Groundhog Day (1993)
3.25 out of 4stars
“A narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day, and the day keeps repeating and he can’t figure out why.”
A great fantasy comedy that works the time loop tool with comedic and reflective proficiency. Can be seen as philosophical, existential, or allegorical. Smartly never overuses its repetitiveness to boredom, it joyously covers the real to life angles such a plot device would bring about and allow. Bill Murray, in a seemingly tailor-made role for his style, organically brings ample laughs and fun. A bit of romance is sprinkled in too, but in a comically honest way. Without spoiling anything, while I understand the progression, I am curious about 1 major latter change in Murray’s character’s mindset’s true probability
. Say you run 100 people in that scenario, how many will reach or come across that step? Fun fact, while Murray in the film relives Groundhog Day 38 times in the film, some website states that it would take him roughly 12,395 days to accomplish what he did throughout the film.
The Lost Weekend (1945)
3.25 out of 4stars
“Sober for only a few days, writer Don Birnham is supposed to be spending the weekend with his brother, Wick, to get fully clean. But, eager for a drink, Don convinces his girlfriend to take Wick to a show. Don, meanwhile, sneaks out to his local bar and misses the train out of town. After recounting to the bartender how he developed a drinking problem, Don goes on a weekend-long bender.”
A great film-noir that shows a harrowing realistic tale of addiction under the Hays Code. The film is about alcoholism, but it translates across drug addictions and even other forms of addiction. Tragic, while evoking sympathy, frustration, and disgust altogether. Does an excellent job of portraying addiction’s vicious circle of incessant desperation and temporary highs, devouring souls and corroding relationships. Milland exhibits this through acts of conniving, agitation, mood swings, isolation, and shame. To say addiction is powerful and controlling is an understatement. On top of it all, sobriety is a fragile lifelong road with many difficulties, as well as initial obstacles and withdrawal-symptoms, including delirium tremens. The film was another notable trophy winner too, taking home Oscars for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Django (1966)
3.00 out of 4stars
“A coffin-dragging gunslinger becomes embroiled in a bitter feud between a gang of Confederate Red Shirts and a band of Mexican Revolutionaries.”
A great spaghetti western that is pretty much a remake of a remake, solid but clearly inferior. Those films are Yojimbo, the original, and A Fistful of Dollars, the remake of Yojimbo. Comparatively, Django is enjoyably more violent, bloodier, sadistic, and darker, among other differences for better and worse. For arguably better, say at minimum good different, it's the little touches of stuff: like the casket, the surprise in the casket, the mud/quicksand, Nero’s blue eyes, and even the kind of poetic ending in addition to the above. For worse, many narrative strengths are gone and much looser, the side character development is minimal, and most of it doesn’t hold a candle to either of its predecessor films. That said, the sum of the whole is still different, effective, and enjoyable enough. There is some great action/visuals, good direction, good score, and a good lead performance. The film was so graphically violent for its time, the film was banned in numerous countries. Very commercially successful. Ironically, this remake of remake was highly influential on Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, amongst other things.
