A few reviews . . (film or TV) — Page 166

Brighton Beach Memoirs - 1986 - 6/10

First installment of Neil Simon’s coming-of-age autobiography is possibly the best.
Pre-WWII, 15 year old Eugene lives with his large and extended family.
There are financial struggles, odd reports coming from Europe, and dreams seem like a distant horizon.
Enjoyment of this hinges on how comfortable one is with the boisterous family.
Eugene acts as our observer, although the family enters soap opera too often.
Unfortunately, I had seen the play, which had an electricity this lacks.
For a large family, likewise in New York of this era, watch Radio Days.

Brokenwood Mysteries - 2014 - 6/10

Amiable mystery with eccentric city inspector Shepherd assigned to a rural backwater.
And like all TV hinterlands, there are murders and nefarious doings aplenty.
By the end of S01, the ensemble team has been assembled (although none display much personality).
The mysteries range from pretty good (a wine competition) to predictable (a revenge).
Well written, passable entertainment, spawning 10+ seasons.
One season was OK for me, doubt I will watch more.

Gates Of Heaven - 1978 - 7/10

Strange documentary, championed by Siskel & Ebert, alerted discerning moviegoers to Errol Morris.
Profiles of pet cemetery owners, those who have burial plots, and some of the shadier practices.
Throughout, the camera does the talking. No narration. Keep up.
It would be easy to view this as satire, or a mockumentary, but it is dead earnest.
I would say a one-of-a-kind film, except Morris followed this with a string of original concepts.

The Bridge At Remagen - 1969 - 6/10

Closing months of WWII, German officers receive conflicting orders.
1 – Destroy the Ludendorff Bridge, the last one standing across the Rhine.
2 – Maintain the bridge as long as possible, to allow Wehrmacht troops to return home.
Meanwhile, American troops race to capture the bridge intact, no matter casualties.
What would normally have been a gung-ho flag waver in an earlier era, here reflects the late 60’s antiwar sentiment.
Both sides are disillusioned, hardened and cynical. Plenty of action, yet the tone is soured.
Based on a book by a local Congressman, which was required reading in our area.

I Walked With A Zombie - 1943 - 7/10

Nurse arrives at a Haitian sugar plantation to care for the owner’s ill wife.
The story told, is that the young wife was stricken with fever which left her mute and listless.
Nevertheless, there are drums at night, voodoo, a priest, and the long shadow of slavery.
Genuinely eerie film, shot for next to nothing, has layers of meaning that reward repeated viewing.
Understated performances help, as does the serious tone.
Nothing cheeky or overwrought. Good intro for those curious about Val Lewton.

Paddington Bear - 1976 - 7/10

The first, and, despite limitations, arguably the best adaptation of the marmalade connoisseur.
Stop-motion for Paddington, all other characters and backgrounds are cartoon standups.
More importantly, the stories stem from Michael Bond’s writings.
There is a charm to this minimalist approach, which also might push the child’s imagination.
Narration by Michael Horden is incomparable.

Gosford Park - 2001 - 7/10

Well, he was despicable anyway, no matter how entitled.
I’m talking about the victim, proud lord of the stately manor.
Host of the weekend shooting party. Guns and grudges, and a little murder.
Droll mystery / comedy sandwiched somewhere between Upstairs-Downstairs and Downton Abbey.
Relationships between staff and gentry, graduations within classes. Keep a keen eye and ear out for the barbed wit,
Outsiders include the Yanks and the police.
Powerhouse cast, luxurious set design, costumed to the nines.

Daniel Deronda - 2002 - 7/10

Young Deronda encounters fortune hunter Gwendolen.
They spark off each other immediately.
Nevertheless, she is searching for money, while he searches for “meaning”.
Each finds more than they bargained for.
A bit of a soap opera at times, this churns through unpleasant muck, while being eminently watchable.
Hugh Bonneville particularly memorable as an abusive cad.
Never warmed to Deronda myself, viewing him as a priggish do-gooder.

Hornblower - 1998 - 6/10

Very fine adaptations of several Forester novels.
This is the young Hornblower, learning the ropes under Captain Pellew.
One anticipates sea battles, although the intrigue and skirmishes within ranks are revealing.
Perhaps not. There is seldom enough bounty and glory for all.
Unsure how faithful to the source these were.
Production values were very good, scripts intelligent, action exciting.
Should have filmed more installments. Not telling the ROI, however.

Dementia - 1955 - 6/10

Her day starts at dusk, as she wakes in a cheap hotel.
Outside, the hustlers and winos hit on her, while she walks into the night.
Finally, into the rich man’s limousine.
Then the restaurant, where he gorges himself. Then, the rowdy nightclub.
I would not call her a prostitute, more an escort.
Dialogue free, Expressionism and Noir to the max.
Shadow filled, experimental film.

The Empty Man - 2020 - 6/10

From Bhutan to Missouri, the soft, wind-blown note draws those susceptible.
An ex-cop is asked by a friend to look for her missing daughter.
What he finds are her best friends, murdered or suicides.
Investigating deeper, he finds a cult like group, Pontifex, and the word tulpa.
While never officially warned off, he is increasingly spooked.
This is a flawed film. The cult, the philosophy, worldview, are creepy and bear an odd echo.
Here is the inverse of aspiration, the embrace of nothingness.
Yet, the driving force, the “empty man”, is ridiculous and out of place.
Buried within this is a fantastic, eerie gem, but the beastie is beneath stupid.

Predator - 1987 - 7/10

“The demon who makes trophies of men.”
Dutch and his team of elite soldiers strike a remote base of insurgents.
Unknown to them, they are observed by an extraordinary hunter.
What follows is kill or be killed.
Testosterone overload in this Schwarzenegger actioner, along with thousands of rounds of bullets.
First and finest of a franchise that refuses to die despite derivative scripts and actors sans charisma.
Pre-CGI, this remains as fresh and exhilarating as ever.

The Sinners Of Hell - 1960 - 6/10
AKA - Jigoku // 地獄

Shimizu and Tamura are returning home after visiting with Yukiko and her parents.
A drunk staggers in front of their car, Tamura runs him down and drives on.
Turns out he was just a low level Yakuza. Now dead. Who cares?
Witnesses? The thug’s mom, who, along with his girlfriend, swear murderous revenge.
Guilt ridden Shimizu wants to go to the police, but his girlfriend, a little pregnant tries to dissuade.
The movie is stuffed with crimes: lying, theft, adultery, covetousness, you name it.
And everyone – everyone – is going to hell.

No forgiveness, no atonement, no confession.
One moral error or crime, and boom, you are damned.
The final third of the film is set in a dizzying parade of torture and punishment.

Vultural said:

Predator - 1987 - 7/10

“The demon who makes trophies of men.”
Dutch and his team of elite soldiers strike a remote base of insurgents.
Unknown to them, they are observed by an extraordinary hunter.
What follows is kill or be killed.
Testosterone overload in this Schwarzenegger actioner, along with thousands of rounds of bullets.
First and finest of a franchise that refuses to die despite derivative scripts and actors sans charisma.
Pre-CGI, this remains as fresh and exhilarating as ever.

8/10 at the least. McTiernans direction is excellent. NOT an Arnold film…but a movie that cast him well (like The Terminator). His one-liners feel somewhat out of place and forced because this was a serious movie. A Beowulf remake?

“If it bleeds…we can kill it.”

Murders In Font-Romeau - 2023 - 5/10
AKA - Meurtres à Font-Romeu

The corpse, ritualistically laid out in a church, was a priest, popular and well-liked.
A new captain arrives from Paris and is soon disliked by the way she treats locals.
After the second murder, again with ritualistic clues, things get messy.
Messy sorta describes it all, too. Wandering subplots, meaningless characters, stagnating pace.
Often, one views for the outdoor scenery, and this does not disappoint.
Not quite predictable, but definitely a lesser offering.

The Seed Of The Sacred Fig - 2024 - 7/10
AKA - دانه‌ي انجير معابد

Delight is replaced by concern after Iman, head of the house, is promoted to investigative judge.
Only a step away from being a full judge, with more money, a better home, prestige.
There is massive unrest in Tehran, however, and he is coerced to perform hundreds of sentencings daily.
Most are death sentences, many of those are innocents, caught in the whirlwind of events.
As his anxiety mounts, so does his paranoia, which he vents on those closest.
Intense, gripping thriller shows a family, torn by televised news, and actual, censored footage.
Weak element is the handgun; filmmakers are vague about the “why” and the “how”.

Syndrome E - 2024 - 6/10

“Hey, look. Doctor Moreau’s clinic. They treat animals … manimals … people maybe?”
The man watching the film is already dead. Police arrive. The female officer, viewing the film, shoots her partner.
Partly, it’s the film itself, an old 8mm laced with subliminal images.
Partly, it is her history; she had undergone neurosurgery years earlier, and “something” was done.
Mystery thriller races across continents, foretelling a possible future of cranial implants and manipulation.
Thought provoking premise undermined by a trendy trope: defective detective.
Sure enough, our two detectives have more liabilities than a grubworm convention in Antarctica.
Both leads are “damaged”, the female more so as she is often triggered into murderous impulses.
Logic is cast aside when wondering why police brass stay with this pair.
Oh, because they originate from a series of books. Wait! Does that mean more seasons?

The Perfect Storm - 2000 - 6/10

Luck had been bad for several hauls, so the skipper urges his crew one more time.
Farther and further, while behind them, storm fronts cluster.
Man vs. Nature, seamen in the raging sea. Who will you bet on?
The book was a bestseller and a powerful read.
While the spectacular trailer promised so much.
Nevertheless, the action, while spectacular, is freighted with angst and opera.

Buck Rogers In The 25th Century - 1979 - 5/10

Space shuttle pilot Buck gets into a stellar snafu and is deep frozen for 500 years!
Alien conquerors find him, then use him as a ploy to get through Earth defenses.
No sense going much more into this fairly crappy film, pilot for an even worse TV show.
Back in the day, fans were desperate for SciFi, so studios gave us garbage.
This is aimed at non-demanding children, with a clichéd and dull storyline.
Watch Star Wars instead. Came out around the same time and is vastly superior.
Or – check the 1939 serial. While not as good as Flash Gordon (1936), that Buck is better than this.

A Fistful Of Dollars - 1964 - 7/10
AKA - Per un Pugno di Dollari

Nameless gunslinger arrives in small desert town.
Sizes up the two largest families, fighting for control, hires himself out.
First to one side, then the other. Lack of loyalty pays so much better.
Brooding Western launched Clint Eastwood and gave Sergio Leone carte blanche for awhile.
While slow, the visuals are stunning, emphasizing faces and vistas.
Westerns would never look so clean again, as this is all weathered and dust.

The Basketball Fix - 1961 - 5/10

High school phenom Johnny is spotted early on.
By the newspaper sports journalist, by the college coach, by the racketeer.
He leads the team, but money is tight and the racketeer is generous.
“No, you don’t throw the game. Just keep the score close. Point shave.”
As timely today as it was then. Now, with gambling rampant in all sports.
Our athletes are short and skinny and white.
John Ireland provides the Noir; Marshall Thompson looks 30. Not enough Hazel Brooks.

Species II - 1998 - 5/10

Yeah, yeah, yeah … what an idiot.
I wisely ignored the “sequel” for decades, but apparently my recent lobotomy kicked in.
Mission To Mars astronauts don’t realize they are bringing back a contagion.
Their humanity suppressed, they start a string of ruttings to birth human-Sil hybrids.
A trio of names from the first film are back, and barely utilized.
Instead, our space cadet is the hero / villain,
Bad film, lacking logic, with contempt for audience IQ.

Death Line - 1972 - 6/10

He wandered around Soho, soaking up the atmosphere.
Later, in the Underground, he tried to pick up a piece of flash.
Before he disappeared.
Police are vaguely interested, until MI5 (Christopher Lee) warns them off.
Then the coppers dig in. Donald Pleasence, delicious as the sarcastic, bitter inspector.
The real star, however, in the Underground. Forgotten and abandoned sections.
Dim patches with flickering gas lamps. Eerie, unnerving liminal spaces.
Slow, creepy, gruesome, pungent. Should beckon to fans of Mark Samuels.

Beast Stalker - 2008 - 6/10
AKA - Ching Yan // 証人

Police bust the operation and take down the boss.
Within an hour, henchmen free the mobster and pursuit begins.
Eventually, the lawyers take charge – except the boss orders the kidnapping of the lead attorney’s child.
Violent Hong Kong actioner turns into suspenseful thriller.
This features a trope I dislike: child in danger.
In Hollywood product, danger typically evaporates. In European and Asian, worst fears confirmed.
An ugly film, where all main characters are broken souls.

Generation War - 2013 - 6/10
AKA - Unsere Mütter, Unsere Väter

On the eve of Operation Barbarossa, five friends gather in the local tavern.
One female plans to be a singer, another has graduated nursing and will head to the Eastern front.
Two brothers are in the Wehrmacht, and they are destined for glory in Russia.
The fifth has been trying to emigrate to America, more so after Kristallnacht.
Trying to distill the time from spring 1941 to Götterdämmerung is a big ask.
Focusing on Russia and Poland helps, and there are not too many side characters.
Brutality is shown, as are moral conflicts, although “Final Solution” is glossed.
The level of coincidental chance encounters is off the scale.