters concerning the former Soviet bloc it's oddly entertaining simply at face value, though it does feel all of its length. Emphasis is most certainly on the 'odd' though.

I really liked this as well.

From IMDb:

"It was an era, it was the start of a new vision" says Amha Eshete, the first Ethiopian music producer back in the Golden Age, the days of Swingin' Addis.

Not uninteresting but suffers from only having a modest number of contributors and a relatively short running time. The second segment gives more time to the Hip-Hop scene than it does to the country's links to Rastafarianism and Reggae which struck me as rather odd and imo the whole could have done with dwelling more on the history of the Ethiopian music scene in general.

From IMDb:

In the first episode, a heartbroken woman talks to her ex-lover on the phone. In the second, a pregnant woman believes she is carrying the child of Saint Joseph.

Double bill of shorts, the first of which is a single-hander in which Anna Magnani is in fine form. In the second she once again has to carry proceedings mainly on her shoulders and again bears that burden well. Both tales are nicely shot and directed, and the second is not without interest but it's the first that really stands out for me.

+

From IMDb:

A money order from a relative in Paris throws the life of a Senegalese family man out of order.

For the most part slowly paced but still manages to feel like the tale moves along at a brisk enough pace with all the various tribulations associated with the promise of an unexpected influx of money and the hawks that swoop in. The tale does become a little repetitious in places and the central character may be a little too naive to fully believe in but as long as one doesn't mind the rather languid approach it's a reasonably interesting watch and the ending montage brings it to a conclusion rather nicely.

+

From IMDb:

Cristina (49) has spent her life taking care of her mother Carmen. Single and without a trade or friends, she grows older, year after year in her hometown. A few days from her birth- day, Cristina reconnects with Sandra, a former schoolmate who will show her other ways to live, freely and without prejudice.

Slice-of-life drama that has nothing particularly remarkable about the core story, it's a fairly standard tale of someone leading a stifled life who's reconnection with a free-spirited friend acts as a catalyst for her contemplating her lot. The central character is very nicely acted though and one can easily empathise with her and the life to which she has become resigned. Somewhat bleak but enjoyably so and nice in the way it only touches on certain elements of the story without feeling any need to offer comment.

+

From IMDb:

It's summer holidays, and the planned Italian holiday with Jasmin's foster family is just around the corner. Everyone is looking forward to the trip - except Jasmin.

A relatively sedate affair in which a young girl attempts to bond with her birth-mother. It's not acted badly, is shot quite nicely and until the final few minutes is a moderately interesting watch (even if a little drawn out) but the attempt to insert a closing drama fails to convince.

+