Three Identical Strangers - 2018 - UK

Three Identical Strangers - 2018 - 8/10

First day at new college, fellow students smile at the new guy, hug him, say, “Glad you’re back, Eddy!”
Only thing, his name is Bobby, not Eddy.
By the end of the day, he meets the twin he never knew he had.
“Newsweek” covers the story, and, incredibly enough, a third missing brother surfaces!

All three had been separated at birth, to different families. Who knew?
The boys become a national phenomenon, they are feted, they appear on national television, even cameo in a Madonna movie!
They bond, the nation loves them, a bounty of luck showers down.

Yet, ever so gradually, the story grows unimaginably dark.
Their story is a sinister one, almost painful, akin to a diabolical X-Files episode.
If remotely curious, then I heavily recommend this, and recommend you see this cold.
Especially if you know nothing about this story. Almost every review I read afterward is filthy with spoilers.

Juha - 1999 - Finland

Juha - 1999 - 6/10

Black and white, Silent movie from Finland. And yes, this predates The Artist by a good decade.
Married Juha and Marja live quietly and simply on the farm. Social activities include friends, or the club.
Into their life, however, comes a sleek, if ailing, Corvette. Driven by the city soul, Shemeikka.
While Juha repairs the visitor’s sports car, the driver immediately woos Marja.
She’s too nice for this life, she deserves better.
The contest between flash and stable usually has one outcome.
And into the darkness of the city the wayward wife plunges.

Bleak tale, though surprisingly funny at times.
Broad acting at points, subtle nuance during other moments.
A very modern soundtrack - added immensely and jarred inappropriately.
Well cast with interesting faces.

The Leisure Seeker - 2018

The Leisure Seeker - 2018 - 6/10

Aged couple embark on a road trip, probably their final one.
The husband is clearly succumbing to Alzheimer’s while his wife pops meds like candy.
He had been a college professor in Boston, their trip is to Key West, home of his touchstone, Hemingway.
Yes, there are small adventures, encounters, revelations along the way.
The story itself is of how they react to the presence of the final curtain.
Sutherland’s character lingers in a fogged world, Mirren resents that the man she fell in love with has been stolen away by the disease.
Darkness tinges the proceedings, but one recognizes the feel-good tone of the whole.

Tante Zita - 1968 - France

Tante Zita - 1968 - 6/10

Aunt Zita is a survivor of the Spanish Civil War, giving piano lessons in Paris.
She collapses from a stroke, and family and nurses soon watch her struggle.
One who is especially anxious is the niece, Annie, earnest college student, with limited Life experience.
This gradually becomes her story, and the wondrous night she has when she leaves to clear her head.
Snapshot of late 60’s Paris nightlife fuels the film from here on.
Nightclubs, music, various men, romance - the promise of romance, a stray goat, police, fashion models.
Her world slides into dream territory, tugging viewers along with her.

Yellow Fever: The Rise And Fall Of The Giallo - 2016

Yellow Fever: The Rise And Fall Of The Giallo - 2016 - 7/10

From those lurid yellow books and the tropes of Krimi.
Add the high fashion and opulent interiors, along with those deadly, shiny knives.
Nicely done documentary will have people wanting more (read a book, folks), but there is plenty here.
Clips from keys films, analysis of innovations. Key players such a Argento, Fulci, Bava …
Critics predominate among the talking heads, with director Argento and actress Barbara Bouchet recollecting.
Missing many people, but there is a more recent documentary out there, All The Colors Of Giallo.
Those who have several Giallos under their viewing belt will enjoy this more.

The Case Of The Krimi - 2018 - USA

The Case Of The Krimi - 2018 - 6/10

Brief documentary, presented by Marcus Stiglegger.
Charts the genesis, heyday, and collapse of Krimi films.
The look originated in Expressionism, the stories from 1920’s crime novels by Edgar Wallace.
Fast paced crime yarns, set in London (Hamburg), often with Klaus Kinski as villain.
As the era progressed, films grew sillier and spawned spoofs.
Breezy overview of the Krimi subgenre, which became an important influence on Giallo.

Agatha And The Curse Of Ishtar - 2019 - UK

Agatha And The Curse Of Ishtar - 2019 - 6/10

Soured by that Miss Fisher misfire? Try this.
Miss Christie, newly divorced, dwells on the mystery at hand. Mysteries, actually.
She is in Iraq, visiting archeological sites, and wanders into a murder.
And then another.
Not only is she embroiled in murders, and deepening mysteries, she meets one Max Mallowan.
Fans of Agatha Christie, this is an entertaining homage, cleverly scripted by someone who knows her work.
There are in-jokes, classic setups, and a touch of romance.
On the downside, dialogue has been extensively, and poorly, looped.
Sync is noticeably off, and it sounds as if it had been recorded in a particularly resonant chamber.

Miss Fisher & The Crypt Of Tears - 2020 - Australia

Miss Fisher & The Crypt Of Tears - 2020 - 5/10

Resistance is futile.
My outlook when I was first told this series was crowd-funding shekels for a film version.
(Yeah, and I’ve seen every episode of the series. I live with females.)
Miss Fisher heads to the Mideast to free an innocent, dispel a curse.
Fisher’s character is now written as Emma Peel doing an Indiana Jones reboot.
Her Steed, Inspector Jack, trails after her like a mopey discarded suitor.
To be blunt, Detective Jack ought to be given the ole heave ho from the “guy club.”
Story is unoriginal, it looks cheap, and the charm (and cast) of the series is absent.
For fashion devotees, Phyrne’s wardrobe is limited.

The Forbidden Room - 2015 - Canada

The Forbidden Room - 2015 - 7/10

Wow, I have seen some truly bizarre films in my time, this one hits my top 2% in out-there!
Collision of arthouse, experimental, Silent cinema, demonstration shorts …
A submarine crew is trapped undersea with a cargo of explosive jelly.
Because they are running out of air, they gobble down hotcakes since those are filled with air pockets.
A sopping wet woodsman (Sapling Jack) enters their midst via a door / duct.
He shares his story of fighting the Red Wolves who had captured the lovely Margot.
Margot in turn, remembers when she had over a hundred broken bones set by the doctor who fell in love with her, only he was kidnapped in the sensuous embrace of skeleton women.

That’s maybe the first twenty minutes of an almost two hour visual kaleidoscope.
Visual dissolves, inter-titles, musique concrète, a powerhouse cast, in a film confusing, funny, and thoughtful.
Oh, one of the woman’s boyfriends turns into a banana. How could I forget that?
Unwary - beware.

Innocente - 2016

Innocente - 2016 - 5/10

Roxane wakes up on the floor, half naked. Near her, is a half naked man, only he’s dead!
Does she phone the police? No. She slaps on some clothes, grabs her things, and runs.
Police come calling, her explanations are absurd, and into the slammer she goes.
After an eight year stretch, she’s out, desperate to find out who framed her and why.
And then she steps in it. Again. And again.

Sad sack Roxane drove me nuts. She is impulsive, heedless, and often downright stupid.
Moreover, she does not learn from mistakes, so she keeps repeating them.
I started rooting for any potential baddie to whack her.
French series grows preposterous, but is mercifully brief.

Satan’s Slaves - 2017 - Indonesia

Satan’s Slaves - 2017 - 6/10
AKA - Pengabdi Setan

Mawarni has been ill for three years, exhausting the family’s financial resources.
Finally she dies. Or … does she?
While the father goes to find work, the children realize there was an incredibly dark side to their mother.
And a bargain, a pact if you will, that demands payment.
Decent Indonesian horror outing benefits from several unique perspectives on a genre film.
Conflict of Islamic faith and surviving paganists is another nice wrinkle.
One sequence is laughably over the top, though others are fairly creepy. 

One Child Nation - 2019 - China

One Child Nation - 2019 - 7/10

Difficult to rate this because it omitted an angle I wanted to see explored.
China, circa 1980, saw their population soar past 1 billion. Starvation loomed on the horizon.
Families were ordered / coerced / forced to limit children to one.
Noncompliance led to abortion, then sterilization.
Documentary interviews families, village party leaders, midwives.
Many are surprisingly forthcoming with guilt, or with pride.
The main consequence pursued was the abandonment or adopting out of unwanted infants.
Girls.
The concept of “little emperors” was not explored, nor the generation of males who can never marry owing to the missing females.

Railroaded! - 1947 - USA

Railroaded! - 1947 - 6/10
 
The masked goon, cocksure and aggressive, shoves the muzzle into the terrified doll’s face.
She shrieks, a nearby cop on the beat rushes over, and the robbery skids into chaos.
Hot lead spits across the room, leaving one dead policeman and a critically wounded thug.
For what, Junior? Knocking off a beauty salon.
The other robber, the one who gets clean away, is a calculating block of ice.
He sets up a patsy, an innocent schmuck, a rube, because he is wise and cynical about lawmen.
He knows cops will embrace the frame, knows they are under pressure, knows they will railroad an innocent man in a breath.
Then, while police push the stooge towards the gas chamber, he makes a play for the rube’s sister.

Middling Noir starts strong and the finish is a tour de force. In between, it shuffles indecisively.
Mystery, police procedural, romance, thriller. Blame the script, which cannot make up its mind.
Best is John Ireland as the dead eyed villain, more interested in his gun than men or women.
Much of this Anthony Mann film is quite dark (though later work would be darker), so view in a dimly lit room.

The Prodigal Daughter - 2020 - Germany

The Prodigal Daughter - 2020 - 6/10
AKA - Die Verlorene Tochter

During the last high school dance, the richest girl in town disappears.
Ten years later, memory gone, Isa suddenly returns.
Conveniently, as the family begins to squabble over the inheritances.
Multiple mysteries are explored in this 6 ep series.
Was she kidnapped originally? If so, by whom? And why?
Where has she been? Why did she return? At this precarious moment.
As the narrative unfolds, personalities and backstories surface in an ugly light.
Does not stitch neatly for meticulous viewers, yet this is a fine, if unpleasant, slow boil thriller.

Some People - 1962 - UK

Some People - 1962 - 6/10

Bored in Bristol. England, just on the cusp a cultural explosion.
Three lads mill about, toil odd jobs, race motorbikes, pick up birds, yell in the dark.
Late adolescents, venting steam, childhood behind them, the adult world not exactly enticing.
They swagger in leather jackets (pretty much what the Beatles donned in Hamburg at this time).
Adults suffice to discipline or channel their energy.
While not an earthshaker by any means, this is a keen observation of a life, a look, a time, a year before it was utterly swept away.

Der Gorilla von Soho - 1968

Der Gorilla von Soho - 1968 - 5/10
AKA - Gorilla Gang

Visiting rich foreigners are murdered, then made to appear to be drowning victims.
Inspectors, following clues, soon wonder if an old gang has resurfaced.
Krimi mixes sexual innuendo, authoritarian silliness, and stretches of nudity.
For the latter, there is an underground camera club boasting dozens of unclad models.

The humor is not especially funny, running gags wear thin.
This seems like a color remake of Dead Eyes Of London, an earlier, and better Krimi.

 

Verónica - 2017 - Spain

Verónica - 2017 - 7/10

School basement. Ninth grade Verónica and two friends lay out the Ouija board and conjure.
Oh, and there is a solar eclipse occurring at the same time.
Events propitious for a successful contact.
Only thing is, they forget about closing the dimensional door on the spirit.
Horror / thriller from Spain puts Verónica and her three younger siblings in peril.
Verónica is in over her head and only has a creepy, blind nun for advice.
Set in 1991, pre Internet, and based on real events.

The Ouija board, by the way, is generally marketed and sold to children, usually girls.
Opinions regarding the Ouija board range from scoffing to worry to alarm.

The Salesman - 2016

The Salesman - 2016 - 7/10
AKA - Forushande

Married actors must relocate after their apartment begins to physically collapse.
A fellow actor owns property and has an apartment that seems ideal.
The previous tenant departed earlier, though she has not taken her things.
The couple move in, deposit the woman’s belongings in the street.
Meanwhile, the actors try to mount "Death Of A Salesman," deal with Tehran censors.
To further complicate things, the previous woman had many visitors - who are unaware she no longer lives there.
Stress mounts in this layered film, making the experience uncomfortable for characters and viewers.
As in earlier films, such as About Elly, director Farhadi explores how people react to tension.
Hardly fun, but a riveting watch.

Das Finstere Tal - 2014 - Germany

Das Finstere Tal - 2014 - 7/10
AKA - The Dark Valley

Near great Western is flawless, until a self-inflicted error wrecks the ambiance.
After an unsettling, violent parting of two lovers, the tiny timber community returns to normal.
Then, years later, the stranger arrives.

He is a photographer, and pays in gold to overwinter there.
The community is sullen and unhappy, ruled by old man Brenner and his six thuggish sons.
Women are property, men are beaten down, even the photographer is taught an early lesson.
Until the dying begins.
The high lonesome landscape is jaw dropping. Sierra Nevada or the Canadian Rockies?
Nope. German/Austrian Alps. Whole movie is in German.
Fear not, this is a pitch perfect film that would thrill any Eastwood fan -
Until late …
… when the director stupidly, stupidly, stupidly, overdubs crucial action with pop music. Some whiny male wails “How dare you?” over and over and over. At this point, one senses the director has walked away. From that point on, the tight control ends, it gets talky, and there is a closing credits “song,” modern and inappropriate.
To my reckoning, the blundering song choices and last act possibly killed an Academy nod for best foreign film.
Definitely worth hunting for Western fans, or cold paced action fans. Beware the songs, though.

Creep - 2004

Creep - 2004 - 5/10

Leaving the party, Kate tells friends she is going to a more exclusive soiree, where she plans to mount and bounce VIP George Clooney.
When she can’t hail a cab, she heads down the tube, intending to catch the last train.
Instead she falls asleep, and wakes to find the Charing Cross Underground deserted.
Well, not quite.
Aside from homeless, maintenance and security, there are a legion of rats.
And a furtive, murderous soul with inhuman strength and a limited wardrobe.
Pale Slasher entry takes place in tunnels, dank corridors, closed sections, forgotten chambers.
Though the plot springs fresh elements late, this is cheap copycat of better genre films.
LIGHT SPOILER – The denizen has apparently been active for a long time.
By implication, he has never targeted anyone who would be missed, and attract investigators.
Such logical precautions are inexplicably omitted on this night.

Profit - 1996 - USA

Profit - 1996 - 8/10

Influential series, years ahead of its time, canceled after four episodes.
Jim Profit rises to junior VP with Gracen & Gracen Corporation.
Profit is the quintessential corporate shark, with no emotion whatsoever.
By the end of the pilot, viewers grasp that blackmail, betrayal and murder are his casual tools.
(No need to go into the incest angle which was revealed before the first commercial break.)
Jim frequently addresses the camera, and, with a smile, describes targets and methods.
Charm and social graces mask a sociopath.
The look of this is sleek, time capsule dated, but always fabulous.
I LOVED this show when it first aired and lamented when it was canceled, though not surprised.
The US Bible Belt loathed Profit, calling it Satan In A Suit. More reason to watch.
The DVD contains the pilot and series as shot (meaning the three episodes that never aired).
The final episode provides closure somewhat, so you are not left hanging.

The Killer Must Kill Again - 1975

The Killer Must Kill Again - 1975 - 6/10
AKA - L’Assassino è Costretto ad Uccidere Ancora // Il Ragno (The Spider)

The murderer shoves the body into a Volkswagen Beetle, then pushes the car into the river.
He is observed.
The onlooker is not exactly the low-abiding type.
Instead, he offers a proposition. He has a wife. He’d like her gone.

Simple yes?
Plans go awry when joyriders steal the assassin’s car.
The first 20” move briskly, as do the final 20”. Good music, wowza interiors, nice location shots.
In between, however, the pace plods and dialogue predominates, along with a long pursuit.
The whole 40” middle felt like padding and provides little to the proceedings.

The Phantom Ship - 1935

The Phantom Ship - 1935 - 5/10

“Alright! Which one of you done it? I know it’s one of you!”
The captain questions the remaining crewmen.
Fictional yarn of the Mary Celeste, found adrift and abandoned in 1872.
Slow moving, despite corpses appearing at frequent intervals.
And whoever mustered the crew should have squinted and said,
“You look like Bela Lugosi.”

Thelma - 2017 - Norway

Thelma - 2017 - 7/10

Freshman student, Thelma, has trouble fitting into campus life.
Trouble making friends, over-protective parents, and her fundamental religious upbringing.
Even among the faithful, however, she had trouble fitting in.

Compounding matters, Thelma begins suffering seizures.
Quick diagnosis of epilepsy would be an error. Rather, psychogenic –––
This is marketed as horror, but is closer to paranormal.
Another pitch is as a “lesbian story,” but is more sexual experimentation.
Well done, although, overlooking the father, the film never caught fire for me.

Luna Nera - 2020 - Italy

Luna Nera - 2020 - 5/10

AKA - Black Moon

Reviews were lackluster, still I went ahead and started watching this.
In rural Italy, probably 17th century, lesser nobles track down, torture and burn witches.
Usual reasons. Bad crops, stillbirths, dire weather. Blame women.
Smart looking series, period costumes, and sets are undermined by poor script and worse acting.
Acting ranges from melodramatic to amateurish.
To a soul, these are Italian stereotypes. Impulsive, loud, emotional, excitable.
Plot wise, we got witches. Striga. Instead of incantations and magic, we get icky grade school romance.
Our male hero, the Roma educated hope of his family, falls for the homely, neo-witch instead of his childhood flame who smolders with passion and wields a sword.

Guys may be shallow, but we are not blind.
Should you load this despite my piddling review, catch the last episode, especially the last half.
Ridiculous and fruity, wildly over the top and not in a good way.

A Rainy Day In New York - 2019

A Rainy Day In New York - 2019 - 6/10

Middling Woody Allen effort of collegiate couple heading to Manhattan.
In Gotham, they get separated and have different adventures.
The girl meets the wary, cult director and assorted creative types.
The boy deals with family expectations, and individuals from his past.
Great looking film, lensed by Sorano (who also shot Café Society and Wonder Wheel).
The dialogue is too arch and twee for my liking. No one, not even on live theatre, talks like this.
Lead actor Timothée Chalamet seems to be mimicking Woody Allen performances.
Nonetheless, this grew on me. Probably on a par with Irrational Man.

Der Hexer - 1964 - Germany

Der Hexer - 1964 - 5/10
AKA - The Ringer // The Magician

Attractive office secretary is strangled then ferried into the Thames in a mini-sub!
Too late, the four perpetrators realize she had been the sister of a shadowy crime lord.
A criminal mastermind with a specialty in assassination.
Meanwhile, Scotland Yard hustles to identify the killers, and apprehend the crime boss!
There is a sideplot of white slavery, suspicious reporters, valets, tantalizing women, an underground labyrinth, and don’t forget about that mini-sub!
Fast paced if confusing Krimi, based on Edgar Wallace, percolates enough to sustain interest.
Inspector Higgins (Joachim Fuchsberger) is less effective in this compared with his other films.
Film rather good at keeping viewers guessing about who the hexer is.

Deep End - 1970

Deep End - 1970 - 6/10

Recent high school graduate Michael gets first job at local bathhouse / pool.
The place is a sexual minefield and he is immediately out of his depth.
Canoodling is rampant, and some of the older females have expectations.
A sequence with Diana Dors seems forever etched in my mind.
Shy or inexperience notwithstanding, Michael is soon riveted on the older Susan (Jane Asher).
Interest swells into stalking, then obsession.
Despite bright colors and fashion, the film captures the tired end of the 60’s.

Blue Eyes Of The Broken Doll - 1974 - Spain

Blue Eyes Of The Broken Doll - 1974 - 6/10
AKA - Los Ojos Azules de la Muñeca Rota

The drifter walks a deserted road, tying to hitch a ride.
He finally gets lucky, though the tractor driver warns there is no work in the area.
Nevertheless, he does find work, as handyman for three sisters, each deeply troubled.
One is wheelchair bound, one wears a prosthetic, the third seems a nymphomaniac.
Add a secretive nurse who makes phone calls and who drugs one of the sisters.
Anything else? You mean the mysterious homicidal maniac who is killing blue eyed blondes?
Wonderfully entertaining film! The look is Italian Giallo, the tone is Noir.
Our hero, the drifter, finds himself trapped in a sticky tangle of perfumed sex and his own sour luck.

Vagabond - 1985 - France

Vagabond - 1985 - 7/10
AKA - Sans Toit Ni Loi

The freedom of the road.
Midwinter. The young female drifts into the country region, unwashed, clearly broke.
She sets up her tent wherever, one time in a graveyard, or sneaks into abandoned houses.
Men, she’ll tag along with, until the reefer is gone, or she tires of them.
From time to time, someone will help her out.
Also from time to time, villagers talk directly, voicing their opinion of the girl.
The camera is indifferent, giving neither backstory nor explanations.
18 year old Sandrine Bonnaire is brilliant as Mona or Simone. Her character is not an empty soul, she is simply uncompromising, unflinching in her avoidance of ordinary life, or the bourgeois.

Sorry We Missed You - 2019 - UK

Sorry We Missed You - 2019 - 6/10

During the interview, Ricky starts listing his work experience.
A lot of job skills. Can he not hold a job any length? Or does he have crap luck?
Ricky lands the driver position for a delivery outfit.
This is a franchise, though. Independent contractor. He has to buy his own delivery truck. Then work like hell because the debt is crushing.
I kept yelling at the film, “Don’t do this.” “Dude, think!” “Don’t get into debt.”
Yet, the hand is dealt, and you play as best you can.
Ken Loach film is a blistering look at the gig economy.

Resurrection - 2005 - S Korea

Resurrection - 2005 - 5/10
AKA - Revenge // 부 활

Poky K-drama of twin brothers and revenge.
Without giving much away plotwise, one brother is murdered and the other takes his place.
Their personalities differ, as do their taste in clothes, food allergies, outlooks …
Does anyone around them notice? Aside from puzzled expressions, no.
So we have a drama packed with dense heads you want to yell at.
Moreover, at 24 padded episodes, this series went on way too long.
Seriously, you could skip the first four episodes altogether, since E05 gives a full recap.
Every episode has a couple of five minute music montages as a character moons about unhappily.
The tempo perks up in the last four episodes - - if one has not quit viewing - - although the plot loses steam.
Koreans offer more vengeance driven shows than others, and they always incorporate the consequences.
Little of the gloating merriment easily witnessed elsewhere. Here, even villains have innocent families.

Gogol - 2018

Gogol - 2018 - 7/10
AKA - Гоголь

Government clerk and part time writer, Nikolai Gogol, while taking notes at a murder scene, suffers another fit.
During such seizures, he often has visions, premonitions, and exhibits automatic writing.
Mr. Guro, of the secret police, realizes Gogol might be quite useful and takes him as his assistant.
They depart St. Petersburg and head into remote Ukraine, where a series of brutal, baffling murders are ongoing.
Circa 1840, the look is period costume and dark Gothic.
The narrative is loosely based on “Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka” and “A Terrible Vengeance.”
That said, this is Gogol on acid, with nudity, serious bloodletting, and a surreal vibe.
People will probably either love or hate this – but – if you are remotely tempted, this is a must.

Note: Subs for the film trilogy, which I attempted to watch two years ago, were atrocious computer generated.
The eight-part television adaptation subs were much better.

Scotland Yard Investigator - 1945

Scotland Yard Investigator - 1945 - 6/10

During WWII, the British Museum holds the Mona Lisa for the Louvre.
A greedy collector has his eye on it, however.
Early on, the museum director and collector square off.
Well played by crusty C. Aubrey Smith and Erich von Stroheim.

Soon, to their mutual consternation, they discover a third rival has secretly outflanked them.
OK Republic programmer benefits from mostly British cast and attention to details (license plates for example).
A chance to watch character actors carry a film.

Valerie - 2006 - Germany

Valerie - 2006 - 6/10

Valerie laughs with the other girls at the end of the fashion shoot.
She declines the after-party invite, however, because she wants to look fresh for a casting tomorrow.
Next day, she receives the silent smile. “Thank you. We’ll be in touch.”
No they won’t. Valerie, in her early twenties, is over the hill. Past it. Old.
Despite the career, her youth, an agent, potential offers, she is sliding into homelessness.
On one hand, the film is about a character you never considered becoming destitute.
On the other hand, Valerie is aware of her situation, and you watch her scramble and claw to escape.

Dead Eyes Of London - 1961

Toten Augen von London - 1961 - 6/10
AKA - Dead Eyes Of London

Atmospheric mystery / creeper with a dark Noir look.
Scotland Yard has its hands full as a serial killer targets elderly rich men.
The main suspect is one “Blind Jack,” a massive bear of a man with a satisfied smile.

And yes, Jack is blind! The film, by the way, is a German production as is the language.
The story plods occasionally, and there are budget constraints, but this is a good Krimi film.
Police procedural. The inspector works through blackmailers, prostitutes, crooks, liars, killers.
A lot of inventive camera work and visual surprises maintain interest throughout.
Watch for young Klaus Kinski as shady operator.

Natural City - 2003 - S Korea

Natural City - 2003 - 6/10
AKA - 내츄럴 시티

Fabulous looking Korean SciFi, based on Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep.”
Not a Blade Runner remake or clone, though the story is set in a glossy, high tech dystopia.
Viewers will also recognize elements from Ghost In The Shell and Matrix, especially the stunt work.
The plot deals with renegade cyborgs breaking into a medical security facility to get data on human DNA.
Going against them are paramilitary combat troops, the MPs.
Brilliant marrying of live action and CGI, the latter not overdone.
Some of the action wire work struck me as repetitive, but that seems a minor quibble.
The real breakdown and flaw in the story occurs in the three quarters point, focusing on the love story between trooper R and his soon to expire cyborg girlfriend, Ria.
The love story has no depth, no resonance. The cyborg, referred to as dolls, has the personality of a goldfish.
What does he see in her? Not to spoil, but why does he betray fellow soldiers again and again for her?
The pointless love story undermines sympathy for the main character, and has generated countless bad ratings.
When I first watched this fifteen years ago, that failing was the main reason I disliked the film.

Recently, I thought of a solution and rewatched the movie.
This time, any shared scenes with R and Ria, I switched off the subs and their infantile dialogue, and imagined they at the very least conversed like adults or lovers. Not a knuckle-dragger and his fembot.
For all this, an amazing looking film and decent actioner.

Macabro - 1980 - Italy

Macabro - 1980 - 6/10
AKA - Macabre

Jane is supposed to take her children to a movie.
Instead, she leaves them so she can kick the sheets with rough ‘n ready Fred.

Fred, who rhymes with dead! Which, 13’ in, is what he is, along with one of Jane’s children.
Drama, set in New Orleans, oozes sleaze and obsession.
Interiors are faded antebellum. Wrought iron, lace, armoires, amid cheap mod-cons.
Throughout, characters spy on each other, even one who is blind.
Storywise, there is a lock and a secret behind (which I suspect most will guess).
Word of advice, try not to imagine what Jane is doing with “the secret.”
Twisted Lanberto Bava film is not Horror, not Giallo, but seedy trash and perfect for those who have a taste for such.
The girl who played daughter Lisa (Veronica Zinny) had an expressive face. This was her only film.

Beats - 2019

Beats - 2019 - 7/10

Mom’s new boyfriend is a copper, and he wants to move her family to a nicer borough.
Away from “scum” elements, meaning Johnno’s mate, Spanner.
Scotland, 1994, the government has banned gatherings around music consisting of repetitive beats.
Techno, industrial, dubstep. "The only good system is a sound system.”
Illegal raves are shuttered by police with brute force. “Know your role, shut your hole.”

Johnno and Spanner catch wind of an upcoming event, and they are mad to attend.
“Don’t be a slave, come to the rave!”
This view of Scotland consists of deserted backstreets and empty wastes.
Use of black n white heightens the emptiness of their daily world.
Adults repressing teens must be ingrained in all mammals. This story is old, but it is edgy and manages to shake off the ancient dust. (Quotes above are from the film, which is peppered with gems.)

Frankie Boyle: Hurt Like You’ve Never Been Loved - 2016 - UK

Frankie Boyle: Hurt Like You’ve Never Been Loved - 2016 - 6/10

Comedian Frankie Boyle in hometown Glasgow, before an adoring crowd.
An hour of humor, while not specifically offensive, will manage to offend many.
Rich and powerful are OK targets. Those Mr. Boyle calls “Elites.”
Polio victims, though? Well, so long as they are examples and not punchlines.
Pedophiles? Depends on who gives, who receives.
I had watched Boyle for years on “Mock The Week.”
A lot of his material is laugh out loud funny, a lot is deliberately insensitive. Like this stand-up outing.
Mr. Boyle reminds me of Donald Trump and an infinite number of obnoxious souls. The rancor, the contemptuous belittling of anyone and everyone, the entitled self justification.
Neither men are unique. They simply represent the prevailing attitude (echoed in the real world and in the virtual world) of “I’m right, I’m right, I’m always right, and you better know it!”

Tokyo Vampire Hotel - 2017 - Japan

Tokyo Vampire Hotel - 2017 - 5/10
AKA - 東京ヴァンパイアホテル

I started watching this two … three years ago.
Colossal expectations curdled into disappointment.
For centuries, clan Corvin has dominated clan Dracula in the vampire hierarchy.
With the fulfilling of an ancient prophecy, out come the knives, guns and teeth of clan Dracula.
The opening episodes are ballistic and excessive.

Would that writer / director Sion Sono maintain this intensity and plotting.
Alas, he shot his wad in the first installments.
Afterwards, any madness he can imagine, he tosses into the mix.
If that fails, he repeats action sequences and verbal histrionics.
Repetition grows tedious. As the plot advances nary an inch, viewing becomes a slog.
Too bad, for this ten part series boasts eye-popping color design and extravagant costumes.

Acting is bellicose and over the top in the midsection. Screaming, then fighting.
The series is a confused mess, seemingly aimed with one eye toward the American market.
Meaning, wagons of violence, blood and gore, but scarcely any nudity (odd, since human characters are ordered to start making babies for future blood supply).
The last three episodes move on surer footing. A haunting melancholy pervades.
I’ve written more than usual about this series, primarily because of the director and the blistering opening.
This had the making of an astounding show. Until it began wallowing in its own self conceit.
Caveat emptor.

This House - 2013

This House - 2013 - 7/10

Theatre junkies, take heart!
During the Covid lockdown, the National Theatre began limited airing of stage classics.
In 1974, Labour returns to power, ousting the Heath Administration.
Theirs is a slim majority, however, so they must form coalitions and make deals to retain power.
Play follows whips from Conservatives and Labour as they maneuver, coerce, promise, swear.
By turns profane, funny, poignant, and scathing.
The workings of government is often equated to the making of sausage.
Outstanding theatre, brilliantly delivered.

Broadway Love - 1918 - USA

Broadway Love - 1918 - 5/10

Small town Midge tries her luck on Broadway.
High-flying friend, Cherry Blow, invites her to her nonstop flapper parties,
Both are chorus girls, but Cherry knows how to drain men’s wallets, and their mojo…
Several contrived romantic adventures follow, as does Midge’s ex beau, trying to propose.
The wild parties are fun, but the menfolk are a dull lot.
More so is Midge, played by low-wattage Dorothy Phillips, who had a career playing prim, wholesome types.
Juanita (anyone got cocaine?) Hansen plays the gold digging Cherry.
Eve Southern has small, smoking role as girl who flirts with Midge’s small town suitor.
Who’s the suitor? Lon Chaney!
With this cast, and different script, oh, if only.
The print I saw was OK.

The Hunt - 2020 - USA

The Hunt - 2020 - 6/10

A passel of gagged strangers wake up in woodlands, far, far from home.
They make their way to a clearing and open a big ole crate, stuffed with weapons.
Whoo dog!
Better, most of these folks display ready familiarity with firearms and ammo.
Straight off, they recognize they’ve been setup by the Illuminati, or the Elites, or the 1%.
The shadow government, the deep state. And they could be right…
But then the killing starts.
Terrifically funny film, a carnival ride into “most dangerous game” territory.
Peppered with references to bleeding heart liberal know-it-alls, and 2nd Amendment gun happy survivalists.
For now, both sides of the US political spectrum are crying foul. Crybabies.
This may date badly in ten years, so saddle up already!