Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - 2022 Edition

Here it is...

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I recorded Special Episode 14 of The Movie Loot while recovering from COVID, and what better film to talk about when you're infected with a virus than a film about a virus; The Rage Virus! So hear me out as I tackle the opening scene from 28 Weeks Later:

The Movie Loot - Special Episode XIV (28 Weeks Later)

Remember you can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and most podcast platforms.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold", says the old proverb; meaning that revenge can be more satisfying when it is not exacted immediately. Regardless of where you stand morally, some people believe that the process to bring payback and suffering to those that harmed you should be long and drawn; and that long process starts at the beginning. But is it really worth it? That is the point where a desperate man finds himself in this Korean horror thriller.

I Saw the Devil follows Kim Soo-hyun (Lee Byung-huh), a young Secret Service agent that sets out to take revenge on Jang Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik), the ruthless serial killer that brutally murdered his fiancée. The above is not a statement from the serial killer, but from Kim, who is determined to make Kyung-chul suffer through an elaborate game of cat-and-mouse that will only get worse.

This main premise is nothing new. The downward spiral of a quest for revenge hardly leads to a good place. The horrors committed by Kyung-chul are not hidden, and evident from the first 20 minutes of the film; there is no denying that. But by heading down this path, Kim technically becomes as ruthless as this serial killer. But even though this is a road that has been walked before on other films, a taut direction from Kim Jee-woon, and some solid performances, especially from Choi, make the journey worthwhile.

Kim doesn't really shy away from the violence, but he's not gratuitous either. There is a good balance between what is seen and what is implied. And even though we find early on about who the killer is, the way he focuses on the psyche of both characters make it more interesting than a "whodunit". The twists and turns are effective, and the tension is well drawn.

I do think the film could've benefitted from a bit of a trim. There's a moment where everything that happens to Kim might seem like too much, and some of the events that happen, especially towards the last act, stretch the believability of the story. But a deliciously wicked performance from Choi and a solid emotional anchor from Lee's character make this dish one that's worth tasting, even if it's once.

Grade:

The concept of trickle-down economics consist of conditions and policies that favor primarily the upper echelons with the hopes that "some" of it will "trickle down" and benefit the lower ones as well. It doesn't negate the fact, though, that what will "trickle down" to those lower echelons will be, technically, scraps, if at all. This seems to be the basis of this high concept sci-fi thriller from Spain.

The Platform follows Goreng (Iván Massagué), a man that wakes up in a concrete cell labeled #48 along with the older Trimagasi (Zorion Eguileor). It is through him that we learn that they're both part of a social experiment where people are held prisoners in a multi-leveled structure, while a platform filled to the brim with food descends through a hole in the center of each room. As expected, the ones in the upper levels enjoy the feast, while the ones in the lower levels get nothing.

To make matters worse, every month, they are drugged and move to another random level. Where will they end up next? Ending up in the upper levels means a better chance at food, more sustenance, and higher survival probability, while ending up in the lower levels means you will barely get food, if at all, which means you'll probably have to fight harder to survive. Through each level, Goreng is paired with different cell mates, each with different outtakes and perspectives in their situation.

The Platform premiered in Spain in late 2019, but it was brought to Netflix in March 2020, just as the pandemic started. And to be honest, I can't think of a better representation of the selfishness of people that is represented in the film than the way people have behaved all through these years; the individual interests superseding the good of the whole, but also the failures of economical systems that favor the wealthy. The film is not subtle about its message, but still executes it really well.

Most of the performances are pretty good, but what drives the film is the tight direction, the uncertainty of what's happening, the tension between the inhabitants of this structure, and how much can they take before they all lose control. At one point, one of Goreng's cell mates advocates for a "spontaneous sense of solidarity" between all inhabitants for things to work out, but anybody that has lived in this world, regardless of the "level", knows what are the chances for that.

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The Girl in the Yellow Jumper opens with Jim (Michael Wawuyo Jr.) as he limps injured through the Ugandan countryside, trying to hitch a ride to the city. He is eventually picked up by Patrick (Maurice Kirya), an off-duty cop who's reluctantly transporting a witness. On their way, the two men share some stories that shed some light about how they got to where they are now, but more importantly, who they really are.

Part of Jim's story revolves around him escaping a duo of women, one of them wearing a yellow jumper, that kidnapped and tortured him. Meanwhile, Patrick seems to be juggling some issues at home while working the case of a serial killer. At one point, he shares a story with Jim that concludes with the above moral, because as much as they both think they might be doing a good thing, it is not always the right thing.

I had never heard of this Ugandan mystery thriller, but saw it come up on a couple of lists of African films, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by it. Not only is it extremely well shot, but its labyrinthine story is craftily weaved in a way that makes it a real pleasure to unfold. Maybe director and writer Loukman Ali goes a bit too far with some red herrings, but for the most part, everything he sets up, has a solid payoff in the end.

It doesn't mean that the film is flawless. There are some interactions that are a bit cringy, while some developments require a share of suspension of disbelief, but I didn't think it got in the way of my enjoyment too much. The performances are, for the most part, competent and the direction was particularly good. If you like twisty mysteries, with intertwining plotpoints, then there's no reason not to give this one a shot.

Grade:

I also liked The Platform, although too much time has passed for me to say anything of substance about it.
I'm kind of a sucker for these high-concept scenarios, but I'll second your recommendation.

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Directed and written by Damien Leone, the original Terrifier came out in 2016, featuring the maniacal Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), a character that has been featured in all but one of Leone's short and feature films. The film became a moderate hit among fans of horror and gore, me included. I thought it did a great job of subverting some tropes and adding a few twists to the genre, while delivering with the violence and gore.

Starting immediately after its predecessor, Terrifier 2 follows Art the Clown again as he is mysteriously resurrected. A year later, he sets out on another killing spree, this time mostly focused on Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and her brother, Jonathan (Elliot Fullam). But can Sienna stop him once and for all? I don't know, she doesn't know, and neither does the film; or at least they don't want to tell us yet.

With the original Terrifier being as successful as it was, it was expected that Leone would follow up with a sequel. This time, with a bigger budget (from $35,000 to $250,000), a bigger runtime (from 86 to 138 minutes), and a more ambitious storyline. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, bigger doesn't always equate to better.

For the most part, Terrifier 2 delivers and/or improves in all the areas that the original excelled in. The production values are significantly higher, the special effects and the gore is wickedly good, and the cast is likable even if the performances aren't top-notch. One performance that does stand out, though, is Thornton who is amazing. The way he uses his body language and face expressions to instill that sense of dread and terror mixed with dark humor is amazing. He is easily the film's biggest asset.

However, whereas the original was a lean, 86 minute slasher with what seemed to be a simple premise and little to no fat to it, this one attempts to establish a bigger mythology surrounding the characters; something I have no issue with, if it managed to deliver on any of it. As it is, it teases a bunch of hints about Sienna's past, Art's motivations, and their connection, but it rarely follows through, making for a somewhat unsatisfying experience.

I'm all for throwing breadcrumbs and hints for future films, but in this case, pretty much everything feels like a set-up for the inevitable Terrifier 3 (Yes, it is already in pre-production). It is still a very accomplished horror film, with a lot on its favor, but since there are so many things that don't have a proper payoff, it can't help but feel a bit overlong, a bit overstuffed, a bit puzzling, and a bit frustrating.

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Intrigued by Damien Leone's work, I went out and checked his first short film, which is also the first media to feature Art the Clown (this time played by Mike Giannelli). This one follows a young woman (Kayla Lian) abducted from a deserted train station and subjected to a series of horrors.

The 9th Circle is pretty much what you would expect from a rookie horror director. It's a mish-mash of every common trope found on films about the occult and the likes. From the dangerous evil clown handing out flowers with insects and the mysterious wart-skinned creature living underground to the mysterious group with hoods and masks pulling out babies and pouring blood on chalices.

It's not only that we've seen it before, but also that it doesn't seem to make much sense other than to be there because, well, it's *occult*. Still, Leone's direction is solid, and at less than 10 minutes, it's not much of a chore to get through. So there has to be no rush to get out of there.

Grade:

Here is my final tally for OCTOBER 2022

A film with the number 10 (Ten, Tenth, etc.) in its title: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
A film that starts with the letters S or T: Satan's Slaves, Terrifier 2
A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #10 (i.e. 10, 107, 610): Dawn of the Dead (1978)
A film from the 2000s: Pontypool
A thriller film: The Platform
A film about a virus (Virus Appreciation Day, October 3): 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later
A film from Uganda (Independence Day, October 9): The Girl in the Yellow Jumper
A film from Ed Wood (born October 10): Bride of the Monster
A film with a pronoun in its title (Int'l Pronouns Day, October 19): I Saw the Devil
A film about werewolves (Worldwide Howl at the Moon Night, October 26): The Wolf of Snow Hollow

Freebie: City of the Living Dead, The Night Eats the World, The Chucko, It's All Right, It's OK, Strings, The 9th Circle



Mostly horror, obviously. By the end of the month, I felt like I could kill someone But seriously, most of it was good stuff, lots of zombie films to prepare for the podcast, and a bunch of rewatches.

The one that got to me most, though, was an animated short film called Strings. After that, there were a bunch huddled up together. Maybe Pontypool was the one that left more of an impression, but others like The Platform and The Wolf of Snow Hollow are up there with it.

Least favorite? Easily Damien Leone's first short film, The 9th Circle, with Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster close behind. Still not entirely a waste of time.

Here are the criteria for NOVEMBER 2022

A film with the number 11 (Eleven, Eleventh, etc.) in its title:
A film that starts with the letters U or V:
A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #11 (i.e. 11, 118, 511):
A film from the 2010s:
A war film:
A film noir:
A film with the word "Time" in its title (Daylight Savings Time, November 6):
A film about politics (Election Day, November 8):
A film from Latvia (Proclamation Day, November 18):
A film from Henri-Georges Clouzot (born November 20):

Here are the criteria for NOVEMBER 2022

A film with the number 11 (Eleven, Eleventh, etc.) in its title: 11Eleven Project
A film that starts with the letters U or V: U-Turn (1997)
A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #11 (i.e. 11, 118, 511): La Jetée (#117)
A film from the 2010s: RED
A war film: Battleground (1949)
A film noir: Shadows and Fog
A film with the word "Time" in its title (Daylight Savings Time, November 6): Time After Time (1979)
A film about politics (Election Day, November 8): Bulworth
A film from Latvia (Proclamation Day, November 18): Dangerous Summer (2000)
A film from Henri-Georges Clouzot (born November 20): The Murderer Lives at Number 21

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Thanks for the recs! I've seen La Jetée, RED, and U-Turn. Although for the latter, it's been too long that I barely remember a greasy Billy Bob Thornton and a smoking hot J-Lo

I'm preparing for a podcast episode on Puerto Rican films, so I'm trying to soak up as much as I can. Because of that, next couple of reviews will be of mostly obscure stuff for Americans, etc. but still, some worthy stuff.

In 1917, Puerto Ricans built the Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico in Old San Juan. A place of mingling for the local high society, it had to be transferred to the U.S. military in the wake of World War II. Perhaps an example of common property seizures during wartime, or a representation of the foreign control that the U.S. government has on its colonies, that is the backdrop of this 1985 drama directed by Marcos Zurinaga.

Based in a story from local writer Ana Lydia Vega, La Gran Fiesta follows the last party held by the Puerto Rican high society at the aforementioned casino in 1942. But besides the dance, the music, and the glamour of the night, there is gossip, forbidden romances, backstabbings, conspiracies, and political machinations.

The main focus of the story is in José Manuel (Daniel Lugo), who is set to announce his wedding to a young socialite during the night, while being secretly in love with Raquel (Cordelia González), an activist with leftist leanings. Meanwhile, José Manuel's father, Manuel (Luis Prendes), a migrant from Spain and renowned businessman, is being unknowingly set up as a political fall guy by an ambitious prosecutor that claims he's a Franco sympathizer.

This film was submitted by the island for the Foreign Film Academy Award back in the day, and even though it wasn't nominated, one can see it had the merits. The film is gorgeously shot, with Zurinaga taking great advantage of the structure and floor layout of the casino. The use of music, appropriately set as part of the party, is also very effective. There are a couple of instances where pieces of score feel clunkily integrated, though.

The pace at which the story unfolds is good. The film is a slow moving drama, so there really aren't any big spurts of action, but there is effective build-up of tension through the conversations and the interactions of the guests. Most of the performances are quite solid too, which include even Raúl Juliá, who has a brief, but colorful cameo as a razor-tongued poet. There are some performances and dialogues that are a bit cringy, and I do wish that the motivations of some characters were better established, but I found this to be a pleasant surprise. In this country we've seen much worse, and you know it.

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In March 1917, the Jones–Shafroth Act was signed by President Wilson effectively granting U.S. citizenship to people born in Puerto Rico. Just in time for us to be drafted into war when the U.S. declared war on Germany about a month later. Ever since, Puerto Ricans have served in every American war, from World War I to Iraq and Afghanistan.

During the Vietnam War, approximately 48,000 Puerto Ricans served. More than 350 either died in combat or never returned. It is in that setting that Héroes de Otra Patria takes place. The film follows Carlos (Jorge Castillo), an idealistic soldier that's anxious to return home to his family. However, when he's sent in a dangerous mission with Raúl (Jimmy Navarro), a more unhinged soldier, the two have to learn to take care of each other.

This is yet another Puerto Rican film that was submitted for the Academy Awards, but not nominated. I had fond memories of watching it back in the day, so I was looking forward to revisiting it. Despite some glaring issues in terms of the script, the direction by Iván Dariel Ortíz is pretty solid. It's obvious that he's trying to make the most of a small budget to try to portray realistic combat scenes, and for the most part, he succeeds, even if very often you can see the seams.

The scenes in Vietnam are intercalated with scenes in Puerto Rico of Carlos' family struggling to keep things together at the uncertainty of his fate, but also as they try to make ends meet monetarily. Most of these scenes are not that well executed and end up breaking the pace from the war scenes, which are slightly better executed and more engaging. The main performances from Castillo and Navarro are competent. Unfortunately, their dialogue is not. They are given clunky lines that seem to be taken off brochures and don't feel organic at all.

Moreover, for how important their bond and interactions are in the second half of the film, I wish that relationship would've been established better in the first act. Instead, they focus on Carlos' relationship with another soldier, Esteban (Víctor Tirado) who is being sent home. Because of this, the developments of the second half between Carlos and Raúl feel out of left field and have little weight. I commend director and writer Ortíz for trying to tell an ambitious story with an interesting twist. It just needed better writing and execution.

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That's the claim made by young bohemian Carlos (Jorge Rodríguez) to his young paramour Margarita (Ernestina Canino) as they share a tender moment at her house's backyard. Little did they know that fate had other plans for them, at least for a brief moment.

Romance Tropical follows Carlos, whose efforts to be with Margarita are endangered when her father catches them together without permission. Unable to be with her at the moment, Carlos embarks on a trip on a sailboat and ends up in the mysterious island of Mu, where he meets Alura (Raquel Canino). Will he remain with his newfound native love, or will he return to his longlost Margarita?

This film decides to answer that question in all the wrong ways possible, and then some. Not only is the script plagued by racist stereotypes of island natives, but its message of selfishness, colonialism, plundering, fleeting love, and the overt importance of material possessions over anything else is problematic, to say the least.

Add to that the fact that most of the performances are pretty bad. If anything, Ernestina and the one that played her parent might've been the best of the bunch. I understand this is the first, if not one of the first sound films produced in Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, as culturally relevant as it might be, I'm not very interested in hearing what it has to say.

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Set in a local private school, Casi Casi follows Emilio (Mario Pabón), a troublesome but shy kid that decides to run for Student Council in order to impress Jacklynne (Maité Canto), the most popular girl in school. However, he realizes late that Jacklynne herself is running as well. As he unwittingly starts to gain popularity, Emilio recruits his group of friends to sabotage the results to make sure he loses so he can win Jacklynne's heart, all while evading the strict Principal Richardson (Marian Pabón).

I'll start by saying that I had a lot of fun with this. Most of the performances were decent, but what sold it for me was the chemistry between the six main friends. This is made more impressive considering that most of them weren't professional actors, but regular teenagers. Maybe this is why their banter and interactions felt organic and natural.

In addition to the main cast, the performance from Marian Pabón as the Principal was a steal. Pabón has been a renowned television and theater actress here, and her talent and experience shows as she crafts an antagonist that's fun to hate, comical, but also not that far from reality.

In addition, the direction from the Vallés brothers was simple, but with enough flair at certain moments that made you pay more attention. Decent camera movement and good framing of scenes and shots, which serves to enhance the kids' hijinx. Their plans to win the election first, and then to lose it on purpose were nicely executed, and entertaining to watch. In that respect, I found there was a balance of predictability and surprise to how the story turns out. But the most important thing is that it was fun.

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In case anybody is interested to check any of these Puerto Rican films out, here they are. Consider that these are mostly crummy transfers from VHS to YouTube made my fans. One of the saddest things about Puerto Rican cinema is that there is no organized sense of preservation so most of these films are not available physically or digitally through any official medium, so there's that...

La Gran Fiesta


Héroes de Otra Patria (no subtitles available)


Romance Tropical


Casi Casi



As you can see from my ratings, I recommend La Gran Fiesta and Casi Casi. Héroes de Otra Patria might be an interesting watch, but it is very flawed. Romance Tropical is terrible in pretty much every way possible, but most importantly, the story is a piece of shit.

Cinema Puerto Rico: Una antropología visual is a documentary that chronicles the story of Puerto Rican cinema from its inception back in the late 19th Century. Through a series of interviews with directors, cinephiles, critics, and anthropologists, directors Freddie Rodríguez and Mariel Marrero try to trace the journey of our film industry, but also the reasons why it hasn't flourished.

The above is one of the reasons presented by one of the interviewees, a young filmmaker called Eduardo Rosado. And when you look at the trajectory, you can't help but agree. Even though cinema has been present here since its birth, its development in the island has sputtered because of lack of vision, economical issues, but also political maneuverings.

These factors hasn't allowed for the establishment of a strong industry, leaving filmmakers to fend for themselves as they try to follow their passions and make their art. And despite all these struggles, what one can see in the documentary is that we have still managed to amass a very diverse catalog of Puerto Rican films that ranges from romance and dramas to action and comedy, and everything in between.

As a cinephile myself, and someone who more or less knew about some of the history of our cinema, I was still surprised by the breadth and scope of what has been produced here. Certainly not as much as we could've if there was that continuity, but still much more than I thought, and I suppose way more than the regular Puerto Rican viewer knows about. As the proud Puerto Rican that I am, I can only hope that we can put that continuity in motion so we can find our voice in the worldwide film industry.

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Speaking of diversity in Puerto Rican films, this was certainly something different to what is usually seen and discussed among our cinema. Correa Cotto: ¡así me llaman! is a lurid and violent piece of exploitation. The film follows the escapades of Antonio Correa Cotto (Luis Arroyo), a notorious criminal that won't tolerate any offense or slight from anybody.

The film starts with Correa Cotto's random crime sprees, but eventually settles on his quest for revenge on a group of brothers, the Maldonado's, who not only owe him money, but have also assaulted his girlfriend (Soledad Acosta), and then framed him for a crime in order to send him to prison. But Correa Cotto can't be held down much longer, so off he goes to get his revenge. Can the police capture him on time?

Seeing a local film so overly charged of violence and sex was certainly surprising to me, since it was always uncommon to see those kind of things in the stuff that was produced here; at least in what was shown in the main 2 or 3 channels.The style of this film is very much in the exploitation vein, with lots of exaggerated sounds and music, as cameras linger on female naked bodies and hands caressing up and down.

Arroyo is pretty good as the titular character as he steals most of his scenes, but Acosta is solid as his girlfriend. The antagonists that Correa Cotto pursues, the Maldonado's, are pretty much interchangeable, while Braulio Castillo rounds the cast as the police detective determined to capture the fugitive. The character of Castillo is barely developed, but I suppose the filmmaker's intention is to keep the focus on Correa Cotto; that's how they call him.

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