Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate it | {Insert Appropriate Seasonal Greeting Here}

[kihei]

Off the top of my head Saw 3 is stupid, Saw 4 is stupid and then they start getting bad.


Aren't people usually lying down when they're having surgery?

Lmao

 

[Howe Elbows 9]

The Father (2020, Florian Zeller)
8.5/10

My father died in early 2018 after gradually losing everything that made him who he was to dementia, so perhaps you can understand my reluctance to watch this highly acclaimed work. Centered by a fantastic performance by Hopkins, the audience follows his character closely as he loses his grip on reality - showing anger, confusion, paranoia, indignation and other emotions along the way. One reviewer (Todd McCarthy) called it "the best film about the wages of aging since [Haneke's] Amour (2012)", and I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Chili]

The Father (2020, Florian Zeller)
8.5/10

My father died in early 2018 after gradually losing everything that made him who he was to dementia, so perhaps you can understand my reluctance to watch this highly acclaimed work. Centered by a fantastic performance by Hopkins, the audience follows his character closely as he loses his grip on reality - showing anger, confusion, paranoia, indignation and other emotions along the way. One reviewer (Todd McCarthy) called it "the best film about the wages of aging since [Haneke's] Amour (2012)", and I wholeheartedly agree.

It's tough when someone we relied on our whole life becomes another person. I've been down the same road so I can relate, in talking with others it's seems to happen a fair bit. I have both of those films on my soon to watch list, so I appreciate the review. Another good film on the subject is Away From Her-2006

 

[kihei]

You'd have to ask Kihei who made the statement his opinion.

I meant simply that Nolan is seemingly not interested in creating a linear narrative, probably wouldn't go near one with a ten foot pole. Not for the first time, what ItsFineI'mFine is on about, I have no idea, My statement has nothing to do with other directors approach to narrative much less shot selection. It's a simple statement about Nolan, period, and hardly a very controversial one.

 

[End of Line]

Top Gun: Maverick (8.5/10)

The Good Shepherd (2/10): one of this most inaccurate recollections of American Intelligence and American History in regards to James Jesus Angelton and William “Wild Bill” Donovan. Am absolute albatross of a film. Despite never serving in American Intelligence but having an extensive knowledge of the times it is an absolute sham an piece of shit movie movie devoid of any historical accuracy.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Barbie (2023) - 7.5/10

Might be getting a bit overrated but fun film either way. Comedic writing from Gerwig/Baumbach is always good but their social commentary and just general interest might've peaked in Frances Ha. Ryan Gosling is the bigger star for me here than Robbie, others are mostly caricatures. Gerwig mentioned how she used a lot of older films for inspiration which shows in how set-like everything is for all the Barbieland scenes.

Ruggles of Red Gap (1935) - 7/10

Not as good of a fish out of water story as Sullivan's Travels or something but a good early effort with Charles Laughton as the British butler who goes to a wild west town in the US. His reactions early on in the film are the highlight before other characters take over, I was disappointed it didn't have more of Leila Hyams since there's something about her.

Dishonored (1931) - 7/10

Another Marlene Dietrich forbidden love story with her playing an Austrian spy. It doesn't really go for much tension as 30s films rarely did but instead focuses on the tragedy of her character. She plays up a seductive look on her face which never gets old but some of the other acting does. I wish she'd done more talkies away from von Sternberg early in her career as he seems to direct her the same way in everything.

 

[kihei]

Limbo (2023) Directed by Ivan Sen 7B

Limbo is a police procedural, but one that seems very different and fresh. There are three primary reasons why this is so. First, the movie is set in the Australian outback where the landscape is barren and inhospitable, sprinkled with mine quarries that give a somewhat otherworldly or maybe just primitive look to the place. Secondly, the movie is shot in gorgeous black and white, recalling the spare work of cinematographer James Wong Howe in Hud with Paul Newman. Thirdly, the story is a believable one that advances in little steps made effective by the performance of Simon Baker as the lawman Travis Hurley, a quiet man with problems of his own. A largely Aboriginal cast are also uniformly excellent. Add some important themes about the still remaining tensions between whites and blacks in Australia, and you have a very satisfying piece of craftsmanship in which care is taken in every detail. Limbo is as unrushed and deliberate as Travis is. So some people will complain about how slow the movie is and that not much happens. Those people can go toss their lizards. Limbo is a gem.

Best of '23 so far

Riceboy Sleeps, Shim, Canada
Barbie, Gerwig, US
Talk to Me, Philippou brothers, Australia
Oppenheimer, Nolan, US
Limbo, Sen, Austalia
The Night of the 12th, Moll, France
De Humani Corporis Fabrica, Castaing-Taylor and Paravel

 

[Bounces R Way]

Gentleman Broncos(2009) - 6.5/10

If scattershot irreverent humor is your thing definitely give this a try. I often find goofy oddball comedies such as this more miss than hit but more power to em this crew just kept firing.

The aesthetic of Napoleon Dynamite meets Barbarella was interesting and the film definitely showed full commitment to it. Strong cast including Sam Rockwell, Jennifer Coolidge, and Jermaine Clement. The story centers around a young aspiring writer Benjamin(Michael Angarano) who writes a sci-fi fantasy based around... yeast maybe? His protagonist's balls? I'm not clear actually on what it was about. He attends a writers camp where his author idol(Clement) is a guest teacher and judge of the fiction contest where attendees submit their stories and the best wins. Clement's character has been in an extended creative slump with his publisher and ends up stealing Benjamin's story to resurrect his career. Benjamin also sells his story to another attendee with a small film production company on the urging of a pretty girl he meets there. The film also tells parts of the story itself with Sam Rockwell playing Bronco the main character.

Often these movies are light on plot and narrative but there's enough there in Gentleman Broncos that it retains its shape fairly well. It seems mostly an engine so they can cram as many weird quirky jokes as they can into it but it succeeds in keeping it (mostly) on the rails. There were flying battle deer(pictured above), a cyclops, feces poisoned darts, crude drawings of boob lasers, a softcore porn on a horse ranch(?), a Jennifer Coolidge fashion show, human flesh pockets, and lots of popcorn balls for some reason. Really had everything you could want. I laughed. I cried. It became a part of me.

 

[kihei]

About Dried Grasses (2023) Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan 6C

About Dried Grasses is yet another character study by Turkey's masterful director Nuri Bilge Ceylan. These works are always impeccably photographed, demanding in length (3hr 17m in this case), and are thematically intricate. I'm beginning to think that rather than compare Ceylan to other directors, it makes more sense to compare him to Chekhov who often focused on the complexities and sufferings of imperfect characters in rural settings. This time around the bug under the microscope is Samet, a relatively nondescript teacher who hates being stuck out in eastern Anatolia teaching children with no future other than to become farmers and labourers like their parents. He has a teacher's pet, Sevim, who he gives little presents to, puts his arm around her shoulder occasionally and always calls on her in class. When he and another teacher are anonymously accused of impropriety, a charge that is both not true but not that far-fetched either, he suspects Sevim. The movie also explores his relationship with a male teacher with whom he shares a house with and a woman from a different school who has lost her leg in a political protest. Again, his behaviour toward these people also leaves serious questions about his character. He dreams of escape, but he would probably only carry his problems with him to a new place.

About Dried Grasses can't be faulted technically. It is a brilliant piece of direction and cinematography, Ceylan's trademark wintry landscapes contrasting this time with summer in all its glory. The movie, which is dialogue heavy in the extreme, seems to me like a very well written but not fully satisfying short story. There is much to enjoy and admire, but the payoff isn't worth spending all this time with this particular woeful character for whom self-absorption and self-delusion go hand in hand.

subtitles

 

[izzy]

The Last Voyage of the Demetor(2023) - 4/10

The King of Darkness!!
but on a boat

TBH that feels like a bit of a low rating. There's nothing really 'wrong' with this movie. I wanted to like it, I really did. Dracula is one of my favorite works of fiction. I can't put it on a single thing that turned me off with the film. I do believe the components were all adequate. Acting, setting, script, concept, cinematography, costumes were all fine. It was just kind of boring. Uninspired. The film unfolded as exactly as you expect it to. Just didn't grab me the way I hoped it would, found myself on my phone through much of it. Gory and scary in places. Not irredeemable by any means but disappointing for sure.

Sad to hear this movie isn't great, everyone saying similar things to this. Was hoping for a similar vibe to The Terror

 

[shadow1]

Saw III (2006) - 6/10

A grieving father is put through one of Jigsaw's games, while a depressed surgeon must keep the ailing Jigsaw alive.

Angus Macfayden stars as Jeff, a father seeking vengeance after his son was killed by a drunk driver. Jeff is captured by Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and put through a unique test in which he has the chance to rescue or spare the people responsible for justice not being served. Meanwhile, Lynn (Bahar Soomekh) - a surgeon whose antidepressant use is impacting her work performance - is also captured by Jigsaw, and must keep the serial killer alive using crude means...

Saw III was once again directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, and written by James Wan and Leigh Whannell. The trio initially did not want to return for a sequel, but felt compelled to return and create a more emotional entry following the unexpected passing of series producer Gregg Hoffman. Given a $10M budget - double the first two films combined - how does Saw III fare?

Not bad, but not without flaws. The film has a really interesting game for Jeff, which almost feels Silent Hill-esque as he goes through a series of trials and is given the opportunity to watch gruesome justice served on those who wronged him. The Lynn storyline, by comparison, is more narrative driven. Not so much about her, but in the sense that we find out more information about Jigsaw's past and more background information about the events of the first two films. Not the greatest story ever, but certainly more going on than in Saw II. I also thought some of the somber new music was good.

The Saw series is often attributed with helping create the "torture porn" genre, but I don't think that reputation is earned until this film. Saw III is a lot gorier than the first two films, and I consider that a partial con because a lot of the violence is gratuitous. For example, moments into the film police find a dismembered body, and then we get a pointless flashback scene to see how this nameless character met their already known fate. That moment and a couple others feel like they're just trying to gross you out rather than scare you or build tension. With that being said though, I don't find the gore to be too tough to sit through; the effects are hit or miss, and the film uses a lot of quick cuts. If you have a weak stomach though, I'd recommend fast forwarding through a couple scenes, as Saw III is often cited by fans as the goriest of the franchise.

I have other problems with this movie. Though I find the concept of Jeff's storyline to be a positive, the character himself is pretty bad. The new characters in general aren't great, but Jeff in particular is hard to root for. He makes a lot of "idiot plot" mistakes throughout the movie, but instead of getting himself killed, he gets others killed. Also, though I enjoyed the very end of the film, the big "twist" felt very watered down and inconsequential. In a series known for its twists, Saw III drops the ball a bit.

Overall, Saw III is a decent sequel. I am not sure if I prefer this film or its predecessor; I feel like Part III is a more well made film than Saw II, but Saw II is probably more enjoyable to sit through. Regardless, they end up with the same score for me. And like Saw II, this third entry was another massive hit at the box office, earning $165M.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

I Confess (1953) - 7.5/10

One of Hitchcock's more underrated films, I honestly enjoyed it more than some of his higher rated stuff like Rope & Vertigo. A lot of interesting scenery as he set this in Quebec City. Montgomery Clift is tolerable as a priest but the nice thing here is how he balances a courtroom drama and a romance with a bit of suspense thrown in. I think anyone expecting a tight thriller would be disappointed hence probably some of the ratings but I think this film has a better balance and does it in a relatively short runtime.


Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) - 7/10

Jeff Bridges' lively character balances Clint Eastwood's solemness in a fun film which at some point feels like the Conservative version of Easy Rider with some car chase sequences thrown in. Ironically when it stops its road trip aspect and settles into a more traditional heist film, it gets less interesting as Eastwood/Bridges' scenes are so good together and they're weighed down with a couple cheaper character actors coming in later. Also some really nice widescreen outdoor scenery like this.

and this

 

[Satans Hockey]

I always felt Jim Carrey's attempts at drama or dramedy to be overrated, with the sole exception of the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which I chalk up to just an excellent production all-around.

The Majestic? Man on the Moon? Truman Show?

I felt that a lot of these films were successful in spite of Jim Carrey.

He cannot help himself from hamming it up Jim Carrey style, and even when playing manic characters like Andy Kaufman, that Jim Carrey way is still bludgeoning its way through the performance.

Even at his most subtle, I find Carrey to be wooden at best, and exaggerated at worst.

He did a show on showtime a bunch of years ago now called Kidding where he plays a character that is like Mr. Rodgers and deals with him running a kids puppet show and the positive and negative aspects of how it affected his life. I really enjoyed his character arc and acting in that series. It's only 2 seasons and 20 episodes and I thought it wrapped up really well so I would recommend it for anyone who is interested.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Same here, I'm going in somewhat blind. I watched Saw 2 and Saw 3 in theaters back in the day, but haven't seen them since, and have never watched Saw 4 and beyond.

I think this franchise will be tough to get through based on the reputation of the sequels, but it's an omission on my horror resume I must address...

I'm in the process of doing the same thing cause I want to see Saw X in the theater.

I had seen 1-3 and saw 3d(I wanted to see a movie at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre when I was there and this was the only thing playing when I could go, I remember nothing about the movie besides thinking it didn't need to be in 3d)

I need to see all the others and I'll probably re-watch saw 3d.

 

[Osprey]

I think this franchise will be tough to get through based on the reputation of the sequels, but it's an omission on my horror resume I must address...

If I could make it through 8 movies in the franchise, you can, too. I have faith in you.

Seriously, I recall them being relatively consistent in that none are "good," but none are abominations like Jason Goes to Hell or Halloween: Resurrection. They're all just mediocre, so, if you expect that, you might make it through them. I watched the first one just to see what the fuss was about, then just kept watching one more because the last wasn't as awful as I feared and, before I knew it, I'd seen all 8 of them (this was before the 9th, which I still need to get around to, probably next month).

 

[Chili]

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) - 7/10

Jeff Bridges' lively character balances Clint Eastwood's solemness in a fun film which at some point feels like the Conservative version of Easy Rider with some car chase sequences thrown in. Ironically when it stops its road trip aspect and settles into a more traditional heist film, it gets less interesting as Eastwood/Bridges' scenes are so good together and they're weighed down with a couple cheaper character actors coming in later. Also some really nice widescreen outdoor scenery like this.

View attachment 743022
and this
View attachment 743023

Nothing like a good pistachio ice cream. Love that film.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Fear is the Key. What a find! (Criterion Channel). Never heard of this 70s thriller about a deep sea salvage expert on the run from the law, but it's a wonderfully propulsive and pulpy story filled with fast cars, bad dudes, backstabbing, tough talk and a young Ben Kingsley with hair. It's worth discovering if you like action thrillers. My only minor complaint is that Barry Newman isn't bad in the lead role, but you can't help but wish he were better. Still, I enjoyed the hell out of this.

Revenge of the Ninja. This is the first of five action movies directed by Sam Firstenberg for Cannon Pictures in the 1980s — Ninja III: The Domination, Avenging Force, American Ninja, American Ninja 2. I say this with all sincerity, but this group of five movies brings me a ridiculous amount of joy that scads of better known directors high brow and low just can't match for me. It's a security blanket of throwing stars. While Ninja III (the connected in name only sequel) is more recognized thanks to its nonsensical melding of martial arts and a horror-possession plot, Revenge is probably the better movie in a measurable ways. There is a genuinely great stunt sequence involving a van that isn't Jackie Chan level insanity ... but gets a hell of a lot closer to that than Cannon typically would or could. But the real charm of this is that it has an almost child-like "wouldn't this be cool?" logic. From the characters to the fights to the weapons to the violence, it's a constant stream of "What if ... this." Objectively you may call this shoddy filmmaking (and it is!). But subjectively it's wildly entertaining.

 

[kihei]

Close Your Eyes (2023) Directed by Victor Erice 8B

I didn't even know that Victor Erice was still alive. I had no idea he was so young when he directed one of the best movies in film history Spirit of the Beehive. Ten years later in 1983, he directed the excellent The South. Close Your Eyes is only his third feature film and comes a full half century after Spirit of the Beehive. Close Your Eyes is quite different than his earlier works, focusing on writer/film director Miguel Garay whose best friend actor Julio Arenas disappears during the making of a movie and is presumed dead, most likely by suicide. A TV show twenty years later re-examines the story, employing Garay as a source. Garay decides to dig deeper into what happened to his friend. He does so by interviewing close friends and family members of the actor including his daughter played by Ana Torrent, now middle-aged, from Spirit of the Beehive. There is a mystery here, one that takes strange turns and depends on film itself to reconcile with the past.

While there is a mystery to be solved, that is not what Erice is most concerned about here. This is a movie about the inevitability of time's iron grip and facing the fact that the path forward is much shorter than the path already trod. That perception underscores the importance of memory and how it begins to fade when we most need it. One of the characters sums up the movie's ethos in an unsentimental nutshell: the elderly must look to the future with no fear and no hope. As Garay's chases after the shadow of his friend, the vagaries of memory, identity and the gaps in continuity by which we lose people become impediments to his search. But he persists anyway and finds that film can have a role to play in reclaiming the past, perhaps because it freezes time. That notion is Close Your Eyes most arresting insight.

subtitles

Best of '23 so far

1) Riceboy Sleeps, Shim, Canada
2) Barbie, Gerwig, US
3) Oppenheimer, Nolan, US
4) Close Your Eyes, Erice, Spain
5) Talk to Me, Philippou brothers, Australia
6) Limbo, Sen, Australia
7) The Night of the 12th, Moll, France
8) De Humani Corporis Fabrica, Castaing-Taylor and Paravel

 

[Unholy Diver]

Oppenheimer - 8/10 - I was leery of the runtime and dry subject matter but the movie never really dragged and the story was presented in a way that kept me invested

Barbie - 8/10 - didn't do it as a double feature, but saw them a day apart, thought the movie was well done, the humor was good, the Kens cracked me up, don't get what was so controversial, folks need to lighten up


Haunted Mansion - 7/10 some funny parts, some cool effects, Danny Devito is a treasure, I think I want a New Orleans style funeral with a brass band when I go

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Revenge of the Ninja. I say this with all sincerity, but this group of five movies brings me a ridiculous amount of joy that scads of better known directors high brow and low just can't match for me.

Your enthusiasm matches mine :

American Ninja 2

 

[Osprey]

Massacre at Central High. Weird one alert! A 1970s high school "slasher" before that was a thing. The "before that was a thing" is what really made it interesting to me. It's more serious than you might expect, though there are more than a few real LOL kills. The writer clearly has a message he wants to drill which makes it a little more high-minded than the typical high school killer story, but there is fun to be had.

I watched this last night and liked it. It reminded me a little more of Carrie than an 80s-style slasher, but also came before Carrie by about 6 months, so maybe it was a little ahead of its time. It's surprisingly intelligent for this kind of movie, as you alluded to. I didn't expect the last half hour to go in the direction that it did and have a message that I'd be thinking about afterwards. Sure, it's pretty corny and nonsensical, the dialogue is bad and the acting is wooden, but I was into it. I liked seeing Robert Carradine playing a role a bit like his one in Revenge of the Nerds many years later. I also found it amusing that the cops showed up within a minute at the end, but were nowhere to be seen through the whole rest of the movie, when all of the other characters were dying. Speaking of which, have you gone back and re-watched the opening credits montage? It's interesting in hindsight. Anyways, the movie is on YouTube if anyone else is curious.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

I watched this last night and liked it. It reminded me a little more of Carrie than an 80s-style slasher, but it came before even Carrie by about 6 months. You're right that it's surprisingly intelligent. I wasn't expecting the last half hour to go in the direction that it did and have a message that I'd be thinking about afterwards. Sure, it's kind of corny, the writing is bad and the acting is wooden, but I was into it. It was neat to see Robert Carradine playing a nerdy student, probably a role that helped him land Revenge of the Nerds many years later. I found it amusing that the cops showed up within a minute at the end, but were nowhere to be seen through the whole rest of the movie, when all of the other characters were dying violently. Speaking of which, have you gone back and re-watched the opening credits montage? Anyways, the movie's on YouTube if anyone else is interested.

Definitely a movie where you're wondering where all the parents/teachers/cops are.

 

[OzzyFan]

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
3.70 out of 4stars

“In the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity in hopes of an easier sentence and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.”
An excellent psychological drama satire that brilliantly shows the mistreatment of asylum patients during its time while exploring oppressive and corrupt government forces on society. Directly and indirectly the film works continually very well. In this 5 Oscar winning film, Nicholson gives a top notch layered performance and the rest of the cast is great as well in some tricky supporting roles. Seemingly existential in its messages, of how the subpar status quos of life that occur in all areas will continue repeating themselves until the people realize and firmly react to it. Trying is the key, irregardless of success. One should question things and think for themselves, not just openly accept everything. The film heavily pushes a freely-open, rebellious, anti-conformist/counterculture, and individualistic ideology as a way to better one’s own life and the lives of those around them. It’s about building up and supporting people instead of controlling and manipulating them. There seems to be an obvious central question seems to be about sanity or insanity, with all of its sliding scale parameters on what makes or decides one’s position on this table for “all” of its characters. Some hints of machismo as well here. Successful on both intellectual and emotional fronts in a rollercoaster fashion. Also, if one wanted to shut their brain off, the film works incredibly well also as a heartfelt underdog comedy drama. I remember this film being talked about a year ago and Chili’s interesting Kirk Douglas notes on his progression of getting the film eventually made and regretting never being able to act in the lead role.

Dirty Harry (1971)
3.10 out of 4stars

“When a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails renegade Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.”
A great neo-noir action thriller that supposedly started the controversial ruthless murderous anti-hero cop subgenre. Very loosely based on the Zodiac killer, Clint Eastwood brings to the screen another character with gray morals and a judge/jury/executioner mindset, this time in a society with strict laws. A dangerous cat and mouse game ensues throughout with a little violent and dryly humorous side story building for Harry’s character. Per director Don Siegel, the film is meant to be politically ambiguous, depending on if one reacts condoning or condemning of Dirty Harry’s methods and persona throughout. And that makes sense and works on paper, ironically Siegel is a liberal and Eastwood a conservative. Is Harry crazy or crazy like a fox? Contextually, the film entertainingly asks the audience if the law on paper is in the best interest of the people and police forces or not, and is it overly protective of blatant criminals or not. Do legalities hinder or help policemen in carrying out their job? Do legal formalities and procedures slow down or prevent justice? Do laws and the judicial system benefit the greater good at the highest possible level? While I still debate whether the film to be satirical or not, it raises important questions about tactics and “the ends justifying the means”, obviously dependent on the situation. Specifically, in this film and many others, when dealing with and tracking down a mass murderer and the threat of more lives lost. Logically, legal hamstrings aside, I guess it all becomes about the risk to reward scale and what “spot” makes the most sense on it.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) (subtitles)
2.80 out of 4stars

“A mystery novel-loving American tourist witnesses a murder in Rome, and soon finds herself and her Italian suitor caught up in the mystery of a series of killings.”
A great pre-giallo horror that formulated a template for the subgenre, while being an imitation of the Hitchcockian thriller, from Mario Bava. An interesting historical bridge, this film formulated the giallo elements of a beautiful protagonist/side-character, murder mystery thriller/stalker concepts, minimal police aid, mood of uncertainty, red herrings, convoluted plot, and stylish surrealism mixed together into one film, which would be later expanded on in Bava’s next film Blood and Black Lace. That said, there are clear things separating it from being a true giallo, most obviously the film is shot in black and white, the sexual themes are kept minimal, minimal blood, low body count, and minimal shown murders/violence. The film itself is enjoyable. It’s memorable for great black and white cinematography, solid suspense, a few standout sequences, and a great lead turn from Leticia Roman. Of note, the titled “Evil Eye” is the lighter/more-joyful renamed American released version of this film, which includes a different score, more comedic scenes, the cutting of some other scenes, and a different ending.

Hell House LLC (2015)
2.65 out of 4stars

“Five years after an unexplained malfunction causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff on the opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour, a documentary crew travels back to the scene of the tragedy to find out what really happened.”
A good “documentary style” found-footage horror that is a cut above the norm. By giving a slightly fresher competent twist on tropes of the subgenre, an effectively creepy atmosphere is created with spooky chills and reactions. Points for decent acting in a film like this and kudos to the concept as well, a behind the scenes/creation of a Halloween haunted house with a haunted origin story is delightful meta-ness for fans. I wish it had a better than adequate ending though.

 

[shadow1]

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
3.70 out of 4stars

“In the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity in hopes of an easier sentence and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.”
An excellent psychological drama satire that brilliantly shows the mistreatment of asylum patients during its time while exploring oppressive and corrupt government forces on society. Directly and indirectly the film works continually very well. In this 5 Oscar winning film, Nicholson gives a top notch layered performance and the rest of the cast is great as well in some tricky supporting roles. Seemingly existential in its messages, of how the subpar status quos of life that occur in all areas will continue repeating themselves until the people realize and firmly react to it. Trying is the key, irregardless of success. One should question things and think for themselves, not just openly accept everything. The film heavily pushes a freely-open, rebellious, anti-conformist/counterculture, and individualistic ideology as a way to better one’s own life and the lives of those around them. It’s about building up and supporting people instead of controlling and manipulating them. There seems to be an obvious central question seems to be about sanity or insanity, with all of its sliding scale parameters on what makes or decides one’s position on this table for “all” of its characters. Some hints of machismo as well here. Successful on both intellectual and emotional fronts in a rollercoaster fashion. Also, if one wanted to shut their brain off, the film works incredibly well also as a heartfelt underdog comedy drama. I remember this film being talked about a year ago and Chili’s interesting Kirk Douglas notes on his progression of getting the film eventually made and regretting never being able to act in the lead role.

Dirty Harry (1971)
3.10 out of 4stars

“When a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails renegade Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.”
A great neo-noir action thriller that supposedly started the controversial ruthless murderous anti-hero cop subgenre. Very loosely based on the Zodiac killer, Clint Eastwood brings to the screen another character with gray morals and a judge/jury/executioner mindset, this time in a society with strict laws. A dangerous cat and mouse game ensues throughout with a little violent and dryly humorous side story building for Harry’s character. Per director Don Siegel, the film is meant to be politically ambiguous, depending on if one reacts condoning or condemning of Dirty Harry’s methods and persona throughout. And that makes sense and works on paper, ironically Siegel is a liberal and Eastwood a conservative. Is Harry crazy or crazy like a fox? Contextually, the film entertainingly asks the audience if the law on paper is in the best interest of the people and police forces or not, and is it overly protective of blatant criminals or not. Do legalities hinder or help policemen in carrying out their job? Do legal formalities and procedures slow down or prevent justice? Do laws and the judicial system benefit the greater good at the highest possible level? While I still debate whether the film to be satirical or not, it raises important questions about tactics and “the ends justifying the means”, obviously dependent on the situation. Specifically, in this film and many others, when dealing with and tracking down a mass murderer and the threat of more lives lost. Logically, legal hamstrings aside, I guess it all becomes about the risk to reward scale and what “spot” makes the most sense on it.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1963) (subtitles)
2.80 out of 4stars

“A mystery novel-loving American tourist witnesses a murder in Rome, and soon finds herself and her Italian suitor caught up in the mystery of a series of killings.”
A great pre-giallo horror that formulated a template for the subgenre, while being an imitation of the Hitchcockian thriller, from Mario Bava. An interesting historical bridge, this film formulated the giallo elements of a beautiful protagonist/side-character, murder mystery thriller/stalker concepts, minimal police aid, mood of uncertainty, red herrings, convoluted plot, and stylish surrealism mixed together into one film, which would be later expanded on in Bava’s next film Blood and Black Lace. That said, there are clear things separating it from being a true giallo, most obviously the film is shot in black and white, the sexual themes are kept minimal, minimal blood, low body count, and minimal shown murders/violence. The film itself is enjoyable. It’s memorable for great black and white cinematography, solid suspense, a few standout sequences, and a great lead turn from Leticia Roman. Of note, the titled “Evil Eye” is the lighter/more-joyful renamed American released version of this film, which includes a different score, more comedic scenes, the cutting of some other scenes, and a different ending.

Hell House LLC (2015)
2.65 out of 4stars

“Five years after an unexplained malfunction causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff on the opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour, a documentary crew travels back to the scene of the tragedy to find out what really happened.”
A good “documentary style” found-footage horror that is a cut above the norm. By giving a slightly fresher competent twist on tropes of the subgenre, an effectively creepy atmosphere is created with spooky chills and reactions. Points for decent acting in a film like this and kudos to the concept as well, a behind the scenes/creation of a Halloween haunted house with a haunted origin story is delightful meta-ness for fans. I wish it had a better than adequate ending though.

This movie scared me. Thanks for the review.

 

[kihei]

Just want to throw this out there to see if anybody has an opinion. Do the '20s seem to you like a weak decade for movies so far? I realize we are just closing in on the first four years, but so far the present decade seems distinctly inferior to the '00s and the '10s, both of which I rank among the strongest decades in film history. So far I have seen only one movie in the '20s--Memoria--which would crack either of my top ten lists from the previous two decades.