63 Up - 2019 - UK

63 Up - 2019 -  9/10

 
Ninth installment of this, at this point, tremendous documentary.
By now, participants are staring at mortality and taking a hard look back at their lives.
Unlike most of us, who enjoy faulty memory or nostalgia to deceive ourselves, they encounter a brutal looking glass every seven years.
For those who have access, the three part TV specials are generally superior to the movie condensations.
Highly influential.  There is an ongoing Russian series (I have, but have not watched),
I cannot imagine a similarly honest series launching in this Age Of The Selfie.

13 Tzameti - 2005

13 Tzameti - 2005 - 7/10

 
A young, barely employed roofer overhears a fractured discussion from a dying, drugged oldster about making a big score.
The geezer dies, the kid intercepts his mail and decides to follow the steps and take his place.
Easy money.
Black and white French film, stark and dark, turns grim once the kid arrives at the destination.
Once the money men arrive, guns are passed.  Then there is no backing out.
Again, this is the 2005 French original, not the 2010 Hollywood rehack.

Young Doctors In Love - 1981

Young Doctors In Love - 1981- 5/10

 
More misses than hits in dated spoof of hospital dramas.
Interns arrive at busy hospital and brace for ER overload.
In the same vein as Airplane and Naked Gun, except the writing is worn out.
Assorted actors do their best, but jokes are stale, many of the setups forced.
I recognized cameos from General Hospital, a rage when this came out, forgotten now.
Likewise, references to trashy fare like Student Nurses and Candystripe Nurses, staples of drive-ins back during that time.  Watch for a young Michael Richards (Cosmo Kramer) as a hitman.
OK if you like 70's - 80's spoof films, and have viewed the better ones already.

56 Up - 2012 - UK

56 Up - 2012 - 9/10

 
Eighth installment of outstanding Up documentary series, which began in 1963 with 7 Up.
The children are now 56.  As theorized, the personality of the child very much predicted the adult.  The other notions, such as class separation, did not hold as much.  Privilege helped, though not always. Likewise, many of the East Enders climbed far.
At their current age, none of them allowed themselves to be baited, goaded or bullied by director Apted.
Worth tracking down right now as the three part series.
The DVD releases are never as good as the TV airings.
Charles, ever stubborn, remains MIA.
 

American Grindhouse - 2010 - USA

American Grindhouse - 2010 - 6/10

 
Careening documentary of grindhouse cinema covers miles of territory at breakneck speed.
From the Silent era’s Traffic In Souls, through sleaze, exploitation, Blaxploitation, spoofs, until current times.
Always the same ethos, get asses into theater seats!  And what works for Klaw will be gobbled by MGM.
I could not keep up.  There must have been 200 films, although many were simply lobby cards or posters.
Titles raced by, and I’m going,  “Hey!  I never heard of Wolf Woman from 1916.  I gotta find this winner!”
Quite a few talking heads, all seem utterly delighted to have been invited to gab away.
Absolute must-see for fans for trash, bad cinema, Grade Z shambles.

Picking Up The Pieces - 2000 - USA

Picking Up The Pieces - 2000 - 5/10

 
Murder and dismemberment open up this black comedy that shifts gears into religious satire.
Woody Allen plays Tex, a kosher butcher living in Texas.
Sharon Stone is Candy, his trampalicious wife.  She won’t stay buried.  Well, her hand won’t stay buried.
In due time it is revered as a sacred relic. - - Swear, I ain’t making this up.
Cheech Marin, Kiefer Sutherland, Elliot Gould, Lou Diamond Philips, Eddie Griffin bolster a big cast in this terrible nonsense.
Several scenes filmed in a trailer park.
Music by Flaco Jimenez.
Be advised, this is NOT a Woody Allen script.

Another Year - 2010

Another Year - 2010 - 6/10

 
Quiet slice from Mike Leigh.
Happily married couple (Jim Broadbent & Ruth Sheen) and the friends who pass in and out of their lives.
Events move from season to season.
Nothing earth shaking, though Lesley Manville terrific as desperately lonely best friend.

Kfulim: S02 - 2018 - Israel

Kfulim:  S02 - 2018 - 7/10
AKA - False Flag

 
One of those rare second seasons that are superior to the first.
This series is slightly longer, with fewer “persons of interest.”
While omnipresent, even the forces of Shin Bet and Mossad, have less screen time.
The focus here is on a terrorist incident designed to disrupt a proposed oil pipeline.
As before, there are lambs offered up a culprits, should investigators want easily solutions,
For thriller fans, espionage buffs, and those who favor densely plotted mysteries.
This is masterfully arranged and executed, though hopefully viewers know a smattering of Mid-East politics and history.

Love Crime - 2010 - France

Love Crime - 2010 - 7/10
AKA - Crime d'amour

 
Kristin Scott Thomas plays ambitious, manipulative boss, who claims credit for work done by her junior.
Of course, she earns a much higher wage than her underling, and a tidy bonus.
(Ha ha ha, stand in line, underpaid flunkies of the world!)
Meanwhile, her subordinate, Isabelle, lays a trail of vengeance via deception.
Solid French revenge film with some nice twists and turns.
Nothing but villains in this;  pick your baddie and root.

Death Fever: News From Antwerp - 2019

Death Fever: News From Antwerp - 2019 - 6/10
AKA - Totenfieber:  Nachrichten aus Antwerp

Ellen travels to the coroner in Antwerp to identify her daughter.
Questions about the death become moot the next day - after the body vanishes.
Ellen tries to locate her daughter’s flatmate, only she has disappeared.
A well meaning friend opens a door into Santería, and mysteries compound.

 
Film moves quickly, so you have little time to nitpick discrepancies.
Entertaining horror / thriller will also appeal to conspiracy types. 

Fishermen’s Friends - 2019 - UK

Fishermen’s Friends - 2019 - 6/10

 
Crowd pleasing yarn of Cornish fishermen who sing shanties, get discovered by a label rep.
Brits have these films down to a formula.  When they work, the trans-Atlantic crowd goes wild.
Other times, the stories fall flat or feel forced.
This is good, reminiscent in places of The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill, other times Waking Ned Devine.
With ten men in the group, most are given one-liners and sharp retorts.  Most of these zingers are funny and strike home.
The label rep is truly out of his element, a well-intentioned, and not overly stuffy, Margaret Dumont type.
Plenty of songs with layered harmonies.  Predictable to a tee, fine if you are in the mood.

Aft deck:

For years, at the record shop we had a regular who rolled in looking for sea shanties.
The guy was a caricature of a retired tar.
Built like a fire hydrant, he sported an English naval cap and a thin tee shirt over a massive gut.
Whatever the shirt, there was always permanent spillage cascading from his top deck to Davy Jones locker.
If he had toiled in the navy, then it must have been manning the bilge pumps because he was near deaf.
His sea shanty requests were always barked or shouted.
One of my coworkers named him Poopdeck Pappy and the tag stuck.
Most employees hid, but there were always a few - ahem - who had a soft spot for wackos.
Now and then, browsing import catalogues, I came across CDs of sea shanties and ordered.
Poopdeck always bought.
I think he would have liked this film.  Probably sing along, too, causing shipmates to mutiny.

Like Crazy - 2011

Like Crazy - 2011 - 6/10

 
British exchange student falls in love with Los Angeles based student.
During courtship, both make youthful promises.
She over-stays her visa and is not allowed to return to the States.
They try to maintain their relationship, then try to meet others.
They try to forget, they try to hold on.  The breeze of reality dissipates the bond.
Bittersweet romance grinds into the real world.
Characters flawed but likable.

Apocalypse Now Redux - 1979/2001

Apocalypse Now Redux - 1979/2001 - 8/10

 
For some reason I never got around to viewing the longer version (3+ hours).
In many ways, this is more coherent than the 1979 edition.
Restored sequences often add to narrative, though at other times it gets preachy.
First half of the film terrifically exciting, sound mix, cinematography all gung-ho.
Second half of the narrative bogs in the muck, likely by design.
The 1st Air Cav attack always good demo if you have new screen or sound system to show off.

Gloria Bell - 2018 - USA

Gloria Bell - 2018 - 6/10

 
Self named character is looking for a dance partner, not necessarily a commitment.
Mister Right-Now will do nicely.  Meanwhile, her career is smooth sailing, her children are grown and doing OK.
At a 70's retro club she meets a retired ex Marine (oddly miscast John Tuturro) and they hit it off.  Sorta.
He’s recently divorced, has family issues and is needy.
To my mind, Gloria is already an empowered female.  Her bucket list doesn’t include this thumb sucker.
Yet without this trainwreck love affair, there would not be this movie.
Thin and somewhat overpraised.

Let The Sunshine In - 2017 - France

Let The Sunshine In - 2017 - 5/10
AKA - Un Beau Soleil Intérieur

 
Successful artist Isabelle picks up numerous men, engages in meaningless affairs.
She longs for LOVE, real love, with Mister Right, not Mister Right-Now.
That said, she seems to hone in on married guys, ones not remotely interested in leaving their wives.
I think they were aiming for “hot mess,” but failed miserably.
Being a successful artist does not add a layer of interest.  Her character is a drag.
Pity party sad sack, who laments to anyone within earshot.
Note:  After preview audiences began laughing at this stinker, producers and everyone involved decided they ought to term this a comedy.
Don’t buy it.  This is as funny as an armpit in late summer.

The Ides Of March - 2011

The Ides Of March - 2011 - 4/10

 
Absurd political thriller set amidst the US primary season.
Five or ten minutes in, the main character (Gosling - the smartest guy on the team) takes a phone call and begins a series of stupid, moronic decisions.
He does things your high school student council rep would have shunned.
Intelligent actors, good sets, excellent concept, completely undermined by contrived, muddled script.
Others around me voiced, "No!"  "Stop!"  or  "You idiot!"  before every ludicrous act.
Then again, maybe this is symbolic of politicians in general?
Except! Gosling is “Staff” and staff is always expendable.
Asinine.
 

Point Break - 1991

Point Break - 1991 - 7/10

 
Police thriller delivers the action in spades.
FBI rookie is transferred to Los Angeles, and is soon assigned to bank robbery division.
The best heist crew?  Outfit known as the ex-Presidents.  Numerous smash n grab, clean getaways.
Lab forensics soon zero in on residual evidence which points to the surfing scene.
Wait!  You mean surfers could be organized enough to stage and execute a daylight robbery?
Narrative rocks along throughout with surf sequences, shootouts, car chases, and extreme sports.
This has aged fairly well (though the notion of bank robberies was over by the 1970's).
AVOID the 2015 remake which has become a magnet for “worst ever” reviews.

Bridesmaids - 2011

Bridesmaids - 2011 - 4/10

 
I like chick flicks, the more razor honed, the better.
This was a monster smash. So much for expectations.
Bridesmaids featured a slate of 40ish year old actors, playing roles better suited to teens.
Apologies, I'm insulting teenagers. Few would be as consistently dim as characters in this shriller.
The lead is a whiny loser, who somehow still has friends ... friend.
Still she is blonde, dumb, and dumb is funny.
Guys trapped watching this, beware.

Behind The Burly Q - 2010 - USA

Behind The Burly Q - 2010 - 7/10

 
Ba da bing! Va va voom!
Documentary about the heyday of burlesque.  Era of strip tease, before shaved and pierced became de rigueur.
Mostly interviews, remembrances.  Alan Alda spoke of his father, a burlesque comedian.
Dozens of stories from still living performers (many died soon after filming). Fabulous photos.
Hard to wrap my mind over the notion of daily matinée shows.  Talk about happy hour.

Postcards From London - 2018

Postcards From London - 2018 - 7/10

 
Highly stylized film will appeal to a narrow audience.
Jim arrives in London, fresh for new experiences, finds himself in Soho.
He soon becomes involved in the rentboy underworld, with a until called the Raconteurs.
Not just sex, but stimulating conversation is provided.
For that, Jim needs to up his game in art, literature, culture.
Caravaggio becomes a particular touchstone.
Today’s art, mass produced for consumption by an impatient, less cultured world, stands in harsh contrast with the idealists.
A film rich in visuals, conversation, and concepts.

Black Cat - 1968

Black Cat - 1968 - 7/10
AKA - Yabu no Naka no Kuroneko  //  藪の中の黒猫

A roving band of twenty samurai soldiers enter an isolated rural home.
Inside are a mother and her daughter-in-law, whom the men rape to death.
A year later, samurai nobles, traveling at night, have their throats ripped out.

 
Classic, brooding film is parts horror, parts theatre, artfully composed.
Vengeance vies with doomed love, as a dutiful son and faithful husband tries to discover what happened to the two women in his life.

Face - 1997

Face - 1997 - 6/10

 
Ex-"rights activist” Robert Carlyle now sticks it to the man by robbing banks.
The latest caper goes off, only the haul is not as expected.
Events sour.
Basically a character study of an idealist coming to terms with growing old and irrelevant.
With Ray Winstone, and an outta control Philip Davis.

Sandy Denny: Under Review - 2006 - UK

Sandy Denny: Under Review - 2006 - 5/10

 
An underrated, and sadly increasingly forgotten, singer from the 60's and 70's.
Denny sang on several acclaimed albums for Fairport Convention, later Fotheringay.
This was a career documentary film, not a personal one.
Denny's demons, insecurities and substance problems were barely addressed.
To those who are still scratching their heads, Denny was the only artist ever to guest on a Led Zeppelin album.  ("Battle Of Evermore.")
In 78, she fell down a staircase, struck her head, and died within a month.
Documentary more for knowledgeable fans.

Mountain Of Storms - 1968 - USA

Mountain Of Storms - 1968 - 7/10

 
Old school “extreme sport” film puts modern exhibitionists to shame.
In later years, Yvon Chouinard would found Patagonia, Doug Tompkins would found North Face, yet when they were young…
Five friends set out from California to Patagonia, the southern tip of South America.
They surf in Mexico and Peru, then sell their boards for gas.
They ski in the Andes;  climbing up one mountain is an eight hour trek.  No helicopter.
Then they sell their skiing equipment for repairs and gas.
Finally they make it to Cerro Fitz Roy where they port their own mountain gear.
No sherpas, no servants.  Man vs Nature at its most elemental.  Respect for these men.

Professional Killer - 1966 - Italy

Professional Killer - 1966 - 6/10
AKA - Tecnica di un Omicidio  //  Hired Killer

 
Clint, hitman, does his final sniper job.  Takes his pay, declines a pricier assignment.
Then someone makes it personal, and he loads his gear and heads to Italy.
Pedestrian crime story is ho-hum plotwise, benefits from Robert Webber’s icy portrayal.
Where this excels is the mechanics of his work, his observations of details.
The way he avoid leaving traces and hones in on essentials.
Workmanlike film is detailed and well edited, so that loose threads tie together.
Opening section of New York is a time capsule reminder that the 60’s were not all Invasion and Psychedelia.

Bait - 2019 - UK

Bait - 2019 - 6/10

 
Martin and Steven had to sell the family home to smug middle class sorts who rent it out to hipsters.
Steven operates their fishing boat for day tripping tourists, Martin catches what the tide washes in.
Stark black and white film has a documentary feel to it, right down to the fake damage effects.
Harsh contrast between the struggling working class, the self-satisfied (yet struggling) middle class, and the shallow tourists who prefer a scrubbed, Disney version of a fishing village.

Martha Marcy May Marlene - 2011

Martha Marcy May Marlene - 2011 - 6/10 

 
Girl escapes from a backwoods cult, where the lot of womenfolk is cooking, dish washing, gardening, and spawning.
She hides at her sister's lakeside retreat, though something shuffles in her wake.
Are culties following her?  Is she ghosted by private demons?
Opaque thriller suffers poor pacing, an insubstantial adversary, and characters who test ones patience.
Although I kept checking the time while watching, this may appeal to those who fear soft footsteps.

Middle Men - 2009 - USA

Middle Men - 2009 - 6/10

 
Eye candy galore in film about the rise of the Internet porn industry.
Two dysfunctional geek whizzes devise encrypted payment tools to view skin.
Then they get some Russian backers.
Luke Wilson is the corporate fixer who smooths the kinks, allowing Internet porn, as we know it, to flourish.
Subplots with FBI, terrorists, marital problems, and murders, doodle around but don't drag the pace too much.