Vultural

California Solo - 2012 - 6/10

Character study of washed out Scots musician, now working for California farm.
His green card is 20 years old, and he has forgotten about a very old marijuana possession charge.
Until he gets pulled over for DWI (driving while intoxicated).
Low key story shows his attempts to avoid deportation, and interactions with friends and estranged family.
Robert Carlyle plays the burnout guitarist. He looks too old for the role, as written.
His bygone band, the Cranks, hailed from the Madchester Scene, which was time specific to 1988-1993 or thereabouts. Carlyle would have been 30, though his character says he and his brother were “just kids” in Manchester then.
Otherwise, nice film, quiet.

Various (Editor: Ghetu, Dan) - A Vigil Of Black Stars

I had trouble with this initially.
A wide assortment of essays, stories, poetry - a lot of poetry, and artwork - a tremendous amount of illustrations.

Then I decided to regard this not as an anthology, but something more singular. An art installation. And that really clicked for me.
The book is an artistic endeavor, a mood piece, not to be rushed or ploughed through.
This, being an homage to the black metal band, Paysage d’Hiver, begs for musical accompaniment, but I found most of their output too demanding,
I could not concentrate on reading and made a loop of the “quieter” sections from “Schnee” and “Im Traum,” which best complemented the book for me.
I do not wish to delve into too many stories and spoil the discovery for others. Nevertheless, comment must be made of “My Father-Tower,” an imaginative and astonishing tale by Roope Sillanpää. A dutiful son takes his dying (maturing) father deep into the woodland where he can fulfill the family destiny. The whole piece is inventive, drawing deep from myth.

Plodding along, I plan to view S04E07 tonight.
I had forgotten about it, but the proto-molecule is being mentioned again.
Every time that term is mentioned, I wish the writers had concocted another name.
One: I think of “protomatter” from the Trek universe.
Two: More than that, I recall the not dissimilar “protoculture”.
More a distraction really, causing me to wonder where Rick Hunter is.
https://robotech.fandom.com/wiki/Protoculture

Sisters Of Death - 1976 - 5/10

During initiation rites into the “Sisters,” events go horribly wrong and one of the acolytes is killed!
A few years later, the now disbanded “sisters” are invited to a reunion, way, way out in forlorn desert.
Too late, they realize they are targets in a murderous killing lair!
Third rate telling of “Ten Little Indians” has its moments (attractive females and a twist finale).
Otherwise, it is slow, over talky, the murders are dull, the rehashed plot is stale.
But wait! How about those attractive females?
Though a cheap 70’s flick, this is not exploitation. Unbuttoning of clothing is as far as those things go.
Teasecake, rather than cheesecake.
If compelled, watch the first 25 minutes, skip to the last 25 minutes.

Panique - 1947 - 6/10

Some never catch a break.
Take Monsieur Hire. He keeps to himself, pays bills promptly and in full, does not gossip, is nice to children.
And yet – he is a bit of a social outcast, even though he has lived in the village three years.
When an elderly spinster is murdered in an empty lot, citizens start looking for the killer in their midst.
A mysterious woman arrives, and Monsieur Hire casts his lonely gaze her way.
This is a film of surface appearances, simmering with suspicion and mob fury.
I suspect Panique resonated strongly when released in post WWII France.
Occupation, collaboration and the Vichy government were fresh in memories.

Namastey London - 2007 - 6/10

Bollywood film.
Hindu father decides his daughter is becoming too Westernized and takes her home to find suitable Indian husband.
Of course he neglects to inform her until they are in India.
She is, after all, a mere female.
Obligatory musical numbers are catchy, in settings completely removed from the ordinary.
Unfortunately, the British are mostly portrayed as xenophobic racists.
Unpleasant caricatures struck me as an ugly cheat, and lessened my enjoyment.

Your Vice Is A Locked Room And Only I Have the Key - 1972 - 6/10
AKA - Il Tuo Vizio è Una Stanza Chiusa e Solo io ne ho la Chiave

Kinky, sleazy, degenerate, incestuous, oft times confusing, but what the hey?
An entertaining Giallo with plenty of twists and slashings to please cult fans.
Washed up, philandering alcoholic writer holes up in his inherited manor house.
He entertains homeless hippies, humiliates his downbeat wife, and chases tail when not suffering whisky dick.
When some of his paramours are split open with a hook knife, locale polizia zero in on him.
Out of the blue, his niece (the succulent Edwige Fenech) arrives and shares the velvet spasm with eager comers.
There are like five plots going on, but you will be transfixed by the nudity, rompings, gore, dirt bike races, and a contrary black cat named Satan who knows more than his human counterparts.

The Gleaners - 2000 - 7/10

Neutral documentary on the ancient, yet still surviving, practice of gleaning.
Picking through leftover crops after harvest.
Sifting through grocery store discards.
Scavenging curbside trash.
Director Agnes Vargas shows some of the problems involved, without judging.
Homeless who empty trash cans into the alley when searching.
Gleaners who plunder too close to oyster beds, or pick too young specimens.
Not addressed are when camps swell adjacent to farms or vineyards.
Commented on is what was once a communal event is now mostly solitary.

The Secret Of Crickley Hall - 2012 - 5/10

Inclined to be harsh with this.
Haunted house film / miniseries based on James Herbert novel.
Dual plots about abducted child of today, and mistreated WWII orphans.
Children being kidnapped - punished - tortured. Many graves.
Sinister looking house, starkly furnished.
Main villain, an unbalanced religious type, is choice casting.
Modern day parents weak and whiny.
Someone with less qualms than I might rank this higher.
γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Run All Night - 2015 - 5/10

Non-demanding action buffs, score this higher, though long time viewers of Liam Neeson might shake their heads.
Sad sack, ex-mob enforcer learns family is targeted for deadly retribution.
What to do? Mob family or blood family?
Do his old skills kick in? How will he fare against thugs bigger, younger, quicker?
Clichéd, derivative script borrows heavily from The Road To Perdition.
Run - fight - chase - fight - hide - fight - run - fight …
Actor Common memorable as cool headed professional hitman, everyone else coasts.
Better than Taken 2, better than Walk Among Tombstones, but still …
Why does Neeson appear to be following the path of Nicolas Cage?

The Joy Of The Single - 2012 - UK
When Albums Ruled The World - 2013 - UK
Sound City - 2013 - USA

Three music-biz documentaries.
First focuses on the single, typically the wax 45.
Mostly white geezers and burnouts warble their memories, display collections and jukeboxes.
Gradually 7 inchers lost influence as LPs gained prominence.
Second doc is about albums, specifically concept albums.
Dylan, Pepper, Yes, Floyd - you know the terrain.
Third doc covers Sound City Studio, famed recording venue of the 70’s and 90’s.
Analogue studio. Gone now, replaced by digital, Pro Tools, etc …

All docs were enjoyable.
Third one wandered near the end, slipping from the heyday of the 70’s to Dave Grohl’s attempt to recreate the era.

Graduate First … - 1978 - 6/10
AKA - Passe Ton Bac d’abord…

The young and their plans. Big talk, big aspirations.
Less so, here.
Late teens face their bac exams (never shown, by the way), and start trudging toward adulthood.
Casual relationships, narrowing futures, family life, vacations.
There are too many characters to keep track of, and none are memorable.
More confusing, a few resemble each other, and fewer have strong personalities.
Not a bad film, though the experience is that of eavesdropping on average individuals.

Suntan - 2016 - 6/10

The inversion of “coming of age” story.
During Christmas, Kostis arrives on small Greek island as the new doctor.
The village is sleepy, with 800 residents and he is mostly to himself.
With summer, the population explodes with sun loving turistas.
Kostis treats an injured young girl, and gradually becomes obsessed with her.
His overweight, extremely pale self shows at the beach where she and her friends loll nude.
He splashes into pool parties, dances at the raves, drinks, neglects the medical clinic.
Sadly, not an implausible tale, and older viewers can predict how Kostis will fare.
Full frontal nudity throughout.

The old guy at the club is a common, annoying presence.
In my clubbin’ days, I saw 40ish guys, shirts deeply unbuttoned, exposing a thick patch of gray or silver chest hair.
When I was older, I worked with similar aged souls (male and female) who continued to chase and flirt with twenty year olds. We mocked them, but they always saw themselves in the looking glass, forever young.

Price Check - 2012 - 5/10

Parker Posey slams into the office, new manager for a half assed marketing team of second rate grocery chain.
A neurotic mess, she is, nevertheless, in charge!
She baits, berates, bullies, boinks, fires, and drags the team into a dust-storm.
By turns funny, cringing, sleep inducing.
Should have been a biting satire, but is too soft centered at its core.
If you ever toiled an awful job, or suffered under a supervisor with less maturity than a 2 year old throwing a tantrum, chances are you will relate.

Dual Alibi - 1947 - 6/10

Twin brothers, trapeze acrobats, draw the eye of a pair of low level grifters.
The brothers, money saving types, have a long range plan. Grifters think short term.
Steady going, tension building as the con is sown and watered.
Circus world is sketched matter-of-fact, as if we are hurrying though.
That works well. Herbert Lom gives terrific, nuanced performance as the twins.
His personalities differ subtly, whereas other actors would exaggerate differences.

Clara Bow: Hollywood’s Lost Screen Goddess - 2012 - 6/10

Unnecessary, redundant documentary on one of the Silent Era’s greatest actors.
Clara’s life is presented in more or less chronological order, though accompanying clips do bounce around.
For example, while commenting on her mid-Paramount career, work from her 30’s period might be shown.
Not a real sin, and probably not noticeable by any except Clara enthusiasts.
Talking heads include Joel Stenn (Bow’s biographer) and Leonard Maltin.
Also neighbors from her final years, as well as her daughter-in-law.
Here’s the thing. Stenn and Maltin were also part of 1999‘s Clara Bow: Discovering the It Girl, a better documentary. Her son, Rex Bell Jr, was among the interviewees, rather than her daughter-in-law.
Still, if this is all you can locate, it should be a good introduction.
Her movies, by the way, are hit n miss. You watch them strictly to see Bow’s expressive face.

Gambit - 2012 - 6/10

Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman in fluffy caper film.
Script by Coen brothers, remake of '66 version (Caine, MacLaine).
Firth plays lowly “art adviser” for tycoon Rickman.
He devises a swindle and enlists over-the-top Texas cowgal Diaz.
Plans backfire continuously, which was part of the fun.
Humor ranges from wordplay to situation cascade to Benny Hill farce.
In the room where I watched, most laughed throughout.
Lightweight fare, nevertheless.

Host - 2020 - 6/10

Pandemic lockdown offers few options for get-togethers.
Hey! Why don’t we perform an online séance? A zoom séance.
Six friends arrange this with a conduit, a medium, and they try to contact a spirit.
What could go wrong?
I watched this with individuals who have “dabbled.”
“This is so wrong! The guide MUST be in the same room in case anything goes amiss!”
“Omigod, she’s breaking the circle to answer the doorbell!”
Starts slowly, then steamrolls into your face.
Be careful of who, or what, you invite into your home.

Anna Lee - 1995 - 5/10

Rubbish.
Short lived, silly mini series, perhaps most noticeable for its cancellation cause.
The stories were based on Liza Cody’s popular novels, who so hated the series quit writing them!
Anna is hired by an elite detective agency and she works a variety of, well - five, cases.
Thought a mid-90’s series, the look is very 80’s, and the mysteries are altogether lightweight.
The actress playing Lee never finds her character, as she seems to play her differently from one episode to another.
The actors playing agency personnel shift about, as do the agency’s fortunes.
Not quite a “love to hate” show, but limp and better for types who will watch anything.

Take This Waltz - 2012 - 7/10

Meandering film about happily married woman who is attracted to another man.
She does not have a job, he is a rickshaw driver.
Gradually she yields to temptation. No real great shakes in the narrative.
This is a movie for buffs, more for the look of the film.
Film was set in Canada, in a fairyland, perpetual summer.
Colors in this, Technicolor by the way, were gorgeous.
Flowers, buildings, clothes. Terrific design.
Most of the photography seemed to have been done during “golden hours,” which is hard to pull off.
I liked the film for technical reasons.
Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman play against type and excel in supporting roles.

Paris Can Wait - 2016 - 6/10

Fantasy time here, or prime date flick for more seasoned females.
Wife, married to workaholic husband, opts to drive to Paris with his colleague rather than fly.
The colleague is obsessed with fine food, choice restaurants, exquisite hotels, and appreciating life.
The journey, initially half a day, stretches into three days.
Along the way, the couple converse, disclose secrets, study choices.
Weather is ideal, scenery is gorgeous, and the pair have lots of money to spend.

False Faces - 1919 - 6/10

After he crawls through No-Man’s Land, over barbed wire, and into the trenches, international jewel thief, now espionage agent, Lone Wolf, brings intelligence to High Command.
From there on, more spy vs spy activity as hero Henry Walthall squares off against villain Lon Chaney.
Decent production values (typical for Thomas Ince films). WWI battlegrounds, sea crossing.
Melodramatic story creaks at times, and the print I saw desperately needed restoration.
Walthall nicely underplays romantic leanings, and for Chaney fans, he commands when he is on.

Zero Dark Thirty - 2012 - 7/10

Polarizing film that became wrapped in politics, as well as left vs right shouting,
Because of the hoopla, I postponed watching for years.
Also, reviews ranged from wildly ecstatic to major disappointment.
ZD30 is long, and the beginning rather disjointed and sporadic … by design.
The story unfolds following chatter to slim leads to botched meetings.
Leading to a tense, and lengthy, finale.
Well worth your time if the subject compels you: the search for and liquidation of Bin Ladin.
For others, the concept of political assassination will brook no entry.

Who Killed Cock Robin? - 2017 - 6/10
AKA - Mu ji Zhe // 目擊者

Neo-Noir from Taiwan works slowly, but is hard to disengage from.
High flying journalist, taken down a notch, suffers a car crash.
When he takes the car to be repaired, he is told the vehicle had been in a previous wreck.
The reporter has a flashback to an incident a decade earlier - an accident he had witnessed.
With persistent digging, he begins unearthing one version after another.
An uneasy tale that steps straight into darkness, before jumping into the pit.

Blow Dry - 2001 - 6/10

Arguably the finest film ever crafted on the white knuckle sport of competitive hairstyling.
The small town of Keighley scores a coup, landing the annual, fever frenzied tournament.
Plus, they boast two hair shops on high street. Who could enter!
Problem is, the two owners are not only rivals, but divorced from each other.
Nice comedy manages to be a wicked satire and respectful at the same time.
Rickman’s wry sense of humor carries most of the narrative, though Richardson and Griffiths are wonderful.
Unfortunately, the studio decided to include a pair of young American’s, neither of whom can act, and are more distractions than anything.
Not as good as other Brit comedies of this period, but solid.