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Broadcast Signal Intrusion (2021)

This was a pretty neat little spooky thriller. Photographer and video geek (in the '90s) sets out upon a search to find the generator of weird video intrusion signals that coincide with the disappearances of 3 young women. It's a bit formulaic (spunky sidekick etc) but it gets the best out of its budget in terms of story line, performances are ok too. The retro techie content I'm a sucker for
Strong



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The Gray Man - Action - 8/10 Story - 4/10



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How is the Top Gun Maverick? I want to watch this movie.



The Princess -


This is a lean, mean and very fun fantasy action movie starring Joey King as our marriage-hesitant titular heroine. She's so hesitant that she's willing to kill anyone in her path to freedom. This is because her would-be suitor is Julius (Dominic Cooper), who only wants to tie the knot as a pretense for taking over her kingdom and ruling it with an iron fist. What's more, he has a bodyguard and consort, Moira (Olga Kurylenko), who wields a whip that puts any of the Belmonts' whips in Castlevania to shame.

There is no fight scene in this movie that didn't excite or shock me. Besides each one being gloriously bloody and violent, they all have a David and Goliath dynamic since King is rather diminutive, and surprisingly, it never gets old. As for the look and feel, almost every shot resembles the cover of a cheesy fantasy romance book cover, which is satisfyingly whether or not it's tongue in cheek. I like King a lot in the lead, but Dominic Cooper's villain is my favorite performance for how he chews the scenery and makes it clear he knows what kind of movie he's in. There's even room for some good laughs amongst the bloodshed, my favorite coming from a rather vain guy with a big helmet. While good - much better than the critical consensus suggests, at least - I wouldn't quite call it great considering how much it cribs from better action fare like The Raid. Also, the movie's leanness is more strength than weakness, but deeper world and character building wouldn't have hurt. If you're a fan of that 2011 classic, you're still bound to enjoy this one in spite of its derivations, and when it comes to streaming exclusives from this summer, it's one of the better ones (much better than that $200 million exclusive on that other service, at least).



Victim of The Night

Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11629360

Bad Boys - (1995)

Standard 90s Michael Bay action here, with plenty of explosions, gunplay, chases, murders, crime and torture. This film's strongest card though is it's humour and the chemistry between Martin Lawrence and Will "Keep my wife's name out your f***ing mouth!" Smith. It's big brash and dumb (and was Bay's feature directorial debut.) As it ended I felt satisfied with the sheer amount of destruction and pyrotechnics I'd witnessed. I might have loved this if I'd seen it when I was a kid, but I've only now decided to check it out.

6/10
I saw it in the theater and then once more at home and I think that's pretty much how I felt about it.





This got some hate towards it for some reason, I enjoyed every minute.



SF = Z


[Snooze Factor Ratings]:
Z = didn't nod off at all
Zz = nearly nodded off but managed to stay alert
Zzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed
Zzzz = nodded off and missed some of the film but went back to watch what I missed but nodded off again at the same point and therefore needed to go back a number of times before I got through it...
Zzzzz = nodded off and missed some or the rest of the film but was not interested enough to go back over it



I forgot the opening line.

By May be found at the following website: [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39391687

To Sir, With Love - (1967)

In 1955, Sidney Poitier appeared in a film called Blackboard Jungle as a student in an unruly class that is tamed by Glenn Ford - 12 years later he was the teacher in James Clavell's To Sir, With Love - one of the stronger films of this particular genre. What I like about this film is it isn't your usual "Teacher arrives at a school - takes over a class gone wild - tames them - the end" story. Sure, his Mark Thackeray manages to win the students over by treating them as adults (and expecting the same from them) - but he's always on the brink of losing them again, and at times he does lose them. It makes for a more complex narrative. I happen to love the ending (spoilers coming) - where he rips up his better-paying chosen-career-path acceptance letter when he realises, with much emotion, the difference he's made and what a loss that will be to the next year's students if he leaves. Quality film, with all other aspects rising to the excellence of it's screenplay.

8/10


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Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - (1967)

It was a difficult path for 1960s filmmakers to navigate, but what comes through in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is Spencer Tracy's speech at the end. The best scene is where Poitier's Dr. John Wade Prentice faces off against his father, who thinks his son owes him big because of the sacrifices he made for him. I've always enjoyed this - it's a movie that relies heavily on it's screenplay, and focuses closely on it's characters and their words. Katherine Hepburn is great. At the time this film was made, it was still illegal in some U.S. states for a black person and a white person to marry. There's still a long way to go though.

7/10


By May be found at the following website: IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11629245

Bad Boys II - (2003)

The budget for Bad Boys was $19 million. The budget for Bad Boys II was $130 million. Bigger. More explosive. Longer (way, way longer.) This film is a little uneven and helter skelter, but there are moments of pure insanity that must have had cinemas rocking. The story is less satisfying, but the action and set-pieces are great enough that this equals the first film despite having a barely discernable plot - and that team of Lawrence and Smith keep the funny banter coming. As far as sequels go, this one isn't bad.

6/10


By The poster art can or could be obtained from the distributor., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1941571

Dogma - (1999)

It was Dogma that made me realise Kevin Smith wasn't for me - and I simply endured it to see Bud Cort's cameo. The screenplay is smug, and thinks it has religion completely figured out and owned. It doesn't.

4/10
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Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)



LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
(1986, Oz)
A musical



"♫ If you wanna be profound, if you really gotta justify, take a breath and look around, a lot of folks deserve to die! ♪"

Little Shop of Horrors follows meek Seymour (Rick Moranis), an employee at a decrepit flower shop that stumbles upon a mysterious carnivorous plant. When he realizes the plant is sentient and wanting to be fed... with people, Seymour struggles between complying with the plant to maintain his newfound popularity or doing the right thing to protect his friends as well as his co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene), whom he is secretly in love with.

Based on the off-Broadway musical, the film retains the stage-like qualities as far as the set design goes. It doesn't try to hide that it is a stage play, but rather embraces its nature in a wonderfully playful way. Despite this, it doesn't shy away from going all-in as far as top-notch special effects go, because the whole practical effects to make Audrey II, the carnivorous plant, come to life are amazing.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot
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The Appointment (1981)

A weird and dreamlike UK horror. It doesn't seem to make any sense and very little ever happens. It does have a decent atmosphere, though, and despite being borderline boring it's also somewhat fascinating.

--
The Witch: Part 2, The Other One (2022)

As far as I can remember, this has very little to do with part 1. It's very confusing and unlike its predecessor, it's a full-blown superhero movie. Quite a disappointment compared to part 1.

--
Malatesta's Carnival of Blood (1973)

Another horror to be described as weird and dreamlike. The idea is fine but the execution lags far behind. Few good ideas aren't enough to salvage much, but at least it isn't garbage.

--
Moloch (2022)

A cliched Dutch horror. Nothing memorable (I even had to check the film details to remember what it was) but it's competent enough not to piss you off. Still, probably the worst film of this patch.

--
The Black Forest (2018)

A Brazilian horror that doesn't lack the effort but could use some more talent. It has some obvious Evil Dead homages. There's a sequel too but I haven't found it anywhere.

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Cast a Deadly Spell (1991)

An HBO movie that tries to combine film noir, Lovecraft, and urban fantasy. Worldbuilding is the biggest flaw as there's no logic in how things work. Too much magic for the world to even resemble ours. It has a very light, comedic tone and it definitely doesn't adhere to modern sensibilities (thumbs up for that).

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The Big Boss (1971)

I haven't seen any Bruce Lee films since my childhood so I took an advantage of our national television streaming service. The story is rather weak and the action could have started earlier. The fight scenes are OK and positively brutal.

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The Gray Man (2022)

It's a brainless action film that really should have been made R-rated. I would have loved this as a kid and the characters felt like they were written with some 10 to 15-year-old boys in mind. Immature, stupid, but oddly entertaining.

--
Prey (2022)

Continues the same mediocrity that the franchise has been since the 90s. It's touted as a "return to form" because of its female empowerment aspects. It has beautiful settings and a great concept, but modern feminist slogans don't sit too well with 18th-century Comanches and the horrible CGI animals are a real turn-off. The final conflict and the epilogue are disappointing.
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The Witch: Part 2, The Other One (2022)

As far as I can remember, this has very little to do with part 1. It's very confusing and unlike its predecessor, it's a full-blown superhero movie. Quite a disappointment compared to part 1.
Damn, this is disappointing to read as Part 1 - The Subversion was pretty decent imo so I had been quite keen to get to Part 2 at some point



Damn, this is disappointing to read as Part 1 - The Subversion was pretty decent imo so I had been quite keen to get to Part 2 at some point
Yeah, I liked the first one, too. My expectations for the sequel went down when I read that it's not a real sequel (the main protagonist from the first film isn't in the whole movie even though the first one practically, or as far as I can remember, ended in a cliffhanger of sorts). I don't remember reading anything really positive about part 2.



Victim of The Night

By May be found at the following website: [1], Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39391687

To Sir, With Love - (1967)

In 1955, Sidney Poitier appeared in a film called Blackboard Jungle as a student in an unruly class that is tamed by Glenn Ford - 12 years later he was the teacher in James Clavell's To Sir, With Love - one of the stronger films of this particular genre. What I like about this film is it isn't your usual "Teacher arrives at a school - takes over a class gone wild - tames them - the end" story. Sure, his Mark Thackeray manages to win the students over by treating them as adults (and expecting the same from them) - but he's always on the brink of losing them again, and at times he does lose them. It makes for a more complex narrative. I happen to love the ending (spoilers coming) - where he rips up his better-paying chosen-career-path acceptance letter when he realises, with much emotion, the difference he's made and what a loss that will be to the next year's students if he leaves. Quality film, with all other aspects rising to the excellence of it's screenplay.

8/10
I saw this randomly late one night on TCM and I was pretty fond of it. I usually do not like these kinds of films but a) Sidney Poitier and b) I liked the kids and as you say, the way he nearly "loses them".
And the ending, yes, it gives one the feels even if, in a lesser movie or maybe just with a lesser actor, one might roll their eyes.



Victim of The Night
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
(1986, Oz)
A musical





Little Shop of Horrors follows meek Seymour (Rick Moranis), an employee at a decrepit flower shop that stumbles upon a mysterious carnivorous plant. When he realizes the plant is sentient and wanting to be fed... with people, Seymour struggles between complying with the plant to maintain his newfound popularity or doing the right thing to protect his friends as well as his co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene), whom he is secretly in love with.

Based on the off-Broadway musical, the film retains the stage-like qualities as far as the set design goes. It doesn't try to hide that it is a stage play, but rather embraces its nature in a wonderfully playful way. Despite this, it doesn't shy away from going all-in as far as top-notch special effects go, because the whole practical effects to make Audrey II, the carnivorous plant, come to live are amazing.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot
YES!!!

I'm so pleased someone else saw it the way I see it. This has become a staple for me over the last few years.
And Ellen Greene's "Suddenly Seymour" (yes, I know it's a duet but god does she soar on that one) is something I end up "rewinding" and watching over and over before I can proceed.
I also love the 60's Girl Group (a la The Supremes or Martha and the Vandellas) as Greek Chorus.



Victim of The Night

--
Malatesta's Carnival of Blood (1973)

Another horror to be described as weird and dreamlike. The idea is fine but the execution lags far behind. Few good ideas aren't enough to salvage much, but at least it isn't garbage.

--
Boo.

(Also, vis a vis Cast A Deadly Spell,
WARNING: "the main spoiler" spoilers below
how'd you like the World being saved by a married cop committing Statutory Rape? )



YES!!!

I'm so pleased someone else saw it the way I see it. This has become a staple for me over the last few years.
And Ellen Greene's "Suddenly Seymour" (yes, I know it's a duet but god does she soar on that one) is something I end up "rewinding" and watching over and over before I can proceed.
I also love the 60's Girl Group (a la The Supremes or Martha and the Vandellas) as Greek Chorus.
I get more into it, including the "Greek chorus" on the full review.



THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL
(1951, Wise)



"I am fearful when I see people substituting fear for reason."

Set during the Cold War, The Day the Earth Stood Still begins with a flying saucer landing in the middle of Washington, DC creating all kinds of panic. When a humanoid called Klaatu (Michael Rennie), accompanied by a mysterious robot, claims to have an important message for all humanity, fear becomes the main threat among the population.

This is one of those films that always comes up in pop culture references and discussions about classic films, and understandably so. Even though some things could be seen as typical 50's scifi goofiness in the surface, the truth is that the film manages to instill an effective sense of dread and uneasiness regarding the nature of Klaatu's visit as well as what makes the robot Gort tick.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot



Victim of The Night
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL
(1951, Wise)
A film about aliens or alien abductions





Set during the Cold War, The Day the Earth Stood Still begins with a flying saucer landing in the middle of Washington, DC creating all kinds of panic. When a humanoid called Klaatu (Michael Rennie), accompanied by a mysterious robot, claims to have an important message for all humanity, fear becomes the main threat among the population.

This is one of those films that always comes up in pop culture references and discussions about classic films, and understandably so. Even though some things could be seen as typical 50's scifi goofiness in the surface, the truth is that the film manages to instill an effective sense of dread and uneasiness regarding the nature of Klaatu's visit as well as what makes the robot Gort tick.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot
Man, I absolutely love this movie.



Victim of The Night
Hey, need some help here.

The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie is 2h 14m long.
The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie: Director's Cut is 1h 48m long.
I have never seen either.
I have also never seen a Director's Cut that was shorter than the Theatrical Cut.

Which should I watch?



Hey, need some help here.

The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie is 2h 14m long.
The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie: Director's Cut is 1h 48m long.
I have never seen either.
I have also never seen a Director's Cut that was shorter than the Theatrical Cut.

Which should I watch?
Ive only watched the longer version, which I love even though I can see all of the extraneous footage some might think the movie would be improved by losing. But that shagginess of the narrative is part of the joy of Cassavetes. It shouldn't be restrained as common sense might insist even though this is probably what puts a lot of mainstream audiences off of him. He can let scenes go on for so long they begin to feel uncomfortable, or intrusive, or (to some) unnecessary. But all of this I think is vital towards what his films try to do.


I do know my friend, who is also a fan of the movie, didn't like the shorter cut nearly as much.


Have you seen any other Cassavetes?