Rate The Last Movie You Saw

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who would be somewhat or even eagerly excited that a movie about the relatively obscure character of Madam Web had been made, and those who couldn't much care. If you're in the latter category, it is probably best to stay as far away from the movie as possible. Definitely don't spend on a first-run ticket theater (unless you're a die-hard fan of Dakota Johnson).

There is another category to contemplate: people who love camp. If you're in this category, I would say Madame Web is certainly worth your time (though even then, you may want to wait for its streaming debut). I think the movie is gloriously cheesy in the worst imaginable way (which in this case, means "good", of course).

It's essentially a mad-scientist B-movie that, unlike the original mad-scientist B-movies from the 50s and 60s, has NOT been made on a shoestring budget. There is, perhaps, a bit of cognitive dissonance that is involved in appreciating just how closely this imitates the overall writing and acting skills of those old B-movies, while it looks like it was made on what Hollywood calls a "mid-budget" - somewhere under $100 million.

But if you can get past that small mental hurdle, there's a lot to enjoy - in the same way you would enjoy a hare-brained, low-budget mad-scientist movie made over half a century ago. In that sense, at least, it is an absolute triumph, managing to bring back the spirit of old sci-fi B-movies that Hollywood today doesn't seem to even remember.

Rye Lane (2023)


Sweet and amusing British rom-com about two people who meet when both are still reeling from break ups and spend an unexpected day together. Features some quirky directorial touches and a fun cameo. Good music too.

Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror - This one from 1942 veers away from the fogbound whodunits that were the character's stock in trade and places him squarely in the trenches of a wartime England. An unknown speaker is airing regular radio broadcasts taunting the British government and it's people. He tells of precisely timed acts of sabotage that promptly take place. The speaker's aim is to demoralize the British populace and undermine the war effort. British Intelligence and the "Inner Council" are stymied and Holmes is called in by Sir Evan Barham (Reginald Dey).

This was the third Rathbone/Bruce film and the first foray from Universal Studios after acquiring the franchise from 20th Century Fox. The contrast of lighting and deep shadows gives it an almost noirish vibe. I suppose they wanted to turn out a distinctive product and differentiate themselves and they did for the most part. There's also a fair bit of patriotic exhortation going on especially in a tavern scene in the Limehouse district of London. It might seem a bit out of place now but it's no different from all the rah-rah elements of US wartime productions. If anything this additional darkness and immediacy embodies what the UK had been through leading up to the actual start of filming. There's a lively and quite satisfying climax on a windswept cliff on the Southern coast of England with the bad guys thwarted and turncoats ferreted out. A brief and inspirational oration from Holmes closes out the proceedings. I have no doubt that it provided the intended morale boost.

80/100

FEBRUARY 13, 2024

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of...ss_(2022_film)

OUT OF DARKNESS (2022)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Frankenstein

LISA FRANKENSTEIN (2024)

I had absolutely no idea what movie I would be seeing before checking online what was going to be playing at my local theater online. No, seriously! It was going to be $7+ day at the local Marcus Theater on Tuesday, and there was nothing particularly compelling which was demanding my immediate attention. I had already seen The Beekeeper, Wonka, I.S.S. and Argylle - liking all of them to varying degrees, but not really being particularly bowled over by any one of them. And Bob Marley: One Love wasn't going to be out yet, so I had a choice between two rather interesting viewing options, ultimately opting to see both of them on the same day.

The first one, Out Of Darkness, is a kind of horror thriller set in prehistoric times, dealing with a group of people - not quite strangers, but not completely family - desperately traveling the wilderness searching for food and a place to live. Trouble arrives in the form of what appears to be a stealthy, invisible predator which stalks the group and abducts the youngest member, apparently with the intention of making him its next meal. But the real trouble comes from the psychological havoc wrought by this desperate survival situation that causes a certain member to turn on the others. Ultimately, the danger comes more from within the group than with anything outside of it. Yup, it's one of those "We have met the enemy, and it is us" sort of scenarios. Once again - and I'm saying this more often than I'd like to these days - the acting and the directing are certainly more than competent, and the movie is overall quite well-made, but I ultimately wasn't all that surprised or felt that I was seeing anything new. As far as "message movies" go - while not necessarily being a "message movie" per se - I felt that it was slightly on the nose. A couple of reasonably well-executed jump scares keep the audience alert, and the visuals are suitably dark, but ultimately I thought it was just okay. Sorry if that sounds jaded, but I've got to be honest. Don't listen to me, though. Go see for yourself and draw your own conclusions...

Considerably more than okay, however, is the Diablo Cody-penned horror comedy Lisa Frankenstein. Well, folks, I honestly don't know how to describe this one! I guess you could say it's a more fantastical variation on something like Heathers ("My teen angst BS has a body count!"), or perhaps the sort of film you'd get from the younger Tim Burton if he were more inclined to flirt with necrophilia. The story is totally insane, and I won't attempt to describe it in detail, but basically it's about a misfit teenage girl with a history of family tragedy who hangs out in a local cemetery and speaks to a bust of a handsome young Victorian-era man who's been buried there, idly wishing that they could be together. And her wish actually comes true when a green bolt of lightning strikes the grave and re-animates the guy's corpse. Suffice it to say that all manner of hilarity and grotesqueness ensues from that point onward, and I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen from scene to scene. And that's a feeling a truly enjoy experiencing when I watch a movie. I'm not saying Lisa Frankenstein is a masterpiece, mind you, but it's definitely a cinematic experience that will stick with you. Granted, a reaction of "What the f--- did I just see?!" does not in and of itself constitute a rave, but this one's got a brain and a pulse and an attitude, and I would heartily recommend it for those who desire to see something a little different!

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"It's what people know about themselves inside that makes 'em afraid." - Clint Eastwood as The Stranger, High Plains Drifter (1973)

The thing is that Loretta, a widow, is nearing her 40s, which has her perhaps a bit worried about her future in the romantic department. That is why when her boyfriend, Johnny (Danny Aiello), awkwardly proposes to her she accepts. But is he the right man? Early in the film, her mother Rose (Olympia Dukakis) asks her "Do you love him?", to which she casually replies "No", but he's the one she has.

However, things get complicated when she meets Johnny's estranged younger brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage). Sparks fly, and she has to decide whether to stick by her current boyfriend whom she doesn't love, or go for his brother who she's head over heels for. It might feel like a serious situation, but Norman Jewison's direction and John Patrick Shanley's script maintain a light, whimsical tone all through.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

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Prey - It was at best banal. They should have come up with something like Last of the Mohicans, like a tribe of Native Americans working with European settlers and their families working together as they're preyed upon by the predator.


2 out of 4 stars

Devotion (2022)

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[ J ] - [ S ] - [ F ]

Snow on tha Bluff follows Curtis Snow, a thief and drug dealer based in the Atlanta neighborhood called "The Bluff". When he steals a camera from a group of college students, Snow starts documenting his life and doings with his crew, which include drinking, playing pool, stealing from rival dealers, and running from the police.

Shot in the "found footage" style, the film is unique for putting a real-life in the forefront in Snow (portraying a fictionalized version of him), and giving us a glimpse of what is life like for him and his friends and neighbors. Although the film is not overly and explicitly violent, it does create an unsettling sense of dread surrounding these "real life" characters and the way they live.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

By CineMaterial, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9273232

Girl With a Pearl Earring - (2003)

Colin Firth simmers playing Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (though it's still hard to erase the images from Empire of Light) and Scarlett Johansson plays Griet, the family maid who becomes the subject of the very famous painting 'Girl With a Pearl Earring' - painted in 1665 and currently in the Mauritshuis (which in turn is in The Hague) where it's been since 1902. It's a real "wow" piece of work. The movie, on the other hand, isn't bad, but doesn't rise to be the equivalent of it's inspiration. A period drama about obsession, jealousy and innocence - it also features Tom Wilkinson and Cillian Murphy. Based on a novel by Tracy Chevalier, it's an imagining as to how the painting might possibly have come about, being the most inspired of Vermeer's works. Basically "Vermeer fancied the maid", except more wonderous, with Johansson giving us a stare that makes her look perpetually astonished.

6/10


By May be found at the following website: IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37987693

This Is the End - (2013)

This is a rewatch - the first since this came out. Weird, weird movie - it's the apocalypse and a bunch of comedians partying at James Franco's house (everyone plays themselves in this film) find themselves trapped there when sinkholes, fire, demons and possibly Satan himself make L.A. a living hell. It was a lot of fun the first time around but once I know all of the jokes it's a little less so. Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera and Emma Watson drop in to lend considerable star power to the silly premise - and the effects look cool. (Watch Cera steal the whole show during the opening, until he becomes impaled on a streetlamp.) I'm still somewhat fond of it due to my first impression, but it may just be a long (long) time before I watch it a third time.

6/10


By It is believed that the cover art can or could be obtained from the publisher or studio., Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20534827

Polytechnique - (2009)

Disquieting, searching film about the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre which takes you right there, and forces you to confront the reality of school shootings and their aftermath. My review is here, on my watchlist thread.

8/10


By https://ru.kinorium.com/105218/gallery/poster/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32739249

A Summer's Tale - (1996)

Near the beach of the seaside town Dinard, Gaspard (Melvil Poupaud) faces a dilemma when he meets two wonderful women before his current girlfriend arrives to be with him, with fate only complicating matters further. My review is here, on my watchlist thread.

8/10

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Intermission (2003)

This is the End is a lot of fun. I like the idea of celebrities playing versions of themselves that the public see them as. For example at the time people thought of James Franco as a pretentious art nerd so that’s his character in this movie, The middle drags for sure but the first and third acts are terrific. I don’t think Rogen and Goldberg get enough credit for their writing and directing chops.

Aftersun



5/5

A stunning film. So moving. And really well-constructed with its mixture of real and imagined memories.

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Looking for a bigger boat | My latest movie lists and reviews | Find me on Letterboxd

Is There Anybody Out There?



4/5

An eye-opening documentary film about growing up and living with a disability, and the challenges presented by an ableist world. A courageous filmmaker who is also the film's focus.

This Is Me...Now (2024) I enjoyed this. Jennifer Lopez does a good job and the film has a fun and surprising cast, many of whom give enjoyable performances. I liked the song and dance numbers too. Out of the seven films I have seen released this year, This is Me...Now is my favourite of the bunch. Watched on Prime.

This is Jean-Pierre Melville's debut as director, and yet he shows such a skill in how he uses this small space where most of the film takes place. The way he and his cinematographer Henri Decaë work with lights and shadows, as well as the framing and the perspective from where different characters stand or sit is great.

The performances from Jean-Marie Robain and Nicole Stéphane as the old man and his niece are solid. They do a lot with just their body language and expressions, but it is Howard Vernon who has to carry the burden as Nazi lieutenant Werner von Ebrennac. He succeeds in transmitting equal doses of dread and menace mixed with an honesty and sincerity that you wouldn't expect from such a character.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

My wife saw it yesterday and thought it was "weird but interesting". She showed me the first 10 minutes or so and I was intrigued by the visuals, and how they were mixing the music numbers with the action. Might check it out later.

Street of Chance (1942)

I stumbled upon this fairly unknown early noir from reading the play bill of the Noir City film festival in Seattle (Feb. 16-22, 2024). The picture was new to me, starring the unlikely pairing of Burgess Meredith, Claire Trevor, and an early unusual role for Sheldon Leonard on the right side of the law for a change. Director Jack Hively and DP Theodor Sparkuhl were not particularly known for noir, but their combination produced a creditable picture for Paramount.

Two things caught my attention. This may be the first “amnesia noir”-- the earliest use of the amnesia trope in noir. It was also one of Claire Trevor’s characters that she played something other than a hard boiled or “bad girl” role.

Frank Thompson (Meredith) is hit on the head during a construction collapse while walking along a city street. When he comes to, he is slowly presented with an identity that he does not recall. During his quest to find out his previous life, he re-unites with an old girlfriend (Trevor). Their association unveils a murder which Thompson is thought to have committed, and ultimately they discover the real culprit.

Outside of the novel “amnesia noir” story, the chief recommendation is Burgess’ acting. Some of the dialogue for both he and Trevor is a little stiff, but he is able to be convincing. By 1942 Burgess had years of heralded Broadway stage work behind him, so his talent helped to save this otherwise medium weight script. The story itself had plenty of cred, based upon the story The Black Curtain by legendary crime writer Cornell Woolrich. Woolrich had more noir films based on his novels and stories than has anyone else’s.

The film is available on YouTube. It’s definitely worth watch, if for nothing else but historical significance.

Doc’s rating: 6/10

Wim Wenders has long been one of my favorite filmmakers, and I can safely say that Perfect Days does not disappoint. But the movie is so much more than a simple plot description could prepare you for - it is a movie that takes on the meaning of life in a very simple and straightforward way, and leaves you two hours later with a deep sense of catharsis.

Kōji Yakusho is absolutely perfect as Hirayama, the Tokyo public toilet cleaner whose life is examined in delightful detail, giving only hints about the life he may have left behind and why he is probably much happier this way.

If you watch this, do make sure to stay until the very end of the end credits - no, you will not see a teaser for a Wenders Cinematic Universe, instead you will get a nice little bonus that sheds a bit more light on something that has been shown repeatedly throughout the movie.

Presto is also the title of this 2008 Pixar short which follows a magician called (wait for it) PRESTO! The magician is trying to do a show with his rabbit, Alec, but the rabbit is not willing to cooperate unless he gets fed first. This results in a constant and quick barrage of shenanigans as they both try to outsmart the other.

Grade:


Full review on my Movie Loot

The Lawnmower Man (2024) Directed by Murda Pain. Things escalate when a married woman starts an affair with the man who cuts their lawn. This was a pleasant surprise. It's an effective and entertaining little thriller. The acting is just okay, but they do a lot with the story and I enjoyed the direction they went with. Watched on Tubi.