Vultural

The Best Hotel On Skid Row - 1990 - 6/10

“Life in here is an ode to the low-income blues.”
Rooms at the Madison are $8.20 a night. No hot plate. Coin-op TV sets.
Or you could crash in the all night movie house for $2.50.
Cheaper? Sleep in the alley.
Profiles of a few tenants. Where they came from, what they left behind, how they live now.
Some are resigned, a few clutch pipedreams. Such is life.
Narrated knowingly by Charles Bukowski.
Ideal double bill for this is It Was A Wonderful Life from 1992.

Poison Rose - 1966 - 5/10
AKA - Du mei gui // 毒玫瑰

The inspector listens on the other sided of the two-way mirror.
Oh, the sexy lounge club singer is bad, but she’s low fruit.
He wants the whole gang, and the kingpin behind them.
So he sends a third detective undercover, after the first two were killed.
Lightweight Shaw Brother film is part police, part espionage (with gadgets and 007 music cues).
The story percolates along, pausing for romance and musical numbers.
Better Shaw Bros are out there – and worse.

Highway - 2016 - 6/10

Hester, teenage runaway, accepts a ride from a family into Echo Valley.
A storm approaches, of which the occupants are blissfully unaware.
Unease mounts into terror in this effective short.
Moody journey of premonition and time displacement.
Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/highway-2016/english/2988564

Tuttle, Lisa - The Dead Hours Of Night

A truly capital selection of choice stories here.
“Objects In Dreams May Be Closer Than They Appear”, the opener, launches on a high note and things climb from here. A woman, her ex, and a house spied but not found twenty years earlier. Enter modern technology, satellite imaging. Those more wise understand that warnings to the curious cross cultures and centuries. A very Aickmanesque tale.
So how do you react to loathsome creatures on the sidewalk? No, not the vomit splashed drunk. The cockroach twitching on its back, the quivering, obviously sick rat. Do you ignore? Do you squash it underfoot? How about if your partner brings it home, as in “Replacements”? Are you empathetic?
Precious little to explain in “My Pathology”. To paraphrase an old co-worker of mine, “it’s just another typical tale about the Philosopher’s Stone and a teratoma.” Love and obsession, not in that order.
“The Dream Detective” spurred an annoyed reaction, I’m afraid. Friends arrange a blind date at their home, but the forced couple never hit it off. No chemistry. Or they suffer standards. Besides, the female, Grace, confesses to an ability to enter dreams. Intervene, interfere, or so she says. The narrative goes deeper still, becoming absorbing with each page – only to come to an abrupt stop! This was going full steam. Where’s the rest?
To fellow gardeners who have fought the persistent invader, “Vegetable Love” will flick your fury. Tuttle’s character deals with Japanese knotweed. For us in Dixie, the beast is Kudzu.
At one time or another, if we are lucky or unlucky, we receive “The Book That Finds You”. Here, the roots of Aickman are again evident, along with a glimpse of Tuttle’s personal history.
This is really an excellent, well-chosen collection, and since it is a Valencourt Book, reasonably priced.

Three Fveking Bears (Rambo, et al) - Vilgefortz

Filesize = 7.6 GB, Video = 1920 X 1080p AVC, Audio = 192 kbps AC-3, 2-Channel stereo. No subs.

“Why are you pushing me?”
Rambo’s initial story, totally reworked, via flashbacks and voiceovers.
The flashbacks work to propel the narrative pace of this irreverent actioner.
Contemplative lulls are fewer here. Prudish Americans ought to brace for steamy nudity, as well.
The voiceover work is funny as hell. Rambo sounds like he is sippin’ syrup throughout, just about to nod off into permanent dreamland.
Here and there, the image is battered, though not overly so.
Dialogue is fairly clear – I gripe about this frequently. I listened through headphones.
Too bad Neglify is no longer reviewing. This is one he should have enjoyed.

Miami Vice: 03 Redemption - RangerKris

Filesize = 5.14 GB, Video = 512 X 384p AVC, Audio = 317 kbps AAC, 2-Channel stereo. No subs.

Mix of two early episodes (“Evan” and “Definitely Miami”), both Crockett focused.
The editing is smooth throughout, gliding the stories back and forth.
Stylishly, the stories are very different, one mostly dark, the other bright.
“Evan”, from S01, has a more subdued color palette than “Definitely Miami”, which is more saturated, and probably how most remember this series.
Music terrific in this one, although the dialogue is muffled half the time.
Filesize strikes me as too large for the video and audio.
At 77 minutes, the length of time is spot on.
RangerKris changed into Ranger613 after this, then dropped out of the hobby.
Too bad, he was improving each time out.

Terminator Extended Edition - Rhythm Rice

Filesize = 1.2 GB, Video = 720 X 418p AVC, Audio = 128 kbps AAC, 2-Channel stereo. No subs.

Deleted scenes are reinserted, making for a longer experience.
Not necessarily better, however.
The excised scenes are of lower quality, visually and sometimes audibly.
Moreover, they do not, to my way of thinking, add much to the characters.
Sarah, in fact, seems a little more dippy.
Her exchanges with Reese reveal almost no chemistry between the leads.
Reese’s observations, though, are haunting.
The knowledge that all this will be gone, swept away within a generation is chilling.
Likewise, his acknowledgement that he is a man out of place in this time, that he does not belong, is a painful truth and should have been left in.
I enjoyed watching this, can appreciate the professional work done, but I doubt I will ever rewatch.

eXistenZ - 1999 - 7/10

Yes, yesterday’s future draws closer everyday.
In the near future, players are immersed in heady games via bio-port into their nerve cord.
Once the game is underway, you cannot differentiate actual from virtual.
Mistakes prove lethal.
Complicating matters are outside terror groups, rebels, who sabotage the games and corporations.
Thoughtful, provocative actioner, eerily prescient, more so every year it seems.
A chilly film, however, with limited chemistry between the leads.

Chocolat - 2000 - 6/10

Late 1950’s, small French village, into which arrives the widow woman and daughter.
Even though the village is little more than a hamlet, she sets up a chocolate shop.
Chocolate, being a luxury item, straight off I’m growing skeptical.
How can locals afford this? How does she source ingredients?
Not to worry, a dalliance between her an a Roma guitarist provides distraction.
During release, this was the big artsy hit with mainstream viewers (usually one film per year).
I didn’t “get it” then, and still don’t. Yes, yes, no soul.
Romantics and fable lovers, this should suit you better.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle - 1992 - 6/10

The home-wrecker. Usurper. The hot babysitter, the childless au pair.
After Peyton loses her infant, she opts to enter a new family.
Mind you, the family in question, rather the wife, she holds responsible for the death of her husband.
Once in the home, small moves, worming her way deeper as a steamy, alternative mate.
Charged erotic thriller is too classy for that genre with a strong cast of rising faces.
Rebecca De Mornay could work these roles in her sleep at this time.
Sinister date film.

Safe - 1995 - 6/10

Carol, poster child for the ideal suburban life.
Picture perfect home, high earning husband, and she retains physical attractiveness.
After she suffers an allergic reaction, hidden anxieties surface.
Fear turns into phobias, worsened by “advisors”.
Julianne Moore offers nuanced portrayal of the soul swirling into Mysophobia / Nosophobia.
In 1995, this scenario seemed implausible. With the Covid pandemic, rabbit holes multiply.

An Ideal Husband - 1999 - 6/10

One of the less stagey adaptations of Wilde’s plays.
Lord Goring, bit of an idler, attempts to aid a ministerial friend being blackmailed by one Mrs. Cheveley.
What follows is a dry comedy of manners and delicious dialogue.
The conversations sparkle throughout, yet the tone is standoffish.
None of the characters every really engage one’s sympathy.
(Aside from Mrs Cheveley whom I found enticingly wicked.)
I applaud the production values, as well as cast and direction.
Still, this may be better for fans of the play or playwright.

Suicide Circle - 2001 - 6/10
AKA - Jisatsu Sâkuru // 自殺サークル

Schoolgirls hurl themselves in front of an express train.
Nurses leap out windows. Adults mutilate themselves.
Across Japan, the casualty count explodes, along with the popularity of the J-group, Dessert.
Not much is explained, although sensitive viewers can detect major themes.
Quiet points about disassociation and isolation echo throughout.
Early Sion Sono made a splash and caught the attention of Asia cinema fans.
As with many of Sono’s earlier works, the acting here is less bombastic.

The Groove Tube - 1974 - 5/10

Hit and miss sketch comedy, with far more swishes than hits.
An opening spoof of 2001 is funny, but quality varies thereafter.
Many of the skits are of TV commercials, products now lost to history and almost meaningless.
Some of the players appear in brownface and in blackface.
2 stars if you can guess what a story on planet Uranus will focus on.
Early roles for Chevy Chase and Richard Belzer.

The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion - 2001 - 6/10

Old school insurance investigator trades barbs with new employee who is tasked to reorganize.
In most versions, no matter how stellar, the dinosaur is pushed out for modernity.
This is a comedy, though, and the acid & oil couple are hypnotized into believing they are married.
And then, exploiting their inside-knowledge, they are persuaded into crime.
Old-fashioned comedy has good cast and terrific repartee.
This evokes the 1930’s and 40’s, except the pace drags too much.
Film has its moments, and plenty of them, so this will be good for Allen curious.

Changing Times - 2004 - 6/10
AKA - Les Temps qui changent

Antoine, construction overseer, arrives in Tangier to get a major project back on track.
This is only an excuse, however, to track down an old flame.
The woman in question is in a long term, if stale, marriage
Meanwhile, her son is visiting with his unhappy girlfriend.
The son intends to spend time with his boyfriend.
French fare filled with emotional complications amidst beautiful Moroccan locations.
Deneuve and Depardieu effortless in drama of expectations and obsession.

Sad Hill Unearthed - 2017 - 6/10
AKA - Desenterrando Sad Hill

The allure of place touches us all. From photos to film.
Reason why countless pose on Abbey Road, or outside the flat from Love Actually.
In this curious documentary, enthusiasts unearth and restore the mass cemetery from the finale of The Good, The Bad And The Ugly.
Franco had originally sent troops to build sets and act as film extras.
The now-old men share stories, as do Ennio Morricone and Clint Eastwood.
Mostly, however, it is the local men who create a 50th anniversary group and arduously remove eight inches of top soil, exposing the site.
Before creating grave markers. 5000 of them.
The power of dreams … and obsession.
A must for fans of Leone’s original, one of the greatest films ever.
Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/sad-hill-unearthed/english/2983831

Barbarian - 2022 - 6/10

Tess arrives at her rental house in Detroit.
Turns out, the agency mistakenly rented the home to another.
Who offers to share, for the night.
After all, rain is pouring, the hour is late, Tess doesn’t know the city.

Smart move – don’t drink the tea he offers, check his ID.
Bad move – the basement door yawns open.
Look, anytime a basement door opens, that means you flee. Now!
Midway, the film slams into cliché corner, which is solved with an abrupt transition.
Just go with it. This is better than dragging the pace, which 90% of filmmakers would do.

Cheerful Weather For The Wedding - 2012 - 6/10

Unexpected guest arrives at the bride’s family house the day of her wedding.
Her old flame. Invited by the bride.
Love story of the girl who waited, and the boyfriend who waited possibly too long.
Story is laced with regret, longing, errors recognized, and unconfessed feelings.
Large family with identifiable types: those who adore nuptials, those who would rather drink.
Set in 1932 over what seems like less than a year.

The “lovers’” history is told in flashbacks and is shown in golden hour.
Plot never unrolls as expected. One is also left with a question or two.

Not necessarily a chick flick, but enjoyment may depend on one’s tolerance for:

1. It’s my prerogative to change my mind
2. I don’t make a decision until the last minute – sometimes after.
   I live with both types and have been trained to shift gears in an instant.

Fracassi, Philip - Don’t Let Them Get You Down

Even with therapy, Peter is taking a long time to recover. One soon wonders if he will ever truly get over the death of his wife two years earlier.
Anxiety attacks and disassociation from his previous normality are increasingly routine.
Peter is a trifecta of bad choices, bad decisions, bad luck. Meds, meant to help, cloud his judgment, impair his physical abilities.
Fracassi’s tale is unsettling, if not downright harrowing, likely to play havoc with grief stricken survivors, or those who have tumbled so deep into their pit that there is no view of the rim.
For all Peter’s missteps and calamities, and they seem to multiply, his character is not necessarily a one-note loser. Again and again, he does take chances. He attempts new directions.
His past, however, his previous life, holds him tight – then tightens.
Despair that overwhelms.
Fracassi’s style is brusque, clinical, almost journalistic. For readers, he does not bother with quotes, leaving them to figure who is talking, or if it is an internal dialogue, or a description.
For me, this is lazy writing. As more and more writers chase fewer and fewer readers, please ask yourself how many books you want to read lacking punctuation.
Yes, I know, artistic license. Or the continuing dumbing down of writing.

Ronin - 1998 - 7/10

The team assembles.
Heist caper, government black op, scorpion betrayal.
Freelance mercenaries are hired to retrieve a suitcase.
Hardly matters what is in the suitcase, only that many want it.
And will kill for it.
Well directed action thriller, powerhouse cast, blistering action sequences.
Sadly, for me, this was the last De Niro starring role I really liked.

Turkish Delight - 1973 - 6/10

Struggling young sculptor begins torrid affair with uninhibited girl.
Her family either disapproves or shrugs.
As ever, can a struggling artist provide?
Youthful hope, marriage, troubles.
Freewheeling story captures the early 70’s before it got all commercialized.
The story consists of numerous flashbacks, so pay attention and stay alert.
Early role for leading man Rutgar Hauer.
Bittersweet love story, extremely erotic and earthy.

Star Wars as Film Noir.
Black and white. Wipe the John Williams score, replace with bluesy jazz.
Diminish the action, focus on betrayals or Fate’s dark hand.
Christensen’s would make the better Noir character.

I Am Afraid - 1977 - 7/10
AKA - Io Ho Paura

The city is reeling from a string of judicial assassinations, and the murder of police.
Inspector Graziano is assigned to bodyguard an old school, honorable judge.
Both are cautious, but keen eyed. Especially after a local murder points to smuggling, then leads to worse.
Italian thriller starts as something akin to a “buddy film” before heading into darker Poliziotteschi territory.
In so many of these stories, everything and everyone is contaminated.
The pervasiveness of dread, of paranoia, builds throughout for Graziano.

OVNI(s) - 2021 - 6/10

An optimist gazes at the stars and thinks, “We are not alone. If aliens arrive, they will surely help us.”
The skeptic thinks, “Encounters between advanced civilizations and primitive ones always spell disaster for the less developed.”
The cynic thinks, “Why come to a backwater planet, where every single creature murders the other?”
Rocket scientist Mathure’s vessel explodes soon after liftoff and he is shunted down to GEPAN.
A tiny government agency investigating UFO reports.
Mathure, who desperately wants back into rockets, is caught between two powerful factions.
One wants him to close the pointless agency, one wants him to prove UFO’s exist.
Set in the late 70’s (the look is spot-on), this light comedy is filled with goofy characters, and very odd moments.
For the Fox Mulders out there, believers, this is for you.