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Tuesday 30 August 2022
La boum 2 (1982)
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Vulnerable and impressionable teenage girl continues to experience sorrows and joys of adult life.
From memory: Agreeably charming and entertaining sequel continues the story with much of the original cast.
Maltin**1/2: "A formula film, not better or worse than the original."
Tuesday 23 August 2022
Born in Flames (1983)
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Set ten years after the most peaceful revolution in United States history, it presents a dystopia in which the issues of many groups - minorities, liberals, gay rights organizations, feminists - are dealt with by the government.
From memory: Sensationally rousing feminist sci-fi drama is made in a vivid cinema verite style with a superb indie soundtrack (title song by Red Krayola) and with the irrepressible Adele Bertei; an instant classic of radical political cinema of which it is sad to say, they don't make them like this anymore.
Monday 22 August 2022
Bomben auf Berlin - Leben zwischen Furcht und Hoffnung (1983)
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On November 18, 1944, the Battle of Berlin began in a war that had already claimed millions of lives. At the time, Goebbels forbade the publication of the material filmed in the ruins of Berlin. The recordings were stored in Moscow archives for almost 40 years. They are only shown today for the first time
From memory: Informative documentary focuses on the effect WWII had on Germany's capitol Berlin, with never before seen footage, and reveals that the citizens' resilience could be seen as an effort to survive, but was also utilized to enhance the regime's propaganda.
Sunday 21 August 2022
Antiviral (2012)
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A thriving industry sells celebrity illnesses to their obsessed fans. Employee Syd March's attempts to exploit the system backfire when they involve him in a potentially deadly mystery.
A truly dystopian vision presents a future in which capitalist interests have created a market for body modification and the spread of viruses; well made and photographed in clinical whites enhancing the horror of the goings-on and the truly devastating ending.
Bolwieser (1977)
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A woman destroys her civil-servant husban by adultery during Hitler's rise in Germany.
From memory: Congenial adaptation of the Oskar Maria Graf novel meticulously dissects petty bourgeois society and ideology at a time just before the Nazi takeover of the country; an intense melodrama with excellent cast from Fassbinder's actors troupe.
Maltin**1/2: "Studied, stylized look...Some telling moments, and fine performances, but awfully slow going."
Saturday 20 August 2022
Black Jack (1979)
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A French sailor escapes hanging and teams up with young Stephen Hirst and, late Louise Coope a young girl committed by her parents for her eccentric behaviour.
From memory: Endearing and charming children's adventure convinces with a good cast, excellent period details and especially Chris Menges' beautiful cinematography.
Halliwell (no star): "The purpose of this costume adventure, from these creators, is obscure, but the execution of it is muddled and amateurish."
Friday 19 August 2022
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Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art (2020)
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Made You Look is an American crime documentary about the largest art fraud in American history set in the super rich, super obsessed and super fast art world of New York.
Fascinating documentary works on several levels, since there are more than just one mystery behind this infamous art forgery scandal; what it does reveal quite clearly is that the whole money-heavy art world thrives within a "I want to believe" mood and not so much with true expertise.
De smaak van water (1982)
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Hes, an uptight and disaffected social worker reaching retirement, discovers a young woman, Anna, in the closet of an acquaintance who has committed suicide. Realizing that she has been kept in the apartment all her life, he moves in and helps her comes to terms with the complexities of the real world.
From memory: Intense and very moving human drama with a very unusual story.
Thursday 18 August 2022
The Hunger (1983)
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A love triangle develops between a beautiful yet dangerous vampire (Catherine Deneuve), her cellist companion (David Bowie), and a gerontologist (Susan Sarandon).
From memory: Extremely stylish vampire tale is more focused on visuals and (erotic) atmosphere than on a convincing story; in the end it all appear s pretentious and quite silly.
Halliwell (no star): Absurd attempt to update Dracula with lashings of sex, rock music and flashy photography. An ordeal."
Maltin*1/2: "Kinky trash masquerading as a horror film...Bowie's quite good as Deneuve's companion...with an aging scene that's the film's highlight. As for the rest, beware, unless seeing Deneuve and Sarandon in bed together is your idea of a good time."
Tuesday 16 August 2022
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Before the Nickelodeon: The Early Cinema of Edwin S. Porter (1982)
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Documentary about Edwin S. Porter who provided a significant influence in the development of early cinema around the turn of the century.
From memory: Very informative documentary sheds light on film pioneer Edwin S. Porter's work, but also brings some insight into the origins of American cinema and its industry including the dubious aspects thereof...
Sunday 14 August 2022
Suicide Squad (2016)
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A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.
Highly disappointing superhero drama with a sparkling set of big-name stars never really takes off with its thin plot and underdeveloped characters; alone Margot Robbie gives her Harley Quinn some panache and delivers most of the excitement and humor of the whole show.
Basket Case (1982)
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A young man carrying a big basket that contains his extremely deformed, formerly conjoined twin brother seeks vengeance on the doctors who separated them against their will.
From memory: Superior low-budget slasher comes up with some deliberately disturbing sequences, but the story is handled with pathos and interest in its protagonist's plight and fate.
Halliwell (no star): "Grisly, jokey, low-budget horror that gained a cult following."
Maltin**1/2: "Extremely self-conscious but intriguing tongue-in-cheek low-budget horror film...Some interesting animated sequences in this John Waters-ish film that boasts some effective horror moments."
Saturday 13 August 2022
Top Secret UFO Projects: Declassified (2021)
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Though claims of extraterrestrial encounters have long been dismissed, many believe the existence of UFOs is not just likely, but a certainty.
Untrustworthy, speculative 'documentary' never even tries to present any hard evidence but mainly only wants to affirm the hopes and convictions of die-hard believers - obviously the target audience.
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Le marginal (1983)
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The story is about Commissioner Jordan who arrives in Marseille to combat drug trafficking activities in his own unique way.
From memory: Professionally produced action thriller with a dubious vigilante morale is mainly intended as as Jean-Paul Belmondo star vehicle and nothing more.
Halliwell*: "Fast-moving low-life thriller, with a maverick hero patterned after Dirty Harry,but much dirtier."
Wednesday 10 August 2022
From a Far Country (1981)
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The film is a biography of Pope John Paul II.
From memory: Quite conservative bio-pic celebrates the Pope John Paul II and Polish Catholicism, but along the way, almost as an aside, it does give a more accurate picture of Polish history from World War II up to the date, when the Pope visits his home country.
Tuesday 9 August 2022
Breathless (1983)
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When Jesse Lujack steals a car in Las Vegas and drives down to LA, his criminal ways only escalate - but when will it end?
From memory: Disappointing, superfluous remake of the Jean-Luc Godard classic reduces to the original's story into a fast-paced superficial crime story, all modern-looking and shiny colorful, but without any substance whatsoever (which may have been Jim McBride's intention, but still isn't anymore exciting).
Halliwell (no star): "Fashionable amalgam of sex and violence, borrowed from A Bout de Souffle but far too long after the event."
Maltin**: "Remake of landmark 1960 Godard film...but lacks its sociological potency. Gere's kinetic performance is something to see, but his character...soon grows tiresome."
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