Movie Tab II

thanks man

Scream of Stone (1991) –
It drags quite a bit, and none of the characters are as unusually fascinating as many of Herzog’s others, but the landscapes are the dominant focus, and they’re milked for all they’re worth.

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) –
A pretty unexciting plot hoisted up by a few distinct personalities and great dialogue.

Splash (1984) –
Easy to watch, formulaic, dumb fun. The impending one-liners are predictable, but still get a few chuckles out of me.

The Hitchhiker (1953) –
An entertaining thriller with less campy affectations than I expected (still quite a few though), a ton of sandy grit, and a notable villain.

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Decasia (2002) by Bill Morrison

Juliet of the Spirits (1965) by Federico Fellini

About Elly (2009) by Asghar Farhadi +

Twin Peaks (1990-1991) by David Lynch +



Onibaba (1964) by Kaneto Shindô

The Florida Project (2017) by Sean Baker

Nights of Cabiria (1957) by Federico Fellini +



Murmur of the Heart (1971) by Louis Malle

Tristana (1970) by Luis Buñuel +

Damnation (1988) by Béla Tarr

High School (1968) by Frederick Wiseman +



Los Olvidados (1950) by Luis Buñuel

The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) by Tarik Saleh +

The Scarlet Empress (1934) by Josef von Sternberg

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) by David Lynch



The Goddess (1934) by Yonggang Wu

Husbands and Wives (1992) by Woody Allen

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TokeZa's Top 100 Movies through Space and Time

TokeZa's inane ramblings about film

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Just watched Roman Holiday DVD. (13th Feb) I think that the often televised chocolate ad confused me because it seems to blur two films. An animated Audrey Hepburn is on a bus dressed the way she is in Roman Holiday singing Moon River with an Italian in an army cap in a car. You make think this is all Roman Holiday, but she in fact sings the song in Breakfast at Tiffany's. So two films combined. A version of the ad on YouTube shows the Italian without a cap. Also, Roman Holiday is in black and white- the commercial promising to the confused colour. Well... I liked the DVD, anyway.

Seen in February Pt.1



Eh, it was pretty boring and uninteresting. I found it very hard to care for the characters. Considering this was the butchered film, the original cut would probably be way better.



Damn, this is pretty funny. The performances from everyone are very good. The film’s satire on the generic American films was genius, the ‘fatties’ trailer could totally pass off as a real trailer. I love how the film went into territory’s no film would ever go (Robert Downy doing blackface, jokes about the mentally disabled etc.).



Pretty emotional. The film's tone is a little confused, some parts it wants to be Green Room and other parts it wants to be a generic ITV crime drama. The poster advertises itself as an exploitation rape and revenge films from the 70's and punk rock is scored to some very brutal moments. The ITV crime drama bits take up a chunk of the last act, it's pretty annoying but not experience ruining. The main character is very interesting, the man who performs him does it fantastically.

If the film was less 'Midsomer Murders' and more 'Last House on the Left' I'd like it alot more.



Sure it’s Oscar-Bait, but it’s good Oscar-Bait. Tom Hanks gives a very believable performance. The plot is directed and written to make it as interestingly as possible. The montage showing how the newspapers were produced was super cool.



Great story. I enjoyed all the scenes revolving around Desmond’s real-life incident’s. Garfield gives a fantastic performance. I liked the interviews at the end.

My only problem with the film was the second-half of the second act (The two battle scenes before the rescue). The CGI in them is absolutely horrible, some of the worst I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen knock-off Disney movies with better CGI. Gibson shot the battle scenes in a very eventful, exciting way, which heavily downplay’s the pacifist message of the film. I enjoyed the good parts of the film too much to give it a lower rating.



Re-watch
Man, this film is fantastic. Despite Kevin being the title character, it's more of a character study on Swinton's character. All of the actors play their parts excellently, possibly helped by Ramsay's excellent direction. The non-linear structure really works for the film, it allows you to keep on guessing as to what happened.

Some people don't like how a deep red colour is evident in almost every scene. I think it's really clever actually. Eva is plagued with the thoughts of the incident and her influence on Kevin. When the tomatoes are thrown at her house it's almost impossible for her to get the red colour off, a la Lady Macbeth can't wipe the blood from her hands, like she can't wipe her misdeeds from her subconscious (Out, damned spot! Out!).

I think re-watching the film was a great idea. I noticed some very subtle things that I didn't notice on my first watch.



Brilliant. Everyone in the film gives an absolutely fantastic performance. You really get to love the characters and want to see them succeed.



Super funny. John Cleese is a master when it comes to reforming comedy, his scenes never failed to gain a laugh out of me. The plot of the film is intricate but easy to follow. I noticed that the film was directed by the same guy who directed the golf segment in Dead of Night, interesting bit of trivia there.



Loads of fun. I absolutely adored all the meta and fourth wall jokes, considering I don’t particularly like superhero movies. Reynolds performances was brilliant. The plot of the film was great.



I enjoyed it. There were lots of stupid moments (I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs at the plane scene). I didn’t like how violent shots were edited out to get a PG-13 rating. I don’t know what the original plot of the film was but I’d say it was better without all the re-writes. I’ll definitely check out the book.

February (pt i):


Pygmalion (Anthony Asquith & Leslie Howard, 1938)
The War Zone (Tim Roth, 1999)

+
Song For A Raggy Boy (Aisling Walsh, 2003)


The Beloved Rogue (Alan Crosland, 1927)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (Harold Young, 1934)
What Doesn't Kill You (Brian Goodman, 2008)

+
Blonde Ice (Jack Bernhard, 1948)
Chained (Jennifer Lynch, 2012)
Craig's Wife (Dorothy Arzner, 1936)
Topaze (Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast, 1933)


Of Human Bondage (John Cromwell, 1934)
One Rainy Afternoon (Rowland V. Lee, 1936)
Orlando (Sally Potter, 1992)
Pet Sematary (Mary Lambert, 1989)
The Affairs Of Cellini (Gregory La Cava, 1934)
The Boys From County Clare aka The Boys & Girl From County Clare (John Irvin, 2003)

+
Death Machine (Stephen Norrington, 1994)
Nattlek [Night Games] (Mai Zetterling, 1966)
The Bat Whispers (Roland West, 1930)


Notorious But Nice (Richard Thorpe, 1933)


Unbroken (Angelina Jolie, 2014)

+
Missing Girls (Phil Rosen 1936)

Ma vie de courgette [My Life as a Courgette] (2016) -



I don't know if I just happened to watch two animations that made me cry in a row, or if I'm just a crybaby. Wait, aren't they the same thing? Either way, this is yet another great animation film. It's very touching, and has many wonderfully beautiful scenes, as well as some heart-warming ones. Its simplicity is its greatest strength as it allows to focus on film's main theme without any distractions. The film handles a very serious, depressing subject matter and does it with ease and impressive sincerity.

Les yeux ne veulent pas en tout temps se fermer ou Peut-être qu'un jour Rome se permettra de choisir à son tour [Othon] (1970) -



Forget how I said previous Straub-Huillete films were prolix. This one beats them to death and is one of the wordiest films I've ever seen. One character literally spits out words like a machine gun, and others are not far behind. Sure, the framing is good, and it's interesting to see Ancient Romans in a contemporary city, but hell, can't you shut up for a minute? The whole S-H filmography can be summed up by: "Why must one talk? Often one shouldn't talk, but live in silence. The more one talks, the less the words mean.”. And I say this fully aware of the fact Godard loved their films. Even though I never find their films masterpieces (maybe with the exception of Too Early / Too Late), and often am irritated by how declamationial they are, something's making me watch S-H films, and I'm still intrigued to see more.

スーパーＧＵＮレディ ワニ分署 [Super Gun Lady: Police Branch 82] (1979) -



After having seen two first installments of Angel Guts series, both directed by Chusei Sone, I was happy to find out this little gem was directed by the guy as well. It's much superior to his other two I saw. Brutal and unrelenting, with a great bank robbery finale.

天使のはらわた　名美 [Angel Guts: Nami] (1979) -



A different director, Ishii writes the screenplay again, and... a triumph! The best in the series so far. The story felt bigger and more complex than in the other two, even though I don't think it really was. More twisted than kinky, and it unfolds better than you'd expect from the "female journalist gets interested in rape" premise. The ending is a little bit meh, hence not 4 stars.

銀蝶渡り鳥 [Wandering Ginza Butterfly] (1971) -



A billiards duel tribute to The Hustler and what a great massacre at the end - Meiko Kaji in white kimono with a katana - a prelude to Lady Snowblood. Surprisingly not too sleazy, but quite cheap, and that makes it even better! Meiko is lovely as always.

The Offence (1972) -



Sean Connery's best performance! I love how well Lumet directs his actors. The film is talky, but never boring, or fatiguing. The theme of discovering your inner darker self may not be too original, but the execution is so mind-boggling and strong, the film deserves the highest praise.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) -



A pretty murky topic executed in a B-movie way with pretty wooden acting (that's a compliment), and cool rubber special effects. Not as shocking as it could be, but still quite a shockfest for uninitiated in this kind of cinema.

Mark of the Vampire (1935) -



After the legendary Dracula, Tod Browning and Bela Lugosi return after four years with another vampire film. Thought to be an unofficial remake of London after Midnight, a lost silent horror film with Lon Chaney, Mark of the Vampire is a solid horror with hints of comedy, as well as an unexpected twist towards the end.

Phantom (1922) -



Made right after the film that made Murnau widely-recognized, Nosferatu, Phantom, despite its title, is not a horror film. It's a movie about a man's fatal infatuation with a woman whose mirrored image he eventually finds and becomes the slave of, which leads him to ruin. Thea von Harbou's screenplay isn't the strongest point of the film. I was quite disappointed with it, especially given she's written some of the best screenplays in all silent cinema. The source, a book, may be the cuplrit. Even though a lesser Murnau, it's still great to see how the director handles the story and tries to squeeze out as much as he can using double exposiition and various hues of tinting.

Psy II: Ostatnia krew [Pigs II: The Last Blood] (1994) -



A sequel to a Polish classic which I also found a mediocre film. @Ms. M don't kill me, please! It starts off promising with a cheesy, matchstick box shooting duel. Sadly, it goes downhill from there. Still watchable, but nothing worth talking about.

আগন্তুক [The Stranger] (1991) -



Satyajit Ray's @Swan song (see what I did here?) is a talky film, but also one that's pretty to look at. The use of colour in interiors (especially at the beginning of the film) reminds me of Yasujiro Ozu's late colour films. The film's main theme is identity (although it has more themes than that). I think it carries a very powerful message, just like the eponymous stranger says (rephrased): "What is a passport, if not just a picture of a person with his name under it? In reality it tells you nothnig about the person. It takes time to get to know a person.". Two scenes in the film are especially striking: the tribal dance when Anila joins the people of the village, and the finale.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

Has the Film Already Started? is (after Isou's Venom and Eternity) yet another masterpiece of Lettrist cinema, that despite its obscurity seems to have inspired many, from Godard to Brakhage. Just like Joyce destroyed and rebuilt literature, Lettrists first set out to introduce the world to their vision of poetry with poems consisting of sounds, syllabes, and alphabets (both existing and made up ones), that were not to be understood, but taken the way they are. With the combination of pronouncing both the actual letters as well as mouth farts, rhythmic incantations, and indistinguishable mumblings, they created a new language, made of such letters (hence their name - Lettrists).

After poetry, they set out to strike another art - cinema. As Isou says through the mouth of Danielle in Venom and Eternity: "This bloated pig [cinema] will soon explode". Of course, he, as well as other auteurs of Lettrist cinema, knew their films will be scandalous, so he remarks in the second part of the film: "Your hissing and your booing make no impression on me, because from Victor Hugo's "Ernani" to Bunel's "The Age of Gold," Cannes Grand Prize winner, everything I have loved has always been hissed and booed at first. At the premiere of "The Age of Gold" the angry audience broke the theatre seats. What worse can happen to me, and how can that affect me? The seats do not belong to me". Not just expecting such reactions, but rather encouraging them was Lemaitre in Has the Film Already Started?. He took cinema to its extremes, merging it with other arts, setting up provocations, and extending the film through the screen, onto the whole screening room and beyond.

It originally premiered in 1951 in Paris, and was one giant artistic provocation, a weird mix of avant-garde cinema and avant-garde performance. Colloquially speaking, Maurice Lemaitre might've been the first cinema troll. He would advertise the film beginning at 8:30, but the theatre wouldn't open until one hour later. The audience waiting outside the theatre was literally asssaulted by ice water buckets and carpet dust coming from apartment windows above the cinema. He would play Griffith's Intolerance, the ending of some random Western film, hang various objects like hats to cover the screen, set up a quarrel between the director and projectionist, which resulted in the latter tearing apart the film stock. While all of this was taking place, the voices of people shouting insults at the film were heard from the film's score. Before any member of the audience even thought about raging against the whole thing, paid actors hidden amongst the audience had already done it. Lemaitre succeeded. Chaos reigned. Cinema was destroyed.

But among all this juvenile goading, there is the film itself. Almost marginalized, set up merely as an ignition, an instrument of controversy. This invites the viewer to look at it solely through the prism of cheap provocationism, but seen as a single film, without all the controversy that surrounded its premiere, one finds it's not without its merits. Let me elaborate.

The problem with cinema in the 40s and at the beginning of 50s was that it was stale. Sure, there were experimental films since the birth of cinema, but the mainstream was more or less always the same. Silent cinema was different, because it didn't rely on dialogue. It conveyed its message through visuals and intertitles. Then came talkies that initially froze the development of camera movement. Dilettantes might say (and they actually did!) that sound annihilated cinema, but that's not entirely true. Yes, many early talkies were overreliant on the new invention, but many great directors (Lang, Pabst etc.) quickly adopted and mastered it. But cinema did need change. And this change did indeed come and revolutionized the way we look at film. It was the French New Wave, and other Waves all around the world, that did it. Many claim French writers for Cahiers du cinema were the first. But what about Lettrists? Those, who arguably influenced them.

Lettrists were right that cinema needed change, but one could accuse them of taking an arguably odd way of turning it into a radio play. Isou said: "Radio through television becomes a species of Cinema. Why shouldn't Cinema, in turn, become a species of radio?". He tried to destroy its visual aspect: "From the point of view of photography, I'll smite the picture with sun rays. I'll take old stock shots and scratch them; I'll claw at them so that unknown beauty sees the light of day. I shall sculpt flowers upon the film stock.". He tried to totally dismantle all elements of cinema.

Lemaitre's Has the Film Already Started? is perhaps even more avant-garde than Venom and Eternity. It has moments of unadulterated visual beauty. Shot (although this might not be the best choice of words) in both black and white and colour, but narrated almost non-stop, it can be considered an early (extreme) essay film. A frame by frame inscription in hand writing that was just like those at the end of some Brakhage films, or various numbers appearing at the screen bring to mind intertitles built of words and numbers used by Godard, see: chapter numbers in Masculin, Feminin, but these are only two possible influences the film had on other filmmakers.
Ç̶̬͎̈̀̓̀̿͠ḯ̴̧̡̲̖̠̥̠̇̊̈́̏̊̊̑̃͂̄̕ͅn̷̢̢̞͕̬̻̼͓̜͍̣̤͔͈̋́͛ͅe̷̻̥̞̿̆m̷̬͎̖̠͚̲̤̱͔͓̝̀͂͑̽ą̴͈͉̟̞͈̭̯̪͉̞̏͊͋̾̎͐ ̶̯͙͔̣̙͈̠̳̻̈͊͒̈ǐ̶͍̬̤́̈́͗̍̈́͗̍̐̈́͝s̶̡̢̝͙̻͈̘͍̟̤̞͉̫̩̊͊̓̿͆̇̑̉̈̋͐̽͐̂̚͜ ̶̛̣̮̩̩̈́͗̏̑̽͛͂̀̔̉̂̚͝͝d̷̨̯̦̲̦̭̜̭̗̉̈́̓͑͒͑e̴͎̣̺̻̺̋̽͘a̵̜̔͘ͅd̷̡̧̠͕͍̯͂́͑̊͌́̎͆̃̚̚͘͝,̴̼͈̮̻̲͙̣͍̳͙̮̜̯̱́̈́̄̐ ̶͔̳̟̈́̍̀å̵͎͌̀͂͊̊͐̅͘ń̶͖̩̤̟̲̮̳̹̟̹̭͇̂̒̈́͗̋͗̌d̴̡̧͉̗͎̤̥̭͔̘̲̤̯̲̽͊̎̂͝ ̵̡̛͉̍͗̇̅͛͛̈́̋̉̚͜͠ͅi̸̛̥͕̇̊͂̅̌͗͌̿͗́̚̕̕͝ͅf̴̡̝̺̟͍̗͚͎̭̣͚̿̋̒̓̇̆́͒͠ ̴̛̪̠̦͕̪̰͉̩̟̗͈̝͒̈̎̊̂͂͜͝͠ì̸͎͍͎̬̲̮͎̣̖̓̈͠ţ̴̰̦̯͉̤̯̱̩̱̘̳͉̇̾̆̂̊ ̶̬̙̌i̸̡̨̢͉͈͎̻̜̩̮͔̭̱̿͠s̷̛̛͖̣̭̠̝̘͗̿̿̇͂͋̋͊̀̇̿ń̷̢̳͙͉͖͈͕̞̠͇̓͐͆́̆͠'̵̖͓̒͋̿̒̀͘͠t̴̖̜̦̻̮̱͒̅̊̂̆,̸͎̟̩̰̓͗ͅ ̷̨͕̦̭̪͎̦͈̠̙̦̖̎͋̿̅̈́̀̾̈̀̄̐̍̔͘͜͝w̵͉̩̅̈́͗̔̊̊́͐̍͑̕͝ė̶̛̞̖̙̙̻̈̓͂̍̂̆̄͒̚ͅ ̷̛̞̺̗͔͓̙͉̟͓̯̜̹̬̩̥͐̓̅̐̑͘m̸̡̪̫̤̹̮͕̠̤̳̏͊̆͑̀͑̈͠͝ų̴̖̳̮͚͎̻̎̎̍s̵̠̞̙̠͓͈̃̊t̸̗͇̮̩͂̅͋̊̾͝ ̴̖͕̪̓̿̊̇͋͊
d̴̙̘͈̦̯̳͕̤̺̼͇̜̕e̶̡̹̟̫̗̩̖͉̖̝̘̣͔̥͛̆͋́̽̋͜s̶͇͔̱̫̥̱͙͕̞̹̍̂͗̄͂̒̐̽͂́̅̒̊̕͝ͅt̴̖̫̩͉͉̞͆͑̄̏͑͆̓̚ͅr̶̙̫̤̗̬͂͗̽͒͛͋̉͗̏͘ ̗̲̦ỡ̵̗͎̼̮͈͉͚̟̮̺͙̱͔͛͊̔͑̒̕͠ŷ̵̧̡̯̪͕̫̻́̌̀̉̄̈́̃͗́ ̴̭̻̬̪̍̄͒̉̿į̴͎̰̪̍̒̄̉́́̇͗̀t̵̫̰̣̟͖̗̪͇͂̅̏̈͆̚͝͠Ç̶̬͎̈̀̓̀̿͠ḯ̴̧̡̲̖̠̥̠̇̊̈́̏̊̊̑̃͂̄̕ͅn̷̢̢̞͕̬̻̼͓̜͍̣̤͔͈̋́͛ͅe̷̿̆ ̻̥̞m̷̬͎̖̠͚̲̤̱͔͓̝̀͂͑̽ą̴͈͉̟̞͈̭̯̪͉̞̏͊͋̾̎͐ ̶̯͙͔̣̙͈̠̳̻̈͊͒̈ǐ̶͍̬̤́̈́͗̍̈́͗̍̐̈́͝s̶̡̢̝͙̻͈̘͍̟̤̞͉̫̩̊͊̓̿͆̇̑̉̈̋͐̽͐̂̚͜ ̶̛̣̮̩̩̈́͗̏̑̽͛͂̀̔̉̂̚͝͝d̷̨̯̦̲̦̭̜̭̗̉̈́̓͑͒͑e̴͎̣̺̻̺̋̽͘a̵̜̔͘ͅd̷̡̧̠͕͍̯͂́͑̊͌́̎͆̃̚̚͘͝,̴̼͈̮̻̲͙̣͍̳͙̮̜̯̱́̈́̄̐ ̶͔̳̟̈́̍̀å̵͎͌̀͂͊̊͐̅͘ń̶͖̩̤̟̲̮̳̹̟̹̭͇̂̒̈́͗̋͗̌d̴̡̧͉̗͎̤̥̭͔̘̲̤̯̲̽͊̎̂͝ ̵̡̛͉̍͗̇̅͛͛̈́̋̉̚͜͠ͅi̸̛̥͕̇̊͂̅̌͗͌̿͗́̚̕̕͝ͅf̴̡̝̺̟͍̗͚͎̭̣͚̿̋̒̓̇̆́͒͠ ̴̛̪̠̦͕̪̰͉̩̟̗͈̝͒̈̎̊̂͂͜͝͠ì̸͎͍͎̬̲̮͎̣̖̓̈͠ţ̴̰̦̯͉̤̯̱̩̱̘̳͉̇̾̆̂̊ ̶̬̙̌i̸̡̨̢͉͈͎̻̜̩̮͔̭̱̿͠s̷̛̛͖̣̭̠̝̘͗̿̿̇͂͋̋͊̀̇̿ń̷̢̳͙͉͖͈͕̞̠͇̓͐͆́̆͠'̵̖͓̒͋̿̒̀͘͠t̴̖̜̦̻̮̱͒̅̊̂̆,̸͎̟̩̰̓͗ͅ ̷̨͕̦̭̪͎̦͈̠̙̦̖̎͋̿̅̈́̀̾̈̀̄̐̍̔͘͜͝w̵͉̩̅̈́͗̔̊̊́͐̍͑̕͝ė̶̛̞̖̙̙̻̈̓͂̍̂̆̄͒̚ͅ ̷̛̞̺̗͔͓̙͉̟͓̯̜̹̬̩̥͐̓̅̐̑͘m̸̡̪̫̤̹̮͕̠̤̳̏͊̆͑̀͑̈͠͝ų̴̖̳̮͚͎̻̎̎̍s̵̠̞̙̠͓͈̃̊t̸̗͇̮̩͂̅͋̊̾͝ ̴̧̖͕̪̓̿̊̇͋͊d̴̙̘͈̦̯̳͕̤̺̼͇̜̕e̶̡̹̟̫̗̩̖͉̖̝̘̣͔̥͛̆͋́̽̋͜s̶͇͔̱̫̥̱͙͕̞̹̍̂͗̄͂̒̐̽͂́̅̒̊̕͝ͅt̴̖̫̩͉͉̞͆͑̄̏͑͆̓̚ͅr̶͂͗̽͒ ̙̫̤̗̬̗̲̦͛͋̉͗̏͘ỡ̵̗͎̼̮͈͉͚̟̮̺͙̱͔͛͊̔͑̒̕͠ŷ̵̧̡̯̪͕̫̻́̌̀̉̄̈́̃͗́ ̴̭̻̬̪̍̄͒̉̿į̴͎̰̪̍̒̄̉́́̇͗̀t̵̫̰̣̟͖̗̪͇͂̅̏̈͆̚͝͠Ç̶̬͎̈̀̓̀̿͠ḯ̴̧̡̲̖̠̥̠̇̊̈́̏̊̊̑̃͂̄̕ͅn̷̢̢̞͕̬̻̼͓̜͍̣̤͔͈̋́͛ͅe̷̿̆ ̻̥̞m̷̬͎̖̠͚̲̤̱͔͓̝̀͂͑̽ą̴͈͉̟̞͈̭̯̪͉̞̏͊͋̾̎͐ ̶̯͙͔̣̙͈̠̳̻̈͊͒̈ǐ̶͍̬̤́̈́͗̍̈́͗̍̐̈́͝s̶̡̢̝͙̻͈̘͍̟̤̞͉̫̩̊͊̓̿͆̇̑̉̈̋͐̽͐̂̚͜ ̶̛̣̮̩̩̈́͗̏̑̽͛͂̀̔̉̂̚͝͝d̷̨̯̦̲̦̭̜̭̗̉̈́̓͑͒͑e̴͎̣̺̻̺̋̽͘a̵̜̔͘ͅd̷̡̧̠͕͍̯͂́͑̊͌́̎͆̃̚̚͘͝,̴̼͈̮̻̲͙̣͍̳͙̮̜̯̱́̈́̄̐ ̶͔̳̟̈́̍̀å̵͎͌̀͂͊̊͐̅͘ń̶͖̩̤̟̲̮̳̹̟̹̭͇̂̒̈́͗̋͗̌d̴̡̧͉̗͎̤̥̭͔̘̲̤̯̲̽͊̎̂͝ ̵̡̛͉̍͗̇̅͛͛̈́̋̉̚͜͠ͅi̸̛̥͕̇̊͂̅̌͗͌̿͗́̚̕̕͝ͅf̴̡̝̺̟͍̗͚͎̭̣͚̿̋̒̓̇̆́͒͠ ̴̛̪̠̦͕̪̰͉̩̟̗͈̝͒̈̎̊̂͂͜͝͠ì̸͎͍͎̬̲̮͎̣̖̓̈͠ţ̴̰̦̯͉̤̯̱̩̱̘̳͉̇̾̆̂̊ ̶̬̙̌i̸̡̨̢͉͈͎̻̜̩̮͔̭̱̿͠s̷̛̛͖̣̭̠̝̘͗̿̿̇͂͋̋͊̀̇̿ń̷̢̳͙͉͖͈͕̞̠͇̓͐͆́̆͠'̵̖͓̒͋̿̒̀͘͠t̴̖̜̦̻̮̱͒̅̊̂̆,̸͎̟̩̰̓͗ͅ ̷̨͕̦̭̪͎̦͈̠̙̦̖̎͋̿̅̈́̀̾̈̀̄̐̍̔͘͜͝w̵͉̩̅̈́͗̔̊̊́͐̍͑̕͝ė̶̛̞̖̙̙̻̈̓͂̍̂̆̄͒̚ͅ ̷̛̞̺̗͔͓̙͉̟͓̯̜̹̬̩̥͐̓̅̐̑͘m̸̡̪̫̤̹̮͕̠̤̳̏͊̆͑̀͑̈͠͝ų̴̖̳̮͚͎̻̎̎̍s̵̠̞̙̠͓͈̃̊t̸̗͇̮̩͂̅͋̊̾͝ ̴̧̖͕̪̓̿̊̇͋͊d̴̙̘͈̦̯̳͕̤̺̼͇̜̕e̶̡̹̟̫̗̩̖͉̖̝̘̣͔̥͛̆͋́̽̋͜s̶͇͔̱̫̥̱͙͕̞̹̍̂͗̄͂̒̐̽͂́̅̒̊̕͝ͅt̴̖̫̩͉͉̞͆͑̄̏͑͆̓̚ͅr̶͂͗̽͒ ̙̫̤̗̬̗̲̦͛͋̉͗̏͘d̴̙̘͈̦̯̳͕̤̺̼͇̜̕e̶̡̹̟̫̗̩̖͉̖̝̘̣͔̥͛̆͋́̽̋͜s̶͇͔̱̫̥̱͙͕̞̹̍̂͗̄͂̒̐̽͂́̅̒̊̕͝ͅt̴̖̫̩͉͉̞͆͑̄̏͑͆̓̚ͅr̶͂ ̙̫̤̗̬̗̲̦͗̽͒͛͋̉͗̏͘ỡ̵̗͎̼̮͈͉͚̟̮̺͙̱͔͛͊̔͑̒̕͠ŷ̵̧̡̯̪͕̫̻́̌̀̉̄̈́̃͗́ ̴̭̻̬̪̍̄͒̉̿į̴͎̰̪̍̒̄̉́́̇͗̀t̵̫̰̣̟͖̗̪͇͂̅̏̈͆̚͝͠Ç̶̬͎̈̀̓̀̿͠ḯ̴̧̡̲̖̠̥̠̇̊̈́̏̊̊̑̃͂̄̕ͅn̷̢̢̞͕̬̻̼͓̜͍̣̤͔͈̋́͛ͅe̷̿̆ ̻̥̞m̷̬͎̖̠͚̲̤̱͔͓̝̀͂͑̽ą̴͈͉̟̞͈̭̯̪͉̞̏͊͋̾̎͐ ̶̯͙͔̣̙͈̠̳̻̈͊͒̈ǐ̶͍̬̤́̈́͗̍̈́͗̍̐̈́͝s̶̡̢̝͙̻͈̘͍̟̤̞͉̫̩̊͊̓̿͆̇̑̉̈̋͐̽͐̂̚͜ ̶̛̣̮̩̩̈́͗̏̑̽͛͂̀̔̉̂̚͝͝d̷̨̯̦̲̦̭̜̭̗̉̈́̓͑͒͑e̴͎̣̺̻̺̋̽͘a̵̜̔͘ͅd̷̡̧̠͕͍̯͂́͑̊͌́̎͆̃̚̚͘͝,̴̼͈̮̻̲͙̣͍̳͙̮̜̯̱́̈́̄̐ ̶͔̳̟̈́̍̀å̵͎͌̀͂͊̊͐̅͘ń̶͖̩̤̟̲̮̳̹̟̹̭͇̂̒̈́͗̋͗̌d̴̡̧͉̗͎̤̥̭͔̘̲̤̯̲̽͊̎̂͝ ̵̡̛͉̍͗̇̅͛͛̈́̋̉̚͜͠ͅi̸̛̥͕̇̊͂̅̌͗͌̿͗́̚̕̕͝ͅf̴̡̝̺̟͍̗͚͎̭̣͚̿̋̒̓̇̆́͒͠ ̴̛̪̠̦͕̪̰͉̩̟̗͈̝͒̈̎̊̂͂͜͝͠ì̸͎͍͎̬̲̮͎̣̖̓̈͠ţ̴̰̦̯͉̤̯̱̩̱̘̳͉̇̾̆̂̊ ̶̬̙̌i̸̡̨̢͉͈͎̻̜̩̮͔̭̱̿͠s̷̛̛͖̣̭̠̝̘͗̿̿̇͂͋̋͊̀̇̿ń̷̢̳͙͉͖͈͕̞̠͇̓͐͆́̆͠'̵̖͓̒͋̿̒̀͘͠t̴̖̜̦̻̮̱͒̅̊̂̆,̸͎̟̩̰̓͗ͅ ̷̨͕̦̭̪͎̦͈̠̙̦̖̎͋̿̅̈́̀̾̈̀̄̐̍̔͘͜͝w̵͉̩̅̈́͗̔̊̊́͐̍͑̕͝ė̶̛̞̖̙̙̻̈̓͂̍̂̆̄͒̚ͅ ̷̛̞̺̗͔͓̙͉̟͓̯̜̹̬̩̥͐̓̅̐̑͘m̸̡̪̫̤̹̮͕̠̤̳̏͊̆͑̀͑̈͠͝ų̴̖̳̮͚͎̻̎̎̍s̵̠̞̙̠͓͈̃̊t̸̗͇̮̩͂̅͋̊̾͝ ̴̧̖͕̪̓̿̊̇͋͊d̴̙̘͈̦̯̳͕̤̺̼͇̜̕e̶̡̹̟̫̗̩̖͉̖̝̘̣͔̥͛̆͋́̽̋͜s̶͇͔̱̫̥̱͙͕̞̹̍̂͗̄͂̒̐̽͂́̅̒̊̕͝ͅt̴̖̫̩͉͉̞͆͑̄̏͑͆̓̚ͅr̶͂͗̽͒ ̙̫̤̗̬̗̲̦͛͋̉͗̏͘ỡ̵̗͎̼̮͈͉͚̟̮̺͙̱͔͛͊̔͑̒̕͠ŷ̵̧̡̯̪͕̫̻́̌̀̉̄̈́̃͗́ ̴̭̻̬̪̍̄͒̉̿į̴͎̰̪̍̒̄̉́́̇͗̀t̵̫̰̣̟͖̗̪͇͂̅̏̈͆̚͝͠Ç̶̬͎̈̀̓̀̿͠ḯ̴̧̡̲̖̠̥̠̇̊̈́̏̊̊̑̃͂̄̕ͅn̷̢̢̞͕̬̻̼͓̜͍̣̤͔͈̋́͛ͅe̷̿̆ ̻̥̞m̷̬͎̖̠͚̲̤̱͔͓̝̀͂͑̽ą̴͈͉̟̞͈̭̯̪͉̞̏͊͋̾̎͐ ̶̯͙͔̣̙͈̠̳̻̈͊͒̈ǐ̶͍̬̤́̈́͗̍̈́͗̍̐̈́͝s̶̡̢̝͙̻͈̘͍̟̤̞͉̫̩̊͊̓̿͆̇̑̉̈̋͐̽͐̂̚͜ ̶̛̣̮̩̩̈́͗̏̑̽͛͂̀̔̉̂̚͝͝d̷̨̯̦̲̦̭̜̭̗̉̈́̓͑͒͑e̴͎̣̺̻̺̋̽͘a̵̜̔͘ͅd̷̡̧̠͕͍̯͂́͑̊͌́̎͆̃̚̚͘͝,̴̼͈̮̻̲͙̣͍̳͙̮̜̯̱́̈́̄̐ ̶͔̳̟̈́̍̀å̵͎͌̀͂͊̊͐̅͘ń̶͖̩̤̟̲̮̳̹̟̹̭͇̂̒̈́͗̋͗̌d̴̡̧͉̗͎̤̥̭͔̘̲̤̯̲̽͊̎̂͝ ̵̡̛͉̍͗̇̅͛͛̈́̋̉̚͜͠ͅi̸̛̥͕̇̊͂̅̌͗͌̿͗́̚̕̕͝ͅf̴̡̝̺̟͍̗͚͎̭̣͚̿̋̒̓̇̆́͒͠ ̴̛̪̠̦͕̪̰͉̩̟̗͈̝͒̈̎̊̂͂͜͝͠ì̸͎͍͎̬̲̮͎̣̖̓̈͠ţ̴̰̦̯͉̤̯̱̩̱̘̳͉̇̾̆̂̊ ̶̬̙̌i̸̡̨̢͉͈͎̻̜̩̮͔̭̱̿͠s̷̛̛͖̣̭̠̝̘͗̿̿̇͂͋̋͊̀̇̿ń̷̢̳͙͉͖͈͕̞̠͇̓͐͆́̆͠'̵̖͓̒͋̿̒̀͘͠t̴̖̜̦̻̮̱͒̅̊̂̆,̸͎̟̩̰̓͗ͅ ̷̨͕̦̭̪͎̦͈̠̙̦̖̎͋̿̅̈́̀̾̈̀̄̐̍̔͘͜͝w̵͉̩̅̈́͗̔̊̊́͐̍͑̕͝ė̶̛̞̖̙̙̻̈̓͂̍̂̆̄͒̚ͅ ̷̛̞̺̗͔͓̙͉̟͓̯̜̹̬̩̥͐̓̅̐̑͘m̸̡̪̫̤̹̮͕̠̤̳̏͊̆͑̀͑̈͠͝ų̴̖̳̮͚͎̻̎̎̍s̵̠̞̙̠͓͈̃̊t̸̗͇̮̩͂̅͋̊̾͝ ̴̧̖͕̪̓̿̊̇͋͊d̴̙̘͈̦̯̳͕̤̺̼͇̜̕e̶̡̹̟̫̗̩̖͉̖̝̘̣͔̥͛̆͋́̽̋͜s̶͇͔̱̫̥̱͙͕̞̹̍̂͗̄͂̒̐̽͂́̅̒̊̕͝ͅt̴̖̫̩͉͉̞͆͑̄̏͑͆̓̚ͅr̶͂͗̽͒ ̙̫̤̗̬̗̲̦͛͋̉͗̏͘

I won't, I haven't seen first nor second part
Why international title is Pigs? Bizzare. Don't you think?

"Police - pigs
Back in 1809, Sir Robert Peel entered the House of Commons in London - he developed a passion for Sandy Back pigs found in Ireland and began to breed them in Tamworth. Soon, these pigs were known as Tamworth pigs. Pig slang was commonplace in Tamworth because of this, it was in 1829 that the relation to police came into it.
Politicians were concerned about the way London was policed and Sir Robert Peel changed things - his changes resulted in the formation of the Metropolitan Police. This is why police are referred to as 'Bobbies' or 'Peelers'; they were Bobby's boys...
Due to the pig nature that Tamworth had become, the police suffered the same fate as other Tamworth products did: They became related to pigs.


Starting in August 1968 and for a number of years afterwards, police officers were called pigs by young people, the disenchanted and even the media. This came about when a group who called themselves the Yippies, protested near the 1968 National Democratic Convention in Chicago. They had a small pig as their presidential candidate, and when police disrupted their demonstration, they started to call the police pigs. The expression caught on. Years later, the radical leaders of the Yippies became mainstream and calling police "pigs" drifted into the past

just two reasons i found on the internet. there will be loads more though"

Wow! I didnt expect such a advanced reply. Thanks

Sudden Death (Peter Hyams, 1995) -

I think a lot of how much I like a given JCVD movie will hinge on how weird it gets while letting the Muscles from Brussels do his thing and, while this Die-Hard-at-a-hockey-game certainly has its moments (the mascot fight being the obvious highlight), it's ultimately a rather pedestrian affair.

The Savages (Tamara Jenkins, 2007) -

A somewhat average mid-'00s American indie about bickering siblings who both happen to be dissatisfied academics that does have an edge thanks to some solid work from both Laura Linney and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

UHF (Jay Levey, 1989) -

Much like True Stories in that it sees a musician I like try his hand at translating his off-beat musical sensibilities into a feature film to middling results. A key difference is that Weird Al's humour is a lot broader and more juvenile than David Byrne's art-school weirdness so the big problem is that the movie never stops feeling like it's trying too hard to make me laugh and, while that doesn't mean I hate it, it just makes for a mildly depressing experience.

Kicking and Screaming (Noah Baumbach, 1995) -

I don't often use the word "painful" to describe the experience of watching a movie but oh my damn was this so awful that I could've sworn it was making me feel physical hurt (and I say that as someone who's seen a few other Baumbach works and thinks he's generally OK-ish).

She's Gotta Have It (Spike Lee, 1986) -

Lee's energetic debut feature is not only a solid piece of work in its own right but it also makes for a welcome reminder that I really need to get around to watching or re-watching his other films.

Suicide Kings (Peter O'Fallon, 1997) -

A decent enough high concept - a group of friends kidnap a crime boss in order to pay off some other kidnappers - gets given a rather clunky '90s American indie treatment that pulls in a few too many directions at once and is held together largely by Christopher Walken's turn as the boss in question.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (Paul W.S. Anderson, 2016) -

Original review found here. This plays a little better on a second viewing, though.

Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig, 2017) -

Coming-of-age movies in general seem really hard to get right, especially when they try to be as down-to-earth as this one does without sacrificing compelling narrative or characterisation in the process. As such, I don't think this one does particularly well at distinguishing itself in, well, any capacity.

The American President (Rob Reiner, 1995) -

Ehh, I haven't much cared for Sorkin's writing in general and this proto-West Wing romantic dramedy about a widowed President starting a romance with a lobbyist starts off promisingly but it doesn't make much use of that promise as it progresses.

Dracula Untold (Gary Shore, 2014) -

I can't tell if this particular attempt by Universal to start a shared universe is better or worse than Tom Cruise Meets The Mummy - maybe Dominic Cooper looking awfully brownface makes this one just a little bit worse - but this also has a fascinatingly bizarre excuse for a high-concept PG-13 blockbuster in making Vlad the Impaler a conflicted good guy who turns to vampirism so as to save his subjects (and family) from ruin. Halfway-watchable wasted potential, which is still far from the worst thing I've seen lately.

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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

January Viewings


Heavy Traffic (Ralph Bakshi, 1973)
The Petrified Forest (Archie Mayo, 1936)
Dave Chappelle: Equanimity (Stan Lathan, 2017)
Dave Chappelle: The Bird Revelation (Stan Lathan, 2017)
The Sword in the Stone (Wolfgang Reitherman, 1963)


Bound (The Wachowskis, 1996)
Kazaam (Paul Michael Glaser, 1996)
Down Periscope (David S. Ward, 1996)
Tokyo Tribe (Sion Sono, 2014)
Resident Evil (Paul W.S. Anderson, 2002) [REWATCH]


Resident Evil: Apocalypse (Alexander Witt, 2004) [REWATCH]
Resident Evil: Extinction (Russell Mulcahy, 2007) [REWATCH]
Resident Evil: Afterlife (Paul W.S. Anderson, 2010) [REWATCH]
Resident Evil: Retribution (Paul W.S. Anderson, 2012)
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (Paul W.S. Anderson, 2016)


A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Ana Lily Amirpour, 2014)
The House (Andrew Jay Cohen, 2017)
Kong: Skull Island (Jordan Vogt-Roberts, 2017)
Predestination (Michael & Peter Spierig, 2014)
Molly's Game (Aaron Sorkin, 2017)


Bus Stop (Joshua Logan, 1956)
House of Wax (Andre DeToth, 1953)
Fast Company (David Cronenberg, 1979)
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (John Huston, 1972) [REWATCH]
Darkman II: The Return of Durant (Bradford May, 1995)


The Last Dragon (Michael Schultz, 1985)
Wind River (Taylor Sheridan, 2017)
Freebie and the Bean (Richard Rush, 1974)
Private Parts (Paul Bartel, 1972)
Con Air (Simon West, 1997) [REWATCH]


The Brides of Dracula (Terence Fisher, 1960)
Safe in Hell (William A. Wellman, 1931)
City of Ember (Gil Kenan, 2008)
Treasure Planet (Ron Clements & John Musker, 2002)
Red Sonja (Richard Fleischer, 1985)


Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (Nathan Hertz, 1958)
American Mary (Jen & Sylvia Soska, 2012)
Dolores Claiborne (Taylor Hackford, 1995)
The Fox and the Hound (Ted Berman, Richard Rich & Art Stevens, 1981) [REWATCH]
Outlander (Howard McCain, 2008)

Monthly Total: 40


Thoughts on a Few of the Films:

Heavy Traffic is the best I've seen from Bakshi. There's his usual obsession with animated anatomy (I lost count of how many boobs popped out of dresses) and the movie gleefully wallows in its own vulgarity. The movie also feels more personal and experimental than his other works, with its tale of a young, underground cartoonist both escaping and embracing the seedy characters and inner-city chaos of his neighborhood through animation and imagination. Equally amusing and disturbing at times, particularly in scenes that mix Tom and Jerry-style violence with domestic abuse and homophobia. Free-wheeling. Anarchic. Borderline offensive. A must-watch for fans of adult animation.

I'll never object to watching Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon play tonsil tag, but I wasn't really feeling Bound during its early, erotic-thriller stage. Gershon's performance consists entirely of pouting, and I found her constant butch posturing a tad ridiculous. That, along with the stilted dialogue, gave the film a certain artifice that kept me unengaged. Once the finger-banging ended and the noir aspect kicked in, however, I found the film much more compelling. Some of the tension relies a bit too much on dumb decision-making, but I can't really count that as a criticism since even smart people make bad decisions during stressful situations. Overall, Bound injects a routine noir plot with just enough freshness -- due more to the Wachowski's style and approach than the lesbian relationship -- to make it worthwhile. I'd love to see the Wachowskis take a break from big-budget sci-fi and direct something on a similarly small, intimate scale.

I watched Shaq's much maligned superhero movie, Steel, a few months back. Despite it being god-awful from every objective standpoint, I found myself entertained by its terrible acting and cheesy 90's charm. I was hoping for a similar result with Kazaam, but watching Shaq play a rapping genie who lives in a boom-box and tries to pacify some annoying, candy-obsessed brat with daddy issues and bad teeth is far more insufferable. Shaq's likability and the plot's befuddling barrage of what-the-f**ck-were-they-thinking kept me from outright hating this piece of sh*t. Plus I was weirdly amused by how accidentally racist and pedophiliac Kazaam feels, with the boy repeatedly emphasizing that he "owns" Shaq, along with scenes of Shaq stalking, sleeping and showering in front of an adolescent. I was going to label this scene the nadir of rap, but after just re-watching it on YouTube, I'm thinking it might be the zenith instead. Somebody please buy me the soundtrack.

Tokyo Tribe is unlike anything I've seen. A hip-hop musical that's like a warped Japanese version of West Side Story involving Yakuza, human furniture, martial arts, gratuitous panty shots, fingers as cigars and a weird obsession with "small weenies." Playfully perverse. Bizarrely original. Although I'll admit that at times it felt like I was watching a 2-hour music video.

Being a fan of the games (especially the second one, which remains one of the best and scariest video games I've played), as well as a huge sucker for zombies (at least back before movies and TV shows ran them into the ground), I was stoked for the Resident Evil adaptation when it was first released, only to suffer crushing disappointment upon watching it. The movie was nothing like I'd envisioned and I hated that it took more of an action approach instead of focusing on the horror. Maybe my taste has devolved over the years, but my opinion of the first film improved greatly upon a recent re-watch. As a fun, schlocky, mindless action-horror, Resident Evil succeeds. The laser booby trap remains a memorable scene (although I wish the sequels didn't return to that well ad nauseam). Whereas I used to roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of Milla Jovovich going all Jackie Chan on a zombie dog, I now find myself wearing a goofy grin during those same sequences. Even the heavily dated CGI now carries a nostalgic charm. Apocalypse is also entertaining and contains the best action of the series, while resembling the video games more than the others. (I could watch Jill Valentine headshot motherf**kers in her tube top and short shorts on an endless loop.) As for the later sequels, I'm not a fan of the heavy shift toward science-fiction. The plots get increasingly silly with the introduction of telekinesis and armies of clones, and it feels like Paul W.S. Anderson keeps changing his mind on the direction of the series in between each contrived cliffhanger and its follow-up. I especially hated Retribution, with its cheap re-integration of past characters and its confusing clusterf**k of a simulated plot. The influence of Mad Max: Fury Road is immediately noticeable in The Final Chapter, and the movie gets off to a decent start, despite the action being edited to the point of near incomprehension, but eventually the film succumbs to its own stupidity. By the fourth entry, my initial goodwill toward the series was already extinguished.

The Girl Walks Home Alone at Night looks fantastic with its stylish, crisp, black-and-white cinematography, and its Iranian setting (even though it's filmed in California) sets it apart from typical vampire fare, but I personally didn't think the film had much to offer beyond its aesthetic. The brooding tone becomes a bit overkill after awhile. There's also a smug pretentiousness to the film that turned me off.

Bus Stop features the most obnoxious character I've ever seen, as Don Murray's caveman in a cowboy hat whoops and hollers like a hound in heat for the entire length of the movie. His insufferable overacting was nominated for an Academy Award, which flabbergasts me and gives me yet another reason not to take the Oscars seriously. Marilyn Monroe also gives a lackluster performance, mostly due to her botched attempt at a Texas accent, but her sex appeal and screen presence still light up the screen. The plot is presented as a romantic-comedy, even though the events sound like something from Fatal Attraction, with Murray's character stalking, harassing and repeatedly forcing himself on Monroe despite her futile attempts at escape. Very dated.

The Last Dragon is blaxploitation with a black belt. Part MTV. Part Bruce Lee. Very fun if you're into 80's cheese. Also highly quotable ("Kiss my Converse!"). After seeing her in this and a few other things, I'm starting to think Vanity might've been the hottest woman on the planet during the mid-80's -- although her kidnapping subplot involving a video arcade mogul and his wannabe Cyndi Lauper girlfriend is easily my least favorite part of the movie. Sho'nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, deserved much more screen time.

I'd be shocked if Freebie and the Bean didn't provide a sizable spark of inspiration for Shane Black's career, since this 70's buddy-cop action-comedy feels like an early prototype for The Nice Guys and other similar films. Alan Arkin (with a full head of hair!) and James Caan make an excellent duo, constantly busting each other balls when they're not crashing their car through apartment buildings and going all Gunfight at the OK Corral in bowling alley bathrooms. The dialogue is consistently amusing, even when it's loaded with racial epithets. Cars crunch gloriously in numerous exciting and dangerous chase scenes. The plot is secondary since the movie's propulsion relies on the chemistry between Arkin and Caan. My favorite first-time viewing from January.

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Chantal D., star (1968) -

Took more than 300 screencaps from this and decided to turn them into a film of its own. The film became a mini version of the actual movie!

On the Beach Alone at Night (Sang-soo Hong, 2017):
Thelma (Joachim Trier, 2017):
The Post (Steven Spielberg, 2017):
Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976):
The Color of Money (Martin Scorsese, 1986):
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (Mikio Naruse, 1960):
Vanishing Point (Richard C. Sarafian, 1971):
All the Jazz (Bob Fosse, 1979):
The Skin I Live In (Pedro Almodovar, 2011):
East of Eden (Elia Kazan, 1955):

Hi there @Captain Spaulding, nice to see you fitting a good number of movie watches in

I've seen a number of those in your latest viewing list and agree with the majority, about the only major difference is American Mary which I give a + but I can fully understand anybody not really liking it at all. Glad your appreciation of the original Resident Evil has gone up, I've never played the video game(s) so never had any basis other than to accept it as it was and have always enjoyed it as a piece of futuristic action though I'm not so much a fan of others that I've seen in that franchise. Love the neo-noir tone of Bound and agree the aesthetic of A Girl Walks Home Alone is delightful but like you I also just found it a little lacking overall. Not seen Bus Stop for a number of years but even then it was looking rather dated.

Never even heard of The Last Dragon but it sounds like my sort of fun so I'll have to try and give it a look at some point so a special thanks for taking the time to expand on that one

Gracias, señor. Although I'll have to step up my game quite a bit if I'm to keep up with your viewing numbers.

As for American Mary, I'm a little surprised by its mostly positive reception. I thought the premise had the potential to provide some great body horror, but with the exception of one or two scenes (most notably the limbless body on hooks), I found it rather lacking in that regard. I don't require gore in my horror films, but I think American Mary would've benefited from a little more splatter. The writing and acting was also rather poor, in my opinion. I never bought into the characters or their actions or their world. I also docked an extra half popcorn for that horrid ending. I can't say I'm much of a fan of Katharine Isabelle, either. I thought Emily Perkins was the MVP of the Ginger Snaps films, yet every time I read about those films, Isabelle is usually the one receiving the majority of praise.

The directors of American Mary are pretty hot, though. I'd gladly be the meat between their sandwich.

The Room (Tommy Wiseau, 2003) -

Huh, I only just re-watched this about two months ago and now here I am again. In any case, consider that rating to be sufficiently sincere.

Creed (Ryan Coogler, 2015) -

Definitely better than I had originally thought (not even gonna bother linking the initial review) - still not entirely sure about it being a modern classic but I found it much more solid this time around to the point where I'm seriously considering re-watching every Rocky and even looking forward to this one's sequel (which is a big deal considering that I don't give much of a damn about sports movies in general).

King of New York (Abel Ferrara, 1990) -

Speaking of "better than I remember", remember when I said this was one of the worst movies I'd ever seen? Now I've got the proper perspective to actually appreciate it a bit even if it does run over all sorts of familiar ground (and it definitely helps that I'm watching it on a decent-quality DVD instead of a run-down VHS tape because there are some eye-catching compositions in here).

Heathers (Michael Lehmann, 1988 -

Original review found here. Needless to say, I really like this film.

The City of Lost Children (Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, 1995) -

This blend of steampunk aesthetics and dark fairytale sensibilities is very much my kind of movie - it's certainly enough to make me think that I need to see more of Jeunet's work.

Black Panther (Ryan Coogler, 2018) -

Marvel's back at it again with a movie that goes deeper than most of their other installments (even though it is prone to quite a few of the more obvious flaws, a lot of which wouldn't have seemed so bad if this had come out ten movies ago) and ultimately ends up being not just one of the franchise's best but also works well enough as its own thing.

As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses Of Beauty (Jonas Mekas, 2000) -

Mekas turns a decade's worth of the home movies he shot obsessively across his lifetime into a sprawling five-hour ode to the joys of a life well-lived in the company of many loved ones across the world and back again. My main problem with the film is that it understandably feels too long (I was appreciating it at first but really started to feel the repetition after a couple of hours), yet I am still reluctant to say that it should've been shorter. It earns its length and yet it doesn't. A curious distinction, but then again life is curious so it fits...kind of. Hmm.

Super Dark Times (Kevin Phillips, 2017) -

Not sure what the fuss was about with this morbid little tale of small-town teenagers covering up a fatal accident. There are some appreciable attempts at building an unsettling atmosphere both in its depictions of adolescent toxicity and traumatic nightmares

Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler, 2017) -

Zahler lives up to the expectations set by Bone Tomahawk with another sadistically off-beat genre exercise that sees Vince Vaughn (in what may very well be his best role) slowly but surely descend into the hellish bowels of the American prison system in order to save his family. Strangely paced, idiosyncratically written, and above all relentless in its execution.

Six Shooter (Martin McDonagh, 2007) -

A short and simple debut from McDonagh that does a decent enough job of summing up his artistic sensibilities (for better and or worse). Definitely makes me want to re-watch In Bruges more than his last couple of features do, that's for sure.

Orphans of the Storm (1921) -




天使のはらわた 赤い淫画 [Angel Guts: Red Porno] (1981) -




তিতাস একটি নদীর নাম [A River Called Titas] (1973) -




Wodzirej [Top Dog] (1978) -



イド [ID] (2005) -




Heima (2007) -




La tarantola dal ventre nero [The Black Belly of the Tarantula] (1971) -




Ludzie z pociągu [Night Train] (1961) -




Tylko umarły odpowie [Only the Dead Can Answer] (1969) -



Mega Python vs. Gatoroid (2011) -




उसकी रोते [Our Daily Bread] (1970) -




銀蝶渡り鳥　牝猫博奕 [Wandering Ginza: She-Cat Gambler] (1972) -




Dillinger è morto [Dillinger Is Dead] (1969) -




Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960) -




Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan [Norte, the End of History] (2013) -




Wake in Fright (1971) -




斬る [Kill!] (1968) -



ゆきゆきて、神軍 [The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On] (1987) -



If you don't agree with any of these ratings, we can move on to a discussion.