Rate The Last Movie You Saw

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The Innocents (Jack Clayton, 1961)
+ 8/10

Governess Deborah Kerr encounters dead caretaker Peter Wyngarde who she sees as a direct threat to the children she's in charge of. Psychological Victorian horror is awesome in every way.
Wow, I agree with the grade, but I think this is the highest rating I've seen you dish out
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Re-watch. So brilliant. Harriet Andersson was so amazing in this.
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A Night to Dismember (1983) -


This was a rough watch. The dubbing is bad, the editing is rough, some of the music choices are unfitting, the narration is excessive and feels tacked-on a lot of the time, and the twist makes no sense and raises more questions than answers. However, I understand that a lot of these things are staples of B movies, so it's not fair to criticize the film for some of these things. Given that, how do you even approach a film like this when reviewing/rating it? After looking up the film, I found out that several reels of the film were destroyed before it was released (some accounts say they were destroyed in a fire while others say that a "disgruntled employee" destroyed them) and, as a result, only about 60% of the film was salvaged. I don't know if these accounts are true, but they did have me wondering whether the film would've been improved if the full version was restored. For example, Vicki's arc was given quite a bit of focus in the film, while Mary was somewhat pushed to the sidelines throughout the film. Perhaps, the extra footage would flesh out Mary more and, as a result, tie up all the unanswered questions and plot holes the final act reveal brings to the film. Also, maybe the extra footage would allow for some of the ridiculous narration to be cut from the film. Or perhaps not. While I wasn't satisfied with what I watched, I did feel like the film had potential to be better, so to a degree, I enjoyed approaching this as a "what could've been" film. Overall, I'm not quite sure how to rate this film, but I'll stick with a 4/10 for now.
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A Night to Dismember (1983) -


This was a rough watch. The dubbing is bad, the editing is rough, some of the music choices are unfitting, the narration is excessive and feels tacked-on a lot of the time, and the twist makes no sense and raises more questions than answers. However, I understand that a lot of these things are staples of B movies, so it's not fair to criticize the film for some of these things. Given that, how do you even approach a film like this when reviewing/rating it? After looking up the film, I found out that several reels of the film were destroyed before it was released (some accounts say they were destroyed in a fire while others say that a "disgruntled employee" destroyed them) and, as a result, only about 60% of the film was salvaged. I don't know if these accounts are true, but they did have me wondering whether the film would've been improved if the full version was restored. For example, Vicki's arc was given quite a bit of focus in the film, while Mary was somewhat pushed to the sidelines throughout the film. Perhaps, the extra footage would flesh out Mary more and, as a result, tie up all the unanswered questions and plot holes the final act reveal brings to the film. Also, maybe the extra footage would allow for some of the ridiculous narration to be cut from the film. Or perhaps not. While I wasn't satisfied with what I watched, I did feel like the film had potential to be better, so to a degree, I enjoyed approaching this as a "what could've been" film. Overall, I'm not quite sure how to rate this film, but I'll stick with a 4/10 for now.
I need to check this out, if only to see Samantha Fox in a non-porn role. She was always my favorite old timey (70's) adult film actress.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé



The House (2022) Netflix
+++ A strange, strange lil Kafkaesque stop-motion film that was quite exquisitely done, but I had NO IDEA what it was going in. I believe, I needed a little info to better appreciate this clever dark comedy broken down into three interconnecting short stories centered in the same building.

I do need to see this again and I am sure my rating will rise easily.
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I forgot the opening line.

Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10552660

Children of Paradise - (1945)

Around 5 minutes into this film I wasn't feeling good about it. Creaky old French film - I was sure it was going to bore me, but at around the 90 minute mark I was invested in every character to a large degree - they're so well drawn in this, with vivid motivations and criss-crossing paths. When things drew to an end, I thought "Wow strange ending but I enjoyed that a lot." And then it said "End of Part 1" - I sat upright in surprise. I checked the running time and found out it's a 190 minute movie. So, I got a lot more than I bargained for, and to my amazement I loved Children of Paradise. Like I said, the characters in this have a certain depth, and in the theatrical shows some of them perform are mirrored the real events in such a way that you wonder if art is imitating life or if life is imitating art. Vain actors, vile criminals and vapid mimes at first seem off-putting but eventually win our affection - or at least they did mine, in a story that might seem a bit like a soap opera, but transcends it's own genre. This was really well deserving of it's high place in 'best film' lists. The acting is superb, and I recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen it.

9/10

Foreign Language Countdown films seen : 73/100


By Vera Chytilova - Amazon.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61441987

Something Different - (1963)

In a Hall of Fame I was introduced to Czechoslovak filmmaker Věra Chytilová by way of her most famous film, Daisies. I was interested enough to seek this out - her first feature length film which portrays two women living separate lives - one is an average housewife, the other a famous gymnast. We're shown their day to day existence almost side by side, and what becomes obvious is that the difficulties of life always has one thinking the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. The gymnast pines for a simpler life, without the pressures and rigor of training - the housewife pines for more excitement and achievement. Hence the film's title - Something Different. It's an intimate look not only of their lives, but the lives of all women in a male-dominated society with it's demands - and the sacrifices a person must make to live the life they want. It wasn't too bad.

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



The 355. It's a hyperactive action movie, 4 female "agents" (the 5th in the photo is late to the game), working different agendas, trying to track down the usual evil operative who has a digital device that can wreak havoc on all digital platforms. It's a digital doomsday device. There's a flash card on the loose, being transported to evil operatives by other evil operatives, all anonymous evil faces. The recipients want to wreak havoc on all digital devices in case you didn't notice. Enter 4 "heroes", who are doing a globe spanning search, karate chopping oodles of bad guys, shooting it out with automatic weapons that have no limit on ammo, dropping bad guys all over the place, in order to save the world as we know it.

Imagine a world without Facebook and you can see that this truly IS apocalyptic.

In case all of this sounds at least somewhat familiar (bad guys who want to blow up the world), it is, but the plot turn is that all 4 agents are svelte females who are willing to get dirty (especially Jessica Chastain), look good in their jeans and shoot everybody in sight. By the time it's over the body count is in the hundreds, the world is saved and Jessica still looks good.

What more could you ask for in a movie? It's fairly fun, well produced and nobody does anything real bad.






Body at Brighton Rock (2019)

Starts off as a somewhat charming comedy about this incredibly inept young woman. The more it tries to be horror, the less it makes sense, and the ending is an epitome of an anti-climax. I did like the lead actress and the first 30 minutes or so looked good and had a nice soundtrack. Sadly it's all downhill from there. Maybe even a slightly generous rating (but I just couldn't give this a worse rating than Alien 2 yesterday).
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MURPHY’S LAW

I like to imagine, presumably after a few rails, Menahem screamed at Yoram, “Hey Globey, I wanna do another movie. I’m thinking that we should combine Cape Fear, 48 Hours and Death Wish 3. We could even get the director of Cape Fear! Except the leads will be Charles Bronson and a TV actress that will improv all her insults and banter, constantly saying things like “you snot licking donkey fart” and “kiss my panty hose, sperm bank!” Also, the Mitchum role from Cape Fear will be played by a middle aged actress who looks like a mafia house wife.”

And Yoram said, “Sounds like a lot of things could go wrong with that. Ya know, Murphy’s Law.”

And we ended up with a Cannon Group masterpiece.

4/5



MURPHY’S LAW

I like to imagine, presumably after a few rails, Menahem screamed at Yoram, “Hey Globey, I wanna do another movie. I’m thinking that we should combine Cape Fear, 48 Hours and Death Wish 3. We could even get the director of Cape Fear! Except the leads will be Charles Bronson and a TV actress that will improv all her insults and banter, constantly saying things like “you snot licking donkey fart” and “kiss my panty hose, sperm bank!” Also, the Mitchum role from Cape Fear will be played by a middle aged actress who looks like a mafia house wife.”

And Yoram said, “Sounds like a lot of things could go wrong with that. Ya know, Murphy’s Law.”

And we ended up with a Cannon Group masterpiece.

4/5
I remember liking this a lot when I was a kid, but I don't think I've seen it since that. Maybe I need to add this to a vast list of films that I'd need to rewatch.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé





Dragonwyck (1946)
Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz sets a mesmerizing stage with sordid shadows using ideal actors Gene Tierney and Vincent Price.

The always exquisite Tierney plays young Miranda Wells, whose mother receives an invitation from a distant cousin, by marriage, Van Ryn (Price), to send one of her daughters as a "friend" for his only daughter. To the worried, religious-fueled father's hesitations (Walter Huston), Miranda goes to Dragonwyck and becomes enthralled by the mansion and the debonair Van Ryn. A role of polite etiquette masking the dark cruelty beneath that would become Vincent Price's staple. He is the epitome of the regal and oftentimes, the diabolic gentleman of manner, upbringing, and taste.
Gene Tierney's Miranda is no wilting flower, and though she begins her sojourn with demure sincerity, she is her father's daughter. Strong-willed and proud, she stands toe to toe as the darker aspects of Van Ryn begin to crack the charming veneer.

In minor roles adding to the conflict and disintegrating illusion are Spring Byington (Magda, the first wife's maid). Harry Morgan is a disgruntled farmer on Van Ryn's lands, and the crippled servant comes to live with Miranda after her marriage to the now widowed Van Ryn, played by Jessica Tandy.

Mankiewicz uses composition and light, and when appropriate, shadow with expertise, keeping with the eye and the heart engaged as the story's darker heart takes control.





1st Re-watch...Enjoyed it more than I did the first time. This sordid and ugly crime thriller is riveting from start to finish thanks to a bone-chilling performance from Jake Gyllenhall, which should have earned him an Oscar nomination, splendid camera work and editing, and a movie star in the making performance from Riz Ahmed. But if the truth be told, the ending of the movie leaves a bad taste in my mouth...this Louis Bloom guy not only got off too easy, but comes out smelling like a rose.



But if the truth be told, the ending of the movie leaves a bad taste in my mouth...this Louis Bloom guy not only got off too easy, but comes out smelling like a rose.
I would advise you to never look up how Idi Amin spent the last few decades of his life, then.






The Green Knight, 2021

In this adaptation of the old tale, Gawain (Dev Patel) hopes to become a knight in the court of King Arthur (Sean Harris). When a mysterious, enchanted knight (Ralph Ineson) appears in the court on Christmas offering a strange "game", Gawain volunteers to play and ends up beheading the knight . . . who then picks up his head and tells Gawain he'll see him in a year. A year on, Gawain travels north to meet his destiny.

This was exactly the kind of movie that I've been needing (the exact comment made by one of the people I watched it with): just gorgeous, a little weird, beautifully shot, and a neat variation on a folk/fantasy story.

The DP on this film is the brother of one of my acquaintances, and so I'll admit to maybe having some partiality. But the people I watched this with didn't realize that fact and made several comments about the beauty of the film. I loved the deeply saturated color palette and the way that the camera picked up lovely details, like the many embellishments on the queen's robe. It's the kind of film I absolutely wish I'd been able to see on the big screen.

The film does have a bit of a "road movie" pace to it, with a kind of episodic feel. I especially loved the little interlude where Gawain interacts with Saint Winifred (Erin Kellyman). When she asks him for a favor and he asks her what he'll get in return, she replies "Why would you ever ask me that?" and I wish I could have high-fived her. But the whole supporting cast is really strong, and there's equally good work from Barry Keoghan as a sketchy battlefield scavenger and from Joel Edgerton and Alicia Vikander as a lord and lady who offer Gawain shelter on his journey.

From the first image to the last frame I was fully engaged and for me this is a film that definitely lived up to the hype.