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

[OzzyFan]

Saw VI (2009) - 6/10

Overall, Saw VI is a good sequel. As a matter of fact, it might be my favorite sequel due to how well the Jigsaw game was executed. I briefly considered rating this film a "7", but could not overlook the absolutely ridiculous police storyline. Despite how much I liked it though, Saw VI was the first film in the series to underperform at the box-office, earning $68M against an $11M budget.

I know this isn't apples to apples as these films are franchise sequels, but the vast majority of horror films are lower budget, thus low risk/medium to high reward potential, which I'm surprised more mainstream studios wouldn't try pushing here and there given the financials of them. There's a reason a number of many sequel horror films exist, generally lower budgets and higher monies raked in, even if the product is "only" middling to "good". And keep up the good work Shadow1

Street Trash (Muro, 1987) - I wanted to watch some throwback cheapo pseudo-horror film, so I put on C.H.U.D. II, but it was even worst than I remembered and couldn't get through. So I went for this absolute cult classic of Z-movies. It's a very unique film, and not in a bad way. Roy Frumkes was a professor at the New York School of Visual Arts. One of his students, 20 years old Jim Munro, had put all his money on buying his very own steady cam (and what a brilliant move it was, more on that later), and handed in a short 15 minutes film titled Street Trash as his final project. Frumkes thought the film had controversial potential and proposed to write a longer version, aiming for schlock and shock, but still not completely deprived of some slim social commentary. The result is a polished version of a student film, with pretty much the same (lack of) story, with added nudity and Vietnam flashbacks. Still, the film looks great (sound-wise, acting-wise, it's not really the case), with great camerawork and visual ideas. Muro went on with his steadycam (late 80s and 90s, coming with your gear was a big plus when looking for gigs) and worked on some heavy hitters, including most of James Cameron's films. Street Trash remains his only film as a director (he directed a few TV episodes). Its colorful gore and its careless narrative mixing grit and humor makes it an absolutely unique and unforgettable gem of the period - that's not enough to say it's a good film, which makes it very hard to rate. I'd understand people would give this a big flat 0/10, but my rating system being what it is (4 = somewhat ok ; 5 = worth your time ; 6 = good ; 7 = very good), you might want to look away while I'm giving this a well deserved 5.5/10

I'm very glad you reviewed this film. The visuals always looked so intriguing from the screenshots I've seen. I've had this on my to watch list for a while and you gave me a reason to bump it up and now get to it in October. Thanks.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I'm very glad you reviewed this film. The visuals always looked so intriguing from the screenshots I've seen. I've had this on my to watch list for a while and you gave me a reason to bump it up and now get to it in October. Thanks.

I'm curious to know how you'll receive the movie not having known it in its glory VHS years - please report back!

As I said, it's probably a 0 for a lot of people, but I really think that even past the gory cult classic status, there's something there, as slim as it is, in both style (akin to the grand-guignol, with the most horrible gore as a joyful experience) and in substance (I haven't said a word about the use of body horror to illustrate our general disgust of the social fringe and the homeless).

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

I'm curious to know how you'll receive the movie not having known it in its glory VHS years - please report back!

As I said, it's probably a 0 for a lot of people, but I really think that even past the gory cult classic status, there's something there, as slim as it is, in both style (akin to the grand-guignol, with the most horrible gore as a joyful experience) and in substance (I haven't said a word about the use of body horror to illustrate our general disgust of the social fringe and the homeless).

Spoiler

It's undoubtedly the smartest movie where characters play keep away with a severed penis!

 

[Howe Elbows 9]

Love and Monsters (2020, by Michael Matthews) - 7/10

I was in the mood for some lighthearted sci-fi and came across this on a streaming service. I think of this as kind of a budget version of Zombieland (2009), but with animals who grow to giant proportions instead of zombies. Dylan O'Brien, Jessica Henwick and Michael Rooker portray the main characters, and the cast along with a strong script make this an entertaining ride.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Saw VI (2009) - 6/10

A health insurance executive is given 60 minutes to escape from a Jigsaw test.

Peter Outerbridge stars as William, an unethical insurance executive known for rejecting major health claims for trivial reasons. William is abducted and finds himself in one of Jigsaw's (Tobin Bell) games, and is given 60 minutes to escape before bombs strapped to his ankles and wrists will detonate. He must complete four tests in which he has the power to decide which of his coworkers will live or die...

Saw VI was once again written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, but this time was directed by Kevin Gruetert, who worked as an editor on the first five films. In other words, not only has Saw promoted smaller characters into bigger roles, but also keeps promoting various production members into the director's seat - a very nice touch. How does this fifth sequel in the franchise fare?

Pretty well, with some elements of what made the first film great, but also with some of the same issues that have plagued the sequels. For the first time since arguably Saw II, the Jigsaw game is the "A" plot in this series entry. The overwhelming majority of the run time focuses on William trying to escape, and there are some really cool traps in this one. Without spoiling it, my favorite of these involved a form of endurance, while another revolved (pun intended) around a piece of playground equipment. I found myself feeling William's anxiety as the traps forced him to make a series of to lose-lose decisions.

As per usual, Saw VI has a couple twists; one of which is pretty good, the other of which is pretty bad - more on that later. As for the gore meter, I'd put this film somewhere in the middle (3, 5, 6, 4, 2, 1). It does have a couple pretty graphic moments (the opening scene in particular is gratuitous), but for the most part relies on tension and suspense, which is a big plus in its favor.

What isn't a big plus is the police procedural storyline. Holy retcon, Batman. It's hard to invest at all in what's going on with police characters like Hoffman (Costas Mandylore) and Erickson (Mark Rolston) when each sequel throws the previous movie's story in the trash. This is the fourth film in a row where the series has gone back in time to shoehorn in new characters or elements into the Saw lore. And while I could forgive it in some instances, Saw VI is the worst offender, giving us the most convoluted mainline story to date. To add insult to injury, there is an idiot plot moment during this storyline that requires a massive suspension of disbelief. The only good news is this portion of the film doesn't get a ton of screen time.

Overall, Saw VI is a good sequel. As a matter of fact, it might be my favorite sequel due to how well the Jigsaw game was executed. I briefly considered rating this film a "7", but could not overlook the absolutely ridiculous police storyline. Despite how much I liked it though, Saw VI was the first film in the series to underperform at the box-office, earning $68M against an $11M budget.

Been agreeing with you on all of these so far. This one was way better than 4 and 5. The games in this one were absolutely wild.

One thing I thought that was interesting was...

Spoiler

John put these games together originally right? So it's a different take in that normally everyone involved has a chance to survive by their own choices. The people in this one, especially the younger guy and older lady and then the 6 on the merry go round had to completely rely on Williams choices and people were going to die no matter what.

I get it goes along with the health insurance storyline but I just didn't like that he didn't give people a way to "redeem" themselves as John normally puts it. I guess since this was his last big game he said screw and didn't care anymore

 

[shadow1]

Been agreeing with you on all of these so far. This one was way better than 4 and 5. The games in this one were absolutely wild.

One thing I thought that was interesting was...

Spoiler

John put these games together originally right? So it's a different take in that normally everyone involved has a chance to survive by their own choices. The people in this one, especially the younger guy and older lady and then the 6 on the merry go round had to completely rely on Williams choices and people were going to die no matter what.

I get it goes along with the health insurance storyline but I just didn't like that he didn't give people a way to "redeem" themselves as John normally puts it. I guess since this was his last big game he said screw and didn't care anymore

Spoiler

Very good point. I know the films have skirted around that issue a little bit with the whole "those people weren't playing the game" angle. But in Saw III & IV, all of the trapped people had a chance of being saved by Jeff and Rigg (respectively).

In this one, some of the people incorporated into the traps were mathematically screwed, like in the traps you listed. It's a con of Saw VI I didn't think about until you just mentioned it.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Spoiler

Very good point. I know the films have skirted around that issue a little bit with the whole "those people weren't playing the game" angle. But in Saw III & IV, all of the trapped people had a chance of being saved by Jeff and Rigg (respectively).

In this one, some of the people incorporated into the traps were mathematically screwed, like in the traps you listed. It's a con of Saw VI I didn't think about until you just mentioned it.

On another saw note, I'm waiting to see if the reviews are any good cause it hasn't opened yet but I'm going to try to check this out if people give it decent reviews. A Saw X maze at Six Flags Great Adventure...

SAW X (new) ─ Do you want to play a game? Experience the return of Jigsaw as you
attempt to survive his ingenious and terrifying traps in the untold chapter of his most
personal game yet, inspired by the upcoming release from Lionsgate and Twisted
Pictures, “SAW X.”

 

[kihei]

The Continental: Brothers in Arms (2023) Directed by Albert Hughes 3A

The Continental is a trilogy (way too fancy a word to describe these three movies) of films that aims to take advantage of the success of the John Wick franchise by building a stand-alone mini-series around The Continental, the iconic Manhattan hotel for super bad guys which is a focal point of so much of the action in the John Wick movies. Smart idea, for sure; poor execution. The first chapter, Brothers in Arms is set in the '70s and focuses on Winston Scott (Colin Woodell--never heard of him) who gets drawn in to chasing down his estranged brother who has stolen The Continental's precious coin stamping machine and is in big trouble. A mobster named Cormac (Mel Gibson) currently runs the hotel, and he is the wrong guy to trifle with. Pretty standard stuff and except for visual style, and a couple of good gunfights, the relation to John Wick is tangential at best.

The movie suffers from a major charisma deficit. For starters, no one in the cast is even a remote match for Keanu Reeves--in fact the movie has no memorable characters whatsoever. Outside of a snarly Gibson, the cast is made up of a bunch of uncharismatic nobodies. As for Gibson, he lacks the suave but oily style of Ian McShane, so his presence only leads to invidious comparisons and the feeling that his presence these days is a sort of fun killer from the get-go. Then there is all the unnecessary exposition that gets in the way of the action of which there is far too little. It also doesn't help that the dialogue would have been clunky in 1950: "You're my brother. You are the only family I got" to give one of many possible examples. There is always the chance that a miracle will happen and the next two movies might work better, but I think it is safe to say this John Wick wannabe is off to a very rocky start. There is a little something too "bargain basement" about the whole thing.

 

[OzzyFan]

I'm curious to know how you'll receive the movie not having known it in its glory VHS years - please report back!

As I said, it's probably a 0 for a lot of people, but I really think that even past the gory cult classic status, there's something there, as slim as it is, in both style (akin to the grand-guignol, with the most horrible gore as a joyful experience) and in substance (I haven't said a word about the use of body horror to illustrate our general disgust of the social fringe and the homeless).

Will do, thanks again for the basis and review.

On another saw note, I'm waiting to see if the reviews are any good cause it hasn't opened yet but I'm going to try to check this out if people give it decent reviews.

It's early, but pre-screening/early screening reviews have given it good press thus far:


"While I was at Universal today, the social embargo lifted so I can tell you that ['Saw X'] is gruesome, hard-to-watch, and probably the best 'Saw' sequel in about 15 years. It wedges perfectly between 1-2 and unveils a side of Jigsaw we haven’t seen before. 'Saw' fans will enjoy it."

"Now that the social embargo has lifted I'm happy to announce that ['Saw X'] is one of the BEST additions to the franchise. It brings back the original essence of the first film while also allowing the audience to gain deeper insight into [John] Kramer. Plus, the traps are *chef kiss*"

"['Saw X'] is bound hands down one of the best in the franchise. Putting John Kramer centre stage more than ever works brilliantly and Tobin Bell slays. Amanda’s ‘return’ is executed brilliantly and the traps are amongst some of the best, even when quite simple, plus the story is."

"Safe to say that I think ['Saw X'] is easily one of the best crafted films in the franchise. Without sacrificing any of the key ingredients that make a great 'Saw' film, this new installment delivers a more emotional story than I had anticipated…oh and it’s a bloody good time."

"Jigsaw's latest sadistic game cuts to the bone, offering a hard-hitting story, some next-level death traps, and strong performances across the entire cast."

"He calls it a return to form for the series with Shawnee Smith stealing the show as Amanda. That's not to discredit Tobin Bell, who gives his best Jigsaw performance yet."

"#SawX scored so well in test screenings, the producers thought the screenings were rigged. #MidsummerScream"

 

[Satans Hockey]

Will do, thanks again for the basis and review.

It's early, but pre-screening/early screening reviews have given it good press thus far:


"While I was at Universal today, the social embargo lifted so I can tell you that ['Saw X'] is gruesome, hard-to-watch, and probably the best 'Saw' sequel in about 15 years. It wedges perfectly between 1-2 and unveils a side of Jigsaw we haven’t seen before. 'Saw' fans will enjoy it."

"Now that the social embargo has lifted I'm happy to announce that ['Saw X'] is one of the BEST additions to the franchise. It brings back the original essence of the first film while also allowing the audience to gain deeper insight into [John] Kramer. Plus, the traps are *chef kiss*"

"['Saw X'] is bound hands down one of the best in the franchise. Putting John Kramer centre stage more than ever works brilliantly and Tobin Bell slays. Amanda’s ‘return’ is executed brilliantly and the traps are amongst some of the best, even when quite simple, plus the story is."

"Safe to say that I think ['Saw X'] is easily one of the best crafted films in the franchise. Without sacrificing any of the key ingredients that make a great 'Saw' film, this new installment delivers a more emotional story than I had anticipated…oh and it’s a bloody good time."

"Jigsaw's latest sadistic game cuts to the bone, offering a hard-hitting story, some next-level death traps, and strong performances across the entire cast."

"He calls it a return to form for the series with Shawnee Smith stealing the show as Amanda. That's not to discredit Tobin Bell, who gives his best Jigsaw performance yet."

"#SawX scored so well in test screenings, the producers thought the screenings were rigged. #MidsummerScream"

That's great to hear, I'm definitely going to see the movie no matter what. I meant I'm going to wait on some reviews of the Saw X maze at Six Flags fright fest before I decide to check it out.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Nobody Knows (2004) - 8/10

Not my favourite Koreeda film but impressive nonetheless. The way he constantly breaks your heart without being exploitive and without having any melodrama or confrontation in the film is an art. There are times where you feel that watching the children suffer goes on a bit too long and it's missing some of the sweeter moments to balance things out like his later films had but it's really well-made.

Predator (1987) - 6/10

I should've just watched another Koreeda film, though at least the ending is decent.

Angel (1937) - 7/10

A 30s film love triangle which isn't a screwball and features Marlene Dietrich where she isn't making 'f*** me' eyes throughout the film. Anyways it works quite well as it's tastefully done and never melodramatic, though Lubitsch loved his loud bombastic music cuts which was a bit annoying.

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985) - 6.5/10

Looked better than it was minus the final act which redeemed it somewhat. I always find it hard to engage with films which have a loose narrative structure because of how they waffle back and forth, some like Bunuel made them work but the results are mixed here.

Life and Nothing More... (1992) - 7/10

Made under trying circumstances just after an earthquake in Iran but I found it not wholly fulfilling as it ends before any sort of resolution. Does it show that life goes on after an earthquakes, yes but it also talks about certain characters which are never shown. The interactions between the director and the villager are the best part of the film but they're short and feel un-emphasized in the end.

The Ascent (1977) - 7.5/10

Soviet war film showing how good cinematography can look with snow in black & white. It's a mixed film with some really solid scenes mainly where there's dialogue between two soldiers plus a narrative which is actually compelling and then the usual more boring arthouse stuff from Soviet cinema in-between. Either way, the director passed away young which was a shame, she might've had a better career than Tarkovsky.

The Informer (1935) - 6.5/10

US-made film set in Ireland showing an informer who sold out an IRA member. Sadly the film wastes time following the drunken ogre/informer around and spends much less time on the IRA stuff and its members deciding what to do with him as their tale here is the more compelling one.

Grand Hotel (1932) - 6.5/10

John Barrymore dies AGAIN man, what is with this mans characters always getting killed or exploring death. Anyways this is a decent watch featuring a young non-scary Joan Crawford but I think it got its accoldates more through star power than the quality of the writing. Never settles down, the hotel it sets itself at is busy but that doesn't mean the narrative needs to be unfocused/busy.

Thelma & Louise (1991) - 7/10

The good stuff.....Harvey Keitel's police investigator and basically every interaction he has, the actual dialogue between the two leads, and the character which a young Brad Pitt plays (he looks shockingly similar to 2020 Brad Pitt which leads me to believe in those conspiracy theories). The bad stuff is that the rest is a by-the-numbers road film, Bonnie & Clyde did that part better imo.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Life and Nothing More... (1992) - 7/10

Made under trying circumstances just after an earthquake in Iran but I found it not wholly fulfilling as it ends before any sort of resolution. Does it show that life goes on after an earthquakes, yes but it also talks about certain characters which are never shown. The interactions between the director and the villager are the best part of the film but they're short and feel un-emphasized in the end.

It's (unofficially) a sequel - and one of the best ever made, it was one of my picks in the sequel thread. Makes more sense if you've seen the previous film.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

It's (unofficially) a sequel - and one of the best ever made, it was one of my picks in the sequel thread. Makes more sense if you've seen the previous film.

I've seen the previous one, I think with this one, it's not fully-realized. It's like he wanted to take a camera and film some scenes with some dialogue there but never had any real idea for a film asides from that. Sort of a half-doc/half-film.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I've seen the previous one, I think with this one, it's not fully-realized. It's like he wanted to take a camera and film some scenes with some dialogue there but never had any real idea for a film asides from that. Sort of a half-doc/half-film.

Good. Your comment let me think you hadn't seen it... Half-doc/half-film is a heck of a simplification here.

 

[Mario Lemieux fan 66]

The Covenant: 7.8/10 very good war movie with great action, great acting and good music score.

Past lives: 7.5/10 good movie that miss a little something to be a great movie.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Stop Making Sense. Got to see the re-release in IMAX. Hard to imagine I'm going to have a better time in a theater this year. Great picture. Stellar sound. What really sets this apart from so many other concert movies is the fact that it's truly a movie. Conceived and executed as such. Not in a verite "let's set up the camera and see what we get" way as so many others are (or seem to be), but in a controlled, precise experience. This isn't a movie of accidents and capturing off-the-cuff moments. It's a movie of control. The actual audience is barely a factor (mostly unseen until the final song) because YOU'RE the audience. This was made for you. It's not a snapshot of someone else's experience. This is your experience. Very cool. Great music to boot.

The Octagon. Chuck Norris is a really bad, wooden actor. But ninjas are fun.

 

[Puck]

The Continental: Brothers in Arms (2023) Directed by Albert Hughes 3A

The Continental is a trilogy (way too fancy a word to describe these three movies) of films that aims to take advantage of the success of the John Wick franchise by building a stand-alone mini-series around The Continental, the iconic Manhattan hotel for super bad guys which is a focal point of so much of the action in the John Wick movies. Smart idea, for sure; poor execution. The first chapter, Brothers in Arms is set in the '70s and focuses on Winston Scott (Colin Woodell--never heard of him) who gets drawn in to chasing down his estranged brother who has stolen The Continental's precious coin stamping machine and is in big trouble. A mobster named Cormac (Mel Gibson) currently runs the hotel, and he is the wrong guy to trifle with. Pretty standard stuff and except for visual style, and a couple of good gunfights, the relation to John Wick is tangential at best.

The movie suffers from a major charisma deficit. For starters, no one in the cast is even a remote match for Keanu Reeves--in fact the movie has no memorable characters whatsoever. Outside of a snarly Gibson, the cast is made up of a bunch of uncharismatic nobodies. As for Gibson, he lacks the suave but oily style of Ian McShane, so his presence only leads to invidious comparisons and the feeling that his presence these days is a sort of fun killer from the get-go. Then there is all the unnecessary exposition that gets in the way of the action of which there is far too little. It also doesn't help that the dialogue would have been clunky in 1950: "You're my brother. You are the only family I got" to give one of many possible examples. There is always the chance that a miracle will happen and the next two movies might work better, but I think it is safe to say this John Wick wannabe is off to a very rocky start. There is a little something too "bargain basement" about the whole thing.

I agree here, I was also disappointed. I did like Mel Gibson in this though but nobody really likes Mel Gibson these days (real life). The John Wick movies were more fun, they didn't take themselves too seriously. That levity is absent in The Continental. And you're right, the charisma is lacking.

 

[OzzyFan]

Inherit the Wind (1960)
3.30 out of 4stars

“Based on the real-life case in 1925, two great lawyers argue the case for and against a Tennessee science teacher accused of the crime of teaching evolution.”
A great historical drama that is grippingly told and more than just an example and debate on the unethical mixing of church and state, through a christian fundamentalist state law and court case on the Butler Act (or a defense of science). Based on the play and showcasing 2 powerhouse performances from Spencer Tracy and Fredric March with some top notch dialogue, you can see historically and legally the influence of a biblical God on the United States at varying levels, even in the simplest form of today’s currency still inscribed with the words “In God We Trust”. Most importantly, this trial was about protecting one’s freedom of thought and expression, which is protected by the Constitutional First Amendment, and showing the non-violent horrors of a close-minded mob mentality (and fallibilities of government). It’s quite ironic, how one’s right to freely express themselves, christian fundamentalists here, in turn becomes an aggressive and suppressive means to take away another’s right to do the same, believing and teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. On a much larger scale, this simplifies what politics are as a whole, one side fighting against another side based on a topic stance they believe in on which they push to become declared legal or illegal, whether selfish, logical, moral, ethical, or otherwise based. Sadly, when laws and politics involve subjectivity, something that occurs often, “right” becomes a meaningless term in the world of gray areas. While I won’t give away a twist or the film, one event is smart and applaudable as the basis of the situation and transferable in an applicable manner. What I find ironic about everything here is that religion is all faith based anyway, depending on one’s harmonization of evolution and their religious beliefs aside, and exposure to temptation and sin exists everywhere in the world already and this is just “one possible example of it out of countless others”. Gene Kelly as the snarky one liner throwing comedic relief is spot on as well. Supposedly seen as an attack on the anti-communist policies of the time, of which co-screenwriter Nedrick Young was blacklisted for such ties in that era.

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
3.15 out of 4stars

“A Brooklyn writer of books on the futility of marriage risks his reputation after he decides to tie the knot. Things get even more complicated when he learns on his wedding day that his beloved maiden aunts are habitual murderers.”
A great dark comedy drama that is madcap funny, rapidly paced entertainment. Based on the play, the film is full of over the top frantic laughs, amply witty dialogue, and a sprinkle of danger created from its insanity, irony, and secrecy ladened script. The obvious theme is about upper class citizens being hypocritical and having many skeletons in their closets, while possibly having low views of their fellow lower class citizens. Arguably a message of the upper class being ignorant, negligent, or sadistic in their treatment of the lower classes is presented too. The themes feel mostly one note throughout the film, but the material is still quite funny and makes up for it. And while Carey Grant had easily starred in more than a dozen lesser films, he considered this one to be his least favorite and included a horrible performance from him. Something the vast majority of viewers would easily disagree on.

Death and the Maiden (1994)
3.05 out of 4stars

“A political activist is convinced that her guest is a man who once tortured and raped her for/under the previous fascist government and proceeds to kidnap and interrogate him alongside her lawyer husband.”
A great psychological mystery drama thriller that’s a tense and gripping discussion on justice, power, and trauma. Based on the play, Sigourney Weaver is great as the scarred hell-bent victim and Kingsley tip toes the line between innocence/guilt so well. There is a lot of entertaining food for thought brought up to the audience. Is circumstantial evidence worthy of guilty judgment? Witness testimony is falsifiable or speculative, so how worthy is it to be used in judgment/trials? Why are justice loopholes allowed to exist (example: criminal informants/plea bargains-negotiations /cover ups/etc)? Is living through rape and torture a fate worse than death? What is a true form of justice for torture and/or rape? What verbally said from or physically done to an offending party by or in regard to the victim must occur “to be made whole” again? Psychological/physical trauma like this is life altering and the acts of torture/rape themselves as arguably the most intimately severe and atrocious acts someone can commit. These are the most extreme points on the scale. Politics/A government that lets such abuses (of power) go unpunished in any way are themselves guilty as well in part of the crime. Of further interest, the accused rapist here, was in charge of monitoring the extremities of torture lest not to kill her, another darkest of the dark conundrum. I won’t give away the ending, but will say the finale’s answers are a worthy conclusion. Interestingly this situation feels oddly too close to home for director Polanski, who drugged and raped a 13 year old girl in 1977 and eventually fled the United States to France to avoid punishment/a lengthy jail time.

A Lizard in Woman’s Skin (1971)
2.90 out of 4stars

“The potentially unhinged daughter of a British politician, who regularly visits a psychologist, is accused of killing her hedonistic/sex-and-drugs-party neighbor after she witnesses the murder in a dream.”
A great giallo horror with style and suspense alongside some police procedural moments. Aside from uncharacteristically dealing with a single/non-serial murderer, this delivers all the elements and visuals one would hope from a giallo. Ranked #19 in Pranzo’s gialli thread, of which I agree that the film has some notable highs and a poor score, but disagree on the film's contents being cheesy at times and notably uneven. Also in agreement with Pranzo, Sorel acting as the husband is poor but you’re in luck because Bolkan in the lead is fantastic. The topic throughout is “is our protagonist crazy or not? And is she the killer or not?”, of which we see explored through police investigation, protagonist family members scrambling, and our protagonist facing weird encounters throughout it all. The highs are quite admirable, of which include 2 long sequences: the sanatorium chase and abandoned church chase, amongst a few other visually unique shots. The dream scenes and many portions of the film as a whole play on the surreal edge quite successfully. It’s all thrown together with ample red herrings and a great twisty story, especially the last 20minutes with a satisfying conclusion completely fitting the style of the subgenre. Of considerable note, the graphic pulsating insides-opened-up dogs scene was so realistic that director Fulci was charged with animal cruelty but saved from jail time when special effects artist Rambaldi presented the fake dog props used in the scene. Supposedly the first case of its kind, and if you watch the 95minute cut of this film you will not see this scene.

Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) (subtitles)
2.85 out of 4stars

“A musician is stalked by an unknown homicidal maniac, who blackmails him for the accidental killing of another stalker.”
A great giallo that is unorthodox and 100% unapologetically early Dario Argento. Separating itself from prototypical giallo, the film has lots of humor, minimal sex, and little gore. Some might dislike their giallo chock full of humor as it pulls focus from the suspenseful mystery at hand, but I relished it, especially from someone like Argento behind the camera bringing his other signatures. The coffin expo scene specifically is very funny. The camera work is brilliant as always, the oddities are gleeful, the plot twists worthy, the murder scenes top notch, suspense moments great, imagery memorable, stylish all around, some surreal touches, and a prog rock soundtrack of quality. Argento’s 3rd film is obviously not on his top tier with films like Deep Red, Suspiria, Tenebrae, or The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, arguably a little below his tier of Opera, Phenomena, and Inferno, but it’s still pleasantly what you would expect from Argento. Great and weird, and a must see for any real fan of the director.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

A Lizard in Woman’s Skin (1971)
2.90 out of 4stars

“The potentially unhinged daughter of a British politician, who regularly visits a psychologist, is accused of killing her hedonistic/sex-and-drugs-party neighbor after she witnesses the murder in a dream.”
A great giallo horror with style and suspense alongside some police procedural moments. Aside from uncharacteristically dealing with a single/non-serial murderer, this delivers all the elements and visuals one would hope from a giallo. Ranked #19 in Pranzo’s gialli thread, of which I agree that the film has some notable highs and a poor score, but disagree on the film's contents being cheesy at times and notably uneven. Also in agreement with Pranzo, Sorel acting as the husband is poor but you’re in luck because Bolkan in the lead is fantastic. The topic throughout is “is our protagonist crazy or not? And is she the killer or not?”, of which we see explored through police investigation, protagonist family members scrambling, and our protagonist facing weird encounters throughout it all. The highs are quite admirable, of which include 2 long sequences: the sanatorium chase and abandoned church chase, amongst a few other visually unique shots. The dream scenes and many portions of the film as a whole play on the surreal edge quite successfully. It’s all thrown together with ample red herrings and a great twisty story, especially the last 20minutes with a satisfying conclusion completely fitting the style of the subgenre. Of considerable note, the graphic pulsating insides-opened-up dogs scene was so realistic that director Fulci was charged with animal cruelty but saved from jail time when special effects artist Rambaldi presented the fake dog props used in the scene. Supposedly the first case of its kind, and if you watch the 95minute cut of this film you will not see this scene.

Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) (subtitles)
2.85 out of 4stars

“A musician is stalked by an unknown homicidal maniac, who blackmails him for the accidental killing of another stalker.”
A great giallo that is unorthodox and 100% unapologetically early Dario Argento. Separating itself from prototypical giallo, the film has lots of humor, minimal sex, and little gore. Some might dislike their giallo chock full of humor as it pulls focus from the suspenseful mystery at hand, but I relished it, especially from someone like Argento behind the camera bringing his other signatures. The coffin expo scene specifically is very funny. The camera work is brilliant as always, the oddities are gleeful, the plot twists worthy, the murder scenes top notch, suspense moments great, imagery memorable, stylish all around, some surreal touches, and a prog rock soundtrack of quality. Argento’s 3rd film is obviously not on his top tier with films like Deep Red, Suspiria, Tenebrae, or The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, arguably a little below his tier of Opera, Phenomena, and Inferno, but it’s still pleasantly what you would expect from Argento. Great and weird, and a must see for any real fan of the director.

At some point, please put all of these in the giallo thread! I should have rewatched 4FoGV, your comments make me think I might have overlook it.

 

[shadow1]

Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) (subtitles)
2.85 out of 4stars

“A musician is stalked by an unknown homicidal maniac, who blackmails him for the accidental killing of another stalker.”
A great giallo that is unorthodox and 100% unapologetically early Dario Argento. Separating itself from prototypical giallo, the film has lots of humor, minimal sex, and little gore. Some might dislike their giallo chock full of humor as it pulls focus from the suspenseful mystery at hand, but I relished it, especially from someone like Argento behind the camera bringing his other signatures. The coffin expo scene specifically is very funny. The camera work is brilliant as always, the oddities are gleeful, the plot twists worthy, the murder scenes top notch, suspense moments great, imagery memorable, stylish all around, some surreal touches, and a prog rock soundtrack of quality. Argento’s 3rd film is obviously not on his top tier with films like Deep Red, Suspiria, Tenebrae, or The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, arguably a little below his tier of Opera, Phenomena, and Inferno, but it’s still pleasantly what you would expect from Argento. Great and weird, and a must see for any real fan of the director.

At some point, please put all of these in the giallo thread! I should have rewatched 4FoGV, your comments make me think I might have overlook it.

Great review, mine would be pretty much identical to yours Ozzy. Good early Argento movie, but probably my least favorite of the "animal" trilogy. In recent months Four Flies received a 4K release, and I caught a Youtube live stream where a ton of commenters in the live chat were saying it was their favorite of the trilogy. So this old film definitely has a strong fan base.

 

[kihei]

I have a real soft spot for Four Flies on Grey Velvet. I think it is my second favorite Argento behind The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. Certainly safely ahead of Suspiria and Deep Red for me.

 

[OzzyFan]

At some point, please put all of these in the giallo thread! I should have rewatched 4FoGV, your comments make me think I might have overlook it.

You know, I've thought about that, problem is I either have to double post or separate it when I do my weekly film review postings and I never came to an answer on that. I also am continually watching giallos, aiming for 1 a week give or take for the next 4 weeks at least right now planned. Similar problem popping up soon, if Osprey bumps up his Halloween/seasonal-horror film thread for October, what do I do? I'll probably still post everything in this thread.

I'm gonna do a bulk drop now into that thread to update it with what I've got.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Speak No Evil - 2022 - English and subtitles

It's a horror/thriller disturbing movie about a Danish family that visits a Dutch family for a weekend vacation after they met on a holiday together.

This movie has some of the most infuriating main characters I've seen in a movie in quite some time. I think part of it is a social commentary about Danish people and how polite they are in the face of others being rude despite how many red flags there are but since I'm not Danish I have absolutely no clue how much truth there is to that.

Personally I had a really hard time relating to these characters even with trying to suspend disbelief because their actions were so stupid.

The acting is really good but I can't say I recommend watching it.

Apparently they are remaking it for US audiences so I'm curious to see how much they change to adapt it...

Mackenzie Davis Joins James McAvoy In Blumhouse And Universal’s ‘Speak No Evil’ Remake

Mackenzie Davis is set to join the cast of Speak No Evil for Blumhouse and Universal.

deadline.com

 

[kihei]

Reptile (2023) Directed by Grant Singer 5A

Reptile gets an extra star because Benicio Del Toro, who plays a quiet detective sussing out a complicated but not especially interesting mystery, manages to create a fascinating low-key character of depth and complexity. He also has a scene where he warns off a potential suitor of his wife that may provide the best two minute snippet of the year. As usual, he is just great fun to watch, and I wish he would get more starring roles because he remains among the most watchable actors working in NA. But then there is the rest of the movie. To be fair there are some good bits, especially among the cops' camaraderie working the investigation. But the few positive attributes of the film are overwhelmed by a tone that is so laconic, so meandering, it took me a while to find a pulse. Then there is the score, usually a minor consideration. Not here. Mystifyingly Reptile has a wildly misjudged score filled with ominous music. That would be fine if the scenes the music attempts to support were ominous, but they totally aren't. So the music creates an audible disconnect that is maddeningly distracting.

At this point, I think it fair to mention the title, another mystifying choice. There isn't a reptile in the entire movie, and none of the eventual culprits behave all that reptile-like either. Perhaps the music composer saw the title and thought it was indeed a horror movie he was scoring. The director could have thrown in a garter snake for symbolism or something, but no such luck. Also, thoroughly un-reptile-like Justin Timberlake is the second lead in the film, playing a real estate broker whose real estate agent girl friend is the movie's first victim. He is okay, he doesn't embarrass himself, but his flat line readings only help to underscore the flatness of the movie whenever Del Toro isn't on screen. So watch Reptile for Del Toro if you like him, and for its few modest accomplishments, but low expectations going into the theatre are well advised.

Netflix

 

[NyQuil]

At this point, I think it fair to mention the title, another mystifying choice. There isn't a reptile in the entire movie, and none of the eventual culprits behave all that reptile-like either. Perhaps the music composer saw the title and thought it was indeed a horror movie he was scoring. The director could have thrown in a garden snake for symbolism or something, but no such luck.

Maybe the filmmaker had the cool title in their head going all the way back to film school, didn't have the right film to go along with it, but went ahead with it anyway before anyone else could use it.