Charley Varrick - 1973 - USA

Charley Varrick - 1973 - 7/10

 
“The last of the independents,” states crop-duster Varrick, who now adds bank robbery to boost earnings.
Most recent one, in  a podunk, one-horse town, nets $750 K.
Which Varrick (a droll Walter Mattheu) realizes is laundered Mafia money.
And they‘ll be coming, with more persistence than local police and the FBI.
The mob dispatch “Molly” (Joe Don Baker), charming, polite, brutally terrifying.
A great heist flick, where amazing luck becomes the worst luck of all for the thieves.

West By God - 2023 - USA

West By God - 2023 - 6/10

 
Nelly spots Dane across the pool.
She knows he’s a dealer, but agrees to go for a ride.
One deal misfires, but mostly they drive around, talk, gaze at the hills.
Title refers to West Virginia, and this short captures some of the emptiness.
Lot of opportunities have dried up there, so dealing – it’s a living.

Wisconsin Death Ride - 1999 - USA

Wisconsin Death Ride - 1999 - 6/10

 
Hard to categorize this kinda/sorta Docu-drama.
Wisconsin, 1890-1900, in and around Black River Falls.
Newspaper articles, diaries, medical extracts.
The mines close, one of the banks fails after a bank run, people go to hell.
Insanity, suicides, arson, murders, adultery, epidemics, underage assassins.
One man lays himself down or railroad tracks, another blows his head off with dynamite.
Intermittently, modern scenes indicate how “normal” the area is today.
Funny at times, yet my take was how easily people slip into madness – or murder.

Survive Style 5+ - 2004 - Japan

Survive Style 5+ - 2004 - 6/10

 
"What's your function in life?"
A birdman, an ineffective murderer, a British assassin, burglars.
Random stories that barely connect, linked by Vinnie Jones’ menacing character..
None are particularly compelling, and the interest factor declines right quick.
All feel like improvised sketches.
As for comedy, this was too silly for me.
I never laughed, just wondered why I bought this one.

The Beguiled - 1971 - USA

The Beguiled - 1971 - 7/10

 
Wounded Union soldier, deep behind Confederate lines, is taken to an all-female school.
They - girls, teachers, headmistress, staff - they should turn him over to Confederate authorities.
Instead, they take a shine to the flattering, handsome man.
The school slowly tuns into a fox in the henhouse scene.
Jealousies, competition, as well as sexual shenanigans heat the pot to boiling.
Southern Gothic drama finds the soldier (Eastwood) in control and out of his depth.
He never quite grasps how dangerous the female can be.
Underrated Eastwood film, challenging fan-base expectations.

The Incredible Shrinking Man - 1957 - USA

The Incredible Shrinking Man - 1957 - 7/10  

 
Out fishing, Scott encounters a thick fog, probably radioactive.
In time, he begins to shrink.  There is no cure, and no foretelling how much he will diminish.
One can watch this for the terror angles, and some of the encounters are life and death.
Then there is the existential horror of losing your identity, recalibrating, then losing more identity.
This plays out with his wife Louise, and later a carnival worker, Clarice.
Boys will relish the battles, men will grasp the loss of stature (masculinity).
Women may possibly say, “Oh, look at the cute cat!”

The Dead Woman From The Way Of St. James - 2025 - Germany

The Dead Woman From The Way Of St. James - 2025 - 6/10
AKA - Der Galicien-Krimi: Die Tote vom Jakobsweg

 
The corpse washes ashore, thrown from the cliff, carried by the tide.
Lungs filled with freshwater indicate murder.
The new chief is from Valencia, far rougher than Santiago, pilgrimage destination.
And yes, although there are murders, blackmail, lies, this mystery is steeped in religion.
Imagery, proverbs, character backgrounds, turistas, vocations.
German production takes a page from French mysteries via photography.
Mind you, this is set in Spain, characters have Spanish names, yet German is spoken.

No Man Is An Island - 1962 - USA

No Man Is An Island - 1962 - 6/10

 
Early in the Pacific War, Guam is overrun and occupied.
Navy radioman Tweed is one of a handful who are overlooked and escape to the hills.
Well, not for long.  The Japanese are no fools and soon scour the island.
This is based a real serviceman who eluded search parties for over two years.
Good war movie, with perhaps less action than run and hide.
Hunter fine as the furtive Tweed.

Mussolini: Son Of The Century - 2024 - Italy

Mussolini: Son Of The Century - 2024 - 8/10

 
Dazzling series of Il Duce’s rise from Fascist fringe to taking control of Parliament.
Plot encapsulated = The self-serving usurps democracy.
Luca Marinelli is utterly mesmerizing: funny, honest, brutal, manipulative, fearful.
This moves at a furious pace, compressing events and overlapping images.  Lavish production values.
Sex, violence, profanity, blasphemy, along with the treachery that accompanies politicians,
Bristling dialogue will thrill or terrify.  “Fascism is the rule of force.  It is the will of a few imposed on the will of many.  It’s the law of the stronger.  It’s hatred, it’s mass excitement, it’s anger.  It’s contempt for weakness and doubt.  And whoever gets in the way …”
The rare beast that is frightening and nervous laughter.
For whatever reason, not yet airing in the USofA.

Cause Célèbre - 1987 - UK

Cause Célèbre - 1987 - 6/10

 
The first marriage was for love, until he perished at the Somme.
Next, one of convenience, which fizzled after a few years.
Third time lucky, older man with money, until the funds and vigor ran dry.
Enter the 18-year-old handyman, chauffeur.  Imposing and virile.
Afternoon romps until the husband’s skull is bludgeoned.
Based on the life of Alma Rattenbury, half the film is courthouse proceedings.
Theatrical imprint is strong in this.  Fine acting, but not especially engrossing.

Hard Truths - 2024 - UK

Hard Truths - 2024 - 7/10

 
For Pansy, one more day of the same.
Cleaning the home that no one appreciates, arguing with people on the street, venting anger at her sister.
Her anger issues are now beyond toxic; they are destroying her and damaging those around her.
Rage and fury mask depression and emotional problems.
Much as this might sound like an endurance trial, this is terribly funny at times.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste is a tour de force throughout.
Like many here, I know real people like Pansy.  I’ve worked with them.
One is my neighbor.  I am the only one on the block who will still chat with her.

Miscreant - 2019 - USA

Miscreant - 2019 - 6/10

 
Just a series of unfortunate events.
Wrong place, wrong time, not knowing someone’s identity.
Three deaths, one house, one survivor.  Police interrogation.
Short thriller / drama is well done, save for an ending that flat quits.