Thief's Monthly Movie Loot - 2022 Edition

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IN THE BEGINNING WAS WATER AND SKY
(2017, Ward)
A film featuring Native American characters



"When you return, everything you know will be gone."

In the Beginning was Water and Sky opens with the ominous lede about the hundreds of Indian boarding schools that were opened during the 19th Century in the United States. Their goal was to eradicate Native American culture by "reeducating" Native children in the "American way".

The short follows a very loose narrative, but it mostly focuses on two of these children (Norma-Sue Hill and Shohnáhose Davin Bomberry) as they are taken from their tribe into one of these boarding schools. There they are witnesses to mistreatment, torture, and abuse from the leaders.

There is little dialogue, but director and writer Ryan Ward features some gorgeous visuals to send his message, accompanied by very effective use of Native music. The short seems to be an effort to create awareness about these events, so hopefully the more people see it, the less "gone" the Native American culture will be.

Grade:



At some point, knowing all the twists and turns, give it a rewatch. Incredibly rewarding on a second look.
I'm already thinking about a rewatch.



THE FALL
(2019, Glazer)
A film with the word "Fall" or "Autumn" in the title



"Our greatest strength lies not in never having fallen, but in rising every time we fall."

The Fall is a short film from Jonathan Glazer. Set in an undetermined time, it follows a mob of masked men pursuing one of them (also masked) and enacting some sort of trial on him. The sentence? To be dropped with a noose down an eternally deep well.

At 7 minutes and with pretty much no dialogue, there is not much that can be said about this in terms of story. But that doesn't seem to be Glazer's motive. Instead, he manages to create an eerie atmosphere that's as unsettling as some of the films we know him for.

The grotesque design of the masks, the creepy vibe of the minimalist score, it all comes together to create a nightmarish short. The above quote is not from the short, since it has no dialogue, but it might encapsulate what seems to be the philosophy of the lead character. You gotta rise again; not necessarily for pride, but for survival.

Grade:



WHAT'S OPERA, DOC?
(1957, Jones)
A film with a punctuation symbol on its title



"Be vewy quiet... I'm hunting wabbits."

Words that are familiar to anyone around my age. But when you add a bit of opera, to the mix, the results are even more hilarious. That is the premise of this animated short film from Chuck Jones and WB Merrie Melodies.

What's Opera, Doc? follows the familiar setup of Elmer Fudd chasing Bugs Bunny, while parodying various operas from 19th Century composer Richard Wagner, along with storms, earthquakes, an overweight horse, and some ballet.

This is a short I had seen several times since I was a kid, but I think this is the first time I've seen it with a more critical eye. It's quite impressive the attention to detail from Jones, writer Michael Maltese, and composer Milt Franklyn. The way they seamlessly weave this story with the music and the animation is definitely pwiceless.

Grade:



THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD
(1951, Nyby)
A scifi film • A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #9 (#984)



"No pleasure, no pain... no emotion, no heart. Our superior in every way."

In 1982, John Carpenter released The Thing, a mish-mash of scifi and body horror that is often considered one of the best sci-fi films and one of the best remakes out there. Granted, at the time I first saw it, I wasn't really aware that the film was a loose remake of an older film and an even older novella, but it quickly became a favorite of mine. Even though I found out about the original a long time ago, for some reason I had never checked it out, until now.

Released in 1951, The Thing from Another World follows a US Air Force crew sent to investigate an unusual aircraft crashing at the North Pole, and they end up finding an advanced but dangerous alien that feeds on other creature's blood. It's up to Captain Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) and his men to stop it.

This is one of those instances where it's good to know the context in which the film is released. Right at the peak of the Cold War, the presence of "the Thing" is meant to be seen as a metaphor of the threat of Communism sneaking up on us. Not sure if that was present in the novella, but it's very much in the film's DNA. From throwaway lines about the Russians being "all over the pole like flies" to the "ra-rah" closing warning to "keep watching the skies".

But regardless of whatever opinion you might have about that, the film is still a pretty tight sci-fi thriller. Even though it takes a bit to get things going, and the logistics of how the creature operates are not that clear, the film still manages to keep an atmosphere of tension. The film is also one step above the typical 50's sci-fi goofiness, and the way the creature is shot is quite menacing.

The cast is also fairly solid, even though some of their decisions doesn't make a lot of sense for a military crew. I would've preferred a more prolonged climax, with the creature posing more of a threat, but at 87 minutes, it is a pretty lean film. It might not reach the greatness of the remake, but it does what it needs to do to keep you engaged.

Grade:



BE NATURAL
THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ

(2018, Green)
Freebie



"How does one have the sense of *cinema*, when there was no *cinema*?"

Alice Guy-Blaché attended one of the first "surprise" film screenings from the Lumière brothers back in 1895, she started making films the next year for Léon Gaumont, was named Head of Production where she was one of the first, if not the first to explore with fictional storytelling as well as many other innovative film techniques... and still, most people – from regular audiences and cinephiles to actual filmmakers and scholars – don't know who she is. The fact that she was a woman either makes that fact more surprising, or sadly, more understandable.

Be Natural, from Pamela B. Green tries to correct that by chronicling Guy-Blaché's career, from 1895 to her death, and beyond. One of the things the documentary highlights is why so many people had/have never heard of her. The truth is that most of Guy-Blaché's work and contributions to film ended up being either dismissed, erased, or attributed to others. Maybe it was just a thing of time and place, but maybe it was ego or the nature of a male-driven society. Fortunately, Green does a great job of bringing it to the surface.

The documentary uses a very accessible visual style to lead you through all the years and events that led to how things ended up. It makes sense that Green's main job is as a title designer because, aside from the relevance of the story, the visuals were one of the main things that caught my eye as I watched this. She uses a very easy-to-follow and streamlined format to show you a chronological course of events.

The choice of interviewees is also very good, as it goes from film scholars and archivists to filmmakers like Agnès Varda, Martin Scorsese, and Peter Bogdanovich to Peter Farrelly, Ava DuVernay, and Patty Jenkins. The narration from Jodie Foster is also very effective and well handled. This is all paired with actual interviews with Guy-Blaché done in the 1960s. All of that made for a very engaging documentary that had me captivated from the very beginning.

It is hard to be an active filmmaker, let alone a successful one. Just by looking at the ratio of male vs. female directors, you can get the notion that it's even harder to be a female director; the cards are not stacked equally. But to be a female filmmaker at the dawn of the medium and create a path, instead of following others, well, that's a hell of a feat.

Grade:



THE CABBAGE-PATCH FAIRY
(1896, Guy-Blaché)
Freebie



So *this* is where Cabbage Patch Kids come from!


MADAME'S CRAVINGS
(1907, Guy-Blaché)
Freebie



Candy, absinthe, and tobacco... everything a growing baby needs!

A couple of old short films from Alice Guy-Blaché I saw in preparation for an interview for my podcast on female directors.



SUSPENSE
(1913, Weber & Smalley)
Freebie



"A tramp is prowling around the house!"

Words that no spouse wants to hear while their far away. The threat of danger to their family and the inability to do something has to be unbearable. That is the premise of this 1913 short film directed by Lois Weber and Phillips Smalley.

Suspense starts with a servant leaving a letter of notice to her bosses, leaving the mother and her baby alone. When the husband has to stay late at work, a vagrant takes advantage to sneak into the house and threaten the woman.

This is an impressive short for many reasons. First, the technical aspects and craft are great, especially for the time. There are numerous creative shots using mirrors and downward angles, and most notably, the split screen seen above. All of those were shots I really wasn't expecting in a 1913 film. Also, the car chase sequence between the police and the husband is neatly choreographed.

But finally, the way the short manages to build tension through the close-ups on the "tramp", and the back and forth editing between him, the mother, and the father was impressive. I really didn't expect being so on edge. A definitive must-watch, especially if you're a fan of early silent cinema.

Grade:



LA CONCEJALA ANTROPÓFAGA
(2009, Almodóvar)
A film from Pedro Almodóvar



"We have to recognize desire as the main driving force of a better society – when you desire someone you don’t usually wish them harm – unless they reject you that is"

That is one of the many mantras that the lead character of this short rambles on. Desire is key, which is probably why in 7 minutes runtime, she gives in to numerous bites of sweets and multiple snorts of cocaine, all while she talks and talks about sex and want, and how to wallow in it, and in God knows what else.

That is the setup of La concejala antropófaga (or The Cannibalistic Councillor), a short from Pedro Almodóvar. Conceived during the filming of Broken Embraces, the short follows Chon (Carmen Machi), a councillor that enjoys giving in to her, umm, desires and talking about them.

I've never seen Broken Embraces (or any Almodóvar film, other than Bad Education), so I don't know how the short plays into that narrative, but it doesn't seem necessary. What I do know is that it stars Machi, who I already knew from a hilarious Spanish sitcom called Aida. Apparently, Almodóvar liked her performance so much that he wrote this short in one day, and let Machi run wild with it.

Aside from Machi and the script, I really liked the way Almodóvar framed his shots, and also the way he used colors in everything; from Machi's clothes to the set decoration and the whole mise-en-scène. For someone that's not familiar with his work, this brief short really piqued my interests about his films. Maybe I should finally give into them.

Grade:



THE HUMAN VOICE
(2020, Almodóvar)
A film from Pedro Almodóvar



"I'm a waste. I'm a ruin of what I once was."

"Breaking up is hard to do", said the song. It leaves us in misery and pain, it brings back memories of better times and makes us want to crave that again. That is the predicament in which Tilda Swinton's character finds herself in this Pedro Almodóvar short.

The Human Voice follows Swinton's unnamed character as she walks around a stage/apartment, apparently after being left by her lover. After some cathartic moments of frustration and anger, she receives a call from the man, who we never see or listen, and she proceeds to talk with him for the rest of the short going through a series of emotional ups and downs.

Like La concejala antropófaga, this is another opportunity that Almodóvar gives to an actress, Swinton in this case, to run wild with a monologue that seems to be tailored for her. This one is actually based on a play, but Swinton totally owns the role and makes the most out of every sentence and inflection. She is spectacular in it.

I was again impressed by Almodóvar's shot framing, use of color, set decoration, and overall mise-en-scène. If this is how he directs, I'm definitely gonna have to check out more of his stuff.

Grade:



I mainline Windex and horse tranquilizer
Kill da wabbit?




And yeah - as much as I love The Thing, The Thing From Another World is a solid sci fi flick. I remember watching that as a kid before I ever saw Carpenter's.
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THE 9TH GUEST
(1934, Neill)
A film with the number 9 (Nine, Ninth, etc.) in its title



"You are about to meet my guest of honour: the ninth guest... his name is Death."

The 9th Guest follows a group of eight guests invited at a mysterious party by an unknown host. As they settle in, they are informed that they are part of a deadly game which will result in the death of each of them. Is the ninth guest "death" itself? or is "death" within one of them?

I've always said that one of the best things of this monthly challenge is to stumble upon films I probably wouldn't have stumbled any other way. I think this is one of those cases, and the fact that the film ended up being a pleasant surprise makes it all the more, well, pleasant.

With a simple premise and a brief runtime of 65 minutes, The 9th Guest is a breezy and entertaining "whodunit" that manages to keep you guessing until the end. Most of the characters are colorful and well-delineated, even if some of their introductions feel a bit scattered. Edward Ellis and Hardie Albright are probably the top scene stealers of the bunch.

Unfortunately, the two characters that end up being the leads are a bit on the bland side, and the revelation of who's behind the game feels a bit convoluted. Despite that, for most of its brief duration, I enjoyed being another guest at this party.

Grade:



LA LLORONA
(2019, Bustamante)
A film from Central America (Guatemala)



"Without justice, there is no peace."

That is the frequent chant of protesters angered at the favorable verdict against ruthless Guatemalan dictator Enrique Monteverde (Julio Díaz). But the chant can also be seen as the spiritual verdict that hangs above Monteverde's head for his past; there'll be no peace around him or within him, until he faces his wrongdoings. That is the premise of this slow burning, atmospheric Guatemalan film.

I didn't know much about La Llorona, but saw it mentioned on several lists as I was looking for a good Central American film. I have to say that it was absolutely nothing like I was expecting. This is not the cheap, jumpscare filled, monster film that you might be led to believe, but rather a quite profound psychological thriller/drama with very strong political core about a man and his family haunted by guilt and regret.

From the first shot, the direction of Jayro Bustamante shines as he shows a great talent for framing and composition, as well as a patience to let the camera linger as we see every family member is suffering the fallout of Monteverde's crimes. The manifestation of these comes in the form of Alma (María Mercedes Coroy), a young villager that comes to work for the family as a maid. But is there more to her than what it seems?

The whole nature of the film did caught me off guard, but in a positive way. I'm all for a good political drama/thriller with dark undertones. However, I don't think it was executed as well as it could've. I also have no issues with a film's slow pace, but this one pushes it perhaps a bit too much as it waits until the very last minutes to pay off, and in some ways, it feels like it fizzles out.

Regardless of that, the film has a lot on its favor. All of the performances are pretty good, especially Margarita Kenéfic as Monteverde's wife, Carmen. But then again, I feel most of the character beats are too muted and subdued. But in general, La Llorona is an extremely well assembld film, with a great direction that creates an effective atmosphere of dread and fear. Whether it brings proper justice or peace, it's up to you.

Grade:



Here is my final tally for SEPTEMBER 2022

A film with the number 9 (Nine, Ninth, etc.) in its title: The 9th Guest
A film that starts with the letters Q or R: Rejected (short film)
A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #9 (i.e. 19, 590, 980): The Thing from Another World (#984)
A film from the 1990s: Eve's Bayou, A League of Their Own
A scifi film: Predestination
A film with the word "Fall" or "Autumn" in the title: The Fall (short film)
A film with a punctuation symbol on its title (Nat'l Punctuation Day, September 24): What's Opera, Doc?
A film featuring Native American characters (Native American Day, September 23): In the Beginning was Water and Sky (short film)
A film from Central America (Act of Independence of Central America, September 15): La Llorona (2019)
A film from Pedro Almodóvar (born September 25): La concejala antropófaga, The Human Voice

Freebie: Peninsula, Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché, The Cabbage-Patch Fairy, Madame's Cravings, Suspense.







Lots of interesting stuff in this bunch. I would say that the Be Natural documentary was probably the best thing I saw. I really enjoyed it. But out of the others, maybe Predestination was the one that got to me more. I thought it was a really interesting, well made and cerebral scifi thriller. The Fall and Suspense were also nice surprises.

As for worst? I don't think there was a bad one in these, but maybe Peninsula was the most disappointing? It was a fun ride, and I wasn't expecting it to be as good as the first one, based on everything I had read, but in some corner of my mind, I was still a bit disappointed.



And here are the categories for OCTOBER 2022

A film with the number 10 (Ten, Tenth, etc.) in its title:
A film that starts with the letters S or T:
A film from the TSPDT 1,000 Greatest Films list whose ranking includes the #10 (i.e. 10, 107, 610):
A film from the 2000s:
A thriller film:
A film about a virus (Virus Appreciation Day, October 3):
A film from Uganda (Independence Day, October 9):
A film from Ed Wood (born October 10):
A film with a pronoun in its title (Int'l Pronouns Day, October 19):
A film about werewolves (Worldwide Howl at the Moon Night, October 26):



Latest episode of The Movie Loot is out. In honor of the #DirectedByWomen initiative, I talk with writer, editor, and Twitter friend Sylvie about female directors, their struggles and contributions to film; from Alice Guy-Blaché and Ida Lupino to Jane Campion and Lynne Ramsay. Check it out!

The Movie Loot 69: The Women's Loot (with Sylvie)

You can check it out on the above link, or on any of these podcasting platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other. Thanks for the support!



CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD
(1980, Fulci)
Freebie



"At midnight on Monday, we go into All Saint's Day. The night of the dead begins. If the portholes of hell aren't shut before, no dead body will ever rest in peace. The dead will rise up all over the world and take over the Earth!"

In a small village called Dunwich, a priest hangs himself in a cemetery. This action sparks the above warning which moves forward the plot of this film. City of the Living Dead follows Mary (Catriona MacColl), a psychic that saw the vision of the priest, as she is joined by Gerry (Carlo de Mejo), a psychiatrist, and Peter (Christopher George), a journalist, as they race against time to save humanity from the dead.

I struggled a bit to find the proper phrasing for that synopsis, but the thing is that there isn't much logic to what happens, nor is it necessary. Why does Father Thomas kill himself? why does his actions result in the dead rising? What does he want? Why All Saint's Day? None of it really matters, other than to give an atmosphere to this eerie zombie film.

Directed by Lucio Fulci after the success of Zombi, it is expected that the film would bring what made that film popular; lots of decaying zombies and tons of icky gore, which I suppose is what most people will come looking for when they watch it. Heads are cracked open, brains are squeezed and ripped apart, guts are thrown out, eyes bleed; not to mention maggots a-plenty.

Fulci brings the gore, but also a decent amount of tension and a nightmarish eerie vibe. There's a particular scene with someone buried alive that had me fidgeting, not because of anything icky, but because Fulci is patient enough to extend it to a point where the tension is almost unbearable. There is also a sense of unexpectedness in that no character seems to be safe, which also helps heighten the tension.

However, I wish there would've been a bit more of attention and care put into the script. It seems a bit haphazardly assembled, and the pace in the first half is a bit clunky as the characters are introduced. Things do pick up in the second half, and the whole style and vibe of it makes it work for the most part. So if you're in the mood for something gory, tense, and not particularly deep, this might be for you.

Grade: