Vultural

Killing Eve: S01 - 2018 - 6/10

Had no interest in this series, but someone else started and, slag that I am, I found myself watching.
And enjoying … at first.
Eve is a quirky investigator soon toiling for a clandestine offshoot of MI5.
The group is seeking Villanelle, a smiling assassin working for mysterious higher-ups.
Initial episodes combine humor with lethal discipline.
Villanelle is nothing if not resourceful, with an impish, giggling streak.
Later episodes foolishly start to dissipate the mystery of the assassin.
Akin to the fourth date when you realize your hot date picks their teeth, bites their nails, and has oral hygiene issues.
Too late, producers grasp they have a hit show. The writing room slows the pace dramatically and the narrative grows very talky.
First four episodes = 7/10. Last four episodes = 5/10.

Crime Is Our Business - 2008 - 6/10
AKA - Le Crime est Notre Affaire

Prudence is bored, so bored with retirement!
Relocating to the countryside only magnified her ennui.
Then, her aunt, traveling via train, sees a murder in a passing train.
Train inspectors, local gendarmes, give a cursory search. No body.
Prudence works out where this may have occurred, near the castle of wolves.
There, cluster feuding relatives, inheritances, and more deaths.
Breezy French mystery is parts Miss Marple (plot) and parts Tommy & Tuppence (our couple).

Snow White And The Huntsman - 2012 - 5/10

Grabbed this from shelf with low expectations.
First thirty minutes were surprisingly enjoyable and raised my hopes.
Dark version has roots in 1997‘s Tale Of Terror rather than the Disney songfest.
Theron gives layered performance as malevolent Ravenna.
Incredible costumes well thought set design. Film undercut, however, by the director unable to cut the unnecessary and the distracting.
Useless comic relief, and a faerie sequence that is fey, dopey, and aimed at four year olds.

Aspiring editors: This was one of the few films I’ve watched and grasped how it could be improved, and what scenes needed jettisoning.
Those pesky dwarves, the faeries. Snowy herself, what a dunce.
Good thing I don’t edit. Ravenna would win.

On Chesil Beach - 2017 - 6/10

Methodically structured love tale of star crossed lovers.
Crescendo followed by diminuendo.
The initial meeting. Eyes lock, the attraction is instant. The gradual absorption of the other.
The narrative pivots from this youthful connection to the fateful moment of intimacy.
They are awkward, taboos in 1962 are overpowering.
In flashbacks, one views gulfs in backgrounds, wealth, class.
Despite those, you root for the couple to navigate their misgivings and phobias.
Together, they share the real spark of an enduring love.
One can empathize, all of us have connected deeply with an other - and failed dismally with others.

Hitler’s Circle Of Evil - 2018 - 8/10

Very good, incisive documentary on Hitler’s coterie, his inner circle.
Augmented with talking heads (historians and writers), photos and newsreels, and modern players re-enacting sequences (no dialogue).
Aside from the usual names (Goebbels, Göring, Himmler), this also devotes time to Bormann, Speer and the barely remembered Dietrich Eckart. Hess is given his own episode, as is Reinhard Heydrich (who, in trending movies and docs, seems to be rising in the villain echelon to rock star level).
Focus is on the compartmentalization of power, back-stabbing, and shifting alliances.
The actors used to reenact scenes were well cast - but - producers changed the players midway.
Yes, it was to show older versions, but it was jarring and irritating.
Otherwise, this is outstanding, though perhaps not the best intro for those curious about WWII.

Survey Map Of A Paradise Lost - 1988 - 6/10
AKA - Hard Focus // Nusumi-giki // フォーカス　盗聴＜ぬすみぎき

Journalist, investigating phone sex clubs, contacts a 17-year-old part-timer who works at the Banana Club.
She is busy, however, with an older man (29), who is deeply into bondage and sadism.
Rough, seedy pinku eiga, is definitely not for newcomers nor the squeamish.
Behind all the ruttings and configurations, there are mysteries.
The attraction between a telephone employee (wiretapping) and an underage girl.
There is an ugly death. Also rumors of videotapes.
Our journalist, still investigating, plays an everyman onlooker, forced to watch the sordid.

Skirt Day - 2008 - 5/10
AKA - La Journée de la Jupe

Manipulative French drama of overwrought teacher in schoolroom Hell.
Students mouth off, bully, grope, text, heckle, anything but learn.
No expulsions, probations, or accountability.
During a scuffle a gun falls from a bag, which the teacher seizes to force feeds her class “lessons.”
Despite outside reporters and SWAT team, the film feels stagey. Like a one set play with monologues.
Male students loom large and menacing, and there seems to be an anti-Islamic undercurrent.

AM1200 - 2008 - 5/10

A corporation riddled with corruption, hemmed in by investigators.
Good time for one of the traders to make off with several high value securities.
He hits the road, and drives and drives. Destination unknown.
Until he reaches a crossroad. Right or left?
He decides, and the roadway soon degrades to a one lane dirt track.
Does he turn around? Long after I quit yelling, “Turn around, fool!” he spies the radio tower for AM 1200 KBAL.
Then I’m going, “KBAL! Dude, that’s cabal, get outta there!”
The first part of this short is great. Intriguing narrative, exceptional cinematography and editing.
Once at station KBAL, everything fizzles, as if the writer / director ran out of ideas.

Delicious: S01 - 2016 - 6/10

I think … I was expecting more food.
Four part series of philandering chef, female dalliances, cash flow difficulties.
Indeed, most of the cooking in this seems related to accounts payable.
The chef has been playing hide the sausage, yet he has caught himself in several snares.
Ploys to evade, avoid, explain, edge him deeper into quicksand.
There could be a way out. Well, it’s never wise to let the little head run the game.
Seems aimed at women wise to dodgy male behavior.
Season 02 – same ole, same ole.

Class Of ‘92 - 2013 - 6/10

You probably had to be there.
Documentary of the young players who graduated from the junior team, then propelled Manchester United into the football juggernaut of the 90’s.
90% interviews (back slapping, feel-good sort), with stray news footage of Cool Britannia.
Soundtrack features well known Manchester groups - Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, Oasis.
Culminates in the ‘99 European Cup.
Many of my British friends will rate this much higher.

Fatma - 2021 - 7/10

Fatma has become a nuisance, repeatedly asking his friends and associates, where is my husband?
“You’re so curious, go ask the local loan shark.”
She goes, the crook turns violent. And Fatma kills him.
Police arrive, and Fatma walks away unnoticed. Invisible. After all, she’s only the cleaning lady.

Brilliant six episode series of the forgotten soul, the menial worker, who, when pushed, is lethal.
Beauty dish Burcu Biricik is terrific in this, underplaying her role, acting with her hands and those eyes.
Her eyes dart and shift nervously, taking in situations at a glance, before acting.

The plotting is concise, with coarse villains and haunting backstories.
Delicious, hard edged series with a number of surprising deaths.

The Game - 1997 - 5/10

Younger, less successful brother (Sean Penn) decides to give alpha-bro (Michael Douglas) a birthday to remember.
A dizzying labyrinth of murder, conspiracy, pursuit, treachery.
Was unimpressed by this when it originally screened.
Rewatched this critical darling and I still don’t buy the premise, no matter how polished looking, how breathless the pace.
Douglas’ character, as shown early on, would never have gotten into the situation in the first place.
One example: Would he have spent several hours in the application process? No way in hell.
The running without analyzing?
And “the game” itself?
The sheer organized structure of it defies logic. Preposterous.
Though had Douglas’ character been different, less pinpoint organized, the premise might have seemed more plausible.

Murder Is Easy - 1982 - 6/10

Middling Agatha Christie mystery of serial killer among the gentry.
American computer expert (probability expert) meets elderly woman on train.
She confides there have been several killings in her hamlet, another is imminent, then before she can reach Scotland Yard, she is killed! What are the odds?
Naturally, the Yank decides to play detective.
Stodgy, old-fashioned, resembling Murder, She Wrote, right down to the yellow credits.
The older players are better in this (the romantic leads have NO chemistry), and this provides a nice glimpse at Olivia de Havilland in one of her final roles.
Plot later re-fashioned into a Miss Marple story, but it is not canon proper.

Cantwell, Adam - Urx Quonox

I was unsure what this was about, but bought it on faith (after ascertaining it was not poetry).
Three florid, if harsh, tales of Grasm. Warrior, mercenary, barbarian, freelance blade.
Somewhat in the sword and sorcery genre, though there is little of the latter.
What there is, is frank carnality.
This ain’t Howard, this ain’t Leiber, and it ain’t p.c.
The first tale, “The Monarch In Disarray,” is the longest, and arguably the best.
A well strategized assassination hit. Deep in the bowels of the fortress, where an orgy is ongoing, has been ongoing for days, perhaps weeks.
The scene reeks of sweat, musk and semen, soured perfume and spilled wine.
Once the hour falls, the flash of steel, followed hotly by blood madness.
“Cities Below The Strand” pales in comparison. Too short, barely more than a sketch. To be blunt, it lacks substance.
Better by far, “Scream Of The Blue Jay,” finds Grasm in a prison cell or hospital ward, weak and utterly fatigued.
For better or worse (for Grasm), his hearing works fine, and he endures a nonstop babble from the other man in his chamber.
The man vents a stream, lamenting position lost, seething jealousy, retribution.
One wonders how much is madness, how much is delusion, how much is rage.
All of these are wrought in Cantwell’s rolling style. Two are standout efforts.
Blood and sinew, best suited to palates of tainted tastes.

The Devil’s Rock - 2011 - 6/10

World War II, just before D-Day, two New Zealand commandos kayak to Forau, in the Channel Islands, to sabotage Nazi gun emplacements.
They hear female wailing and whimpering, and drop the mission to investigate.
After tiptoeing through endless corridors, they encounter blood splattered walls, gory entrails, slain German soldiers.
Naturally, they proceed. After all, a damsel needs rescuing.
Pocket thriller that, despite low budget, looks fine. Decent acting, as well.
Film is of two halves, however.
First part, clues lead to mystery, anxiety approaches dread.
Second part is stagey. Seriously, it feels like an off-Broadway or outer London play. Too much dialogue.
Brainy rather than gut piercing. Still, a nice little flick, especially for indie buffs.

Toter Mann - 2001 - 6/10
AKA - Something To Remind Me

Attorney aids an attractive female at the pools edge.
Later, he observes her at the posh cafe with another female.
Then he happens to see her walking in the park, and he follows.
Coincidence? Crossing paths with another, several times?
For an older man, and a lawyer, his guard to serendipity seems low.
Slow burn thriller, focus gradually turns to Nina Foss, who apparently works off a checklist.
Movie quite good at displaying clues and foreshadowing, often without explanation.
Thereby forcing viewers to work out motivations and outcomes themselves.
Until things turn nasty.

Sweetheart - 1992 - 6/10
AKA - Toutes Peines Confondues (All penalties combined)

A pair of cheap punks terrorize and murder two elderly people.
In a dark twist of fate, the son of the victims is a self-described hoodlum.
That is merely the tip, however, as the location shifts, and Interpol sends a French inspector to investigate the well dressed criminals.
What follows are sexual entrees, surveillance, bribery, blackmail, and mind games.
Low key thriller, saturated with quiet details. Often, this becomes a cerebral cat and mouse drama.

The Bukowski Tapes - 1987 - 7/10

Accurate rating if If you are a hardcore Bukowski fan.
If you are going Buko – who? - however, then drop score to a 5.
Long series of interviews by director Barbet Schroder done around the time he filmed Barfly, ostensibly of and about the skid row poet of Los Angeles.
Bukowski rambles at length on varying topics: inferior peers, smog, alcohol versus marijuana, the horses, crazy women, his gradual fame, the meaningless of life, ugly people, shallow people, futility. At times insightful, other times nonsense, drunkard warbling.
Favorite bit was watching him drive about the old neighborhood in an open convertible, pointing out landmarks, telling stories.
Most infamous bit was him getting physically violent with girlfriend (later wife), Linda, and cameras turning off.

One of my regrets was never having trekked to Bukowski’s East Los Angeles home while I lived in LA during the late 70’s.
I certainly went to other writers, and I prowled east Hollywood Boulevard a couple times a month.
Too busy chasing leg and getting high. Stupid stoner.

It Happened On July 20th - 1955 - 6/10
AKA - Jackboot Mutiny // Es Geschah am 20 Juli

“That’s alright. I’ll hold onto my briefcase.”
Dispassionate, restrained retelling of the failed Hitler assassination by Count von Stauffenberg.
Planning, background of Stauffenberg, war status, all dispensed with.
The attempt is made, followed by the aftermath.

During which time, hours slip by. The plotters wait indecisively, bicker amongst themselves, stall.
The opportunity dwindles like sand through the hourglass.
Late film by G.W. Pabst. History buffs may appreciate more, as movie types might desire stronger emotions.

Suffragettes - 2018 - 7/10

Historian Lucy Worsley follows the path from suffragist to suffragette to modern “equality.”
A fifty year trail of escalating confrontation, imprisonment, torture, terrorism.
The media of the day, newspapers, is utilized by both camps, government sycophants and rowdy womenfolk.

Peaceful protest, campaigning, petition and public sympathy go for naught.
And yet, when blood is the argument, politicians notice. Ever was it so.
Worsley’s mannerisms and make-up are toned down in this.
Actors voice diary entries and speeches in the increasingly deadly struggle.
Modern protesters could learn a thing or two from an earlier version of the gentle sex.

On The Wave - 2013 - 7/10
AKA - На Bолне

One of the better, and more unusual, documentaries on surfing.
Typically with surf docs, the photography is spectacular.
The focus here is not on the masters of the extreme, the professional big wave riders.
These are ordinary people. Balinese, French, Spanish, German, and Russians, a lot of Russians.
All discuss the attraction of the sport, the mysticism they feel when navigating the ocean on a small board.
A few venture into hyperbole, but most have a sense of joy and communion with Nature.
Bookended with footage of professional Kelly Slater, probably for the 2018 USA release of this doc.

Unfinished Song - 2012 - 5/10

Sappy, feel-good, old people movie.
Buncha old coots and fossils meets Glee.
Sound awful, Bob?
Terence Stamp plays angry curmudgeon married to Vanessa Redgrave.
Will his character thaw? Warm, or even sing?
Songs were either frivolous, or cynically chosen to yank heartstrings.
One of the films that begs the question, “Are we dead yet?”

The Bookshop - 2017 - 6/10

Any movie with bookshop in the title could go two ways. Feelgood or 451°.
A widower buys a long empty house in small village in order to establish a bookstore.
Circa 1959, a time when society still read, either for enjoyment or self improvement.
Problem is, she is ignorant of the village dynamics, that someone else had coveted the house for years, though never acted on their ambitions.
For readers, the interior of the bookshop, often any bookshop, is a magical world of possibilities.
The shop interior, as well as one character’s delight in new books, new authors, are high points in this film.
The narrative is lethargic, however, and a sense of inevitably pervades.
True to life, smiling village folk mask indifference and resentment toward outsiders.
Also, the two prime “villains” are little more than cartoon facades.
Limited enjoyment. Those expecting You’ve Got Mail (a film I loathed), might do well to bypass.

Shinobi no Mono 4: Siege - 1964 - 6/10
AKA - Shinobi no Mono Kirigakure Saizō // 忍びの者　霧隠才蔵

The narrative picks up 14 years after the last storyline.
New characters are introduced with actors from the previous trilogy (Raizô Ichikawa, Tomisaburô Wakayama).
(This has confused some viewers. This is perhaps not a series to binge through.)
Anyway, the Shogun has conquered all of Japan save for one holdout fortress.
Ninjas slither for both sides. For coin, for honor. Assassinations and intelligence gathering.
A romance is squeezed in with a fallen noblewoman, and all stops are pulled out for an explosive finish.

Open Grave - 2013 - 6/10

Excellent thriller, with one of those “must-not-disclose” plots.
I will just jot the opening five minutes.
Man wakes up deep down in a pit.
Climbs out, goes to a house filled with five others.
No one knows why they are there. Or who they are. Or what they are supposed to do.
From there, film sets off into several rabbit holes.
Viewer only gets clues as the characters discover them.
Definitely worth a look.