Reviews

So I'd never seen Blood Simple but recently had the opportunity to see it on the big-screen. In general I usually have a pretty good experience with the Coen brothers films and have seen most of them. Yet this film still managed to throw quite a few surprises at me, almost all of which were great. I will admit that it took me a couple of minutes to realize some of the plot 'twists' that happened . . . Maybe 5 minutes later in the film, but then again maybe that made it all the more fun for me. Clearly I enjoyed this film but I will mention that the pacing at times was a bit drawn out. I known they wanted to create the kind of slow brewing, languid feel and they did a god job with that but there were a few random sections where it actually kind of lulled a little . . . Eventually to be revived by a new and fun story development. If you haven't seen it yet you might want to check it out.

The title and accompanying graphics definitely lured me into giving Live Fast, Die Young a viewing. Oh, and also the fact that is was directed by Paul Henreid. I think Henreid did a competent job with the direction. The sets and art direction were both also solid enough as well. As for the cast, it's a broad ensemble for sure but given the material they had to work with, i think they all did a decent job. The main, and glaring issue with Live Fast, Die Young is the script. It just showed no imagination, no humor, and no real character development. Everyone was very one dimensionally bad or good with no one in-between. You either had a 'heart of gold' or were 'rotten to the core' and all presented in the simplest, most cliched 50's dialogue. Oh, and all of them were uniformly cynical. The whole thing was actually kind of depressing.

For some reason I was drawn to The Limping Man, I guess in large part to check out Lloyd Bridges in this fun British noir-ish drama. Jeff does a fine job, as does his female co-star, and of course Wheatley does his usually fine job as the inspector. His assistant is yet another grown man apparently stuck in his puberty, if we're to judge by his lecherous behaviour every time a pretty woman is present. I think that was meant to provide a few moments of levity but for some reason it just doesn't come off that way to me. It can be a bit slow going at times, and the ending feels a bit lazy, but despite the several shortcomings The Limping Man is still kind of fun and watchable.

The Rage of Paris start off well enough but despite some strong elements, it never seems to hit its rhythm. There are segments that are tightly paced but those are tempered by equally slow segments. Fairbanks and Broderick are both highly enjoyable and solid and bring some depth to the proceedings. Darrieux, who is generally very likeable, turns in a somewhat uneven performance and this really holds the film back as she is in almost every scene. Everything looked good enough and while there were touches of humour throughout, I didn't find it to be particularly funny. Despite several shortcomings The Rage of Paris might be worth checking out for the curious.

After hearing about this film via the year long media campaign, I was curious to finally check it out. In general I like Zendaya and think she does have lots of talent. I also think Guadagnino has a fresh eye and has dome some interesting work in the past. While Zendaya does a good job with the material, I think the script is fairly weak and doesn't give her enough to work with. As for the direction, Guadagnino once again brings some fresh elements to this tennis/love triangle story and there were quite a few very solid and engaging scenes/moments throughout Challengers. Unfortunately though, there were almost as many moments and scenes that just fell flat. It's really just these three main characters that occupy 95 percent of the film and while I think they all did a good job, I feel that Mike Faist was simply miscast here. I didn't see the ending coming, which I guess is a good thing. Not as engaging or entertaining as I was expecting but still worth checking out for those curious.

I'm not quite sure what drew me to The Chase but overall I was happy to have spent some time with it. So we have a down and out good guy played by Cummings, who by chance ends up as chauffeur to a bad guy (although he's not initially aware of his new bosses bad guy status). His bosses wife convinces him (with the promise of $1K) to help her escape the 'prison' her domineering and possessive husband has created around her. He does and in the process they fall in love. Just as they are truly enjoying their new life the dark shadow of their past shows up and it gets kind of dark. There is an unnecessary but still serviceable plot twist at this point and The Chase finally reaches it's predictable conclusion. Sure, the ending was easy to see coming from the very start but along the way it's still kind of fun and worth checking out.

MoMA was doing a recent retrospective which focused on the films of Durs and the actress Ogier and I decided it looked interesting enough to check out. I'm really happy that I did. It's a bit unusual for sure, but at the same time thoroughly engaging. There are large chunks where the dialogue is somewhat sparse, but even then the atmosphere was palpable and the 'action' continuous. The entire cast is great, in particular Renaud as the mother, and Ogier. The direction by Duras is inventive and well done. So the elderly mother from 'the colonies' is visiting her adult son in France. We never learn the specific colony as it doesn't really matter. She is very hungry and after some consternation they manage to feed her as they all sit down to eat in whatt is a very funny scene. The second half of the film takes place in a restaurant, which is super interesting and atmospheric, all accompanied by a wonderful jazz score. What exactly happens in Entire Days in the Trees and what does it all mean . . . I'm not completely sure. But I am sure that it is a film definitely worth checking out.

I'd never considered that Frankenstein had a daughter so when I saw this title I needed to check it out. Overall, it's a real jumble of the good, the mediocre, and the downright awful. On the good side the story premise is solid enough/interesting, the costumes, sets, and acting are all well enough and the actors mostly likeable. Then there is the musical number: this is actually great fun and kind of funny at the same time. Although as for progressing the story it seemed more like filler. The major downside is the script itself: specifically it represents everyone other that Dr. Frankenstein as completely naive, gullible, and kind of simple. Rather than developing these characters into real, thinking beings they took the easy way out and made them all idiots as a way of progressing the story. That's a shame because as bad as this was, it could have actually been decent. Despite all the bad, it was still kind of fun to watch.

So I had no idea what to expect going into All of Us Strangers, which is just the way I like it. It starts off strong in that all four of the main characters are genuine and delivering solid and engaging performance. Somehow Scott is interacting with his parents and those conversations are feeling very real and authentic. At the same time he begins a relationship with Mezcal, which also feel genuine and authentic. I particularly appreciated the gay characters not being played the same as the majority of gay men are in every other media representation. They are both damaged but grounded and doing their best. So far it's all good and I'm there for it. Unfortunately, everything that kind of just 'magically' worked in the first two thirds of the film are over used and over sentimentalized in the last third to a degree that not only doesn't work, but kind of sightly spoils/taints everything that came before it. So, yes, really solid performances all around and the basis of a great film/story that unfortunately the director and writers didn't know when to stop., and no, this is has nothing to do with the somewhat controversial ending of the film, but rather how the repetitive nature of the third act as a whole didn't work for me. Still, All of Us Strangers is worth checking out.

Women of Glamour, the title alone caught my attention. Not sure exactly what I was expecting based on the title alone but it wasn't what that title conjured up in my mind. There were two main women and a couple dashes of glamour, but not really all that. The story is one that has been covered in film literally hundreds of time, and a few I can think of were more interesting than this particular version. Yjod one didn't really go very deep and was rather surface tension only. Oh, the acting was solid all-around, the sets and costumes, while not exactly distinct, were satisfactory. Women of Glamour was rather average, but still could be worth checking out for the truly curious.

I was hearing a lot of good things about Pleasant Days and seeing as I always find Wenders work interesting, and I also like Koji Yakusho. With Perfect Days they have created a pleasant enough film for sure, but for me it was only that, pleasant enough, which is a lot better than many other films out there, but it certainly did not hit me nearly as hard as it seems to have some many others. It is yet another basic story of finding beauty in the simple, and mundane things in life. That is a great story that has been covered many times previously in other films. It seems no one else saw any of those films that covered this exact same territory. No, the others did not focus solely on the act of cleaning toilets, but on many of the myriad others jobs and activities that might be considered equally mundane. It is a good story worth repeating, and for that I did appreciate Perfect Days, but seeing as I'm already very familiar with this story it did not have the impact that so many others seem to have enjoyed. Good for those folks and welcome to the club. Definitely worth checking out if your curious.

The Young Captives tells a tale that seems to have been very popular during this period on cinema involving a young male who seems to be constantly at odds, rebelling and angry against society. Here is play by Steve marlo, who brings some much needed energy and sense of chaos that this otherwise conventional film needed. He turns in a solid performance. The remainder of the cast are fine and fill their roles as needed. The story is fairly straightforward and is only able to create a minimum of tension. Not an altogether bad film but not a strong as i think it could have been. Despite some shortcomings, The Young Captives is still worth checking out if your curious.

The Lie grabbed my attention with its straightforward, two word title. The cast for the most part gave fine performances but they were also a little off in that several of the main characters seemed too old for their specific roles. Not sure why that is but it served to further weaken an already very weak story. Too much of this relatively short film was devoted to circus acts and a lengthy nightclub performance scene. It seems the circus was a popular setting for many films of this era, although this specific circus was particularly tepid. Despite a couple watchable elements, The Lie just doesn't deliver a solid return on the time investment.

Anatomy of a Fall offers up excellent performances from an all-around solid cast. The style is realistic, the direction is thoughtfully and evenly paced throughout. Someone is dead and we're trying to determine if the death is a result of an accident or the result of foul play. We the viewer truly have no idea and this is one of the reasons we remain engaged throughout as we're are trying to figure things out in our own minds as the characters in the film are try to do the same thing. It is a visually stark film, and this adds to the realism of the story and what elevates to focus and interest in the characters. Anatomy of a Fall is a unique film and one worth checking out.

Home Town Story starts off with a solid enough idea but one that unfortunately is not that well executed. For starters the lead character having such a young sister is not really credible, in particular without the benefit if any real back story to this family. Then the fact that the lead character isn't really likeable makes things challenging. Yes, it a safe, pleasant enough film with a 'good' story but it has absolutely no teeth whatsoever. It moves along but lacks anything unique or of note that the viewer can really engage with or lean into to. I guess Home Town Story is watchable in its inoffensiveness but at the same time provides no real reason to watch, unless your a major Marilyn Monroe fan, or maybe even an interest in Alan Hale Jr./Skipper.

I recently discovered Patrick Knowles and jumped at the chance to see him again here in the Mystery of Marie Roget. The fact that this is a Poe story just made it even more interesting. All of the performances are fine. Prefect Gobelin is a solid foil t Knowles character but he is a bit exasperating at times, but then again I guess he is supposed to be that way. The pace is brisk and moves along nicely and while there are bits of suspense they are unfortunately not very strong. Despite several shortcomings the Mystery of Marie Roget is still worth checking for anyone curious, or for those fans of Patrick Knowles.

I'd heard/read about La Piscine over the years and when it was showing at the theater I decided to check it out. I won't take time to retell the story as its already been discussed. The small but solid cast was definitely one of the things that drew me to it. Delon is always interesting, I'd never actually seem Birkin act before, and the Schneider/Delon pairing just seemed to good to pass up. The film definitely projects a certain vibe all its own, which I did appreciate and find engaging. All of the performances are good, and the film itself looks good too. Unfortunately, the story unfolds at such a leisurely pace and it suffers because of it. It does start to grow in interest in the last third of the film but that's a little too late. A flawed film for sure but I'd say it's one still worth checking out.

Based on the title, I initially thought Step Down to Terror was going to be a horror film. I soon realized my error. That's fine because I was also up for a good suspense film and always happy to see Rod Taylor. Step Down to Terror isn't completely lacking in suspense, but unfortunately, there just isn't enough of it. For starters, I think the film takes to long in the set-up before it actually gets really interesting. Then when it does get interesting and suspense starts it's fairly quickly snuffed out when the female lead oddly, and unfortunately for everyone involved, including the audience, decides to put everything out there. The very ending scene is odd and seemed like a last minute kind of thing.

I'd not heard of Holiday previously but after viewing it recently I'm kind of surprised as its really a delightful film. Grant and Hepburn play off each other quite well and the rest of the cast are all turning in their own solid performances as well. The story isn't too complicated and I can't say that I didn't see it coming but nevertheless, Holiday is great fun and well done. There are several well crafted scenes throughout the film, it's all tightly paced without and wasted moment to spare. It's a story that still has relevance today and fortunately with this cast I suspect that it will continue to get new viewers. Worth checking out.

I haven't really seen many Leigh films and when I came across Storm in a Teacup I jumped at the chance to check it out. It's sod as a comedy but the comedy is rather slight, I consider it to be more humorous rather than outright funny, but pleasant enough either way. Harrison, Leigh, and Patrick are all solid but I think Harrison plays his role a bit highbrow and as such doesn't quite gain the full sympathies of the viewer as deeply as a result. Leigh is good with the role she's given in that her character isn't as developed and layered as she could have been. Still, despite some running weaknesses Storm in a Teacup is fun enough and worth checking out of your curious.

Million Dollar Baby of course is a film about boxing, but like all sports films it's also about a lot more than just the sport and just about winning or losing at that sport. The act of training and competing in sports has many crossover applications to the rest of our human existence, and Million Dollar Baby is no different in this regard. Both Eastwood and Swank give solid performances, in particular Swanks really does hit this one out of the park. The direction and blocking are very controlled and strong, which for me kind of made the final third of the film not really come as much of a surprise for me as it apparently did for others. I'm fine with the way the later section of the story went, it just didn't have the same emotional impact on me that many others felt. Still, Million Dollar Baby is worth checking out.

I can't recall what drew me to Dangerous Crossing but I'm definitely glad I decided to check it out. I won't retell the story specifics here as it's been told already but will say that I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Dangerous Crossing. The fresh honeymoon couple boards the luxurious ocean liner and suddenly one of them disappears while the others goes crazy trying to figure out what happened. The sets, lighting, cinematography and my personal favorite, the ever present foghorn, all contribute to the ultimate success of this film. As for what didn't work was the complete lack of a back-story to this newly married couple. The other problem was Crain's performance. In general I think she's a fine actress but she played this role too frenetic and predictable. Her character shares her inner thoughts and knows she needs to play it cool but instead she's constantly running around drawing attention to herself as if she's experiencing some kind of prolonged epileptic seizure or something. That's too bad because the rest of the cast is all solid, as is this fun suspense/drama.

Yes, The Day Time Ended does indeed lent itself to many possibilities. Unfortunately, they tried to fit all of them into this one film, and yet despite the many different ideas, creatures, and going on present, there really isn't much of a story to speak of. It's as though the folks behind The Day Time Ended were making these things up as they went along. Some of the acting is fine, while some of it was poorly executed. The special effects weren't really all that effective. The story just didn't have any cohesion and as such never gain ed any momentum to draw the viewer in. Despite the efforts of some of the players here it just didn't amount to enough to recommend.

For some reason Ring of Terror sounded kind of interesting to me and so I thought I'd check it out. At only 70 minutes run time the investment was relatively small. The very beginning, with an apparently random groundskeeper searching through a cemetery for his cat 'Puma' did genuinely spark my interest. We're then on a college campus where all of the students are in their mid 30's to early 40's. Not sure if there was a point to this unusual casting but it doesn't really work. Then there is the story, it read like a solid idea in the film's written synopsis, but it doesn't manifest itself nearly as coherently in the actual film. It's very uneven and patchy to the point of it kind of felt like the actors and director were just making things up as they went along. One thing I will say in it's favor - I stuck with it till the end because I was genuinely curious to see how it might possibly end. At only 70 minutes it still wasn't a great use of my time.

With a cast like this - Cooper, Bankhead, Laughton, Grant - I just had to check out Devil and the Deep. This is the earliest Grant film I've seen and he has already established his trademark speech patterns and carriage that would be with him for his entire career. Needless to say his does a fine job. Cooper looks great but his performance is a bit flat, mostly due to the script and direction. Laughton is very good and his character brings a lit to the film. Bankhead does a fine job but her character is so weak willed and passive that it's hard not to get a bit frustrated with her character let alone root for her. It is an odd little film for sure but one that I think is still worth checking out mostly for the cast.