The Talented Mr. Ripley - 1999 - USA

The Talented Mr. Ripley - 1999 - 7/10

 
The leechlike wannabe, hooking up with class and affluence.
Ripley is innocent, inexperienced, but wealthy Dickie takes shine to him.
For awhile, theirs is a nonstop party.
Jude Law almost steals the movie as the rich, jaded, hedonistic Ritchie.
As Ripley, however, Matt Damon navigates a sordid journey.
Impressive cast includes Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Gwyneth Paltrow.
Excellent thinking man’s thriller.

Wings Of The Dove - 1997 - UK

Wings Of The Dove - 1997 - 7/10

 
Kate’s wealthy aunt orders her to break her relationship with a cheap journalist.
As Kate’s mother had died penniless, the plan is for her to marry wealth.
Easier said than done, since the rich are well aware of the target on their back.
Enter the American heiress, whom Kate pushes her newspaper boyfriend toward.
Sumptuous adaptation of Henry James’ novel of morals, money, and calculating schemes.
Bonham Carter well cast as the adventuress Kate.
Dark theme and melancholic tone bear down as the film progresses.

Big Brown Eyes - 1936 - USA

Big Brown Eyes - 1936 - 6/10

Despite several high end jewel robberies, an insurance specialist has luck retrieving them.
Smooth, debonair, and he runs with criminals.
Police officer Barr heads the case, with more than a few complications.
Girlfriend Eve for example, who career shifts from manicurist to muckraking reporter.

 
Bipolar film is part screwball, other part cynical gangster.
Indeed, despite galloping dialogue, innuendo, laugh out loud comedy, there is an ugly undercurrent.
Cary Grant and Joan Bennett have an easy chemistry.

Nuts In May - 1976 - UK

Nuts In May - 1976 - 6/10

 
Or, a camping we will go.
The Pratts, Keith and Candice Marie, arrive at a rustic Dorset campground.
Both educated, ahead of the curve in vegetarianism, anti-smoking, non-drinking.
Both pretty smug, one must say.
Sadly, yobs arrive, playing the radio, tooling noisily on a motorcycle.
Clash of class ensues, as pretty much everyone gets on each others’ nerves, including the viewer.
Early Mike Leigh comedy.  I must admit a fair bit escaped me.
English subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3361065

The Ghost Story of Oiwa's Spirit - 1961 - Japan

The Ghost Story of Oiwa's Spirit - 1961 - 6/10
AKA - Kaidan Oiwa no Borei // 怪談お岩の亡霊

 
Tamiya was to have been one of the 47 Ronin, but he missed the event.
Now, self-disgraced, he has turned to villainy to feed his antisocial habits.
Witnessing him murder someone, wife Ida leaves him.
He misses her, rather he misses her body, and schemes to get her back.
Until he see the glowing young daughter of his new neighbor.
Now the wife has to go.
Extremely dog-eat-dog version of the Yotsuya ghost story.
Tomisaburô Wakayama as the disgraced samurai is despicable, cunning, and lethal.

Summer City - 1977 - Australia

Summer City - 1977 - 5/10

 
Sandy is about to get married, shackled as mates would say, so the lads head to the coast for a fling.
Arguments, flirty women, the dance hall, endless pints of beer, jailbait, surfing.
All seem game for a laugh, save for Sandy, a more reserved, thoughtful type.
Counter-balanced by Boo, a loud, obnoxious throwback who antagonizes everyone.
Underrated Oz flick, where it’s not the slow pace, it’s the characters one observes.
As above, John Jarratt and Mel Gibson.
Subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3361067

Tragedy Girls - 2017 - USA

Tragedy Girls - 2017 - 6/10

 
McKayla and Sadie are high school podcasters, influencers, reporting on a series of killings.
Police are not interested, classmates bored, and their numbers (followers) are low.
What to do?  They could … arrange some of their own killings.
Black comedy of Slasher films relies on venomous dialogue over gore.
Social media’s dark side, says one observer, narcissism and shallowness.
Fear not car wreck watchers, deaths do steadily mount, a lot of them.
One views for the two femmes, however, who are sweetly irresistible.
Good soundtrack, too.

Flesh Feast - 1970 - USA

Flesh Feast - 1970 - 3/10

 
Grade-D nonsense, that I knew beforehand was atrocious, but I was coaxed.
Veronica Lake (final film role) as the mad Dr. Frederick, who experiments with maggots.
The goal?  Restore youthful appearance, if not youth, to the subjects.
How’s that grab ya?  Let maggots crawl around your face.
Cheap by every imaginable standard.  Film seems to be shot in one house, with one camera.
Characters deliver lines in monotone, with zero interplay.  Amateur hour all the way.
Final five minutes sizzle, unless you have glanced at 99% of reviews, in turgid twaddle.

Logan’s Run - 1976 - USA

Logan’s Run - 1976 - 6/10

 
Never trust anyone over 30.  More than a slogan, this is the new path.
Reach 30, and citizens shall be “renewed” in the Carrousel.
Want a few more months … years … decades?  Tough.  There are Sandmen.
Film evolves into a hunt / chase adventure toward the goal of Sanctuary.
Diverting, even enjoyable, so long as your mind slumbers.
I am curious to view an uncut or director’s cut, but it would likely be longer nonsense.

THX 1138 - 1971 - USA

THX 1138 - 1971 - 6/10

 
Embrace your Orwellian future, today!
Citizens bear the mark of the beast, numbers & letters.
Sex is forbidden, drugs are mandatory, clothes are monochrome white.
Our protagonist (Duvall) is obedient until his female mate messes with his drugs.
Sex and rebellion, followed by pursuit.
Dystopian SciFi is bare bones expansion of a George Lucas student film.
Star Wars resurrected this downer and gave it traction, yet it’s still a drag.

The Third Man - 1959 - USA

The Third Man - 1959 - 6/10

 
Note the release date.  This is not the cynical Noir set in Vienna.
This is a reboot, with Michael Rennie playing a more urbane, genteel EX–criminal.
At half an hour, each episode hustles along as Lime aids a damsel, an old colleague, or friendly government.
This Lime is actually a throwback to the gentleman detectives of the 1930’s.
Routine mysteries, though supposedly set in exotic locales.
Passable time-waster late at night when you want to kill 30 minutes.

Wait For Your Laugh - 2017 - USA

Wait For Your Laugh - 2017 - 6/10

 
Highly entertaining biography of Rose Marie.
From 3-year-old radio star, Baby Rose Marie to voice character on Garfield.
Most will recall her from The Dick Van Dyke Show and Hollywood Squares.
From beginning to end, relentless touring and stage shows.
Powerful friends include Al Capone, Joe Fischetti and Bugsy Siegel.
There are some spare reenactments of characters, but this is mostly footage and interviews.
Even at 94, she remains fierce and funny throughout.

Hanging Mirrors - 2025 - China

Hanging Mirrors - 2025 - 7/10
AKA - Xuan Jing // 悬镜

 
The first body was found by accident.
Make that body parts.  Incomplete, missing the torso.
This ignites the old guy (Simon Yam) who toils in records, recalling an unsolved case.
He teams with the younger lead, mixing styles of procedural and classic mythology.
More killings follow, none are random.  Ancient practice is being followed.
Bodies placed according to Yin and Yang.

 
Nasty thriller that delves into archeology, history, tomb robbing, dismemberment.
Misses greatness as producers short-changed the final two minutes (hoping for Season 2).
If intrigued, go into this stone cold.   Synopses in both IMDB and DramaList contain spoilers.

Calendar Girls - 2003 - UK

Calendar Girls - 2003 - 6/10

 
Middle aged women, members of the Women’s Institute, want to raise money for charity.
Eventually, they follow the idea of a “nude” calendar.
Nude meaning discreet and obscured.
Feel good film was a surprise hit, and still brings smiles.
Predictable, with several scruffy patches.
Big cast includes Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie.