La Malédiction du Lys - 2023 - France

La Malédiction du Lys - 2023 - 6/10

 
Probably because the victim was a mayoral candidate.
Then again, he was found naked, with a muzzle across his face and a recent brand burned into his flesh.
Paris sends an agent to assist the Bordeaux police captain in charge.
Aside from dinner requests, no romance in this outing (hooray).
The plot is rather convoluted, with weird turns.
Inherited wealth, derived from bygone slave trade, fuels motives.

The Naughty Flirt - 1931 - USA

The Naughty Flirt - 1931 - 5/10

 
Two grifters calculate heiress Kay is worth 5 million.
She is a Jazz baby, party goer, wildly living it up like the Twenties still roared and there was no Depression.
The male gold-diggers are too obvious for her, and she sets her sights on a stuffy lawyer.
Feather-lite comedy for Alice White, who flutters and flounces and sparkles those big eyes.
White often gets compared with Clara Bow, I imagine because of those expressive eyes.
There is nothing to this film, unless you want to gaze at her.

Creditors - 2025 - UK

Creditors - 2025 - 7/10

 
Adolf complains to Gustaf about his vampiric wife, Tekla.
Draining him of his creative talent and energy.
Appropriating his opinions as her own, building a cadre of followers.
Mind you, every story has two sides, as Gustaf (above) listens to Tekla.
Hothouse theatre delivered by a trio to top flight professionals.
Oft times funny, yet being Strindberg, one buckles up.

The Seasoning House - 2012 - UK

The Seasoning House - 2012 - 6/10

 
1996, Balkan Wars, Angel is seized after her family is murdered.
Brought to a wooded brothel, her disfigured face means she will not be appealing.
Viktor, proprietor of the house, uses her as helpmate, drugging captive females, tidying aftermaths.
Most of the clients are extraordinarily violent.
Unflinching narrative of toxic behavior, with excellent use of claustrophobic spaces.
Horrific thriller that gnaws and churns, never bothering with clichéd formula.

The Last Voyage Of The Demeter - 2023 - UK

The Last Voyage Of The Demeter - 2023 - 6/10 

 
July 6, the Demeter sets sail from Varna, Bulgaria, with 50 crates of Transylvanian soil.
Progress is good, and the crew anticipates a bonus.
Except, the opening shipwreck is a bit of a spoiler.
Not to mention that anyone remotely familiar with Dracula knows the outcome.
This is well photographed, however, and the tension is sustained throughout.
The crew assorted nationalities, most with limited common sense.
Really, once they grasp the potency of sunlight, they ought to work with that.