A few reviews . . (film or TV) — Page 185

The film Avatar Three Fire and Ash is a fantastic addition to the now trilogy. A cinematic masterpiece, with heart, easy to hate villains, and plenty of good character moments as well. A visual feast with an equally as stellar soundtrack. A must see!

Nouvelle Vague - 2025 - 7/10

He has been writing critical reviews, but now Jean-Luc Goddard is ready to make his own film.
There is a scenario, written by friend Truffaut, and he has recruited another friend, Jean-Paul Belmondo, to play the petty, nihilistic thug. More, he wants Jean Seberg, a young American, already a star.
What follows is a deep, deep plunge into the making of Breathless (1959).

Script, what script? Goddard seemingly improvises the narrative, then makes extensive jump cuts.
Releasing an influential and audacious masterpiece.
One can view this cold and enjoy the comedy, the process, the fashions, the look.
Cineastes will be ecstatic, however, as the film namechecks Chabrol, Romer, Rossalini, Melville, Bresson, Gréco, Varda …
The more French cinema one has viewed (especially New Wave), the more you may appreciate.

The film Roofman (2025) is an unexpected true story of the rare occasion where a robber is also a social chameleon. I had never heard of the case before this and it’s incredibly rare for someone so intelligent to act so amorally.

Le Paris des Mannequins - 1962 - 6/10

The models depart the building, head for a rooftop photo shoot.
Stilted, frozen poses, akin to high-stepping shoe adverts in Vogue.
Then they hit the streets and alleys for impromptu work.
Reactions of onlookers vary from surprise to hey-look-at-me.
The sly humor caught me off guard and made this memorable.

English subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3364480

Christmas At The Catnip Café - 2025 - 5/10

Woo, this looks like a Hallmark card. That’s because it’s a Hallmark Christmas movie.
Living with felines and feline staff, I KNEW this one would load in the rotation.
California businesswoman inherits a half-share of a cat café in upstate New York.
She just needs the other owner, a self-effacing vet, to sell out so she can buy the condo of her dreams!
Cats? Schmats! Send ‘em to the pound or the testing labs!
Predictable romance to the point of insulting the audience.
If players would only act like folks do in real life … then we’d have horror narcissism.

Dangerous To Know - 1938 - 6/10

That would be racketeer, Recka, who controls City Hall, various boards, top politicians.
Still capable of violence, yet now trying to ingratiate himself into “classy society”.
Rather than his usual bribery and intimidation, he woos a penniless aristo, Margaret Van Case.
Who may be charmed, yet won’t be bought.
Crime drama saturated with Fatalism and a touch of Melodrama.
The pedigree is outstanding. Story by Edgar Wallace, costumes by Edith Head.
Cast = Lloyd Nolan, Gail Patrick, Akim Tamiroff, with Anna May Wong in a starring role.

Boxing Day - 2021 - 6/10

Georgia and Lisa meet and get along famously.
Until Georgia realizes Lisa is engaged to marry the old flame, for whom she still carries a torch.
There is also a boisterous, Jamaican / English family involved.
Everyone in everyone else’s business.
And the boyfriend / ex in question? Hr fled two years ago to escape family.
While tagged with Christmas, this is straight up Rom-Com.
OK, depending on your tolerance for pushy families.

Talking Bones - 2018 - 6/10
AKA - Gu Yu // 骨语

Forensic examiner Xia Ying is assigned to the Special Crimes Unit.
Acceptance is grudging as she is taking over from an established elder. Her mentor, actually.
Over the course of this C-drama, cases involve a copycat killer (Black Dahlia), mass murder of a family, a promiscuous female, child selling, serial killer, acupuncture assassin …
The team “grows” in this, building expertise, members given more responsibilities.
This was obviously shot without audio, the looping is spotty and there are vast stretches of piano music, even during pursuits and fights.
Subtitles are some of the worst (so bad, they’re good) I’ve seen since the heyday of Hong Kong films.
Example: A character looks up an old girlfriend, before assaulting her.
Explanation to officers. “She had makeup and perfume, and wore a provocative dress. She looked like a leprechaun!”

The Ice Tower - 2025 - 6/10

Reasons unknown, 15-year-old Jeanne runs away from the foster home.
She makes her way to the city, where she shelters in an abandoned warehouse.
Only that turns out to be a studio, where a modern version of “The Snow Queen” is filming.

Jeanne, renaming herself Bianca, ingratiates herself and is soon an extra.
Where she falls under the wing – and influence – of Cristina, lead actress.
The girl confuses the fairy tale with the sets, with the performers, with her situation.

Visuals are striking, while the pace is glacial. Sound is atmospheric, then excessive.
Straight-up, European arthouse circa 1975. Know your taste and tolerance.
More mainstream would be Snow Queen (2002).

Pusher - 1996 - 7/10

Frank’s day had started well enough. Making deals, drinking, rolling easy.
He is in debt to his supplier, however.
Possible escape arrives with an ex-cellmate, who wants to do a major deal.
All smiles at this stage, before events go to hell.
Hyper kinetic film put Nicolas Winding Refn on the map, and launched Mads Mikkelsen.
Club scenes and street swirl are wonderfully dizzying.
Mostly, it’s the lies, the promises, the pipedreams.

Looking At Christmas - 2011 - 6/10

Christmas Eve, two strangers window shopping in Manhattan, looking at displays.
He has just been fired, she is an aspiring actor, thus far unable to land even bit parts.
New to the city, she is still upbeat, while he is burnt out.
Nevertheless, they walk from one department store to another, and share stories.
Meanwhile, after commenting on the displays, the pair leave, and mannequins come to life and comment on them.
Makings of a Rom-Com, this theatre flows like two ships in the night.
Lonely souls, sharing a few hours.

Outside Man - 1972 - 6/10
AKA - Un Homme est Mort

Lucian arrives in Beverly Hills, saunters into the mansion, then coolly assassinates the mob boss.
Clean hit, professionally done. Only he is soon the target of a rival hitman.
Yes, double-crossed. Seems someone is tying up loose ends, even the professional returning to Paris.
French Noir, set all around LA, is entertaining in numerous unexpected ways.
Jean-Paul Trintignant is fine as the moody killer, adrift in an alien landscape.
Roy Scheider great as the opposition whose accuracy is atrocious.
Angie Dickenson and Ann-Margaret as questionable females.
From the Hilton to strip clubs, powerful folks to biker gangs, this swerves throughout.

A Christmas Carol (Read) - 2024 - 7/10

From “The Read” series. Anne-Marie Duff narrates the Dickens classic.
Descriptive passages dominate, and she keys in on lesser events that most films overlook
No, she is not reading from a book, she has memorized the script.
Her voice is contemplative, inviting, never over-emotional or strident.
Clearly, this is for those who have patience to listen, and not attempting to multitask.
Very much on a par with the Simon Callow one-man play from 2018.

The Empress - 1917 - 6/10

The painting “The Empress” makes artist Louis rich.
He invites his model Nedra to the country, where he tries to assault her and the landlord’s daughter.

Meanwhile, the landlord snaps photos for later blackmail, since who knows the tomorrow brings.
For famous model Nedra, tomorrow brings a rich husband, followed by steady blackmail.
Old-fashioned Melodrama creaks along and harks to the Edwardian era.
Inter-titles missing (as is music), although the attentive will have no trouble following.