1990's Countdown Group Watch

I'm usually hit-or-miss with black comedies. but I liked Clay Pigeons more than I thought I would. I liked it more as a thriller with a great ending, than as a comedy, and I think Vince Vaughn was the main reason why. There's just something about him that makes him likeable in everything he's in.

__________________
.
If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.

__________________

I remember watching Citizen X when I was a teenager and thinking it was really good, but I had completely forgotten about it until I got WrinkledMind's PM. I'll try to find time to watch it.

I have not seen that, I'll do my best

It's free on YouTube

Citizen X is so good, but a bit underseen. I hope people check it out and like it! (I might try to get to it this week).

Does Citizen X qualify for the countdown? It's a made for tv movie, so I don't believe it does.

Edit: Captain Quint has confirmed it does qualify for the countdown since it did have a theatrical release in some places.

From Wiki... "The film received theatrical release in some territories and was exhibited in the widescreen 1.85:1 aspect ratio." - IMDB and TMDB confirm this, so you're good to go with it.

__________________
Completed Extant Filmographies: Luis Buñuel, Federico Fellini, Satyajit Ray, Fritz Lang, Andrei Tarkovsky, Buster Keaton, Yasujirō Ozu, Carl Th. Dreyer - (for favorite directors who have passed or retired, 10 minimum)

Citizen X (1995)
+

Man what a heavy true crime case. Very compelling thriller, great storytelling. An amazing cast with solid performances by them all. Clever use of two antagonists, in the first half. One within the system and the serial killer on the outside. There was even a bit of a buddy cop element in the third act. Satisfying conclusion.

__________________
Letterboxd
Entertainment log

I watched Citizen X tonight. I thought it was an effective crime drama with good performances. It won't be in contention for my ballot, but glad I checked it out.

I liked Citizen X as a true crime movie, but the scenes with the killings and when they find the bodies are too gruesome for me.

Citizen X -

I was initially drawn to this movie because of the award recognition it provided Donald Sutherland. He earned his Emmy for how convincingly sympathetic, yet cautious he makes seemingly the only honest authority figure in the Soviet military. Stephen Rea is no slouch either for how passionate he makes Burakov for the cause of the "killer department," nor is The Walking Dead's Jeffrey DeMunn, who reminded me of Peter Lorre in M for how well he makes Chikatilo's compulsion to kill a product of mental illness rather than desire. Speaking of that movie, you could describe this one as a real-life M, but with a different kind of horror in that those in power had to be cajoled to catch Chikatilo in the act. I also like how you can really feel how long it takes for Burakov and Fetisov to grease the wheels, cut through the red tape, etc. to bring Chikatilo to justice, mostly for how the movie reminds you that the killer was felling victims all the while. In other words, it's a movie that really drills into you how long and how much effort it takes for an institution to change, not to mention how much the Burakovs and Fetisovs of the world have to fight and sacrifice in the process. I would not say that this is on the same level as M, but it remains one of the great HBO originals and "dad" movies of the '90s (they're pretty much all "dad" movies, it seems, but I digress).

Citizen X

Effective 90's thriller. Basically what Allaby posted above.

Citizen X
(Chris Gerolmo, 1995)

I know I watched and enjoyed this movie at some point back in the 90s and it may well have been among the many movies my family recorded onto VHS (probably during one of HBO's "free preview" weekends). However, in the 30 or so years since then I had completely forgotten about it and so tonight's rewatch might as well have been a first viewing... and an impressive one at that.

I expect movies about serial killers to be creepy or at least really sad - and it was sad and maybe a little creepy, but the emotion I felt more than anything was frustration and in no way is that statement a criticism of the movie. This is because Citizen X is not really a movie about a serial killer. It's a procedural film about a detective who doggedly tried for many years to battle against the infuriating bureaucracy of the USSR and the incompetence of those in charge so that he could identify and stop a monster. This man is played by Stephen Rea, who gives a stellar performance that really kept me gripped to the screen - and who made me realize that I really ought to seek out more of his work. (I remember him in Interview With the Vampire and I know I need to rewatch The Crying Game since I barely remember anything about it, but I'm open to other suggestions). He really carries the movie. But Donald Sutherland as Rea's commanding officer (and one of the few competent men in the film) and Max Von Sydow as the psychiatrist who aides in the investigation are also excellent. Really though I don't think there were any weak performances and the story the movie tells is really quite compelling, so I'm really glad to have been reminded of this movie. Sadly its chances of making my ballot are slim, but only because there is a lot of competition and only 25 slots to fill. This decade just leaves me too spoiled for choice.

This movie is one of my favourites & will most probably make the list (most probably because it's a decade with a lot of my favourites & I might be forced to cut this one).

I place this flick alongside Seven, Silence of the Lambs & Memories of Murder when it comes to serial killer flicks. In some ways it is similar to Memories when it comes to dealing with a bad system, except in this case it's the superiors placing pressure on the investigating officer.

The performances from everyone are brilliant.

One aspect that gets least talked about this movie is it's cinematography. There are some stunning shots, & even clever ones (the one with the giant poster on the wall).
I understand this fact gets overlooked, because the overwhelming tone of the film is so grim.

I'm watching it tonight

Just finished Citizen X. Am exhausted, will do a summary tomorrow.

Getting about that time...

@gbgoodies will choose the next movie!