The Pawnbroker (1964) -
Decided to watch some more Lumet flicks. An outstanding performance from Rod Steiger.I thought these retrospection flashes were super effective and powerful, but the longer the retrospection lasted, the weaker it became. I wish Lumet had stuck with just rapid flashes that would let the viewer see the silhouttes and understand what they show, but not long enough to see anything else. Still, a wonderful film.
All the Vermeers in New York (1990) -
My first Jon Jost film. Very sad. It's almost unsettling how bad it is acting-wise at times, but also how beautiful Jost handles the topics he explores and how skillfully he places the camera and composes frames.
Fail-Safe (1964) -
A truly outstanding thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end and literally shattered me during its final five minutes. Henry Fonda and great cinematography to boost.
御用牙 鬼の半蔵やわ肌小判 [Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?] (1974) -
The third in the trilogy and just as great as its predecessors. Nothing new here if you've seen the other two, but great entertainment nevertheless.
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) -
Decided to catch up on Allen, even though I'm not a fan. Many good actors here (von Sydow!!!) and a typical extramarital romance plot. One of his best.
13人連続暴行魔 [Serial Rapist] (1978) -
Wakamatsu going in hard and taking no prisoners! This is perhaps his most nihilistic and unadulterated work. Just a one-hour-long stream of rape and murder.
ハッピーアワー [Happy Hour] (2015) -
This completely destroyed me! It's called
Happy Hour, but it's more like
Five Hours of Sadness. It starts beautifully and you can really feel the friendship between these women, but then so many things happen it really got me emotionally. The characters are among the most real I've ever seen in cinema and long, drawn-out dialogue scenes really help to build them. None of the characters are perfect, they make stupid mistakes that made me feel really angry with them (as if they were people I actually know in real life). I feel the most important theme in the film is the inability to communicate with other human being in contemporary world, but there's much more to it!.
君は裸足の神を見たか? [Did You See the Barefoot God?] (1987) -
Yet another depressing movie! Quite beautiful!
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) -
A really nice mix of drama and comedy with your usual Allen witticism, but that's about it.
Midnight in Paris (2011) -
My TOP 3 Allen so far. Super-light romantic comedy with Dali, Bunuel, Ray, Picasso, Hemingway, the Fitzgeralds and more!
La dama rossa uccide sette volte [Red Queen Kills 7 Times] (1972) -
A pretty cool giallo flick. I had fun.
Cani arrabbiati [Rabid Dogs] (1998) -
A super brutal offering from Mario Bava! Ruthless criminals kidnap a man, a woman and a child and therefore start a game of life and death. But who will win?
Una sull'altra [Perversion Story] (1969) -
Early Fulci when he still wanted some plot in his movies. It's like a post-Hitchcock, giallo without giallo, kind of criminal flick with dazzling colour cinematography and interesting story.
すけべ妻 夫の留守に [Wife in Heat: While Husband is Away] (1995) -
AKA Rafureshia. Sato does black comedy and... succeeds greatly! It's so ridiculous at times... only Sato could've made this! Jesus, the dinner scene and dad & daughter scene already had me wondering what more does this flick to offer, and believe me, it does a lot.
薮の中 [In the Thicket] (1996) -
WTF, this is the least Sato-esque film made by Sato ever since he started to this point. Looks like he got a big budget and made a... jidaigeki film. This is a reinterpretation of Rashomon story. If it wasn't for the nice colours, occasional mood and great ending, I would've rated it lower.
むっちり家政婦 吸いつきご奉仕 [Milk the Maid] (2013) -
A big surprise. A really dumb comedy and the leading lady's face looks like a doll's, but she makes up for it with her body and the other ladie's body is good, too, but it is the plot that's the best. It's so naive and magically dumb I just couldn't help but enjoy it. Next one in line:
Whore Angels. Should be fun!