Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - 2022 Edition

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FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT
(1940, Hitchcock)
Freebie



"I don't want any more economists, sages, or oracles bombinating over our cables. I want a reporter! Somebody who doesn't know the difference between an -ism and a kangaroo. A good, honest crime reporter. That's what the Globe needs. That's what Europe needs! There's a crime hatching on that bedeviled continent."

That's what newspaper editor Powers asks for, and that's what he gets with John Jones (Joel McCrea) when he sends him as "foreign correspondent" to Europe just before World War II starts. Jones is a no-nonsense crime reporter who approaches the task very much unlike his predecessor. This, in turn, puts him right in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy in this Hitchcock spy thriller.

This is my second watch of this film and I remember being quite impressed by it the first time. This time, it might have gone down a notch or two, but I still think it's a pretty good and thrilling film, and a showcase of Hitchcock's directing abilities. The whole sequence in the first act, starting with the shooting in the steps and ending at the windmill, is masterfully directed. And although it never goes back to that peak, all of the action setpieces are neatly handled and choreographed.

McCrea is a solid lead and Laraine Day is competent as Carol, the love interest, even if their sudden love relationship feels too forced and ultimately unnecessary. But George Sanders is the true scene stealer as Scott ffolliott (both small f's), a friend of Carol that helps them in their investigation. His performance is amazing, and I would've been happier watching a whole film only with him, and no McCrea or Day.

But again, McCrea does a fine job as we see him grow from a bit of a selfish reporter more interested in getting "paid expenses" to a more conscious and determined "hero". Sure, the bit at the end originally rang too blatant and in-your-face to me, but who knows? Maybe that's what Europe, and America, needed.

Grade:
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SHADOW OF A DOUBT
(1943, Hitchcock)
Freebie



"You live in a dream. You're a sleepwalker, blind. How do you know what the world is like?"

That's what good ole' Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) tells her beloved niece, also called Charlie (Teresa Wright) during a climatic conversation in this powerful Hitchcock thriller. You see, Uncle Charlie has long been "awake" and seen the world, while Young Charlie is about to wake up and discover what the world is like.

Shadow of a Doubt follows the relationship between both relatives as Uncle Charlie visits his sister in the "ordinary" small town of Santa Rosa, California. His intention is to lay low after realizing that some men are after him. But the visit puts a strain in the previously idyllic relationship as Young Charlie starts suspecting something's wrong with her uncle. Is it all a dream, or was it a dream before?

Like Foreign Correspondent, this is my second watch of this excellent thriller. But this rewatch managed to sneak into my Hitchcock Top 5, pushing FC out. The way that Hitchcock builds the suspense and intrigue in this film is masterful, as you find yourself in Young Charlie's shoes trying to figure out what's going on, what's a dream and what's not.

The way we see this wonderful and beautiful relationship deteriorate under the weight of suspicion and mistrust is flawless; and it's on the script, but it's also on Wright and Cotten's excellent performances. It's a pity that the script feels the need to squeeze an unnecessary love relationship between Young Charlie and a persistent detective, but hey, that's a common occurrence in the Hollywood of yesterday.

Other than that, I found Hitchcock's exploration of small town America to be spot on. How the smallest of suspicions can absolutely disrupt that utopia. The paranoia of things we can't understand, or we don't want to understand, because we want to stay in that dream. Blind.

Grade:



PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
(1975, Weir)
A film that starts with the letters O or P • A film set in school • A film with any of the words "Rock", "Paper", "Scissors" in its title
-- recommended by Tim Daugherty --



"There's some questions got answers and some haven't."

Set in 1900, Picnic at Hanging Rock follows a group of students from Appleyard College, a girls' private school, as they enjoy a, well, picnic at Hanging Rock, a rocky mountain in Australia. When some of the schoolgirls and a teacher disappear, those that remain have to deal with the aftermath.

This is one of Peter Weir's first films, but he directs it like a consumate veteran. He gives the film a certain mistifying feel to it; an ever-present ethereal vibe that hangs above every scene and every interaction. When the girls arrive at the titular mountain, it is as if they were being quietly watched by it. The rock becomes like another character; a millenial rock formation clashing with the youth and fragility of these girls, all propped up in their own facades of "decency".

But under that facade, there is repression, guilt, hidden desires, unconformity, all bubbling under the surface like a volcano about to erupt. Not only in the girls, but in the adults meant to supervise them, those that are enforcing the repression themselves. Everybody is trapped, which might make the fate of the disappearing girls like a blessing to them, and a curse to those that remain.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Weir went to great lengths to make the film's mystery "unsolvable". For a relative newcomer, this is a bold choice, but one that paid off for him. The film was a critical and commercial success and put Weir on the map. Proof that some films got answers and some haven't, which depending on how you do it, can be a blessing or a curse.

Grade:



I seem to remember reading somewhere that Weir went to great lengths to make the film's mystery "unsolvable". For a relative newcomer, this is a bold choice, but one that paid off for him. The film was a critical and commercial success and put Weir on the map. Proof that some films got answers and some haven't, which depending on how you do it, can be a blessing or a curse.

Grade:
It's a great example of how to do ambiguity the right way. Delivering solid character beats. Staying consistent with the nature of the weird stuff. It doesn't just hinge on knowing the truth, so it doesn't feel like a cheat when everything isn't spelled out.

No joke, a few times a year this happens in my head:

--"The boy stood on the burning deck, whence all but he had fled, tra-la."
--"Wait, what's that from?"
--"It's Casabianca."
--"Right, but what's with the tra-la thing?"
--"OMG PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK!"
*strong wave of feelings*



It's a great example of how to do ambiguity the right way. Delivering solid character beats. Staying consistent with the nature of the weird stuff. It doesn't just hinge on knowing the truth, so it doesn't feel like a cheat when everything isn't spelled out.

No joke, a few times a year this happens in my head:

--"The boy stood on the burning deck, whence all but he had fled, tra-la."
--"Wait, what's that from?"
--"It's Casabianca."
--"Right, but what's with the tra-la thing?"
--"OMG PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK!"
*strong wave of feelings*





I seem to remember reading somewhere that Weir went to great lengths to make the film's mystery "unsolvable".
I remember being left unsatisfied by the film for that reason and, as a result, didn't enjoy the film as much as I was hoping. Maybe I'll go back to it in the future though. Who knows.
__________________
IMDb
Letterboxd



I remember being left unsatisfied by the film for that reason and, as a result, didn't enjoy the film as much as I was hoping. Maybe I'll go back to it in the future though. Who knows.
Check out this podcast where the two hosts talk quite a bit about that aspect.

Criterion Cast: Episode 181 - Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock

I think it can help you put things in the proper perspective.



AMOUR
(2012, Haneke)
A film featuring senior citizens prominently
-- recommended by Jess --



"Things will go on, and then one day it will all be over."

Traditional wedding vows are widely known. We've all heard them numerous times. Take this man or woman to be my wife or husband... for better, worse, richer, poorer, in sickness, and in health... but love is more than saying those words. Love means putting them in practice when the worse really comes, when the money runs out, when the sickness comes, and doesn't leave. That is the situation in which the two leads in this Michael Haneke film find themselves.

Amour follows Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva), an old retired couple living alone in France. Their lives go on in a fairly normal way as they enjoy breakfasts and lunches together, and attend musical concerts from former students. But things take a turn for the worse when Anne suffers a stroke that progressively deteriorates her health, while Georges has to take care of her.

I had been dreading to watch this film ever since its release. As a matter of fact, I actively avoided it because I've always been very sensible to depictions of the pains and suffering of the elderly; especially since my grandmother passed away 10+ years ago, something that still hurts to this day. So when I opened the floor for recommendations about films with senior characters, my wife brought it up and said "it is time".

But although I was dreading more the angle of the elderly from the perspective of a grandchild, the film got to me in more ways than one. Sure, memories of me and my mother taking care of my grandmother came up. But then I was also reminded of my own mother, who is not that young anymore. And finally, I thought of me and my wife and how would things be if that was our situation in the future, when it will all be over.

The constant in all three angles is the title of the film: "amour", love, amor. Because no matter how many times I had to feed my grandmother in her last years, or help my mom with some house chore, or sat at the bedside of my wife at the hospital, love was and is there every step of the way. Certainly Haneke takes his own unique path to ask us and challenge us, but also show us what is love. Not the romanticized, puppy love, but the sharp pain of seeing that special person suffer and wither away in front of you.

A big reason why this film succeeds in portraying that is on the excellent performances from Trintignant, but especially Riva. The way they both convey the intimacy and closeness between Georges and Anne, even while he's moving her from a wheelchair, feeding her dinner, or giving her a bath, it's something powerfully moving. To see the regression in that person you love, from a night dress to a diaper, from a wine glass to a sippy cup, from meaningful conversations to just uninteligible babbling, it is all the ultimate test of what is really to love someone... for better, worse, richer, poorer, in sickness, and in health.

We can question the final actions and what's really behind them, but I think we can make an argument that what happens in the end can be seen as a manifestation of love. We've all seen loved ones suffer, we've all felt that pain. But as hard as things might be, as worse as things might get, as precarious as health could be, in some way, one day it will all be over.

Grade:



I forgot the opening line.
Great review of Amour - a film I think a great deal of. I went through something similar with my mother's last few years.
__________________
Remember - everything has an ending except hope, and sausages - they have two.
We miss you Takoma

Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)



Lots of stuff going on, so I kinda forgot to post my final tally for AUGUST 2022

A film with the number 8 (Eight, Eighth, etc.) in its title: 8 Mile
A film that starts with the letters O or P: Prey, Parenthood
A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #8 (i.e. 18, 482, 819): All That Heaven Allows (#378)
A film from the 1980s: Parenthood, Cinema Paradiso
A romantic film: All That Heaven Allows, Enough Said
A film set in school: Picnic at Hanging Rock
A film from Nicholas Ray (born August 7): Johnny Guitar
A film from India (Independence Day, August 15): U-Turn (2016)
A film featuring senior citizens prominently (Nat'l Senior Citizens Day, August 21): Amour
A film with any of the words "Rock", "Paper", "Scissors" in its title (World Rock Paper Scissors Day, August 27): Paperman

Freebie: Luck, Lightyear, Jurassic World Dominion, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Foreign Correspondent, Shadow of a Doubt







Nothing downright awful, but a couple of cringy ones, like Jurassic World Dominion and maybe Luck or Lightyear.

The best ones, though, where Parenthood, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and Amour. That's without counting rewatches.



And finally, here are the criteria for SEPTEMBER 2022

A film with the number 9 (Nine, Ninth, etc.) in its title:
A film that starts with the letters Q or R:
A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #9 (i.e. 19, 590, 980):
A film from the 1990s:
A scifi film:
A film with the word "Fall" or "Autumn" in the title:
A film with a punctuation symbol on its title (Nat'l Punctuation Day, September 24):
A film featuring Native American characters (Native American Day, September 23):
A film from Central America (Act of Independence of Central America, September 15):
A film from Pedro Almodóvar (born September 25):


Obviously, subject to me getting power back!



PREDESTINATION
(2014, Spierigs)
A sci-fi film



"The snake that eats its own tail, forever and ever."

Predestination follows an agent (Ethan Hawke) from an advanced government agency that uses time travel to stop crimes before they occur, something that takes agents back and forth as they track potential criminals. After an incident leaves Hawke's character scarred, he is to be sent on a final mission which is crucial to the continuity of the life he knows.

Despite its seemingly action-oriented premise, this is not that kind of sci-fi film. This is a more slowly paced and cerebral film that takes its time to explore its two main characters, Hawke's agent that goes back to the 1970s to pose as a barkeep, and John, the enigmatic customer that comes to the bar and ends up sharing his life story of how he got where he is. But despite all the twists and turns of the story, it is clear there are other purposes behind.

From the opening shots, it is evident that the Spierig brothers have a good eye for framing and blocking. Their direction is confident and assured, allowing the script and the actors to breathe as the story flows. There is also a certain atmosphere to the story that makes it feel kinda "classy", very "old school" scifi. It is also very pleasing to see a scifi that doesn't rely on bangs and explosions to create a compelling story.

Hawke is pretty good as the agent, but it is Sarah Snook who steals the show with an engaging performance that runs back and forth the spectrum. At one point, Hawke's character describes his mission as a "snake that eats its own tail"; an endless cycle of events that can't be stopped. That is more or less how this film has been circling on my mind ever since I saw it, and that is usually a good sign.

Grade:



I love Predestination so much it's insane.

I love the premise.

I love the performances from Snook and Hawke and the way that they create an intimacy and dynamic that manages to evade classification---neither familial nor romantic nor professional--and that works with every progression of the plot and every advancement of their relationship.

I really love character-driven sci-fi, and this is a case where I feel as though the science fiction aspect and the dramatic aspect are perfectly partnered.



EVE'S BAYOU
(1997, Lemmons)
A film from the 1990s



"Memory is a selection of images, some elusive, others imprinted indelibly on the brain."

This is the line with which this Southern Gothic drama opens up, because memory will play a key role in what will happen; how we remember some things while others elude us regardless of how traumatic or impactful they could've been. Set in the 1960s, Eve's Bayou follows the Batiste family as they are forced to deal with memories and secrets they've tried to hide.

Most of the focus of the film is put on Eve (Jurnee Smollett), the 10-year-old daughter of Louis and Roz (Samuel L. Jackson and Lynn Whitfield), a well-respected couple living in an affluent Creole community in Louisiana. But behind their facades of wealth and respectablity, there are countless skeletons waiting to be unburied.

Most of the family's problems stem from Eve witnessing her father having sex with another woman. However, this is brushed aside by all members of the family for different reasons; most notably maintaining the stability and appearances of the family. But when Louis' infidelities accumulate, it becomes obvious it is not possible to elude it or brush it aside.

This is a film I had seen back in the day. However, I barely remembered anything, so it was nice to come back to it. Director and writer Kasi Lemmons has a strong eye, but the story does get out of her hands at times. There are several references to the "gift of sight", possessed both by Eve and her aunt Mozelle (Debbi Morgan), but it isn't expanded or explained enough.

Speaking of Morgan, her performance is great, but unfortunately her character seems to run a parallel story that is more or less dropped halfway through. The rest of the performances are just as good, especially Smollett and Meagan Good, who plays Eve's older sister. Their chemistry feels strong, and they both provide a solid emotional core to the story, even if the logistics around it aren't properly executed.

Grade:



I love Predestination so much it's insane.

I love the premise.

I love the performances from Snook and Hawke and the way that they create an intimacy and dynamic that manages to evade classification---neither familial nor romantic nor professional--and that works with every progression of the plot and every advancement of their relationship.

I really love character-driven sci-fi, and this is a case where I feel as though the science fiction aspect and the dramatic aspect are perfectly partnered.
I definitely agree. I found it refreshing the way the story unfolded, starting with that conversation at the bar. It's something rare for a modern sci-fi film. And the layers each turn adds to the dynamic between the two main characters are quite something.



I definitely agree. I found it refreshing the way the story unfolded, starting with that conversation at the bar. It's something rare for a modern sci-fi film. And the layers each turn adds to the dynamic between the two main characters are quite something.
At some point, knowing all the twists and turns, give it a rewatch. Incredibly rewarding on a second look.



A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
(1992, Marshall)
A film from the 1990s



"Ballplayers?! I haven't got ball players! I've got girls!. Girls are what you sleep with *after* the game, not what you coach *during* the game!"

That is how washed out baseball player Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) describes his situation as coach of the Rockford Peaches. This pretty much encapsulates the general attitude of people back in 1943, when World War II forced baseball owners to create a female baseball league so they could still make profits.

A League of Their Own focuses mostly on sisters Dottie and Kit (Geena Davis and Lori Petty), two softball players in Oregon that are recruited for this new league. Will their rivalries get in the way of their success, or will they allow to work together as a team? They are joined by an assorted cast that includes Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell.

This is a film that, for some reason, I hadn't seen before. Several people had mentioned it to me, so I was happy to finally check that box. But beyond that, the film is indeed well made and more important, a lot of fun. Although there is so much to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that is not said, the film still succeeds in giving you an idea of what it was and what it meant.

Most of the cast is pretty good, but special notice goes to Hanks and Davis, who are excellent. Unfortunately, the conflict between Dottie and Kit feels a bit half-baked. Also, I don't think the 1980s flashforwards that bookend the film were as well executed as the body of the film, but I understand their purpose: to highlight the legacy of these women that decided to shake off any dismissal or prejudice about their role as women in order to play ball.

Grade:



PENINSULA
(2020, Yeon)
Freebie



"Dad told us we should help the weak before he went to heaven. You looked weak."

In 2016, Train to Busan became a massive hit among critics and audiences by taking the already tired premise of zombies and giving it a strong emotional core via its two main characters. Perhaps knowing that lightning won't hit twice, director and writer Yeon Sang-ho has once again, given a bit of a spin to the genre, although with more mixed results.

Set a few years after the original zombie outbreak, Peninsula follows Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won), a former captain that is haunted by the guilt of not being able to save his sister and nephew. While living as a refugee in Hong Kong, he is recruited by some mobsters to enter the quarantined South Korean peninsula, which is now overrun by zombies, to retrieve a truck full of cash.

Much like Aliens did with Alien, Peninsula veers more into action territory. Of course, it still has horror elements, but the main beats are that of a typical action/heist film as Jung-seok is forced to not only fend off zombies, but to also deal with a rogue militia that now controls the area. In the process, he is rescued by a family of survivors that still live in the city ruins.

For the most part, Peninsula is a competent enough action/horror film with some pretty solid action setpieces. What it lacks, though, is the strong emotional anchor of the first one. Gang is a solid lead, but he never manages to evoke the same attachment that the leads of the original did. In addition, the reasonings for him to go back aren't that strong, and feel like what they are: an excuse to put our lead character back in the fray.

Finally, there is a lot of focus put into car chases, as several characters race for survival around the streets of South Korea. However, not only are most of these scenes visibly CGI, but the probabilities of these abandoned streets to be so clear that characters can endlessly race at 100mph, it all ends up feeling distracting. But again, the action is solid enough, so if you approach it with that expectation, you might have fun with it too.

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REJECTED
(2000, Hertzfeldt)
A film that starts with the letters Q or R



"This is fun!"
"..."
"My anus is bleeding!"

Rejected is a collection of brief shorts allegedly devised as potential ads for both the fictional Family Learning Channel and Johnson & Mills Corporation. Their rejection subsequently drives the animator to progressively lose his sanity, which is in turn reflected in his work and the fictional world within it.

The truth is that creator Don Hertzfeldt has never worked in advertising, but he still uses the format to take jabs at consumerism, among other things, with a tone that goes from surreal and absurd to dark and gruesome. Most of the shorts are hilarious be it by design or just a by product of their "WTF-ery".

Being my first experience with Hertzfeldt, I can say that "WTF" was my reaction to most of it, but more often than not, it was accompanied by a chuckle, at the very least. I definitely look forward to more of his stuff, so as far as I'm concerned, there's no rejection from me; even if my anus is bleeding.

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