All You Need Is Death - 2023 - Ireland

All You Need Is Death - 2023 - 6/10

Anna and Aleks freelance, scouring Ireland for obscure folk ballads.
Their patron / boss / tutor Agnes particularly covets songs that are completely unknown.
They hear of one, passed from one female down to the next, in a remote village.
There, Rita sings Anna the song, not Aleks, for no man has ever listened to it.

 
The song has been passed, but a promise has been broken.
From there, death and the long hunt for the culprits.
Imaginative tale of a cursed song, akin to a forbidden phrase or image.
Pagan sequences from time to time provide a distant history.
I was absorbed throughout.  The ending was an utter fail for me, however.
Felt like the “writer/director/producer” paid crowd service to genre Horror fans.

Confessions Of Boston Blackie - 1941 - USA

Confessions Of Boston Blackie - 1941 - 6/10

 
A counterfeit statue, an auction gone awry, exchange of bullets, a death.
Who is in attendance?  Inspector Farraday.  And who does he suspect?
As always, brisk B-film, packed with action and banter.
In this, Blackie’s “ex” surfaces, to shake him down for money.
Otherwise, Runt and George Manleder return to give Blackie inadequate assistance.
Formula fun.  If you missed something, you didn’t miss much.

Millennium - 1996 - USA

Millennium - 1996 - 8/10  

 
A remarkable series, too dark, too bleak, too far ahead of its time.
Ex-FBI profiler, Frank Black, retired (burned out?), is recruited by the Millennium Group.
In addition to criminal analysis, Black has second-sight, a gift and a curse.
S01 episodes are akin to “monster of the week”.  Serial killers, conspiracy, occult.
The second season delved deeper into the Millennium Group.
Remember, this aired as 2000 approached, along with the dread Y2K phobia.

 
S03 was a retrenchment of sorts, with no overlying arc.
In the end, I think Millennium was too grim, remorseless, for viewers hoping for another X-Files.
I also find it remarkable that this aired on FOX and that FOX gave it a three year run.
A modern media company like Netflix would have whacked it at 10 episodes.
Lucy Butler seems to be more active than ever nowadays.
Fine documentary here.

Demon Ward - 2013 - Japan

Demon Ward - 2013 - 5/10
AKA - Akuryô Byôtô // 悪霊病棟

 
And just how evil is this hospital wing?  Wait till patients receive the bill!
There is the new hospital, where patients who see the apparition, drop dead.
Then there’s the old hospital across the way, where the nurses have to enter for some medicine or equipment, in the middle of the night, no power, just their flashlight.
What lurks within?  Yes, a ghost, demon with black teeth, that bites.
And leaves victims dead or infected.
Half hour horror series is cheap looking, poorly acted, with a copy cat script.
Finale (episode 10) was more compelling, but it took me over three years to get there.

Slaughter Hotel - 1971 - Italy

Slaughter Hotel - 1971 - 6/10
AKA - La Bestia Uccide a Sangue Freddo

 
Posh spa for neurotic females is terrorized by a psychopath wearing a mask and cape.
Weapons of death include a dagger, sword, battle axe.
Said weapons are in the lounge where patients sip cocktails with nurses and doctors.
Oh, yeah, there’s also an iron maiden in the lounge.  Three guesses if it gets used.
What’s wrong with these affluent females?
One is a nymphomaniac (takes her clothes off frequently).
One is a lesbian (takes her clothes off around another female).
One is frigid to her husband (in the hospital, she falls for the ever-cute doctor, Klaus Kinski).
Half decent Giallo, incompetently directed, looks to have been edited by a pet goat.

The Black Shield Of Falworth - 1954 - USA

The Black Shield Of Falworth - 1954 - 6/10

 
Once familiar staple of late night reruns, less so nowadays.
Peasant siblings Myles and Meg are, unbeknownst to them, actually royalty.
Titles stripped, lands seized, all from treachery.
Now the villain has malevolent designs on the king himself.
Luckily, a loyal noble starts secretly training Myles for knighthood.
Gorgeous Technicolor splash boasts costumes and swords, and excellent support.
Tony Curtis, with his Bronx honk, is miscast, though he was a mega star at this time.

Help! - 1965 - UK

Help! - 1965 - 6/10

 
Ringo receives a priceless ruby ring from an adoring fan.
Ordered to return the ring, or become the next blood sacrifice to a Kali cult.
The Beatles second feature is a silly spoof of – I dunno what.
Cartoonish, goofy comedy, the lads even look bored (they were actually stoned).
The script bears much of the blame, as the sharp wit from the first film is missing.
Nevertheless, the musical numbers are outstanding!  The last of the “Invasion” sound.
Film remains empty-headed fun, golden nostalgia for those with long memories.

Ichi The Killer - 2001 - Japan

Ichi The Killer - 2001 - 6/10
AKA - Koroshiya 1  / /殺し屋1

 
Early Miike movie that broke him to a larger audience.
Fanboys already knew him from Fudoh, and earlier titles, the arthouse crowd from Audition.
Wildly inventive yakuza story boasts lakes of splatter, sick humor, and memorable villains.
The “plot” is much too convoluted (perhaps they were unable to condense the manga).
As with so many Miike flicks, the opening act is ballistic, chased with an overlong idle stretch.
If curious, if you have a stomach for brutality and gore, the Japanese cut is the way to go.

The Taste Of Things - 2023 - France

The Taste Of Things - 2023 - 7/10  
AKA - La Passion de Dodin Bouffant

 
Not exclusive to gourmands, for pretty close.
Almost dialogue free for the first twenty minutes as Eugénie (Juliette Binoche) prepares an elaborate meal for Dodin and his fellow gourmands.
A romantic relationship dances about, yet the culinary side definitely predominates.
Leisurely paced, with scenes of preparation, followed with conversations of the fare.
These are “day long” affairs, course after course, leaving this viewer somewhat exhausted.
Adult tonic to juvenile foodie culture.  Those to whom food is “so yummy”.
Side story of a young epicure who seeks apprenticeship could make a possible sequel.

Warriors Of The Future - 2022 - China

Warriors Of The Future - 2022 - 6/10
AKA - Ming yat zin gei // 明日战记

 
Earth reels from wars, environmental devastation, toxic air.
A giant meteorite slams into B-16 (Asia somewhere), and a giant, water hungry plant emerges.
Heavy rains are forecast, humanity is at stake, who do you call?
Yes, the marines, or Air Combat Unit.
Mix of tropes here.  From shooter games, to Aliens (even a Newt), to the bug hunt.
Conspiracy stuff, too.
If you want A-C-T-I-O-N, this boasts lots of full screen splatter and it does not overstay.
Veggie brain fun, although it appears Beijing heavily censored this one.