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I forgot the opening line.
I don't, You must be older than I assumed.

You're helping me feel my age there. I'm old enough to remember that.
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Latest Review : Le Circle Rouge (1970)



I forgot the opening line.

By IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3464902/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46758339

The Lobster - (2015)

Where do I even start? Yorgos Lanthimos (and Efthymis Filippou) have created their own world with The Lobster - one of strange logic and surreal, absurdist traits that help chisel away at the way our society obsesses over the status of being a couple or being single. I loved the way they were willing to push certain parameters in ways that were ridiculous and a lot of fun. Was it Kurosawa who said "It is wonderful to create"? Everyone here, including the performers, are simply having a great time - you can see just under the surface how afraid everyone is in this strange world, but things are as they are - who's to question it? Being single means booking into a hotel where you either find a mate within the specified 45 days or get changed into an animal. In the meantime, guests hunt single people in a nearby forest and are taught lessons on why being single is very undesirable and dangerous. Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw and John C. Reilly are all great - and very funny. There is so much to this, and so many moments, that deserve comment - but it's best to just watch the film and see firsthand.

9/10


Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3598461

Barking Dogs Never Bite - (2000)

I just felt like finishing off Bong Joon-ho's filmography, since this was the only feature film of his I hadn't seen. It's not one of his best, but it's still pretty good and showcases a lot of his comedic leanings and moments where he steps into areas other filmmakers wouldn't dare go - moments of heightened horror and comedy can occur in his films, only for them to continue on their melodramatic course as normal. He does that so often that I never know what might happen next in his films - and that ability to make me tense and uncertain is valuable. His films are never predictable - and neither is this. If you love dogs - you might have a little difficulty with it, but at the same time, loving dogs helps you to appreciate it as well. There's no sea creature, serial killer or genetically mutated pig in this - but Bong Joon-ho is well able to create a great narrative just from contemporary South Korean life.

7.5/10


By IMP Awards / 2021 Movie Poster Gallery / Candyman Poster (#2 of 5), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63213261

Candyman - (2021)

A rewatch after enjoying the original for the first time - and it helps to enjoy this film, knowing the events from the first. I still don't think it comes near the classic status of the original - lightning doesn't strike twice, but I liked it a little better. It was interesting, the way it played with the lore and the meaning of myth and injustice.

6.5/10





Not bad, but nowhere near as good as part one. Almost finished the third movie & I know I am going to say that part one totally outshone the other two parts.


I think this is the second best of the trilogy & I still believe part 1 is the very best.
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FAT GIRL
(2001, Breillat)





Fat Girl follows the relationship of sisters, Anaïs and Elena (Anaïs Pingot and Roxanne Mesquida) as they each face their respective coming-of-age issues and sexual awakening in very different ways. The contrast between both is the central focus of this drama from Catherine Breillat.

The film extends that juxtaposition also to how supporting characters approach and treat the sisters. From Elena's new "boyfriend" (Liberto de Rienzo) to a key character in the last act, we are left to wonder on the differences and similarities between both treatments, and how much lies, deceit, and violence play into the "game".

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot and the HOF30.
Very good movie.



CURVE
(2016, Egan)



"It's an alive space. It talks to her through those sounds and the screams. It wants her to fail, and it wants her to be... most important thing is it wants her to despair. It wants her to give up."

That's how filmmaker Tim Egan describes the setting of his eerie short film, Curve. Released in 2016, it follows a young woman (Laura Jane Turner) that wakes up on a ledge in a mysterious place. Injured, alone, and at the risk of falling to an abyss, the woman tries to desperately cling to life.

This is a short film I had seen a couple of years ago, and it certainly left a mark. I love the way it creates this creepy atmosphere through its minimalist visuals and the awesome sound design. Like Egan himself said, it all works to give this setting an almost antagonistic persona that is determined to make this woman give up and fall.

I had the fortune to talk with Egan for an upcoming episode of my podcast, and it was great to pick his brain about all the little details that he puts on this, and all his thought process while crafting such a cool short film. Curve is the very definition of "less is more".

Grade:
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THE FOLLOW
(2001, Wong)



"If you get too close, move into their blind spot. If you lose them... just keep moving, hope for the best."

The Follow is one of several short films commissioned by BMW to serve as "glorified car ads" at the turn of the century. They follow a nameless driver (Clive Owen) hired to perform different tasks. What's notable is that they manage to nab big names and stars like Tony Scott, Guy Ritchie, Ang Lee, Gary Oldman, Don Cheadle, and in this case, Forest Whitaker, Mickey Rourke, and Wong Kar-wai.

The only other short I've seen from the series, Beat the Devil, was directed by Tony Scott, and it was 100% him; from the adrenaline and the sheer kinetic energy of it. I'm not an expert on Wong, but one can feel this is purely his flavor. As interesting as it is to watch, it is remarkable the way in which the business/marketing aspect of the short meets the artistic angle of the crew involved, and I'm all for it.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot




(WHAT THE F*CK DO YOU MEAN)
WE BOUGHT A ZOO?

(2023, Sullivan)



"You bought a zoo... Why would you do that?? What do you know about zoos??"
"I don't know. The-the usual amount. I-I-I know it has animals."

Zoos are magical places, with the ability to unite people, mend differences, and heal families... or at least that's what Matt Damon taught us. Which is why Harold (Doug Herbert) wants to buy a zoo in this silly, funny short film from my good friend, Todd Sullivan.

The film follows his enthusiastic presentation to his family, and their subsequent reaction. It is a very simple short, but for the most part, successful in what it wants to do. The comedic timing from Herbert is solid, and the rest of the cast does a good work, especially Kelsey Bell as the daughter.

Grade:



Full review on my Movie Loot



Deep Cover (1992) had a lot going for it: young Lawrence Fishburne and a completely out of place Jeff Goldblum, a pretty righteous soundtrack that anticipates the gangsta rap era, and Bill Duke at the helm.*

For all that, I felt let down by the story. It kind of wants to be a crime epic in the style of Infernal Affairs but it just doesn’t have the heft. There’s a romantic subplot that I stopped caring about and a completely standard noir twist. I’ll give it a 3/5 based on 90s nostalgia vibes.



...THE NARROW MARGIN 1952 Richard Fleischer
+ (74/100)

1h 11m | Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller
Writers: Earl Felton, Martin Goldsmith, Jack Leonard
Cast: Charles McGraw, Marie Windsor, Jacqueline White, Gordon Gebert, Queenie Leonard
I love that film. A great noir with the always captivating queen of the B's, Marie Windsor. And McGraw is the guy I always thought looked like Dick Tracy. The film built nice tension, and had a great twist ending.



A KILLER APP
(2010, Malicki-Sanchez)



Greg: "Look, there was an accident last night. Jewel... died, and I connected a transmitter to the back of her neck, and I can control it from an app that I wrote for my phone... and it works. No one will ever know."
Randy: "Whatever"

That is precisely what this short film offers. A Killer App was made by actor/singer and friend Keram Malicki-Sanchez as a college project more than a decade ago. He shared it with me when I told him I was doing an episode on short films, and although it has some of the warts and wrinkles of a student project, it is still pretty funny in its silliness.

Like the above quote clearly says, the film follows Greg (Sean Ridgway), a computer "nerd" who ends up killing his nagging girlfriend (Aimee-Lynn Chadwick) in a moment of rage. After hooking her up with some electronics, he codes an app to control her from his cell phone. But things don't go as planned when their neighbor (Jon Sharkey) finds out about it.

The direction feels a bit frenetic at times, but there are some good moments of blocking and framing. Also, Ridgway is pretty good as the lead with some pretty effective deadpan delivery. A Killer App might have been just "a college project"... but it works.

Grade:



PEE SOUP
(2021, Sullivan)



"I ordered pea soup"
"And... that is *exactly* what I brought you"

Pee Soup is yet another short film from my friend Todd Sullivan. It follows a diner (Carlo Sia) and a unique waiter (Matthew Che'z) in a... unique sidewalk cafe. Todd shared this with me a couple of weeks ago as well, and I've been laughing at it since. Maybe I'm an easy target, but I find pretty much everything in it perfect. The delivery and timing from both actors is on point, the music is perfect, and the way it subverts our expectations had me rolling. What can I say? It's a short film titled "pee soup", and that is *exactly* what it brings

Grade:



I forgot the opening line.

By IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1177773...er/rm31585537/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69847306

A Hero - (2021)

I honestly thought that this more recent Asghar Farhadi film would see the great filmmaker with his pure genius slightly spent, and that I'd enjoy this a little less than I did the likes of A Seperation or The Salesman. That wasn't true at all. A Hero is brilliant. A Hero seemed to be as good as Bicycle Thieves to me. It's a real soul-destroyer, and speaks to just about everything I feel about humanity - it's hatreds, it's unfairness, it's yearning to do better, and the way it's sometimes impossible to do better. It's about a man in jail who does the right thing when out on weekend release, and you know how any good deed never goes unpunished? Yes - he does something so noble and honorable, and in return he's destroyed by his fellow countrymen in the saddest and most heart-achingly way. This speaks to how good people end up frustrated and unfairly maligned through simple hatred. It's the love of family and friends, and it's our defenselessness in the face of society and social media. There's so much pain weaved through this, but also so much humanity and love. Asghar Farhadi is the greatest.

10/10


By http://www.impawards.com/2013/snowpi...ver27_xlg.html, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40911316

Snowpiercer - (2013)

Snowpiercer surprised me again on rewatch - this film had absolutely no right to be as good as it is. I mean, on the face of it, it's a pretty dumb action film, but Bong Joon-ho turns it into a mighty parable of the world and the way it works. If it were treated too seriously, it would fall apart, but through every step we're reminded of how the train in this film reflects the way the world works, and as such we're not questioning the absurdity of the situation - we're nodding sagely between frequent bouts of explosive combat and exciting moments of suspense. Add the likes of Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Octavia Spencer and Ed Harris and you've got a film that I'm right on board with. This film should be so stupid, and would normally have been a throw-away - but I must admit I have a little bit of love for Snowpiercer.

8/10



Raven73's Avatar
Boldly going.
Space Battleship Yamato (2010)
6.5/10.
The anime TV show (also known as Star Blazers) was much better. The entire movie was told from the perspective of the Yamato crew and they did away with the Gamilions' perspective, including the main antagonist, the charismatic leader Dessler, which really took half the fun out of it.
WARNING: "ending" spoilers below
They also killed off Kodai and destroyed the Yamato, which eliminated any chance of doing a sequel, probably because they knew how bad the movie was.

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30th Hall of Fame

Valley of the Dolls (1967) -


Before I start this review, let me note that I'm not one who tends to pay attention to acting, so while I don't disagree with criticisms that the acting is mediocre, I didn't notice the apparent bad acting much and, therefore, I wasn't bothered by it. What I instead saw was a compelling story with a couple flaws here and there. If acting and dialogue are deal breakers for you though, you probably won't enjoy this film and may be bothered by the disconnect between the unintentionally funny bits and the straight-faced drama of the film. But again, these aren't elements I tend to care much about, so while I'm not going to pretend this is a good film, it is a good film for me. I, for one, was taken in by the three main characters as their individual stories of faded dreams and the forces both inside and outside their control which tore them down throughout the film were compelling and made for a handful of tragic scenes. Jennifer's final scene stuck out as especially moving, in fact. And this is all topped with the melancholy look of various shots and the haunting soundtrack from Dionne Warwick. The only thing holding my rating back is how certain phases of the individual character arcs felt rushed. Because of that, the breakdown-recovery-breakdown cycle didn't always feel true to the characters. The worst offender for this was Neely's actions after being released from the sanitorium. The execution of her arc after that felt very hodgepodge and some more breathing room would've worked wonders. Fortunately though, the film is mostly well-executed and, while the hammy bits will provide a cap to many people's enjoyment of it, I enjoyed my time with it well enough.
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Letterboxd







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



"Good" movie is an interesting question, depends on what you're in the mood for. Tonight, it was the movie I HAD to see, Cocaine Bear. It was playing in a nearby art house, downtown in the city, near an excellent food hall, so it was a "Dinner and a Movie" night.

An excellent addition to that genre I can't name, that is populated by movies like Snakes on a Plane, Tarantula, Hssssss, Night of the Lepus, and GOK how many other creature features, the protagonist in this one is pretty easy to identify. A big cocaine shipment falls from a plane and before the drug runners can retrieve it, some of it gets eaten and inhaled by none other that the local grizzly bear, with the expected results. Havoc prevails in the lonely western waste, inhabitants are gobbled, dismembered and terrified, by the run amok bear. Bullets only slow it down; there are cubs too. The local populace is none too astute.

It's one of the few movies I've seen recently that delivered exactly what it promised...a crazed, coked up bear and lots of cheesy carnage. It's also the RIP for Ray Liotta, who had his last role here. Ray seemed to be enjoying himself being creepy and threatening to the end.




"Good" movie is an interesting question, depends on what you're in the mood for. Tonight, it was the movie I HAD to see, Cocaine Bear. It was playing in a nearby art house, downtown in the city, near an excellent food hall, so it was a "Dinner and a Movie" night.

An excellent addition to that genre I can't name, that is populated by movies like Snakes on a Plane, Tarantula, Hssssss, Night of the Lepus, and GOK how many other creature features, the protagonist in this one is pretty easy to identify. A big cocaine shipment falls from a plane and before the drug runners can retrieve it, some of it gets eaten and inhaled by none other that the local grizzly bear, with the expected results. Havoc prevails in the lonely western waste, inhabitants are gobbled, dismembered and terrified, by the run amok bear. Bullets only slow it down; there are cubs too. The local populace is none too astute.

It's one of the few movies I've seen recently that delivered exactly what it promised...a crazed, coked up bear and lots of cheesy carnage. It's also the RIP for Ray Liotta, who had his last role here. Ray seemed to be enjoying himself being creepy and threatening to the end.

is it good? me and my support worker gonna see it next week?