Recommend a movie

[Vultural]

Ok atsu The Fugitive - 1969 - 6/10
AKA -Yôen dokufu-den: Ok atsu kyôjô tabi // 妖艶毒婦伝 お勝兇状旅

Third part of a copycat trilogy.
Expert swordswoman, O****su, seeks revenge after murder of her parents (again) and a rape at the hands of the feudal lord.
Plot involves tobacco smuggling and seizing villagers for slave labor.
Carnage at the end, but no gushing geysers, typical of chanbara from that period.

[Vultural]

Tabloid - 2011 - 7/10

Errol Morris documentary.
If you are British, and of a certain age, you might remember the antics of Joyce McKinney and her Manacled Mormon boyfriend.
In 1977, Southern belle McKinney flew to London to free her Mormon boyfriend, to de-brainwash him back into loving her.
She kidnapped him from London, drove him to Devon, chained him to a bed, removed his magic Mormon underpants, and fucked his brains out for 3 days.
Then Scotland Yard became involved.  And the High Court.
British tabloids had a field day with this one.

One of the reporters termed McKinney "barking mad."
A hoot of a story and never boring, with escapes, disguises, revelations, and cloning!

[Vultural]

La Rose du Fer - 1973 - 6/10
AKA - Iron Rose // The Rose Of Iron

Moody, minimalist Jean Rollin film.
When most think of this director’s oeuvre, key words are vampires and lesbians.
None of that here.  In fact, this does not even qualify as Horror.
During a wedding banquet, a young male guest stands up and delivers a poem on death.
Applause across the room.  Oh, those French.
Moved, a pretty girl agrees to go on a bicycle date with him the next day.
He pedals to a cemetery and in they stroll.  The cemetery is magnificent, by the way.  A third character.
The pair have a picnic, enjoy themselves in a crypt, and fail to hear the clock strike 12 - strike 2 - strike 5.
Gates are locked and the couple discover they are utterly lost.
Warning - There is next to no plot in this.  Iron Rose is pure mood and atmosphere.
Typical of Rollin’s work, a dreamlike quality suffuses the look and tone.
The couple wander the tombstones and lose their direction.  Again, this is not a horror film.
Scenes are laden with symbolism, some discernible, others a mystery.
Fans of the director should seek this out.  Newcomers ought to find an alternative.

[Vultural]

Little Deaths (Obsession) - 2011 - 4/10

Three part anthology involving sex and death.
First part involved a couple trawling homeless girls for an evening of jollies.
"Sure, drink as much wine as you want, dearie."
Second part, very weak, had something to do with Nazi experiments, drugs, a naked man wearing a welder's helmet.
Third involved another couple.  Role playing, betrayals, and revenge.  And cynophobia.
Arty, pretentious, soft core twaddle.

[Vultural]

Strangerland - 2015 - 6/10

City family relocates to small town oblivion and have trouble fitting in.
They had to leave the big city after their underage daughter got into trouble with a male teacher.
In the new redneck burg, she skips in skimpy clothes in front of new males.  Making friends.
One morning, daughter and son have disappeared into the Outback.
Parents (Joseph Fiennes and Nicole Kidman) enlist the locals to start searching.
Dust and sand seem to be everywhere in this, and no one has air-conditioning!
None of the residents want to help those entitled city types.  There is an undercurrent of class distinction and simmering resentment.  Caught in the middle is the local cop (Hugo Weaving).
The married couple seem to harbor several dark secrets, of which only half emerge.
Brooding character studies, with mysteries partially resolved.

[Vultural]

Best Of Enemies - 2015 - 7/10

Giving this 7/10 as a piece of theatre.  Entertainment.
For accuracy, I am unsure.  For “coulda - shoulda” this would score lower.
In 1968, third rate network ABC decided to have two debaters during the political conventions.
Conservative William F Buckley Jr and Liberal Gore Vidal.
Both could be considered privileged aristocrats.
The doc focused not so much on issues, not even on the debates, but on the personality clashes and dislike each had of the other.
Filmmakers high lit the cat fight, which makes for juicy watching, though empty of substance.  Think FOX.
Ubiquitous talking heads contribute little information.
Much could have been shown about the subsequent path of each man.  Buckley became more liberal, Gore more conservative.  Show is about the debates, however.  Since the full debates are not shown there is no context.
Refreshing to see articulate and intellectually sharp individuals.

Aside - I actually watched the 68 conventions, and watched later ones until 1980.  They were unpredictable and royally entertaining.  After 1980 they became micro-managed and boring.

[Vultural]

Margin Call - 2011 - 7/10

Bit of a reboot of Stone's Wall Street.
Late night, the firm realizes they are heavily overextended.  To the point of bankruptcy.
Very cynical film, with no moral compass.
Also infuriating for karma believers as it mirrors our current era regarding consequences - or lack of same - for misdeeds.
Powerhouse cast includes Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, Paul Bettany.

[Vultural]

Wonderwall - 1968 - 5/10

Trippy, boring, silly, pretentious, outta site gas, take your pick.
Introvert research scientist peeks through a hole in his crowded upstairs flat and spies on lovely Jane Birken's psychedelic fairyland.
Often, when younger colleagues asked about the 60s this is what they imagined.
Vibrant clothes, perfumed incense, everyone attractive and rich.
If only . . .
At times, Wonderwall is glossy fun.  Other times this is killingly dull.
Music by George Harrison, sometimes evocative, sometimes annoying.

[Vultural]

Stung - 2015 - 5/10

Poor marks on IMDB should have warned me, but a glowing review on DVDTalk tempted the sucker in me.
Two caterers drive into rural nowhere.  Birthday party for elderly WASPs in a crumbling manor house.
Lance Henriksen is the most recognizable player.
WASPs are soon attacked by wasps, big ones, maybe three or four inches long.
Them what gets stung gives birth to a fresh wasp, roughly the size of the host body.
Clearly, you want to keep pissed off insects near field mice and away from sumo wrestlers.
Plot is predictable, the pace grows boring, and the script has more flaws than invention.
There’s a good amount of meals - uhh, victims - at the party, but most get killed within three minutes.
Suspect filmmakers could not imagine different ways of killing, so that’s their fault.
Also, numerous small sized, crafty wasps are easier to hate and fear than laughable jumbos.
Then again, real wasps likely don’t take direction well.  Again, blame the filmmakers.
To be fair, I was drinking, yet that didn’t make this retread any more entertaining.

[Vultural]

End Of The Tour - 2015 - 7/10

Compelling, if historically suspicious, road trip of two writers.
Rolling Stone columnist takes assignment to interview David Foster Wallace, author of “Infinite Jest.”
Jesse Eisenberg takes the rather sour role of reporter Lipsky, resentful, envious, awe-struck and is terrific.
Jason Segel memorable as the author uncomfortable under the sun of fame.
He’s incredibly layered as individual who exposes himself and his flaws on one hand, then keeps friends at arm’s length on the other hand.
Film gracefully contrasts the loneliness and isolation most writers struggle with, alongside the near-delusional self confidence they must maintain to sustain themselves.

[Vultural]

Northern Soul - 2014 - 6/10

Companion film to documentary Northern Soul - Living For The Weekend.
This opens as the scene seems near its zenith.  Wigan Casino, though miles away, is “the” dancehall.
Drugs, primarily amphetamines, are a given (dancing till dawn) and dealing is a major subplot.
A secondary plot is tracking down obscure RnB 45s, or figuring out what mystery track a DJ is playing.
There is also a love - infatuation - story.  Male bonding.  Dance numbers.
The film suffers from a little bit of this, a little bit of that,
Really, the viewer unaware of the Northern Soul period might have trouble connecting the links in this.
Fine soundtrack of lost Hard Soul music.
Enjoyable, though it meandered.

[Vultural]

L'Homme qu'on Aimait Trop - 2014 - 6/10
AKA - In the Name of My Daughter

Catherine Deneuve struggles to hold onto a high end casino, circa 1976.
Local politicos and developers would like her to close, so they can build luxury hotels.
A mega casino combine - who launders money for the mob - wants to push her out.
Her daughter returns after a messy divorce, demanding her inheritance.
Gliding, slithering, shifting between all parties is a young, smiling attorney.
Loosely based on real events, the film coils around the players, none of whom are truly clean.
Talky French drama, with nebulous resolution, had me wondering about double jeopardy in France.

[Vultural]

Girl Shy - 1924 - 7/10

Black and white - Silent - Old!
Funny Harold Lloyd comedy about a shy milquetoast who pens The Secret Of Making Love, even though he is nervous around females.
Typical Lloyd with many jokes, mishaps and a hair raising run-to-the-altar finale through Los Angeles circa 1923.

[Vultural]

Project Nim - 2011 - 7/10

In the early 70s, chimp infant Nim was taken from his chimpanzee family and given to a human family.
The concept, backed by Columbia University, was to see if chimpanzees could learn sign language skills.
Absorbing documentary from start to finish.
The family was the wrong choice as they let Nim grow up undisciplined and he developed anti social habits.
Like biting a face off.
Humans drifted in and out of Nim's life, some honestly cared for him, others were disease experimenters.
Says a lot about animal medical testing, and human tendencies to anthropomorphize pets. Dog owners, take note.
Good film for primates everywhere.

[Vultural]

Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood - 1995 - 8/10

Essential companion to Hollywood: A Celebration Of American Silent Film, the definitive, 13 part documentary of early Hollywood.
An excellent introduction and a good primer to start hunting down checklist of movies for viewing.
The English version is narrated by Kenneth Branagh, there is footage from vintage interviews as well as survivors.
At only 6 episodes, this is less detailed, but highly recommended, nonetheless.
This probably ought to have been 10 episodes, at least, but there may have been budget limitations.

Five episodes were on post WWI productions and studios.
Silent footage used was of excellent quality throughout.
Series book-ended with an introductory episode (up to the end of WWI) and the usual “end of an era” chapter.
One chapter follows Scandinavian films, another French, another German, another Britain.
Especially poignant listening to Joan Morgan, English child actress, who received the “big offer” from Hollywood.  Her father turned it down without consulting her.  Fifty years later, one could tell the lost opportunity still hurt.
Little on Italian films, brief mention of Soviet Union, nothing on Austria.

[Vultural]

Tangerine - 2015 - 7/10

Bummer, dude.  Had I known, I would have saved this for Christmas.
Not that this is a holiday story, per se, but all events occur on December 24th in sunny Los Angeles.
Tranny Sin Dee has just been released from 30 days in county lockup and she is soon looking to ****.
Her boyfriend / pimpster Chester had been two-timng her with a young, blonde fish (natural borned female).
Film turns into a hilarious man ... wo-man ... fish hunt as Sin Dee, last name - wait for it - Rella starts busting down doors hunting for Chester and that fish girlfriend of his.

There’s a subplot of an Armenian taxi driver, with a taste for trannies, and a stream of skid row riders in back.
Side-splitting, rapid fire dialogue with an eye opening peek into transworld LA.
Geeks - whole thing shot on an iPhone!
Roaring fun, though not for everyone.  γνῶθι σεαυτόν

[Vultural]

I I I - Das Ritual - 2015 - 6/10

Arthouse alert!!  Russian film set in remote village beset with plague like wasting illness.
Being marketed as Horror, yet this is not genre true.  By any standard, a beautiful film to watch.
Scene after scene of marvelously composed images.
For cinematography and atmosphere, I’d boost this to 8/10.

Thus noted, for narrative, I’d kick this down to 4/10.
Damn little happens, and the pace is killingly slow.
Actors seem little better than somnambulists, serious and sluggish.
Scenes and characters are introduced, then abandoned.
When one sister comes down with the sickness, the healthy sister consults a rogue priest.
Most illness is mental, he declares, if one enters the other’s psyche the cure can be found.
Very tough sledding.  The lame “was it all a dream” crutch applies.  For arthouse geeks.

[Vultural]

Kaydara - 2011 - 5/10

An independently filmed chapter of the Matrix oeuvre.
Six minutes of clay-mation followed by fifty minutes of live action / CGI.
Some impressive special effects for a film made for $5.00, but slender in the way of narration.
Battles and fights, but thankfully, no Zion nonsense.
Still up on YouTube in 720p.

[Vultural]

Partir - 2009 - 5/10
AKA - Leaving

Implausible French melodrama.
Married woman develops the hots for the handyman hired to clear out the barn.
All well and good, but then ... love?  Really?
She is the wife of a doctor, she is also a physical therapist of sorts, and mother to two teens.
Handyman is illegal worker from Spain, with a prison record.
Say again, love?
Give up the posh life to pick veggies or work as grocery check-out girl because of true love?
Balls.
Characters are in their 40s and 50s.  Females are hard nosed about money at that age.
The leads have negative chemistry.
Farfetched nonsense.

[Vultural]

Cave Of Forgotten Dreams - 2011 - 8/10

Outstanding Werner Herzog documentary filmed inside the Chauvet caves of southern France.
Cave interiors have the oldest paintings known to exist, 30,000 years old.
The cliff face fell tens of thousands of years ago, sealing the original entrance, and protecting the art from us, the rabble.
Access was sealed immediately by French authorities after its discovery in 1994, so Herzog's film will likely be the only view any of us ever see.
Docked a point for intrusive music.