Saturday 30 November 2019
Eye in the Sky (2015)
A military officer in command of an operation to capture terrorists in Kenya, sees her mission escalate when a girl enters the kill zone triggering an international dispute over the implications of modern warfare.
Good political thriller exposes the moral ambiguity - and hypocrisy and dubious machinations behind targeted drone killings; top cast enhances the credibility of the story.
Thursday 28 November 2019
The Second Woman (1950)
An architect Jeff Cohalanis haunted by the death of his fiancée the previous year, and he sequesters himself in the fabulous house he designed for his beloved and broods over the incredible string of bad luck he has experienced since her death.
Above-average psychological thriller with a noir touch with an improbable plot works due to atmosphere and solid performances.
Halliwell (no star): "Tolerable semi-star melodrama with a deliberate film noir look."
Maltin**1/2: "Atmospheric psychological drama..."
Wednesday 27 November 2019
Peaky Blinders, Season 5 (2019)
The crime family saga finds the world thrown into turmoil by the financial crash of 1929.
The saga goes on with the expected excellence in production and performances, but this season has quite an intermittent plot ending with a cliffhanger more suspenseful than the actual build-up to its finale.
Saturday 23 November 2019
Suspect Zero (2004)
A mysterious serial killer is hunting other serial killers, and one F.B.I. Agent suspects there may be more to the vigilante than they imagine.
It's obvious that director E. Elias Merhige has ambition, talent and visual imagination, all recognizable in this movie in patches, but not not coherently; and the two stars' abilities are regrettably not put to full use.
Maltin**: "Complex premise, reminiscent at times of RED DRAGON, with striking visual style, is hindered by the oppressive nature of the material and the fact that there's no one to care about."
Friday 22 November 2019
Evasive Action (1998)
A group of violent criminals attempts an escape while being transported on a train to a high-security prison.
Fair to middling action thriller with an overloaded plot with possibilities it doesn't make much use of.
Quintet (1979)
During a future ice age, dying humanity occupies its remaining time by playing a board game called "Quintet." For one small group, this obsession is not enough; they play the game with living pieces ... and only the winner survives.
From memory: Leftfield sci-fi drama with a star cast is fascinating to watch, but seems to be nothing more than a by-the-side exercise for its director.
Halliwell (no star): "Dismayingly pretentious claptrap which did it's star's career no good at all."
Maltin**: "Pretentious, unappealing story...Not as puzzling as it is ponderous."
Quadrophenia (1979)
Jimmy loathes his job and parents. He seeks solace with his mod clique, scooter riding and drugs, only to be disappointed.
From memory: Although a drama set in the early '60s (and made with good period details), this semi-musical is presented with as much verve and anarchic energy generating a punk appeal for the time of its production.
Halliwell (no star): "What passed for a successful musical at the end of the seventies is typified by this violent, screaming and wholly unattractive amalgam of noise, violence, sex and profanity."
Maltin***1/2: "Superior mixture of early '60s "Angry Young Man" drama and rock movie...A real sleeper...Sting makes an impressive acting debut."
Die Patriotin (1979)
A history teacher and a patriot goes out into the winter landscape carrying a shovel and comes across a dead soldier killed at the battle of Leningrad.
From memory: A quintessential Alexander Kluge movie an intellectual, silly and humorous stream of consciousness potpourri of snippets that may not make that much sense put together, but reveal the director's wild thought processes.
Halliwell (no star): "Intellectually austere examination of Germany's past and future, using newsreels, commentary and documentary footage; as cinema it is inert and condescending."
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979)
Count Dracula moves from Transylvania to Wismar, spreading the Black Plague across the land, and only a woman pure of heart can bring an end to his reign of horror.
From memory: Typical for Werner Herzog, this adaptation of the vampire tale is visually more than stunning and is darkly atmospheric, but slow-paced and a bit boring; Kinski, Adjani and Ganz are perfectly cast in their respective roles.
Halliwell*: "Despite the star's splendidly loathsome appearance, the overall is no improvement, and the colour in the English prints is quite dreadful."
Maltin***1/2: "Spooky, funny, reverent remake of F. W. Murnau's vampire masterpiece should please Dracula fans of all persuasions. Kinski is magnificent as the good Count, and Adjani's classic beauty is utilized to the hilt."
Thursday 21 November 2019
Norma Rae (1979)
A young single mother and textile worker agrees to help unionize her mill despite the problems and dangers involved.
From memory: Good political drama is more well-intentioned than effective, but is well staged and Sally Field is excellent in the title role.
Halliwell*: "Well-intentioned and well-acted pamphlet of political enlightenment with an inevitably ambivalent attitude."
Maltin***: "Field is excellent in Oscar-winning performance...Entertaining, though entirely believable..."
Northern Lights (1978)
In rural North Dakota during World War I, a struggling farmer decides to become an activist for the burgeoning Nonpartisan League, a labor union attempting to organize the region's farmers against the railroads and banks which are consistently undercutting their livelihood with unfair payments.
From memory: Great committed independent production with beautiful b&w cinematography illustrates a lesser-known historical political struggle.
Maltin**1/2: "Incisive, unforgettable Americana..."
Hombre (1967)
John Russell, disdained by his "respectable" fellow stagecoach passengers because he was raised by Native Americans, becomes their only hope for survival when they are set upon by outlaws.
Excellent Revisionist Western carries a strong anti-racist message and exposes moral hypocrisy; Paul Newman, although dubiously portraying a "half-breed", is as cool as ever.
Halliwell**: "Slow but suspenseful Western melodrama which works up to a couple of good climaxes but falls away in an unnecessary tragic ending."
Maltin***: "Interesting Western......well acted, entertaining."
Movie Movie (1978)
Three movie genres of the 1930s, boxing films, World War I aviation dramas, and backstage Broadway musicals, are satirized using the same cast.
From memory: Nostalgic Hollywood spoof is lovingly assembled by an oldtime professional director; a bit uneven, but generally quite entertaining.
Halliwell**: "Unfortunately there weren't enough paying customers to appreciate the spoofs, which are pretty patchy anyway; but golden moments stay in the mind."
Maltin***: "Affectionate parody of 1930s double feature..."
Cake (2014)
Claire becomes fascinated by the suicide of a woman in her chronic pain support group while grappling with her own, very raw personal tragedy.
Quirky personal drama doesn't really show much depth, but Jennifer Aniston's excellent performance makes it watchable.
Sunday 17 November 2019
Ad Astra (2019)
An astronaut undertakes a mission across an unforgiving solar system to uncover the truth about his missing father and his doomed expedition that now, 30 years later, threatens the universe.
Brad Pitt is magnificent as the calm, withdrawn astronaut in this visually striking sci-fi adventure, but the Daddy angle and its finale sure drags the whole experience down.
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