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Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.

The Invitation (Jessica M. Thompson, 2022)
5/10
Notes on an Appearance (Ricky D'Ambrose, 2018)
5.5/10
Rush for Your Life (Alpha Nicky Mulowa, 2022)
5/10
Love with the Proper Stranger (Robert Mulligan, 1963)
- 7/10

Musician Steve McQueen and Macy's employee Natalie Wood have to deal with her pregnancy and consider getting married, but it's all very complicated.
The Squeeze (Michael Apted, 1977)
5.5/10
The Big Switch (Pete Walker, 1968)
5/10
Lou (Anna Foerster, 2022)
6/10
Speak No Evil (Christian Tafdrup, 2022)
6.5/10

Unbelievably bizarre thriller about a Danish family who visits a Dutch family at their cabin where things seem uncomfortable at the start and get much worse.
The Mouth Agape (Maurice Pialat, 1974)
5.5/10
The Night (Tsai Ming-liang, 2021)
5/10
Reet, Petite, and Gone (William Forest Crouch, 1947)
6/10
Three Thousand Years of Longing (George Miller, 2022)
- 6.5/10

Djinn Idris Elba and lonely scholar Tilda Swinton meet in Istanbul where she's attending a conference, and she finds a bottle in a shop which contained him. He wants to grant her three wishes but she's not so sure.
Blue (Silvio Narizzanoi, 1968)
6/10
The Munsters (Rob Zombie, 2022)
5/10
A Jazzman's Blues (Tyler Perry, 2022)
6/10
I Used to Be Famous (Eddie Sternberg, 2022)
- 6.5/10

Former popstar Ed Skrein, who dreams of making a comeback, finds he works best with autistic drummer Leo Long whose mom (Eleanor Matsuura) is very protective of him.
Facing Nolan (Bradley Jackson, 2022)
7/10
It Came from Outer Space (Jack Arnold, 1953)
5.5/10
When Worlds Collide (Rudolph Maté, 1951)
+ 5/10
Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall (Bob Smeaton, 2022)
7/10

History of CCR from 1959 through 1970 centering on the 1969 European tour and the Royal Albert Hall concerts which have never been shown in their entirety before.
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Frankenweenie (2012)




Part of my prep for countdowns includes watching as much as I can from current lists that will qualify. I'm not much of a Tim Burton fan so I wasn't expecting much with this one. It turns out that it revolves around a young boy bringing his dog back to life ala Frankenstein. That's a plot line that I would always support. An easy watch at less than 90 minutes and it's great to look at.



Victim of The Night
Frankenweenie (2012)




Part of my prep for countdowns includes watching as much as I can from current lists that will qualify. I'm not much of a Tim Burton fan so I wasn't expecting much with this one. It turns out that it revolves around a young boy bringing his dog back to life ala Frankenstein. That's a plot line that I would always support. An easy watch at less than 90 minutes and it's great to look at.
Ya know, I enjoyed the original short-film so much I've never been able to bring myself to watch this because it just seemed like giving a big-name filmmaker millions of dollars to remake a well-done, low-budget pet-project was fraught with peril.
But maybe I'll give it a spin someday after all.



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Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall


One of my first favorite bands, despite being hit-or-miss. I prefer the non-twangier stuff... "Effigy", "Wrote a Song For Everyone", "Ramble Tamble" (except the bookends). I actually like the non-music part of this, especially anything of John, because (as Stu says aptly), "John has a way of cutting through the bullshit" - like that video, and the longer version of a clip below






Pompeii (2014)


This movie is an interesting contrast with The King (2019) in the sense that The King feels like a very accurate description of England/France in the 15th century, while Pompeii feels like the idea of Ancient Rome you would get from an action fantasy videogame. Even as a fantasy movie, it was also pretty poor, just over-the-top action without any substance.





I Used To Be Famous



SF = Zzz


[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it



I forgot the opening line.

By source:http://www.impawards.com/1971/nichol...alexandra.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6835726

Nicholas and Alexandra - (1971)

I must be the stuffy, boring person this film was aimed at, because despite running 188 minutes I was thrilled all the way through, and surprised at how many period details and how much attention to detail could be inserted into one film. But that would be nothing without the foibles of Nicholas II of Russia (played quite winningly by Michael Jayston) - Nicholas is a lovely man, and even a little too sensitive and soft hearted to be a Russian Tsar - but the opulent bubble he finds himself in blinds him to the starvation, maltreatment and brutal lives of his subjects - and when news does come to him he demands better, but has no knack for reform. His wife, Alexandra (Janet Suzman), is more complex - she finally gives birth to a sickly heir who has haemophilia, so she turns to religion and eventually the monk Rasputin (Doctor Who's Tom Baker) - when the First World War draws the Tsar to the front lines, his wife rules in his stead - which means Rasputin finds himself a de facto ruler of Russia through her. Calamity follows calamity - and this film follows both the very personal with historic events, and we gain an insight into a sweet family on the chopping block as Nicholas - sweet, soft and not a great ruler - loses control of his country. I thought this film handled the events brilliantly, and it was right up my alley. Some find the film very slow - but for me it was awesome, and I loved the fact that it wasn't perfunctory - for it could have been. Instead it really wove the people (who are given great depth) into the events.

The film features a very young Brian Cox, a very young Steven Berkoff, Ian Holm, Laurence Olivier, Curt Jürgens and many more famous faces in small roles. Please take note that I have a bit of a thing for Russia and travelled the country in my younger days - so perhaps I'm more interested than most. The film was nominated for Best Picture at the 1972 Oscars, Best Cinematography, Best Score and Janet Suzman for Best Actress. It won Best Art/Set Direction (very deserved) and Best Costume Design (very deserved) - The French Connection ended up winning Best Picture that year, but this film was also up against A Clockwork Orange, The Last Picture Show and Fiddler on the Rood - it had no chance of winning, but I think it deserved at least that acknowledgment. I thought it magnificent, and yet deeply personal.

8.5/10


By http://www.impawards.com/2014/neighbors.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41397622

Neighbors - (2014)

Simply very typical for a comedy with Seth Rogan in it, though I'm happy Rose Byrne could use her normal Australian accent and not have to exaggerate it to a ridiculous degree. I actually found parts of this very funny, and through one or two set-ups I was laughing hard - so even though I might have rolled my eyes a few times, the movie simply does what it's here to do and I have to credit it with that. I guess most people know it's about a couple with a baby living next door to a fraternity house, and the war that ensues. Pretty good stuff.

7/10
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Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)




Barbie of Swan Lake (Owen Hurley, 2003)

So I was excited for this one since Barbie in the Nutcracker was so good but this kind of had all the worst elements of both the previous films. This is the same writing duo from Barbie as Rapunzel (and they write a lot the future entries as well) but sadly its the rough comedy and dialogue that carries over from Rapunzel and not the character depth and its even less eventful than Rapunzel as well. So little happens in the film but it somehow makes the film feel extremely short instead of dragging. Not sure how that works but I'm not complaining. Also its a noticeable step back visually and the only one that really triggered that uncanny valley feeling for me, probably due to having less expressive character models more than anything. Overall its just severely uninteresting but it was easy to sit through at least.




By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4455093

Once Upon a Time in America - (1984)

I'll always remember Once Upon a Time in America at video shops in it's unwieldy double-tape VHS case - unlike in America, where most VHS came in close-fitting cardboard cases, here we had huge plastic sarcophaguses. Anyway, I watched the 229 minute version (in one sitting) and afterwards actually wished I'd seen the 251 minute version - for such a lengthy movie, there's surprisingly little extraneous material in it. A couple of plot points I didn't understand, but that was quickly sorted out with Wikipedia, and overall I was incredibly impressed by this film. Ennio Morricone's score got me half way there - and I thought Robert De Niro and James Woods were a great pairing (one could almost perceive a more intimate kind of relationship than what the film goes into.) Overall, spending so much time laying out the history of the group of friends we're presented with really heightens the emotional impact of where their story goes. I wish I'd seen more of Burt Young and Joe Pesci - their menacing characters were great, but their appearance so brief. The film left me with an emotional feeling, especially the way it closes - was all of the latter-day material just an opium-fueled dream? Everything in it was great - a brilliant swansong from Sergio Leone, whose films just got better and better as he went along.
While I'd still say Leone's absolute best was The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly, Once Upon A Time... is still pretty much just as great, so I'm glad to see you loved it too, Phoenix; it's definitely high on my movies I need to rewatch/review list, for sure.




By http://www.impawards.com/2014/neighbors.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41397622

Neighbors - (2014)

Simply very typical for a comedy with Seth Rogan in it, though I'm happy Rose Byrne could use her normal Australian accent and not have to exaggerate it to a ridiculous degree. I actually found parts of this very funny, and through one or two set-ups I was laughing hard - so even though I might have rolled my eyes a few times, the movie simply does what it's here to do and I have to credit it with that. I guess most people know it's about a couple with a baby living next door to a fraternity house, and the war that ensues. Pretty good stuff.

7/10
I haven't seen "Neighbors" but I have seen "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016)" and it's funny. Maybe I should watch "Neighbors" eventually.




Barbie in the Nutcracker (Owen Hurley, 2001)

I don't know what compelled me to start watching these Barbie movies but this is my new thing I guess. Yeah, this is an extremely basic children's adventure film that's only surprise is how much I liked it lol. We're still in the era of 3D animation that really appeals to me, so that helps but yeah I just really bought in on the adventure and the romance even though its as bare bones as possible in both regards and there's some mo-cap dance scenes that had a cool feel to them (kind of like the skating scenes in Yuri on Ice if anyone has seen that). Almost teared up once even lmao. Borderline loved this.



Barbie as Rapunzel (Owen Hurley, 2002)

This is probably a stronger film overall to Nutcracker but the magic just isn't there for me. It's an upgrade visually, there's stronger character dynamics, its just generally more fleshed out but it didn't really need three different comic relief animal sidekicks (we stan Penelope the Dragon tho) and even though there is probably more direct use of magic throughout the film it still feels so much less magical and the sense of adventure of the previous film was definitely missed. It does come together for a fairly satisfying conclusion though and there's two great songs in the end credits (wish they were worked into the film itself).
omg use to watch barbie films back in the day lol



I've watched so many films (for me) over the last few months that I even toyed with starting a thread... But I really don't need to do that, so I'll try and jot down a few lines here about what I can remember. I will say that I viewed nearly all these while at the computer, so any which I've not seen before I know I'm not really being fair on.

Candyman (1992)
Firstly, I discovered this had been remade (don't remember that happening at all) and secondly this was the first time in nearly 30 years that I watched this and, I think, I feel the same about it now as I did then, although I probably think there's less wrong with it now and more realise that it just doesn't do what I like. It's a kind of fairly tale horror, with the feeling of The Phantom Of The Opera to it. Thinking about it, I feel this is probably a Clive Barker thing more than anything else, as I felt similarly about Hellraiser (which I'm also hoping to see again) so a viewing of that might clear this up a little more for me.

Scream And Scream Again -
It just felt like too much of a chop and shut for me to really get on board with it. Maybe a second viewing, knowing what it is, will make the transition less jarring? It really did feel like two different films edited together with little care as to when the narrative changed. Had this just been the 'vampire killer' part, I'd have enjoyed it a lot more I'm sure.

Another 48 Hours -
I like this film but it felt lazy when I saw it on release and it feels a lot more lazy after 30 years. What did really strike me this time around though was just how 90's it looked and felt. Too polished, too clean with none of the sleaze of grit which was the hallmark of the first one. Again, I felt that the first time I saw it on release, but now it feels just empty without it. As a way to pass a couple of hours it's fine, but it is like someone remembering the first film tried to make it.

48 Hours -
+ A couple of days later the original was on, so I took the opportunity to see it again. This is the real thing. The proper version, with all the real feel of the 70's/80's. It's tough, not posing. It is what it is and it pulls no punches. Also, you get James Remar, who is someone I'm always very pleased to see onscreen and he excells here

I'll write more as and when I remember what I've seen/feel like it.
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I've been watching some Santo and Blue Demon movies, which are about masked Mexican wrestlers who fight crime and monsters. The novelty of luchadors fighting mummies, vampires, and other supernatural creatures makes up for a lot of issues the films have. All of the ones I've seen feature poorly integrated wrestling footage that goes on for too long. Santo in the Treasure of Dracula steals complete scenes from Dracula. And for starring professional wrestlers, the fight scenes should be better choreographed. But I endure it for the moments of cinematic gold like when Santo uses his time machine to find Count Dracula's buried treasure.



I've been watching some Santo and Blue Demon movies, which are about masked Mexican wrestlers who fight crime and monsters. The novelty of luchadors fighting mummies, vampires, and other supernatural creatures makes up for a lot of issues the films have. All of the ones I've seen feature poorly integrated wrestling footage that goes on for too long. Santo in the Treasure of Dracula steals complete scenes from Dracula. And for starring professional wrestlers, the fight scenes should be better choreographed. But I endure it for the moments of cinematic gold like when Santo uses his time machine to find Count Dracula's buried treasure.
I watched a few of these documentaries in the past.





2nd Re-watch...it's been at least 30 years since my last viewing of this film, definitely lesser Mel Brooks, but even lesser Mel Brooks provides some laughs. There's some funny stuff here, but most of the scenes play longer than the laughs they provide. The Burt Reynolds scene is still the funniest thing in the movie, but the Anne Bancroft scene, the Marcel Marceau scene, the scene on the carousel, and anything with Sid Ceasar still provides laughs. There's some nice details in some of the sight gags, like the running gag with the newsstand guy played buy Liam Dunn, but it's not as funny as it should have been. Big bouquet to John Morris' music though.



Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
The Big Hit (1998) -










The Big Hit was directed by Kirk Wong. He is not the most talented of Hong Kong filmmakers, but he almost managed to transfer the trademark Hong Kong cinema style to an American film. And oh boy, Hong Kong-style comedy feels absolutely zany in the US setting. Well, Marky Mark's antics certainly do not help make The Big Hit any more serious. And yet, the film still works in some bizarre, otherworldly way. The Big Hit is fiendishly silly, but it embraces that silliness and turns it into an almost surreal grotesque. At this point the line between good and bad is thin. We basically have Mark Wahlberg dating a Jewish girlfriend (and meeting her parents) while having a black lover, and hitting it off with an Asian school girl. What can go wrong? I had lots of fun watching Mark Wahlberg try to hide tied China Chow away from his girlfriend. Typical HK humor still works in America, which is totally unexpected. Then there's that kinky scene with China Chow, Marky Mark, and a chicken. Has to be seen to be believed. You get some sneak peek at the second-to-last screenshot above. Oh, the action scenes are nice, too. All in all, much better than I expected but nowhere as good as the best Hong Kong comedy and/or action films.

中日南北和 [Spy Games] (1989) -







Not gonna lie. I absolutely freakin' adored it. Just imagine 80s Hong Kong meets 80s Japan. Well, Spy Games is basically that. And it has Joey Wong. And Kenny Bee. The most amazing amalgamation one can think of! It's just so damn enjoyable, one can forget all problems and just melt into its music-filled stylish world. It's almost cartoony at times, almost anime-like, almost skippable, but somehow just incredible all the same. It's really hard to pinpoint what makes it stand out from hundreds of similar Hong Kong films. Well, it's just one of my recent HK favorites. That's that.

喜劇 一発大必勝 [Vagabond Schemer] (1969) -




After having seen 76 films and then watching this, Vagabond Schemer feels like Yamada trying to be as anti-Yamada as possible. Anarchy instead of order, abrupt impulses instead of sincere purity. Every moment that would have otherwise ended with a gloriously moving scene was cut short, skewed, or downright ruined in favor of black comedy, sometimes verging on depressing. Decapitation? Check. Eating human ashes? Check. Threats of rape and cannibalism? Check. Damn. The dance scene is a work of a genius. But the way the film ends is Yamada denying everything he will ever stand for in the future. And I love Vagabond Schemer for that.

生きてはみたけれど 小津安二郎伝 [I Lived, But...] (1983) -





A documentary on Yasujiro Ozu. Not particularly enlightening if you know a thing or two about the director before going into it. But it nicely paints a portrait of a genius filmmaker through interviews with people in the industry (including Yoji Yamada!) and clips from Ozu's films. The final outcome is much better than the individual parts that go into making it. My favorite part is obviously the interview with Yamada who seems to be surprised that so many people think his films are Ozu-like. He confesses that he disagreed with Ozu on many things and strived to make films different from Ozu's. And yet, people still see the resemblance to his work and claim Yamada carries on Ozu's tradition. "I suppose once I became a director, I began to see just how tall a mountain Ozu represented. Strive as I might, the summit remained out of sight. Then some people started saying things like that- that my films showed a strong Ozu influence. It took me completely by surprise. I'd never thought about it. It made me realize what a strange beast tradition is.", Yamada sums up.

The Beguiled (1971) -



When you find out she was underaged

12 is old enough for kisses? Well, ain't that swell. Clint really goes loli mode at the beginning of my favorite Don Siegel film. He doesn't wait long before trying to seduce all the other ladies, including a seventeen-year-old vixen. Will he succeed in building his own Confederate harem or will the girls stop him? Watch to find out! This definitely gives off harem anime vibes. But it's much more sophisticated and psychologically rich. The ending, also involving the little girl, has something really evil about it.

Tantas almas [Valley of Souls] (2019) -




How come one of the tensest scenes in recent memory is one from a slow cinema film? No, seriously. It surpasses any thriller I can think of. It's just so scary and thrilling. The slow pace makes it so much more effective because you start feeling like the protagonist himself. One of the most memorable tangible feelings I got from cinema. The film is a tribute to the victims of a massacre. It's about a man who's trying to find the bodies of two of his sons who were murdered. It's just that. But it's a deeply affecting film worthy of praise.

Omega Doom (1996) -




Oh boy, where do I start? Rutger Hauer and some weird proto-Matrix people. And then some weirdo cyborgs. The beginning with the weird poetic narration and shots all in red hues really make you expect something better. But it's not bad.

放浪記 [A Wanderer's Notebook] (1962) -




A slightly disappointing Naruse. Based on the autobiography of a woman writer whose works Naruse had adapted before. I really didn't care about the film that much. Its saving grace, however, is Hideko Takamine's brilliant performance. Simply outstanding!

かもめ食堂 [Kamome Diner] (2006) -




Never underestimate the power of a good feel-good film. Naoko Ogigami is a director known for just that. Making feel-good movies. And Kamome Diner is certainly one of her best. A deeply relaxing piece of filmmaking. It's not a film that you can spoil, but at the same time, I think it's best to know as little as possible when going into it. So, I'll leave it at just that. If only the West achieved this level of feel-good greatness...

Susan Slept Here (1954) -




Great. First Clint Eastwood fiddling with underaged girls. Now Dick Powell romancing a 17-in-the-film Debbie Reynolds. Tashlin is always good. But he used to be better than that. Still an enjoyable film.

愛と死をみつめて [The Crest of Man] (1964) -




Well, the original title translates to Gazing at Love and Death, so what did I expect going into this incredibly depressing film about a sick girl?! This and The Heart of Hiroshima (that I also watched recently) are the so-called junai kombi or "pure love" films that were extremely popular back then. Well, I sure wouldn't call them that. I'd say they're more gravely depressive than pure. This made me feel really bad for a long time and I wonder if it's just the film or some external factors weighed in, but who cares. I definitely crave the pure love stories of Yoji Yamada now than this kind of sepulchral yarn.

Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022) -




Wow, this film took me by surprise. I really enjoyed it! It's basically like a fantasy for lonely middle-aged bookworm women but who cares. It rocks! It's a little bit like The Fall but without the annoying little girl. Extremely engaging, which helped heaps after I was broken by The Crest of Man.

Losing Ground (1982) -












I don't care about the story. But the aesthetics and colors were amazing. *.* I might actually uprate it for just that!

特區愛奴 [China Dolls] (1992) -




Amy Yip and other girls take lots of abuse from Charlie Cho & his crooks in this sleazy CAT III film. That's all you really need to know. If you like this kind of stuff, you'll enjoy it. But there certainly are better films in Category 3.

To the Moon (2020) -




Look, this film compiled of many other films is really good, atmospheric, and all, but I almost one-starred it after the film ended and there was no list of films used to make this in the ending credits. I did recognize some of the movies, but come on, half of the fun with films like these is watching the films used in such compilations afterward.

Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n'ont fait que se creuser un tombeau [Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves] (2016) -




Adolescent commie filth enamored with the ideas of revolution leads their worthless, empty anti-establishment lives in a small commune. Hating the rich, government, their parents, authority, etc., etc., the unemployed three have no scruples to take money from the only one that works by prostituting herself. Coated in revolutionary nihilism, they start from vandalism but it doesn't take long before they climb the revolutionary ladder of every hongweibing. Setting fires to buildings is bound to end a certain way. And it does. And then, there's the rejection of parents and more bullshit. Of course, the struggle sessions (although self-inflicted) have their place here, too. But in the end, every idiot gets disillusioned with the ideology and sees the light. Some of them really cannot find any better solution but to set themselves ablaze. But surely, nobody gives a f*ck.

An infuriating if gargantuan film that narrates doubt but doesn't believe in it. People escape from starvation and dictatorship inevitably caused by Communism. And yet people who never lived in a Communist country crave Communism. Typical. The film is political Godard worship. A well-made film about a bunch of dipshits. I don't think I'm giving the film any justice, but I don't have to. This film has all the pros and cons of Godard's La Chinoise. And let me end with that.

血洗洪花亭 [An Eye for an Eye] (1990) -




More Joey Wong to lift my spirits up! She's abused in this. But also is badass! And the penultimate scene is one of the best ever! And the love triangle is kind of like a worse version of Once a Thief. Oh well, if the film ended differently, I'd have rated it 4.5! Look, in the beginning, you watch films for katharsis or to find high artistic merit in them. And it's not like I never do that now. But sometimes, you don't really give a damn. You just want to see Joey Wong in front of the camera.

Paganini Horror (1989) -




Pretty good for what it is! A nightmarish Italian horror! Great colors and orgone pyramid, I mean hourglass. Looks good on Bluray!

Door (1988) -




What can I say?! I just love thrillers where a lonely female is stalked by some creep! A bored housewife ignored by her husband has only her son to somewhat keep her spirits up. The husband is largely inexistent, denying her the kinky time and spending all his time at work. But one day a psycho salesman pays her a visit, trying to open the door to her apartment. When he tries to squeeze his hand inside, she shuts the door, hurting his fingers. This propels the salesman's psycho-love. It starts from pestering but ends with a full-on home invasion. The wife, neglected by her husband, seems to be enraged by the salesman's phone calls in which he professes his love to her, but at the same time his words of "I love you" are ingrained in her mind perhaps out of fear, perhaps out of true longing for some closeness. But when the salesman finally finds his way inside the apartment, his intentions are clear. And that's when the bloody game of cat and mouse begins. The housewife's son is just another piece in this multi-layered puzzle of a suburban nightmare. Oh well, I'm probably already getting canceled for my interpretation of the film but who cares! It's great! The bird's eye view shot is a thing to behold. So is the incredible synth music, not very fitting to the content of the film, but still elevating it by its sheer brilliance. Definitely similar vibes to the Evil Dead Trap soundtrack!

血裸祭 [Blood Ritual] (1989) -




What can I say? Another great film from Hong Kong! This one uses the satanic panic similarly to Angel Hunter and Satan Returns. And while it doesn't have Anthony Wong like the former or Chingmy Yau like the latter, it's still a great flick. Has lots of humor, too!

凌晨晚餐 [Vampire's Breakfast] (1987) -




There's just something deeply relaxing about Hong Kong films. I can't get the same kind of feeling from movies made in any other country! Of course, this applies solely to films made in the 80s and 90s (pre-1997)! They just had the formula down and they used it! And the effect was brilliant! American entertainment never reached this level of awesomeness! Listen, they'd churn out hundreds of films a year. Hundreds. And so many of them would be good! Vampire's Breakfast is really good, too! This film is riddled with action! But it's the romance subplot that stole my heart. Kent Cheng and Emily Chu Bo-Yee are so cute together! Every little interaction they have is to die for!

Deadly Weapons (1974) -



Just imagine waking up to an image like that!

@Rockatansky-core. For a good measure. Why not. A weird mustachioed man and Chesty Morgan whose breasts could suffocate an elephant! Well, I still prefer Hitomi Tanaka of the two, but if anything, Chesty's pair of melons sure call for respect. The film is horrid, but there's a layer of weird enjoyment I got from its silliness.
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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.



Don't Worry Darling- This was entertaining. Florence Pugh did a good job and Chris Pine is fantastically villainous. I thought Harry Styles was miscast and his performance didn't work for me. The story was interesting and I was satisfied by the resolution. I also really liked the cinematography and the score.





Ride Lonesome - 1959 B Western directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Randolph Scott as bounty hunter Ben Brigade. As the movie opens he has captured outlaw and murderer Billy John (James Best) and intends to take him to the town of Santa Cruz to be hanged. Billy is counting on his older brother Frank (Lee Van Cleef) to effect a rescue as the two men avoid Apache war parties and eventually reach a stagecoach way station. Inside are two outlaws, Boone (Pernell Roberts) and Whit (James Coburn) and Mrs. Lane (Karen Steele), the station operator's wife. Brigade convinces Mrs. Lane to abandon the station and accompany him and his prisoner to Santa Cruz after the Apache chieftain takes a shine to her. The two outlaws also come along and it's soon apparent that they have their own agenda.

This was only 70 or so minutes long and even then their were numerous unremarkable scenes with the party meandering their way along on the trail. But this apparent filler also had a direct bearing on the plot. It is however a product of it's time with it's saturated color palette. The attacking Native Americans obligingly ride in slow circles around the besieged party giving the white eyes plenty of time to blast away at their leisure. And Karen Steele's bullet bra gets plenty of screen time as she spends an inordinate amount of time standing in silhouette. I did like how the screenplay took the time to flesh out a couple of the characters and thereby mess with audience expectations. This has some positive reviews although I never felt I was watching a true and memorable classic of the genre.

70/100



I really like the Boetticher westerns. I like how often they center very normal-seeming characters.

The Tall T is my favorite. I quite like the drama-western mix of Decision at Sundown.