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Victim of The Night
As for the Bruce Lee scene, while I understand why Lee's family took offense to it, I wasn't bothered by it. Since the movie takes place in a fantasy universe and is about not trusting the mythology of Hollywood, I don't think it's far off to say that theme extends to Bruce Lee's scene. Also, that the fight is told via flashback by Cliff, who may be an unreliable narrator, brings doubt to whether the scene happened the same way it was shown, or if that was Cliff's version of the events.
I agree, I really couldn't believe people were gettin' their panties so bunged-up about this.
And I didn't even like the movie.



As for the Bruce Lee scene, while I understand why Lee's family took offense to it, I wasn't bothered by it. Since the movie takes place in a fantasy universe and is about not trusting the mythology of Hollywood, I don't think it's far off to say that theme extends to Bruce Lee's scene. Also, that the fight is told via flashback by Cliff, who may be an unreliable narrator, brings doubt to whether the scene happened the same way it was shown, or if that was Cliff's version of the events.

Still though, great review. It's definitely one of my top 3 Tarantino films.
All good points that I didn't consider while watching that scene. My impression of Lee is that he was a peaceful dude who wouldn't even let someone who pushes buttons like Cliff get to him, and the scene goes against that, of course.






4th Rewatch...It's been a couple of decades since I've watched this film and I thought it would be interesting to take another look at it in this "Me too" generation. Don't get me wrong, this is Woody's artistry as a filmmaker at its zenith. This often breathtaking valentine to New York City is one of his most lyrical and seductive films, but the story of a divorced television writer having an affair with his best friend's mistress and a 17 year old girl definitely has its share of broken characters with shaky moral barometers. If this movie were released today, Woody's character, Isaac Davis, would end up in jail at some point for having a sexual relationship with a 17 year old. And it's not only the sexual aspect, his emotional abuse of the girl is even worse. He has put this girl through the emotional wringer by the time the credits roll, to pursue Keaton's character, who is so self-absorbed and emotionally shredded she doesn't know what she wants either. And that final scene between Woody and Mariel Hemingway still destroys me. Woody and Marshall Brickman's Oscar-nominated screenplay is so smart and edgy, admiration must be paid and Woody's cinematic eye toward New York is unlike anything scene in cinema. I love that shot on the poster and the shot at the street corner where Woody and Diane are walking her dog. It's still one of Woody's richest cinematic journeys, all played against a flawless collection of George Gershwin music.





The Ghost Goes West, 1935

Murdoch Glourie (Robert Donat) is a flighty skirt-chaser who dies ingloriously in battle while trying to sneak away for a hookup. Doomed by his shame to haunt his family's castle, Murdoch's routine is shaken up when his descendant Donald (also played by Donat) sells the castle to a wealthy American who plans to ship the castle, in pieces, to the US. Things get even more complicated when Donald's crush, Peggy (Jean Parker) is wooed by both Murdoch and Donald.

This film, directed by Rene Clair, has plenty of whimsy and engaging enough leads in Donat and Parker (along with Eugene Pallette as the grocery magnate who purchases the castle). But despite its fun elements, I found it a bit slight.

The main issue that I had with the film was that it felt rather repetitive. Maybe it was just the challenge of adapting the story into a feature-length film (which still comes in at a slight 82 minutes). Maybe it was a case of a writer thinking that something was so funny that it was worth seeing three different times. Whatever the case, I got a bit impatient with seeing similar sequences again and again. Murdoch tells a woman a riddle and then demands a "forfeit" in the form of a kiss (this happens at least four times). Donald doesn't realize Peggy has been flirting with Murdoch and is clueless, which makes her mad (this also happens at least four times).

The visual element of the film was definitely my favorite thing about it. The effects of Murdoch's ghost are really well done, as are the sequences where Donat shares the screen with himself. Yes, there's some obvious double work. But there are also surprisingly good sequences of him talking to himself. There are also some fun touches, like a sound system embedded in a suit of armor. The staging of the final sequence of the film, a dinner party that includes a professional skeptic, is enjoyable.

That said, there's a lack of depth to the film that kept me from really vibing with it. The characters, despite the charismatic performances, never feel like they are developed in anything other than broad strokes.

Not bad, but just a bit lacking.




[Manhattan]
4th Rewatch...It's been a couple of decades since I've watched this film and I thought it would be interesting to take another look at it in this "Me too" generation. Don't get me wrong, this is Woody's artistry as a filmmaker at its zenith. This often breathtaking valentine to New York City is one of his most lyrical and seductive films, but the story of a divorced television writer having an affair with his best friend's mistress and a 17 year old girl definitely has its share of broken characters with shaky moral barometers. If this movie were released today, Woody's character, Isaac Davis, would end up in jail at some point for having a sexual relationship with a 17 year old. And it's not only the sexual aspect, his emotional abuse of the girl is even worse. He has put this girl through the emotional wringer by the time the credits roll, to pursue Keaton's character, who is so self-absorbed and emotionally shredded she doesn't know what she wants either. And that final scene between Woody and Mariel Hemingway still destroys me. Woody and Marshall Brickman's Oscar-nominated screenplay is so smart and edgy, admiration must be paid and Woody's cinematic eye toward New York is unlike anything scene in cinema. I love that shot on the poster and the shot at the street corner where Woody and Diane are walking her dog. It's still one of Woody's richest cinematic journeys, all played against a flawless collection of George Gershwin music.
I agree. Manhattan is one of Allen's very best films. The scenes of NYC are beautifully shot. I like this picture much better than Annie Hall, which got much more attention.



28th Hall of Fame

Blue Spring (2001) -


As someone who's grown somewhat weary of high school/teen movies, this film clicked with me much more than I expected it would. Its representation of teen angst and troubled youths encompassed by their run-down and violent surroundings with little hope for their futures resonated really well with me. Some of the characters are given more focus than others, but none of them were unmemorable since they're all in the same boat. Given the apparent 'freedom' the boys have in the school which includes wandering out of their classes at will, spraying graffiti around the school's interior, fighting each other in the halls without punishment, and playing a dangerous game of chicken on the school's roof, the school feels like a playground that allows for their behavior to continue, in spite of how several faculty members warn the boys of their situations. A few scenes in this film might be too weird for some people, but given its somewhat unconventional style, I don't think the film is going for realism. Rather, it seems caught between reality and a dream. I don't have much to say about this film in the way of flaws. I suppose the soundtrack teetered on being overbearing every now and then, but not enough to harm the film much. Overall, really enjoyed this one.
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I agree. Manhattan is one of Allen's very best films. The scenes of NYC are beautifully shot. I like this picture much better than Annie Hall, which got much more attention.

Bless you! I think Annie Hall is woody's most overrated film and it had no business winning the Best Picture Oscar. I think he's made at least half a dozen movies that are better, including Manhattan



As for the Bruce Lee scene, while I understand why Lee's family took offense to it, I wasn't bothered by it. Since the movie takes place in a fantasy universe and is about not trusting the mythology of Hollywood, I don't think it's far off to say that theme extends to Bruce Lee's scene. Also, that the fight is told via flashback by Cliff, who may be an unreliable narrator, brings doubt to whether the scene happened the same way it was shown, or if that was Cliff's version of the events.

Still though, great review. It's definitely one of my top 3 Tarantino films.
Right! If there is anything to object to in this fantasy, how Bruce Lee was treated isn't even remotely at the top of the list. Everybody who was murdered by Manson's family ended up alive in the movie. How's that for accuracy? It's insane that of all the stuff in this movie, this is what riles people up. How Bruce Lee was portrayed? However he was portrayed was nothing compared to how the events of that night were portrayed. It's...a ...fantasy. Great movie. Top 3 Tarantino for me.



I forgot the opening line.

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The Man With Two Brains - (1983)

It's been so long since I've seen these films, and it's great to see that they retain their offbeat humour so well. I notice Steve Martin got a screenwriting credit on this, as I assume he did some ad-libbing and suggested inclusions as filming went on - there seems to be a lot of funny additions to scenes - every brain operation he does he ends up having to say "Get that cat out of here!" Love the bit where he licks his hands and thus is able to suction cup his way around on the upper floors of a building. Carl Reiner directed 4 Steve Martin comedies in a row, The Jerk, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, this and All of Me. If I remember correctly, All of Me wasn't as crazy or wildly funny as the other three. Anyway, I hope to catch Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid soon.

7/10


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Germany, Year Zero - (1948)

This was made not so long after Rossellini's 9 year-old son suddenly died of appendicitis, and it's a very downbeat, depressing and pessimistic film. Filmed amongst the real ruins of Berlin after the war, it tells the tale of one family, and more specifically twelve-year-old Edmund Köhler, who runs around trying to find food for his family, running across various hustlers and criminals who influence him. That influence turns into something horrifying, so if you ever decide to watch this, be ready. It's not going to leave you with a pleasant feeling. The film met with a harsh reaction - but I think it's a good film, it just happens to be a good film with a particularly dark and nasty subject matter.

7/10
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If I remember correctly, All of Me wasn't as crazy or wildly funny as the other three.
It's a more controlled exercise than the others, but the courtroom scene might be the funniest thing I've ever seen Martin do. And with Lily Tomlin as a co-star, how can you lose?



I forgot the opening line.
It's a more controlled exercise than the others, but the courtroom scene might be the funniest thing I've ever seen Martin do. And with Lily Tomlin as a co-star, how can you lose?
Well, I wasn't going to cover that one as well, but now I really want to.



I forgot the opening line.

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Zeros and Ones - (2021)

I forgot I watched this last night. I borrowed it from the library out of curiosity - looking it up, it had a 3.4/10 rating on the IMDb, and some very interesting reviews, so I had to see it for myself. It markets itself as just an ordinary action/thriller, but it's very, very far from ordinary - and the question has to be asked, does what Abel Ferrara has done here work? The film is bookended by two recordings by Ethan Hawke himself to the audience, the first talking about the project with Ferrara, and the second telling us he's just watched the film we just saw, and what he thinks about it. The plot is completely incomprehensible - and that's not me saying I didn't understand it. It's deliberately incomprehensible. The visuals are taken from snippets of digital video, zoom, etc, in an almost 'found footage' kind of way. The film is lauded by some in an almost pretentious manner, but those that give it four and a half or five stars really are tying themselves in knots to give us their theories on why it's great. I understand what this film was going for in a 'future dystopia', 'pandemic', 'post-9/11' and 'technology' way, but to me it all seemed too clumsy and on the nose to make me appreciate it as art. I am glad I watched it though, if only to immerse myself in something that really is different, and a change. Dialogue about "3000 year-old wars", "Whose side was Jesus on, really?" and "Why don't people light themselves on fire anymore?" are offset by scenes you'd find in any other typical thriller - and that's where it got me. Not the deliberately confusing narrative, visual style or strange ponderings - which I could accept. The banal, typical type stuff you find everywhere these days - that destroyed it for me. Ferrara wouldn't go all the way, and was caught in a No Man's Land of cinematic death. Inside of all the film's very unconventional ways (that are many) is un underlying conventionality that poisons the rest.

2/10



BLACK GIRL
(1966, Sembène)



"Never will I be a slave. I did not come here for the apron or the money. Never will she see me again. Never will she scold me again. Never again, Diouana."

Black Girl follows Diouana (Mbissine Thérèse Diop), a young Senegalese woman that goes to work for this wealthy French couple as a nanny while they're settled in Senegal. Eventually she moves with them to France hoping to continue her work as a nanny, but finds herself working as a servant instead, and the subject of harsh treatment from the wife (Anne-Marie Jelinek) and apathy from the husband (Robert Fontaine).

Directed by Ousmane Sembène, Black Girl was one of the first films from Africa to gain international attention. The way the director uses the relationships between this European couple and our African lead as an allegory to the relationships between both countries is brilliant and thought-provoking, as he uses it as a way to address the effects of colonialism.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot
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The Man With Two Brains - (1983)

It's been so long since I've seen these films, and it's great to see that they retain their offbeat humour so well. I notice Steve Martin got a screenwriting credit on this, as I assume he did some ad-libbing and suggested inclusions as filming went on - there seems to be a lot of funny additions to scenes - every brain operation he does he ends up having to say "Get that cat out of here!" Love the bit where he licks his hands and thus is able to suction cup his way around on the upper floors of a building. Carl Reiner directed 4 Steve Martin comedies in a row, The Jerk, Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, this and All of Me. If I remember correctly, All of Me wasn't as crazy or wildly funny as the other three. Anyway, I hope to catch Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid soon.

7/10

Nice to see some love for The Man with Two Brains, one of Martin's most underrated comedies. I rated it even higher than you did.



Nice to see some love for The Man with Two Brains, one of Martin's most underrated comedies. I rated it even higher than you did.
I tend to be a bit mixed on Martin's stuff (sometimes there's a frantic tone to it that doesn't gel well with me), but I LOVE The Man with Two Brains. The quips really tend to land, and the payoff to the running "Elevator Killer" gag is gold.



i loved it soo much. as a elizabeth olsen and scarlet witch fan elizabeth olsen is such a bad ass as scarlet witch, she did amazing job. hope theres gonna solo movie of scarlet witch like she said if they have a good storyline she definitely will be there!!! . amazing movie!!!! i loved it. bendict cumberbatch always does amazing job in his movies .
WARNING: "Look not here, mortal! Secrets, dark and deep, abide within." spoilers below


"America" was a bit on the nose. "You just need to believe in yourself!"



All the Moons (2020)
Ilargi guztiak

A Basque coming-of-age film with vampires. It's a mixture of things like Interview with the Vampire, Let the Right One In, Near Dark, and modern Del Toro fantasy. It manages to blend familiar themes and concepts somewhat uniquely (it obviously helps that I personally like most of these ideas myself - some scenes were close to what I've been thinking for years now). The film looks great and the young lead does a fantastic job. There's a minus half star on my rating for the ending.
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I just finished watching Young Man with a Horn (1950). Directed by Michael Curtiz, this drama features a great cast including Kirk Douglas, Doris Day, Lauren Bacall, Hoagy Carmichael and Juano Hernandez. Douglas plays Rick Martin, a talented and obsessive trumpet player whose self destructive nature threatens his career and relationships. The lead actors are all good here. I believed Douglas's performance and I thought Day and Bacall were convincing and interesting in their roles as the women in his life. Black and white cinematography was well done and the music was nice too. I felt that some of the story elements were a little predictable and formulaic at times though. The film does feel a touch too long and could have easily been a little shorter without losing anything significant. Director Michael Curtiz doesn't always get the appreciation he deserves. He directed 173 an impressive 173 feature films, including some great ones. I've seen at least 11 of his films and I would rank Young Man with a Horn as his 5th best.