Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - 2024 Edition

Yeah, first time. Aside from Bolt, that whole 2000s Disney era was a blind spot for me. I came to see Emperor's New Groove and Princess and the Frog a couple of years ago, both with the kids, and now this one. I've really liked all three, but this one hit differently.

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Love is a weird thing. It sometimes comes at the most unexpected time and sometimes even with the most unexpected person. This sometimes makes us wonder, is this the right person or should I wait? What if I miss the right person and grow old and lonely? That is some of the predicament that Loretta (Cher) finds herself in this charming romantic comedy about love and the right person.

The thing is that Loretta, a widow, is nearing her 40s, which has her perhaps a bit worried about her future in the romantic department. That is why when her boyfriend, Johnny (Danny Aiello), awkwardly proposes to her she accepts. But is he the right man? Early in the film, her mother Rose (Olympia Dukakis) asks her "Do you love him?", to which she casually replies "No", but he's the one she has.

However, things get complicated when she meets Johnny's estranged younger brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage). Sparks fly, and she has to decide whether to stick by her current boyfriend whom she doesn't love, or go for his brother who she's head over heels for. It might feel like a serious situation, but Norman Jewison's direction and John Patrick Shanley's script maintain a light, whimsical tone all through.

The thing is that Johnny is not necessarily a bad man; but he's not the *right* man for Loretta. Their interactions are awkward and a bit uncomfortable, whereas the chemistry with Ronny is instantaneous. Cher is a delight in the role, and Cage creates a uniquely endearing character in Ronny. Even though he tends to swing for the fences in some scenes, his Ronny still has an innocent charm to him that makes you root for him.

But as much as I enjoyed watching the relationship between Loretta and Ronny unfold, I think I appreciated more the way that the script handled the relationships between the older characters. There are several interesting developments between Loretta's parents, a womanizing professor that Rose meets, and her brother and his wife. Amidst all the whimsy, there is an honesty in how the script approaches some real-life issues that real-life couples will find that might lead you to question if you're with the right person or not.

Moonstruck is a fairly unique romantic comedy, with some great performances and an undeniable appeal to it. It is a film I had heard mentioned a ton of times, and that was recommended to me a bunch of times, so I'm glad I waited for the right time to finally watch it.

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Snow on tha Bluff follows Curtis Snow, a thief and drug dealer based in the Atlanta neighborhood called "The Bluff". When he steals a camera from a group of college students, Snow starts documenting his life and doings with his crew, which include drinking, playing pool, stealing from rival dealers, and running from the police.

Shot in the "found footage" style, the film is unique for putting a real-life in the forefront in Snow (portraying a fictionalized version of him), and giving us a glimpse of what is life like for him and his friends and neighbors. Although the film is not overly and explicitly violent, it does create an unsettling sense of dread surrounding these "real life" characters and the way they live.

At one point, Snow casually shares some stories from his childhood; stories of his first shooting or how he saw his mom, a drug addict, being shot in the street. Later on, as he sits at a table, prepping drugs to sell, he shares stories of how his uncle would be doing the same thing while he ran around as a kid, all while Snow's kid runs around perpetuating the cycle.

We can say that Snow doesn't care, but Snow doesn't know anything else. So as we see him and his crew calmly boasting firearms, shooting people, and slingin' dope, all while little kids run around and put their hands in piles of blow and crack, it's like a bizarro alternate universe that we wish didn't exist. But it does; a universe where the lines between right or wrong are blurred, and the only thing that matters is what you need and if you can get it right then and there.

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I should watch that one someday. I just can't find it anywhere.

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IMDb
Letterboxd

It's worth it.

Set in occupied France in 1941, Le Silence de la Mer follows an old Frenchman and his niece, as they are forced to share their country house with a German lieutenant, in the middle of World War II. As the old man and his niece choose to maintain silence in front of the "occupant", the German chooses a different path. Will that be enough to overcome their differences and obstacles?

This is Jean-Pierre Melville's debut as director, and yet he shows such a skill in how he uses this small space where most of the film takes place. The way he and his cinematographer Henri Decaë work with lights and shadows, as well as the framing and the perspective from where different characters stand or sit is great.

The performances from Jean-Marie Robain and Nicole Stéphane as the old man and his niece are solid. They do a lot with just their body language and expressions, but it is Howard Vernon who has to carry the burden as Nazi lieutenant Werner von Ebrennac. He succeeds in transmitting equal doses of dread and menace mixed with an honesty and sincerity that you wouldn't expect from such a character.

I do think that the film is a bit heavy-handed with how it handles its metaphors and symbolism, and I'm not exactly sure that the romantic angle was well executed, or even that necessary. But beyond that, Le Silence de la Mer is a film that challenges us to look beyond the obstacles that separate us in an effort to overcome them. It's up to us if we're up for that on a film, or in real life.

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Presto is also the title of this 2008 Pixar short which follows a magician called (wait for it) PRESTO! The magician is trying to do a show with his rabbit, Alec, but the rabbit is not willing to cooperate unless he gets fed first. This results in a constant and quick barrage of shenanigans as they both try to outsmart the other.

This was such a delightful surprise. The effective use of physical comedy and slapstick reminded me the good ole' times of the Looney Tunes or Tom & Jerry cartoons. I also loved the clever use of the hat trick and the quick tempo at which the gags are delivered.

Finally, I thought the animation was great; especially Alec, the rabbit. His expressions were a good mixture of fun, earnest, and mischievous, but without being too much of a smart-aleck. A week or two after having seen it by myself, I put it again for the kids and PRESTO! They laughed their asses off.

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Here's my summary for JANUARY 2024:

A Disney animated film, recommended by Defining Disney on The Disney Loot: Lilo & Stitch
A romcom, recommended by Rachel Wagner on The Romcom Loot: Moonstruck
An obscure crime film, recommended by Justin on The Hidden Loot 2023: Snow on Tha Bluff
A debut film, recommended by @Slentert on The First Loot: Le Silence de la Mer


Other watches:

A neo-noir film: Shallow Grave
A sequel: The Quake
Short films: Plane Crazy, Zori, 2048: Nowhere to Run, The Girl and Her Trust, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, Presto


This month I tried something a bit different; after starting the month tackling some shorts I had on my watchlist, I decided to also check out some films that were recommended at some point during the show. Since we just turned 4 years, I thought it would be an appropriate way to "celebrate".

As far as favorite first-time watch, I have to say Lilo & Stitch stole my heart and affected me in a very personal way.

As for least favorite, probably Zori, but I still think it's a cute short.

The above quote is not from this short, but from 1999's Toy Story 2. The struggle from Jessie, the cowgirl, to cope with what she feels as the abandonment from her owner was something that resonated with audience's through her heartfelt story and Randy Newman's tragically beautiful song "When She Loved Me". But the idea of portraying toys and inanimate objects outliving their "usefulness" in a sad way was something that Pixar had been exploring since their early days.

Released in 1987, Red's Dream features a lonely tricycle called Red waiting to be either sold or disposed by clearance. During a rainy night in the dark and closed shop, Red dreams of better times where it can still be part of a clown show. But the dream quickly vanishes and we're back in reality and in the clearance corner. It's great how this simple scene manages to evoke so much emotion for an inanimate object, but writer and director John Lasseter achieves this through an effective score, as well as great direction and animation (at least for the time. The clown is a bit rough, but the rest is pretty much flawless).

Lasseter has referred jokingly to this times as Pixar's "Blue Period" because "the film had a sad ending and really explored pathos." It's interesting to see how he latched onto that idea and continued to perfect it until he could give us Toy Story. That franchise has become Pixar's flagship, an icon of animated films, and a landmark in cinema. But as great as those films are, let's not forget how things started; with a red bike in the clearance corner.

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That's how animator and co-founder of Pixar Ed Catmull described how the animation field felt during the 1980s, with the rise of personal computers. He goes on to add how the release of Luxo Jr. helped to alleviate the fears that people had about the new technologies. Plus, it also gave Pixar a cool mascot and logo.

There's not much to add about the short. It features an animated desk lamp on a table that's suddenly interrupted by a colorful ball. There's also the playful twist of the "younger", smaller lamp, which most people probably know (hence, the "Junior" in the title). Like other Pixar films, there's an innate skill here to add emotion and playfulness to inanimate objects, be it a tricycle, an action figure, or a desk lamp.

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One Man Band follows a lone street musician performing as a one-man-band in a mostly deserted town square. When a young girl approaches, he tries to gain her attention, and hopefully a tip. But things go awry when a rival musician arrives, and they both start competing for the girl's coin. Will they find a way to unite and work together?

The above quote, from violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman, might refer to the idea of different people working together as a musical entity to create beautiful music. This is not meant to be a put-down against "one man bands", which is a truly impressive skill, but I found it appropriate in the context of this short film. The two street musicians are skilled, no doubt, but their unwillingness to work together is what ultimately prevents them from getting what they want.

I caught this the other day and was surprised at how much fun I had with it. I really wasn't expecting a lot, but I found the integration of music and animation to be quite effective. Also, the neat twist about the girl and how she gets back at the musicians was fun. There is also a mid-credits bit that hints that maybe, just maaaaybe, these musicians might have learned to work together?

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That's how director and writer Saschka Unseld described his approach when making this simple but lovely short film. Set in a rainy night in the middle of a busy city, The Blue Umbrella follows two colorful umbrellas as they meet each other in passing. But when the crowd and the wind separates them, the city itself makes an effort to bring them together.

There really isn't much else to the story. But the beauty of the short is mostly in the use of photorealistic images and lighting. The way Unseld manages to bring the whole city to life is impressive and stunning, especially when you add rain to the mix. But, much like he described it in the above quote, the short is a celebration of the rain, both as a uniting force within the story, but as an artistic element that makes the animation shine.

I wish the emotion of the story would've gotten to me more, but as cute as the umbrellas are, the story just didn't get past "cute" to me. Regardless, it is still a charming story executed beautifully, while showing love and celebrating the rain.

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Avengers: Infinity War was released in 2018, exactly 10 years after Iron Man kickstarted the whole MCU. The film caps a journey of 20+ films about different superheroes, all coming from different places and mindsets; be it from being a wealthy CEO that has been kidnapped by terrorists, a genetically enhanced WWII soldier that woke up from being frozen, or an Asgardian god that happened to fall on Earth. Obviously all these different characters clash and connect, becoming The Avengers, who are committed to protect Earth and the universe.

Enter Thanos (Josh Brolin), a super strong creature determined to exterminate half of the life in all universe to stop overpopulation. Although he had appeared briefly in a few films, Infinity War has him full front and center. Actually, a lot of people argue that he is the *lead* of the film. Regardless, his quest puts him at odds with the Avengers, which sparks an intergalactic fight across Earth and space, which will definitely have an impact in the MCU, and cinema as well.

I don't consider myself a die hard MCU fan. Even though I've been watching most of their films and TV shows, I acknowledge that many of the films, and the whole MCU, has its flaws. However, I can't help but be impressed by the vision and work of Marvel Studios to put forward such a massive years-long project. The patience to start building this universe, and let it grow, is quite something. For all its faults, Infinity War is the perfect climax for all those films and all those years of work. Big, loud, bold, and yes... fun.

And I think that's the most important thing as far as these films go. The Russo brothers know exactly what to give the audience and they give it plentiful. Whether it's over-dramatic character entrances, bombastic action sequences, or funny one-liners, they bring it. But they're also helped by a solid cast and a solid development of most of the relationships and interactions between them (take for example, Tony Stark and Peter Parker). All of this just helps to add gravitas to the events that occur at the very end, even if it's not supposed to work.

Which is where my main issue with the film lies: there are no stakes. Regardless of what we see happens to this or that character, we know things won't stick. We know dead characters will come back, we know things will more or less be fixed. So, even though the specific moments are well executed (i.e. "I don't feel so good, Mr. Stark"), the franchise itself removes most of the impact because we know the characters will return in some capacity. I do respect the decision to end it that way, and I do like the first act of Endgame, where we see characters coping with the aftermath, but that's a whole different story.

The last act does fall victim to the usual CGI-flooded slamfest of the franchise. But as it is, Infinity War still delivers a film that does its best to balance its crowd-pleasing blockbuster nature, with a story that still manages to sneak in some emotion and pathos despite its predictability, thanks mostly to a good cast and a well-constructed villain. To see it all come to fruition after 10 years and 20+ films... does put a smile on my face.

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Tightrope follows police detective Wes Block (Clint Eastwood) as he goes after a serial killer and rapist. However, getting closer to the criminal also uncovers a darker side to him that he'd rather keep buried. Something that Beryl Thibodeaux (Geneviève Bujold), the director of a rape prevention program, calls attention to with the above quote during an awkwardly honest yet effective oyster lunch.

See, it is established early on that Block is a devoted single father of two girls, a workaholic, and a frequent client of New Orleans' prostitutes with a penchant for handcuffs and ties. The fact that the serial killer shares Block's same, uhh, interests serves to lift that front a bit and uncover his own faults, at least within himself and his psyche. It is during this first half that the film is more interesting, as we see Block's reckoning of his own actions against the killer's.

Things get worse when the killer also starts stalking him, his frequent paramours, but also his daughters. Unfortunately, as the film enters its last act and chooses to pull the curtain of what's happening, it becomes less interesting. The revelations and resolutions feel anticlimatic, formulaic, and frankly, make the ending feel more like a whimper than a bang, as it pretty much shies away from the layers that made the first half interesting.

Regardless of my issues with that last act, the film does a lot of things right. Eastwood delivers a rather complex performance, the atmosphere is effective, and the dread build-up is well executed. Even though what's underneath might not be what I would've wanted, Tightrope still puts a solid front above it that mostly works... at least for for the time being.

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That's one of the many mantras that Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) repeats to himself and to others perhaps to give meaning to his endeavors. The problem is that in his case, the "why" is perhaps as shady as the "what". That is one of the many themes explored by Dan Gilroy's impressive directorial debut.

Nightcrawler follows Bloom, a sociopath turned freelance journalist in his journey to become relevant. To do this, he pursues shootings, murders, accidents late at night in a very sensationalistic way to then sell the footage to a local news station run by the unethical Nina Romina (Rene Russo).

The pursuit of that kind of shady news by Bloom, the news agency, and the audience is the basis of the film. The way that it explores the ethics of these practices is very thought-provoking, along with the "chicken-or-egg" dilemma of what came first: the media feed of violent events, or the audience's craving for it?

Regardless of the answer, Bloom finds a way to position himself right in the middle of it. It is Gyllenhaal's creepy and unsettling performance what ultimately defines this film. His Bloom is equal parts awkward, pathetic, unethical, savvy, and extremely clever. The way he navigates social circles reciting rehearsed monologues and factoids that he learned from the Internet shows a unique desire for acceptance; something that he gets through this job.

But beyond the excellent performances from Gyllenhaal, Russo, Bill Paxton, and Riz Ahmed, there's a lot more to admire in Gilroy's direction and script. A bleak snapshot of this endless pursuit for sensationalism and sleaze in the news and elsewhere from both the media and the audience; perhaps an invitation to examine our role on this chain, and look within ourselves and ask why do we pursue what we pursue.

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The above is a quote from researcher Jonas Salk and it serves to highlight the main theme of this beautiful short film. It is not so much an indictment on humanity (although there is some of that), but rather a testament to nature's ability to withstand and flourish despite adversities.

The short was made my Yunie Choi, a second year student at CalArts at the time, who describes it as "ravaged nature finding its strength and gradually recovering alongside the vibrant resurgence of life." Its sleek animation and swift editing is one of the things that makes it work, but its message about nature's, and why not, humanity's resilience shines through.

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If anyone wants to check it out...

The above is a statement that is repeated often throughout the film. It's not how you fall, but how you land. The ironic thing is that it comes at the end of a monologue about a man jumping off a building; a situation where there isn't much of a choice as far as "how you land". But perhaps that is the underlying message in this French film.

Set in the middle of a string of urban riots in Paris, La Haine follows three friends from a poor neighborhood. When one of their friends is injured by the police, each of the three friends face try to see where they land and how to handle it. The hot-tempered Vinz (VIncent Cassel) wants revenge, while the more sensible Hubert (Hubert Koundé) just wants to avoid problems and leave the neighborhood with his family. Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui) falls somewhere in between.

Things get more complicated when it is revealed that Vinz has gotten ahold of a revolver that was lost during the riots; something that he plans to use on the police if their friend dies, creating more tension with his two friends. The film follows them through the rest of the day and night as they encounter different groups and situations that will push them to see if they fall, but most importantly, how they land.

All three performances are pretty good, and although Cassel has the showier role, I appreciated the nuances in the performances from Koundé and Taghmaoui. There is a certain looseness to the story that I think works both in favor and against it. Some of the situations the friends find themselves don't work as well as others, but nonetheless, it is interesting to see them face and handle different characters and different types of pressure, all of which end up showing us who they really are.

When the film opens, it is Hubert the one sharing the story about the man that jumps off a building. The story goes that as the man fell past each floor, he kept reassuring himself "so far, so good", as if there was any chance or hope in how he would fall. The same can be said about the friend's journey through the film, where every step might lead them to think things are "so far, so good", not realizing they've been falling all the time. How much of a choice do they really have?

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That's how Walt Whitman described day and night, among many other things he saw as "nothing else but miracles". From the streets to the trees, from the birds to the bees, from the fields to the endless sea. There seems to be some of that vibe in this inventive short from Pixar.

Day & Night follows the two titular "characters", each of which feature a corresponding scene inside of them: people playing and animals frolicking inside "Day", the moon rising and sheep jumping fences inside "Night". This is both a cause of amazement and dismissal for both of them as they explore each other's "scenes", but can they learn to coexist?

This is one an extremely creative and original short film. The way that the director takes such minimalistic characters and brings them to life with these events "inside" of them is impressive. But also the way he uses different things to match the actions of the characters, or highlight their emotions and feelings is amazing.

But the director is not content with leaving each character on its own side. Instead, he keeps on pushing and makes them overlap in a very ingenious way. It's a unique way to show that their differences can sometimes unite them, but also a way to discover that – like Whitman said – each of them is "a miracle".

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Boundin' follows a Lamb that enjoys dancing and showing off in the middle of a North American plain. However, when humans take him and shear its wool, the Lamb finds itself sad and without confidence. That is until a joyful jackalope comes and cheers the Lamb with a song which includes the above quote.

This is a fairly simple short that tries to champion the notion of self-pride and confidence, to help us feel comfortable in our own skin. Narrated in rhymes by writer and director Bud Luckey, who also voices the two main creatures, it is a mostly fun short that also reminds us to just be ourselves, regardless of the circumstances.

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