Pranzo Oltranzista
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 3,954
- 2,848
Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate it | {Insert Appropriate Seasonal Greeting Here}
- Thread starter ProstheticConscience
- Start date
Power Man
Grrrr
The Adam Project (Netflix) : 8/10
Good popcorn movie, good chemistry between Reynolds and that kid too
Good popcorn movie, good chemistry between Reynolds and that kid too
Turning Red (2022) Directed by Domee Shi 8A
Turning Red focuses on Meilin, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who lives in Toronto with her loving but overly protective mother. Mei is a dutiful, hard working girl who does what her mother tells her to do, including getting great grades, but she is becoming interested in the sort of things--boy bands and, well, boys, in general--that make her mother nervous. Trying to balance between her mother's wishes and her own emerging needs proves too much for Mei, and she inadvertently transforms into a fearsome creature, a giant red panda who is capable of going totally bonkers with very little warning. Turning Red may be my favourite Pixar movie since Wall-E. It helps, I suppose, that Mei's story is set in sunny, happily multi-cultural Toronto. It is fun to see the city play such a positive role in the goings on. But Mei is a wonderful character, and the plot, which relies in part on Chinese mythology, is original, smart and charming and provides plenty of opportunities for laughs and dazzling animation. I also like the way that Turning Red treated Mei's mom as overbearing, sure, but loving as well, definitely no villain. The messages for kids are all supportive ones about growing up, navigating changing family dynamics, accepting oneself, and even embracing the fact that one's inner demons are part of you. Turning Red is among Pixar's best films.
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NyQuil
Big F$&*in Q
I also just watched Turning Red over the weekend, and I enjoyed it.
Partly because of the little Canadian touches (Tim Hortons coffee and timbits, the convenience store has the Beckers logo) and partly because it's definitely an homage or a time capsule to the creator's teenage years in the early 2000s which is when I was an older teenager as well. Some of the animation sequences were quietly stellar, including some of the lighting effects and night scenes.
Mei is an adorably proud geek with a positive group of supportive friends, friends who do not necessarily meet the standards of her over-bearing mother. How that relationship evolves, and echoes her mother's own relationship with Mei's grandmother, is the central focus of the story.
There is clearly a lot of Domee Shi, the creator, in the character and in the story. It's basically an autobiography (down to taking care of the oldest temple in Toronto), and she publicly airs out a lot of unresolved issues regarding her family and her place within the Canadian context as a second-generation Chinese-Canadian. I also watched the "Making of" documentary (~45 mins) afterwards and you can still sense a certain degree of awkwardness in scenes where the creator engages with her parents. You also get to see a lot of pictures of her as a child, where she was basically Mei.
I have a couple of Asian-Canadian female friends who definitely fit the stereotype of trying to fit in with traditional Canadian culture while keeping their grades sky-high, piano and violin lessons, and meeting the ambitious career aspirations of their parents.
One of them rebelled completely, leaving to travel the world as a professional violinist in a variety of international orchestras - ironically her parents did not want her to be a musician despite all of the hours she had put in - it was a hobby to impress their friends but should be set aside for medicine when appropriate. Her father was distant and her mother was controlling, just like with Mei. She now lives in Malaysia, married a Spanish cellist, moving about as far away from Canada as she could get.
Turning Red brought all of that back for me, even if I was only a spectator and occasional confidant.
All of the senior production staff were women, and many of them Asian-Canadians or Asian-Americans. In the little glimpses into their lives in the documentary, I was perhaps not surprised about how many of them were in relationships with seemingly laid-back white guys. My wife is an A-type and I am a more relaxed individual and it sort of works.
In any event, despite the subject matter, it's a very family-focused story with little in the way of an external challenge or villain. While she learns to become comfortable as the panda, she never turns into a superhero or fights crime. If anything, it's the climax of the film that probably fell a bit short, in terms of the big set-piece at the SkyDome. I think it loses its sense of scale a little bit, going for dazzle just for the sake of it.
Interestingly, Domee Shi, in the documentary, admits that she wasn't quite sure how to end the film. I suspect that, despite the obvious pride shown by her parents, there is still a lingering gap between them and it was hard for her to get over it in order to produce a happy ending.
The film really drives home the challenge facing second-generation immigrants to honor and respect their traditions while attending public school and being inevitably assimilated to some degree by the culture of their new home. I think it also tries to capture what it was like for girls to be going through puberty and the emotional roller-coaster that it entails over the smallest of things.
Partly because of the little Canadian touches (Tim Hortons coffee and timbits, the convenience store has the Beckers logo) and partly because it's definitely an homage or a time capsule to the creator's teenage years in the early 2000s which is when I was an older teenager as well. Some of the animation sequences were quietly stellar, including some of the lighting effects and night scenes.
Mei is an adorably proud geek with a positive group of supportive friends, friends who do not necessarily meet the standards of her over-bearing mother. How that relationship evolves, and echoes her mother's own relationship with Mei's grandmother, is the central focus of the story.
There is clearly a lot of Domee Shi, the creator, in the character and in the story. It's basically an autobiography (down to taking care of the oldest temple in Toronto), and she publicly airs out a lot of unresolved issues regarding her family and her place within the Canadian context as a second-generation Chinese-Canadian. I also watched the "Making of" documentary (~45 mins) afterwards and you can still sense a certain degree of awkwardness in scenes where the creator engages with her parents. You also get to see a lot of pictures of her as a child, where she was basically Mei.
I have a couple of Asian-Canadian female friends who definitely fit the stereotype of trying to fit in with traditional Canadian culture while keeping their grades sky-high, piano and violin lessons, and meeting the ambitious career aspirations of their parents.
One of them rebelled completely, leaving to travel the world as a professional violinist in a variety of international orchestras - ironically her parents did not want her to be a musician despite all of the hours she had put in - it was a hobby to impress their friends but should be set aside for medicine when appropriate. Her father was distant and her mother was controlling, just like with Mei. She now lives in Malaysia, married a Spanish cellist, moving about as far away from Canada as she could get.
Turning Red brought all of that back for me, even if I was only a spectator and occasional confidant.
All of the senior production staff were women, and many of them Asian-Canadians or Asian-Americans. In the little glimpses into their lives in the documentary, I was perhaps not surprised about how many of them were in relationships with seemingly laid-back white guys. My wife is an A-type and I am a more relaxed individual and it sort of works.
In any event, despite the subject matter, it's a very family-focused story with little in the way of an external challenge or villain. While she learns to become comfortable as the panda, she never turns into a superhero or fights crime. If anything, it's the climax of the film that probably fell a bit short, in terms of the big set-piece at the SkyDome. I think it loses its sense of scale a little bit, going for dazzle just for the sake of it.
Interestingly, Domee Shi, in the documentary, admits that she wasn't quite sure how to end the film. I suspect that, despite the obvious pride shown by her parents, there is still a lingering gap between them and it was hard for her to get over it in order to produce a happy ending.
The film really drives home the challenge facing second-generation immigrants to honor and respect their traditions while attending public school and being inevitably assimilated to some degree by the culture of their new home. I think it also tries to capture what it was like for girls to be going through puberty and the emotional roller-coaster that it entails over the smallest of things.
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Turning Red (2022) Directed by Domee Shi 8A
Turning Red focuses on Meilin, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who lives in Toronto with her loving but overly protective mother. Mei is a dutiful, hard working girl who does what her mother tells her to do, including getting great grades, but she is becoming interested in the sort of things--boy bands and, well, boys, in general--that make her mother nervous. Trying to balance between her mother's wishes and her own emerging needs proves too much for Mei, and she inadvertently transforms into a fearsome creature, a giant red panda who is capable of going totally bonkers with very little warning. Turning Red may be my favourite Pixar movie since Wall-E. It helps, I suppose, that Mei's story is set in sunny, happily multi-cultural Toronto. It is fun to see the city play such a positive role in the goings on. But Mei is a wonderful character, and the plot, which relies in part on Chinese mythology, is original, smart and charming and provides plenty of opportunities for laughs and dazzling animation. I also like the way that Turning Red treated Mei's mom as overbearing, sure, but loving as well, definitely no villain. The messages for kids are all supportive ones about growing up, navigating changing family dynamics, accepting oneself, and even embracing the fact that one's inner demons are part of you. Turning Red is among Pixar's best films.
Looking forward to watching this one, especially since I feel obligated to support films where Toronto gets to shine as the setting rather than be a stand in for Chicago or New York
Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday / Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati, 1953)
My first Tati film and one that I was looking forward to since I know he’s highly regarded and I have a soft spot for slapstick, but I came out a little disappointed. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday is Tati’s feature film debut of his signature character Monsieur Hulot, who is a lovable but bumbling Frenchman, as he takes a holiday to the French seaside. The film has minimal dialogue, just background characters mundane chatter and excellent sound design, so it feels harkens back to the comedies of the silent era such as those by Chaplin and Keaton despite not actually being a silent film. The gags in this film are good, notably one where Hulot’s boat collapses with him in it and it begins to look like a shark which causes beachgoers to flee in fear and another well executed one involving a paint can and the ocean’s waves, but they feel kind of slight compared to some of the aforementioned masters of slapstick. And that’s kind of my problem with Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday: that it feels a little too slight and breezy. I’m not against a lack of plot, many of my favourite films have screenplays that you could probably read in their entirety in a coffee break, but this one feels a little too sparse especially as it doesn’t have well rounded characters for the viewer to hold on to. A little too aimless for me and lacks any gags that raise beyond bringing a smile upon my face, though its poking fun of the post-war middle-class capitalist class is funny at times (guy trying to woo a girl over by lecturing them on Marxist theory is all too relatable). Its light breezy nature would make a good lazy summertime watch, and maybe the problem is that I’m watching Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday at the tail end of the Canadian winter.
My first Tati film and one that I was looking forward to since I know he’s highly regarded and I have a soft spot for slapstick, but I came out a little disappointed. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday is Tati’s feature film debut of his signature character Monsieur Hulot, who is a lovable but bumbling Frenchman, as he takes a holiday to the French seaside. The film has minimal dialogue, just background characters mundane chatter and excellent sound design, so it feels harkens back to the comedies of the silent era such as those by Chaplin and Keaton despite not actually being a silent film. The gags in this film are good, notably one where Hulot’s boat collapses with him in it and it begins to look like a shark which causes beachgoers to flee in fear and another well executed one involving a paint can and the ocean’s waves, but they feel kind of slight compared to some of the aforementioned masters of slapstick. And that’s kind of my problem with Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday: that it feels a little too slight and breezy. I’m not against a lack of plot, many of my favourite films have screenplays that you could probably read in their entirety in a coffee break, but this one feels a little too sparse especially as it doesn’t have well rounded characters for the viewer to hold on to. A little too aimless for me and lacks any gags that raise beyond bringing a smile upon my face, though its poking fun of the post-war middle-class capitalist class is funny at times (guy trying to woo a girl over by lecturing them on Marxist theory is all too relatable). Its light breezy nature would make a good lazy summertime watch, and maybe the problem is that I’m watching Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday at the tail end of the Canadian winter.
KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Hey! We won!
- May 30, 2003
- 15,721
- 3,712
I'm too lazy to retype the review I wrote that was lost in the Great Migration, but I watched Warlock and liked it. Thumbs up emoji.
63 Up (Michael Apted, 2019)
"Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man"
My birthday was last week, and like every year when I acknowledge my year around the sun it is not only a time of celebration but also reflection. Birthdays are an annual occasion where I tend to most deeply reflect on not only the last year but my life thus far, my future, my childhood, my relationships, and so on. Which makes it a fitting time to visit the most recent installment of the Up Series, the long running documentary series which has followed a group of English children since the age of 7 from a range of socioeconomic background (though a limitation of the series is lack of examination of race, with only one person who is mixed race) and has revisited them every 7 years to see what’s ongoing on in their life, interviewing them on subjects such as their career, relationships, politics, and class. The idea beyond the series is that if you take a child at age 7, you can see the type of adult that they will become. And for the most part this assertion is proven true with each installment as there are subtle and obvious similarities between the 7-year-old children and these now retirement age adults (with one subject, Neil, who may be the exception to the rule). The film is simply told with a series of interviews with each person asking many of the same set of questions and some specific questions about their life right now with footage of their home life and family and archival footage from the previous films to compare their current selves against. This version with them now in their 60s mortality begins to come to the fore of their thoughts, not only due to their old age but also because the first child of the series has passed away. It’s an interesting series for me to watch after this birthday because I turned a multiple of 7 this year and my parents are around the age of the subjects in 63 Up so I see a lot of similarities between the footage of the people from the film reflecting my age and with the themes of this installment with my own parents.
Unfortunately, this may be the last installment of the series because director Michael Apted, who has been involved in the series since its inception starting as an assistant in Seven Up! responsible for finding the children for the documentary before becoming the director for every instalment since, passed away last year. He has a great rapport with the subject as the documentary as many of them consider him almost like an uncle to them as he has watched them grow and has developed a great chemistry with them to reveal their life for the camera. It has hard to see someone take over for him, but it would be nice for one last farewell of the series in 70 Up.
For those interested who haven’t seen the series, it is possible to watch 63 Up as a standalone film. There is enough archival footage and discussion of the previous instalments to catch you up to speed, and paradoxically with each instalment it has become easier to jump in at the latest one. But for the full effect of the series, it’s best to start from the beginning, but I would advise you to not binge it and instead to space it out watching each instalment over a series of months. Afterall, the series was meant to be watched every 7 years.
"Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man"
My birthday was last week, and like every year when I acknowledge my year around the sun it is not only a time of celebration but also reflection. Birthdays are an annual occasion where I tend to most deeply reflect on not only the last year but my life thus far, my future, my childhood, my relationships, and so on. Which makes it a fitting time to visit the most recent installment of the Up Series, the long running documentary series which has followed a group of English children since the age of 7 from a range of socioeconomic background (though a limitation of the series is lack of examination of race, with only one person who is mixed race) and has revisited them every 7 years to see what’s ongoing on in their life, interviewing them on subjects such as their career, relationships, politics, and class. The idea beyond the series is that if you take a child at age 7, you can see the type of adult that they will become. And for the most part this assertion is proven true with each installment as there are subtle and obvious similarities between the 7-year-old children and these now retirement age adults (with one subject, Neil, who may be the exception to the rule). The film is simply told with a series of interviews with each person asking many of the same set of questions and some specific questions about their life right now with footage of their home life and family and archival footage from the previous films to compare their current selves against. This version with them now in their 60s mortality begins to come to the fore of their thoughts, not only due to their old age but also because the first child of the series has passed away. It’s an interesting series for me to watch after this birthday because I turned a multiple of 7 this year and my parents are around the age of the subjects in 63 Up so I see a lot of similarities between the footage of the people from the film reflecting my age and with the themes of this installment with my own parents.
Unfortunately, this may be the last installment of the series because director Michael Apted, who has been involved in the series since its inception starting as an assistant in Seven Up! responsible for finding the children for the documentary before becoming the director for every instalment since, passed away last year. He has a great rapport with the subject as the documentary as many of them consider him almost like an uncle to them as he has watched them grow and has developed a great chemistry with them to reveal their life for the camera. It has hard to see someone take over for him, but it would be nice for one last farewell of the series in 70 Up.
For those interested who haven’t seen the series, it is possible to watch 63 Up as a standalone film. There is enough archival footage and discussion of the previous instalments to catch you up to speed, and paradoxically with each instalment it has become easier to jump in at the latest one. But for the full effect of the series, it’s best to start from the beginning, but I would advise you to not binge it and instead to space it out watching each instalment over a series of months. Afterall, the series was meant to be watched every 7 years.
A Screaming Man / Un homme qui crie (Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, 2010)
For a film called A Screaming Man, this film is quite subdued and quiet. The film follows a middle aged former national swimming champion turned pool attendant at a hotel pool in Chad at the cusp of civil war in the country. When the foreign owners look to downsize operations at the hotel, he is reassigned from his long-time passion and position at the pool to man the gate at the hotel’s entrance, while his 20-year-old son who also worked at the pool gets sole responsibility over the pool. Embarrassed and humiliated over his demotion, in anger (and in part due to pressure to contribute to the war efforts) he volunteers his son to be conscripted into the army to fight the rebels. A rare film from Chad, where director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun more or less makes up the entire film industry (for a long time Chad didn’t even have a cinema in the country), the film managed to capture a surprise Jury Prize at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. The film is a subtle portrayal of a man making a poor moral decision out and displays the schisms that can develop between father and son, though it is by no means melodramatic or oversentimental. A little too understated at times – I had some trouble following the Chiefs role in collecting for the war effort – but a good film nonetheless with strong and confident direction and a great lead performance by Youssouf Djaoro. I don’t know if was worthy of winning the Jury Prize at Cannes along with a nomination for the Palme d'Or, but is certainly worth watching.
For a film called A Screaming Man, this film is quite subdued and quiet. The film follows a middle aged former national swimming champion turned pool attendant at a hotel pool in Chad at the cusp of civil war in the country. When the foreign owners look to downsize operations at the hotel, he is reassigned from his long-time passion and position at the pool to man the gate at the hotel’s entrance, while his 20-year-old son who also worked at the pool gets sole responsibility over the pool. Embarrassed and humiliated over his demotion, in anger (and in part due to pressure to contribute to the war efforts) he volunteers his son to be conscripted into the army to fight the rebels. A rare film from Chad, where director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun more or less makes up the entire film industry (for a long time Chad didn’t even have a cinema in the country), the film managed to capture a surprise Jury Prize at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. The film is a subtle portrayal of a man making a poor moral decision out and displays the schisms that can develop between father and son, though it is by no means melodramatic or oversentimental. A little too understated at times – I had some trouble following the Chiefs role in collecting for the war effort – but a good film nonetheless with strong and confident direction and a great lead performance by Youssouf Djaoro. I don’t know if was worthy of winning the Jury Prize at Cannes along with a nomination for the Palme d'Or, but is certainly worth watching.
I actually don't see Coda as Oscar material either but I did see it during a lockdown period and found it uplifting. It was obviously not a banner year for films but Coda will remain my emotional favorite. A nice little film that is punching above its weight and I will be rooting for it (in any category). Although I think Troy Kotsur has an above average chance of running away with the best supporting actor.
‘CODA’ Review: Sian Heder’s Family Drama Kicks Off Sundance on a Note of Enthralling Emotion
The story of a high schooler who's the only hearing person in her family, Siân Heder's drama is an authentic crowd-pleasing gem.
variety.com
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kingsfan28
Its A Kingspiracy !
Skyfall. It was everything I'd hoped Quantum of Solace would be. Adele's Skyfall theme is just a knock out of a song.
Rodgerwilco
Entertainment boards w/ some Hockey mixed in.
- Feb 6, 2014
- 7,812
- 7,156
Casablanca (1942) 4.5/5
Here's lookin at you, kid!
American Airlines (barf) had this available in their free entertainment on my way back from my honeymoon this past weekend and WOW. What do you even say about such a hallmark classic? Given what I've heard I kind of thought it would be overly cheesy and almost funny to watch at times, but this wasn't how I found the film. Excellent setting, the story moves along well and it has stood the test of time. Very much enjoyed this one.
Windfall (2022) - 5/10
A tech CEO (Jesse Plemons) and his wife (Lily Collins) find themselves hostages in their own home when they return and discover a burgler (Jason Segal). It's a thriller with a small cast and only one location, just the kind of movie to make during a pandemic. The opening credits and soundtrack give off Hitchcock vibes and I was excited early on for a suspenseful film, but that excitement slowly wore off. First, there wasn't much suspense because the hostage taker wasn't very threatening and the couple wasn't very sympathetic, both by design. The writers' choice to add in social commentary undermined its effectiveness as a thriller, in my opinion. Second, it seemed like it never really got going and relied on mundane situations and uninteresting conversations to fill out the run time, which made it feel rather slow and a little tiresome. At least the film is only 90 minutes, but only the first and last 15 minutes are engaging. I did like the simple premise, the location and how it felt like a 1950s thriller. The acting (especially from Plemons) was also pretty decent. For those reasons, it was worth watching, but I was disappointed because it could've been a lot better or at least lived up to being a thriller. It's out on Netflix.
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Pranzo Oltranzista
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 3,954
- 2,848
The Adam Project (Levy, 2022) - I like the Ryan Reynolds humor/character he's deploying in multiple projects since the Deadpool resurrection. It doesn't make for very good films, but this one, like the previous ones (Red Notice, Free Guy), is a fun ride. 4/10
One Fine Day (Hoffman, 1996) - The stuff you watch to please the gf. 3/10
John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky (Epstein, 2018) - Not a very good doc, but at last some credit is given to Yoko's influence on Lennon. 4/10
The Specialist (Llosa, 1994) - So dated and so kitsch that this should be in a 90s museum (in the "things we should forget about" wing). Smoking naked Sharon Stone (and by that, I mean that she's smoking cigarettes in the nude) plays a woman that grew up way faster than the people who killed her parents when she was a kid. You've got this complete non-sense, you've got the lamest soft porn you've ever seen, and you've got Eric Roberts as a macho bad guy (the whole film is objectifying and misogynistic, this character is actually the comedy relief side of it) - what else could you want? 1.5/10
One Fine Day (Hoffman, 1996) - The stuff you watch to please the gf. 3/10
John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky (Epstein, 2018) - Not a very good doc, but at last some credit is given to Yoko's influence on Lennon. 4/10
The Specialist (Llosa, 1994) - So dated and so kitsch that this should be in a 90s museum (in the "things we should forget about" wing). Smoking naked Sharon Stone (and by that, I mean that she's smoking cigarettes in the nude) plays a woman that grew up way faster than the people who killed her parents when she was a kid. You've got this complete non-sense, you've got the lamest soft porn you've ever seen, and you've got Eric Roberts as a macho bad guy (the whole film is objectifying and misogynistic, this character is actually the comedy relief side of it) - what else could you want? 1.5/10
City of Pirates / La Ville des pirates (Raúl Ruiz, 1983)
I’ve only ever seen one film from the extremely prolific director Raúl Ruiz (over 100 films to his credit!), his Dickensian like period piece epic Mysteries of Lisbon, and I went in blind with City of Pirates knowing nothing about it and thinking it would be a somewhat similar style. I could not be more surprised. City of Pirates is a surrealist film that feels like an absolute fever dream, many wave lengths from what I had experienced prior with Ruiz. The plot, which is at times indecipherable, follows a woman who meets a homicidal but angelic little boy fresh off of raping and murdering his family, who then travel to an abandoned island where they meet a man with multiple personalities. The story is very loose, the only logic to the film is a dreamlike logic as you drift from scene to scene with beautifully weird moments and vibrant colours. The plot is nonsensical because Ruiz wrote the script for the day each day based upon his dreams from his siesta that afternoon. There is lots to interpret and uncover in the film; its overwhelming for a first viewing but I’m sure repeat watches are rewarding, but it is never boring and is always beautiful and interesting. One of those films that you should just let wash over you and try not to make heads or tails of its plot and instead feel the images. Definitely not a film for everyone but one to watch if you have an interest in surrealist, avant-garde, or experimental film.
I’ve only ever seen one film from the extremely prolific director Raúl Ruiz (over 100 films to his credit!), his Dickensian like period piece epic Mysteries of Lisbon, and I went in blind with City of Pirates knowing nothing about it and thinking it would be a somewhat similar style. I could not be more surprised. City of Pirates is a surrealist film that feels like an absolute fever dream, many wave lengths from what I had experienced prior with Ruiz. The plot, which is at times indecipherable, follows a woman who meets a homicidal but angelic little boy fresh off of raping and murdering his family, who then travel to an abandoned island where they meet a man with multiple personalities. The story is very loose, the only logic to the film is a dreamlike logic as you drift from scene to scene with beautifully weird moments and vibrant colours. The plot is nonsensical because Ruiz wrote the script for the day each day based upon his dreams from his siesta that afternoon. There is lots to interpret and uncover in the film; its overwhelming for a first viewing but I’m sure repeat watches are rewarding, but it is never boring and is always beautiful and interesting. One of those films that you should just let wash over you and try not to make heads or tails of its plot and instead feel the images. Definitely not a film for everyone but one to watch if you have an interest in surrealist, avant-garde, or experimental film.
The Woman in The Window (1944)
2.85 out of 4stars
"A conservative middle aged professor one night entangles with a woman who's portrait he saw in a store window. Upon having drinks in her apartment, he's attacked by a man who enters her apartment and the professor murders him out of self defense. Leading to a cover up and ironically an investigation he himself gets involved in."
A great murder suspense noir that explores the themes of guilt and the conscience, but is marred by a bad ending. The story building of this agonizing situation for our 2 main protagonists greatly creates sustained tension throughout. The theme seems to be about acting with a guilty conscience or more appropriately subconscious, and the battle inside one's head as guilt and self-preservation go head to head after one commits a morally gray area act with both extenuating and incriminating circumstances. It's well done with a couple caveats. One being the mounting of a bit too coincidental evidece for Robinson's professor character and him someone avoiding being taken into custody/held for questioning as a possible suspect. The second one is the ending. Without getting too involved in the ending, the film didn't need to be turned on it's head to get the point across that they were making at this conclusion. There could have been a directly chronological ending that expressed the same meaning while fulfilling the storyline more appropriately and entertainingly.
House of Wax (1953)
2.75 out of 4stars
"Wax sculptor Henry is horrified to learn that his business partner plans on torching their wax museum to collect on the insurance policy. Henry miraculously survives this fiery confrontation and re-emerges some years hence with a museum of his own. But when the appearance of Henry's new wax sculptures occurs at the same time that a number of corpses vanish from the city morgue, an art student begins suspecting wrongdoing."
A great horror movie that's big on mood with some thrills thrown in throughout. Headed by a strong Vincent Price performance, so memorable that apparently this role revitalized Price's career into main actor status movie roles again. I don't want to ruin anything, but the way Price sells a few of these scenes is just pitch perfect. That said, there are definitely some memorable scenes and surprises to be had here, most specifically the sweating / melting/ disfiguring wax figures and a couple stalking scenes. Some quality makeup artistry also is displayed throughout, not just on the wax figures either. Side note, a younger facial-hairless Charles Bronson also has a short part in this, and probably on purpose, has rolled up sleeves that show off his jacked and cut arms.
Haunt (2019)
2.65 out of 4stars
"On Halloween, a group of friends encounter an "extreme" man made haunted house that promises to feed on their darkest fears. After entering, they quickly discover some of their nightmares are real."
A good fun crowd pleasing "haunted house" slasher horror movie that delivers. It's nothing groundbreaking, but an exercise in quality execution with imaginative enough ideas. The movie creates a joyously claustrophobic, tense, and spooky world that effectively earns it "thrills and chills". The chaos for the college kids is sincere, the setting is dark and grim, the murders are solid, the villains are memorable enough, and the premise is frighteningly realistic. It all works well, albeit it isn't as deep as it wants to be. I know it tries to work on a deeper level with themes of personally overwhelming and lingering fears and abuse that continually impact one's life, alongside the true depths and reality of fear itself, but I'd say it only moderately works in that area.
Redbelt (2008)
2.55 out of 4stars
"Martial artist Mike Terry (Ejiofor) lives by a strict code of no competitions, for he feels that such contests weaken fighters. After saving a famous action star from a brutal attack, Mike takes a job in the film industry. Though he refuses to participate in prize bouts, circumstances conspire to force him to consider entering such a competition."
A good neo-noir samurai drama is the best way to categorize it, that gives a lot more food for thought than it does entertainment, coherence, and answers. Ejiofor is excellent as always in the lead. It's a story about a Jiu-Jitsu martial artist that lives his life by a strict code of honor and ethics, and obviously gets that code tested as he becomes encircled with corruption. The theme here is, at what point, if any point, should one be willing to act selfishly and break their personal principals and destroy their discipline. Also known as, "selling one's soul" or "shattering one's purity" or "becoming unclean/crossing the line" which has lingering effects. This concept ties, truthfully or not I don't know, to the story at hand and Jiu-Jitsu beautifully. That said, this is one of those movies where I love the concepts a lot more than I do the execution. The story gets a bit too unrealistic and doesn't flow or connect all the dots it should by it's finish. But the whole concept and debate of living a lifestyle like the main character does is such a noble thing and interesting to consider. It's something that takes constant practice/control to achieve, a ton of inner peace, and near absolute selflessness. A very Eastern-World style philosophy, maybe taken to an extreme. Also, this isn't much of an action movie, so don't go in expecting bloodsport, it's more cerebral with bits of action.
2.85 out of 4stars
"A conservative middle aged professor one night entangles with a woman who's portrait he saw in a store window. Upon having drinks in her apartment, he's attacked by a man who enters her apartment and the professor murders him out of self defense. Leading to a cover up and ironically an investigation he himself gets involved in."
A great murder suspense noir that explores the themes of guilt and the conscience, but is marred by a bad ending. The story building of this agonizing situation for our 2 main protagonists greatly creates sustained tension throughout. The theme seems to be about acting with a guilty conscience or more appropriately subconscious, and the battle inside one's head as guilt and self-preservation go head to head after one commits a morally gray area act with both extenuating and incriminating circumstances. It's well done with a couple caveats. One being the mounting of a bit too coincidental evidece for Robinson's professor character and him someone avoiding being taken into custody/held for questioning as a possible suspect. The second one is the ending. Without getting too involved in the ending, the film didn't need to be turned on it's head to get the point across that they were making at this conclusion. There could have been a directly chronological ending that expressed the same meaning while fulfilling the storyline more appropriately and entertainingly.
House of Wax (1953)
2.75 out of 4stars
"Wax sculptor Henry is horrified to learn that his business partner plans on torching their wax museum to collect on the insurance policy. Henry miraculously survives this fiery confrontation and re-emerges some years hence with a museum of his own. But when the appearance of Henry's new wax sculptures occurs at the same time that a number of corpses vanish from the city morgue, an art student begins suspecting wrongdoing."
A great horror movie that's big on mood with some thrills thrown in throughout. Headed by a strong Vincent Price performance, so memorable that apparently this role revitalized Price's career into main actor status movie roles again. I don't want to ruin anything, but the way Price sells a few of these scenes is just pitch perfect. That said, there are definitely some memorable scenes and surprises to be had here, most specifically the sweating / melting/ disfiguring wax figures and a couple stalking scenes. Some quality makeup artistry also is displayed throughout, not just on the wax figures either. Side note, a younger facial-hairless Charles Bronson also has a short part in this, and probably on purpose, has rolled up sleeves that show off his jacked and cut arms.
Haunt (2019)
2.65 out of 4stars
"On Halloween, a group of friends encounter an "extreme" man made haunted house that promises to feed on their darkest fears. After entering, they quickly discover some of their nightmares are real."
A good fun crowd pleasing "haunted house" slasher horror movie that delivers. It's nothing groundbreaking, but an exercise in quality execution with imaginative enough ideas. The movie creates a joyously claustrophobic, tense, and spooky world that effectively earns it "thrills and chills". The chaos for the college kids is sincere, the setting is dark and grim, the murders are solid, the villains are memorable enough, and the premise is frighteningly realistic. It all works well, albeit it isn't as deep as it wants to be. I know it tries to work on a deeper level with themes of personally overwhelming and lingering fears and abuse that continually impact one's life, alongside the true depths and reality of fear itself, but I'd say it only moderately works in that area.
Redbelt (2008)
2.55 out of 4stars
"Martial artist Mike Terry (Ejiofor) lives by a strict code of no competitions, for he feels that such contests weaken fighters. After saving a famous action star from a brutal attack, Mike takes a job in the film industry. Though he refuses to participate in prize bouts, circumstances conspire to force him to consider entering such a competition."
A good neo-noir samurai drama is the best way to categorize it, that gives a lot more food for thought than it does entertainment, coherence, and answers. Ejiofor is excellent as always in the lead. It's a story about a Jiu-Jitsu martial artist that lives his life by a strict code of honor and ethics, and obviously gets that code tested as he becomes encircled with corruption. The theme here is, at what point, if any point, should one be willing to act selfishly and break their personal principals and destroy their discipline. Also known as, "selling one's soul" or "shattering one's purity" or "becoming unclean/crossing the line" which has lingering effects. This concept ties, truthfully or not I don't know, to the story at hand and Jiu-Jitsu beautifully. That said, this is one of those movies where I love the concepts a lot more than I do the execution. The story gets a bit too unrealistic and doesn't flow or connect all the dots it should by it's finish. But the whole concept and debate of living a lifestyle like the main character does is such a noble thing and interesting to consider. It's something that takes constant practice/control to achieve, a ton of inner peace, and near absolute selflessness. A very Eastern-World style philosophy, maybe taken to an extreme. Also, this isn't much of an action movie, so don't go in expecting bloodsport, it's more cerebral with bits of action.
Pranzo Oltranzista
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 3,954
- 2,848
Still can't put a like on this post, but I love it! Oh that feeling when you discover these amazing films from Ruiz. That period from '78 to '84 is my favorite from him. Lots of amazing films.
Yeah I remember you being a big fan of Ruiz! Whats your favourite of his from that period?
Chili
What wind blew you hither?
- Jun 10, 2004
- 8,725
- 4,820
Fitzcarraldo-1982
Based on a true story, the dream of bringing opera to the Amazon Jungle. To achieve this, a man sets out to become a rubber baron. The trek by ship up the Amazon in the search is filled with obstacles and dangers. The feats of dragging the ship up and over a high ridge and descending a rapids are impressive to watch (would have been great to see in a theatre). Reading up on the human cost though since watching it, takes the shine off. A reminder of the the risks taken in some films.
Il Gattopardo (The Leopard)-1963
The life of an Italian Prince and his family in 1860's Sicily as revolution brings changes. Long, opulent, beautifully shot film, some awesome location vistas. The highlight is the ball, which must be one of the longest in film history. A fan of Claudia Cardinale and Burt Lancaster films.
Juarez-1939
Story of Benito Juárez and his struggle to regain control of Mexico after Napoleon III, taking advantage of the American civil war, invaded with French forces. Reading up on the period, alot of the film seems based on fact, including letters of encouragement Juárez received from Abraham Lincoln. Too much melodrama otherwise an interesting story, although with the people involved would have expected a better film. ¡Viva Juárez!
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Pranzo Oltranzista
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2017
- 3,954
- 2,848
Les trois couronnes du matelot is my favorite film ever. L'hypothèse du tableau volé is also top-3. La ville des pirates, Le territoire, On Top of the Whale (this one is rather dry), La présence réelle are all very interesting films too.
The Adam Project (2022) - 6/10
A fighter pilot from 2050 (Ryan Reynolds) time travels to 2022 and teams up with his 12-year-old self to correct the future. The plot isn't very original or logical, it's full of time travel tropes and Reynolds once again plays a wise-cracking, sarcastic version of himself. That said, it was still somewhat entertaining. The kid is amusing as a mini version of Reynolds and Reynolds actually plays a more human character than usual. He has a few dramatic and emotional scenes, which was welcome because I'm getting a little tired of his characters never taking anything seriously. The movie has a lot more sentimentality than I was expecting. It's sappy, but time travel movies in which people go back and meet loved ones often are, and I didn't mind because I'll take sentimentality over stupidity in popcorn movies. I had low expectations, but it exceeded them and was entertaining enough. It's on Netflix.
Antlers (2021) - 5/10
Residents of a secluded Oregon town are disappearing and showing up dead and a nosy school teacher (Keri Russell) thinks that it's her job to get to the bottom of it. I liked that it was well-shot, atmospheric and creepy. Guillermo del Toro produced it, so that checks out. It was a little boring and depressing, though, because it's slow and seemingly every character has been affected by domestic abuse or meth addiction. The thing doing the killing (bravo if you can guess its defining feature) seems like it's meant to represent one or the other or both, except that the lesson is that there's no hope for people who fall victim to it. Between that and the tacked-on Native American cautionary tale, it felt like the writers were eager to make it an allegory and deeper than your average horror movie, but didn't know how to articulate it. Ultimately, I found it more depressing than thought provoking. It may hit the spot, though, if you're in an overly positive mood and could use a downer. It's on HBO.
A fighter pilot from 2050 (Ryan Reynolds) time travels to 2022 and teams up with his 12-year-old self to correct the future. The plot isn't very original or logical, it's full of time travel tropes and Reynolds once again plays a wise-cracking, sarcastic version of himself. That said, it was still somewhat entertaining. The kid is amusing as a mini version of Reynolds and Reynolds actually plays a more human character than usual. He has a few dramatic and emotional scenes, which was welcome because I'm getting a little tired of his characters never taking anything seriously. The movie has a lot more sentimentality than I was expecting. It's sappy, but time travel movies in which people go back and meet loved ones often are, and I didn't mind because I'll take sentimentality over stupidity in popcorn movies. I had low expectations, but it exceeded them and was entertaining enough. It's on Netflix.
Antlers (2021) - 5/10
Residents of a secluded Oregon town are disappearing and showing up dead and a nosy school teacher (Keri Russell) thinks that it's her job to get to the bottom of it. I liked that it was well-shot, atmospheric and creepy. Guillermo del Toro produced it, so that checks out. It was a little boring and depressing, though, because it's slow and seemingly every character has been affected by domestic abuse or meth addiction. The thing doing the killing (bravo if you can guess its defining feature) seems like it's meant to represent one or the other or both, except that the lesson is that there's no hope for people who fall victim to it. Between that and the tacked-on Native American cautionary tale, it felt like the writers were eager to make it an allegory and deeper than your average horror movie, but didn't know how to articulate it. Ultimately, I found it more depressing than thought provoking. It may hit the spot, though, if you're in an overly positive mood and could use a downer. It's on HBO.
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Mr Jiggyfly
Registered User
- Jan 29, 2004
- 34,436
- 19,483
Black Crab - (2022) -
This is a mix of Prayer of the Rollerboys meets Ice Road Truckers…. Without the Pinky Van man!
Set in the near future after a… you got it… catastrophic war that plunges the world into a dystopian society… our band of heroes (?) must make it across the frozen sea to save the world by - unleashing a deadly virus.
Don’t worry about the details here and paint by the numbers plot - just enjoy the stunning visuals and action.
DAY OF THE ROPE!
This is a mix of Prayer of the Rollerboys meets Ice Road Truckers…. Without the Pinky Van man!
Set in the near future after a… you got it… catastrophic war that plunges the world into a dystopian society… our band of heroes (?) must make it across the frozen sea to save the world by - unleashing a deadly virus.
Don’t worry about the details here and paint by the numbers plot - just enjoy the stunning visuals and action.
DAY OF THE ROPE!
CODA (2021) - 5/10
The good: The mostly deaf household was unique and it was interesting to see the different dynamics between deaf and hearing family members. I was impressed by the deaf actors. The story and situations occasionally were touching and got me to laugh or smile.
The bad: It did feel formulated to please and win awards. I don't always mind that, but this seemed a little too manufactured. It often felt like an after school movie. I could've used more of the unique deaf family drama and less of the cliched high school drama.
The ugly: The music teacher got on my nerves and the "Glee" portions were torturous, especially since it was the same songs over and over again. I should've muted them and pretended that I was deaf.
Basically, I liked and was interested in parts of the film and really disliked and wanted to fast forward through other parts.
By the way, was I the only one a little surprised that the plot involves a teenage girl repeatedly visiting and being alone with her male teacher in his home?
Also, I just noticed this...
The very next day...
The good: The mostly deaf household was unique and it was interesting to see the different dynamics between deaf and hearing family members. I was impressed by the deaf actors. The story and situations occasionally were touching and got me to laugh or smile.
The bad: It did feel formulated to please and win awards. I don't always mind that, but this seemed a little too manufactured. It often felt like an after school movie. I could've used more of the unique deaf family drama and less of the cliched high school drama.
The ugly: The music teacher got on my nerves and the "Glee" portions were torturous, especially since it was the same songs over and over again. I should've muted them and pretended that I was deaf.
Basically, I liked and was interested in parts of the film and really disliked and wanted to fast forward through other parts.
By the way, was I the only one a little surprised that the plot involves a teenage girl repeatedly visiting and being alone with her male teacher in his home?
Also, I just noticed this...
The very next day...
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Nemesis Prime
Registered User
Went on a nuclear holocaust binge this weekend and finally peeped The Batman.
The Day After 8/10
Threads 7/10
Testament 7/10
The Batman 9/10
The Day After 8/10
Threads 7/10
Testament 7/10
The Batman 9/10
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