Vultural

The Monster - 2016 - 5/10

Part arthouse, part mother - daughter road trip (ha ha).
Dysfunctional, alcoholic, abusive mother drives neglected young daughter to her ex.
They are supposed to depart at 8:00 AM, except hungover Ma doesn’t get rollin’ until 4:00.
Soon as they hit the spooky backroad, rain pelts down in sheets.
The car strikes a wolf and the subsequent crash leaves the vehicle inoperative.
Before they can say - “Hey, where’d that wolf go?” - the girls realize trouble is mounting.
Acting by the female leads is terrific. I hated Mom, pitied the small girl.
The pace may be too measured to hold interest for many, though.
There is also that allegory about who the real monsters are, which some might equate with spoon feeding.

Quibble: I grew up on backroads. None ever had streetlamps, let alone three of them.
Plus, after you crash your car, switch off the headlamps and wipers!
I should not have to explain this to stranded drivers unless they want to be future meals.

The Swarm - 2020 - 5/10
AKA - La Nuée

Recently widowed mother of two raises locusts. First for health food, then farm feed.
Profits are negligible.
If only she could get the locusts to grow bigger, quicker.
Hey, what if I start feeding them blood?
Wow, they like it!
Film takes a painfully long time to get going only to sputter.
Focus on character deterioration, rather than mayhem.
Watch X-Files S03E12 “War Of The Coprophages” instead.

Summer - 1986 - 6/10
AKA - Le Rayon Vert

French patience tester, extremely well acted, but might strain your endurance.
Recently dumped female (ahem, three years earlier) whines about what to do during summer vacation.
She stays with family and complains. Visits friends, moans incessantly.
Asks for advice, only to disregard.
One of the best / worst moments occurs during an outdoor meal when our protagonist, a recent vegetarian, launches into a tirade about meat and animals.
Doesn’t stop her from drinking, however. And complaining about vintages.
I always say people get what they deserve.
Sadly, how did her friends and family deserve this?

Katherine Ryan In Trouble - 2016 - 6/10

Standup comedian on relationships, being Canadian in UK, men, family.
Hit and miss, with more hits, but this is chuckle material.
Timed correctly at one hour. Nothing stale, just her aloof humor which never engaged me.

Bullitt - 1968 - 8/10

Definitive McQueen anti-hero, exuding cool elegance.
Officer Frank Bullitt assigned to babysit mob snitch, finds himself set up as patsy for incompetence.
Brilliant procedural as detective and partner pick up the seemingly dead trail and unravel a brilliant plan.
Film punctuated by three chase sequences, one a legend in movie history.
Wonderful Lalo Schifrin score, gorgeous San Francisco scenery.
Street scenes, cafe interiors, the steep hills.
Then there are the muscle cars at full throttle, terrific stunt driving, no - NO - computer fakery.

Anytime I read about a remake, I cringe, knowing disposable music would blare throughout, drowning out the roar of V8s.

2017 Oscar Nominated Shorts: Live Action - 2017 - 7/10

Five of ‘em. Two crowd pleasers, two “serious” works of outsiders in Europe, and one pass.
“Sing” is about a competitive grade school choir. This will resonate with those who have been in band or choir, especially if you were in the 3rds or in the back rows.
“Silent Nights” follows a refugee in Denmark. Sent me a mixed message on how to score money from guilty rich.
”Timecode” watches bored security guards dance before surveillance cameras.
“Ennemis Intérieurs” (Enemies Within) is another story of outsiders. This time an Algerian, living in France for over 30 years, finally seeks citizenship. Why wait so long? And who are your associates? Claustrophobic, Orwellian.
“La Femme et le TGV” features Jane Birkin as an aging woman exchanging letters with the engineer of the high speed TGV express. She seems locked in the bygone, analogue age, with her manual typewriter, rotary dial phone, china tea set.

The Strange Case Of Yukio Mishima - 1985 - 7/10

Casual overview of the highly controversial author, made fifteen years after his seppuku.
Interviewees include his biographer and translator, as well as close associates.
For the uninformed, yet curious, this is an OK introduction.
I suspect this was difficult to make, since Japan has always been conflicted about Mishima.
Proud, yet embarrassed.
Might work better in conjunction with Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters (1985).
Sadly, there is still no penetrating documentary on this writer.

A Cena Col Vampiro - 1989 (Dinner With A Vampire) - Dr. Sapirstein

Filesize = 2 GB, Video = 1920 X 1080p AVC, Audio = 127 kbps 2-Channel Stereo AAC, subs yes.,

Expert restoration of a silly vampire spoof from the 1980’s.
Four actors are invited to a lavish castle for dinner, only to discover their host is a 4000 year old Mesopotamian vampire!
Viewers who anticipate screaming, running, inferior acting, might enjoy despite deficiencies.
For one thing, the image work is jaw-dropping.

Other prints I had previously seen were grainy, washed out, damaged.
The clarity is sharp here, the colors sumptuous.

The castle is the real highlight in this, though the Count’s challenge makes a good puzzle.
This was made for television, so don’t expect gratuitous … anything.

English subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/brivido-giallo-first-season/english/2700109

Doom: The Possessed Re-Cut - CBB

I never played the game. Disliked the movie (bought from the $2.00 junk pile)
Per the editor’s intentions: Is this darker?
Yes, the film was darker. Jokes excised, the mood stayed grim throughout.
Scarier? Maybe. There was greater tension, though I never cared for a single character so I was never fearful or concerned for them.
More sinister? No, I never thought that. Sinister would imply an evil agenda, and the narrative skirted this, rather than pushing it closer to the fore.

Audio editing was top shelf. No glitches, nothing weird. Listened through headphones.

Video equally fine. Seamless, nothing jarring, no artifacts or sloppy work.

The bonus extras I could have done without.
The shooter POV is direct homage to the popular game. I am betting there are a percentage of guys who loved that bit, and sighed during the bonus, “My favoritest part.”
And the lame flirt scene between Duke & Samantha? Should never have been included. That was the last thing I saw, and it left a sour taste.

The quality of the edit was great, and CBB’s work is holding up, ten years out.

Note: Boon’s edits are still on Info, though most links appear to be UseNet.

The Big Lebowski - 1998 - 8/10

After being disappointed by Inherent Vice, I dug this perennial from the shelves.
Mister Lebowski, AKA “The Dude” returns home from shopping the friendly Ralph’s aisles.
He is assaulted, face plunged into the toilet, while one of the vandals pisses on his carpet.
Later, at the bowling alley, The Dude laments to friends, and, egged on, begins to investigate the mystery.
Hilarious, shaggy dog tale. Cult classic for stoners, bowlers, mystery fans, damn near everyone save souls who hate Southern California, which this film reeks of.
Most people I know either have personal acquaintance with a classic slacker such as The Dude, or they have been him at one point or another.
Bridges unforgettable as The Dude, yet everyone involved is in top form.

Nihilists, come forth!

The Love Witch - 2016 - 6/10

Warning - Existential oblivion seekers, not this one.

Wish I could say I viewed this by accident or this was airing in rehab.
No. Reviews mentioned bygone Technicolor productions, and I foolishly hoped for Douglas Sirk excesses.
Admittedly, I do have a taste for over-the-top folly. This is not “so bad it’s good,” but it veers close.

Artist witch moves to Eureka, into posh Victorian manor, to get over issues with her ex.
Like glamour girls everywhere, our attractive witch has trouble pulling guys, so she casts sex magick for bait n mate.
After sessions of heightened debauchery, spent males collapse and die.
Oh, well. There’s more guys with organic wands where those came from.
And she gets busy.

Lush and saturated colors throughout.
Females, wearing gowns and hats, congregate in a fantasy fern bar, nibble cakes and tea, while a harpist plucks.
Our witch sports a hairdo Bobbie Gentry would envy, as well as retro blue eyeshadow which I have not seen since the 70’s. (Car buffs - a 60’s Mustang and a big ass 70’s Impala stand out amidst boxy modern rides.)
Fair amount of frontal nudity, male and female, mostly during wicca ceremonies. Chanting, not panting.
More graphic are her sketches and paintings.
Romping and rutting is freaky psychedelic time, drowned with overloaded grind music.
Acting is stilted and wooden across the board. Characters read lines, never react.
My theory: There was only one camera, so the director shot actors one at a time, then spliced.
At two hours, this movie is also too long.
I enjoyed, but, I have fondness for cheesy flicks.

Havana Widows - 1933 - 6/10

Misleading title aside, chorus girls Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell realize their funds are low and time dwindling.
What to do?
Head to Cuba! Play the badger game on a rich codger and sue for damages.
“There’s a man in our bedroom!” “Didn’t I tell you our luck would change?”
One-liners and zingers are the best part of this mild, risqué-free comedy.
“I’ll try anything once. That’s my undoing.”
Cast of Warners 30’s stock players try hard, but script lacks spice.
Blondell bounces a fair amount in this … if you notice that sort of thing.

Bummer, dude. I just came across this.
oojason was the one who encouraged me when I inquired about launching a thread reviewing Fanedits.
He was very patient, helping me with markdown, then offering a few suggestions as to the wording of the opening page.
This was invaluable and I remain grateful. In the past, elsewhere, when I PM’d a MOD, half the time it would be like talking with the cat.
Really class guy.
I will miss him, but I know what it’s like to roll away and not look back.
Safe journey.

The Grasshopper Lies Heavy (The Man In The High Castle) - Heavysyde

Filesize = 2 GB, Video = 1280 X 720p AVC, Audio = 128 kbps 2 Channel Stereo mp4a, no subs

Heavysyde wisely hones in on one storyline, that of Julianna and Joe.
This is wise, as theirs has the most momentum in a series long on windy promises, short on delivery.
Nonetheless, the resultant edit is still 4 hours long. Me, I watched in installments.
By and large, this is a satisfying version, with fine audio.
Video is solid. This is a darkish series, and this was a first-time edit, so I wondered about that.

For me, this is an improvement over the series, which was a colossal disappointment.
I watched three quarters of S02 before quitting. Spotnitz should have dialed Morgan and Wong.
Heavysyde mentions his edit is best for those who don’t want to delve too deep in this series.
Correcto mundo.

Links at Info.

Pussy Control - Mollo

Short from the Batman Consecution.
A solid short, yet suffers in comparison with Mayhem & Mistletoe.
Unfortunately, whoever organized this consecution placed this immediately after ThrowgnCpr’s edit.
This is virtually the exact story, yet without the black n white style, nor the haiku brevity.
Plays out a bit longer, though the extra time adds little to the story.
Funny moments outweighed the lulls.
Absolutely worth a look, but do yourself and Mollo a favor and space these two Catwoman stories apart.

Mayhem & Mistletoe - ThrowgnCpr

Batman Consecution short.
What a great little Christmas card this makes for your favorite Batman fan!
Wonderfully decolorized except for the gold, and the red.
And oh, those red cat lips.
Goes without saying, I liked the video work.
Audio was nice 2 channel, as well.
Best of all, the narrative held together.
Very satisfying appetizer.

A Murderous Affair In Horizon Tower - 2020 - 7/10
AKA - Mo Tian da Lou // 摩天大楼

Locked room mystery finds attractive coffee shop owner dead in her luxury apartment.
Straight off, how can a mere barista afford to live in the opulent Horizon Tower?
Yes, the investigating detectives wonder at that, as well.
Suspects? Ha! The building teems with them.
Smitten building employees, jealous women, alpha males.
Episode 1 - 2 is of one suspect, 3 - 4 another. That is the structure.
Each episode is a little over 30”. I dislike binging, yet I watched two at a time.
Two things stick out in this Chinese drama. Police are honest; rules & evidence types. Yeah, propaganda.
The other is the undercurrent of oppressed or second status females.
I would not have pictured China admitting such occurs – though it is global wide.

Abwege - 1928 - 7/10
AKA - The Devious Path

German silent, directed by Pabst.
Very much a precursor to Pandora’s Box and Diary Of A Lost Girl, this also explores moral shortcomings and the lifeless underbelly of the decadent Weimar.
Wife (Brigitte Helm), married to strait-laced fuss-bucket banker, deserts him one night to party with “more liberated” friends in hedonistic club.
Banker sits at home, window wide open, letting in blasts of freezing air, thinking of divorce options.
The club sequence, meanwhile, is a showstopper, and goes on for perhaps twenty minutes.

Pabst revels in the excitement, the loose morality, the sheer boredom, the drunken excesses, the hazy confusion.
Far better than most films I’ve watched, this gives a real feel to the jittery edge of Berlin before the street riots between Communists and Nazis.
Ending displayed the censor’s hand, unlike the bleak pit of Pabst’s next two films.

20th Century Women - 2016 - 7/10

Coming of age story, time/location specific to 1979 Santa Barbara.
Ma (Annette Benning) asks two other females to help raise (watch over) fatherless son.
What really occurs, however, is the three females work out bad stretches using the son as listener, witness, Greek chorus.
The teenage boy is fine because, unlike a man, he simply listens instead of trying to “fix” problems.
Talky, yet this does not drag. Should girlfriends load this, guys ought to be able to tolerate.
I caught a few minor errors, probably because I was in Southern California in the mid-late 70’s.

Per Sempre - 1988 (Until Death) - Dr. Sapirstein

Filesize = 1.9 GB, Video = 1920 X 1080p AVC Audio = 128 kbps 2 Channel Stereo AAC, subs yes.

Fine Giallo of betrayal and murder, laced with the supernatural.
Linda, along with lover Carlo, murder her husband, then dispose of the body.
Eight years on, the duo are still together, though love has gone stale
Enter the handsome stranger. Penniless, yet will do handyman chores.
Audio remains so-so, though provided subtitles appear superior to readily available ones.
Video restoration is restrained, but levels are consistent throughout.
This is a good looking print and the story will satisfy mystery buffs.

Subs = https://subscene.com/subtitles/brivido-giallo-first-season/english/2700085

FvJ (Freddy’s Dead & Long Night At Camp Blood & Freddy Vs Jason) - NegaJuice (AKA: juice4z0 & Neglify)

Two of the weaker movies from two franchises, as well as what ought to have been a decent bow-out. Of course, franchises being money generators, the killing forces of nature stagger on and on. Rather than releasing these three edits separately, Juice4z0 and Neglify have placed all three in one release, suggesting viewers to watch in proper sequence. Good advice, as the shows progress from lame to enjoyable.

The audio is well defined and clear. Freddy’s Dead and Long Night At Camp Blood were both 6 channel, Freddy Vs Jason 2 channel. I watched on three separate nights so this was not discernable. Binge viewers might pick up on that, however. Dialogue was clean throughout, and all three movies range from whisper to deafening. No subs. The editors provided an audio commentary for each film. Mixed joy there.

For me, each film is independent and stands alone. If one assumes they will stitch together, they do not. Structure is episodic. Freddy’s Dead remains poorly constructed. Final Chapter is definitely better than the original - more gore, more sex! FvJ helped by reducing Freddy and adding more Jason.

Thoughts about the audio commentaries. By turns informative, entertaining, irritating. Both editors sound blotto. I wish they had sat on these a bit, gave them another listen, then an edit or an overhaul. For every insight, they counter that with an asinine comment or bout of giggles. Bummer.

Listening to the audio commentary, however, I realized the editors had been tempted to include excessive nudity and more sex. Guys, next time push that pedal down. Go for it. As usual, tempo in the 13th series better than Elm. Real improvement is in the final FvJ. This edit kicks, and makes one dismiss the original damn quick. If you see no other film in this trilogy, be sure to give this a watch. Special note: Closing credits were a gem. Labor of love that kept me going, “Wait! That’s from … wait a minute!” Awesome treat.

I reviewed this back in 2015. Since then, the FE team has redacted this from the FEDB, although there are still active links on Info.
Good luck out there.

Kissed - 2020 - 6/10

Norman is coroner or morgue attendant.
Tidying up the female body before … well, before the final enclosure.

Any seasoned guy would tell him.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Girls remember. Forever.”
Still, some people never listen to anyone.

The Great Beauty - 2013 - 8/10
AKA - La Grande Bellezza

Visually striking film of the compromised soul.
Forty years previous, Jep wrote a well received book.
That was his entry to the high life, free pass to the In-Crowd.
He never wrote again, becoming a dilettante and coasting on his laurels.
Dizzying array of sybaritic pleasures, contrast with the sheer futility of living.
Point, all shall die. So why struggle to be heard, seen, appreciated?
Jep, the gracious, ever-smiling wastrel, is repeatedly paired against creative stragglers, or humans falling into despair, or the frail and elderly, coming face to face with the summation.
Tour de force, though overlong and not always enjoyable.

Foxcatcher - 2014 - 6/10

Based on the true life murder committed by wealthy DuPont scion.
Whereas most of his family is involved with horses, he is passionate about wrestling.
Not professional, but Olympic.
He ingratiates himself with gold medal brothers with his estate and wealth, and envisions himself as coach premier.
His training methods are non-existent, his obligation schedule heavy, and his need to control massive.
Any perceived slights or disloyalty yield consequences.
A moody film, shot on dreary outdoor days or inside washed out rooms, displaying lives.
Superb acting all around. Atmospheric, if noticeable, score.

Mark 13 (Hardware) - Maniac

Filesize = 8.2 GB, Video = 1920 X 1080p AVC, Audio = 1536 kbps 5.1 DTS, no subs.

My guilty pleasure, cyberpunk fave. A plot that flirts with incoherence throughout, and the style is a cross between an extended MTV video and an erotic thriller. Fans of the 1980’s at their most excessive, this is for you!
The video work in this is great. From blurry to crystalline, murky to oversaturated.
The audio mix is equally superb, from the swirling sound mix to the cheesy musical score.
The original was hardly a great film, but was an enjoyable, if bizarre, SciFi thriller.
Maniac has kept the best elements, the wild excess, perverse exuberance.
Get a big bag of chips, your favorite beverage and crank the volume.