Vultural

Tár - 2022 - 7/10

Lydia Tár, premier “female” conductor of her time, prepares to conclude her Mahler cycle.
She leads the BPO (Berlin Philharmonic), teaches at Juilliard, composes, gives sold out speaking engagements.
Her home life is settled and secure. Rival conductors seek her counsel.
Bright days ahead, yes?
A young protégé has committed suicide. Tár wants to replace an aging, beloved assistant conductor.
Then there is the young cellist, ripe with youth.
Deep character study of an artist not quite recognizing how turbulent are the waters they have stirred,
Early sections may remind one of Clouds Of Sils Maria, later of Blue Jasmine.
Make no mistake, this is arthouse. Steeped in classical music.
Dropped names include Bernstein, von Karajan, Furtwängler, Dutoit, Levine. Even a sly comment about Gould.
Performances include the Mahler 5, Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Bach.
Exceptional performance by Cate Blanchett in an engrossing, if overlong film.

Camping - 2016 - 6/10

Weekend campout / birthday celebration in the cabins, close by a beach.
The mild-mannered man and his overbearing wife.
Our caretaker, who could be janitor at Camp Crystal Lake.
Enter the late arrivals, the recently separated man and his eager beaver girlfriend.
Add alcohol, old resentments, jealousy, rampant sexual antics.
Wildly incorrect Julia Davis series boasts drug use, nudity, unappealing ruttings.
If you have a taste for Julia Davis’s work, this is laugh out loud funny.
Beware the sanitized USA remake.

Emma - 1996 - 8/10

Emma Woodhouse, matchmaker in the worst manner, repeatedly fails to connect her targets.
At the same time, fumbling her own romantic affairs.
Of all the Jane Austen novels, this is one of the funniest.
Cast is picture perfect (even silver spoon Paltrow is great).
First rate across the board: costumes, settings, period music, lush photography.
For guys worrying, this is not Hallmark kryptonite, though still a romantic comedy.

Danny Deckchair - 2003 - 6/10

Danny, construction worker, is bored with his lot,
Worse, his girlfriend is unresponsive.
What to do? How about string helium balloons to your lawnchair and up, up and away!
Adventures, national acclaim, a MYSTERY, then a new girlfriend!
Reinventing Oneself 101.
Silly, harmless romantic fluff, based, astoundingly enough on a real-life, and far more compelling, story.
https://darwinawards.com/stupid/stupid1998-11.html
https://www.cartalk.com/radio/letter/lawnchair-pilot-larry-walters-0

Shaun The Sheep Movie - 2015 - 7/10

I’ll try to be careful here. Shaun is perhaps best viewed as still a juvenile.
The farm has become routine. Tedious and predictable.
When Shaun spies the banner on a passing bus, “Take A Day Off!” he devises a scheme.
And, as with so many plans concocted by man and livestock alike, events swiftly go awry.
Shaun, fellow flock friends, and loyal dog Bitzer, accidentally unleash havoc.
While the party-popping pigs drag the house into a breezy bachelor pad, the others skedaddle to Big City.
Danger and disaster darken their path, yet persevere they must, for family must be rescued.
An inventive claymation romp, with barely any dialogue, this is one of those gems parents can safely share with young children. Studded with jokes and gags, with an irresistibly catchy theme song, “Feels Like Summer.“

Affair In Trinidad - 1952 - 6/10

Chris’s husband commits suicide.
Or did he? Police smell murder.
As luck would have it, her brother-in-law appears and starts poking his nose about.
Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford reteam, and once again he plays a snarling jealous moron.
Meanwhile, there are suspicious European ex-pats runs by a calculating smoothie (Alexander Scourby).
Plot is muddy because of rival mysteries, both poorly delineated.
Hayworth does two numbers. First one is over the top and silly. The second is gold.
Don’t think about Gilda when watching this mediocre potboiler.

Sea Of Love - 1989 - 6/10

Alcoholic cop, burned out at work, despondent after his wife left him.
Latches onto a downtown murder, which soon escalates into more.
Yeah, serial killer. Male victims, notes written in lipstick. Probably an angry female.
Solid thriller / Neo Noir appears to be the template for later Basic Instinct.
Pacino and Ellen Barkin display a torrid chemistry, and the mystery angles are good, too.

The Curse (The VVitch) - Maniac

Filesize = 5.4 GB, Video = 1920 X 1080p AVC, Audio = 1536 kbps, 5.1 DTS. No subs.

Maniac really pares this down to essentials.
With the run time of a B-movie, the story itself now packs more mystery than the original.
This is a blighted family, cursed, literally, by the father’s overweening pride.
Outside the settlement, their survival chances soon sour.
Thomasin is less victim in this, and more ambiguous.
One wonders if she had made a fateful decision earlier, say in the village that banished them.
Cutting and editing is smooth, and this condensed version is coherent, at least the narrative.
This features an enveloping 5.1 score, at times overwhelming.
Dialogue is still old New-English (without the dropped r’s) and often muffled.
Worth watching, though I was never especially keen on the original.

Monster Zero (Kaijû Daisensô) - Red Menace

Filesize = 14.7 GB, Video = 1920 X 818p AVC, Audio = 192 kbps AAC, 2-Channel stereo. No Subs.

Newly discovered Planet X reaches out to Earth, asking for assistance.
Monster Zero is destroying their world. Visiting astronauts identity the monster as Ghidorah!
Planet X wants Godzilla and Rodan to defeat Ghidorah and offers a cure for disease in exchange.
Earth leaders, a gullible lot, hand over the beasts, blind to what Planet X is actually after.
Beautifully restored by Red Menace, as part of numerous Godzilla restorations.
Video is clean, sharp, well colored.
Audio is the English dub (I would have preferred Japanese) where you can hear Nick Adams.
Far from the best Godzilla film, though not the worst, this is easily one of the best looking versions of this middling outing. Gojira fans, get this and lament the folly of men.

Black Lotus: The Movie v1.13 (Blade Runner: Black Lotus) - Wakeupkeo

Filesize = 17.2 GB, Video = 1920 X 1080p AVC, Audio = 637 kbps, 5.1 AAC. Subs = yes.

A smart concept, set 17 years before “Blade Runner 2047”.
Unfortunately, the team that created this either did not know how to work within that world, or hedged their bets by layering other film cues.
A knowledgeable buff will recognize elements from “The Matrix”, “Total Recall”, “Blade”, “Ghost In The Shell” and a slew of Japanese action swordplay.
Exciting, but veering from the Blade Runner world is hardly faithful.
OK, the edit.
This looks amazing! Even dark scenes, and this series is replete with them, are sharp and detailed.
While I glanced at the cut list, there was nothing to see. Editing is smooth and crisp throughout.
Audio is a dynamic 5.1, but good voice actors (not always a given).
Bonus applause for providing competent subtitles.
The “look” of key locations: Los Angeles streets, the Tyrell Building, the Bradbury Building, all exceed expectations.

Over an hour has been trimmed, and the narrative remains coherent and intelligent.
Most of the fight scenes are too damn long, however. In my opinion.
They are exhausting and repetitive. After awhile, I fast forward through those.
Personal taste, I would have preferred to see those trimmed hard, and bring run time down to 2 hours.
No matter. This is a spectacular edit. Blade Runner audience, forego the series, see this!
And sit through those credits!

The Case Of The Bloody Iris - 1972 - 6/10
AKA - Perché quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer?

The elevator is crowded, until it’s not. And by that time, the gloves are on and the blade flashes.
She was blonde, heading towards an assignation when … well … victim #1.
Brisk moving Giallo is packed with nudity, occasional sex, and loads of suspects.
Confusing? Sure, they all are. Who cares!
A mouth watering Edwige Fenech headlines a parade of stunning females.
None have real jobs. Dancing, nude modeling, wrestling, or interviews.
Highly entertaining plot gallops at a heady pace.
Fashionistas? Edwige has a glamorous, seemingly bottomless wardrobe.

Anything Else - 2003 - 6/10

Jerry is not one for change, moving on. He still has a do-nothing manager, and a girlfriend to whom he cannot commit.
Not that he’s lazy, the rut is simply familiar, comfortable.
Then he meets Amanda. Freewheeling, dismissive, predatory.
Attraction leads Jerry into countless errors.
While a comedy, this hews closer to a relationship drama masquerading as comedy.
Coming off a handful of Allen films that I did not care for, this is memorable, especially with a young cast.
Allen as the loose cannon mentor, and Christina Ricci as sexpot Amanda, come off best.
Jason Biggs, playing a younger version of Allen, is overshadowed.
While this may be uncomfortable to some, this is where Allen got a second wind and began a good run.

Lloyd, Rebecca - Drowning In The Sky

Canny selection of stories from an author I often have problems with.
Jeff and Pat leave London for the countryside, partly to aid son Lennie, who had his own difficulties in the city. The problem with Faulsway is there are no children Lennie’s age, no one to make friends with. Until he encounters the unsavory “Ringers”.
“For Two Songs” is a conversation between two self-effacing souls. Primarily Eliza, talking about childhood with her sister, Donna, passionately beloved by their father. Eliza was scorned. How unfortunate that Donna’s time was so brief.
The chance encounter on the bus, the underground, the pavement. Throwing a baleful gaze of venom and hatred. In “Dark Contaminator” our narrator spies the evil eye, then spontaneously gives chase.
“Teuthida” gives a wry observation of a boyhood chum, one who later becomes the famous, if reclusive author, Henry Lawncroft. No middle name is given though one suspects it begins with “P”, making his initials HPL. Here, good grief! the phobias parents inflict on their children.
Rural horror, American Gothic (mid America?) saturate “Bogieman,” told in slight vernacular. Home is isolated, I would hazard a guess somewhere in the Ozarks. The son navigates between his warped brother and completely insane, religious zealot of a mother.
For me, so many of Lloyd’s works never seem to finish properly. Mood, setting, atmosphere, characters, let down with insufficient resolution. Thankfully, most in this book conclude.
An enjoyable group. Thanks to the author, thanks to the publisher.

Beat The Devil - 2021 - 7/10

Ralph Fiennes as playwright David Hare, who caught and suffered with Covid in 2020.
Scathing, biting rebuke of political leaders who did nothing as the disease approached.
Leaders who slashed funding for the NHS, permitted travelers from “hotbed” afflicted nations to enter without quarantine, who shuffled ill patients to nursing homes.
Leaders who said, “I’m sorry” not because 23 M caught the disease, not because 200 K died, but they were sorry because citizens were upset.
Harrowing satire, made worse because this still applies in nation after nation.
Good leaders, like good help, so hard to find.
English subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/beat-the-devil/english/2939378

Super Size Me - 2004 - 6/10

In his second outing, Morgan Spurlock struck gold.
Using himself as guinea pig, he waddles down the American fast food diet and balloons his size.
Funny and alarming.
Spurlock displays gentle humor and a better rapport with the Average Joe that the rival pompous blowhard.
Afterward, he became a one-man industry with numerous docs of varying quality.
This is his best, and probably useful for folks undergoing a personal recession thinking,
“Groceries are too expensive, fast food is cheap, how bad can it be?”

The Happy Ending - 1969 - 7/10

Surprisingly biting woman’s film follows stifled wife (Jean Simmons) of successful attorney (John Forsythe).
Opportunities are opening for young females that were unavailable to her generation.
Work is not an option. Shopping is, as is bitching at the salon or spa. And numbing house parties.
Sixteen years into marriage, she drinks, pops pills, loses herself.
Multiple timelines interweave flashbacks, present, future. Deliberately confusing to mirror the character.
Great cast, especially in Nassau, includes Shirley Jones, Lloyd Bridges, Bobby Darin.
Song “What Are You Doing With The Rest Of Your Life?" is evocative.
Opening sequence of Simmons & Forsythe as 20 somethings was completely false.
Simmons also looks older than Jones, though they were supposedly classmates.

Despite this being a woman’s story, I know numerous souls like her.
Most are retired or permanently unemployed. They have lost their bearings.
Boredom or disappointment tempt them into affairs, or narcotics.

As indicated earlier, I started this ten years ago.
I downed files from a bygone site and burned to DVD-R for later.
Always glad to find subs, as Greengrass is often indecipherable.
Still, the subs generally fall out of sync - ahead / behind - several times.
Good luck with this.

Bukowski At Bellevue - 1970 - 6/10

One hour film of Charles Bukowski giving an early poetry reading.
Audio quality is a tad muffled, but understandable throughout.
Video is black n white, often out of focus, dirty, and freezes frequently.
For Bukowski fans, this is must-see as he is fairly relaxed and steady the whole time.
The audience is quiet and attentive. Poetry buffs, perhaps? 1970 would be considered the late 60’s.
Contrast with There’s Gonna Be A God Damn Riot In Here from 1979.
By then, his growing acclaim drew audiences not into poetry, often disrespectful.
This earlier film catches him younger, just before “Post Office” and the fame thing.

Female Trouble - 1974 - 6/10

Bad girl Dawn (Divine) wrecks her family’s home when Christmas proves disappointing.
She runs away, bangs commando, burgles homes, becomes a hooker, seeks fame.
In other words, a corruption of the American Dream.
Or, for many, the American reality without the lipgloss.
Biting satire by John Waters remains mercilessly funny.
Most early fans rally round Pink Flamingos, but I’ve always thought this better constructed and a darker journey.
Euro print (97”) recommended, especially with Waters’ commentary.

Hitler: Germany’s Fatal Attraction - 2015 - 6/10

Barely adequate three part survey of der Führer’s rise and fall.
Aspiring artist, World War I service, afterward – check.
Joining, then renaming, the National Socialist party, finding cohorts, chancellor – check.
Ambitions in Europe, peaceful then explosive, obliteration – check.
Rapid cutting, scenes used and reused, often within five minutes.
Throughout, talking heads attempt to explain the German populace of the times.
This is little more than a cheat sheet for back row students.

Bleak Moments - 1971 - 6/10

Sylvia is an office girl, caring for her mentally handicapped sister at home.
Hers is an isolated life. Two coworkers, a shy teacher who may be interested, the man living in the garage.
Every character is withdrawn, awkward, self effacing.
While there is a television set, no one watches it.
Characters read, drink, sit about thinking, or play music.
Difficult to determine what, if anything, occurs internally.
First Mike Leigh feature is not a comedy in any sense of the word.
Character sketches of the lonely.

Grandma - 2016 - 7/10

Inventive road movie starring Lily Tomlin as no-nonsense elder, helping granddaughter.
Narrative transpires in one day. as the pair drive from friends to family to rivals.
From the sorry-ass boyfriend to Grandma’s ex, the duo try to raise money for an abortion.
Each encounter is a mini-short story. Shrewdly done to reveal grandma’s history and character.
Very much the small film, shot in 19 days, micro budget, yet a strong cast gives top performances.
Funny, acid-tongued. The DVD has worthwhile “making of” doc and a Q&A bonus.
Note - That is Lily Tomlin’s actual car.

This does not help you, but I watched Heartbeat S04E09 “Red Herring” last night.
I watched with subs, which indicated the Rolling Stones “Play With Fire” but what actually played was a Searchers tune.
Later, during some business, subs indicated “Sloop John B” by the Beach Boys, when there was no music whatsoever, just folks mucking around in the countryside.
I can see where this might drive you nuts.

What Waits Below - 1984 - 5/10

Wolfsen, gathering intel on Nicaraguan mercenaries, makes a hasty, gun-blazing exit.
Why? Because a new cave network has been discovered in Belize.
Archeologists and military ops squabble over site rights, until all descend.
Low budget, fast moving adventure nonsense juggles politics, Navy submarines, romance, escapes, lost civilization.
Hardly a great film, though I was amused throughout.
I watched to see Lisa Blount, who never quite caught the breaks.

A Little Chaos - 2014 - 6/10

Labour of love from Alan Rickman follows 17th century Versailles landscape designers.
Kate Winslet plays utterly fictional Sabine De Barra who handles the “water element” section.
The hunky head designer has a loveless marriage and De Barra is fetching.
Will they have a romance? Will Versailles get completed? Will there be wigs and sumptuous costumes?
Not completely predictable, since fresh characters surface throughout.
One might ask, “I wonder what their story is?”
Who knows? Most you never see again.
Likeable fluff, scant substance.