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I watched Heretic last might with hugh grant, good psychological horror, nothing deep but i think he definitely has more range than just rom-coms. 8/10.
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Conclave (2024)
This is the most substantive and engaging film I’ve seen in several years. It’s an intelligent adult tale of intrigue and suspense with a dream heavyweight cast that languishes in the mix of superb direction, cinematography, set design and highly effective but spare music scoring.
Hearing of the film, my first thought was how could another story about a papal conclave --the selection of a new Pope by the College of Cardinals-- be fresh and interesting, when several films or series with similar content have been produced in the past few years.
However Conclave quickly forged its own genuineness from the very first few scenes, and continued to inspire fascination all the way to the end. Ralph Fiennes as the Cardinal-Dean who is tasked with overseeing the election of a new Pope is stunning in his nuanced and complex portrayal-- surely to be an award nominating performance. Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow display their craft as two fine veteran actors. And Isabella Rossellini channels her famous mother (Ingrid Bergman) as she inhabits Sister Agnes’ rock solid earnestness and fealty to her charge.
The story is not so much an attempt to expose or even document true legislative Vatican practices, as it is a well crafted behind the scenes thriller. There is a surprise ending that no one could see coming. In my view the twist it contained was not only unnecessary but modishly pretentious. Still, that unlikely development did not lessen the heft of the entire absorbing story that preceded it.
Doc’s rating: 9/10
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Hillbilly Elegy - 6/10
I gave it a higher score than usual because it was the Vice-President Elect of the US, J.D. Vance, so it was more engaging had it not been about him, and I would have turned it off. But I didn't, which is an accomplishment for me, especially since I haven't been watching movies because I'm out of movies to watch, but this transcends movies. But the writing is bad, the acting is bad (especially the characters who play JD and Usha). I know very little about Vance, but just from what I've seen during election-time, and a few articles, there could have been a lot of other things to help this movie out.. His mom could have rationalized her drug use by telling her how bad the withdrawals were (a message to the audience, too), or Usha meeting his mother.
I gave it a higher score than usual because it was the Vice-President Elect of the US, J.D. Vance, so it was more engaging had it not been about him, and I would have turned it off. But I didn't, which is an accomplishment for me, especially since I haven't been watching movies because I'm out of movies to watch, but this transcends movies. But the writing is bad, the acting is bad (especially the characters who play JD and Usha). I know very little about Vance, but just from what I've seen during election-time, and a few articles, there could have been a lot of other things to help this movie out.. His mom could have rationalized her drug use by telling her how bad the withdrawals were (a message to the audience, too), or Usha meeting his mother.
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Blood for a Silver Dollar (1965)
Watched in Italian, with subs - while it's set in the USA, it just sounded better, more authentic that way - Not a bad spaghetti western, but not Giuliano Gemma's most dynamic acting (he was much better in the Ringo films) ★★★½
Argylle (2024)
Matthew Vaughn started off so well, and I did enjoy the first Kingsman film, but it's been downhill after that. This wasn't unwatchable, but it was much too much, I got pretty sick and tired of it - could have used some tightening up, but even then... ★★½
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (2023 - original release 1979)
Never saw the much-maligned original cut but have read that this is an improvement. It really captures the decadence, and I applaud the effort to redeem it, but all told, I found it average at best. ★★★
Watched in Italian, with subs - while it's set in the USA, it just sounded better, more authentic that way - Not a bad spaghetti western, but not Giuliano Gemma's most dynamic acting (he was much better in the Ringo films) ★★★½
Argylle (2024)
Matthew Vaughn started off so well, and I did enjoy the first Kingsman film, but it's been downhill after that. This wasn't unwatchable, but it was much too much, I got pretty sick and tired of it - could have used some tightening up, but even then... ★★½
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (2023 - original release 1979)
Never saw the much-maligned original cut but have read that this is an improvement. It really captures the decadence, and I applaud the effort to redeem it, but all told, I found it average at best. ★★★
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Spencer (2021)
I really dunno why I sat through this. I'm not a fan of the royal family but this seemed to appear a decent enough idea with good actors. In fact it's a tabloid writers wet dream on an oft covered rather dull story of 2 people that are dull but have plenty of money and entitlement. And, hey hey, the money and privileged life isn't making them happy. The paralells between Anne Boyleyn are frankly ludicrous. Leading to a complete farce of a last scene where Diana takes the 2 sons to a Macdonalds to the tune of Mike and the Mechanics. The RF and security just let an unstable woman drive off with the future king, yeah, ok. 1/2 a point for Stewart.
I really dunno why I sat through this. I'm not a fan of the royal family but this seemed to appear a decent enough idea with good actors. In fact it's a tabloid writers wet dream on an oft covered rather dull story of 2 people that are dull but have plenty of money and entitlement. And, hey hey, the money and privileged life isn't making them happy. The paralells between Anne Boyleyn are frankly ludicrous. Leading to a complete farce of a last scene where Diana takes the 2 sons to a Macdonalds to the tune of Mike and the Mechanics. The RF and security just let an unstable woman drive off with the future king, yeah, ok. 1/2 a point for Stewart.
totally get why this is a classic but for me an action movie needs scenes that activate the animal brain and it really only has one shot that gets to that level.
i don't really f*ck with Satoshi Kon the way i used to anymore but this is still a really cute movie despite having all the same issues his other films have.
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MILAGRO EN YAUCO
(1996, Colberg)
(1996, Colberg)
"But we're rich! We have the farm, this house, and I have Pancho."
Milagro en Yauco is based on a local Christmas song, which basically tells the story of the birth of Jesus, but from the perspective of a humble Puerto Rican kid that wants to give something to the newborn child. The film follows young Juancito who lives with his parents, Juan and Mercedes, on a farm in the town of Yauco. When his father receives some not so good news from his doctor, the prospects of a good Christmas are threatened. But can a "miracle" save the Christmas for them?
Again, this film was released locally on TV back in 1996. I think I saw it back then, but I hadn't seen it since until my wife decided to put it to the kids this morning. It is a very low budget production, but with a lot of heart. The story is very simple, but earnest and very family-oriented. It also takes advantage of most of its cast being singers and weaves a couple of musical numbers into its story.
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Full review on my Movie Loot
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Caligula: The Ultimate Cut (2023 - original release 1979)
Never saw the much-maligned original cut but have read that this is an improvement. It really captures the decadence, and I applaud the effort to redeem it, but all told, I found it average at best. ★★★
Never saw the much-maligned original cut but have read that this is an improvement. It really captures the decadence, and I applaud the effort to redeem it, but all told, I found it average at best. ★★★
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A friend and I had been fascinated by the original for quite a few years - one crazy mess of a movie that falls apart as you watch it, but still transfixes in it's deliberate ugliness, brutality, horror and gaudy sickness. A movie destroyed in the post-shooting phase of production. We both went to see the recent reconstruction and our shared opinion was of the sort that "They've taken Caligula and made a normal, average everyday movie out of it." It was stunning in the sense that it was possible to make a normal movie out of what we'd been seeing for all these years. Makes it hard to judge it's worth because it's hard to remove that sense of surprise from the process of watching it, but it's interesting to hear opinions from people who have never seen the 1979 monstrosity.
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I love Caligula. Plus it has Malcolm McDowell
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He didn't always pick the best projects to lend his talents to, but I think that McDowell will go down as one of the greats regardless - especially because of his iconic roles.
I have always had an interest in Gaius Julius Ceasar Augustus Germanicus who we know as Caligula.
Malcolm McDowell just adds a nice touch to his chaotic behavior.
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I love the original film
I have always had an interest in Gaius Julius Ceasar Augustus Germanicus who we know as Caligula.
Malcolm McDowell just adds a nice touch to his chaotic behavior.
I have always had an interest in Gaius Julius Ceasar Augustus Germanicus who we know as Caligula.
Malcolm McDowell just adds a nice touch to his chaotic behavior.
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It took some thought to arrange yesterday's movies in order from best to worst, but after some thought I find myself surprised by my own verdict...
By HBO - https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Life-and...ellers/132379/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68882132
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers - (2004)
The modern biopic can be a very confining type of movie for any filmmaker to try and make their own, but Stephen Hopkins succeeds in various ways that help transfer the very unique and mysterious personality ascribed to Peter Sellers into a 2-hour film. Geoffrey Rush can't pass himself off as Sellers but makes up for that by really giving one of the performances of his career, successfully allowing us (with the help of Hopkins and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) to almost walk around inside the man's mind. It's a hall of mirrors in there, and what we find is a stunted child-like creature - almost a sociopath really, with his lack of empathy and singular obsession with the characters he'd create at the expense of his own personality. It might be because the subject is so interesting, but in any event the movie has the rewarding feeling of a fictional tragedy, and allows some sympathy for this man who was so good at what he did that he seemed to lose contact with himself. Watching Sellers play the part of significant others in his life, portraying them as he would have liked them to have acted as opposed to the way they did, was an interesting little addition to what is an already fascinating biographical movie - and as I've said, provides a key to the mind of someone nearly inscrutable.
8/10
By Amazon.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27610653
The Special Relationship - (2010)
I spent the whole time prior to watching this thinking it was about Tony Blair and George W. Bush. Dennis Quaid has played President Reagan, President Clinton and even the fictional President Joseph Staton, but I'm surprised he never played Bush. Anyway, this movie ended up being better than I thought it would be - perhaps because I was relieved not to have to relive the whole ugly Iraq affair once again, and instead take a trip further back to a more hopeful era. Michael Sheen made a whole career out of playing Tony Blair and Quaid really surprises by disappearing into a very flattering portrait of the 42nd President. The "special relationship" the title refers to is that between Britain and the United States, and by proxy that between the British Prime Minister and the U.S. President. We see Blair go from thinking he has a bona fide friend in Clinton to becoming more and more shaped by the process of being a politician and as such losing touch with the needed vulnerability to really have a friend like that - so that when we end with Bush grabbing the presidency there are some dark overtones. In the meantime Clinton chafes at this turn of events, and goes from mentor to rival - a lost opportunity for the so-called "center-left" to take advantage of the momentum the 1990s had for centrists.
7/10
By May be found at the following website: IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47650689
The Danish Girl - (2015)
At times while watching a movie it'll feel like the film has no personality of it's own - so while The Danish Girl isn't a badly made movie, it's certainly very measured and proper in an almost banal kind of way. I only learned after watching it that many trans people loathe if for the way it portrays Lili Elbe - but it's not something that I could easily pick up on myself, and I count myself as someone sympathetic and inclusive. This is an easy film to push aside though, so while I thought it was okay it's not one that I'll return to or think much about regardless. Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander are both exceptional in this though - a couple of powerhouse performances.
6/10
By HBO - https://www.blu-ray.com/The-Life-and...ellers/132379/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68882132
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers - (2004)
The modern biopic can be a very confining type of movie for any filmmaker to try and make their own, but Stephen Hopkins succeeds in various ways that help transfer the very unique and mysterious personality ascribed to Peter Sellers into a 2-hour film. Geoffrey Rush can't pass himself off as Sellers but makes up for that by really giving one of the performances of his career, successfully allowing us (with the help of Hopkins and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) to almost walk around inside the man's mind. It's a hall of mirrors in there, and what we find is a stunted child-like creature - almost a sociopath really, with his lack of empathy and singular obsession with the characters he'd create at the expense of his own personality. It might be because the subject is so interesting, but in any event the movie has the rewarding feeling of a fictional tragedy, and allows some sympathy for this man who was so good at what he did that he seemed to lose contact with himself. Watching Sellers play the part of significant others in his life, portraying them as he would have liked them to have acted as opposed to the way they did, was an interesting little addition to what is an already fascinating biographical movie - and as I've said, provides a key to the mind of someone nearly inscrutable.
8/10
By Amazon.com, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27610653
The Special Relationship - (2010)
I spent the whole time prior to watching this thinking it was about Tony Blair and George W. Bush. Dennis Quaid has played President Reagan, President Clinton and even the fictional President Joseph Staton, but I'm surprised he never played Bush. Anyway, this movie ended up being better than I thought it would be - perhaps because I was relieved not to have to relive the whole ugly Iraq affair once again, and instead take a trip further back to a more hopeful era. Michael Sheen made a whole career out of playing Tony Blair and Quaid really surprises by disappearing into a very flattering portrait of the 42nd President. The "special relationship" the title refers to is that between Britain and the United States, and by proxy that between the British Prime Minister and the U.S. President. We see Blair go from thinking he has a bona fide friend in Clinton to becoming more and more shaped by the process of being a politician and as such losing touch with the needed vulnerability to really have a friend like that - so that when we end with Bush grabbing the presidency there are some dark overtones. In the meantime Clinton chafes at this turn of events, and goes from mentor to rival - a lost opportunity for the so-called "center-left" to take advantage of the momentum the 1990s had for centrists.
7/10
By May be found at the following website: IMP Awards, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47650689
The Danish Girl - (2015)
At times while watching a movie it'll feel like the film has no personality of it's own - so while The Danish Girl isn't a badly made movie, it's certainly very measured and proper in an almost banal kind of way. I only learned after watching it that many trans people loathe if for the way it portrays Lili Elbe - but it's not something that I could easily pick up on myself, and I count myself as someone sympathetic and inclusive. This is an easy film to push aside though, so while I thought it was okay it's not one that I'll return to or think much about regardless. Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander are both exceptional in this though - a couple of powerhouse performances.
6/10
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totally get why this is a classic but for me an action movie needs scenes that activate the animal brain and it really only has one shot that gets to that level.
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Black Moon Rising 2/5
A car that runs on water is stolen from a trio of engineer-entrepreneurs. Tommy Lee Jones has stuffed some evidence for some federal investigation into the car, so he wants to get to the car to get his evidence so he can get his fed handlers off his back. Linda Hamilton wants the car, because she thinks it's cool.
They're all idiots. The people who made the car? Idiots. Why did you leave this in a parking lot in L.A.? Also, you developed the tech, so you can make another one. More important, you just solved ENERGY. FOREVER!!!! The engine design that runs a car, can also spin a turbine. Energy solved. You're welcome. Who cares if the car can exceed 200 MPH? Seriously? Who cares?!? YOU OWN THE WORLD. The people who invented this engine say, "This is the biggest thing since the turbo-charger." No, dumbass, this is the biggest thing since language or agriculture! Tommy, why are you hiding evidence in a location you don't control? Linda, why are you in this movie? Is this the best your agent could do? And given that you're the super-driver, why is Tommy driving the car in the end? Finally, why did you need to shoot people in the head before the big finale with the car? It's already been established that the car is bullet proof. Did you just want to bust a few caps to compensate for being stuck riding shotgun?
A car that runs on water is stolen from a trio of engineer-entrepreneurs. Tommy Lee Jones has stuffed some evidence for some federal investigation into the car, so he wants to get to the car to get his evidence so he can get his fed handlers off his back. Linda Hamilton wants the car, because she thinks it's cool.
They're all idiots. The people who made the car? Idiots. Why did you leave this in a parking lot in L.A.? Also, you developed the tech, so you can make another one. More important, you just solved ENERGY. FOREVER!!!! The engine design that runs a car, can also spin a turbine. Energy solved. You're welcome. Who cares if the car can exceed 200 MPH? Seriously? Who cares?!? YOU OWN THE WORLD. The people who invented this engine say, "This is the biggest thing since the turbo-charger." No, dumbass, this is the biggest thing since language or agriculture! Tommy, why are you hiding evidence in a location you don't control? Linda, why are you in this movie? Is this the best your agent could do? And given that you're the super-driver, why is Tommy driving the car in the end? Finally, why did you need to shoot people in the head before the big finale with the car? It's already been established that the car is bullet proof. Did you just want to bust a few caps to compensate for being stuck riding shotgun?
Last edited by Corax; 12-23-24 at 09:17 AM.
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The Underneath (1995)
Twisty turny noir thriller adapted from a book and remake of a previous film (Criss Cross). Michael returns to his hometown after fleeing due to gambling debts for his mothers wedding. Soon he lands a job with an armoured van company via his soon-to-be stepfather and hooks up with the woman he left years ago when he did a flit. She's now with a local mobster (the brilliant William Fichtner). He falls into old habits and needs to find a way to get the money to pay off his debts pronto. Soderbergh was very non-complimentary about this film saying it was the worst thing he had done. Whereas I see it as a tightly scripted modern noir even though the characters are a bit one dimensional, esp Michaels brother as the corrupt local cop. Great surprise ending. Weird cameo by Shelley Duvall as the nurse
Twisty turny noir thriller adapted from a book and remake of a previous film (Criss Cross). Michael returns to his hometown after fleeing due to gambling debts for his mothers wedding. Soon he lands a job with an armoured van company via his soon-to-be stepfather and hooks up with the woman he left years ago when he did a flit. She's now with a local mobster (the brilliant William Fichtner). He falls into old habits and needs to find a way to get the money to pay off his debts pronto. Soderbergh was very non-complimentary about this film saying it was the worst thing he had done. Whereas I see it as a tightly scripted modern noir even though the characters are a bit one dimensional, esp Michaels brother as the corrupt local cop. Great surprise ending. Weird cameo by Shelley Duvall as the nurse