Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - 2021 Edition

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Alright, I'm going to try to smash these out and clear the decks for July.

Previously mentioned:
A film from the 1960s: L'Avventura (1960)
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L: Legally Blonde (2001)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 506, 761): Invention for Destruction (1958) (#1016)

And since then:
A horror film: The Driller Killer (1979) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977) Maybe I'm way off base here, but I thought The Driller Killer was the superior movie. It's sort of clumsy and raw, but fits with the subject matter and it actually works pretty well as a psychodrama. I never really got a good sense that Hills Have Eyes knew what it wanted to be about. It's got a bit of colonial critique and a bit of man's inherent savagery, but it's not really coherent.

A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month): Bad Education (2004) This is a Hitchcockian thriller/drama from Pedro Almodóvar about childhood friends, Catholic sex abuse, and identity. Sometimes it feels like an excuse for Almodóvar to stretch his writing muscles: at one point I believe there's a film within a film within a film within a film. But it mostly works and, if you are weary of the male gaze on the female body, well, here's plenty of male gaze on the male body.

A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26): The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) I think we can all agree that he should never have changed his name from László Löwenstein (a wonderfully alliterative name), but I guess he did pretty well as Peter Lorre. It's pretty impressive that due to his limited English, Lorre had to learn his lines for this movie phoenetically. It's not noticeable (to me, anyway), and he is one of the highlights of a solid, if not top-level, Hitchcock film. The other main highlight is the famous concert scene, which remains effective as ever.




A horror film: The Driller Killer (1979) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977) Maybe I'm way off base here, but I thought The Driller Killer was the superior movie. It's sort of clumsy and raw, but fits with the subject matter and it actually works pretty well as a psychodrama. I never really got a good sense that Hills Have Eyes knew what it wanted to be about. It's got a bit of colonial critique and a bit of man's inherent savagery, but it's not really coherent.

A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month): Bad Education (2004) This is a Hitchcockian thriller/drama from Pedro Almodóvar about childhood friends, Catholic sex abuse, and identity. Sometimes it feels like an excuse for Almodóvar to stretch his writing muscles: at one point I believe there's a film within a film within a film within a film. But it mostly works and, if you are weary of the male gaze on the female body, well, here's plenty of male gaze on the male body.

A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26): The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) I think we can all agree that he should never have changed his name from László Löwenstein (a wonderfully alliterative name), but I guess he did pretty well as Peter Lorre. It's pretty impressive that due to his limited English, Lorre had to learn his lines for this movie phoenetically. It's not noticeable (to me, anyway), and he is one of the highlights of a solid, if not top-level, Hitchcock film. The other main highlight is the famous concert scene, which remains effective as ever.
Never seen The Driller Killer, but I like The Hills Have Eyes. However, I do think the ending feels a bit off and messy. If you feel like it, check out the remake. It's pretty good.

I think I saw Bad Education a long time ago, but barely remember it. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've seen any other Almodóvar films.

I stll haven't seen the MWKTM remake, but I found the 1934 version to be pretty good, and Lorre great in it.
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Check out my podcast: The Movie Loot!



Finally, special episode #6 is out! For this one, I analyze the Club Silencio scene from Mulholland Drive:

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - Special Episode VI (Mulholland Drive)

With this episode, I'm warming up for my July episode, but I'll leave it at that for now

It hasn't populated yet to Spotify, but if you're a Spotify user, you can keep an eye for it here.



Also, I will try to post new categories tomorrow. It's been a hellish month at work.



MULHOLLAND DRIVE
(2001, Lynch)
Freebie



"It'll be just like in the movies. Pretending to be somebody else."

That's what spunky and determined Betty (Naomi Watts) tells her troubled, amnesiac friend Rita (Laura Harring) as they try to piece out what happened to her. Betty, an aspiring actress, wants to live the Hollywood dream so much that he transposes the illusion of being "in a movie" to her efforts to help Rita, and God knows to what else.

That's the premise of this surreal mind-bender by David Lynch. Originally conceived as a TV pilot, Mulholland Drive came to be as Lynch kept on tinkering with it after it was rejected by TV executives. The end result is equal parts confusing, impenetrable, mesmerizing, hypnotizing, and beautiful.

Through their journey for the truth and reality, Betty and Rita stumble upon a wide array of characters, which include a troubled director (Justin Theroux), elements of the Mafia, a landlord that wants to look Chinese, a mysterious cowboy, a scary vagrant, and an old couple... all of which help Betty and Rita remember the truth of what has happened.

Ever since I first saw this back in 2001, I've been captivated by it. First day I rented it, I saw it three times in a row, and have seen it several times since. I think the way Lynch manages to pull and create emotion out of this web of seemingly unrelated and unexplainable events is simply magical, peaking with that magnificent scene at Club Silencio.

It is here that Betty and Rita's movie-like pretensions must come to an end, as they are forced to face the realities of their past; something that they might've tried too hard to hide and yet is crying to come out.

Grade:



THE GAME
(1997, Fincher)
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 621, 906)



"Discovering the object of the game *is* the object of the game."

So says journalist Daniel Schorr in a bizarre exchange with investment banker Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) via his television. You see, Nicholas has become so self-absorbed and isolated that he has forgotten about what really matters. "The game", which was a gift from his brother Conrad (Sean Penn), is supposed to make his life "fun".

Unfortunately, the game turns out as an elaborate ruse that blurs the lines between fiction and reality for Nicholas, eventually threatening his life. The cast is rounded up by Deborah Kara Unger and James Rebhorn as two people that might, or might not be, involved in the game. And that's part of the beauty of the film cause it always keeps you guessing what will happen next.

The film masterfully puts us in Nicholas' shoes as it continuously sweeps the rug from under our feet leaving us to wonder what's real and what's not. His direction and the script by John Brancato and Michael Ferris takes its time to set things up, but once it starts, it rarely lets go.

Most of the complaints I've heard about this film hang on the very last act, and although I understand not buying it, I can't help but admire its boldness. It blew my mind back in the day, and it still manages to mess it up a bit when I rewatch it.

There is a bit of subtext in terms of fate and freedom (is Nicholas' fate to end up like his father? what are his choices once "the game" begins? how about when it ends?) I don't think the film delves into it, but I like that it's asking the questions, and I like that it puts the character of Nicholas in that path that we are all on; trying to discover the object of "the game".

Grade:



A week delayed, but finally, here is the link for Episode 40 of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot. I talk about the best films I saw in June as well as some brief reviews of everything else I saw.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 40 - The June Loot

If you're a Spotify user, it hasn't populated over there yet, but you can always keep an eye on it here.

For anyone who listens, Episode 41 is already recorded, featuring another guest. I just have to start editing for it to come out mid-July.



Here is my final tally for JUNE 2021:

A film with the number 6 (Six, Sixth, etc.) in its title: DeepStar Six
A film with a title that starts with the letters K or L: Leviathan
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #6 (i.e. 16, 506, 761): Ace in the Hole (#396), The Game (#627)
A film from the 1960s: Woman in the Dunes
A horror film: The Prowler
A film with the word "Summer" in its title: Summer Camp
A film about LGBTQ+ lifestyles (Pride Month): Philadelphia
A film with a repeated word in its title (Repeat Day, June 3): Liar Liar
A film from Sweden (National Day, June 6): Red Dot
A film with Peter Lorre (born June 26): Quicksand

Freebies: Beyond the Black Rainbow, Mulholland Drive






Pretty solid month with some worthy and overdue rewatches. My favorite first-time watch was easily Woman in the Dunes, which was recommended by @Siddon for the Personal Rec. HoF, so thanks!

The weakest films were the 1-2 punch of DeepStar Six and Leviathan. They are as similar as they are crappy, although I might give the smallest of edges to Leviathan.



Finally! here is the challenge for JULY 2021:

A film with the number 7 (Seven, Seventh, etc.) in its title:
A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N: Maps to the Stars
A film from the Criterion Collection whose number includes the #7 (i.e. 17, 372, 807):
A film from the 1970s:
A musical:
A film with "America" in its title:
A film with the word "Kiss" in its title (Int'l Kissing Day, July 6):
A film about astronauts or set in space (Moon Day, July 20):
A film from Colombia (Independence Day, July 20):
A film from Sydney Pollack (born July 1):

As usual, recommendations are more than welcome!



For the Sydney Pollack category, Absence of Malice is on Amazon Prime. McCabe & Mrs. Miller is on HBO Max and is good for the M or N, Criterion, and 1970s categories.



I'm gonna use the Pollack category for Tootsie, which was given to me on the Personal Rec. HoF. I don't have HBO Max, but I'll keep an eye on McCabe & Mrs. Miller. Thanks!



Oh, yeah, Tootsie's great. McCabe & Mrs. Miller had been on Criterion but it's moved to HBO. I expect someday it'll move back. I believe that Karel Zeman's The Fabulous Baron Munchausen which is on Criterion is also good for the Criterion category (#1017). For musicals I'm always recommending Hedwig and the Angry Inch (currently on Criterion).



MAPS TO THE STARS
(2014, Cronenberg)
A film with a title that starts with the letters M or N



"On the stairs of Death I write your name, Liberty."

That is a fairly liberal translation of one sentence from the poem Liberté, from Paul Éluard. The poem is a repetitive proclamation of the idea of "liberty", either from obsessive love (according to Éluard's own words) or from oppression of any kind (which is why it was heavily used as propaganda during the French Revolution). Its essence sits at the core of this film, where it's quoted and referenced often, as most characters crave and seek freedom from various metaphorical "chains".

Maps to the Stars follows Agatha Weiss (Mia Wasikowska), a mysterious young woman that arrives at Los Angeles and seeks employment with Havana Segrand (Julianne Moore), an aging, washed-up actress struggling to face the truth about her career. Unbeknownst to Havana, Agatha's real intentions are to get close to Benjie (Evan Bird), a problematic child star dealing with his own problems.

The thing is that both Havana and Benjie are captive by expectations and failed dreams; from the struggles of "old" age and mature actresses in Hollywood, to the plights and pressures put on child stars that don't have the maturity to handle it. The contrast of both trying to be liberated from the oppression of the Hollywood system is quite interesting, while also extending to other peripheral characters, including driver/wannabe-actor Jerome (Robert Pattinson) that are as captive as them.

The arrival of Agatha comes to shake things up, and her constant quoting of Éluard's poem puts her as somewhat of a "bringer" of liberty, even if it's for all the wrong reasons, in all the wrong ways. Her "chains" are more of a troubled childhood, mental health, trauma, and an obsessive love for which she is seeking liberation, even if it's "on the stairs of Death".

Even though it takes place in and around Hollywood, with characters coming and going out of expensive mansions and stores, and walking into movie sets, Cronenberg does a great job of stripping everything of its glamour. The Hollywood he presents us is morally decayed, dirty, jaded, and corrupt, and all the characters are caught in it.

All of the performances are great, with Moore being quite the scene stealer (if you can say that about Moore). Wasikowska was pretty good too, even if I would've liked a bit more emotion from her character. Bird handles the egocentrism and bitterness of Benjie pretty well, but doesn't connect as much when the emotional parts come. Still, it's a pretty darn good cast, rounded out by John Cusack and Olivia Williams.

Part of me would've liked at least one character to connect with, considering that all of them are morally compromised. But I admire Cronenberg's boldness to take jabs at the whole machinery of the entertainment business, while putting his characters forth as they are; trapped, flawed, and seeking freedom.

Grade:



HIGH NOON
(1952, Zinnemann)
Freebie



"People gotta talk themselves into law and order before they do anything about it. Maybe because down deep they don't care. They just don't care."

High Noon follows Will Kane (Gary Cooper), a marshal at a small town who is about to retire and move to another town after marrying Amy (Grace Kelly). But things change when he finds out that Frank Miller, a ruthless outlaw with a vendetta against him has just been released and is set to arrive on the noon train.

Unlike other westerns, High Noon is a more introspective film as it follows Kane's unsuccessful attempts to recruit a posse to aid him against Miller, while also questioning his own decisions from the past and his current decision to stay and fight. It is in this process that his predecessor, Martin (Lon Chaney) tells him the above quote. Instead of bringing words of comfort and inspiration, he lays it all bluntly: people just don't care.

You gotta admire the boldness of the filmmakers for sticking to this story of isolation and lack of heroism, particularly in the middle of the 20th Century. Through most of the film, you see a Kane that's not only alone, but afraid and insecure. I've only seen one of the other Best Actor nominees that year, but I have no issues with Cooper winning. He did so much with only his eyes and his expression.

In addition, director Fred Zinnemann does a great job of keeping up the tension right from the opening frame. The dread of the arrival of these outlaws is heightened also by the excellent editing by Elmo Williams and Harry W. Gerstad, and the score by Dimitri Tiokin. All of those contribute greatly to keep you on the edge with very little actual "action".

I do think that the conflict between Kane and his deputy Harvey (Lloyd Bridges) deserved a bit more attention, and maybe more could've been done with Kelly's character. I also don't think that Miller (Ian MacDonald), who we finally meet in the last 15-20 minutes, had a commanding presence for the amount of expectation the film lays on his arrival. Still, a damn fine western.

Grade:



I watched that one earlier this year and it's one of my all-time favorites. Glad you also liked it!

As for Kelly's character, I think the title song does a lot of the legwork in making the dynamic between the two of them hit as effectively as it does since it's largely about her running away from him, hence the first line "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling". It occasionally plays in the background during low moments for Cooper where the townsfolks refuse to help him, thus reminding you of her character and the necessity for why she shouldn't run away from him. The song is a masterpiece in and of itself.

As an aside, here are my favorite Westerns:

1. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
2. The Wild Bunch
3. High Noon
4. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
5. Once Upon a Time in the West
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THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
(2020, Sorkin)
A film with the number 7 (Seven, Seventh, etc.) in its title



"We're not goin' to jail because of what we did, we're goin' to jail because of who we are!"

In 1968, eight anti-Vietnam War activists were arrested for allegedly starting a riot during the Democratic National Convention. Their trial was marred from the beginning by bias, unethical behavior, discrimination, and racism, primarily at the hands of Judge Julius Hoffman. That is part of the reason why one of the accused, Abbie Hoffman (no relation to the judge), argues the above.

The Trial of the Chicago 7, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, more or less drops us as the trial begins with little knowledge of how or why the riot began, which kinda puts us in the role of the "jury". As the trial unfolds, little snippets are revealed and we get to know the motivations of the characters; most notably Abbie (Sacha Baron Cohen), from the "Yippies" and Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne), from the Students for a Democratic Society, who frequently clash as far as their methods go.

I'll say that there are many worthy aspects to this film, but if I had to give one kudos, I would probably give it to the character of Judge Julius Hoffman. From the portrayal by Frank Langella to Sorkin's dialogue, everything contributes to create a truly despicable character and an air of anger, not only against him but against the system. This is worsened by reading real accounts of Hoffman's career and how he led the case. Like Abbie said, it's not what they did, but who they are.

WARNING: spoilers below

Now, in case you're wondering, why is it called "The Trial of the Chicago 7", when I just said that eight people were arrested? Well, that's because Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), chairman of the Black Panthers, was among the arrested only to have his case declared a mistrial in the middle of it all. The circumstances by which this happens, which have to do with Judge Hoffman, were IMO the peak of the film.

I can't deal with injustice and racism, particularly when it's systemic or borne out of inequality and power. Which is why I had a particularly harsh and emotionally violent reaction to this scene. I mean, I got physically angry as everything transpired, and just when I sought the balm of the "this is a fictionalized account" statement, I hit the wall with the fact that things were actually worse in real life than what we saw.


Up until that point, I would've given this a 4.5, maybe even a 5. Unfortunately, Sorkin drops the ball a bit in the last act with many climatic encounters, exchanges, and face-offs feeling more fabricated, and some directorial choices feeling too manipulative and even cringey. But I gotta give him kudos for a stellar first two acts.

Grade:



I watched that one earlier this year and it's one of my all-time favorites. Glad you also liked it!

As for Kelly's character, I think the title song does a lot of the legwork in making the dynamic between the two of them hit as effectively as it does since it's largely about her running away from him, hence the first line "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling". It occasionally plays in the background during low moments for Cooper where the townsfolks refuse to help him, thus reminding you of her character and the necessity for why she shouldn't run away from him. The song is a masterpiece in and of itself.

As an aside, here are my favorite Westerns:

1. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
2. The Wild Bunch
3. High Noon
4. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
5. Once Upon a Time in the West
I haven't seen The Wild Bunch, but the others rank highly for me. I think Once Upon a Time in the West would probably be my #2 western.



Dropped Episode 41 of Thief's Monthly Movie Loot last night, where me and guest Keram Malicki-Sanchez (actor, musician, and many more) try to wrap our heads around mindf**k films, while sharing our thoughts on a few of them.

Thief's Monthly Movie Loot 41: The Mindf**k Loot (with Keram Malicki-Sanchez)

Spotify users can check it out here.



LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
(1978, Molinaro)
A film from the 1970s



"Forgive me, but you're just a bitter old bitch. You've lost your sex appeal, you're grotesque, and everyone laughs at you. Yet here I am, still at your side, because you make me laugh. So you know what I'm going to do? Sell my plot in Lombardy and lie by you here in the s-hit in Foissy so we can go on laughing."

That's how Renato (Ugo Tognazzi) makes his case to his longtime partner and lover, Albin (Michel Serrault) after he decides to leave the household. There's a bit of zing there, but there's also a lot of nuanced emotion and ultimately a firm statement of compromise and care for each other; it doesn't matter what has happened or what happens, I've stuck with you and I'll still stick with you through it all.

La Cage aux Folles follows the lives of Renato and Albin, who've been together for 20 years. Through ups and downs, loyalties and infidelities, they've stuck together, living together, while managing the titular nightclub. But their lives are shaken when Renato's young son, Laurent (Rémi Laurent) announces he's getting married. The thing is that his fiancée is the daughter of an important and ultra-conservative politician, and they want to meet them.

In order to pretend a more "normal" life to his future in-laws, Laurent convinces his father to pretend he's not gay, remodel their apartment, but also to get rid of the more "flamboyant" Albin for the time of the visit. This sparks the above exchange after Albin dejectedly decides to leave.

But therein lies the main problem for me with the film. There's no denying that Laurent's move is ultimately selfish and insensitive, particularly since we're told that Albin helped to raise him, and although I can understand Laurent's concerns and fears, as the film progresses, there's no moment where that is acknowledged as a mistake from his part. Different times, I guess, but since acceptance and tolerance is the ultimate point of the film, it seems weird that they didn't own to that.

There are other issues, particularly between Laurent and his real mother, that are brushed over and never addressed as well, but besides that, the film is pretty solid and enjoyable. I had seen The Birdcage back in the 90s, so I knew most of the beats the film would follow, which probably had an impact in how much I laughed or not, but I still enjoyed it. Part of that is on the performances. Tognazzi is excellent in the lead role, and his chemistry with Serrault is undeniable.

Maybe some of my complaints might seem silly, since the film is obviously aiming more for the comedy and the slapstick, but moments like the above exchange let out a more emotional angle to the story that I wish would've been embraced more. As it is, I'll lie here so I can go on laughing.

Grade:



AMERICAN ME
(1992, Olmos)
A film with the word "America" in its title



"Coming to terms with the lessons one learns through the choices one makes is not easy."

American Me follows Montoya Santana (Edward James Olmos) as he goes from troublesome teenager to head of the Mexican Mafia within the American prison system. When we meet Santana, he's a middle age man in prison, reminiscing of the past as the film flashes back to how he grew up and ended up in prison in the first place.

Through Santana's life, we see him go in and out of prison a couple of times. There's a cyclical nature to his life, the events of the film, and how Latinos, and other minorities, are stuck in this prison revolving door, unable to fully step out. And although it doesn't necessarily makes the most of the topic, the subject of the overcriminalization of minorities is very much at the core of the film.

The above quote is said pretty early in the film by Montoya himself, and seems to be a kind of mantra for the character as he learns to accept whatever comes his way, whether through fate or personal choice. Montoya is not a good guy, but it's certainly a man that's trying to figure out the world and how to survive in it, and Olmos manages to create a complex, layered character, instilling him with the necessary mixture of poise and menace in order to make you feel some empathy for him while still acknowledging the errors in his ways.

The supporting cast is solid, especially if you consider that they chose mostly inexperienced actors and/or actual gang members for some of the roles. Even though there are some rough edges, it held up pretty well. I do think that the film could've benefitted from putting more focus on Montoya's relationship with his family, most notably his father, but also his brother. There is an exchange at a cemetery that ends up being quite powerful, despite the relationship being mostly relegated to the background.

Exchanges like that are one of many examples in the film where Montoya has to come to terms with his life, his choices. From the way he was conceived, to why he ends up in jail, how he lives his life in and out of prison, to how he decides to go out. None of them are easy, and not all of his decisions are, from our perspective, the best, but at least he's come to terms with them.

Grade: