Scent Of A Spell - 1985 - Japan

Scent Of A Spell - 1985 - 7/10
AKA - Masho no Kaori // 魔性の香り

 
Leaving the waterside poolhall, a journalist sees a women jump into the waves.
He rescues her, forgetting the old rule that when you save someone, you are responsible for them.
Indeed, Akiko moves in with Esaka, and they have a torrid affair.
Even though Akiko is married, and her husband will not grant a divorce.
Akiko’s husband has moved his mistress in with them, yet will not divorce.
Leaving Akiko unstable, unpredictable, and dangerous.
Erotic thriller / arthouse / Noir drenched in rain, waves, body sweat.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3370955

Fuze - 2025 - UK

Fuze - 2025 - 7/10

 
During construction, a World War II bomb is discovered in London.
A big one, a blockbuster.
The Army bomb squad is summoned, neighborhood evacuated, police cordon off the area.
Meanwhile, a small crew of robbers gets to work in the basement adjoining a bank.
Fabulous caper film, operating on multiple levels.  Army, police, civilians, criminals.
If you enjoy heist movies, watch it cold.
Avoid reviews, sorry, most will spoil the countless twists that await.

Paradise Of Terror - 1965 - Philippines

Paradise Of Terror - 1965 - 5/10

 
The plane is flying over enemy territory (Vietnam), ferrying a diplomat and an Asian Colonel.
Rebel gunfire strikes the aircraft, everyone parachutes to safety.
Lost in the tropical jungle, they come across a modern house.
Air-conditioned, meals prepared, showers, coffee, ghostly women from time to time.
Lethargy sets in, their missions forgotten, they become lotus eaters.
Excellent photography, an adequate cast, yet the story lacks oomph.
Too much talking, rather than elaborating on the mysterious house.
Subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3370771

Specimens - 1982 - Ireland

Specimens - 1982 - 5/10

 
Extraterrestrials near Earth, Stone Age.
A giant robot is gathering specimens, in this case, a Neanderthal.
When, suddenly, a volcano erupts, and the robot sinks into the molten earth.
Millennia later, coal is being removed from a deep pit.
Tons of soil loosened, the ground splits, and the robot … oh, no!
Whatever batteries it runs on, I want some.

The Fare - 2014 - USA

The Fare - 2014 - 7/10

Car driver Harris rolls down a deserted stretch of nowhere.
Seems like a prank, but no, the fare is waiting along the road.
Attractive, a little sad, Penny climbs in, gives her destination.
Both talk freely, swap quips, enter an easy camaraderie.
Until the cab nears a storm, then Penny vanishes.

 
Next scene, Harris heads towards the fare, Penny … into the storm.
Small film with a tremendous heart.
Timeslip, classic mythology, well realized story.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3370772

Growing Up Female - 1971 - USA

Growing Up Female - 1971 - 6/10

 
Time capsule of what it was like to be a US female at the start of the 1970’s.
From an early age, roles are defined, futures narrowed.
Girls interviewed are children, teens, early twenties, a 40-year-old mother.
The unspoken desire is freedom, equality, the chance of self-actualization.
Not necessarily mandatory viewing, yet current females surrendering equality ought to watch.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3370774

Titus - 1999 - UK

Titus - 1999 - 7/10

 
Roman general Titus returns from campaigns victorious.
After Caesar dies, Titus, an honorable man, declines the sceptre.
Yielding the throne to sharks and cutthroats.
Brilliant film of power, corruption and madness.
Overlong, however, with a few too many characters.
Fared poorly box office wise; possibly audiences were tired of Shakespeare films, or this was simply too long, too strange.

Big Night - 1996 - USA

Big Night - 1996 - 6/10  

 
Word is, Louis Prima is going to swing by their ristorante.
Brothers Primo and Secondo are stoked.  Prima and friends ought to revitalize their struggling place.
Primo is a food perfectionist (and 20 years ahead of his time).
Secondo wants to build clientele, the rabble who want spaghetti, ravioli, lasagna.
One senses the brothers have been competing and arguing for decades.
As the night ebbs away, with Prima late-late-late, tempers bubble.

Raise The Red Lantern - 1991 - China

Raise The Red Lantern - 1991 - 7/10
AKA - 大紅燈籠高高掛

 
Songlian is sent by her financially ruined to be wife #4 of a wealthy man.
Treated lavishly at first, she soon realizes her “husband” is capricious.
The various wives are untrustworthy, as are the servants.
Pressure is tremendous, security assured only if a wife gets pregnant – and bears a son.
Beautiful film, as are most of Zhang Yimou’s, yet the tension never lets up.
None of the video releases I have watched since cannot match the vibrant colors I saw in the arthouse theater.

Meshes In The Afternoon - 1943 - USA

Meshes In The Afternoon - 1943 - 6/10

 
A woman seems caught in a  recurring dream.
Entering her apartment, realizing someone has been there, sleep, then spying a hooded figure outside.
An unsuccessful chase, return to her apartment, slumber, repeat.
Each recurrence, elements differ, there are changes.
Mesmerizing film, rather an abstract mystery.

Sight & Sound listed this short as one of the greatest films of all time.  Top 20.
I watched this, then asked,  “Really?”
Curious, I went to their list of the 250 greatest films, and noticed glaring omissions.
Including – Zhang Yimou, John Huston, Chabrol, Soderbergh, Riefenstahl, Parajanov …

One Night At Susie's - 1930 - USA

One Night At Susie's - 1930 - 6/10

 
Susie had foster-mothered a lot of boys, now men and gang leaders.
With entrenched conflicts, they come to her for a solution.
The apple of her eye is the youngest, Dick, a legit press agent.
Who announces his engagement to .. Uh oh … a chorus girl.
Susie takes an immediate dislike to Mary, very cute and very stupid.
Who soon murders her theater owner after he despoils her at a private party.
Pre-Code film flirts with sleaze and criminality, but is half-hearted.
Helen Ware rules as Susie, Doug Fairbanks Jr and Billie Dove support in short movie.

Vampira - 1971 - Germany

Vampira - 1971 - 5/10

 
Experimental Docu Horror conjoins vampire legends with succubus.
Predator of lifeforce, as well as essence.
The recently deceased is soon initiated into an older coven.
No dialogue, aside from an intermittent narrator.
“It is not just the existence or the influence of other people.”
Sin and evil are inherent.

Les Biches - 1968 - France

Les Biches - 1968 - 6/10
AKA - Bad Girls

 
Frédérique spies a poor street artist, drops a large banknote in her pot.
Later, talking and navigating barriers, she invites the girl home where she seduces her.
Next, they leave for Frédérique’s chateau in Saint Tropez.
Frédérique has money, does not need to work, idles away ennui with parties and games.
So that when the girl, named Why, meets an architect, Frédérique casually steals him.
Slow thriller of observing and coveting.  Tastes, possessions, identities.
Borrows from Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Passport To Shame - 1958 - UK

Passport To Shame - 1958 - 6/10
AKA - Room 43

 
So, how’d a nice French girl like Marie wind up in a London brothel?
Under the tutelage of steamy Vicki (very va-va-voom Diana Dors).
Brit Noir is a sleazy exploitation of prostitutes and handlers.
Innocents, vice and shame.

 
At one point, Marie is given a “funny cigarette” and spirals down a lurid dream sequence.
Yielding to the temptations of flesh and easy hedonism.
Strange to see Eddie Constantine as the romantic lead.
Keep an eye out at the quickie wedding site for a young Michael Caine.