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Sabrina (1995)
Rate The Last Movie You Saw
'Hive' (2022)
Moving account (based on a true story) of a woman searching for closure after her husband went missing in the Kosovan war. There are many allegories in the film - people talk about seeing red fish in the river (blood of the dead?), the Hives that the missing husband built are somewhat recreated when our main character decides to start a bustling business selling jars of red pepper in her home. Needless to say, that doesn't go to plan.
It's a feminist film that paints most men in the town's setting as old fashioned morally dubious patriarchs and has a strong central performance by Yllka Gashi. It's a sad film that has echoes of 2020's 'Quo Vadis, Aida'. But it feels like an important one.
8.1/10
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By May be found at the following website: http://www.impawards.com/1985/shoah.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49257898
Shoah - (1985)
This kind of deserves a post all of it's own - I watched it over 4 days, and Claude Lanzmann's method works for me, very much. Walking over those places "in the present" while hearing the testimony feels like ghosts are being summoned, and a connection is made which brings the past into the present in a way. It gets at the essence of the Holocaust through carefully selected interviews - and isn't a straight chronological story. I felt the magnitude, and it's a bizarre feeling to have, because what was happening was so far from any human experience to compare it to. It's said that Pauline Kael "panned" Shoah - but she'd seen it at a cinema, with two parts of extraordinary length separated by a break, and many didn't return for the second half - the film is difficult in that respect. It's length would have felt beyond human endurance. It makes this film even more of a "far, far from normality" feature, which just adds to that sense of being evocatively haunted by the events it describes. I don't think it's beyond criticism because of what it's about - but I do think it works exactly as intended, and as such one of the most important films ever made.
10/10
I feel like the extent of my Kael exposure comes from people mentioning how she hated such and such masterpiece (2001, Last Year in Marienbad, A Woman Under the Influence). I guess I get to add Shoah to that list.
Given that it's Shoah, I decided to at least try to track down what her review actually was (I seemed to find more passing references to this review than the actual review).
Halfway down on this page, someone transcribed it
https://nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=31163#p247777
I think I may have also found a link to a scan of the new Yorker article from going through the Wikipedia references on Shoah, but the image was so blurry I couldn't make out the text.
One of her complaints was that it was too unnecessarily long...
Um. Eh hmmm...
I'll just put that one to the side.
So many of her other issues seem to circle back to her praise for The Sorrow and the Pity (available on Kanopy if you have it, which I know my local library system went from one of those, "Kanopy included as part of your membership," to, "no longer"). Admittedly a film I have not seen. So maybe there's some subtle thing she's getting at that film in contrast highlights, but my inclination is still the, it feels like she's really off there.
It really feels like my perception of her has to be really skewed because of how she comes up in conversation vs how a lot of people seem to revere her. (Her stance of only ever watching a movie once just rubs me the wrong way, in a fundamental way, though).
Anyhow, Shoah, amazing documentary. I wouldn't cut an ounce of it. Admittedly, I've always watched it at home at least over two sittings, if not three. I don't know if I could imagine watching it in the theater.
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RATAS, RATONES, RATEROS
(1999, Cordero)
(1999, Cordero)
"We've got to go on, man, or we won't get anywhere. Don't forget we share the same blood."
Ratas, Ratones, Rateros follows Angel (Carlos Valencia), a criminal and ex-convict that is on the run from a loan shark, and seeks refuge with his cousin, Salvador (Marco Bustos), a young petty thief himself that idolizes him. As they try to stay ahead of the hit men that are chasing Angel, Salvador finds himself more embroiled in his cousin's lifestyle.
This Ecuadorian film from 1999 follows a similar template to many American crime films of the era, with fast-paced direction and editing and morally ambiguous characters, but does it in a way that feels fresh enough and very much of its place. The direction by Sebastián Cordero is confident and the script, although sometimes on the messier side, still has enough interesting strands to hold the interest.
Grade:
Full review on my Movie Loot
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Sabrina (1995)
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By May be found at the following website: http://www.impawards.com/1985/shoah.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49257898
Shoah - (1985)
This kind of deserves a post all of it's own - I watched it over 4 days, and Claude Lanzmann's method works for me, very much. Walking over those places "in the present" while hearing the testimony feels like ghosts are being summoned, and a connection is made which brings the past into the present in a way. It gets at the essence of the Holocaust through carefully selected interviews - and isn't a straight chronological story. I felt the magnitude, and it's a bizarre feeling to have, because what was happening was so far from any human experience to compare it to. It's said that Pauline Kael "panned" Shoah - but she'd seen it at a cinema, with two parts of extraordinary length separated by a break, and many didn't return for the second half - the film is difficult in that respect. It's length would have felt beyond human endurance. It makes this film even more of a "far, far from normality" feature, which just adds to that sense of being evocatively haunted by the events it describes. I don't think it's beyond criticism because of what it's about - but I do think it works exactly as intended, and as such one of the most important films ever made.
10/10
Nice. I enjoyed this as well. I have the Criterion box set.
Top Gun Maverick
Finally saw this in the cinema's and thought it was awesome. Yes the storyline is predictable, and the last 20 minutes could have been out of a children's storybook, but I enjoyed the thrill of this movie. The acting and chemistry was great, the stunt-work was cool and visually it was stunning. A huge improvement from the 1986 original. Looking forward to catching it again once it's available for rent.
4/5
Finally saw this in the cinema's and thought it was awesome. Yes the storyline is predictable, and the last 20 minutes could have been out of a children's storybook, but I enjoyed the thrill of this movie. The acting and chemistry was great, the stunt-work was cool and visually it was stunning. A huge improvement from the 1986 original. Looking forward to catching it again once it's available for rent.
4/5
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5th Shorts Hall of Fame
Malice in Wonderland (1982) -
Overall, I enjoyed this short quite a bit. I'm generally not a fan of films/shows/etc. which turn kids' shows into adult films since the concept been done to death, but I think this short managed to find a unique voice in tackling the subject due to how bizarre it is. A lot of the imagery in the film is memorable, with my favorite bits being those which play with dimension and scale, those which utilize the recursion effect (the woman somersaulting and the tea cup), and some of the phallic imagery. In spite of how much sexual imagery is crammed into this short, nothing feels out of place since the entire thing feels like a nightmare. Really, this is the kind of stuff that animation is made for since I can't see a live action short accurately recreating what this short does. Plus, the film is long enough so that it doesn't end too soon and short enough so that it doesn't overstay its welcome. While it doesn't break any new ground, it does manage to breathe some new ideas into a rather tired concept. I'm not sure if I would want to watch more animated shorts akin to it, but I'm glad I watched this one.
Malice in Wonderland (1982) -
Overall, I enjoyed this short quite a bit. I'm generally not a fan of films/shows/etc. which turn kids' shows into adult films since the concept been done to death, but I think this short managed to find a unique voice in tackling the subject due to how bizarre it is. A lot of the imagery in the film is memorable, with my favorite bits being those which play with dimension and scale, those which utilize the recursion effect (the woman somersaulting and the tea cup), and some of the phallic imagery. In spite of how much sexual imagery is crammed into this short, nothing feels out of place since the entire thing feels like a nightmare. Really, this is the kind of stuff that animation is made for since I can't see a live action short accurately recreating what this short does. Plus, the film is long enough so that it doesn't end too soon and short enough so that it doesn't overstay its welcome. While it doesn't break any new ground, it does manage to breathe some new ideas into a rather tired concept. I'm not sure if I would want to watch more animated shorts akin to it, but I'm glad I watched this one.
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FIVE EASY PIECES [1970]
...
...
Five Easy Pieces follows Bobby Dupea, a former child piano prodigy who has chosen to get away from that life and instead lives as a blue collar oil rig worker. However, his past comes back to haunt him when he finds out that his father, a musical genius himself, is dying forcing him to go back to the things he has tried so hard to get away from.
Bobby is a character hard to pin down. He's not entirely a likeable guy, but as the film unfolds, you can see all the complexities and layers beneath, and Nicholson plays him to perfection. I mean, it's not far from what he usually plays – a mixture of cynical and bitter – and I'm still trying to figure out the scope of his motivations, but he does it so well. And when the last act comes, you can see the subtlety and nuance when he drops his defenses.
Grade:
Full review on my Movie Loot
actually..
).
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It sounds good to me, definitely worth a look. I like Cage better in comedy, ever since Raising Arizona.
It tickles me though: Cage must be on the Hollywood "A" PC list. On Wikipedia they said about the film,that it "... underperformed at the box office, grossing $28 million against its $30 million budget", whereas they usually would say about that lousy of a return that it was a "flop", or a "box office bomb"...
It tickles me though: Cage must be on the Hollywood "A" PC list. On Wikipedia they said about the film,that it "... underperformed at the box office, grossing $28 million against its $30 million budget", whereas they usually would say about that lousy of a return that it was a "flop", or a "box office bomb"...
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[Sabrina - '95] I was surprised how much I liked this movie, though I did rate it slightly lower than you did.
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I waited a long time to watch it because the site where I watch movies didn't have a clean print for a long time. But the first review I read of the film before I saw it was not very good and I was worried, but when I finally saw it, I loved it.
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I haven't seen the '95 version, but how would you compare in to the great '54 original with Bogart, Hepburn and W. Holden?
I think I'm in the minority, but I prefer the 1995 version of Sabrina over the 1954 version. I thought that Bogart was miscast in the role of Linus.
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I'm experiencing one of those "lost my whole review" moments suffered by all of us from time to time. So, I reckon this'll be briefer...
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47536963
Amores Perros - (2000)
Was on edge while watching this - there seems to be a perpetual sense of events spiraling out of control. Three stories, all involving dogs in a meaningful way, are connected by a single event. These stories are also about loyalty, and are set in Mexico - a cinematic country that's ultra-violent, and this carries over into dog territory. There are a few scenes involving pooches which really tested my limits - seeing them fight, or witnessing brutality and harm got to me in a few instances. I don't know if I could ever watch those scenes again. But the film itself is quite good - really appreciated the Reservoir Dogs reference in the very first scene (if indeed that's what it was) and all the other dog references. Watching this Iñárritu feature debut was well overdue.
8/10
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7829945
Night Shift - (1982)
Three things made this worth watching. 1 - Remembering just how suited Michael Keaton was to comedy, and the comic timing and presence he had. 2 - Checking out one of Ron Howard's earliest forays into the cinematic realm. 3 - Spotting a very young Kevin Costner working as an extra in a 'frat boys' scene. Other than that though, this is an ordinary 1980s Hollywood comedy. Not really bad, and not really good - but from what I remember very likeable at the time.
6/10
By http://www.impawards.com/2021/card_counter.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68416926
The Card Counter - (2021)
This was interesting. A lot of people have criticized it for not being original, but considering how few films have ever tried to deal with what happened Abu Ghraib - even indirectly, as this does - it deserves some praise. Oscar Isaac fascinates, and young Tye Sheridan shows promise. It's a subtle slow-burn, and I enjoyed watching it. It passes the "I'd own that on DVD" test - so in future my rating might go up.
7/10
De Gaulle - (2020)
Less historical drama than a fan-worshipping puff-piece - and no matter how good those are, they just turn me off. I like to see biopics which include the good and bad - ones that show complexity. Watching this, you'd think Charles de Gaulle won the war single-handed - every scene shows him as a hero of the moment, and I'd love to see how the France of say, 1970, would have reacted to this film.
4/10
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47536963
Amores Perros - (2000)
Was on edge while watching this - there seems to be a perpetual sense of events spiraling out of control. Three stories, all involving dogs in a meaningful way, are connected by a single event. These stories are also about loyalty, and are set in Mexico - a cinematic country that's ultra-violent, and this carries over into dog territory. There are a few scenes involving pooches which really tested my limits - seeing them fight, or witnessing brutality and harm got to me in a few instances. I don't know if I could ever watch those scenes again. But the film itself is quite good - really appreciated the Reservoir Dogs reference in the very first scene (if indeed that's what it was) and all the other dog references. Watching this Iñárritu feature debut was well overdue.
8/10
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7829945
Night Shift - (1982)
Three things made this worth watching. 1 - Remembering just how suited Michael Keaton was to comedy, and the comic timing and presence he had. 2 - Checking out one of Ron Howard's earliest forays into the cinematic realm. 3 - Spotting a very young Kevin Costner working as an extra in a 'frat boys' scene. Other than that though, this is an ordinary 1980s Hollywood comedy. Not really bad, and not really good - but from what I remember very likeable at the time.
6/10
By http://www.impawards.com/2021/card_counter.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68416926
The Card Counter - (2021)
This was interesting. A lot of people have criticized it for not being original, but considering how few films have ever tried to deal with what happened Abu Ghraib - even indirectly, as this does - it deserves some praise. Oscar Isaac fascinates, and young Tye Sheridan shows promise. It's a subtle slow-burn, and I enjoyed watching it. It passes the "I'd own that on DVD" test - so in future my rating might go up.
7/10
De Gaulle - (2020)
Less historical drama than a fan-worshipping puff-piece - and no matter how good those are, they just turn me off. I like to see biopics which include the good and bad - ones that show complexity. Watching this, you'd think Charles de Gaulle won the war single-handed - every scene shows him as a hero of the moment, and I'd love to see how the France of say, 1970, would have reacted to this film.
4/10
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Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)
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I'm experiencing one of those "lost my whole review" moments suffered by all of us from time to time. So, I reckon this'll be briefer...
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47536963
Amores Perros - (2000)
Was on edge while watching this - there seems to be a perpetual sense of events spiraling out of control. Three stories, all involving dogs in a meaningful way, are connected by a single event. These stories are also about loyalty, and are set in Mexico - a cinematic country that's ultra-violent, and this carries over into dog territory. There are a few scenes involving pooches which really tested my limits - seeing them fight, or witnessing brutality and harm got to me in a few instances. I don't know if I could ever watch those scenes again. But the film itself is quite good - really appreciated the Reservoir Dogs reference in the very first scene (if indeed that's what it was) and all the other dog references. Watching this Iñárritu feature debut was well overdue.
8/10
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7829945
Night Shift - (1982)
Three things made this worth watching. 1 - Remembering just how suited Michael Keaton was to comedy, and the comic timing and presence he had. 2 - Checking out one of Ron Howard's earliest forays into the cinematic realm. 3 - Spotting a very young Kevin Costner working as an extra in a 'frat boys' scene. Other than that though, this is an ordinary 1980s Hollywood comedy. Not really bad, and not really good - but from what I remember very likeable at the time.
6/10
By http://www.impawards.com/2021/card_counter.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68416926
The Card Counter - (2021)
This was interesting. A lot of people have criticized it for not being original, but considering how few films have ever tried to deal with what happened Abu Ghraib - even indirectly, as this does - it deserves some praise. Oscar Isaac fascinates, and young Tye Sheridan shows promise. It's a subtle slow-burn, and I enjoyed watching it. It passes the "I'd own that on DVD" test - so in future my rating might go up.
7/10
By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47536963
Amores Perros - (2000)
Was on edge while watching this - there seems to be a perpetual sense of events spiraling out of control. Three stories, all involving dogs in a meaningful way, are connected by a single event. These stories are also about loyalty, and are set in Mexico - a cinematic country that's ultra-violent, and this carries over into dog territory. There are a few scenes involving pooches which really tested my limits - seeing them fight, or witnessing brutality and harm got to me in a few instances. I don't know if I could ever watch those scenes again. But the film itself is quite good - really appreciated the Reservoir Dogs reference in the very first scene (if indeed that's what it was) and all the other dog references. Watching this Iñárritu feature debut was well overdue.
8/10
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7829945
Night Shift - (1982)
Three things made this worth watching. 1 - Remembering just how suited Michael Keaton was to comedy, and the comic timing and presence he had. 2 - Checking out one of Ron Howard's earliest forays into the cinematic realm. 3 - Spotting a very young Kevin Costner working as an extra in a 'frat boys' scene. Other than that though, this is an ordinary 1980s Hollywood comedy. Not really bad, and not really good - but from what I remember very likeable at the time.
6/10
By http://www.impawards.com/2021/card_counter.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68416926
The Card Counter - (2021)
This was interesting. A lot of people have criticized it for not being original, but considering how few films have ever tried to deal with what happened Abu Ghraib - even indirectly, as this does - it deserves some praise. Oscar Isaac fascinates, and young Tye Sheridan shows promise. It's a subtle slow-burn, and I enjoyed watching it. It passes the "I'd own that on DVD" test - so in future my rating might go up.
7/10
The Card Counter was a 6/10 for me. I love Schrader's way of creating those "men on the edge of society" characters, and there is one beautiful scene in this film (the one with all the different coloured fairy lights). But it didn't really flesh out the story as much as I'd have liked.
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I love Amores Perros. It has huge nods to Tarantino, both with the dogs and it being a hyperlink film like Pulp Fiction. I bought the USA Criterion Import the other day, so I'm due for a re-watch.
The Card Counter was a 6/10 for me. I love Schrader's way of creating those "men on the edge of society" characters, and there is one beautiful scene in this film (the one with all the different coloured fairy lights). But it didn't really flesh out the story as much as I'd have liked.
The Card Counter was a 6/10 for me. I love Schrader's way of creating those "men on the edge of society" characters, and there is one beautiful scene in this film (the one with all the different coloured fairy lights). But it didn't really flesh out the story as much as I'd have liked.
I own The Card Counter, but haven’t watched it yet. Huge fan of Oscar. Not expecting anything wonderful. Just so long as I can finish it.
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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.
Rhinestone (Bob Clark, 1984)
Bob Clark, for better or worse, can only make bad vibes films and even Dolly couldn't brighten the mood. Stallone is completely unbearable here, the script is bizarre in the worst ways and there's a big lack of music given what the film is supposed to be. There's like one kinda cute scene in the whole thing. The most miserable rom-com I've ever seen.
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