A few reviews . . (film or TV) — Page 160

Stoker - 2013 - 6/10

After India’s father dies in a horrible car accident, her wayward Uncle Charlie appears.
Swiftly establishes himself in the estate as if born to it, and just before subsequent disappearances.
Slow, very slow boil thriller of the smiling predator, recognized by the moody daughter.
That said, there are several cruel twists, and formula expectations were foiled.
In essence, while this goes nowhere, the journey itself is perverse.
Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode memorable as the distorted pair.
Nicole Kidman almost perfect as widowed Southern belle, all too eager to move on.

A Whistle Stop Tour - 2024 - 6/10

Short where critic Kim Newman gabs about “The Whistler”.
Primarily the eight film series from Columbia, though he touches on the long running OTR series from Signal Oil, as well as the TV series, of which I was unaware.
Fans of the Dix series will find nothing new, nor is this an introduction to the series.
From a remastered box set, unavailable in the US.
I wasted time studying titles in Newman’s shelves.

Dracula’s Bram Stoker - 2003 - 6/10

Nice overview of the theatre manager and writer of influential horror.
Childhood, college where he excelled, Friends with the Wilde’s.
London, working as Irving’s manager, meeting the cream of society and the intelligentsia.
In between, writing stories, essays, articles, and working on “The Un-dead” which would be renamed.
Numerous talking heads include Neil Jordan, Christopher Lee, Paul Murray, Leonard Wolf …
The Irving period is well represented, as is his marriage, and latent inclinations.
His slapdash writing of Dracula, jotting whenever he had a moment, resulted in the unique structure.

Bram Stoker Agus Dracula - 2011 - 6/10

Documentary focusing on Stoker’s Irish upbringing, influences, peers.
While Henry Irving is discussed, this is more Érie-centric.
The Wilde’s are given prominence, including the fact that Stoker “took” Oscar’s first love.
Stoker, embraced by neither Ireland nor England, considered himself an in-betweener or liminal writer.
The different point of view is especially compelling.
Likewise, Transylvania as substitute for Ireland. Folktales include Abhartach and graveyard ghosts.
Most of this is in Irish, make sure there are subtitles.
Stoker fans, an essential watch.

The Bigamist - 1953 - 6/10

Once Eve and Harry start the adoption process, the secret starts to emerge.
After all, there are deep background checks.
Salesman Harry, dividing his time between San Francisco and Los Angeles, has things to hide.
Hey, reference the title!
Narrative shows how Harry came to have two better halves.
Marked as Noir, this is not. This has enough soap for a bubble bath.
Still, a good Ida Lupino film and, I think, the last feature she directed.

The Critic - 2024 - 7/10

Theatre critic Erskine and popular actor Nina Land, whom he skews mercilessly.
He is convinced she possesses “talent” yet fails to deliver, because she tries too hard.
Meantime, a change of leadership at the paper, means all jobs are uncertain.
Erskine is asked to tone down the malicious venom in his reviews.
“But that’s what readers want.”
Rather, he takes a more subtle course to deal with the new publisher.
Trenchant, manipulative thriller steeped in poison, set amidst the theatre boards.
A must for theatre fans, but a torturous ride.

A Good Year - 2020 - 5/10
AKA - Een Goed Jaar

Erik receives an inheritance from an aunt. Large manor with weedy grounds.
It is in deplorable condition, estate taxes are horrendous, and Erik is recently fired for malfeasance.
He hires a ride from low-level con-man, Lenny.
And after they discover a hidden, and small, cache of old wine they hook up with restorer, Judith.
Yes, such contrived plotting leaves much to be desired.
The trio are soon offering bottles to high-end collectors, saying the vino is from Hitler’s stash.
The first victim? A mob boss (Russian, Eastern Europe). Things soon get complicated.
I was hoping this would resemble Faking Hitler, but it does not.
As a comedy, I never smiled once. Midway, I started rooting for the gangsters.

The Mystic - 1925 - 6/10

Why hoodwink Hungarian villagers for loose change, when you can go to the States and fleece rich Americans?
Madame Zara and her Gypsy act arrive in New York and start the big swindle.

Aside from the swells at the private séance, there is a young heiress.
As well as her older guardian, quietly embezzling to play the stock market.
A Tod Browning film, this lacks the callous bite his output is usually steeped in.
Acting is fine, although one can envision Lon Chaney and Lionel Barrymore in key roles.

The movie Moana 2 is a mediocre offering that is outpaced by both its visuals and music. It also breaks any potential future narrative conflict by quite literally deifying a major character. Aside from these notes it is a solid movie.

The Fix - 2024 - 5/10

Don’t take drugs if you don’t know what they are!
Well, if you’re young, you don’t care. If old, you trust Big Pharma.
Near future, global air quality has deteriorated to toxic levels.
Breathing drugs are insufficient, and seem reserved for quality citizens.
TV model Ella accidentally quaffs a vial of an experimental test.
Her body begins to mutate, and all manner of characters begin pursuing her.
Overlook budget limitations, and a script that needs tightening.
A good dystopian SciFi buried by poor direction, mediocre cinematography.

The first part of the movie adaptation of Wicked serves its source well! A must see and a brilliant condemnation of bigotry, scapegoating, racism, bullying, misogyny, and the lies we tell to gain power!

Captain Ron - 1992 - 6/10

Milquetoast family inherits Clark Gable’s old schooner, the Wanderer, which needs work (box of matches?).
They hire the very shady Cap‘n Ron to sail the boat and them from Bermuda to Miami.
How many boozy situations and adventures can you envision?
Well, the writers and cast could concoct a lot, lot more.
This makes an OK family film, (a good stoner flick), and a laugh filled romp.
Just don’t think. “A shark ate your eye?”

Starve Acre - 2023 - 6/10

Asthmatic son Owen exhibits anger issues, starts therapy, before a felling.
Parents Richard and Julie grieve in different ways.
She withdraws into isolation, he unearths and excavates a buried past.
Along with bones, which seem to be resuscitating.
Slow, brooding film demands patience and intelligence from viewers.
You must intuit subtleties on your own, nothing is handed to you, let alone explained.
Sister Harriet is our alter-ego, and she is likewise stymied by lack of communication.
Moody, atmospheric, until the finale which is stupefying.

The Strange Vice Of Mrs. Wardh - 1971 - 7/10
AKA - Lo Strano Vizio Della Signora Wardh

Even though Julie has married diplomat Neil, an ex-lover, the abusive Jean, provokes her.
Then, there is her friend’s handsome cousin, George, to whom she is attracted.
Meanwhile, Vienna is besieged by a razor blade serial killer!
More? Yes, there is much more in this stylish and sex charged Giallo.
Edwige Fenech, as ever, is easy on the eyes. Likewise, the eye-popping 1970’s Italian interiors.
Frequent nudity, hairpin plots packed with flashbacks and twists.
One of the better titles of this genre, and one that stitches together nicely.
Subs for COMMENTARY TRACK ONLY = https://subscene.cam/download/3352040

To Kill A Tiger - 2022 - 7/10

“She should just marry one of the boys. That would solve it.”
So say the village females, after a 13-year-old child is attacked and raped by three men.
You read right, their “solution” is for her to marry the rapist.
Her father, Ranjit, decides to press charges, unheard of in India, where females are routinely raped.
Documentary observes the indifference, then ostracism by neighbors.
There are outside support groups, seen simply as “outsiders”.
Court, as is most nations, is agonizingly slow.
Throughout, “marry your rapist” is offered as the wisest counsel.
Significant watch, especially for fathers with daughters of any age.

What’s Good For The Goose - 1969 - 4/10

Norman, fifty-something bank clerk, picks up two free-spirit female hitchhikers.
After a quickie fling with Nikki, he imagines he is in love, and his life unravels.
Swinging 60’s film mixes silly farce with nudge-nudge innuendo.
Norman would NEVER pull any hot girls of the time. Too old, no money, no power.
Benny Hill would have better luck, at least he had a sense of humor.
Speaking of which, as a comedy, this is a dismal failure.

The Ghost Writer - 2010 - 7/10

Anonymous scribe gets hired to polish the memoirs of an ex-Prime Minister.
(Tony Blair is implied, although there is nothing overt to affirm that.)
The PM is holed up on a high-security, island fortress.
Soon enough, the ghost realizes the journal reveals too much national security.
That, and the job description failed to declare how hazardous it would be.
Top-notch thriller, blanketed in Noir, inside a claustrophobic setting.
Late era Polanski film, and a reminder just how potent he can be.

Of Human Bondage - 1934 - 6/10

Aspiring artist Philip is advised he lacks talent, imagination.
Disappointed, he returns to London and eventually becomes a doctor.
Well and good, until he meet, and becomes smitten with, trashy waitress Mildred.
From this point, this becomes a soapy melodrama.
Why would a doctor …? And why would a waitress spurn advances from a rich physician?
Leslie Howard well cast as the human doormat, Bette Davis as the disdainful idol.
Although everyone knows characters like this is real life, the lengthy attraction here seems incomprehensible.

The Lord of The Rings War Of The Rohirrim is a well done adaptation of the original short story by J.R.R. Tolkien. Though it did not capture the magic of the previous offerings, I still recommend it for fans of both the books and movies if only for the return albeit posthumously of an old favorite.

Being There - 1979 - 7/10

Chance, simpleton, is tossed onto the streets after his elderly benefactor dies.
By contrivance, he finds a home with another wealthy, influential family.
The satire expands as his vacuousness is mistaken for wisdom.
His naive comments are heard as thoughtful insight.
When much younger, I dismissed this film as sheer nonsense.
Nowadays, I realize humanity can and will believe all manner of tripe as gospel.
Relevant when it came out; relevant now in our era of “influencers”.
Chance, however, is an innocent, whereas most influencers range between self-serving and malicious.

The Heart Of Texas Ryan - 1917 - 4/10
AKA - Single Shot Parker

Texas Ryan being the bossman’s daughter, just returned from a fancy Eastern finishing school.
Parker is the ranch foreman, a rootin-tootin, hijinks lovin’ cowpuncher.
Out in the sagebrush are cattle rustlers, led by a wily Mexican, who wants that new filly, Miss Ryan.
Lots of action, shooting, horses running all over, steers, saloons, whatnot.
Plot is skimpier than a jackrabbit. Romance? Educated girl, wild, boozing cowboy?
I reckon they’ll last a shade longer than this hour film. Print is in terrible condition.

Street Of Chance - 1942 - 6/10

Only afternoon, you’re strolling easy on the sidewalk, when a chunk of rubble bounces off your head.
Regain consciousness and, “Hey, my name is Frank Thompson! Why are all my initials DN?”
Oh, no! He had been suffering amnesia, and in his previous state had been a sinister type.
Worse, several shady characters are chasing him.
Narrative is the search for identity, what Frank did – if he actually did it.
Burgess Meredith lacks the oomph to carry this.
Plus, Frank’s loyal wife is a mousy brunette, alter-ego Danny’s girl is torrid blonde, Claire Trevor.
Massive plot holes, photography is pre-Noir, although close.
Sheldon Leonard is the absolute best thing in this.

Home For The Holidays - 1972 - 6/10

No, not the Thanksgiving classic with Holly Hunter and Robert Downey.
Here, Pa summons his estranged daughters to his bedside.
The girls blame their odious-to-the-core father for their mother’s suicide.
“My new wife!” he wails. “She’s poisoning me!”
“So, what do you want us to do about it?”
“Why, kill her!”
There are a few decorated trees, one of the females hums a carol.
Otherwise, this is a knock-em-off whodunit.
Bland made-for-TV movie, wasting a terrific cast.

The Chernobyl mini-series (2019) is a shockingly powerful and deeply disturbing real look at the actual truth of the disaster. Everything about it was both well-crafted and respectful to the real people who were involved. The sound design was stunning, as were the visuals and the sheer haunting awe of it all. A must see for fans of history, biopics, audiovisual terror, and for those select few that have a strong stomach. I highly recommend it, but with a caveat that you only watch it if you are certain that its right for you.

Fatman - 2020 - 6/10

In a world of limited to no consequences, it is unsurprising Santa is dispensing more coal than toys.
Chris is also suffering a crisis of faith, although wife Ruth tries to rally his cheer.
Add a wealthy, spoiled, sore-loser of a little boy, furious with his lump of coal.
Who hires a professional hitman to snuff the fatman.
Needless to say, there is a lot going on in this rambling holiday fantasy.
It does coalesce somewhat, yet the focus is not on Yule.
An odd film, not the first choice for family viewing, unless your kids giggle at a rising body count.
If so, perhaps anthracite may be fill future stockings.