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You mean me? Kei's cousin?

Belle (2021)


So Hosoda did it again. The animation's stunning, the dub's awesome--a given with NYAV Post, and I don't regret taking I-75 to get to the theater in Chamblee to go see it. I'll definitely buy the Blu-ray when it eventually gets released, too. To be completely honest, I wasn't sure if I'd get another chance to go see it after I never got the free tickets I won to go see it at AnimeNYC a few months back, but it all worked out, so here we are. Anyways, it's awesome and anyone who likes Hosoda's work should see it eventually.
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Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (Jackson, '03)




For Frodo.


WARNING: spoilers below
Why is it so hard for movie trilogies to come to a strong end? Sure, there are trilogies that START strong, and even continue that way for a while, like in the cases of The Godfather, The Dark Knight, and the original Star Wars trilogies, but even the best of these still always seem to pewter out to a certain extent by their third entry, having already exhausted their best material beforehand... all of them, that is, except for one. Yes, in case you somehow hadn't figured it out by now, that one trilogy is Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings, and that expectation-shattering third entry is The Return Of The King, a fantastic conclusion to what has become one of film's definitive series, and a modern, generation-defining classic in its own right.

After beginning with the disturbing tale of Gollum's origins (in a sequence that was wisely moved from The Two Towers to here), King picks up right where the previous film left off, with the kingdom of Rohan having defeated Saruman's forces, Merry & Pippin reuniting with the rest of the fellowship, and Sam, Frodo, and a seemingly helpful Gollum making for an uneasy alliance, as the trio trudge ever closer to the dark land of Mordor, where the War Of The Ring, and the fate of Middle Earth itself, will be decided once and for all.

So, just like the way that Towers upped its scale from the comparatively "small" Fellowship, King continues in the same direction, with the scope of its story becoming just about as epic as epic gets, but not in a numbing, overwhelming manner, but in a way that fully showcases the power of a visual medium like film, as Jackson and company bring Tolkien's words to awe-inspiring life, with Howard Shore's sweeping score, the lavish, lovingly detailed sets, and endless fields of the forces of good and evil stretching out as far as the eye of Sauron can see, as they fight back-and-forth for the fate of an entire planet in some of the most gargantuan battle scenes ever filmed.

Of course, the scale of such a story wouldn't matter at all if we didn't care about the individuals caught up in it, but Jackson never loses sight of the characters within the struggle, superbly balancing the epic with the intimate, as he's not afraid to slow down and focus on relatable human struggles, whether it be the tragic sub-plot of Faramir and his distant father Denethor, King Theoden's elevation of Eowyn to be the future ruler of their kingdom (as a sort of way to make up for the death of his son in the previous film), or the final steps of Sam & Frodo's arduous journey, which sees them reach the darkest of places, both in a physical sense, as well as a spiritual one, as the corruption of the One Ring threatens to be finally be too much for Frodo to bear anymore.

But, good does ultimately triumph here, and while the seemingly endless "false endings" of King have become a bit of a running joke since its release, I feel that they're well-earned here, since they give the sense of events having come around full circle for the fellowship, as the hobbits finally reach the end of their long journey where they started, back in the warm sunshine of the Shire, enjoying a much-deserved rest, just like Return Of The King enjoyed a much-deserved torrent of awards and praise, as it eternally secured the cinematic legacy of Lord Of The Rings, once, and for all. One ring to bind them, and one trilogy to rule them all, baby!


Final Score: 9



Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (Jackson, '03)




For Frodo.


WARNING: spoilers below
Why is it so hard for movie trilogies to come to a strong end? Sure, there are trilogies that START strong, and even continue that way for a while, like in the cases of The Godfather, The Dark Knight, and the original Star Wars trilogies, but even the best of these still always seem to pewter out to a certain extent by their third entry, having already exhausted their best material beforehand... all of them, that is, except for one. Yes, in case you somehow hadn't figured it out by now, that one trilogy is Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings, and that expectation-shattering third entry is The Return Of The King, a fantastic conclusion to what has become one of film's definitive series, and a modern, generation-defining classic in its own right.

After beginning with the disturbing tale of Gollum's origins (in a sequence that was wisely moved from The Two Towers to here), King picks up right where the previous film left off, with the kingdom of Rohan having defeated Saruman's forces, Merry & Pippin reuniting with the rest of the fellowship, and Sam, Frodo, and a seemingly helpful Gollum making for an uneasy alliance, as the trio trudge ever closer to the dark land of Mordor, where the War Of The Ring, and the fate of Middle Earth itself, will be decided once and for all.

So, just like the way that Towers upped its scale from the comparatively "small" Fellowship, King continues in the same direction, with the scope of its story becoming just about as epic as epic gets, but not in a numbing, overwhelming manner, but in a way that fully showcases the power of a visual medium like film, as Jackson and company bring Tolkien's words to awe-inspiring life, with Howard Shore's sweeping score, the lavish, lovingly detailed sets, and endless fields of the forces of good and evil stretching out as far as the eye of Sauron can see, as they fight back-and-forth for the fate of an entire planet in some of the most gargantuan battle scenes ever filmed.

Of course, the scale of such a story wouldn't matter at all if we didn't care about the individuals caught up in it, but Jackson never loses sight of the characters within the struggle, superbly balancing the epic with the intimate, as he's not afraid to slow down and focus on relatable human struggles, whether it be the tragic sub-plot of Faramir and his distant father Denethor, King Theoden's elevation of Eowyn to be the future ruler of their kingdom (as a sort of way to make up for the death of his son in the previous film), or the final steps of Sam & Frodo's arduous journey, which sees them reach the darkest of places, both in a physical sense, as well as a spiritual one, as the corruption of the One Ring threatens to be finally be too much for Frodo to bear anymore.

But, good does ultimately triumph here, and while the seemingly endless "false endings" of King have become a bit of a running joke since its release, I feel that they're well-earned here, since they give the sense of events having come around full circle for the fellowship, as the hobbits finally reach the end of their long journey where they started, back in the warm sunshine of the Shire, enjoying a much-deserved rest, just like Return Of The King enjoyed a much-deserved torrent of awards and praise, as it eternally secured the cinematic legacy of Lord Of The Rings, once, and for all. One ring to bind them, and one trilogy to rule them all, baby!


Final Score: 9
i hope lord of the rings tv series will be good after the movie






My second Tarkovsy film. Watched Solaris a few years back and was not impressed at all so getting to the next Tarkovsky took awhile. Started watching this a couple weeks ago, watched maybe an hour but wasn't able to finish it for whatever reason. I enjoyed the first part of the film, Part 1, so much I just decided to start over rather than pick up where I left off. From a film making standpoint this is a pretty outstanding film. I thought it looked great, some of the shots could be framed and hung on a wall they looked so good. The story is something I'd like to revisit again. I tend to just let these kinds of movies just flow by the first time I watch them. The digging deeper happens on re-watches.



SELMA
(2014, DuVernay)



"One struggle ends just to go right to the next and the next."

Selma follows the events surrounding the voting rights marches led by King in the titular city. The film manages to put the spotlight on many issues that are not necessarily known, at least by someone who is not from the US, regarding the civil rights violations against African-Americans at the time. Sure, laws have been passed, but most of the obstacles continue; from unfair voting registration requirements and stubborn officials hell-bent on segregation to the bureaucracy of the upper echelons of government.

Director Ava DuVernay manages to juggle both the socio-political struggle of the marches with the personal struggles of King, and the toll it takes on his family life. Oyelowo is excellent in the role, along with Carmen Ejogo, who plays Coretta Scott King. The cast is rounded out by Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson and Tim Roth as Georgia Governor George Wallace, among many others.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot
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BROTHERHOOD OF PATE
(2011, Eimulis)



"He's not alone. There is plenty of that kind. It's a great association, but they don't have a clue about each other's existence. They are like a pate; grey, tasteless, ugly, third-rate people."

I had a hard time finding a film from Lithuania that was available for free and that also piqued my interest. With time closing in, I went with this short film that I found on YouTube about a lonely man that is not sure of who he is, where he is, or even what he is.

The short film, which last a little under 20 minutes, is amateur-ish, but still the camera is well handled and has some neat shots. The surreal vibe makes for a somewhat interesting watch, even though some things seem to be thrown in there just because.

Finally, although some performances are spotty or bad, the lead guy (Nerijus Gedminas) is pretty solid at conveying this sense of being lost and aimless. This is probably far from a great film, but it was still an interesting, fun watch, and a good way to check another box, I think.

Grade:






My second Tarkovsy film. Watched Solaris a few years back and was not impressed at all so getting to the next Tarkovsky took awhile. Started watching this a couple weeks ago, watched maybe an hour but wasn't able to finish it for whatever reason. I enjoyed the first part of the film, Part 1, so much I just decided to start over rather than pick up where I left off. From a film making standpoint this is a pretty outstanding film. I thought it looked great, some of the shots could be framed and hung on a wall they looked so good. The story is something I'd like to revisit again. I tend to just let these kinds of movies just flow by the first time I watch them. The digging deeper happens on re-watches.
It took me a few viewings to really fall in love with that one, but it's now my #1 film of all-time. Glad you enjoyed it!
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TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA
(1970, Siegel)



"Everybody's got a right to be a sucker once."

Set in the late 19th Century, Two Mules for Sister Sara follows Hogan (Clint Eastwood), an American mercenary that stumbles upon Sara (Shirley MacLaine), a nun that is assisting Mexican revolutionaries against French occupying soldiers. Realizing they have similar goals, they decide to work with each other despite their seemingly different backgrounds.

During the first half, the film is driven mostly by the banter between Hogan and Sara, as they get to know each other and learn to trust each other, while the second half is more action-oriented, as they finally reach the garrison they were targeting. Both halves work fairly well, although I was more interested in the first half back-and-forth between the two lead characters, as we see them handle their differences.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot



Been crushing comedy films for the past few days in anticipation of the comedy countdown.

Just re-watched "Thank You For Smoking". A very good comedy that has solid writing, acting not so much. But still, a solid 8/10.



ALPHA AND OMEGA
(2010, Gluck & Bell)



"You're not allowed to howl with her. She's an Alpha."

Alpha and Omega follows two wolves, Kate (Hayden Panettiere) and Humphrey (Justin Long) that are both seemingly different in attitudes and also come from different groups of a warring pack. When they find themselves accidentally taken to another park, they have to work together to get back home while also *surprise, surprise* developing feelings for each other.

The film's main issue is probably its lack of originality and somewhat uninspired execution. Everything feels more or less formulaic, lifeless, and dull. The plot is also generic and could probably be 15-20 minutes shorter (the final confrontation felt unnecessary). The animation is also spotty, although there is probably a brief moment during a river flood that stood out for me.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot





Have no clue why I bailed out of this earlier. It’s an excellent movie.
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I love this film - the Australian remake doesn't come close to capturing it's charm and spirit.
I wouldn’t even consider watching the Aussie version.





Delightful movie from Iceland based on a true story. Really enjoyed it.
@matt72582 has wide-ranging movie choices & I feel sure he would like this movie. In fact, he may already have seen it.





Delightful movie from Iceland based on a true story. Really enjoyed it.
This last few years have brought the whole farm to the screen Pig, Lamb, First Cow, Rams, Dog!



This last few years have brought the whole farm to the screen Pig, Lamb, First Cow, Rams, Dog!
Don't forget there was Goat in 2016 as well



School for Sex (1969) British sex comedy directed by Pete Walker. It's not very funny and the story is underdeveloped, but there is enough sleazy, trashy fun to be had here.



Don't forget there was Goat in 2016 as well
The OMCU*!



* Old McDonald Cinematic Universe!





Deep Crimson (Profundo Carmesí)- Thank to Takoma for bringing this to my attention. I thought it was from Spain but it's Mexico. Director Arturo Ripstein is well known and respected in his country but outside of the big three (Iñárritu, Del Toro and Cuarón) I'm not all that familiar with any others. This is a 1996 remake of 1970's The Honeymoon Killers and it holds up pretty well in comparison. They tell the same story basically but while THK took a stark B&W, almost docudrama approach, DC is saturated with color and takes a deep dive into the lives and motivations of the two profoundly wretched killers. It also hews closer to the real life story of Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, the 1940's Lonely Hearts Killers.

Coral Fabre (Regina Orozco) is the overweight nurse and obsessed soulmate of conman Nicolás Estrella (Daniel Giménez Cacho). He makes his living scamming lonely women out of their life savings but upon first meeting Coral and bedding her, decides she isn't a worthwhile target. In this version she goes so far as abandoning her two children at an orphanage to prove her love to Nicolás. That part mirrors the real life case but the rest of the film more or less follows the same trajectory as THK. The locations and the exact chronology change but the other big difference is Ripstein's willingness to pull no punches when it comes to showing the true barbarity of the couples crimes.

Roger Ebert was quoted as saying there were numerous walkouts during the screening he attended. Unfortunately, this also includes a key scene that violates one of my unwritten principles and that is showing a child in danger or coming to harm. If anything, the way the scene plays out is even more disconcerting given Coral's past actions regarding her own children. The bizarro ending is simultaneously improbable while also being strangely fitting and cathartic. I think Ebert was right when he said if you stick with it this is a movie you won't soon forget.

85/100



Deep Crimson (Profundo Carmesí)- Thank to Takoma for bringing this to my attention.
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I think Ebert was right when he said if you stick with it this is a movie you won't soon forget.

85/100
It's a heavy film, but good. I'm glad you liked it!