A few reviews . . (film or TV) — Page 103

Twixt - 2011 - 5/10

Has-been horror writer has seen better days.
He no longer has a publisher, nor a distributor.
Instead, Hall is printing books himself, then driving from town to town, peddling to small bookstores.
Yeah, King never did this.
He involves himself with an unsolved murder, and seems to be investigating.

Impossible to tell, however, as the ordinary world bleeds into dreams.
Part experimental film, part Gothic, with weird humor tossed in.
Coppola made this one, apparently with multiple endings (that ought to have been on the DVD).

To The Ends Of The Earth - 1948 - 6/10

Dick Powell stars as Federal narcotics agent trailing human traffickers and opium smugglers.
From San Francisco to Shanghai to Cairo to Havana, coordinating with local authorities.
Stock footage for exotic exteriors are OK if you can suspend disbelief.
There is no main villain here, only shifting hydra heads per location.
Dry, exposition driven narrative, similar to T-Men, FBI Story, and The House On 92nd Street.
Better for those who appreciate starchy doc-dramas.

The Middleman - 2020 - 6/10
AKA - L’agent Immobilier

Olivier, incompetent Parisian real estate agent, cannot present, cannot close, cannot retain properties.
Even his own flat, and he takes to squatting inside recently sold addresses.
Fortune smiles after his mother dies, bequeathing him a battered apartment building.
Olivier plans to resell the valuable location to a developer.
Except, there is a viager, an elderly woman tenant with rights to occupy.
Yes, Fate gives and Fate takes away.
He is saddled with the property, creditors hound him, relations with his family are dismal.
Then again, there is a talking goldfish. And, Olivier can seemingly slipstream into the 1970’s.
Say what? Yes, peculiar mix of comedy and fantasy, though not enough and of poor quality.
Four part series. For Francophiles who will watch anything.

Phase IV - 1974 - 6/10

In the Arizona desert, a colony of ants is rapidly evolving.
They have built large towers, similar to termite structures in Africa.
Moreover, they are breeding themselves immunity to pesticides.
The local human population has fled, leaving a trio of researchers.
For those who predict the meek shall inherit the earth, this is a good one.
For those prefer picnics and backyards ant free, this will be a nightmare.
Numerous closeups of invading insects, for those who suffer ant-phobia.

Dough - 2015 - 6/10

Contrived British comedy of Jewish bakery losing clients to relocation and the Reaper.
The Conservative baker has just lost his assistant to an expanding chain.
In desperation, he hires a young Muslim from Darfur as his apprentice.

Dynamics of old - young, Jewish - Muslim, small shop - big chain. mixed with calculated design.
The apprentice is also a low-level weed dealer who starts adding leaf to the dough.
The sleepy shop revives, though the old guy never notices green flecks in his bagels?!!
Pleasant, feel-good film, lacks believability. Shot - not in London - but Budapest.
(Includes an intriguing trailer for a doc of Streit’s Matzos which went on my find-list.)

Dragon Inn - 1992 - 7/10
AKA - San Lung Moon hak Chan // 新龍門客棧

Superlative remake of Dragon Gate Inn 1967, (itself a classic),
A powerful eunuch, advisor to the emperor, assassinates an outpost commander.
Next, in full pursuit, his Black Arrow assassins chase after the commander’s surviving children.
Events converge at the Dragon Inn, where murderers meet rival murderers, along with determined protectors and treacherous denizens of the establishment.
The inn serves a nearby garrison, and is part brothel, charnel house (meat specialties come from somewhere), with slippery sleeping accommodations.
If such sounds confusing, it is. Just hold tight.
Funny, sexy, with astounding swordplay and expertly choreographed fights.
One of the greatest films from Hong Kong’s heyday.
Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, Donnie Yen.

Flesh Gordon - 1974 - 6/10

Earth is under attack from deadly sex-rays, turning the populace into rutting (meaning non-working) sybarites.
Bankers, factory owners, corporate bosses want laborers outta bed and back to the grind.
Football star Flesh, Professor Jerkoff, and Dale Ardor journey into deep space, heading for planet Porno.
Campy spoof of 1930’s Flash Gordon seems to lift scenes and sets in toto.
Well, not totally, as there is a tremendous amount of nudity and bouncing in this.
Gems include Jerkoff’s ship and power pasties, Prince Precious and the monster (voiced by Craig Nelson).
Special effects are good for their time. Star Wars was still three years away, yet a lot of SW techs cut their teeth on this one.
Avoid the sequel, avoid the censored version. If you have qualms, don’t watch, the tone will upset you.
Literally a XXX film, this was a popular date film.
Informative audio commentary by producer Howard Ziehm is dryer than an infirmed lecturing professor.

Beautiful Lies - 2010 - 4/10
AKA - De Vrais Mensonges

Forced, unfunny comedy. Cold, gauche.
Male employee writes an anonymous mash letter to his female boss.
She round-files it, only to retrieve it later, copy it word for word, and post to her lovesick mother.
Complications ensue, along with lies, false assumptions, and emotional outbursts.
French misfire that stumbles on many levels.
For a comedy of errors, the pace plods like a drunken penguin.
Main characters are unpleasant and immature.
I could never decide if the director had no respect for women, or none for his audience.
Advertising equates this with Amélie - don’t believe that.

Wise Blood - 1979 - 6/10

“… where the blind can’t see, the lame don’t walk, and what’s dead stays that way …”
Hazel Motes (a riveting Brad Dourif), recently discharged from the Army, starts his own street church.
Actually, his Church Without Christ is more of an anti-church.
Quietly poses the disquieting notion (in the 60’s and 70‘s) of whether Jesus, should he return today, would he be a Christian or would he form his own denomination? How far astray has Christianity wandered?
The canvas is over-weighted with Southern oddballs, weirdos, eccentrics, all of whom scream stereotypes.
Yes, small towns boast one or two, but this town must be where a pack of them overwinter.
Harry Dean Stanton memorable as religious competition, the blind faith healer.

Apartment Zero - 1988 - 7/10

Adrian rents out a room to help pay mounting debts.
He owns and operates an arthouse movie theatre in Buenos Ares, ticket sales are minimal.
New tenant Jack is handsome, carries himself with dash, and is a social mixer.
Adrian is drawn to Jack, though it is uncertain whether this is loneliness or homosexual in nature.
What else? Adrian’s mother was insane and the condition may be hereditary.
Oh, and a string of serial murders are plaguing the city!
Early on, I tried to connect Adrian’s political activist employee and the killings, but that was slippery.
Equal parts disturbing character study and psychological thriller.
Intense performance by a young Colin Firth.

Concussion - 2015 - 7/10

Pittsburgh coroner realizes connection between gridiron head injuries and cognitive impairment.
Whereas the average soul will ponder ten seconds, “Bang your skull, brain damage - duh," the NFL (National Football League), is not exactly thrilled.
They react much as Big Tobacco did when confronted with evidence equating smoking with cancer.
Will Smith disappears into a multilayered role of embattled, idealistic soul, dealing with frightening, rabid football fans.
“What!! You wanna take away our football!!”
Trifle overlong, yet never dull or boring. Not preachy, either.
A tone of elegy tints the film throughout.

Murder In Amiens - 2021 - 6/10
AKA - Meurtres à Amiens

Female corpse Is found inside an amusement park ride of the Nautilus.
Police arrive at the Jules Verne park, question wary farmers and property developers.
There are a tangle of backstories and motives, not to mention suspects.
The victim was trusted by many, but with potential profits to be made everyone is unsure.
Plotting is tighter and better than typical French TV thrillers, and lead Grégoire Bonnet denotes a top caliber of acting.
No romance between he and his younger colleague, thank God.

Anaconda - 1997 - 6/10

Yes, of course that humongous snake is smart! Smarter than everyone on that leaky Micaela-I.
The documentary film crew heads up treacherous waters, lead by a guide who they don’t realize is bonkers.
He wants revenge, they want footage, and the anaconda wants feet, as in feet first, gulp.
Early twists boost this creature feature shocker.
Nevertheless, one watches this for Jon Voight who pushes his character to the max.
Hollywood being what it is, I knew who would die, who would survive.
Plot holes, logic? Please, a giant snake.

Zelig - 1983 - 7/10

Imaginative faux documentary about the chameleon, Leonard Zelig.
Throughout the 1920’s and 30’s, he was able to fit in and blend with everyone.
Musicians, politicians, Nazis, athletes …
Viewers are meant to ponder identity, although Zelig apparently has none.
There is no “there”, no core, only proximity appropriation.
Technically, this is a marvel. It may have been Allen’s concept, but credit Gordon Willis and visual artists.

A Little Place Off The Edgware Road - 2013 - 7/10

A novelist, perhaps grieving, suffers block and talks with a psychiatrist.
Just enough details emerge that he is hurt, haunted by a recurring dream.
Between visits to his therapist, James attends a Hitchcock festival.
Disturbing short finds writer blurring lurid news, his own works, and personal tragedy.
Top flight actors, fine direction, Graham Greene story, with a dash of supernatural.

First World War - 2003 - 8/10

Excellent, 10 part companion to 1964‘s thorough, 26 episode documentary, The Great War.
Despite covering the same years, there is little overlap plus a lot of additional information.
Example - British encouragement of Japanese involvement against German Pacific territories laid the seeds for the Pearl Harbor attack
Or, Jews, fleeing Russian persecution, serve under the Kaiser and relocate their families to Germany.
Or the proposed German plans to attack Boston.
Much of the global conflict is referenced, Asian campaigns, Arabian adventures, African guerrilla warfare.
What is missing are first hand interviews and detailed campaign analysis.
Thus noted, one whole chapter is devoted the the Ludendorff Offensive, which almost turned the outcome.
Ending seemed rushed, though historians might say the same about the war’s resolution itself.
Marvelous series, perhaps easier to digest than the ‘64.

Hamlet Goes Business - 1987 - 7/10
AKA - Hamlet liikemaailmassa

Finnish reworking transforms the indecisive prince into a Noir player, as manipulative as he is lethal.
Hamlet’s father is murdered. The murderer marries Hamlet’s mother, takes over management of the company.
He announces he intends to sell off the shipping and timber divisions, in order to corner the rubber duck market.
You read correct. Rubber duck market. One of many alterations to the story.
Stark black n white, loaded with droll comedy, and murders aplenty.

I have seen over a dozen Hamlets. All are overlong and I find Hamlet himself annoying.
This version runs a concise 87“ and is cloaked in a grim smile.
Caveat emptor - Scandinavian humor might be an acquired taste.

Malice - 1993 - 6/10

Happy couple, professionals with limited funds and looming repairs.
They take in a boarder. Doctor, philanderer, charmer (Alec Baldwin, wonderful).
Problems, courthouse drama, hey, that’s just the opening act.
Then the roller coaster plot plunges down, down, down.
Trashy thriller with a deliciously kinked and knotted narrative.
Watch initially for the thrill-o-rama joyride.
Rewatch to marvel at the construction, and the unbelievable cast.

After Hours - 1985 - 7/10

Another episode of “the worst day of my life, ever!”
Office drone Paul meets attractive Marcy who says, “Call me!”
He takes her up on her offer, though enroute to her apartment his $20.00 bill flies out the cab window.
Paul should have viewed that as an omen and gone home to bed.
Instead a cascade of misadventures, missed connections, shadowy characters push him into the funhouse.
Also, stay alert, the perils of dating and mating.
Fun for us, if you take sadistic glee in watching the suffering of victims in the pinball machine.
Possibly Scorsese’s funniest film, possibly too bleak, too black, too New York for casuals.

All The World’s A Screen - 2016 - 7/10

This was a fortuitous mistake.
While searching for a Shakespeare doc, narrated by Ian McKellen, I stumbled upon this documentary and it is excellent.
Film adaptations of the bard’s plays.
Seems to target four or five: “Hamlet,” “King Lear,” “Macbeth,” “Romeo And Juliet”
Covers Silent era to recent productions, and a fair number of foreign interpretations, Kurosawa’s Ran being the most famous.
Several I never heard of and started hunting.
More mainstream releases are fine intros for novices, the obscure will suit buffs or cinéastes.

The Secret Fury - 1950 - 6/10

During the wedding finale, when the minister asks, “Can anyone give just cause …”
An interloper blurts out, “The bride is already married!”
Investigations soon unearth court documents, a justice of the peace, witnesses, motel employees, not to mention her new groom.
Does she suffer amnesia, or is she insane?
First half is overcooked melodrama, a woman’s weepie, before veering into Noir.
Robert Ryan excellent as the vexed new husband. Colbert fine, if too old as befuddled bride.
Ending puzzles as it explains who and why, but not how.

The Ghost Of Yotsuya - 1959 - 7/10
AKA - Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan // 東海道四谷怪談

Iemon, of samurai rank, but impoverished, is denied marriage to the lesser noble’s daughter.
In fury, he slays him and his retainers, then blames another.
Obstacle removed, he marries Oiwa, has a child, lives in poverty.
Except then a rich girl becomes available, and Iemon needs wife #1 to disappear.
Oft made Horror tale, steeped in Kabuki and Gothic.
Bloodier and grislier than any Western film from this era.

No Man’s Woman - 1955 - 6/10

Fatale Marie Windsor, of purring voice and voracious eyes, dominates in so-so Noir.
Her husband demands a divorce so he can marry sweet young thing.
“Offer me a huge alimony plus half your business," says she.
When the company founder offers $30,000 she ejects him, saying, “I said an offer, not a tip.”
She forces her female assistant to work on her day off, then she makes a play for her fiance.
When the fiancé tries to evade her, she blackmails him.
Bad girl Marie is a piece of work, even tells folks she’s still 29.
Sadly - am I’m not divulging too much here - she gets murdered midway and the story falters.
The other characters are weak and uninteresting in comparison.
OK time waster. Like watching Perry Mason minus Perry and Paul.

The Dark Glow Of The Mountains - 1984 - 6/10
AKA - Gasherbrum: Der leuchtende Berg

Early Herzog documentary follows climbers Hans Kammerlander and Reinhold Messner.
They intend to ascend two Gasherbrum peaks (Kashmir) in one expedition, without oxygen.
Less an extreme sport documentary than a study of the mountaineers.
What drives them, their thoughts on fallen climbers, realizing their place in vast Nature.
Sure, there are breathtaking angles, most from a dizzying upward trajectory.
Yet this is not another “Hey, look at me!” soul, begging endorsements.
Reinhold and Hans do this because they feel compelled to.
Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/gasherbrum-der-leuchtende-berg/english/2861801

Heavenly Creatures - 1994 - 7/10

Schoolmates Juliet and Pauline are fast friends, too close if you ask their parents.
Possibly a bad influence on each other, to boot.
They are obsessed with themselves, their relationship, and the fantasy world of Borovnia they create and live in.
Borovnia, ruled by Diello, is a glorious riot of plants, colors, castles and scheming.
This Fourth World is far removed from the ordinary Australian day to day, and insufferable parents.
The first Peter Jackson film that I really took notice of is an imaginative telling of fevered love.
Based on true incidents of 1956.
Many years later, I attended an author reading (from one of the “girls”). No one in the audience asked.