Vultural

Midnight Hair - 2014 - 5/10
AKA - Yèbàn Shūtóu // 夜半梳頭

Such a tantalizing title. Especially for a yarn featuring newlyweds.
Film is, however, Chinese horror, and a throwback to old school Hong Kong.

Happy couple moves into grand home. Within ten minutes you realize the joint is haunted.
Soon enough, the bride sees a pale ghost, the husband grows troubled.
So what do they do? They stay put. Well, it is a really nice house.
Story plods along like a drunken tortoise, past fog, creepy shadows, and jump scares.
The male actor (clearly a high school drama dropout) does IT or something. His gifted companion prances about in skimpy dresses, sheer negligees, tight tops, while exploring posh, dust-free, interiors.
Subs were embedded Chinese over English, and just as ridiculous as HK subs from the 90’s.
Pedestrian narrative, poor ending. Might rewatch though, because I enjoyed that home.
It was huge - especially by Asian standards. And richly furnished.
How could they afford that? (Yes, there was an explanation.)

In The Courtyard - 2014 - 7/10
AKA - Dans la Cour

Just before the concert, the band singer is fed up, and walks.
He is old, he has no professional skills, he is unsuited for most work.
The building complex needs a janitor, however.
French drama, with comic touches, is of the inhabitants, their obsessions and flaws.
Catherine Deneuve nominated for a Cesar as the wife whose anxiety over a wall crack deepens as the fissure itself.
Not necessarily a downer, but most of the characters are disappointed with themselves and despondent.

The Howling Wind - 2020 - 6/10

Early on, radio broadcasts alert listeners that the unusual winds are turning humans deadly.
When gusts wail, lock the doors and let no one inside.
So what to do when you are barricaded, alone, then discover an intruder.

Well, in this short, there are long conversations. Interrogations.
The caliber of acting is high in this, the photography top notch.
And yet, for most of us, the 12 gauge would have boomed at first sight.

The music marries well, and the dialogue remains discernible.
That’s always a bugbear of mine, as enhanced audio often leaves conversations murky.

This was always an A film.
Do you plan to cut or alter much?

Annihilation - 2018 - 6/10

Extraterrestrial object impacts isolated southern USA coast.
Flora and fauna soon begin to alter, then the affected area begins to widen.
A select team of four women cross into this zone, also known as the Shimmer.
Previous male units vanished with one exception.
Taut SciFi thriller packs in suspense, psychological drama, mystery and a creeping sense of unease.

I went into this stone cold, never having read the runaway bestseller upon which it is based.
While some reviews cast this as an invasion film, it is a contagion story, unless contrary details are in the book.
Themes of adaptation, assimilation and utter indifference may confuse “answer seekers.”
Visuals are imaginative, sound mix is unobtrusive, acting is fine.
For all that, this struck me as a left turn fork of Day Of The Triffids.
Afterward, I had an odd reflection - that may only resonate with Southerners - as I wondered if the author had grown up in a pre-kudzu era, before the landscape was overwhelmed, and if the Shimmer is an echo of that.

Scenic Route - 2013 - 5/10

Two aging, childhood friends are driving a forsaken backwater route through Death Valley.
Failed, homeless writer and newly married, burnout musician.
Height of summer, sheer oblivion, what are the odds of engine trouble?
I was barking aloud at this one:
“Don’t do that.” “No, you idiots, what are you, suicidal?” “Stop talking and start thinking.”
As gathered, the pair talked and they talked and they talked.
Note to producers: Men don’t gab this much. Otherwise they get booted from the Guy Club.
Note redux: Dialogue was not remotely “My Dinner With André.”

Tell No One - 2006 - 7/10
AKA - Ne le dis à Personne

After skinny dipping with her husband in the family lake, Margot trots off to get the dog.
There are screams, a scuffle, and husband Alex hurries to rescue, only to get pummeled.
Eight years later, widower Alex learns bodies have been found by the lake.
Perhaps the assailants. Either way, gendarmes who still suspect him of his wife’s death, now eye him for these.
That is the opening five minutes of a tight thriller, packed with twists, lies, back-stories.
Well executed, although a few points are predictable. (Early on, a character appeared, and I said he would loom larger later in the film. Sure enough.)

Life Itself - 2014 - 6/10

Recent documentary, bordering on feel-good, about America’s favorite film critic.
Covers the bases from childhood, newspaper years, partnership with Siskel, demise.
Much is made of influence Ebert had, but the impact for me was from Sneak Previews on.
Back in the early 80’s, Siskel and Ebert were one of the first to feature extended clips.
That was invaluable when deciding what film to spend my cash on.
Also, unlike more so-called literary critics, the Chicago pair never spoiled a plot twist, nor did the reader have to wade through pages of text - seldom necessary for fresh releases.
At the end of it all, however, Ebert was a film critic.
His influence waned, as has the influence of all critics. The films omits that aspect.

The critical process, circa 1980 -
Sneak Previews: “Take 2: Going to the Movies"
https://vimeo.com/542423495
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV4_UjtNzjI

Breath Of Life - 2021 - 7/10

Theatre junkies, your attendance, please!
Best-selling novelist Frances travels to the Isle Of Wight to visit Madeleine, retired curator.
Neither had truly met before, but they shared an interest, Frances’s ex, Martin.
Much of the play is taken up with discussion of fidelity, history, choices, and the absent Martin.
Dialogue ranges from wistful to comic to acerbic. Guilt, not from these two.
Some of the lines are memorable, and I’m paraphrasing a few.
“Why did I move to Wight? It’s what humanity does when we age. We crawl south to die.”
“It’s as the most powerful nation on the planet is now the most worried.”
Inventive camera work in filming a socially distant play.

The Post - 2017 - 6/10

Beleaguered Washington Post receives leftovers of classified Pentagon Papers after the powerful New York Times is stifled.
Will the Post publish? Will they risk indictments? Will the presses stop?
Scoring this old-fashioned yarn generously.
One gets the feeling Spielberg tried to create his version of All The President’s Men.
That film was of its time and relevant. This feels dated, the story and the telling.
This history lesson is over earnest, sentimental and corny.
Hanks is given a long leash and he overacts his blustery heart out.
Steep is fine, though her character seems mousy and mannered.
Newspapers once meant something.
Watch Five Star Final (1933) instead, or Deadline USA (1952).

Hate to say this, but you might exclude too many.
I have exchanged PMs across numerous forums, discussing the demise of reviews and / or constructive criticism.
Boiled down, writing either seems like homework, or ability has gone dormant, or fear of exposure.
When I first got active on forum boards in 2006 there were easily 10-12 movie reviewers per site.
I patterned my style after two or three individuals.
Ten years on, most surviving forums (boards are a dying breed) were down to had one or two reviewers.
For some, a review is “Awesome!! 10/10” or “Mikey Hits It Outta The Park!!” or “Sucks! -10/10”
Colorful, but lacks details.
For myself, I’d like a general idea before I DL, then give a film / edit an evening I won’t get back.
You should not limit your edits to feedback types. It ain’t gonna happen.
One of the editors (Don Kamino ? maybe) was pretty upfront with “If you see my film, I want a review.”
That attitude irritated me, so I never watched his edit. Truth to tell, it was another Star Wars thing and I was sick to death of watching one tweaked version after another. Editors, be bold!
Sorry for the wall of text. I usually try to keep a low profile on OT.

It appears Babylon 5 may see a reboot.

https://d126flc6chkhco.cloudfront.net/item/Babylon-5-is-being-rebooted-at-The-CW-from-original-series-creator-J-Michael-Straczynski-vaSDAn

“A “from-the-ground-up reboot” of the 1990s Emmy-winning space opera is in development at The CW. “Written by Straczynski, the reboot revolves around John Sheridan (played by Bruce Boxleitner in the original series), an Earthforce officer with a mysterious background, who is assigned to Babylon 5, a five-mile-long space station in neutral space, a port of call for travelers, smugglers, corporate explorers and alien diplomats at a time of uneasy peace and the constant threat of war,” according to Deadline. “His arrival triggers a destiny beyond anything he could have imagined, as an exploratory Earth company accidentally triggers a conflict with a civilization a million years ahead of us, putting Sheridan and the rest of the B5 crew in the line of fire as the last, best hope for the survival of the human race.” Babylon 5 premiered in 1994 after the pilot movie aired a year earlier in 1993, ending in 1998 after five seasons. Straczynski won over a dozen awards for his work on the series, including two Hugo Awards, the Saturn Award, the Space Frontier Foundation Award, and the Ray Bradbury Award. Babylon 5 spawned the spinoff Crusade and several movies…”

Three Wise Girls - 1932 - 6/10

Single girls in New York. One struggling, one cruising, one conflicted.
Jean Harlow in an early role is the conflicted girl.
Attracted to a man, a married man, whose wife “won’t give me a divorce.”
An oft used excuse.
For all the romance and swinging, this is stuffy, though Harlow fans will relish.
Me? I watched because I wanted to see the “struggling” girl, Marie Prevost.
A faded Silent vixen, Prevost gives her character humor and humanity.
Prevost would be gone in four years, Harlow in five.

The Touchables - 1968 - 5/10

Four females kidnap Michael Caine from Madame Tussaud’s.
OK, Mr Caine’s wax effigy.
Next step, they kidnap a cute pop star (think Davy Jones) and take him to their woodland bubble.
Once inside, they take turns romping on either the cushy round bed or plush stack of cushions.
Free love in Swinging London.
Side plot follows wrestlers, one of whom is infatuated with the pop singer, and gangsters.
“Plot” is an overstatement. This is a series of situations and vignettes. Perks along, though.
Not a particularly good film, nor fun-bad, just an odd relic from the 60’s.
Song “All Of Us” by Nirvana.

Adele: Live At Royal Albert Hall - 2011 - 7/10

Before she shredded her vocal cords, before the baby, before the seemingly endless hiatus …
Adele rode the tiger of fame.
Emotional live concert, in front of an adoring, hometown crowd, Adele in possibly a milestone moment.
Going against popular fashion, she keeps her cloths on, has no spectacular sets, and doesn’t bother with choreographed dance.
For golden ears who lament the death of pure singing, there is no auto-tune, no lip-syncing, and a full third of the show are just Adele and her pianist.
Just music, and that voice. At this point, she was fearless, reaching for high notes, pushing the pedal for power.

The Big Combo - 1955 - 6/10

Daring, perverse Noir finds obsessed detective pursuing boss of major syndicate.
Cornell Wilde OK as cop, Richard Conte excellent as cool, controlled organization leader, always two steps ahead of authorities or slippery enough to glide out of snares.
Swanky jazz score along with fine ensemble acting drive this one.
Famous with Noir buffs for the dramatic lighting, every shot is a master study in black n white contrast.

The Production Code was pushed to the limits with this one.
Forgetting the strippers momentarily, the more I watched Conte’s two gun men (Lee Van Cleef and Earl Holliman), I noted they shared a room, one was bare chested, and they kept touching each other.
Also, Conte’s trophy girl tries to escape, complains how she hates him, but cannot break away.
In a key scene, boss Conte, standing behind her, drops quietly down, and her facial reaction is one of anticipated pleasure.
Conte’s hold on her seems a cunning one.

And Then There Were None - 2017 - 6/10
AKA - Soshite Daremo Inakunatta

Attractive looking adaptation of Christie’s tale of eight invitees and two servants stranded on an island.
Once inside, all are accused of homicide, which each denies most heartily.
This is set in the 2000’s as there are cellphones and delivery drones – which are addressed.
There is also a full police investigation, complete with oddball inspector in the Poirot mold.
More than other versions, this is quite talky. Accusations, confessions, explanations, etc …
It is also repetitive. Scenes are shown, later replayed by police, then later.
Not necessarily boring, this does feel padded.

I Love A Mystery - 1945 - 6/10

Decent Columbia B-flick, based on popular radio show.
Wealthy husband has been told - no, prophesied to - he would die after a year.
Well, times up, big boy!
His wife becomes an invalid, a weird melody haunts him, a mysterious dame hooks up with him at the Russian Samovar club, he is pursued by a pegleg, death attempts, the secret society of Barokan!
This is the opening ten minutes!
I recognized many character actors, but the only real face was George Macready.
Hold on, keep up, and brace for twists.

Possessor - 2020 - 6/10

Near future SciFi of espionage, mind control, assassination.
After the hack crew implants a teammate’s consciousness into the victim’s brain, the body is now a killing machine.
Apparently there is a “bleed-thru”. Suspected by the crew, but not addressed.
That was one of the problems I had.
Hallucinatory visuals look old school (not CGI) and are enjoyable.
Ruttings and gory violence throughout.
Midway, I felt the story beginning to loop.
I kept waiting for a fresh element. Particularly, defense.
Firewall, poison pill, malware detection, counter implant. No, nothing like that.
Nicely done, but seek out Predestination (2014) afterward.

Blonde Crazy - 1931 - 6/10

Jimmy Cagney hooks up with Joan Blondell, and they move from the small burg to a great midwest city to New York.
Plying the old badger game on rich fools, easily distracted by rolled stockings and perfume.
Cagney plays his usual brash, lecherous male, leering at a bevy of bottled blondes.
Cynical tone undercuts the comedy, and the romance angles are guarded on all sides.
At its heart, a grim journey as stakes and consequences mount with each outing.

Night Train To Munich - 1940 - 6/10

Brisk paced, cozy, espionage spy thriller.
Czech inventor of new armor plating for steel flees to England once Nazis invade Czechoslovakia.
By clever means, the Nazis hijack him back and Rex Harrison volunteers to return the favor.
Same writers for Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes, the same setting - a train, leading lady Margaret Lockwood, as well as old boy toffs, Caldicott and Charters.

Breezy, cat ‘n mouse chase, with Nazis portrayed as easily duped, lightweight villains.
As World War II progressed, their roles would darken considerably.

Call My Agent: S02 - 2017 - 5/10
AKA - Dix Pour Cent: S02

Second season of theatrical agents suffers from “more-itis.”
A new colleague, who is a caricature of the meddling owner.
More comedy, the farcical sort. More sexual encounters.
More recognizable cameos for potential US viewers (Christoph Lambert, Fabrice Luchini, Isabelle Adjani, Juliette Binoche).
Unfortunately, all this more adds up to less.
The writers and producers lost the thread with this second season, as characters behave stupidly to self destruction.
A pity, as the first season boasted a lot of charm and was a novel concept, smartly carried off.

OK, if you simply must view this season, episode 05 is the best installment.
Guy Marchand suffers a mini stroke early in shooting and the production is in jeopardy.
With a mere trifle of a part, perhaps ten minutes screen time, Marchard infuses his role with confusion, bonhomie, loneliness, regret, hope.
It is spellbinding to watch an extraordinary actor fashion gold from expressions.
The rest of S02 is a letdown, but S02E05 is a gift for those who adore French cinema.

Afterword. Long after I had lost interest, this show became trendy with US binge watchers.

Predestination - 2014 - 8/10

High concept, Kafkaesque, puzzle plot, brilliantly executed.
Ethan Hawke plays time traveling, Temporal Agent.
His duties are to stop mass murders, terrorist bombings.
For health reasons, agents can only jump in time so often.
Hawke is near retirement and draws out a potential candidate.
Only the candidate has a history of kinks and twists, and therein hangs the tale.
Based on a story by Robert Heinlein.
The script is flawless, the direction taut and lean. Not a single scene is wasted.
Try to watch without reading too much about this one.
Most reviews will be unable to resist spoilers.

Call My Agent: S01 - 2015 - 7/10
AKA - Dix Pour Cent

Brief mini-series about stressed film agents and demanding clients.
Ones liking may depend on tolerance for actors and affinity for French fare.
Story revolves around four agents trying to keep company afloat.
A gallery of French stars fill the guest roles…
Funny, exasperating, infuriating.
Viewers who expect tidy resolutions and explanations, beware.