Vultural

A Good Woman Is Hard To Find - 2019 - 5/10

A grieving young mother and her traumatized children struggle on the council estate.
Out of nowhere, a petty drug dealer forces himself into their flat, and soon starts feeling comfortable.
Slow burn story, as she grows increasingly fed up with the way others treat her.
The narrative is predictable, if totally implausible, with way too many “suspend disbelief” scenes.

Rouge
Personal favorite of Kieslowski’s “Trois Couleurs” trilogy.

Did anyone suggest “Lady Vengeance”? Still, it pales after “Oldboy.”

I would mention “Jingi Naki Tatakai” (Battles Without Honor And Humanity) except they are six films, not three.

Edit - Just remembered Linklater’s “Before Midnight.”

One Cut Of The Dead - 2017 - 7/10
AKA - Kamera Wo Tomeruna! // カメラを止めるな

$3873.54
A crew filming a low budget zombie yarn select an accursed location.
Before they know it, real zombies arise and most of the crew is swiftly consumed / converted.
Inept directing, atrocious acting, with camera work apparently by a distracted kitten.
I’m watching, thinking, “This is crap. I wonder how much they spent on this one day shoot?”
Adding digital cameras, boom mic, drone, gallons of blood, props, food, I arrived at the above amount.
Then, thirty odd minutes in, the story concludes and credits roll.

What? Hey! Where’s the rest of it? I’ve been cheated!
Be like me. Hang with those credits. Because afterward, “one month ago …”
And then the movie rolls. This thing is suddenly funny as hell.
Anyone who ever made their own film, longed to act or direct, this is essential!

Dekalog - 1989 - 8/10
AKA - The Decalogue

Ten part morality series based on the Ten Commandments.
Each episode reworks a specific “thou shalt” commandment, though sometimes the reference is vague.
While stories are stand-alone, characters often reappear. Most live in the same large apartment.
Extraordinarily well done and thoughtful.
Although not a downer series, it is “Serious” filmmaking.
And yes, this is a Polish TV series, but is firmly rooted in cinema.
While I admired this and appreciated it, I did not enjoy a single episode.
For obscure music buffs, a rare chance to hear Van den Budenmayer.

The Toy Box - 1971 - 5/10

Ralph and Donna are heading to one of “uncle’s” perverted parties.
Uncle, an infirm voyeur, likes to watch guests misbehave. Without clothes.

The above scene is early, before everyone disrobes and the moaning commences.
There are sequences in sunlit woodlands, cramped cars, an amorous bed, back staircase.
Virtually all dialogue is looped, once or twice the audio vanishes.
You could always switch off the sound and spin your Esquivel records.
There is the breath of a plot, and a weird twist at the end, if you can endure past the rampant nudity and rompings.
The cast is a smorgasbord of softcore luminaries from the 70’s, which is why one views this gobbler.
Uschi Digard, Neola Graef, Ann Perry, Marie Arnold, plenty more.

After Hitler - 2016 - 7/10
AKA - An Dèidh Hitler

Two part documentary of Europe in the five years after the end of World War II.
The mass starvation, dislocation of millions, the survival of widows and orphans.
After the Soviet Union took control of eastern Europe, they took steps to engulf Greece, Germany, and any other country who would listen.
The West eventually countered, but almost too late.
Pretty much an unknown chapter for most.
Overall enlightening despite a lot of territory covered.
Note: I am increasingly unsurprised by how casually clueless many are of history.

The Booksellers - 2019 - 6/10

Mixed bag for me, ultimately a disappointment.
Documentary of New York book dealers tends to focus on the rarefied strata.

Sellers of books that go for five, six, seven figures.
That excludes the majority of souls who actually buy books, as well as the group that build private collections.
The lack of onscreen documentation is astonishing. Interviewed subjects are given first names only (last names appear in the credits). Others show no names.
The narrative is jumpy and haphazard, and the editing is noticeable fade to blacks.

A few dealers peddle more commonplace titles, though they oversee huge warehouses.
There are lamentations of the demise of the heyday of used bookshops.
Barely a mention of Mr Bezos, nothing of his company, nor of eBay.

The Falcon Takes Over - 1942 - 6/10

Escaped convict arrives in nightclub where he worked, pre-confinement.
“Where’s Velma?” followed by neck breaking. Only the beginning of neck snapping, it turns out.
The Falcon (George Sanders) gets involved - - for no real reason.
RKO entry came two years too early for Noir, but the components are there.

Ward Bond, the menacing murderer, is shot from low angles, in deep shadow.
Unresolved conspiracies, point to a mastermind at the top.
Story based on Chandler’s “Farewell, My Lovely,” awkwardly mixes light comedy with vengeance.
Entertaining, though Falcon fans and Noir buffs might be confused by this cocktail.

Whose Streets? - 2017 - 6/10

Documentary on the Ferguson riots in 2014.
The trigger was the killing of a black high school boy by a police officer.
The boy was unarmed, and the officer, who felt threatened, subdued him with 6 bullet holes.
When the community gathered to protest, the city responded with overwhelming force.
This is not an unbiased documentary. Reference Michael Moore.
The point of view on this is strictly with the community.
Law enforcement, city officials either were not interviewed or declined.
Focus weakens during unnecessary coverage of a wedding.
The rest of the time, this carries some eye-opening information.

Mort d’un Pourri - 1977 - 7/10
AKA - Death Of A Corrupt Man

A politician / bureaucrat / fixer is murdered.
Police inspectors realize his important diary has gone missing.
The book with dirt on legislators, tycoons, aristocrats.
Police, enforcers and envoys quickly swarm around the likely suspects.
Safest thing would be to turn the book in. The dangerous route is more lucrative.
Nasty French mystery thriller is a sour study of greedy, bribery, murder, and dishonesty.
Alain Delon excellent as friend in over his head. Klaus Kinski memorable as jaded middleman.

Spotlight On The Troubles: A Secret History - 2019 - 8/10

Seven part documentary on the decades long sectarian violence in northern Ireland.
Participants comment on bombings and assassinations, matter of fact, ofttimes proud.
Families left bereaved or shattered recall with far more emotion.
Hearing just how high up the chain of command responsibility lies, can be breathtaking.
Essential viewing, especially as our globe continues to swirl into darker uncertainty.

Coda: Need a bit more? Check out Peter Taylor: My Journey Through the Troubles (2019).
Different locations profiled, as well as personal, perhaps softer, takes on key players.

Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate - 2011 - 5/10
AKA - 龙门飞甲

Remake of Tsui Hark’s 1992 classic, Dragon Gate Inn (which itself was a remake).
Powerful eunuchs are obstructed by the rebels.
Swords and arrows converge at Dragon Gate Inn, as do Mongols and a monster sandstorm.
CGI effects are like salt, best used sparingly.
In this modern update, the effects are over the top, distracting, poorly rendered.
What is used sparingly, is Jet Li. Scant kung fu, much wire work.
Seek out the '92 version with Tony Leung, Brigitte Lin & Maggie Cheung (both radiant), and an ass kicking Donnie Yen.

Roads - 2019 - 6/10

On the road, on the run. Ain’t always what it’s cracked up to be.
Two older boys, Gyllen and William, both 17, travel in an RV.
Gyllen has stolen the vehicle from his stepfather, William has escaped from prison.
Both know how to operate this large machine – somewhat.
Gyllen wants to reconnect with his real father in France, William seeks his missing brother, also in France.
Like most “road trips” the journey takes longer than normal with odd detours.
Those, and the credit card for fuel and food is kept active far longer than reasonable.
Other angles are worked in awkwardly. A few points are made without being too preachy.

Down Three Dark Streets - 1954 - 6/10

Broderick Crawford as FBI agent who takes over three cases belonging to another agent.
This is the noble, patriotic FBI version and rather hard to watch without today’s’ lens of cynicism.
One case is of extortion, another a gunman on the loose, the third is a pigeon taking the fall.
Not really a Noir, but a crime procedural, with several Los Angeles locations.
(I was especially smitten with the bygone LA subway.)
Martha Hyer memorable as sassy, uncooperative moll.

Daughter Of Dracula - 1972 - 5/10
AKA - La Fille de Dracula

Miss Karlstein returns to the manor home and her mother’s deathbed.
There she learns of her grandfather, great grandfather still reposing in the basement crypt.
Count Dracula, oops, Count Karlstein!
Soon, female characters are pursued and slain by a masked, fedora wearing assassin.
(Think Blood And Black Lace.)
A detective hunts for the vampire (née killer), the modern count plays piano, and his aide philosophizes.
The aide is Jess Franco himself who shows rather good acting potential.
From what I’ve heard, this started out as a Giallo, but Franco decided that genre was kaput and hastily reshot vampiric sequences and rebranded the film.
No matter. The story remains a mess, the pace languid.

Exit Through The Gift Shop - 2010 - 7/10

Documentary on the underground graffiti scene with Banksy, Space Invader, Zevs.
By turns interesting and provocative when cameras trail artists in the bleak hours.
Gradually, the focus shifts to Theirry Guetta (AKA - Mr Brainwash) a hanger-on with zero artistic talent.
Not that having shit for inspiration ever stopped sock puppet heads.
In no time flat, Brainwash puts on his own exhibitions, deluding gallery owners, curators, and the wine n cheese crowd.
Black satire, acidly funny, mean spirited, and mocking pretensions of all sorts.
Directed by Banksy, with pitiless detail.

Everything - The Real Thing Story - 2020 - 6/10

Entertaining, informative documentary of a group I never heard of.
This is the other BIG Liverpool foursome, soul quartet The Real Thing, who had a string of hits from the mid-70’s on.
A lot of ground is covered. Liverpool neighborhoods, the British Pop industry, appearances, mistakes.
The songs are great and should have caught on in the States, though popularity is often Chance.
Fine doc job showing who the men were, why their tunes touched so many, and why they are still around.

Q - 2012 - 3/10 or 8/10 take your pick.
AKA - Desire

French soft core nonsense.
Film opened in the ladies’ showers with a parade of female nudity.
Enter Cecile, chief conflict instigator, and magnet for males hopping the three peg hokey pokey.
Desired by many, Cecile generally said oui.
Multiple pairings, bangings and bouncings. Accompanied by a lot of crying.
Tears and sobs, emotional basket cases all.
If you are telling friends you are a connoisseur of pretentious erotic twaddle, Q is a prime example.
Otherwise, stick with Lesbian Spank Inferno.

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark - 2019 - 6/10

Horror film unreels like an anthology series.
Halloween night, three young teens break into the locked haunted house.
Others follow, and their presence / activities awaken a dormant curse.
One by one, disappearances play out.
Aimed at younger viewers, who have not viewed 147 Horror flicks, there is much for experienced souls to enjoy.
Good music score, acting is good, period details are fine (though dialogue is too modern).
The house is atmospheric, as are the classic arenas where, one by one, protagonists get cornered.
Most of the kids look too old to be 15 year olds - and - the accepted cutoff for Trick r Treat is 12.

Save Me - 2019 - 6/10

Nelly’s daughter disappears, supposedly on a visit to see him.
At first considered another runaway, cameras quickly reveal she was kidnapped.
For the police, Nelly is suspect number one.
Thing is, he has neither seen nor heard from her in a decade.
After the divorce, he gave up parental rights and never bothered to be a presence.
Yet once she disappears, oh my goodness, he transforms into Father Of The Year!
In between kicking down doors, browbeating suspects and friends, he tries to holepole most of the females he comes into contact with. Including his ex, mad with worry and remarried.
His character, who is the whole show, and his “concern” borders on ludicrous.
Pity about the ending, which many truly hated.

Social Suicide - 2015 - 5/10

Loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet for the age of tweets and selfies.
Star crossed youths post on web blogs, defy parents, chase romantic love.
Fate, in the form of a beguiler, ever so carefully clears a path.
At best, may hold the interest of the indulgent.
At worst, predictable and contains alarming cameos.

Poison Ivy - 1953 - 6/10
AKA - La Môme Vert de Gris

Casablanca police hear a dying gang member ramble about $20 million in gold, US transport, and an imminent date.
Baffled, they alert the US consulate, who contacts the FBI, who ship off crack agent, Lemmy Caution.
First of the Lemmy Caution series starring craggy faced (mirror breaking) Eddie Constantine.
This bears all the trappings of Noir: shadows, endless cigarettes, smooth gangsters, seedy nightclubs, hard dames.
Only, this is too lite for Noir. Breezy almost playful, and the fisticuffs are ridiculous.
Moreover, Lemmy always seems three steps ahead of the muscle and the brains.
Enjoyable from start to finish, but pure marshmallow.
Compensations include nightclub dancer that US censors would never tolerate.

First Order, Last Jedi - A Star Wars Story (Star Wars sequels) - TriggeredPuppy

This will be a future go-to for many, I suspect, packing the arcs and climaxes into one headlong cut.
And yes, this beast rumbles and moves at a vicious pace.

Filesize = 4.1 GB. Video = 1920 X 800p AVC. Audio = 317 kbps, 2 Channels, AAC. No subs.

The quality of the elements, as expected with a Star Wars title, is first rate.
The editing is equally fine. Purists may miss the opening crawl, but TriggeredPuppy explained that in his OT thread, and Mr Herzog’s voice has a purring ease to it.
With so much trimmed on this 3fer, the narrative is fairly jumpy.
Lando Calrission, for example, is just suddenly in the action.
True, everyone knows these films by heart, but you do expect the narrative to be coherent.
Granted, most viewers will shrug at plot leaps, and buckle up for the ride.
And this version is a fantastic ride. Watch it while it is still available.

First Order, Last Jedi - A Star Wars Story

The Gill-man Silent Jaws Edition (The Creature) - Scribbling Man

Whoa! Edit of an edit!

Overview - As kids, my brother and I used to buy 8mm reels of movies. They never had sound, so we put on a movie soundtrack and hoped for the best.
Seeing this reminded me of that time, except Scribe’s selected score is superior.

Filesize - 582 MB !!
Video - 712 X 528p AVC. First off, this is a very sharp print. Thank you for not “damaging” this to make it appear old. The editing is excellent, sticking to the essentials of the story, never losing the thread, keeping the tempo cruising along.
Audio - 320 kbps AAC. 2 Channel stereo. No subs, but Inter-titles, yes! The Inter-titles stayed onscreen long enough to digest, and the font was large and quite readable. Good job! I hate to say this, I found the sound range too dynamic. Quiet to the point of “eh, what?” followed by blaring. I think this would have been well served with compression. Barring that, normalization.

Narrative - Distilled to a compact thirty-one minutes, what really impresses is how smooth, how coherent, the edit is. No plotholes, no logic flaws. Perfect episode for an anthology.

Enjoyment - I enjoyed this edit very much. The film itself, not so much. I always viewed the humans as interlopers. The creature is minding his own business, when these air breathers invade his territory, in all likelihood pee in his lagoon, shoot him, cage him, plan to display him like the Fiji mermaid. Jerks.

Thank you for the B movies you seek out, Scribe.

The Gill Man (The Creature) - Scribbling Man

Effective trim of an already shortish horror film. The editor’s aim was to carve out the slack bits, and thereby boost the pacing. Nicely done.

Video - 1280 X 720p. Audio - 224 Kbps 2-Channel, AAC. No subs. .

Narrative - Tell the truth, I did not notice any change in the narrative. And yes, quit a bit was excised. The story flows fine, I did not notice missing passages. This is a light edit and, because of the brevity, easy to digest. Boy meets girl - boy chases girl - conflict.

Enjoyment - Of all the “classic” Universal monsters, the Creature has always been one of my least favorites. Possibly because there is next to no history or backstory for the guy. He’s existed for thousands of years in his isolated bachelor pad? Is the Creature even a he? If the Creature is actually a “she” then the sequence where it kidnaps Kay has a whole new dimension! Otherwise, the Creature comes across as this lovesick sap. Where were the village maidens? Countless manfish mutant fishpop offspring?

Yeah, kicking a rock, sorry. Nevertheless, compared with the original feature, Scribbling Man’s edit is much preferred. Enjoy with your favorite fish sticks!