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

[Osprey]

Triangle (2009) - 6/10

When their yacht capsizes off of the coast of Florida, five friends (Melissa George and others) make it to a passing ocean liner that's seemingly deserted and experience further things that can't be explained. It's billed as a horror, but I'd say that it's more of a sci-fi thriller similar to Timecrimes that explores fate and consistently fills in gaps in previously seen events. A lot of things in the story don't make much sense, but some do by the end of the movie and the rest are either plot holes or I just didn't fully understand the logic at play. I'll give the benefit of the doubt and assume the latter. This is the kind of movie that probably helps to watch a second time. The first half is a bit generic, but the second half is clever and surprising. When you think that you've figured it out, things are turned upside down. It's a movie that leaves you with as many questions as answers, which may frustrate some viewers, but I didn't really mind. It got me thinking and I'm a sucker for an interesting sci-fi premise in a unique setting. If you like mind-bending movies, you can watch it for free at Plex and Roku.

Smile (2022) - 6/10

After a session with a highly disturbed patient, a psychologist (Sosie Bacon) begins to experience similar unexplained and terrifying occurrences. I liked the really creepy premise of this slow-burn psychological horror. It's similar in ways to It Follows and The Ring. The movie also reminded me of The Babadook, but whereas that was about dealing with grief, this movie is about dealing with trauma. It really felt like it had something to say on the topic... at least until it kind of threw it away in the last 5 minutes. That and an over-reliance on jump scares brought it down a notch for me, but I still liked it. Bacon gives a good performance as a character becoming increasingly paranoid and disturbed, the sound design stood out to me as effective and reminiscent of Hereditary and, overall, it's a well-made horror, even if a little generic.

Spoiler: Ending

In the end, Bacon becomes crispy instead of cured.

Barbarian (2022) - 5/10

A traveler (Georgina Campbell) arrives late at night at the Airbnb rental that she booked and discovers that it's already occupied by a stranger (Bill Skarsgard). I liked the first half of this, with its mystery and "it could happen to you" premise. It takes a turn in the 2nd act towards dark comedy that I wasn't as much of a fan of, but did find somewhat amusing. The 3rd act was a disappointment for me, though, with too many things that are too hard to believe, even for a horror. "It could happen to you" turns into "it will never happen to you and isn't even realistic." That's no doubt by design and most others may love how bizarre it gets, but it was hard for me to get into after the more engaging and realistic first half that I enjoyed more. By the way, I've seen people wondering about the title, which doesn't seem to have much to do with the movie, and it could just be because it can be spelled with the letters in "Airbnb" and has an equal number of syllables. That's my theory, at least.

 

[kihei]

The Box (2022) Directed by Lorenzo Vigas 7A

The Box is one of those unassuming little films that just sneak up on you. Hatzin (newcomer Hatzin Navarrete--the kid's great), a boy in his mid-teens, travels to the rural countryside to pick up the remains of his estranged father who allegedly died in an industrial accident. The remains fit into a small, metal box. But when he sees Mario, a man whom he thinks might be his father, Hatzin takes the box back, and makes such a pest of himself that Mario, who may actually be his father, befriends him and makes him part of his business dealings which include starting sweatshops with miserable wages and horrendous working conditions that make virtual slaves out of the poor people that Mario hires. Hatzin befriends a girl who signs a contract to work for Mario but she keeps complaining about the intolerable conditions and unscrupulous ways that her pay gets docked illegally. When she disappears, Hatzin is torn between loyalty to Mario, whom he sees with some justification as a good and decent guy, and his conscience which keeps telling him something is definitely not right..

Man, in its own straightforward way, The Box covers a lot of ground. While there is a coming-of-age story going on, one dealing with absent fathers, the movie is really focused on a very complicated dilemma. Can one become a neo-conservative capitalist without entirely compromising whatever portion of human decency that one possesses? At what point does the exploitation of people move from heartless to criminal? And what is a 13- or 14-year-old boy supposed to make of all this anyway? The touchstone movie here is Australia's Animal Kingdom (2010), about an older teen trapped in a somewhat similar situation. As that film did, The Box lingers on long after its conclusion.

MUBI


Best Movies of 2022

1) Decision to Leave, Park, South Korea
2} Aftersun, Wells UK
3) No Bears, J. Panahi, Iran
4) Hit the Road, P. Panahi, Iran
5) Everything Everywhere All at Once, Kwan/Scheinert, US
6) Moonage Daydream, Morgen, UK
7) The Box, Vigas, Venezuela
8) You Won't Be Alone, Stolevski, Macedonia
9) Vortex, Noe, France
10) Mad God, Tippett, US

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Crash (1996) - Oddly enough, despite its unique plot, the first time that my mind drifted towards when the film ended was...what an impeccably cast film. The main couple's looks/demeanor stay just on the right side of attractive without overdoing it and the rest of the misfit fetishizers look like how you might expect them to look in real life which I think is an important detail to nail in a movie with such an alien story. If not, you run the risk of executing something like The Beach (2000) where somehow only Leo Dicaprio and young, Western supermodels made it to a secret island in Thailand and creating a silly aura to your film, which would sink it because it's already offbeat enough.

I've been meaning to watch this film for years and I am glad I've done it. Its execution is very smart too as the fetish (car accidents) is essentially based on nothing tangibly human (a face, a personality), that every single character ends up in the arms of another but not in any that seems romantic or even sexy/pornograhic. I'm not even sure I'd call it primal. The desire is very much a knee-jerk response, although the context for the response to happen is very much conscious.

Somewhat appropriately, the weather in the film matches its plot. Set during either a grey Canadian spring or autumn, the aesthetic is metallic and its coldness lingers throughout the entire runtime and even after. Even the clothes are never bright with burgundy threads being as popalicious as it gets. Every detail, every color and every line of this film configures with the other and while I understand this was shot and released in the mid-90s…I can’t understand why it’d be so controversial. Sure, there are many sex scenes, some of them long and explicit, and so? I’m not an edgy man but one has to respect intent and necessities. I think the sex scenes work here and recency bias considered, I think Crash might be one of the best films of the 90s.

Love and Basketball (2000) - I thought the title was cute and I like sports. So I turned it on. It's cute and has some stuff going for it, to the point where you can see how it became a cult classic, but it's also pretty dull and generic. In fact, outside of a couple of cracks (such as Monica making fun of Quincy because his dad plays for the Clippers) and the narrative of their love over the years (find, lose, find, lose, etc.) I'm not sure I remember much of anything that's memorable. Some scenes are no good - such as the locking of eyes while dancing with other partners at a dance. The sort of dreadful things that kids might end up doing because they saw it in a movie, art imitating life imitating art. Still, there's much worse but the concept, which isn't bad at all, seemed unfulfilled. Oh and another thing that I liked - it did good to steer away from torture porn and grandiose ideas. The problems of the characters never seem to break a world and there are no evil forces. This is very much puppy love that turns into adolescent love before becoming adult love and never pretends to be anything else. Much like the adults in their lives, who aren't presented as any more glorious or malevolent than they need to be.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

young, Western supermodels made it to a secret island in Thailand and creating a silly aura to your film

But... Virginie Ledoyen...

Survival of the sexiest.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

But... Virginie Ledoyen...

Survival of the sexiest.

I always thought she was so fine as well. Even as a kid. Gorgeous woman.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I always thought she was so fine as well. Even as a kid. Gorgeous woman.

Absolutely.

As for The Beach, I think the western-centricity - and the sexyness - of the "avatars" is pretty interesting if you read the island as a metaphor of virtual reality (and just a few years later, the islands would be the big craze in the Second Life universe).

 

[kihei]

She Said (2022) Directed by Maria Shrader 6A

She Said recounts how two New York Times reporters Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodie Kazan (Zoe Kantor) chased down the story of Harvey Weinstein's many sexual assaults and started the Me, Too movement in the process. One could call this film a reportorial procedural, close kin to All the President's Men, Spotlight and The Post. Indeed the template that She Said uses seems more than a little predictable by this time, but that's a problem that diminishes significantly in the second half of the movie as the importance of the story kicks in. She Said proceeds cautiously, too cautiously, as a near interminable string of women abused by Weinstein are not willing to go on the record or are unable to do so because of non-disclosure agreements. The movie seems more concerned with laying out an accurate progression of the timeline of events rather than shaping a case regarding not just Weinstein's depravity but the larger issues of how extensive his kind of behaviour was in workplaces far removed from the glamour of Hollywood. These are flaws. but ultimately even the story's limited scope remains so compelling that the missed opportunities don't compromise the film too badly. A few conservative critics seem to suggest that Weinstein was himself a victim of some kind of feminist witch hunt. It is well to keep in mind the serious nature of his crimes and that he was convicted in a court of law and will spend the next two decades of his life in prison.

 

[Pink Mist]

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (Jalmari Helander, 2010)

Starting my Christmas movie watching early this year, mostly because I’m trying to pick up Finnish and this is one of the biggest films ever from Finland. Deep in Lapland, an American hires a crew to excavate a mountain on Christmas and opens a vault that was never meant to be opened containing an evil Santa Claus that feasts on children and his naked elves. Rare Exports has a unique twist on Christmas films and is like a mixture of The Thing with 1980s Steven Spielberg films. More thrilling than scary – the horror of this film depends on how terrifying you find dirty naked old men wandering the arctic – Helander does a great job running with this ridiculous premise and adding unique Finnish juntti comedy (Finnish equivalent of country bumpkin humour but about people from the north) to a blockbuster-like horror film. Quite cheesy at times but a lot of fun and worth checking out this holiday season if you’re looking for something different.

 

[OzzyFan]

Triangle (2009) - 7/10

After their yacht capsizes off of the coast of Florida, five friends (Melissa George and others) are rescued by a seemingly empty ocean liner, the first of many unexplained occurrences. It's billed as a horror, but I'd say that it's more of a sci-fi thriller similar to Timecrimes that explores fate and consistently fills in gaps in previously seen events. A lot of things in the story don't make much sense, but some do by the end of the movie and the rest are either plot holes or I just didn't fully understand the logic at play. I'll give the benefit of the doubt and assume the latter. This is the kind of movie that probably helps to watch a second time. The first half is a bit generic, but the second half is clever and surprising. When you think that you've figured it out, things are turned upside down. I liked the twists and just the fact that it's a sci-fi thriller set on a ship. The interesting premise and setting earn an extra point because I'm a sucker for such things. If you like mind-bending movies, you can watch it for free at Plex and Roku, among other services.

Smile (2022) - 6/10

After a session with a highly disturbed patient, a psychologist (Sosie Bacon) begins to experience similar unexplained and terrifying occurrences. I liked the really creepy premise of this slow-burn psychological horror. It's similar in ways to It Follows and The Ring. The movie also reminded me of The Babadook, but whereas that was about dealing with grief, this movie is about dealing with trauma. It really felt like it had something to say on the topic... at least until it kind of threw it away in the last 5 minutes. That and an over-reliance on jump scares brought it down a notch for me, but I still liked it. Bacon gives a good performance as a character becoming increasingly paranoid and disturbed, the sound design stood out to me as effective and reminiscent of Hereditary and, overall, it's a well-made horror, though maybe slightly generic.

Spoiler: Ending

In the end, Bacon becomes crispy instead of cured.

Barbarian (2022) - 5/10

A traveler (Georgina Campbell) arrives late at night at the Airbnb rental that she booked and discovers that it's already occupied by a stranger (Bill Skarsgard). I liked the first half of this, with its mystery and "it could happen to you" premise. It takes a turn in the 2nd act towards dark comedy that I wasn't as much of a fan of, but did find somewhat amusing. The 3rd act was a disappointment for me, though, with too many things that are too hard to believe, even for a horror. "It could happen to you" turns into "it will never happen to you and isn't even realistic." That's no doubt by design and most others may love how bizarre it gets, but it was hard for me to get into after the more engaging and realistic first half that I enjoyed more. By the way, I've seen people wondering about the title and it could be because it can be spelled with the letters in "Airbnb" and has an equal number of syllables. That's my theory, at least.

On Barbarian it's funny, initial response is that it's a great film that plays with expectations and has social commentary. But the more one thinks about it and analyzes it, the more weaknesses it has. Implausibility grows substantially as the film progresses, it's commentary is luckily socially relevant and satirically over the top, and it is a tale of 3 separate tonally different stories. And quite easily the most intriguing story is the beginning one, and the other 2 stories don't really work well on their own and character development nosedives with them, come to think of it the vast majority of the 2nd story is sidetracked filler that's just thematically relevant. Kind of makes you curious of how the story was developed. Still enjoyable entertainment, but probably not something to think too deeply about.

 

[Osprey]

On Barbarian it's funny, initial response is that it's a great film that plays with expectations and has social commentary. But the more one thinks about it and analyzes it, the more weaknesses it has. Implausibility grows substantially as the film progresses, it's commentary is luckily socially relevant and satirically over the top, and it is a tale of 3 separate tonally different stories. And quite easily the most intriguing story is the beginning one, and the other 2 stories don't really work well on their own and character development nosedives with them, come to think of it the vast majority of the 2nd story is sidetracked filler that's just thematically relevant. Kind of makes you curious of how the story was developed. Still enjoyable entertainment, but probably not something to think too deeply about.

That was my experience. I largely enjoyed Barbarian while I was watching it and might've given it a positive rating if I had reviewed it right after watching it a week ago. I've been thinking about it since, though, and my feelings have dropped slightly, hence the neutral rating. Obviously, I'm in the minority (with Pranzo... again).

Have you seen Triangle? I was reminded of it while reading about Timecrimes and it was interesting to compare them by watching them on consecutive nights.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

That was my xperience. I largely enjoyed Barbarian while I was watching it and might've given it a positive rating if I had reviewed it right after watching it a week ago. I've been thinking about it since, though, and my feelings have dropped slightly, hence the neutral rating. Obviously, I'm in the minority (with Pranzo... again).

Have you seen Triangle? I was reminded of it while reading about Timecrimes and it was interesting to compare them by watching them on consecutive nights.

This site's search engine is a little frustrating... Can't find my posts on either film, but I kept my comment on Timecrimes:

Timecrimes (Vigalondo, 2007) – Mainly a narrative exercise in complex causality, this no budget entry is a lot of fun – big thanks to kihei for helping me find it in my DVD collection. Like most exercice de style, it might not survive repeated viewings, but it still ranks pretty high in the time-travel films I can think of. The film doesn't weigh itself down with explanations regarding the time machine, it is purely a narrative device that puts the character Hector as responsible of his own misfortunes through the causal loop paradox (and once being not enough, the film ventures into a second loop, hinting at a possible infinity). Schrödinger's cat makes an appearance, but the film seems to head in the opposite direction, making every actions and occurrences finite and rigid. While Hector 2 and 3 (new versions of the original Hector) think they have control and that their actions will rearrange their desperate situation, the film only negates their free will and demonstrate that everything they choose to do was already in place (and that they ironically are the source of all of their past self problems). The story is in the end quite simple, but the spectator's understanding of it is effectively filtered through the character's findings, something a lot of films fail at. I had it at 6/10 this morning, but had a lot of fun talking about it with the gf, so I'll push it at 7/10

And for what it's worth, I have Triangle at 5/10 on IMDB.​

 

[OzzyFan]

That was my experience. I largely enjoyed Barbarian while I was watching it and might've given it a positive rating if I had reviewed it right after watching it a week ago. I've been thinking about it since, though, and my feelings have dropped slightly, hence the neutral rating. Obviously, I'm in the minority (with Pranzo... again).

Have you seen Triangle? I was reminded of it while reading about Timecrimes and it was interesting to compare them by watching them on consecutive nights.

Yep, found my review luckily, although it's minimally descriptive because of easily spoiling possibilities:

Triangle (2009)
2.85 out of 4stars

"Near the Bermuda Triangle, yacht passengers encounter mysterious weather conditions that force them to jump onto another ship, only to have the odd havoc increase."
A surprisingly fun and entertaining twilight zone-esque psychological horror film. This is the type of film where it's easy to spoil and the less you know going in the better your experience will be. What I can say is that George is great in the lead role and it keeps you intellectually and emotionally involved the whole way if you bite.

If I had to add on to that comparatively to Timecrimes, they are definitely different. Easy difference is mood, Triangle is a horror that tries to mess with your mind while Timecrimes is more of a fun style thriller with a lot of humor. Timecrimes works more fluidly, but Triangle doesn't want to be that fluid for the audience's viewing. Plot holes that can be argued as, but I think some of it is on purpose. Triangle definitely has better acting, especially in the lead which makes you care more. Triangle feels like strives to be greater/do more and succeeds mostly, but Timecrimes is great for what it is. I also lean towards horror films by preference, so Triangle has me there too. Quite different, but enjoyable in different ways. I wouldn't consider them too far apart in enjoyment or quality though.

 

[kihei]

Till (2022) Directed by Chinonye Chukwu 4A

In 1955, 14-year-old Chicago-born Emmet Till visited his cousins in Money, Mississippi. There he spoke in a friendly manner to a white shop clerk. For that act, he was tortured, mutilated and hung. Till is principally his mother Mamie's story. Upon seeing her son's almost unrecognisable remains, she insisted on having an open casket at the funeral. Everyone was to have the opportunity to see what the savagery of racial hatred had done to her boy. She later travelled to Mississippi to testify at the trial of two white men who stood no chance of being convicted. Stories don't come more important than this one, and Danielle Deadwyler does an excellent job of portraying the aggrieved mother.

But I gotta ask: is such a story best served by taking on all the trappings of a conventional Hollywood biopick: the formidable impersonation of a real person, the slick cinematography, the bright colour scheme, the vintage cars without a speck of dust on them, the stilted dialogue that no two humans would ever speak to one another, and so on. Inevitably Danielle's story is reduced to a cliche, the plucky woman who is willing to stand up to injustice whatever the personal cost. It just seems so wrong to reduce this unforgivable transgression to empty but comfortably familiar biopick tropes. It turns something of great importance into pablum.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Triangle of Sadness (2022) - 7/10

This movie was bizarre. Told in three parts all which differ wildly and there's not a great sense of cohesion, which makes it coming together that much more surprising. Some spoilers below.

It starts as a somewhat heavy handed exploration of classism that highlights the vapid and boorish nature of the wealthy as they exhibit the power they hold over the people meant to serve them. Honestly the first half is real slow and doesn't have a lot going on, even in foreshadowing or setting up the rest of the film. There's some tension between the two main characters but most everyone you are introduced to are repulsive and unlikeable. They eventually wind up on a luxury cruise due to the GF being an influencer.

Where I really began to become engaged and interested was in the Captain's dinner scene. What seems very ordered and proper and meticulously laid out becomes a scene of madness as the yacht is caught in a storm and the food turns on the passengers. Really this scene and the subsequent couple scenes were the highlight for me. Well done dark comedy, smart without being pretentious.

The film takes another turn and part three was more or less lord of the flies, could have been trimmed up a bit probably but the movie doesn't seem too long. The lady who was Head of Sanitation or something on the boat takes charge on the island and there's issues that comes from that. It explores some more concepts of matriarchy and power dynamics but lacks a defined message or a real sensible conclusion. I liked it, well acted and had some strong parts and some not so strong parts.

 

[OzzyFan]

Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
3.25 out of 4stars

“Jacob Singer's experiences before and during his service in Vietnam result in strange, fragmentary visions and bizarre hallucinations that continue to haunt him. As his ordeal worsens, Jacob desperately attempts to figure out the truth.”
A great psychological horror that’s a delusion-ridden journey about the effects of war on one man’s life and sanity. Essentially a PTSD experience, filled with sinister memorable imagery and visual sequences both realistic and supernatural contrasted against the mundane. The fragility of the mind, or psychological depths, are the invisible but incredibly important aspects of human beings that we still don’t fully understand. The impact of extreme/traumatic experiences on one’s future quality of life; especially those involving war, violence, suffering, death, and abuse, are severe and can cause problems in every aspect of someone’s life. Everyday functions, jobs, relationships, and existence can be an uphill battle alongside the nightmare one has living inside one’s head. Reality becomes fluid and life becomes hell. A collateral atrocity of man that desperately needs viable solutions. There’s also one quote I really liked in the film that’s about peace, which is a widespread concept in philosophy and theology around the world. Much easier said than done, but making peace with circumstances and situations is sometimes the only way one finds tranquility and escapes anguish. Joy is not always possible, but serenity is. The ending is somewhat controversial, especially for the genre. Altogether feels like a compelling anti-war movie, specifically anti-vietnam war, and the liberties taken with drafted and undrafted soldiers as well as their treatment during and after the war.

One Cut of the Dead (2017) (subtitles)
2.90 out of 4stars

“Things go badly for a hack director and film crew shooting a low budget zombie movie in an abandoned WWII Japanese facility, when they are attacked by real zombies.”
A great zombie comedy satire horror-ish movie that is an incredibly meta ode to filmmaking, especially lower-budget. Best viewed as a quite funny comedy/satire. One third horror film, two thirds comedy light-drama satire. If you make it past the first 30minutes of purposeful b-movie mediocrity (that does generate a couple giggles), there are good twists to be had. Funny, fun, lighthearted, and a playful introspection. I don’t want to ruin anything beyond that.

Bones and All (2022)
2.90 out of 4stars

“The story follows a pair of young cannibalistic lovers who flee together on a road trip across the country.”
A great drama romance horror that is a strange tale about nomadic cannibals, but more so is about addiction, while being part coming of age story and part young love story. Good atmosphere and worldbuilding. A slow burn that can feel meandering at times, but endearing and visually splendid. As 2 “cannibalist addicts” try to find their purpose and place in the world with a yearning for connection, the corrosiveness of addiction is on full display. All the faces and effects of addiction are shown: the different personalities it creates, effects on family and friends/relationships, lifestyles it can lead to, outlooks on life and even the addiction itself they have, things it causes you to do, that ever so fragile loose grip on the steering wheel of control and sanity one has in their life, morality of the subject/lifestyle, etc. One can also see similar themes of childhood trauma/home-parental-issues and outcasts here, albeit the addiction theme plays stronger and clearer. The romance side is hit and miss in effectiveness and writing wise on paper. Russell outacts Chalamet a good bit, although Chalamet’s character altogether feels harder to conceive. That said, Rylance and Stuhlbarg stand out greatly in their supporting turns. While there is some gore, it’s not glorified or over the top, it just is exactly what you’d expect, some scenes of people eating people. I take the bones and all line as multipurpose. One, it’s about how deep addiction can go. Two, it’s about loving someone as fully as possible, blemishes/problems and all, and sticking with them as they work through anything and everything.

 

[kihei]

The Menu (2022) Directed by Mark Mylod 6A

The Menu is a pitch-black comedy about a homicidal super-chef (Ralph Fiennes) who invites a bunch of rich people to his ultra-exclusive private island restaurant. He has prepared for them a tasting menu of several courses which they will remember the rest of their lives....which is a certainty as their life expectancy is not the greatest. For a while, the dark hijinks is good, nasty fun. Fiennes is the perfect actor for this sort of role which he plays straight but menacingly, no hint of tongue-in-cheek at all. Quite cunningly, The Menu provides a bunch of sly surprises along the way. But the devil is in the details...of which there aren't nearly enough. Except for our erstwhile heroine played by Anya Taylor-Joy, we don't get to know any of the guests sufficiently enough to even distinguish them from one another, nor do we find out convincingly what exactly fuels the chef's murderous intentions. Many questions remain unanswered especially toward the end where the movie rushes its denouement and leaves some significant loose ends, one of them involving a cheeseburger. It's not so much that The Menu leaves a bitter aftertaste as it is that the movie is simply undercooked. Still, I had a good time while it lasted.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Absolutely.

As for The Beach, I think the western-centricity - and the sexyness - of the "avatars" is pretty interesting if you read the island as a metaphor of virtual reality (and just a few years later, the islands would be the big craze in the Second Life universe).

What do you mean by the last sentence? What's second life?

At any rate, I'd be curious to read you expand on your theory. While the novel itself (written by Alex Garland!) is western-centric, the physical appearance of character is essentially never dwelled upon (including Richard's) nor is there Richard's attraction towards Francoise ever reciprocated, leaving the book as far more dedicated to the actual community and its workings. You kind of lose that in the film and the entire thing just seems Hollywood'ized to the point that it becomes tacky and I'm not sure Boyle's film has the intention or depth you see in it but I'd be curious to read more.

In short, I just see the film as bastardized and superficial adaptation meant to appeal to vapid viewers. You don't? Boyle may have tried to save it from its money but even the video game scenes seem so shallow. Like, why is Richard f***ing Ledoyen and Swinton? He's meant to be a geek in over his head with no game. That's kind of why he goes to Thailand in the first place. They keep some of the geekiness, but only in a hip sort of way that doesn't fit with the character.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

What do you mean by the last sentence? What's second life?

At any rate, I'd be curious to read you expand on your theory. While the novel itself (written by Alex Garland!) is western-centric, the physical appearance of character is essentially never dwelled upon (including Richard's) nor is there Richard's attraction towards Francoise ever reciprocated, leaving the book as far more dedicated to the actual community and its workings. You kind of lose that in the film and the entire thing just seems Hollywood'ized to the point that it becomes tacky and I'm not sure Boyle's film has the intention or depth you see in it but I'd be curious to read more.

In short, I just see the film as bastardized and superficial adaptation meant to appeal to vapid viewers. You don't? Boyle may have tried to save it from its money but even the video game scenes seem so shallow. Like, why is Richard f***ing Ledoyen and Swinton? He's meant to be a geek in over his head with no game. That's kind of why he goes to Thailand in the first place. They keep some of the geekiness, but only in a hip sort of way that doesn't fit with the character.

I haven't seen the film in (lots of) years, so I won't be able to give you a detailed explanation, but to me it was quite obvious at the time that the film was about postmodern Utopia (through virtual existence) and that the island was a metaphore for that Utopia (politically, sexually, etc - as you said, he's just a geek, but having it all "there"). That video game scene was surely pointing at it, but the ending was very much on the nose (just found it on YouTube):



The crossfade to the world map made with computer chips, him looking at everybody having online relationships and not talking to each other, him getting in with his username, the "beach life" email, with a picture on which he isn't (and on which it is actually kind of tough to recognize anybody), tagged as "parallel universe".

I'm sure I wrote something about this years ago, but I can't think where that would have been.

 

[kihei]

The Woman KIng (2022) Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood 4A

A group of female mercenaries with major combat skills led by Nanisca (Viola Davis) force a major slave-trading conglomerate to flee Africa's shores. Did an elite squadron of combat-trained women warriors ever kick a major slave-trading company out of Africa? The film claims to be based on some sort of historical fact, but, let's face it, liberties have been taken. Not really a problem, though. Name a single Hollywood movie based on history of one kind or another that doesn't play fast and loose with what actually happened. Basically The Woman KIng is a feel-good movie for black women, a demographic who haven't exactly had a lot of feel-good movies aimed in their direction. No problems with that either. My problem is that The Woman KIng is a bad Disney movie, one that uses all the familiar tropes, beats and cliches of a hack Disney script. There is even a very pretty and, of course, feisty princess kicking ass at about 102 pounds right out of the Disney playbook. The characterisations are so bad that this movie might have been better off animated with musical numbers.

 

[Chili]

The Wages of Fear-1953 (subtitled)

A South American town is a melting pot for several different nationalties, many men down on their luck just looking to earn enough to move on. An opportunity arises due to an oil fields fire. The job is a drive across dangerous roads with a large cargo of volatile nitro glycerin. The two books I remember most from school days are The Grapes of Wrath and the book this film was based on Le Salaire de la Peur. Many years later have vivid memories of the tension while reading the book. The film captures this as the two trucks deal with the challenges enroute to the fire, including a battle of nerves. Some parts of the film remind me of Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Thieves Highway & The Small Back Room. It's a dark, poignant, edge of the seat film, captures the time and place, feels real. Was great to re-watch after many years.

Genevieve-1953

For something lighter...a car race film in vintage antique cars. Two friends in a car rally make a bet on who can get back to London first. There are a great series of humourous obstacles as they take turns in the lead. Liked the harmonica score. Fun film.

Where the Sidewalk Ends-1950

Watched a couple of Otto Preminger classics. A tough cop investigating a murder causes a death himself and then tries to cover it up. Soon his crime is being blamed on someone else who had a possible motive. Nice slant on the detective story, Dana Andrews was well cast. A smoker's heaven. Good noir.

Anatomy of a Murder-1959

Classic court room drama. From the beginning, the story seems clear. A woman has been beaten & raped and her husband, in a rage, shot the rapist. How can the lawyer (Jimmy Stewart who's great) defend his client? Was completely riveted to following the story as it played out in the courtroom. Some outstanding performances including George C. Scott in only his second film is commanding as one of the two prosecuting attorneys and Lee Remick as the sexy wife. Duke Ellington with a nice score and he makes a cameo. The guy who played the judge (Joseph N. Welch) was not an actor, he was really a lawyer. He adds alot to courtroom scenes arbitrating Stewart and Scott as they push the envelope with their questions. The novel was based on a true story, seems like there is alot of ambiguity during the trial and after the verdict. One of the best court room films I have seen.

 

[kihei]

Amsterdam (2022) Directed by David O. Russell 3B

There are probably a couple of dozen ways to fashion a mystery around the rise of American Fascism in the '30s. This isn't one of them. I should have watched Amsterdam on American Thanksgiving because it is a real turkey. Three friends investigate a pair of nasty murders while in danger of becoming targets themselves. Amsterdam has an absolutely sensational cast (Christian Bale in chew-up-the-scenery mode, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rami Malek, Robert DeNiro, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts, Chris Rock, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, and.....wait for it....Sean Avery; yes, that Sean Avery). All that fire power and most of them have nothing at all to do. The movie is simply dull--it starts dull, stays dull, and ends dull. It just goes on and on, people yapping endlessly in drab settings. Apart from a small handful of distinctive shots, the movie isn't even well photographed. I'm not a David O, Russell fan, and I was still disappointed.

 

[Puck]

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022), Directed by Peter Farrelly, 6.5

I didn't recognise Zac Efron with a mustache but I did recognise Bill Murray playing a redneck bartender and Russell Crowe's girth. This is Peter Farrelly's first film since The Green Door and although I did enjoy it, it was entirely predictable and I could not help thinking this movie could have been done better. It's a story about a man leaving New York in 1967 to bring beer to his childhood buddies while they are fighting in Vietnam. Anyone could see that the naive protagonist was going to learn some harsh truths about the reality of war. This is a cross between a road movie and a fish-out-of-water dramedy and even though it is based on a true story, it is somewhat glib and doesn't come across as entirely credible for some reason. Crowe however does give a single great convincing performance as the wartime photograher. Bill Murray just mails it in, playing a version of himself as usual. I do love road movies though, and did not have high expectations for this so I did enjoy it anyway; I was entertained (and so will you probably if you are old enough to remember the Vietnam war era) but I still think another Director or screenplay writer with a different vision could have done this better.

 

[OzzyFan]

View attachment 613939

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2022), Directed by Peter Farrelly, 6.5

I didn't recognise Zac Efron with a mustache but I did recognise Bill Murray playing a redneck bartender and Russell Crowe's girth. This is Peter Farrelly's first film since Green Book

Looks like audiences liked it more than critics. I find most of the Farrelly's stuff funny but nothing extraordinary. Sometimes that's all you want though. Definitely some quotable lines and memorable situations from their films. Their best films are generally carried by actors selling their part above and beyond expectation if I had to try and grasp on their successes.

 

[KallioWeHardlyKnewYe]

The Fabelmans. Steven Spielberg reflects back on the collapse of his parent's marriage and the early emergence of his preternatural directing gifts. Spielberg's go at the classic director auto-bio filck is exactly what you would expect from him — deceptively complex, skillfully executed, sentimental and calibrated for maximum impact. He makes it all look so damn easy, even when life is hard. The jerk. Every moment is a lesson. Every character a vessel for a meaningful realization. And damned if he doesn't get away with every second of it. On paper it's self-indulgent (as these exercises often are) but in reality the damn thing's borderline magic, somehow balancing a kids-eye-view of the world with an adult's full comprehension of the complexities of life and love and time and history, the moment we realize our parents are just flawed humans as well, how those realizations (and those flaws) shape us. It's bittersweet and funny and deeply humane. And while versions of this can often veer toward indulgent excess, being a Spielberg jam this is always grounded and accessible.

It's the sort of movie that makes you wish there was an Oscar for a cast. Lots of good-to-great performances here, but the real joy is how they all function as a whole. There isn't a miss in the bunch, well known actors to unknowns, all the leads right down to secondary and tertiary characters. I wanted to make special mention of Chloe East just because I have no clue who she was and she gives one of those scene stealing performance that make you immediately grab your phone after the movie to look up who that person was. (Haven't had a great WHO THE HELL IS THAT reaction to a character/performance since Tom Hardy in Inception).

If I have one curmudgeonly complaint it's the Judd Hirsch character. He breezes in for a big scene and gives the sort of IMPORTANT THEMATIC SPEECH that award voters die for (particularly when given by a liked elder statesman actor). It's a fine speech and scene but I'm preemptively bummed that he's going to wind up winning supporting actor awards over the likes of Paul Dano (from this very movie) or Ke Huy Quan (in Everything Everywhere All at Once) who do excellent work with much heavier stuff in their supporting roles.

 

[Pink Mist]

The Fabelmans. Steven Spielberg reflects back on the collapse of his parent's marriage and the early emergence of his preternatural directing gifts. Spielberg's go at the classic director auto-bio filck is exactly what you would expect from him — deceptively complex, skillfully executed, sentimental and calibrated for maximum impact. He makes it all look so damn easy, even when life is hard. The jerk. Every moment is a lesson. Every character a vessel for a meaningful realization. And damned if he doesn't get away with every second of it. On paper it's self-indulgent (as these exercises often are) but in reality the damn thing's borderline magic, somehow balancing a kids-eye-view of the world with an adult's full comprehension of the complexities of life and love and time and history, the moment we realize our parents are just flawed humans as well, how those realizations (and those flaws) shape us. It's bittersweet and funny and deeply humane. And while versions of this can often veer toward indulgent excess, being a Spielberg jam this is always grounded and accessible.

It's the sort of movie that makes you wish there was an Oscar for a cast. Lots of good-to-great performances here, but the real joy is how they all function as a whole. There isn't a miss in the bunch, well known actors to unknowns, all the leads right down to secondary and tertiary characters. I wanted to make special mention of Chloe East just because I have no clue who she was and she gives one of those scene stealing performance that make you immediately grab your phone after the movie to look up who that person was. (Haven't had a great WHO THE HELL IS THAT reaction to a character/performance since Tom Hardy in Inception).

If I have one curmudgeonly complaint it's the Judd Hirsch character. He breezes in for a big scene and gives the sort of IMPORTANT THEMATIC SPEECH that award voters die for (particularly when given by a liked elder statesman actor). It's a fine speech and scene but I'm preemptively bummed that he's going to wind up winning supporting actor awards over the likes of Paul Dano (from this very movie) or Ke Huy Quan (in Everything Everywhere All at Once) who do excellent work with much heavier stuff in their supporting roles.

I also saw The Fabelmans this weekend and your review is spot on. Really enjoyed it, obviously overly sentimental at times, but you have to expect that a but with Spielberg. Going to clean up at the awards season





Seconds (John Frankenheimer, 1966)

I said a week ago that I do not enjoy body horror films or seek out watching them, but I had no idea Seconds was a body horror film. Thankfully, it is more of the psychological type of horror and not the gruesome mutilations that come to mind when I think of body horror. Seconds follows a middle aged man who through a service fakes his death and undergoes a procedure to take on the appearance of a younger man and a new identity. I'm not sure I cared for the story too much - its fine but I wasn't too into it - but what is remarkable about the film is the cinematography (handhelds! fish eye!) and wild editing techniques. Visually the film feels advanced beyond its years, like a precursor to the found footage and handheld camera cinematography of the 2000s (I mean this in a good way, to be clear). Lovely and creative stuff, mixing experimental techniques into a mainstream film. Also the choice of Rock Hudson as the lead is an interesting choice given that he is a man who knows a thing or two about living a secret life.