My 20/20 Movie Vision

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As I've already closed the 2019 thread I thought I might as well grab the title before any other bright spark does

No monthly themes and no particular rhyme nor reason to any watches this year .... just those movies I see during the period that I feel like making some sort of half-assed, vague, dull and uninspired comment on.

Watched
Nude (2018)
Four Minutes (2006)
Greatful Dead (2013)
Atlas Shrugged trilogy (2011 / 2012 / 2014)
Anna M. (2007)
The King's Choice (2017)
Pusher trilogy (1996 / 2004 / 2005)
Wise Children (2019)
Gate Of Flesh (1964)
Once Upon A Time In China I - III (1991 - 1992)
Gate Of Hell (1953)
Mulk (2018)
Swordsman trilogy (1990 / 1992 / 1993)



Might as well also use this thread as a repository for the Westerns I've watched / rewatched for the upcoming countdown, sans ratings of course so as not to give any indications of what my list might eventually look like.

Western Watch
$100,000 For Lassiter (1966)
3:10 To Yuma (1957)
40 Guns To Apache Pass (1967)
7th Cavalry (1956)
800 Bullets (2002)
A Coffin For The Sheriff aka Lone And Angry Man (1965)
A Fistful Of Dollars (1964)
A Fistful Of Dynamite aka Duck, You Sucker (1971)
A Knife For The Ladies (1974)
A Man Alone (1955)
A Man For Hanging (1972)
A Pistol For Ringo (1965)
A Ticket To Tomahawk (1950)
A Time For Dying (1969)
Abilene Town (1946)
Aces And Eights (1936)
Along Came Jones (1945)
Angel And The Badman (1947)
Apache Rose (1947)
Apache Warrior (1957)
Apache Woman (1955)
Arrowhead (1953)
Back To The Future Part III (1990)
Billy The Kid Returns (1938)
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Blazing Stewardesses (1975)
Blood For A Silver Dollar aka One Silver Dollar (1965)
Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Born To The West aka Hell Town (1937)
Brimstone (2016)
Broken Arrow (1950)
Buchanan Rides Alone (1958)
Bullwhip (1958)
Call Of The Wild (1935)
Canadian Pacific (1949)
Cast A Long Shadow (1959)
City Of Bad Men (1953)
Comanche (1956)
Comanche Station (1960)
Convict Stage (1965)
Custer's Last Stand (1936)
Dark Command (1940)
Day Of Anger (1967)
Day Of The Outlaw (1959)
Dead Man (1995)
Dead Men Don't Make Shadows aka Stranger That Kneels Beside the Shadow of a Corpse (1970)
Death Rides A Horse (1967)
Death's Dealer aka Vengeance Is A Dish Served Cold (1971)
Decision At Sundown (1957)
Distant Drums (1951)
Django (1966)
Drums Across The River (1954)
Duel In The Sun (1946)
El Dorado (1966)
Flame Of Barbary Coast (1945)
Fort Defiance (1951)
Four Faces West (1948)
For A Few Dollars Less (1966)
For A Few Dollars More (1965)
Forty Guns (1957)
From Hell To Texas (1958)
Fury At Furnace Creek (1948)
Ghost Patrol (1936)
Gun Fury (1953)
Gunfight In Abilene (1967)
Gunfighters aka The Assassin (1947)
Gunsmoke (1953)
Hang 'Em High (1968)
Heart Of Arizona (1938)
Hell's Hinges (1916)
High Lonesome (1950)
Hondo (1953)
Hostiles (2017)
Incident At Phantom Hill (1966)
Invitation To A Gunfighter (1964)
Jesse James (1939)
Joshua aka Joshua The Black Rider (1976)
Keoma (1976)
Kentucky Rifle (1955)
Last Train From Gun Hill (1959)
Lawless Land (1936)
Man In The Saddle (1951)
Man With The Gun aka The Trouble Shooter (1955)
McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
McLintock! (1963)
Meek's Cutoff (2010)
My Darling Clementine (1946)
Night Passage (1957)
Oklahoma! (1955)
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
One More Train To Rob (1971)
Only The Valiant (1951)
Open Range (2003)
Paint Your Wagon (1969)
Pale Rider (1985)
Quantrill's Raiders (1958)
Queen Of The Yukon (1940)
Quincannon, Frontier Scout (1956)
Rage At Dawn (1955)
Red River (1948)
Red Sundown (1956)
Return Of The Seven (1966)
Ride Clear Of Diablo (1954)
Ride In The Whirlwind (1966)
Ride Lonesome (1959)
Rio Bravo (1959)
Rio Conchos (1964)
Rio Lobo (1970)
Rooster Cogburn (1975)
Santa Fe Trail (1940)
Saskatchewan (1954)
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954)
Shane (1953)
Showdown (1963)
Showdown At Boot Hill (1958)
South Of St. Louis (1949)
Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971)
Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
Tap Roots (1948)
Terror In A Texas Town (1958)
Texas, Adios (1966)
The Alamo (1960)
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (2007)
The Baron Of Arizona (1950)
The Big Country (1958)
The Bravados (1958)
The Capture (1950)
The Comancheros (1961)
The Cowboys (1972)
The Duel (2016)
The Fastest Gun Alive (1956)
The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)
The Fighting Seventh aka Little Big Horn (1951)
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)
The Good The Bad The Weird (2008)
The Great K&A Train Robbery (1926)
The Great Sioux Uprising (1953)
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
The Gun And The Pulpit (1974)
The Gunfight At Dodge City (1959)
The Gunfighter (1950)
The Guns Of Fort Petticoat (1957)
The Hanged Man (1974)
The Hateful Eight (2015)
The Hired Hand (1971)
The Homesman (2014)
The Last Wagon (1956)
The Lawless Breed (1953)
The Legend Of Frenchie King (1971)
The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972)
The Man From Bitter Ridge (1955)
The Man From Laramie (1955)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
The Mercenary (1968)
The Missing (2003)
The Outlaw (1943)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
The Outrage (1964)
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
The Professionals (1966)
The Proud Rebel (1958)
The Raiders (1952)
The Return Of Draw Egan (1916)
The Ride Back (1957)
The Savage (1952)
The Scalphunters (1968)
The Searchers (1956)
The Second Time Around (1961)
The Sheriff Of Fractured Jaw (1958)
The Shooting (1966)
The Silver Whip (1953)
The Sons Of Katie Elder (1965)
The Sundowners aka Thunder In The Dust (1950)
The Tall Stranger (1957)
The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
The Tin Star (1957)
The Undefeated (1969)
The Villain aka Cactus Jack (1979)
The Violent Men (1955)
The Way Of The West (1934)
The Wild And The Innocent (1959)
The Wonderful Country (1959)
They Call Me Trinity (1970)
They Rode West (1954)
This Man Can't Die (1968)
Three Crosses Not To Die aka No Graves On Boot Hill (1968)
Thunder Over Arizona (1956)
Time And Place For Killing aka Tequila Joe (1968)
Times Like Dying (2015)
Top Gun (1955)
True Grit (1969)
True Grit (2010)
Tumbleweed (1953)
Tumbleweeds (1925)
Tulsa (1949)
Two Mules For Sister Sara (1970)
Two Rode Together (1961)
Ulzana's Raid (1972)
Unforgiven (1992)
Vengeance Valley (1951)
War Of The Wildcats (1943)
Warlock (1959)
When The Daltons Rode (1940)
Will Penny (1967)
Yellow Sky (1948)
Yuma (1971)
Zachariah (1971)



Nude [Nude: Chitraa]
(Ravi Jadhav, 2018)
Drama
DVR - Film4
Indian drama that occasionally lapses into melodrama and imo does somewhat overplay the social commentary, but when doing neither manages to be a reasonably absorbing, if rather slight, tale. The score is a little schmaltzy at times and some of the peripheral acting a little weak but the central performance is quite strong and the primary support generally good enough to make it a reasonably enjoyable watch that is managed quite tastefully with regards nudity. It's a quite slowly paced affair and definitely not one for those that like 'splosions or high-octane viewing though.
+



Four Minutes [Vier Minuten]
(Chris Kraus, 2006)
Drama, Music
DVD collection
German prison drama in which the material is quite suited by the aesthetically rather grim/subdued presentation and is well enough acted by its leads but sadly suffers from a somewhat contrived story that fails to have any great deal of depth or build any real emotional connection with its audience - leaving the whole feeling rather flat and insipid despite its attempts at drama and the finishing crescendo (which at least dares to show a spark of individuality, unlike much of that which precedes it). Disappointing, the award wins it garnered had me hoping for better.
+



Greatful Dead [Gureitofuru deddo]
(Eiji Uchida, 2013)
Comedy, Horror
DVD collection
Offbeat Japanese offering that despite incorporating a serious societal element at its core is for most of the first hour a somewhat whimsical affair, dotted with comedic moments, before shifting to a much darker tone and moving firmly into horror territory for the final third. The blend of narrative and tone may not always gel that well in the first two-thirds and it does come across a little childish at times but the lead acts well enough to hold it together and once the tone darkens it's a far more cohesive watch, even if personally I'd have preferred the final third played as straight horror (providing for a nicer contrast à la Miike's Audition).



Atlas Shrugged: Part I
(Paul Johansson, 2011)
Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike
(John Putch, 2012)
Atlas Shrugged: Part III
(James Manera, 2014)
Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
DVD collection
Three-part adaptation of Ayn Rand's rather divisive novel (in keeping with the book's sections) that very much struggled to be brought to fruition and is far more televisual than cinematic in style with its budgetary constraints clearly evident. The lack of acting continuity between the various instalments certainly impacts somewhat on what is presented to the viewer, as does the generally lower level of talent involved (both in front of and behind the camera) whilst some of the CGI is also rather poor. It does however at least remain relatively true to its source material and for those that like the book the first two parts are likely to give some level of enjoyment ... but no matter one's perspective on the material the concluding part generally dips below even the modest standards of its predecessors and is quite awful in places (especially the horrible narration) which sadly does somewhat sour the whole thing imo.
/
+ /
Trilogy:
*ratings would be a whole popcorn lower for the first two and a half popcorn lower for the third part (and overall) without a fondness for the source material



Anna M.
(Michel Spinosa, 2007)
Drama
DVD collection
French drama about obsession and mental illness that's quite nicely acted and remains watchable throughout but sadly the central tale is not only rather clichéd and unremarkable but also suffers from a lack of any real build up, whilst attempts to be more than just a 'bunny boiler' are somewhat stymied by a lack of any meaningful depth or backstory to the central character.



The King's Choice [Kongens nei]
(Erik Poppe, 2016)
Biography, Drama, History, War
DVR - BBC Four
Norwegian wartime drama depicting the immediate lead-up to and the first few days of the occupation of Norway by the Germans in WWII that's nicely made and imo quite immersive. Centred on King Haakon VII and his decision on whether or not to accede to Germany's demands it is for the most part a fairly sedate affair, punctuated by only small pockets of action, but remains both of interest and enjoyable. The whole is generally well acted with a well suited score, though I have to admit I wasn't a fan of some of the more dynamic camerawork and editing during the action scenes.
+



Pusher
(Nicolas Winding Refn, 1996)
Pusher II
(Nicolas Winding Refn, 2004)
Pusher III
(Nicolas Winding Refn, 2005)
Action, Crime, Drama
DVD collection
Gritty Danish crime trilogy that's well cast and fairly solid throughout with all three benefitting from their respective strong lead performances. The initial entry imo could have done with its runtime being pared back a little though and whilst the most violent of the trilogy it's also overly 'laddish' at times and the hardest to take seriously, which sadly for me does somewhat undermine any potency. The second instalment has the most interesting and immersive story to me, making it my favourite of the series - closely followed by the third, which although initially more a character study than intense crime drama does make what transpires in the final third that much more impactful and of the three tales is imo the most believable.
/
/
+
Trilogy:
+



Wise Children
(Emma Rice, 2019)
Comedy, Drama, Musical
DVR - BBC Four
Stage musical drama filmed before a live audience that plays as a modern adult pantomime (including both narration and some of the performers being in drag) which mixes new songs with a few pop songs and standards alongside some rather dark content and moments of humour. Whilst the production might be a little patchy and could imo have benefitted from being trimmed a little it's also quite inventive and at times a fairly lively affair which helps to keep it both entertaining and watchable.
+

Edit: I'm actually the first to give this a rating on IMDb - that's a novelty I'll likely not encounter again



Atlas Shrugged... that is a colossal effort. I got bored really fast trying to finish just the first one.
__________________
My Favorite Films



I like the book and this will prolly be the only chance for me to ever get to see it in film format so curiosity helped. At least the constant cast changes help to keep one on one's toes



Gate Of Flesh [Nikutai no mon]
(Seijun Suzuki, 1964)
Drama
DVD collection
Earthy Japanese drama with elements that must have pushed the boundaries of decency for its time but imo remains tastefully done at all times. The tale may be a fairly simple one, and if one were to remove the pinku elements probably of less interest, but it's still perfectly serviceable and generally well enough shot with a few flourishes and some nice use of vibrant colours.



Might as well also use this thread as a repository for the Westerns I've watched / rewatched for the upcoming countdown, sans ratings of course so as not to give any indications of what my list might eventually look like...
Holy turd-covered tumbleweeds! That is a mightily impressive amount of research. I realize not everybody has the time, resources, or inclination to take these exercises so seriously but hats off, Sir. As the runner of the list I truly appreciate it!

__________________
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra



Love the simple layout with the information I personally love (including how you watched it). And small write ups that are straight to the point. Good work.



Holy turd-covered tumbleweeds! That is a mightily impressive amount of research. I realize not everybody has the time, resources, or inclination to take these exercises so seriously but hats off, Sir. As the runner of the list I truly appreciate it!
Love the simple layout with the information I personally love (including how you watched it). And small write ups that are straight to the point. Good work.
Thanks both and welcome to the dusty, generally unvisited section of the site



Once Upon A Time In China [Wong Fei Hung]
(Hark Tsui, 1991)
Once Upon A Time In China II [Wong Fei Hung II: Nam yee tung chi keung]
(Hark Tsui, 1992)
Once Upon A Time In China III [Wong Fei Hung III: Si wong jaang ba]
(Hark Tsui, 1992)
Action, Adventure, Biography, History, Romance
DVD collection
Somewhat light-hearted Hong Kong martial-arts series (with further installments) based around a real central character that are generally fairly entertaining watches even if the humour can sometimes be a little hit and miss and the fight scenes both repetitive in places and variable in quality (part II easily being the highlight of these first three in that department imo). Jet Li is pretty well suited to the central role in all three, Donnie Yen helps lift the second installment and tbh I could happily watch Rosamund Kwan just chewing food for an hour or two if it came down to it anyway.
+ /
+ /
+
Trilogy:
+



Gate Of Hell [Jigokumon]
(Teinosuke Kinugasa, 1953)
Drama, History, Romance
DVD collection
Period Japanese drama that depicts a relatively simple tale of unrequited obsession but for the most part does so rather nicely, only briefly dipping into melodrama at times in the final act, and although a slow-burn at times never feels lethargic. The principal characters are each played well enough but the real strength of the film is in the visuals, with its beautifully designed sets and costumes involving vibrant use of colours.
+



Mulk
(Anubhav Sinha, 2018)
Crime, Drama
DVR - Channel 4
Indian drama that builds reasonably well, is well acted by most and well intentioned but does suffer from its anti-prejudice message being laid on far too thickly in the closing stages and a narrative that doesn't really offer many surprises. A shame such movies can attract votes on IMDb from those that are deliberately divisive and those that wish to redress that imbalance but imo that just makes such movies all the more worthy of being made.
+



The Swordsman [Siu ngo gong woo]
(Siu-Tung Ching, King Hu, Raymond Lee, Hark Tsui, Ann Hui & Yeung-Wah Kam, 1990)
Swordsman II [Siu ngo gong woo: Dung Fong Bat Bai]
(Siu-Tung Ching & Stanley Tong, 1992)
Swordsman III: The East Is Red [Dung Fong Bat Bai: Fung wan joi hei]
(Siu-Tung Ching & Raymond Lee, 1993)
Action, Fantasy
DVD collection
The initial entry in this Chinese wuxia series is a watchable albeit somewhat muddled affair that has a few fun fight scenes but sadly all too often fails to either convince or excite. The second is for me easily the high-point of the series, with a more cohesive narrative, far better action sequences and incorporates it's elements of humour better. The third for the most part plays up the comic-book aspects of its story quite well but unfortunately the tale feels rather cobbled together with far too much filler and the climactic action is a little disappointing. The final two entries do both benefit from some wonderfully ungrammatical English subtitling at times on my Mei Ah copies.
/
/
+
Trilogy:
+