A few reviews . . (film or TV) — Page 89

The Woman In The House Across The Street From The Girl In The Window - 2021 - 7/10

Long overdue spoof of the seemingly endless string of Hallmark Mystery films.
Anna, divorced, finds comfort in neighbor watching and quaffing gallons of red wine.
The drunken voyeur sees shady business, murders, potential lovemates.
Fantasy imagination polluted by alcohol.
At times, thriller / mystery angles dominate over the satire.
Most of the cliches are here in full parody.
Bad reviews hail from people who have limited sense of humor, a growing tribe.
For those of us who have viewed countless perky sleuths, this will be a tonic.
Netflix show, yet it has a passable ending. Actually, the last episode is a hoot.

Cape Fear - 1991 - 7/10

Juiced up remake of the classic 1962 thriller.
Again, released Max Cady wants revenge on the man who put him in the slammer.
His defense attorney. And family. And associates.
As with the original, one watches this for Max Cady, an unforgettable villain.
Whereas Mitchum’s rendition was restrained, brooding malevolence, De Niro’s is full bore.
His performance is over the top, as is the film, perhaps in keeping with 1990’s sensibilities.
Director Scorese was on a heady, creative roll during this period, and this is an intense film.

Beloved - 2011 - 5/10
AKA - Des Bien Aimes

For twenty minutes, I am enjoying this comedy, thinking, “This is why I like French films."
Then the comedy ends, followed by a two hour dirge.
Bummer.
Story starts in 1964 as young shoe clerk, working as whore on the side, meets a young doctor.
Within minutes, love leads to marriage. Right, how many doctors pick prostitutes?
Marriage sours, then we follow her grown daughter and her relationship problems.
Throughout, narratives swing between both tearful women.
Still curious about this doozy, French fans? This is also a musical! Characters sing throughout.
Song lyrics are wowzah bad - ♫ The son of a fish is fishy ♪
Some of the dialogue is equally insane - “The beaver is sleeping?” “You know why they have a flat tail?” “Because they were sucked by ducks.”
Swear, I’m not making this up!
Sadly … the whole thing is a downer and a bore. This could have been a trash masterpiece.

The Great War In Numbers - 2017 - 6/10

Six part documentary of World War I focusing on numbers.
How many bullets, how many casualties, how many shells, and how much money.
At times, this sounds like the corporate bean counter nitpicking an expense account.
The first episode, commenting on economics propelling the conflict, is interesting.
As is the final, showing discontented returning soldiers, refusing to allow the upper class to retain privilege.
Footage used throughout is poor quality, finer visuals are readily available.
Narration is well done, the music serves.
Hardly the first choice for anyone curious about this war, though should interest Great War buffs.

Alice In Borderland - 2020 - 6/10
AKA - Imawa no Kuni no Arisu // 今際の国のアリス

Three friends gaze out at deserted Tokyo.
Warm car engines, cigarettes burning in ashtrays, frosty drinks still cold, but humans are gone.
Night falls, and they are summoned, as are others.
And the “games” begins.
Games of life and death, meaning winners survive, losers zzzztt!!
First 3-4 installments move crisply, the contests are inventive, characters fleshed out.
I wondered if the creative team could maintain this level.
In a word, no. Once at the stagnant “oasis” energy plummets.
The “ending” is a Netflix ending (meaning there ain’t no ending).
The finale is drawn out, sluggish and inconclusive. S02 is confirmed.

The Atomic Submarine - 1959 - 5/10

My brother phoned me yesterday, asking me to identify a film.
(My brother is the only guy I know who does not have Internet, let alone a computer.)
“It’s black n white. Late 50’s. SciFi. Four guys enter an alien spaceship. One by one they get picked off. One guy was trying to squeeze through the closing doors when …”
I knew the scene, knew the movie. Told him I would mail him a copy, then decided to watch.

Arctic undersea shipping routes are being disrupted by mysterious force.
Couple dozen cargo vessels and shipping submarines (!) have vanished.
US Navy sends their best hunter sub to investigate.
It encounters a UFO, hiding in the Arctic ocean, scouting the Earth for colonization.
Trick lighting and almost black sets disguise minuscule budget.

Dry, over-talky, with monotone voiceovers, and a lethargic two thirds don’t help matters.
Several familiar B-movie faces in the cast, though no one a casual viewer would recognize.
Audio commentary on DVD is actually more enjoyable.

The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain - 2021 - 6/10

Devotees and acolytes of Catland, this way please!
Those going, “say what?” best move along now, nothing to see.
Exaggerated tale of a whimsical soul, Louis Wain.
Failure, out of place, out of time, a talented illustrator with zero financial sense.
After the father dies, he attempts to care for his mother and five sisters (none of whom will ever marry, ever work).
He draws prodigiously, though, and his drawings of cats become a raging success … for awhile.
The film is twee and saccharine, with too many oddish characters to remember.

I married a cat person (did I ever).
I am familiar with Catland (books, prints and postcard collections).

You’re Dead Hélène - 2021 - 7/10
AKA - T’es Morte Hélène

Maxime has a problem. His girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, Hélène.
Ex as in, well, she’s in the afterlife – or ought to be.
Instead, she is with Maxime. In the subway, in the cafe, on his dates.
Watching, commenting.
Stellar short rolls the gamut. Funny, sexy, gory horror, heartbreak.
Intelligent and insightful example of more with less.

Hitler’s Island Fortress - 2011 - 6/10

Should be of interest to History buffs and the curious.
Archaeologists unearth Nazi gun placements on Jersey.
They do a three day dig to get an inkling of what the fortifications looked like.
A few uncomfortable interviews with aging survivors, shell casings, guesses on layouts.
Otherwise, filler.
This is NOT a doc covering the years Jersey was occupied, from 1940 - 1945.

Betta, The Gipsy - 1918 - 5/10

Creaky Silent of gypsies and gentry.
Leader of the travelers is Tempestro, who demands Betta marry him, lest he reveal her secret!
Tempestro is a bully, physically violent, and not above child kidnapping.
Story jumps around (missing reels?), and I had trouble separating female characters.
The version I saw, from CINEMATEK, offered live, onscreen piano accompaniment, although inter-titles were in French, overlaid with Dutch hardsubs.

The Trygon Factor - 1966 - 6/10

The posh manor is inhabited by eccentric aristocrats and a nunnery.
A curious alliance, which, nevertheless, draws in the tourists.
Meantime, a string of explosive robberies are occurring in London.
Before long, random corpses appear.
A lone inspector smells something amiss at the stately manor.

Edgar Wallace Krimi set in late 1960’s England.
Plot is a kind word for the erratic narrative
Cast includes Stewart Granger, Susan Hampshire and Robert Morley.
Silly, confusing, but slickly made, and I must confess I enjoyed watching.

Lambert And Stamp - 2014 - 6/10

Split side documentary of duo who managed The Who, detailing the calculated rise followed by litigation.
Doc can be divided into “before Tommy” and “after Tommy.”
Meaning it is entertaining and absorbing up to that point, as the group struggles to strike maximum success.
Mostly talking head interviews, clippings, old footage, usual documentary material.
After Tommy hurls the group into Rock’s upper echelon, the narrative begins to skip over details.
There was a falling out, that is not clearly explored nor explained.
At one point the pair were discharged for “mismanagement,” though Stamp loudly protested.
Internet research indicates Mr Lambert had been skimming royalties for a substance problem.
Embezzlement?
The whole second half is filled with unanswered questions. When did Lambert die? Where? What causes?
In one scene, why did Daltrey refuse to talk with Stamp in the garden?
Stamp also died in 2012 - no mention is made of that.
Hardcore Who fans will likely enjoy this more than average viewers.
Bear in mind, this is a documentary about the managers, not the group itself.

The Cellar - 2022 - 6/10

“Yes, the house is immense! We picked it up for a song, too. Fully furnished, can you imagine?
“Oh, the previous owners? Not sure, really. Something happened, I heard. Unpleasantness.”
Too late, the new owners start to delve into the history.
Try to educate themselves on the myriad of strange symbols that embellish the interior.
While the bones are derivative, give the writers B for effort, incorporating mathematics into the mix.
Explanations, resolutions are poor to nonexistent.
The portrait of the founder, could that an homage to Aickman?
Laymon torchbearers, this is not the cellar you were hoping for.

The Village Of Eight Gravestones - 1977 - 7/10
AKA - Yatsuhaka-Mura // 八つ墓村

1566. Fleeing defeat of their clan, eight samurai warriors hide in an isolated village.
      Safe, until the villagers murder them. Dying, the warriors curse the village.

Airport employee Tatsuya’s presence is requested at his childhood village.
The head of the family is running out of time, and the heir is the distantly related Tatsuya.
Within the isolated area, resentment simmers, along with envy.
And apparently, the centuries old curse remains in force, targeting Tatsuya’s family.
Atmospheric thriller doles out mysteries, shadowy characters, and high tension.
At 2+ hours, it is too long, languid at times, though there is a memorable cave sequence.

**A Tale Of Springtime ** - 1990 - 7/10
AKA - Conte de Printemps

First installment of Éric Rohmer’s four seasons quartet.
Journalist is away on assignment, and his girlfriend cannot abide living in his messy, dirty apartment.
She meets an exuberant younger female at a party and spends the night in the girl’s flat.
The younger girl is unhappy with the golddigger attached to her father.
The girl’s matchmaking attempt is blatant.
What always intrigues me with French fare is how individuals stroll themselves into such situations.
The women circle and spar throughout - the men are barely seen.
Well composed film, packed with nuanced conversations, yet an air of resignation may put some viewers off.

Let Them All Talk - 2020 - 6/10

Yes, and talk is what they do.
Meandering story of the “literary” author who takes the Queen Mary 2 as a way to cross the Atlantic.
The cabin is free, if she gives a shipboard talk or two, chats with passengers.
(I have been on QE2 crossings, and heard / chatted with authors, so this is not uncommon. Our cabin, by the way, was minuscule in comparison with those show in this.)
Two college friends, who she has not seen in 30 years, accompany her, as well as her nephew.
Talky throughout, not in a bad way, relationships are skirted, bits of history aired with a sigh.
Something between a Woody Allen film and French cinema. Fans of either ought to enjoy.
Crossings grow tedious after a few days, and the film includes that.
The “ending”, to be blunt, is quitting time. Instead of concluding, the writer and director shrug and walk off.

Janis - 1974 - 6/10

Early documentary on Janis Joplin, 60’s singer.
Pieced together footage (travel - interview - concert) tag along with Janis.
At times, this can be uncomfortable, excruciating even.
During an interview with Dick Cavett, she says she plans to attend her 10 year high school reunion.
She does, where the oddball in high school is shunned by her redneck classmates.
This has dated badly, because, being so close to her death in 1970, it assumes viewers “know” her story.
Her death is never mentioned, nor her sexuality, nor any of her struggles.
There has never been an in-depth documentary on Joplin; her family remains overly protective.

And Now For Something Completely Different - 1971 - 7/10

Ha, ha, ha. Talk about the original cheat-sheet, bingefest!
Addictive string of Monty Python sketches from the first two seasons.
If I remember correctly, this had been created (concocted) to break into the US market.
Yes, yes, the individual episodes are the best way to view Python.
This collection, however, is a barrage, moving from one laugh out loud sketch to the next.
Even if you have ‘em all, this is still worth a place in your shelf.
Suggestion: run this on a corner TV next time you host a party!

Be Prepared! - 1923 - 6/10
AKA - Buď Připraven!

Silent film of boy scouts learning skills.
Survival, rescue, roughing it.
Film has been restored and nicely tinterd.
With a new, modernist score, which may alienate some.
Now – – on their website, they offer two versions, both with the same score.
The reconstructed scout camp side by side with an experimental montage.
This is a voyage into the video abyss, alternative transmissions from elsewhere.

https://www.filmovyprehled.cz/cs/season-of-classic-films/bud-pripraven-be-prepared

A Summer’s Tale - 1996 - 7/10
AKA - Conte d’été

Third in Éric Rohmer’s four seasons quartet.
Shy college grad goes to the beach for a month, hoping to rendezvous with his “possible” girlfriend.
She is late. Very late. She does not write, does not phone.
While waiting, he meets two very different girls.
An impressive amount of conversation in this one.
When I grumbled no one can talk so much, I was quickly corrected.
“This was pre-texting era.” and “Oh yes we can, girls love asking questions!”
Nice looking, walkabout location scenery.
While the young man makes errors of youth, one wonders afterward if males actually learn from experiences, or resign themselves to future dealings with females.

West Of Zanzibar - 1928 - 8/10

A “friend" tells shocked husband that his wife is leaving with him.
When the husband protests, the friend pushes him off a balcony. He falls and breaks his back.
Permanently paralyzed.
Later the wife returns, only to die, leaving hubby with an illegitimate daughter to raise.
The husband vows revenge against the man who stole his wife, and against the brat.
Eventually he tracks his rival to Zanzibar. He plots revenge, using the daughter whom he had raised in a brothel.

One of the most sordid and unpleasant of all Silent films, Tod Browning’s Zanzibar still packs a wallop.
Lon Chaney amazing as embittered man, consumed by vengeance. Lionel Barrymore his slippery rival.
The opening, which I described above, takes about five minutes, and the plot moves like brushfire.
Ignore sappy ending which was likely pegged on to appease censors.
Wonderfully ugly film.

Aftertaste - 2020 - 6/10

End of the date, she asks him to head upstairs and wait for her.
She opens the refrigerator, then drinks a packet of blood.
First warning that something may be amiss in this relationship.
Moody short is long on style and tension, likewise conversation.
Conclusion does not proceed along traditional lines, and is somewhat frustrating.

The Witch Of King’s Cross - 2021 - 7/10

“…Touch me with tongues of black fire. Night, freakish night, sets me free."
Poet, model (for Norman Lindsay), painter, occultist, sybarite, witch.
Arrested, investigated, works confiscated, burned, careers ruined (Sir Eugene Goossens).
Splashy biography of the notorious, scandalous artist, Rosaleen Norton.

Her paintings, dense with sexuality, black magic, darkness, created a maelstrom in 1950’s Australia.
Concise documentary proves an excellent gateway for curious jades.

The Yellow Ticket - 1918 - 6/10
AKA - Der Gelbe Schein // The Devil’s Pawn

Sluggish melodrama of Polish Lea who adopts another’s identity to attend Saint Petersburg medical school.
A foreigner, and Jewish, she needs a “yellow ticket” to be in Russia.
She cannot afford rent, but her landlady is understanding.
Besides, the landlady runs a club akin to a sportin’ house, where Lea can be nice to the gentlemen.
Overacted throughout, but this is 1918 and a good vehicle to see Pola Negri.
Nazis tried, and failed, to destroy all copies of this.

Chicken With Plums - 2011 - 7/10
AKA - Poulet Aux Prunes

Overlooked arthouse film exudes dreamlike atmosphere.
French film, with French leads, but the setting is Tehran and so is the story.
Renowned violinist loses his will to live after his beloved instrument is destroyed.
Film tracks his final eight days, each day filled with flashbacks and music.
The tone skips from comic to poignant to heart-breaking.
One views this more for images and scenes. The color selection is radiant.

On a cerebral level, logic is subservient to plot.

• POSSIBLE SPOILERS -
  Meaning, for twenty years main character was globe-trotting concert violinist, suddenly he is a school teacher?
  Or - when he decides to die, no one intervenes to stop him?

That said, the film does state from the onset,
“Persian fairy tales always begin this way.”
Viewed that way, one should suppress skepticism and simply enjoy.