The Sinners Of Hell - 1960 - Japan

The Sinners Of Hell - 1960 - 6/10
AKA - Jigoku  // 地獄

Shimizu and Tamura are returning home after visiting with Yukiko and her parents.
A drunk staggers in front of their car, Tamura runs him down and drives on.
Turns out he was just a low level Yakuza.  Now dead.  Who cares?
Witnesses?  The thug’s mom, who, along with his girlfriend, swear murderous revenge.
Guilt ridden Shimizu wants to go to the police, but his girlfriend, a little pregnant tries to dissuade.
The movie is stuffed with crimes: lying, theft, adultery, covetousness, you name it.
And everyone – everyone – is going to hell.

 
No forgiveness, no atonement, no confession.
One moral error or crime, and boom, you are damned.
The final third of the film is set in a dizzying parade of torture and punishment.

Predator - 1987 - USA

Predator - 1987 - 7/10

 
“The demon who makes trophies of men.”
Dutch and his team of elite soldiers strike a remote base of insurgents.
Unknown to them, they are observed by an extraordinary hunter.
What follows is kill or be killed.
Testosterone overload in this Schwarzenegger actioner, along with thousands of rounds of bullets.
First and finest of a franchise that refuses to die despite derivative scripts and actors sans charisma.
Pre-CGI, this remains as fresh and exhilarating as ever.

The Empty Man - 2020 - South Africa

The Empty Man - 2020 - 6/10

 
From Bhutan to Missouri, the soft, wind-blown note draws those susceptible.
An ex-cop is asked by a friend to look for her missing daughter.
What he finds are her best friends, murdered or suicides.
Investigating deeper, he finds a cult like group, Pontifex, and the word tulpa.  
While never officially warned off, he is increasingly spooked.
This is a flawed film.  The cult, the philosophy, worldview, are creepy and bear an odd echo.
Here is the inverse of aspiration, the embrace of nothingness.
Yet, the driving force, the “empty man”, is ridiculous and out of place.
Buried within this is a fantastic, eerie gem, but the beastie is beneath stupid.

Dementia - 1955 - USA

Dementia - 1955 - 6/10

 
Her day starts at dusk, as she wakes in a cheap hotel.
Outside, the hustlers and winos hit on her, while she walks into the night.
Finally, into the rich man’s limousine.
Then the restaurant, where he gorges himself.  Then, the rowdy nightclub.
I would not call her a prostitute, more an escort.
Dialogue free, Expressionism and Noir to the max.
Shadow filled, experimental film.

Hornblower - 1998 - UK

Hornblower - 1998 - 6/10

 
Very fine adaptations of several Forester novels.
This is the young Hornblower, learning the ropes under Captain Pellew.
One anticipates sea battles, although the intrigue and skirmishes within ranks are revealing.
Perhaps not.  There is seldom enough bounty and glory for all.
Unsure how faithful to the source these were.
Production values were very good, scripts intelligent, action exciting.
Should have filmed more installments.  Not telling the ROI, however.

Daniel Deronda - 2002 - UK

Daniel Deronda - 2002 - 7/10

 
Young Deronda encounters fortune hunter Gwendolen.
They spark off each other immediately.
Nevertheless, she is searching for money, while he searches for “meaning”.
Each finds more than they bargained for.
A bit of a soap opera at times, this churns through unpleasant muck, while being eminently watchable.
Hugh Bonneville particularly memorable as an abusive cad.
Never warmed to Deronda myself, viewing him as a priggish do-gooder.

Gosford Park - 2001 - UK

Gosford Park - 2001 - 7/10

 
Well,  he was despicable anyway, no matter how entitled.
I’m talking about the victim, proud lord of the stately manor.
Host of the weekend shooting party.  Guns and grudges, and a little murder.
Droll mystery / comedy sandwiched somewhere between Upstairs-Downstairs and Downton Abbey.
Relationships between staff and gentry, graduations within classes.  Keep a keen eye and ear out for the barbed wit,
Outsiders include the Yanks and the police.
Powerhouse cast, luxurious set design, costumed to the nines.

Paddington Bear - 1976 - UK

Paddington Bear - 1976 - 7/10

 
The first, and, despite limitations, arguably the best adaptation of the marmalade connoisseur.
Stop-motion for Paddington, all other characters and backgrounds are cartoon standups.
More importantly, the stories stem from Michael Bond’s writings.
There is a charm to this minimalist approach, which also might push the child’s imagination.
Narration by Michael Horden is incomparable.

I Walked With A Zombie - 1943 - USA

I Walked With A Zombie - 1943 - 7/10

 
Nurse arrives at a Haitian sugar plantation to care for the owner’s ill wife.
The story told, is that the young wife was stricken with fever which left her mute and listless.
Nevertheless, there are drums at night, voodoo, a priest, and the long shadow of slavery.
Genuinely eerie film, shot for next to nothing, has layers of meaning that reward repeated viewing.
Understated performances help, as does the serious tone.
Nothing cheeky or overwrought.  Good intro for those curious about Val Lewton.

The Bridge At Remagen - 1969 - USA

The Bridge At Remagen - 1969 - 6/10

 
Closing months of WWII, German officers receive conflicting orders.
1 – Destroy the Ludendorff Bridge, the last one standing across the Rhine.
2 – Maintain the bridge as long as possible, to allow Wehrmacht troops to return home.
Meanwhile, American troops race to capture the bridge intact, no matter casualties.
What would normally have been a gung-ho flag waver in an earlier era, here reflects the late 60’s antiwar sentiment.
Both sides are disillusioned, hardened and cynical.  Plenty of action, yet the tone is soured.
Based on a book by a local Congressman, which was required reading in our area.

Gates Of Heaven - 1978 - USA

Gates Of Heaven - 1978 - 7/10

 
Strange documentary, championed by Siskel & Ebert, alerted discerning moviegoers to Errol Morris.
Profiles of pet cemetery owners, those who have burial plots, and some of the shadier practices.
Throughout, the camera does the talking.  No narration.  Keep up.
It would be easy to view this as satire, or a mockumentary, but it is dead earnest.
I would say a one-of-a-kind film, except Morris followed this with a string of original concepts.

Brokenwood Mysteries - 2014 - New Zealand

Brokenwood Mysteries - 2014 - 6/10

 
Amiable mystery with eccentric city inspector Shepherd assigned to a rural backwater.
And like all TV hinterlands, there are murders and nefarious doings aplenty.
By the end of S01, the ensemble team has been assembled (although none display much personality).
The mysteries range from pretty good (a wine competition) to predictable (a revenge).
Well written, passable entertainment, spawning 10+ seasons.
One season was OK for me, doubt I will watch more.

Brighton Beach Memoirs - 1986 - USA

Brighton Beach Memoirs - 1986 - 6/10

 
First installment of Neil Simon’s coming-of-age autobiography is possibly the best.
Pre-WWII, 15 year old Eugene lives with his large and extended family.
There are financial struggles, odd reports coming from Europe, and dreams seem like a distant horizon.
Enjoyment of this hinges on how comfortable one is with the boisterous family.
Eugene acts as our observer, although the family enters soap opera too often.
Unfortunately, I had seen the play, which had an electricity this lacks.
For a large family, likewise in New York of this era, watch Radio Days.

The Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond - 1960 - USA

The Rise And Fall Of Legs Diamond - 1960 - 6/10

 
More gangster than Noir, yet close enough.
Two-bit hood, Jack Diamond, lands job with one of the top bosses.
With the death of his boss, Jack, now Legs, peddles protection, and shoots enemies.
Exuberant hubris and unchecked ego, he starts to make demands on the Syndicate.
Ray Danton is ruthlessly wonderful in the title role, from the exciting rise to the seedy fall.