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

[kihei]

Fair Play (2023) Directed by Claire Domont 4A

Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) work for a high-pressure financial services corporation in New York. Against company policy, they are secretly living together. The night after Luke proposes and Emily accepts, Emily tells Luke of a rumour she heard that he is going to be given a high management position. The rumour is false, and it is she that is eventually offered the promotion. At first, Luke takes it well, but then things for the couple go from bad to worse...to worse...to worse. It's not a bad premise, but Fair Play ends up being an ugly movie. The story quickly turns to gale-force melodrama with one partner's horrible behaviour is quickly followed by the other partner's even more horrible behaviour. All this angst eventually gets well out of hand, but the movie keeps going even though it has nothing to say about any of the possible issues it could have raised. Neither main character is likeable, so why should anyone give a damn about their giant egos going out of control? Their financier colleagues all are loathsome characters, as well, a collection of sexist sociopaths with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Who am I rooting for here, exactly?

As this is a Netflix movie, it has the style almost all Netflix movies have, excluding a few directed by name directors. Let's call this style "blemish-free competence devoid of any personality." They all have the same clean, antiseptic look as though they were directed by some form of AI. Not much comfort either is the acting which is a mixed bag. Brit character actor Eddie Marsan is terrific as the heartless boss of the operation. Dynevor looks like a star in the making, but when I looked up who Alden Ehrenreich and found out he is the new Hans Solo, I just laughed. He is the cinematic equivalent of Wonder Bread. It doesn't help that Fair Play gets progressively less believable and, as a result, less interesting as the emotional whammies get more and more outrageous. With so much nastiness involving people I didn't care about, all the movie accomplished was to leave a sour taste in my mouth. While the movie has almost the exact same rhythm as a professional wrestling bout, I wouldn't recommend it even to people who like professional wrestling bouts.

Netflix

 

[Bounces R Way]

Talk to Me(2022) - 7.5/10


Reckless teenagers dicking around with the dead file#768, let's see if it's a good idea this time. Turns out not, but the film does manage to offer a fresh and unique cinematic take on that worn old premise. Made for only 4.5 million AUD by a couple YouTuber brothers it really felt like they made the most of it.

Mia is our main character with the tragic backstory. She's insecure and wants to make more friends so when one night while hanging out with her BFF and her adopted family she sees some school chums on the snapchat or tiktok or w/e doing some creepy shit with what looked like a ceramic hand, she is all the way IN. The next night they head to the party and Mia volunteers to be the big balled badass to talk with the dead, which is done by holding this hand of a dead medium and whispering the movie title. Predictably she becomes entranced and obsessed with this new high and the group starts to experiment and push limits. You can probably fill in most(but certainly not all) of the blanks from there.

Indie horror can largely be hit or miss for me. I tend to either really enjoy them(The Babadook, Midsommar, Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lighthouse) or really dislike them(Men, Hereditary, The Green Knight, Get Out). This movie for me was a hit, and I hope it gets some more momentum. Stylistically is where it really succeeds, some quality creativity shown by the first time directors. They have some fun with it and put the tension in the right places. The tone and the atmosphere they set with the teenagers is very believable, not at all cliched and tired like a lot of Hollywood horror is. Use of the jump scares and body horror and gore were all with intention. Great opening scene, paced well without rushing, and I quite enjoyed how they ended it. Left the audience a couple questions to answer for themselves but still with a satisfying conclusion. That's hard to do, got to say I was impressed.

Lost a mark or two for the rising action to the climax, just not quite as engaging as you'd want it to be. Not that it was bad, but just a little flat.

 

[Satans Hockey]

I'm up to date on all the saw movies as well, going to go see the new one tonight.

I also really didn't like Spiral at all. @Osprey covered a lot of why I didn't like it.

I know they weren't going to use John Kramers voice for the puppets but I don't think they could have picked a worse voice than they did for the tapes/puppet.

We had talked about this for a previous movie but...

Spoiler

since this wasn't Kramer anyway it doesn't matter but these traps were all setup for them to die. It works in this scenario since this is a revenge movie and not a normal Saw movie

 

[Satans Hockey]

Talk to Me(2022) - 7.5/10


Reckless teenagers dicking around with the dead file#768, let's see if it's a good idea this time. Turns out not, but the film does manage to offer a fresh and unique cinematic take on that worn old premise. Made for only 4.5 million AUD by a couple YouTuber brothers it really felt like they made the most of it.

Mia is our main character with the tragic backstory. She's insecure and wants to make more friends so when one night while hanging out with her BFF and her adopted family she sees some school chums on the snapchat or tiktok or w/e doing some creepy shit with what looked like a ceramic hand, she is all the way IN. The next night they head to the party and Mia volunteers to be the big balled badass to talk with the dead, which is done by holding this hand of a dead medium and whispering the movie title. Predictably she becomes entranced and obsessed with this new high and the group starts to experiment and push limits. You can probably fill in most(but certainly not all) of the blanks from there.

Indie horror can largely be hit or miss for me. I tend to either really enjoy them(The Babadook, Midsommar, Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lighthouse) or really dislike them(Men, Hereditary, The Green Knight, Get Out). This movie for me was a hit, and I hope it gets some more momentum. Stylistically is where it really succeeds, some quality creativity shown by the first time directors. They have some fun with it and put the tension in the right places. The tone and the atmosphere they set with the teenagers is very believable, not at all cliched and tired like a lot of Hollywood horror is. Use of the jump scares and body horror and gore were all with intention. Great opening scene, paced well without rushing, and I quite enjoyed how they ended it. Left the audience a couple questions to answer for themselves but still with a satisfying conclusion. That's hard to do, got to say I was impressed.

Lost a mark or two for the rising action to the climax, just not quite as engaging as you'd want it to be. Not that it was bad, but just a little flat.

I saw this one in the theater and loved it, they already confirmed a second movie.

This also made me laugh...

Talk To Me Party Hand

Light it up, let them in. Designed by our friends at Craighill, the life-sized ceramic Talk To Me Party Hand is the only smoking device (or incense burner!) that opens the door to the other side.

shop.a24films.com

 

[shadow1]

Fear in the Night (1972) - 6/10

After she is attacked by a one armed man, a newly married woman is moved to a boys school.

Judy Geeson stars as Peggy, a newlywed who has just married Robert (Ralph Bates). One day while home alone, she is attacked by a one-armed man and faints. Suffering from a nervous breakdown, Robert moves himself and Judy to a boy's school that is run by eccentric headmaster Michael (Peter Cushing) and his wife Molly (Joan Collins). But the one armed attacker is not far behind...

Fear in the Night was directed by Jimmy Sangster, and written by Sangster and Michael Syson. A Hammer Films production, the screenplay was originally written in 1963, and nearly went into production several times with multiple studios before finally being released. How does it stack up against other Hammer Horror movies?

It's no Curse of Frankenstein, but it's not a bad little movie. Fear in the Night had a microscopic budget of $172,000, featuring few locations and only eight credited characters. Despite its simplicity, the film manages to be entertaining off of the strength of its performances. All of the principle cast members are good, with Peter Cushing as usual elevating the material and giving a memorable performance.

The film is very slow however, relying heavily on exposition due to the limited means of the filmmakers. Fortunately, Fear in the Night makes up for it with a strong climax. The film is a whodunit of sorts, and though I've seen this particular twist multiple times, I did not see it coming here. Furthermore, I liked the way it was executed and legitimately had me confused (in a good way) at one point.

Overall, Fear in the Night is a decent Hammer Horror effort. It came out during the downswing of the studio's initial run (i.e. after Dracula A.D. 1972), but is definitely worth checking out for fans of the studio. For everyone else, it's an easy watch and isn't a bad choice for a late night/early morning watch.

 

[shadow1]

I'm up to date on all the saw movies as well, going to go see the new one tonight.

I also really didn't like Spiral at all. @Osprey covered a lot of why I didn't like it.

I know they weren't going to use John Kramers voice for the puppets but I don't think they could have picked a worse voice than they did for the tapes/puppet.

We had talked about this for a previous movie but...

Spoiler

since this wasn't Kramer anyway it doesn't matter but these traps were all setup for them to die. It works in this scenario since this is a revenge movie and not a normal Saw movie

Spoiler

The people in this one all had a chance to escape though, right? It was in horrible fashion, but the first two people could've severed their tongue/fingers but were too slow, and the wax one was escapable too if she severed her spinal cord. I can't remember with the very final death though, he might've been screwed with the whole marionette thing.

 

[Satans Hockey]

Spoiler

The people in this one all had a chance to escape though, right? It was in horrible fashion, but the first two people could've severed their tongue/fingers but were too slow, and the wax one was escapable too if she severed her spinal cord. I can't remember with the very final death though, he might've been screwed with the whole marionette thing.

Spoiler

I'm not sure they did, for me it came across that he set them up to feel the most possible pain before being killed. The partner with the glass was the only one that seemed like they would get out if Chris Rock found the key in the garbage can immediately.

The guy with his tongue probably would have passed out from blood loss and been hit by the train anyway. Maybe the finger guy survives but feels like it would be really hard to stop the blood loss from that as well. Maybe you can break your own neck on that thing but I have no clue. Rock's dad seemed screwed either way unless there was a button the partner could have pressed if Rock agreed to go with him.

I don't actually have a problem with it for this movie since it was Kramer who was the one about redemption and this guy was out purely for revenge. He just wanted to inflict pain on them before they died.

 

[shadow1]

Spoiler

I'm not sure they did, for me it came across that he set them up to feel the most possible pain before being killed. The partner with the glass was the only one that seemed like they would get out if Chris Rock found the key in the garbage can immediately.

The guy with his tongue probably would have passed out from blood loss and been hit by the train anyway. Maybe the finger guy survives but feels like it would be really hard to stop the blood loss from that as well. Maybe you can break your own neck on that thing but I have no clue. Rock's dad seemed screwed either way unless there was a button the partner could have pressed if Rock agreed to go with him.

I don't actually have a problem with it for this movie since it was Kramer who was the one about redemption and this guy was out purely for revenge. He just wanted to inflict pain on them before they died.

Spoiler

Fair points. I really wish they would've handled the mystery better, the second that guy appeared on screen I was pretty much like "it's him" in my head. When he borrowed Rock's cell phone in one scene my theory was cemented...plus they never showed his death like the others. Oh well, even in spite of that I liked it. I think I was pretty chalk with IMDB/Letterboxd on the rest of the series, so Spiral can be my hot take. Now just need to get out to see Saw X...

 

[OzzyFan]

Talk to Me(2022) - 7.5/10


Reckless teenagers dicking around with the dead file#768, let's see if it's a good idea this time. Turns out not, but the film does manage to offer a fresh and unique cinematic take on that worn old premise. Made for only 4.5 million AUD by a couple YouTuber brothers it really felt like they made the most of it.

Mia is our main character with the tragic backstory. She's insecure and wants to make more friends so when one night while hanging out with her BFF and her adopted family she sees some school chums on the snapchat or tiktok or w/e doing some creepy shit with what looked like a ceramic hand, she is all the way IN. The next night they head to the party and Mia volunteers to be the big balled badass to talk with the dead, which is done by holding this hand of a dead medium and whispering the movie title. Predictably she becomes entranced and obsessed with this new high and the group starts to experiment and push limits. You can probably fill in most(but certainly not all) of the blanks from there.

Indie horror can largely be hit or miss for me. I tend to either really enjoy them(The Babadook, Midsommar, Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lighthouse) or really dislike them(Men, Hereditary, The Green Knight, Get Out). This movie for me was a hit, and I hope it gets some more momentum. Stylistically is where it really succeeds, some quality creativity shown by the first time directors. They have some fun with it and put the tension in the right places. The tone and the atmosphere they set with the teenagers is very believable, not at all cliched and tired like a lot of Hollywood horror is. Use of the jump scares and body horror and gore were all with intention. Great opening scene, paced well without rushing, and I quite enjoyed how they ended it. Left the audience a couple questions to answer for themselves but still with a satisfying conclusion. That's hard to do, got to say I was impressed.

Lost a mark or two for the rising action to the climax, just not quite as engaging as you'd want it to be. Not that it was bad, but just a little flat.

For those that don't know this, Osprey bumped the horror film discussion thread for October. I've seen at least a few posters post those genre films here while that is now active. It is everyone's right to post their reviews in whatever thread they choose, but I just wanted to bring this fact to light.

 

[Howe Elbows 9]

The Quiet Girl (2022, by Colm Beiréad) - 8/10.

A movie where most of the dialogue is in Irish (Gaelic; the title is An Cailín Ciúin in it's original language). Cáit is a young girl who is mostly quiet - I've just learned that it's something called selective mutism - because of trauma and lack of confidence. She goes to stay with foster parents, who are distant relatives, over the summer. A beautiful film that tackles some serious issues, and a straightforward plot.

 

[Chili]

For those that don't know this, Osprey bumped the horror film discussion thread for October. I've seen at least a few posters post those genre films here while that is now active. It is everyone's right to post their reviews in whatever thread they choose, but I just wanted to bring this fact to light.

Considered that thread when I posted on 3 of the many versions of Phantom of the Opera. Only one of the three would consider a horror film (Pranzo can correct me).

Now that hockey is back, may take a little siesta from films but I`ll be around.

 

[kihei]

The Quiet Girl (2022, by Colm Beiréad) - 8/10.

A movie where most of the dialogue is in Irish (Gaelic; the title is An Cailín Ciúin in it's original language). Cáit is a young girl who is mostly quiet - I've just learned that it's something called selective mutism - because of trauma and lack of confidence. She goes to stay with foster parents, who are distant relatives, over the summer. A beautiful film that tackles some serious issues, and a straightforward plot.

Loved this movie. Saw it a year ago and still think about it from time to time.

 

[kihei]

The Caine Mutiny Court Martial (2023) Directed by William Friedkin 5A

The Caine Mutiny Court Martial is an odd choice for William Friedkin who must have had a pretty good idea that this would be his last movie. Though this reinterpretation of the Humphrey Bogart classic from the '50s seems on the face of it unnecessary, this really is a very different version. Both movies are about the court martial of a naval first officer who removed his captain from duty during the height of a cyclone at sea. However, unlike in the original, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial never leaves the courtroom until a brief scene at the very end. The Caine Mutiny was originally a play (based on a novel), so this transition to the court setting works acceptably well. However, it sacrifices the high drama at sea that so heightened the suspense of the original. With its "B" level cast (Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Clarke, Lance Reddick) and limited staging, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial seems like it was constrained by a tight budget. Sorry that Friedkin (The French Connection; The Exorcist; Sorcerer) couldn't have gone out with a bigger bang.

All that being said, the movie is certainly watchable. I had problems with it mainly because I am not a big fan of Jason Clarke who seems to me to be one of the most obvious, least subtle actors of his generation. He gets the job done okay, I guess, but I never enjoy watching him do it--there is always a veneer of smugness in his performances that I find distracting. Sutherland does a good job as the mentally unstable Captain Queeg, but, man, he ain't no Bogie who runs rings around him in the key mental breakdown scene toward the end of the movie. Ultimately, authority is challenged in this movie but not enthusiactically. In the end, the movie takes a hard right stance that blames a manipulative whistle blower for the whole mess. He is the only intellectual in the movie, a writer no less--so obviously he, not the deranged captain, is the real culprit here. Who knew that 1953 would have so much in common politically with 2023? What an awful thought.

 

[Osprey]

For those that don't know this, Osprey bumped the horror film discussion thread for October. I've seen at least a few posters post those genre films here while that is now active. It is everyone's right to post their reviews in whatever thread they choose, but I just wanted to bring this fact to light.

FWIW, I don't expect others to post reviews there. I do it mainly because it makes it easier to find my own. I have trouble remembering what I liked or disliked about horror films because they tend to be similar, especially entries in a series. I'll also sometimes re-read some of the thread each October to get ideas for things to watch. I just do what suits me and others are welcome to do whatever suits them.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

A Few Good Men (1992) - 8/10

Really enjoyed this. Fast direction and thrilling courtroom sequences which don't get tiring because they're split over multiple days. It has some 90s-isms and a sentimental ending but that also gives it its strength in pacing. Also points for having a court case where it focuses far more on the defence putting together the case rather than spending much time on the accused or victims or the melodrama usually associated with that.

Braveheart (1995) - 7/10

Historically inaccurate to even those who don't know much about this history but decently thrilling. Some huge well-done battles which tbh do get a bit tedious after a while and the chemistry with some characters is off but it's a decently entertaining yet slightly outdated bio-epic. Mel Gibson's lead has more of a personality at the start and loses it to become a robotic macho-hero as the film progresses which is a bit unfortunate.

Limelight (1952) - 7/10

Chaplin indulges himself with some really long musical numbers here but the rest is solid especially his scenes with the female actress. It's not entertaining or fun in the way Monsieur Verdoux was but it has a nice twinge of classic tragedrama.

Early Summer (1951) - 7.5/10

Ozu focusing on younger actors here helps with better pacing. Also he has such an amazing way of capturing children and showing their own little story within a story without the children being annoying or a prop. Culturally sometimes it's hard to relate to his films with concepts like arranged-ish marriages but the themes feel universal here and it's done without any bitter melodrama or forced tears.

Showing Up (2023)

Won't rate this one because I can't stand watching the modern artsy type being portrayed which prevents me from enjoying it like others, I always find their portrayal obnoxious and it ruins the film for me. There are other issues I have with this like shitty lighting and lead Michelle Williams' character having a sort of emotional mask throughout the film but there are a lot of subtle nuiances which are nice. Though you can add subtle layers to a film without making it boring.

Naked Island (1960)

Also won't rate this one as it's almost a silent film showing a ritual. There is a fine line between art and something which is just lifeless and boring and I think more could've been done here to create a sense of intrigue or something to hang on to like in The Seventh Continent.

Mandalay (1934) - 7/10

An hour long Kay Francis drama which is quite mundane for most of its run until the final third which makes for a somewhat worthwhile watch but it's not the same when her character isn't given a bit of expressive comedy like in The Jewel Robbery.

Training Day (2001) - 7.5/10

Denzel goes HARD and everyone else is in his shadow for most of the film (minus Ethan Hawke who's meeker character still has a presence). Denzel's character basically gaslights you throughout the film and you know he might be full of shit but you don't really realize it till it's late. A really heart-pounding film but also a bit silly and hasty with this generic 00s direction quality at times, I wonder how great it would've been if Michael Mann directed it.

 

[Ceremony]

The Mummy (1999) Some harm comes from reading a book. The ultimate blockbuster - action, horror, comedy, a history lesson, a healthy fear of the unknown and a distrust of Americans. And some utterly heinous CGI. As good now as it ever was. I watched this on TV at half six in the evening so some of the gorier bits were missing.

The Exorcist (1973) Priest has spiritual crisis and resolves it by going for a trip. Some films I watch and just instinctively know I'm watching something good, even if I don't fully appreciate and understand every aspect of it the way I'd like. Is it because I spend a lot of time watching Mark Kermode reviews on youtube? Probably. All I know for certain is this is just captivating from beginning to end, now matter how unsettling it is.

Alien (1979) What is it with horror films and people not acting the way people do? John Hurt is an astronaut on a ship that receives a strange signal from a nearby moon. He and his crew investigate and discover a huge spaceship crash landed on it. It's huge, it's black and glossy, filled with extremely intricate architecture and structures. There's a giant humanoid skeleton on a plinth with something sticking out of its chest. John Hurt finds a bunch of eggs surrounded by mist in a room. He goes and looks at one of the eggs and sees something moving inside, so he sticks his face over the top and the thing jumps out and wraps itself around his face. His crew take him back to his ship and do some investigating. They try cutting it but it has literal acid for blood. Then they go away and leave him for a bit. Then they go back and the thing has left his face and seemingly lies dead on the floor. Then they leave him for a bit again. Then they come back and he's up and fine and hungry so they go and have dinner and then the Alien bursts out of his chest.

I've seen this before and never really taken to it, despite it largely having a bunch of traits that I like. I realised partly why I've struggled this time around. There's something... presumptive about the way the characters talk to each other and do things. I don't know if I'm just stupid but nobody talks to anyone, nothing is explained, they just seem to move to the next bit of the ship so the next scene can happen. There's very little conversation and really there's not much that suggests to me this crew know each other very well or really care. Luckily we have a young Sigourney Weaver who looks like the least likely survival horror action star possible but pulls it off very well. While watching this I discovered I've only ever seen her in three films - this and Ghostbusters 1 and 2. This is her best.

Boiling Point (2021) The world's most Scouse chef has the ultimate kitchen nightmare. Shot as a one-take (but not really, even though I watched it on streaming with ad breaks you can see the few cuts it has) we see everyone in a restaurant have a night. It's very real. It's so real you spend the run time even more wound up and anxious and angry than all of the people you see. You're in the restaurant as much as they are. You loathe and sympathise with certain characters, whether they're objectively annoying or terrible or not. Very good, but it will raise your blood pressure. If you've ever worked in a restaurant or bar this is probably the sort of fever dream you have years later where everything that can go wrong in a night does.

 

[Jovavic]

Nope

Would I recommend this movie?

Nope.

 

[Sentinel]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑). A quick summary: Asian robots = good, American humans = bad, an African American with so many cyborg limbs it’s hard to tell what he is = bad but becomes good. In the future, USA bans robots and wages a war on “New Asia” where robots have taken refuge and acquired the same rights as humans (can you still call them “human rights”?). Both sides invent a potential gamebreaker. America – a giant flying fortress that seeks and destroys robots. “New Asia” – a cute child with a potential to mind-control various things (at least, machines and dogs). The story is trivial (making 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫 look like 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫), the acting is wooden (calling it “robotic” would be too easy), the dialogue is crap, the culmination is pathetic by action movie standards, and the agenda is blatant and heavy-handed. We get it: America is bad, the Global South is good. At one point Marcel yelped: “I’ve been to this island!” (he went to Vietnam last summer). Then he even teared up because this movie reminded him of the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City (not a pleasant experience for any American). Let me tell you: had this movie been about the Vietnam War, this would, at least, have been honest. Americans did despicable things there, well reflected in cinema (𝐀𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐩𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰, 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐧, 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫, etc.). But this movie aims to make us feel bad for the Asian-looking robots! Mind you: there are plenty of movies with relatable and sympathetic artificial beings (𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝟐, 𝐀𝐈: 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐄𝐱 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚, the said 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫, its final dying speech by a robot rivaling any last words ever spoken on screen in dramatic effect). But not this one. The question “can robots be made human?” is given a definitive answer in this movie: “as long as they are not white Americans.” Only a couple of times I felt emotion other than irritation at the manipulative filmmakers. At one time, robots disguise a grenade as food delivery (very nice and humane of them, guaranteed to make me feel sympathetic). And in another moment, an evil woman coronel (played by Allison Jenney, the only real actor in this mess) tells her dying soldier comrade: “I’ll see you in Valhalla!” (which made me feel sympathetic). Let me tell you: had AI written and directed this movie, this would have at least been honest. 3/10

 

[kihei]

The Burial (2023) Directed by Maggie Betts 4A

The Burial combines two familiar movie types--white culture meets black culture (Driving Miss Daisy, The Blind Side, Green Book) and courtroom drama about a little guy who gets screwed by a heartless corporation (The Verdict; Erin Brockovitch; The Insider). Jeremiah (Tommy Lee Jones) is trying to sell some of his funeral homes because he needs the money. When a corporation decides to play hardball with him, he enlists the help of a flamboyant personal injury lawyer who doesn't do contract law, Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx), who decides to take the case anyway. What follows is predictable but made tolerable by the performances of Foxx and Jones. The Burial is designed as a feel-good movie and though its trajectory is bland, time-worn and familiar, it is a hard puppy to dislike completely. I call this kind of movie an "airplane movie." If you watched it in a theatre you would be disappointed but killing time on an international flight, it would help you pass a couple of hours quite amiably.

Netflix

 

[sdf]

 

[NyQuil]

The old beret sneak attack.

 

[NyQuil]

Also, apparently the camera man is on board a ship.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

Rosemary's Baby. I'm not going to ramble about the many reasons why this became and maintains its status as a classic. I revisit every few years and it always holds up. Some real modern relevance to this day. A movie that wrings so much tension from time and patience. I did want to call out one thing that really jumped out to me on this rewatch ... John Cassavetes is historically a BIG performer, but here he conveys his duplicity in so many small, almost embarrassed gestures. He slinks and shrugs. The big climax in particular, he's trying to rationalize his thought process, naively trying to have his cake and eat it too, but he's so meek he just shrinks in front of us and Rosemary. Great small stuff from a guy best known for being big.

 

[Satans Hockey]

The Burial (2023) Directed by Maggie Betts 4A

The Burial combines two familiar movie types--white culture meets black culture (Driving Miss Daisy, The Blind Side, Green Book) and courtroom drama about a little guy who gets screwed by a heartless corporation (The Verdict; Erin Brockovitch; The Insider). Jeremiah (Tommy Lee Jones) is trying to sell some of his funeral homes because he needs the money. When a corporation decides to play hardball with him, he enlists the help of a flamboyant personal injury lawyer who doesn't do contract law, Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx), who decides to take the case anyway. What follows is predictable but made tolerable by the performances of Foxx and Jones. The Burial is designed as a feel-good movie and though its trajectory is bland, time-worn and familiar, it is a hard puppy to dislike completely. I call this kind of movie an "airplane movie." If you watched it in a theatre you would be disappointed but killing time on an international flight, it would help you pass a couple of hours quite amiably.

Netflix

This one is on Amazon in the US if anyone is interested.

 

[Neil Racki]

The Quiet Girl (2022, by Colm Beiréad) - 8/10.

A movie where most of the dialogue is in Irish (Gaelic; the title is An Cailín Ciúin in it's original language). Cáit is a young girl who is mostly quiet - I've just learned that it's something called selective mutism - because of trauma and lack of confidence. She goes to stay with foster parents, who are distant relatives, over the summer. A beautiful film that tackles some serious issues, and a straightforward plot.

I bet there are a lot of shots of someone emotionlessly starring out of a window

perhaps a kitchen window over the sink