tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88765840257876527572024-03-17T13:34:41.153+11:00Shameless Self ExpressionRyan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.comBlogger3058125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-84152815578205838992024-03-17T13:33:00.004+11:002024-03-17T13:33:49.006+11:00Review: Hellraiser (2022)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Recovering junkie Odessa A’zion accompanies scuzzy
boyfriend Drew Starkey on a break-in where all they find is a weird puzzle box.
A’zion later opens the box and after some weird shit happens, A’zion and
Starkey figure it might be a good idea to learn more about this messed up
trinket. Goran Visnjic plays a millionaire who possessed the box before our
protagonist nicked it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Is there any point in remaking/rebooting <b>“Hellraiser”</b>
when the 1987 adaptation of Clive Barker’s original text was written and
directed by Barker himself? And is considered a horror classic? On evidence
here, absolutely not. Directed by David Bruckner (<b>“The Signal”</b>) and
scripted by Ben Collins (<b>“The Night House”</b>) and Luke Piotrowski (ditto) this
is an entirely tedious affair. I took a long time to get on board with the 1987
<b>“Hellraiser”</b>, I have to admit. It was wildly imaginative and original, like
a nightmare transplanted on to film. However, the characters were stone cold
and left me similarly chilly throughout. I couldn’t quite find my way in for
many years after several watches. Eventually though, I came to genuinely admire
the film for its strengths, if not thoroughly <i>enjoy</i> the film due to its
cold centre. I’m at peace with it being a well-made and interesting film, if
not a terribly inviting one. This one though? Nothing works. Not a goddamn
thing. We get the Lament Configuration and a bunch of boring, unlikeable
humans…but none of the unique imagery, style and sadistic creepiness of the
original. It’s boring, dreary, and goes absolutely nowhere of interest. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">It’s a cool prop and I’d like to own a replica of it,
but this film is far too interested in the Lament Configuration. The kinky
puzzle box is less interesting here than in any previous <b>“Hellraiser”</b>
film. Even the film’s Cenobites suck. The non-Pinhead ones look like S&M <b>“Star
Wars”</b> aliens, utterly ridiculous and completely unterrifying. As for our
new female Pinhead (referred to as The Priest here), Jamie Clayton is boring
and looks fake. Having said that, Pinhead was a bit boring after the second
film anyway, he just <i>looked</i> awesome. The film is quite violent, but not
in any interesting way. The film really only offers three things: Largely
indecipherable whispering, the Lament Configuration, and people being torn
apart. At least the original had a really interesting, distinct visual style
going for it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Although not as godawful as <b>“Hellraiser: Inferno”</b>,
this re-do is pretty poor. Truth be told, any of the films past the first one
are woefully inferior. This one’s a real slog and completely unnecessary. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">D<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-66571898769162393852024-03-09T13:43:00.002+11:002024-03-09T13:43:35.039+11:00Review: Battle Beyond the Stars<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">When the planet of Akir is targeted by a
planet-devouring tyrant named Sador (John Saxon), one of its peace-loving
citizens named Shad (Richard Thomas) ventures out in search of space warriors
to help defend his planet. George Peppard plays a humanoid named Space Cowboy, Sybil
Danning is the feisty and proud Valkyrie, Robert Vaughn is a glum hired killer
named Gelt, Morgan Woodward plays the reptilian Cayman, and Earl Boen plays a
species of Borg-like alien that inhabits several entities called Nestor. Sam
Jaffe turns up as the eccentric Dr. Hephaestus, a cyborg who wants Shad to mate
with his daughter (Darlanne Fluegel). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">The best of the 80s <b>“Star Wars”</b> knock-offs by
far, and not just because art director (and future filmmaker) James Cameron
created a ship with breasts. It’s a thing that he did here though, and it’s
awesome. This 1980 space adventure from director Jimmy T. Murakami (an animator
who also directed a segment of the cult classic <b>“Heavy Metal”</b>) and
producer Roger Corman is an irresistibly fun B-movie with a durable story
penned by John Sayles (yes, <i>that</i> John Sayles) that takes the basic plot
of <b>“The Seven Samurai”</b> and sets it in space. We even get Robert Vaughn
from <b>“The Magnificent Seven”</b> almost entirely replicating his role from
that classic 1960 western transplant of the aforementioned Kurosawa film. Meanwhile,
James Horner liked his majestic music score here so much that he used bits of
it again for <b>“Star Trek II: The Wrath of</b> <b>Khan”</b>. I believe famed
penny-pincher Corman recycled the FX work in subsequent productions of his too.
I love the laser FX/sound FX here and the spaceship dogfights are all lots of
fun. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I also love all the eccentric sci-fi touches here like
Sam Jaffe’s odd cameo, the sassy ship’s voice provided by Lynn Carlin, Earl
Boen playing a Borg-like collective alien race, and the bosom-y Sybil Danning
as a fierce space Valkyrie (basically playing the Toshiro Mifune/Horst Buchholz
role). Despite the influence from Kurosawa and Lucas in the storytelling, it’s
interesting and unique/quirky stuff. It’s also clearly tongue-in-cheek. If you
don’t find the ship with boobs amusing, there’s also the scene where Jaffe is
prattling on to one of his robots that keeps trying to exit the room to get
away from him. And for a bloke who sounded like he was pretty miserable in
real-life, George Peppard is great fun as the western-loving Space Cowboy. Look
out for the brief but very funny moment where he gets ready for a duel in space
like it’s <b>“High Noon”</b> at sundown. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Aside from some pretty crap matte paintings, the only
flaw here is John Saxon as the main villain Sador. I normally like John Saxon
as an actor but he looks bored here and his bland performance doesn’t measure
up to what is a really cruel and intimidating character. I mean, this is a guy
who blows up planets just because he can. His buffoonish goons being terrified
of him are doing what they can to prop him up, but Saxon just doesn’t bring it.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Look, I’m not saying that this is the pinnacle of
cinema. It’s not art. Screw art, here’s a movie with a ship with tits. I love
it. One of the best B-movies of the 1980s. You owe it to yourself to see it at
least once.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">A-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-66880245556850534872024-03-02T18:12:00.000+11:002024-03-02T18:12:01.108+11:00Review: A Day to Die<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Parole officer Kevin Dillon is forced to kill one of
drug kingpin Leon’s enforcers. Now a disgruntled Leon feels Dillon owes him $2
million dollars and kidnaps Dillon’s pregnant wife as leverage to force Dillon
into carrying out drug heists for him. To assist him in these gigs he enlists
the aid of his former special ops-type comrades (including buddy Frank Grillo
and Dillon’s estranged brother Capaldi), who disbanded after a botched hostage
situation that involved a double-crossing corrupt police chief (Bruce Willis),
who is in league with Leon. Johnny Messner turns up briefly as a cop. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">More mediocrity from Bruce Willis, this 2022 outing
comes from director Wes Miller (<b>“Hell on the Border”</b>) and screenwriters
Rab Berry (<b>“The Tracker” </b>with Dolph Lundgren) and Scott Mallace (ditto).
It’s a bit sad to see Kevin Dillon and Frank Grillo here, as I think they’re
talents beyond what this film really deserves. The plot is workable enough but
hardly innovative or surprising. Dillon is perfectly fine here but his
character and situation are clichéd as hell, whilst Leon is a total wash as one
of the villains. His henchman played by Curtis Nichols is frankly more
intimidating. Think of Ving Rhames or Michael Jai White in the same role and
then tell me you’re happy with Leon in the part. A very frail-looking Mr.
Willis plays the other villain and…he’s been worse I guess. You can’t ask much
of him under his current circumstances. Gianni Capaldi kinda convinces as
Dillon’s estranged brother and kinda almost keeps his Scottish accent under
wraps whilst playing an American. He’s actually not a <i>bad</i> actor, but he
sure seems to be prolific for someone who isn’t terribly <i>great</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">The film is about on the same level as most of these
recent Willis cheapies, but perhaps a bit more disappointing given the amount
of familiar faces. Yes, Dillon and Frank Grillo (coasting) are still better
than most of the actors Willis works with these days, but even they have been
in much better form in other films, and working with much better material
elsewhere. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A clichéd plot, a slumming cast, and barely modest
returns. This one’s forgettable, especially given the actually not bad cast
amassed here. Actors need to eat, I guess.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">C</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-68144368771311326712024-02-22T17:31:00.002+11:002024-02-22T17:31:23.102+11:00Review: Aladdin (1986)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A ‘modern’ update of the tale in which a Miami teenager
named Al Haddin (Luca Ventanini) finds a lamp in a junk store, conjures up a
burly genie (Bud Spencer) and gets his every wish granted. This genie seems
particularly adept at beating people up, including cops and mobsters. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I bet you didn’t know Cannon Films made their own
version of <b>“Aladdin”</b> in 1986 with spaghetti western star Bud Spencer as
the genie (Looking like latter-day Steven Seagal. You won’t be able to un-see
it now). Well now you know. Amazingly, it’s actually harmless and cute if
obviously cheap...and don’t even get me started on the theme song. Bud Spencer
is amiable as the genie. He’s not exactly the most fluent English speaker but
he gets the job done and it’s fun seeing him in something a little different
and a bit goofy. He’s the chief attraction here for me at least. I must say I
thought American-born Luca Ventanini was annoying as hell in the title role and
pretty charmless. So that is a bit of a debit. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Directed by Bruno Corbucci (co-writer of <b>“Castle of
Blood”</b> and <b>“Django”</b>), the film is also too long for something so
thin, which is a shame. It drags here and there, it should’ve been 80 minutes
maximum. I loved how the filmmakers thought Al Haddin was somehow a more
credible name than Aladdin. I’m not even being a smart arse, I thought it was genuinely
hilarious. There’s also a good bit where the genie turns guard dogs into little
puppies. The film gets strangely dark at one point with kids being kidnapped in
order to be sold off and shipped out. I’m not sure what that was doing in a
kids movie let alone an <b>“Aladdin”</b> movie but I kinda just accepted the
whole goofy thing for what it is. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">It's a cute film and worthy of at least a (very) soft
recommendation. I just wish it were a bit shorter and maybe a less annoying
lead than Ventanini (son of Italian actor Ventanino Ventanini). The thin
screenplay comes from the interesting trio of Dardano Sacchetti (Argento’s
excellent “Inferno”, as well as the cult titles <b>“The New York Ripper”</b>, <b>“Cut
and Run”</b>, <b>“Demons”</b>, and <b>“Killer Crocodile”</b>), Elisa Briganti
(Sacchetti’s wife and collaborator), and Mario Amendola (<b>“The Great Silence”</b>,
Lucio Fulci’s <b>“Young Dracula”</b>).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">B-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-63534651664706931192024-02-16T12:56:00.001+11:002024-02-16T12:56:21.309+11:00Review: King Richard<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">The story of tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams
and their hard-working, hustling father Richard (Will Smith) as he tries to coach/mould
them to success. Aunjanue Ellis plays their mother, whilst Jon Bernthal and
Tony Goldwyn are rock-solid as the professional tennis coaches. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">2021 propaganda piece masquerading as a biopic earning
Will Smith an Oscar, which he basically soiled by his awful on-stage violence
and inept, shamefully justifying acceptance speech. It’s an elephant. It’s
still in the room. It will forever be in the room. It needed a mention, and I
bet Richard Williams himself wasn’t impressed by the shadow it cast on his
story. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (<b>“Joe Bell”</b>) and scripted by Zach
Baylin (<b>“Gran Turismo”</b>), there’s scarcely a believable moment and most
bizarrely of all, the story is told from the least interesting and most
culturally outdated point of view. Despite not personally being a fan of Venus
and especially Serena Williams, this is their great story of female
accomplishment and athletic dominance. Why the hell are we telling it from the
point of view of their <i>father? </i>It just feels like such a wrong-headed
decision to me, that the filmmakers somehow decided that this very obviously
female-centric story needed a male gaze so to speak. Yes, Richard was
instrumental in the development and success of his children but it was
nonetheless <i>their</i> development and <i>their</i> success. Whatever one
thinks of the Williams sisters as role models from a behaviour standpoint,
they’re undeniably great female athletes, great African-American female
athletes and an inspiration to others in those two categories. Talk about a
missed opportunity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">The problems don’t end there. I don’t know what the
Academy members were smoking that year but Will Smith gives an entirely
unconvincing caricatured performance as Richard Williams. It actually felt like
an insulting comic imitation to me. Smith isn’t a bad actor, but he is
certainly a limited one. He was great on <b>“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”</b>
and perfectly fine dramatically in the underrated <b>“Seven Pounds”</b>. Here
as in <b>“Ali”</b> he’s all at sea playing a real-life figure. He seems to play
Richard as though he were a simpleton, almost a gross Stepin Fetchit racial caricature
from a long ago time. At one point he even literally delivers the line ‘My
feets are fine’. Yes, ‘feets’. If that’s not Stepin Fetchit territory, I don’t
know what is. In a serious biopic, Smith’s performance here is schtick-y,
though the hair and makeup job on him at least is done subtly. It at least
makes him look less like Smith if not more like Richard Williams. Having seen
clips of the real Richard Williams I can kinda see why Smith plays him in this
manner but he has wildly overpitched it to the point where it’s a barely
recognisable characterisation. I can’t believe he was nominated for an Oscar
let alone that he won it. Much better is Aunjanue Ellis as Oracene Williams, a
far more grounded performance, far more believable. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Look, for the perspective the film is taking it’s not
an inherently bad film, though obviously flawed due to Smith’s terrible
performance. At times it is quite a sweet and likeable film, and elements of
the story can’t help being entertaining. And I get that the film is showing a
different side to African-American fatherhood to some extent, too. But the
women are meant to be the heroes in this story. It’s bizarre to suggest
otherwise, and the film is far less entertaining than it would’ve been had it
been told from the right perspective of Venus and Serena. The film also offers
up a largely sanitised version of the Williams family (aside from maybe Richard
himself, to some extent), painting Venus and Serena as humble, shy little
angels which is just bullshit even early in their careers. Are they really
trying to sell us Richard Williams teaching his daughters about humility? ‘coz
the two who became tennis stars certainly never learned. The film could’ve told
its African-American patriarchy story with Richard Williams given supporting
character status and it would’ve been a better film. The film could’ve told its
African-American female athletic empowerment story whilst acknowledging Venus
and Serena’s many, many flaws. Instead we get bullshit. A hustle about a
hustler. What utter nonsense this film is, and while I’ve never remotely been
an Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario fan (I was almost always cheering for her opponent),
I don’t blame her for being upset at her demonic portrayal here for sheer
drama’s sake. Totally unnecessary. I know she’s had her controversies over the
years but it’s almost impossible to tell if someone’s piss break is legitimate
or not. Capped off by a bizarre ending that only touches on the girls’ pro
tennis successes through text crawl postscript. Yeah. ‘Coz it’s all about their
dad and Big Willy Style. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Is Richard Williams a compelling character? To some
extent yes, but it’s still a bizarre and wrongheaded decision to focus a story
of female achievement and empowerment on the male parental figure instead of
the champions. Children owe a great deal to their parents, but executive
producers Venus and Serena Williams have given far too much credit to their
father in their own story here. A phony lead performance also doesn’t help in
this unconvincing, poorly told film. Revisionist bullshit. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">C</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-1453858596030926212024-02-08T16:34:00.004+11:002024-02-08T16:34:48.758+11:00Review: The Batman<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A chaos-spreading criminal known as The Riddler (Paul
Dano) is wreaking havoc across Gotham City, killing public officials and
leaving taunting messages for Batman (Robert Pattinson). Also up to criminal
no-good in the city are The Penguin (Colin Farrell) and mobster Falcone (John
Turturro). Zoe Kravitz plays cat burglar Selina Kyle, whilst Peter Sarsgaard
turns up as the Gotham District Attorney. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I’m really more of a <b>“Superman”</b> guy, and by
that I really only mean the 1978 one and maybe its first sequel <b>“Superman
II”</b>. As far as The Dark Knight, I grew up on the 60s TV show and Tim
Burton’s 1989 <b>“Batman”</b> film and enjoyed those very much as a kid. To a
lesser extent I enjoyed 1992’s <b>“Batman</b> <b>Returns”</b> as well. Michael
Keaton is my Batman/Bruce Wayne. After those I’ve not found a <b>“Batman”</b>
film to be wholly enjoyable in all the years since. I disliked Christopher
Nolan’s vision for the <b>“Dark Knight”</b> trilogy, despite some terrific
supporting performances in them (Rutger Hauer, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger,
Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy). The films were OK, but weren’t really for me. Basically,
when I think of <b>“Batman”</b> I think of Burton and Michael Keaton, with a
side order of campy Adam West. So after being somewhat disappointed by the
Christopher Nolan trilogy, I went into this 2022 reboot with quite a bit of
scepticism, but also a glimmer of hope that director Matt Reeves (<b>“Dawn of
the Planet of the Apes”</b>) and his co-writer Peter Craig (<b>“Blood Father”</b>,
<b>“The Town”</b>) might bring the Caped Crusader back to something a little
more Burton-esque to suit my tastes. Well, they’ve not really done that…but I
will admit that I find Reeves’ vision much more interesting than Nolan’s. This
isn’t <i>my</i> <b>“Batman”</b> and it seems a bit soon for a re-boot, but it’s
enjoyable and interesting nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Despite being modern, the film plays like an angsty,
grunge-era mixture of <b>“Se7en”</b>, <b>“Taxi Driver”</b>, and <b>“Watchmen”</b>.
A positive for me is that although Reeves’ vision of Gotham City isn’t quite as
Gothic as Burton’s, it still looks more distinct than Nolan’s rather
run-of-the-mill New York vision. You could almost call it a blend of the two
styles, but with a bit of <b>“Blade Runner”</b> and <b>“Se7en”</b> in there
too. To put it another way, if Sidney Lumet and David Fincher collaborated on a
<b>“Batman”</b> movie, I think it’d look rather like this. It’s interesting
design/world building that helped win me over. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Robert Pattinson was the only good thing about Nolan’s
<b>“Tenet”</b> and he makes for a surprisingly good lead here. I’m starting to
come around on the guy. His hardboiled narration and Batman voice are a lot
less forced and phony than Bale. He looks a bit bulky in the Bat-suit but not
to a ridiculously Bat-fleck kind of way. Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne has a grungy,
depressed 90s young man vibe to him here. He’s an appropriately tortured soul. His
Batman is a much more believable dark vigilante, and indeed this is much more
dark vigilante tale than a comic book/superhero film. It’s pretty appropriate
for the character, whether it’s my ideal Batman or not. So Pattinson is
actually pretty solid in both facets of the character. Overall he ranks a
pretty solid third best Batman/Bruce Wayne for me behind Keaton and West.
There’s a huge gap after those three I must say. Meanwhile, Nirvana’s
“Something in the Way” proves a much more appropriate song choice for a <b>“Batman”</b>
movie than Prince did. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">If there’s any major flaw with the film it’s with Zoe
Kravitz’s Catwoman, who I found completely dull. She had zero chemistry with
Pattinson, and it’s a not terribly small issue either. It’s a shame, she just
isn’t very charismatic or interesting in the role. I was also initially disappointed
by the lack of rousing action sequences. However, we do get a bit of it here
and there especially towards the end. Also, it just isn’t that kind of film so
I can’t really call it a flaw. A bit more of a concern is how The Penguin feels
like a mid-level villain, and more to the point, clearly waiting for the next
film to be brought in front and centre. When given the chance, a completely
unrecognisable Colin Farrell has seemingly a high old time being made up
(presumably intentionally) to look like Robert De Niro’s Al Capone in <b>“The
Untouchables”</b>. It’s one of the best makeup jobs I’ve ever seen, and it’s a
damn good performance in a film that isn’t ready for it. I honestly couldn’t
find a trace of Farrell in look, voice, or the overall performance. Well done. Much
more of a villainous factor in the film is Paul Dano as The Riddler, and boy is
this nowhere in the vicinity of Frank Gorshin (my favourite) or Jim Carrey’s
version of the character. His Jigsaw meets Bane meets John Doe won’t be to all
tastes. I wasn’t keen on the Jigsaw-esque vocal modulation, personally. Some
might even see this dangerous, anarchic take of the character as tempting fate
a bit in light of the <b>“Dark Knight Rises”</b> shooting several years back. I
was able to get past those two issues however and found Dano to be
entertainingly unsettling in the role, even though he kinda did a version of
this already in <b>“Prisoners”</b> I suppose. And when showing his true self,
Dano is effectively creepy in just how nerdy and unassuming he appears. It’s a
damn fine performance. In other roles, Jeffrey Wright isn’t my favourite actor
but he’s perfect as this film’s Gordon. I was less impressed with Andy Serkis
as Alfred, there’s little difference between him and Sean Pertwee on TV’s <b>“Gotham”</b>
if you ask me. Peter Sarsgaard and John Turturro leave much better impressions,
the latter essentially being the second major villain alongside The Riddler. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Is this my kind of <b>“Batman”</b>? Not really.
However, it’s an interesting and unique one and I have to commend it. Moody,
dark, muted, more psycho-thriller meets police procedural than a superhero
film. It may not be what I want in an ideal <b>“Batman”</b> movie for me, but
it’s not having me <i>resist</i> it like the Nolan trilogy somewhat did.
Definitely recommended, whatever your <b>“Batman”</b> preferences. I’ll hand it
to Mr. Reeves, for a long film this one actually doesn’t feel it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">B-</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-55885399779832834242024-02-01T18:22:00.003+11:002024-02-01T18:22:58.014+11:00Review: Juno and the Paycock<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A poor Irish family during the 1920s comes into some
money, and it doesn’t seem to bring happiness. Edward Chapman (the ‘Paycock’ of
the title) and Sara Allgood (his wife ‘Juno’) are the patriarch and matriarch
of the family respectively, the former a blathering barfly. John Laurie is
their troubled son, an IRA member. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">The more of his films that I see, I’ve had to change
my tune on the worst film directed by Sir Alfred Hitchcock (<b>“Strangers on a
Train”</b>, <b>“Vertigo”</b>, <b>“Shadow of a Doubt”</b>). As of the time of
writing this review I have now seen all 52 of his films (with <b>“Downhill”</b>
being the last viewed, review to come) that are still available. So I can
safely say that this 1929 bore is easily his worst film still publicly
available. Where was the plot? It only arrives after about 30 minutes, which is
15 minutes too late. Where was the progression of said plot? Nowhere. I had
heard that the film has a creepy, unusual atmosphere but even directorially
this is mostly a point-and-shoot filmed play effort from The Master. It’s inert
and void. I know it’s the 1920s, but I needed more than a story about a poor
family that comes into money and things don’t go to plan. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">And it’s so endlessly talky! It was apparently the
first Hitchcock film to use long takes…he probably shouldn’t have bothered. The
sound quality and badly employed Irish accents don’t help, either. The dialogue
is often very difficult to discern. Edward Chapman is our leading man and he’s
the most tiresome bore of a lead character you’ll come across. On a better day
Hitchcock would’ve kept these rambling, Irish drunk characters to the margins
for comic relief purposes in an otherwise more compelling narrative. If you do
decide to endure it, look out for Barry Fitzgerald making his film debut as
narrator/orator here. Sara Allgood is well-cast but not a miracle worker. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Lifeless and uninteresting silent Hitchcock, only
watch it if you’re a completist like me. Even then you’ll likely struggle. Why
should I have cared about anyone or anything here? Based on a Sean O’Casey
play, Hitchcock scripted along with his wife Alma Reville. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">D-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><div><br /></div>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-85510257417956009942024-01-28T11:42:00.003+11:002024-01-28T11:42:30.279+11:00Review: Promises! Promises!<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Set on a cruise ship, the film follows two couples
(Jayne Mansfield and Tommy Noonan, Marie McDonald and Mickey Hargitay) and
their various issues. Mansfield is eager for a baby but writer husband is too
stressed to hold up his end of the bargain so to speak. A subsequent meeting
with the ship’s doctor (Fritz Feld) results in the latter giving Noonan an
aspirin that he calls a fertility drug (!). T.C. Jones plays Babette, the
ship’s hairdresser (!!), whilst Eddie Quillan has a small role as the ship’s
bartender. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Wanna see Jayne Mansfield’s tits in a movie? This
movie has that. Want anything else? This 1963 sex comedy from director King
Donovan (his sole feature directing gig) has limited supply of anything else. I
still think it might be worth seeing for the curious and cinephiles among you,
but just be aware that this is not a good film. It’s a movie where you get to
see Jayne Mansfield naked in a series of repeated shots sprinkled throughout.
For what it is, I got what I was expecting and maybe a little more than that. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Scripted by the trio of William Welch (<b>“The
Brotherhood of Satan”</b>), and Edna Sheklow (no other credits), and star Tommy
Noonan a lot of your enjoyment level here may be decided on how much Noonan
you’re willing to put up with in order to see Mansfield naked. Yeah, Noonan
wrote himself as Mansfield’s love interest. Of course. Since you can readily
see the goods on the internet these days, some may not be willing/needing to
bother, especially given that Noonan’s comic stylings are an acquired taste. For
me the film is wildly hit-and-miss. I was however, very appreciative that we
get to see Mansfield naked twice in the first eight minutes. Mansfield is fun
here (whether clothed or not), Noonan isn’t. He’s heavy-handed, has
anti-charisma and isn’t remotely funny. Thankfully I found other things to
interest me here and they weren’t just the mammaries. Fritz Feld gives an
amusing performance as a ship’s thoroughly unprofessional doctor and Mickey
Hargitay (Mansfield’s real-life husband at the time) is surprisingly amusing
too. The best performances come from Eddie Quillan as a bartender and Marie ‘The
Body’ McDonald as Hargitay’s wife, in her last film role before her untimely
death at age 42 from a drug overdose. Whatever you make of the film’s quality,
it’s a really interesting film in historical terms not just because of the
nudity but also for an appearance by female impersonator T.C. Jones (whose
Bette Davis impersonation at one point is rather good). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Let’s be perfectly honest, no one would see or
remember this film if it weren’t for being the first non-pornographic American
film since the implementation of the Production Code in the mid 1930s to
feature female nudity. But it is what it is, and it’s worth seeing for what it
is regardless of my not giving it a terribly high grade. It’s not a good film,
but it’s a film with Jayne Mansfield’s tits (and more briefly her butt) and a couple
of other bits of curiosity. Take it as a bit of a ‘nudie cutie’ or a curio and
you might be amused. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">C+</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-6014241989843466062024-01-23T19:38:00.000+11:002024-01-23T19:38:06.402+11:00Review: Three Violent People<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Ranch owner Charlton Heston comes back home after
serving in he Civil War. Arriving with a new wife (Anne Baxter) who has a ‘disreputable’
past, he is faced with greedy land grabbers (Bruce Bennett and Forrest Tucker)
and an embittered, one-armed brother (Tom Tryon). Gilbert Roland plays the
easy-going ranch foreman, whilst Elaine Stritch turns up as a friend and
co-worker of Baxter’s. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Strong, sometimes moody 1956 western from director Rudolph
Mat</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">é (</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“The Far Horizons”</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Miracle
in the</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rain”</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">)</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> pretty much fires on all cylinders and deserves to
have more eyes on it. The vibrant colour cinematography by Loyal Griggs (<b>“The
Ten Commandments”</b>, <b>“Shane”</b>) is an immediate highlight here, the film
looks absolutely stunning. Heston is as Heston does, an underrated actor he’s typically
muscular and manly. However, he gets his thunder stolen here. The women are
terrific here, particularly Elaine Stritch in a smallish part. In fact, one of
the film’s few sore spots is that she’s not in the film enough. Anne Baxter is good
fun (but takes a back seat in the second half), but Stritch steals every second
she can. Another minor sore spot is that the relationship between Heston and
Anne Baxter seems to develop at Ludicrous Speed. I liked the little bits of
comedy early on though, where fist fights seemed to break out at a moment’s
notice. Tom Tryon is better here than in <b>“The Cardinal”</b>, perhaps because
he doesn’t have Otto Preminger dressing him down constantly. Apparently Heston
felt Tryon was miscast, and I’m sure Tryon being bisexual had <i>nothing</i> to
do with that of course. Seriously, Chuck clearly had personal beef with the
actor because there’s nothing wrong on screen with him here. I don’t think he
was miscast at all, in fact he’s quite fine. He’s particularly effective in
making you want to see someone tear off his other arm. Tryon's a total shithead
here, embittered and likely self-hating. However, I was more impressed by the
women but also by Forrest Tucker in a villainous part in particular. He’s in
great form. Gilbert Roland is full of charisma too, but I found it laughable
that we were meant to buy Jamie Farr, Robert Blake, and Ross Bagdasarian as his
sons. They don’t look like him, they don’t look like each other. They don’t
look like they come from the same ethnic background. It’s bizarre. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A really strong, interesting western that’s better
than some of the bigger-name westerns out there. The screenplay is by James
Edward Grant (<b>“The Alamo”</b>, <b>“Circus World”</b>), from a story by Leonard
Praskins (20 episodes of <b>“Wagon Train”</b>) and Barney Slater (<b>“Cahill:
U.S. Marshal”</b>).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">B<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-34832378264479414722024-01-19T08:30:00.004+11:002024-01-19T08:30:53.001+11:00Review: Fortress: Sniper’s Eye<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">At the end of the first <b>“Fortress”</b>, Bruce
Willis shoots bad guy Chad Michael Murray and leaves him for dead. We pick up
two weeks later as Willis finds himself having to rescue Murray’s wife (Natali
Yura) from gangsters. He brings her back to the title compound in order to
recover from her ordeal. Also at the bunker are Willis’ son Jesse Metcalfe who
has romantically taken up with employee Kelly Greyson, as well as Greyson’s
newly arrived mother and sister, and we also have returning security guy
Michael Sirow and his main squeeze. Conflict arises when the clearly not dead
Murray turns up to get techy Metcalfe to (force him to) help him on his latest
criminal scheme. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Directed by Josh Sternfeld (<b>“As Blood Runs Deep”</b>
with Nick Stahl, Kellan Lutz, Michael Sirow, and Jonathan Tucker), this cheapo
2022 sequel reunites several of the actors from the first film in a film that
amazingly manages to be even worse. Screenwriter Alan Horsnail once again
scripts from a story by actor Emile Hirsch and Randall Emmett, and it features
so many flashbacks you’d swear you were watching a mid-90s cheapie from Full
Moon Entertainment trying lazily to tie several of their franchises together. Speaking
of cheap, am I the only one who thinks this ‘hi-tech’ fortress looks like it
was built for about $100? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I don’t think I’ve seen a cast with less chemistry
than this movie, despite several of them having already appeared together in
the first film. None of these actors convince alongside one another. As with
the previous film, one of the worst offenders is Michael Sirow, so miscast as a
good guy that he spends most of the film going overboard trying to convince you
he’s one of the good guys to the point where you’re expecting a heel turn that
never arrives. It’s distracting, annoying, and unconvincing in the extreme. About
the only thing this film has over the previous film is that villain Chad
Michael Murray is a <i>bit</i> better this time around. He gives the least bad
performance of a very bad lot here. Unlike last time, Jesse Metcalfe’s ability
to give a competent performance is hampered by the obvious inconvenience of
having to act alongside a tennis ball on a stick because his co-star (Bruce
Willis) had health issues that dictated a reduction in hours and presumably
dialogue too. The editing used to try to cover for this is woefully
unconvincing, and Metcalfe definitely looks worse for it here than last time. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A flimsy piece of shit. That’s it. That’s my take.
It’s a flimsy piece of shit and I have nothing more to say about it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">D-</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-73074159153571667132024-01-13T14:47:00.002+11:002024-01-13T14:47:28.855+11:00Review: Splash<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Tom Hanks has a boating accident and is saved by a
mermaid (Daryl Hannah). She ventures on to dry land and tracks him down. They
fall in love, with Hanks none the wiser to her true identity. An accident
prone, obsessed scientist (Eugene Levy) threatens to ruin it all. John Candy
plays Hanks’ ne’er-do-well brother. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Everybody loves <b>“Splash”</b>. My name’s not
‘Everybody’, though. I’ve tried to like this 1984 literal fish-out-of-water
film from director Ron Howard (<b>“Night Shift”</b>, <b>“Parenthood”</b>, <b>“Apollo
13”</b>) at least twice now and with the same result. Mild disinterest. There’s
some humour here and there and Hanks was ever-so slowly starting to find his
Jimmy Stewart ‘nice guy’ leading man groove here, but there’s nothing
consistently funny or memorable. Part of the problem is that I find
fish-out-of-water comedy gets played out very quickly, with even the film’s
best joke still being a rather awful guilty laugh (Hannah telling Hanks her
name). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">The <i>biggest</i> part of the problem is that I’ve
never thought Daryl Hannah was an even decent actress. She certainly isn’t
miscast, and if you’re a fan of her posterior you’ll be in heaven here. However
while she’s sweet as usual, she’s <i>acting</i> funny and otherworldly instead
of <i>being</i> funny and being convincingly otherworldly. There’s a
difference, and it’s a difference between someone who can act and someone who
cannot. It’s also a difference between the humour working and not working. So
obviously because this is a big part of the film, the film just wasn’t going to
work well for me. The humour didn’t work for me nor did Hannah’s performance. The
character is a dud anyway, much like the similar <b>“Date With an Angel”</b>,
the mermaid character here is written in a single dimension. She’s a male
romantic fantasy, that’s all. So it’s hard to invest in a relationship when
only one half is a fully flesh-and-blood 3D character. The character’s
understanding of human society is also wildly inconsistent in dictation of the
script’s supposedly humorous demands. That always frustrates me. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I also don’t think Howard uses John Candy to maximum
effect. He’s better in sweet, likeable roles, and here he ends up largely
underused playing a ne’er do well. He’s not miscast per se, just not memorable
or funny. On the plus side the underwater scenes are very pretty and lovely,
and Hanks is perfectly fine in the lead. He can’t save this clichéd thing on
his own, though. Meanwhile, every cutaway to Eugene Levy’s idiot scientist
character is a dud. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">***** SPOILER ALERT *****</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> The central idea of a man reunited with a figure from
childhood and falling in love with them as an adult, is a lovely concept. The
execution here is largely boring and inconsistent. <b>*****</b> <b>END SPOILER
*****</b> A likeable Tom Hanks film surrounded by a mediocre film with few
laughs, thin characters, and too many clichés. If you like fish-out-of-water
films, you’ll likely enjoy this a heck of a lot more than I did. Based on a
Bruce Jay Friedman (<b>“Stir Crazy”</b>, <b>“The Lonely Guy”</b>) story, the
screenplay is by Friedman, and Howard regulars Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz (<b>“Night
Shift”</b>, <b>“Spies Like Us”</b>, <b>“Parenthood”</b>).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">C-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-53134281106484859662024-01-08T19:12:00.001+11:002024-01-08T19:12:19.751+11:00Review: Mr. and Mrs. Smith<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">The loving but too-frequently quarrelling married
title couple (played by Robert Montgomery and Carole Lombard) find out that
their marriage isn’t legal due to a technicality. Montgomery subsequently
offends Lombard who then seeks someone else, while Montgomery tries his best to
win her back. Gene Raymond plays Montgomery’s straight-laced friend and
business partner who nonetheless decides to swoop in on Lombard for himself. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Semi-obscure 1941 Alfred Hitchcock (<b>“The 39 Steps”</b>,
<b>“Strangers on a Train”</b>, <b>“Vertigo”</b>) comedy is quite divisive
amongst the fandom, and I can understand why. The Master’s only screwball
comedy, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea and the director was talked into
doing the project by star Carole Lombard. Personally, I think it’s a solid film
of its type and era, and better than some of Hitchcock’s more typical and
high-profile films. Some will scoff at it for being a bit minor key and
predicated on two people’s easily solvable communication issues. However, if
you can get past that as well as Robert Montgomery’s blandness, this is
actually good fun. It’s definitely a departure from even Hitchcock’s other
comedically-driven films, as it’s a much lighter affair. I will say that anyone
could’ve been at the helm here, it’s not particularly indicative of its maker,
but it’s an enjoyable romp nonetheless. The best thing is to forget about
Hitchcock altogether, then either this style of comedy will work for you or it
won’t. For the most part it worked just fine for me. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">In a role originally intended for Cary Grant (who
would’ve been perfect), Robert Montgomery is a bit of a boring grouch here but
Carole Lombard shows a heck of a lot more evidence of talent and charisma. There’s
also a perfect small part for Jack Carson as an associate of Montgomery. I
particularly liked the funny turn by Betty Compson as the very hungry Gertie. The
premise is clever and cute so long as you get past the idea that the conflict
could easily be solved through mere communication. There’s a great bit where
Lombard and a date (played by a game Gene Raymond) get stuck on a carnival ride
in the rain, and a subsequent bit where she gets him liquored up is funny too. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Scripted by Norman Krasna (<b>“White Christmas”</b>, <b>“Let’s
Make Love”</b>), this is a light affair and very much of its time and less
indicative of its director. Still, I rather liked it and would’ve liked it
rather more had someone more compelling and charismatic than Robert Montgomery
been in the lead. Still an enjoyable film and in some quarters underrated. Not
great Hitchcock (I’ve got it coming in at a respectable 19<sup>th</sup> out of
his 52 films) but it’s <b>“Rich and Strange”</b> done <i>well</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">B-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-80329258973001336772024-01-03T18:17:00.002+11:002024-01-03T18:17:19.429+11:00Review: Gormenghast<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Set in the huge Castle Gormenghast, a place of rigid
tradition over all else. A young kitchen hand named Steerpike (Jonathan Rhys
Meyers) plots and schemes to advance his station in life, manipulating the
various characters in the castle. Ian Richardson and Celia Imrie play the revolting
Lord and Lady of the castle (their family have ruled the place for centuries),
the latter of whom has just birthed the new Earl of the castle. Zoe Wanamaker
and Lynsey Baxter play Richardson’s twit twin sisters, Neve McIntosh is Lady
Fuchsia (eldest daughter of Richardson and Imrie), whilst John Sessions and
Fiona Shaw turn up as Dr Alfred Prunesquallor and his daffy spinster sister. Sir
Christopher Lee plays the gaunt, taciturn devoted manservant Flay. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">This 2000 BBC comic fantasy miniseries really ought to
have been up my alley. In basic terms it’s a mixture of Charles Dickens, Terry
Pratchett, JRR Tolkien, and J.K. Rowling. Sounds brilliant, right? Yeah, it’s
really not. It’s just very, very strange for the most part, alternately odd and
boring, despite a mostly fine cast. Directed by Andy Wilson (A British TV
veteran, he directed <b>“Playing God”</b> with David Duchovny) and scripted by Malcolm
McKay (whose credits are few and modest), this TV adaptation of the literary works
by Mervyn Peake works better in the realm of comedy than fantasy. There’s a
genuinely funny sword vs. cleaver fight early on between Sir Christopher Lee
and Richard Griffiths, temporarily interrupted by a somnambulant Ian
Richardson. As a fantasy it’s a bit too strange for my taste, with clearly
outdated blue screen backgrounds (that are straight out of 1993, not 2000) and
the exaggerated, eccentric performances grow tired after a while, especially a
fussy John Sessions and a bug-eyed Neve McItosh who is out of her element here.
She wears one constant overwrought, worried facial expression from start to
finish that would seem a bit much for <b>“The Bold and the Beautiful”</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">By around the third episode the story gets far less
interesting, partly because some of the more interesting characters have either
died off or faded into the background. Stephen Fry is well-cast in an academic
role, but why so much focus in the latter stages on his inconsequential
character instead of Jonathan Rhys Meyers far more interesting character? It
feels like a very wrong choice to push Rhys Meyers into the background after
him basically being the lead in the first half of the show. The issue it causes
is that we have little motivation or understanding of what makes Steerpike
tick. It’s a massive problem while we’re farting around with Stephen Fry and
John Sessions instead. And why waste the very recognisable Martin Clunes in
such a nothing role as one of Fry’s colleagues? My attention drifted from time
to time because the story seemed to lack a consistent main protagonist or
antagonist, though an hilarious Fiona Shaw kept me awake in episode three with
her daffy performance. Yet, around episode four we get a strange and sudden
tonal shift, with practically no comedy at all. It’s jarring. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">As I said, most of the cast is solid here with
Jonathan Rhys Meyers seemingly born to play Steerpike. Whatever my issues are
with the way the character is used, Rhys Meyers is not at fault. He’s really
rather good in this vengeful, deceitful part. <b>“EastEnders”</b> institution
June Brown is wonderful as Nannie Slagg, Richard Griffiths is in fine
disgusting form as the odious Swelter, Celia Imrie is dry and just plain
horrible in the best way, while the ever-reliable Ian Richardson is similarly
scene-stealing. If you enjoyed Christopher Lee’s Blind Pew in <b>“Treasure
Island”</b>, you’ll probably like his solid character turn here as Flay, a
similar performance. I also enjoyed the Lewis Carroll-inspired twins, one
played by Zoe Wanamaker. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I can imagine someone loving this wannabe Gilliam
comic-fantasy strangeness. I suspect I might enjoy the books somewhat, but this
comic fantasy miniseries ultimately wasn’t for me as it turns out. A little of
it went a long way, the comedy was hit and miss, and the fantasy rarely hit for
me at all. A strange disappointment, but your mileage may differ.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">C</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-1476498250344269192023-12-29T16:34:00.001+11:002023-12-29T16:34:13.067+11:00Review: Easy Virtue (1927)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Isabel Jeans is stuck in an abusive marriage with
husband Franklin Dyall, who accuses her of an affair with artist Eric Bransby
Williams. A violent incident occurs, someone is put on trial, and another
commits suicide. The entire mess leaves Jeans divorced but branded a woman of
‘easy virtue’. Fleeing to France she falls for Robin Irvine, but eventually her
sordid past and reputation threaten to derail the entire thing. Ian Hunter
plays a lawyer. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">For this 1927 film, director Alfred Hitchcock (<b>“The
Lodger”</b>, <b>“The 39 Steps”</b>, <b>“Strangers on a Train”</b>) and
screenwriter Eliot Stannard (<b>“The Lodger”</b>, <b>“The Manxman”</b>) chose
to make a screen adaptation of the Noel Coward play. Mistake. This is boring,
static, and the wrong choice of material for a silent film. Perhaps he might’ve
gotten more out of it with sound, but as is it’s one of Hitchcock’s worst
films. I haven’t any connection to the original material but I suspect this
film doesn’t greatly either, because it’s far too boring and stuffy to resemble
Coward all that much. Again, why take Coward’s work and make a <i>silent</i>
film out of it? I get that it was the era, but clearly this isn’t silent film
material. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">There’s also not much evidence that The Master at work
except if you take that famous quote of his about actors being cattle. Here
everyone and everything feels mechanical, like pieces on a chess board. It’s
all very lifeless, as though the director were only concerned with the
orchestration and the photographing of things rather than story or character.
To be honest, I spent much of the film wondering why Hitchcock bothered making
this at all, though I did like the shot through a monocle lens. Actors Isabel
Jeans and Robin Irvine are so dull you almost wish abusive husband Franklin
Dyall was around more because at least he stood out, creepy as he was. It’s an
entertaining, pantomime villain performance from him, but he’s out of the
picture early. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Creaky, static Hitchcock silent film simply won’t do.
The characters and story are completely uninvolving and the direction is mostly
uninteresting too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">C-</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-28673157777801946622023-12-25T19:51:00.004+11:002023-12-25T19:51:52.677+11:00Review: Strait-Jacket<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Twenty years ago, Joan Crawford was committed to an
asylum after taking an axe to her younger, philandering husband and his
mistress. She has now been released and taken in by her grown daughter (Diane
Baker). Re-integration doesn’t come easy. Leif Erickson plays Crawford’s
brother, while George Kennedy turns up as a dirty-looking farmhand. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A brilliant twist that I didn’t see coming saves this
1964 shocker from schlock filmmaker William Castle (<b>“The House on Haunted
Hill”</b>, <b>“I Saw What You Did”</b>). Scripted by Robert Bloch (<b>“Psycho”</b>,
<b>“Asylum”</b>, <b>“The House That Dripped Blood”</b>), this is essentially
Castle’s own <b>“Psycho”</b> (with a bit of <b>“Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte” </b>thrown
in) there’s some fun moments throughout, but some thumb-twiddling too. Joan
Crawford definitely isn’t miscast here, Castle was shrewd enough to use
Crawford appropriately in this melodramatic role. She’s a lot of fun. The
always underrated Diane Baker is lovely as ever playing Crawford’s
long-suffering daughter. Meanwhile, there’s a nice use of sound throughout and
the B&W cinematography by Arthur E. Arling (<b>“The Yearling”</b>, <b>“The
Secret Invasion”</b>) makes particularly effective use of shadow. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">This is knowing trash, but what I actually liked most
here aside from the twist is that Castle and Bloch show the struggles of
re-integration into society for those who have been committed to confinement.
And the struggle is shown both on the end of the patient <i>and</i> their loved
ones. It’s shown to be a tentative, confusing situation. Make no mistake
though, Castle’s making a ‘crazy old lady’ thriller first and foremost. There’s
an outstanding decapitation, much better than the severed head in <b>“Hush…Hush,
Sweet Charlotte”</b> and it suggests Castle might’ve done OK in the slasher
genre had he lived longer. There’s also a strikingly designed and photographed
scene where Crawford has a delusion/nightmare that she’s been locked up. And
again, I did <i>not</i> see the big twist coming. I should’ve but I didn’t. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">On the downside, a guy named Mitchell Cox is woefully
miscast and wooden as Crawford’s doctor. He wasn’t an actor, he was on the
board of Pepsi Cola and was cast because of his friend Crawford, also on the
same board. His lack of experience shows, but it’s more that he doesn’t
remotely convince as a doctor. He seems more likely to be a small-town sheriff
or maybe a gas station attendant to me. Ultimately the film is a bit uneven and
frustrating, dangerously close to not working. The twist narrowly and almost
single-handedly earns this a soft recommendation. It’s got some fun in there
but isn’t nearly as much fun as you’d <i>like</i> it to be. The contrast
between batshit Crawford and calm, sweet Baker is terrific and George Kennedy (who
also appeared in <b>“Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte”</b>) is also very fine. Give
it a look, but you might end up <i>slightly</i> underwhelmed here. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">B-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-72785596115413779762023-12-19T16:54:00.003+11:002023-12-19T16:54:35.141+11:00Review: Amsterdam<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Set in the 1930s, three friends (Christian Bale –
doctor, John David Washington – a lawyer, Margot Robbie – a nurse) witness a
murder and get themselves caught up in a conspiracy to overthrow the American
President. Andrea Riseborough plays Bale’s partner, Rami Malek and Anya
Taylor-Joy play Robbie’s kooky brother and his wife, whilst we also get turns
by Zoe Saldana, Taylor Swift, Robert De Niro, and the oil-and-water pairing of
Michael Shannon and Mike Myers as a couple of spies, among several others. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A big-name cast is assembled by writer/director/bully
David O. Russell (<b>“Three Kings”</b>, <b>“The Silver Linings Playbook”</b>, <b>“American
Hustle”</b>, <b>“Joy”</b>) for this 2022 flop. And they’re wasted, in what
amounts to an empty, messy, shaggy dog mystery-comedy. It seems like Russell
watched a lot of Coen Brothers movies and mistakenly thought he could make one
himself. The film has some appealing moments, but it takes about 80 minutes for
it to even finally be <i>about</i> something. By then I’d long lost interest. It’s
pretty easy to see why critics didn’t take to it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">The script and tone are a mess, and most of the cast
feel like guest stars, with only Margot Robbie and Christian Bale really
standing out. Even the way actors like Anya Taylor-Joy and Rami Malek are
framed in their entrances has a bit of a heavy-handed <b>“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad,
Mad World”</b> guest star vibe to it. Bale is seemingly doing an Al Pacino
performance and I’m all for it, even if there doesn’t seem to be much purpose
behind it. It’s a fun performance in a film without much fun. Robbie looks
radiant and gives the film a boost of energy whenever she turns up which isn’t
quite often enough for me. On the other hand, John David Washington may adopt shades
of his dad’s voice and cadence at times, but boy are his line readings flat
here. Anya Taylor-Joy is similarly stilted and mannered, and while the same may
be true of Rami Malek for once I felt his affected style fit in here at least. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A few appealing elements and performances are no
compensation for an unfocussed, rambling, and unsatisfying film. The talent
involved here surely demands a better product, several of them seem to have
come in from completely different films. This…is not good. I have to imagine
there’s a story behind why this thing has ended up the way it has.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">C<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-16279723389165947552023-12-15T13:15:00.002+11:002023-12-15T13:15:34.248+11:00Review: The Horror of Frankenstein<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Ralph Bates is the arrogant,
amoral but highly intelligent young Dr. Frankenstein, who finds his university
studies most tiresome. What he’s really interested in is reanimating the dead
and creating life. He enlists the help of sloshed grave robber Dennis Price and
his wife Joan Rice in digging up enough corpses to use as body parts in his
experiments. David Prowse, as The Monster, is the result of these experiments,
and naturally he’s not a very co-operative subject. Veronica Carlson is the gorgeous
local girl whom Bates never shows much romantic interest in, despite her
obvious interest in him. But then, when you murder a girl’s father just to
acquire his brain for your fiendish experiments, you probably have a hard time
looking the innocent lass in the face, I guess. Kate O’Mara is the family maid
and former lover of Frankenstein’s father, whose ‘services’ the young doctor
also enlists from time to time. Jon Finch is Lieutenant Henry Becker, an
acquaintance of Frankenstein’s, who begins to suspect something is not right
with him. Graham James plays a university chum of Frankenstein’s, a spineless
wimp whom he uses as his assistant. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">1970 Hammer flick from
director/co-writer/producer Jimmy Sangster (the debut director who also wrote </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“The
Horror of Dracula”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“The Curse of Frankenstein”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">, and </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“The
Mummy”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">) gets little love from most critics who all must’ve seen a different
film to me. I’m not as fond of this series as I am Hammer’s “Dracula” series,
but I still think this is underrated and fun stuff, despite the absence of
Hammer legends Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">This was one of Hammer’s
attempts to make a star out of Ralph Bates, and whilst it didn’t really pay
off, I personally cannot work out why. The man was really talented, somewhat
handsome in a dark and aloof way (ala Christopher Lee), and most of his Hammer
films were pretty good (especially </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Taste the Blood of Dracula”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">, which is one of the best
in that series). In this film, he’s perfectly suited to the role of a ruthless,
tirelessly dedicated ‘mad’ scientist. I’m convinced Jeffrey Combs’ Herbert West
performance in </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Re-Animator”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> was at least partly inspired by Ralph Bates’
performance here. They’re both similarly ruthless, with a particularly
dastardly bit here where Frankenstein electrocutes his assistant for
threatening to expose him. Bates would later go on to play the similarly
dedicated ‘mad scientist’ Dr. Jekyll in Hammer’s intriguing </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Dr.
Jekyll and Sister Hyde”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> as well. The film owes more to James Whale’s </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Frankenstein”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> than it does Hammer’s </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Curse
of Frankenstein”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">, except that it adds more characters and lengthens
the story considerably. The style is all Hammer, right down to the emphasis on
female flesh to the point of being racy, but never quite showing enough to
classify as actual nudity. It also helps that two of Hammer’s most stunning
women (and best actresses) are on show here, Kate O’Mara and Veronica Carlson.
There should be a Hall of Fame dedicated to the heaving bosoms of the Hammer
women, with Carlson’s delights being the main attraction. Both actresses are
well-cast as two very different kinds of women. The entire cast this time is
actually top-notch, something one usually says more often about the </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Dracula”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> series, but here we get
some very recognisable names and faces. Veteran character actor Price fares
best in one of his noted unpleasant roles he tended to play towards the end of
his career. I wouldn’t say it was as off-the-wall as his turn in Jesus Franco’s
fantastic horror-erotica </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Vampyros Lesbos”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">, but it’s definitely an
entertaining performance. I found it particularly marvellous that he had his
wife do all the grave-digging while he just sat back and got sloshed. Also of
note is the always detestable James Cossins, here sporting the funniest facial
hair I’ve ever seen. There’s also a solid supporting role for Jon Finch in a
not terribly interesting role. As for The Monster, he is played by none other
than David Prowse, who was the man inside the Darth Vader costume in the
original </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Star Wars”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> trilogy. He’s fine for what little he’s required to
do. Unlike in the Universal horror cycle, Hammer never really allowed their
Monster to gain much sympathy, he’s just a fiendish monster. But that’s fine,
as it fits in with the repressed, moralistic British style of the Hammer films.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">If there’s a flaw (aside
from the dreadful ending), it’s that The Monster is only introduced about an
hour into a 90 minute film. That’s obviously too late. Speaking of The Monster,
aside from the blue-grey prop brain used, the makeup and FX used in this film
are easily some of the best and most restrained I’ve seen in a Hammer film,
certainly superior to the pavlova-looking makeup from </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“The</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Curse of Frankenstein”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">. The other interesting
thing about this film that separates it from the other </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">“Frankenstein”</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"> films in the Hammer series
is the tone. I wouldn’t say this film was a parody or entirely comedic, but
especially in Price’s scenes, the tongue is ever-so slightly in cheek, and it
actually worked for me. At least it was something a little different from the
norm. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I was really surprised with
how much I liked this one, it’s such a shame that Bates never quite caught on
as a horror star. Scripted by Jeremy Burnham and Sangster, I’m going to assume
the godawful ending was Burnham’s input. I actually had to rewind it the first
time around because I blinked. What a terrible way to end an otherwise solid
film.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">B-</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-80940231669626496602023-12-12T13:44:00.004+11:002023-12-12T13:44:41.176+11:00Review: The Public<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">On the coldest night of the year, well-meaning Ohio
librarian Emilio Estevez gets involved in a sticky situation when a group of
homeless people (ostensibly lead by Michael K. Williams) refuse to leave the
premises after closing time. Jena Malone is Estevez’s faithful assistant,
Jeffrey Wright is Estevez’s conflicted superior, Taylor Schilling plays
Estevez’s neighbour, Alec Baldwin is a rational police negotiator, Gabrielle
Union plays a soulless reporter, whilst Christian Slater plays a smarmy,
self-serving lawyer-turning-politician. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Look, I’ll happily defend <b>“Men at Work”</b> any
day, but let’s be honest: Emilio Estevez is not a terribly good filmmaker or
storyteller. He’s a guy with a bleeding heart and a lot of well-known friends. Here
he takes on both directing and screenwriting duties and wastes a pretty damn
good cast and a good message. A preachy, message movie version of <b>“Mad City”</b>,
Estevez’s heart is in the right place but he’s not good enough of a writer or
director to do this thing justice. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">For starters, through no fault of the actors the
homeless characters come across like they just flew the <b>“Cuckoo’s Nest”</b>
by way of <b>“The Dream Team”</b>. It’s not a comedy, Estevez just doesn’t
afford them a second dimension. Estevez also doesn’t cast himself to his best
advantage, he writes and directs with a sledgehammer but actually underplays
the lead role into total blandness. The cast around Estevez is pretty good,
especially a perfectly cast (but one-dimensional) Christian Slater, and the
underrated Jena Malone. Alec Baldwin and Taylor Schilling are fine too, though
poor Gabrielle Union’s character barely has a single dimension. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Non-liberals will hate it (Alec Baldwin is here for a
start), and frankly even lefty’s like myself won’t be able to get around this
film’s clichéd, preachy demeanour. It’s heavy-handed and underdone, despite a
solid supporting cast who probably should’ve suggested a re-write. It means
well, but so what? Even the portrayal of the media here is the same as in a
hundred other films of this type. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">C<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-90826135123954946332023-12-09T17:55:00.001+11:002023-12-09T17:55:13.649+11:00Review: The Witches (1966)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Still troubled by a nervous breakdown suffered in
Africa, teacher Joan Fontaine accepts an English country village teaching
position at a private school. Before long she notices strange things occurring
and starts to suspect witchcraft being involved. Alec McCowen plays a
priest-of-a-kind, who hires Fontaine, with Kay Walsh as his sister who helps
run the school with McCowen. Leonard Rossiter plays a doctor, Duncan Lamont is
a cheerful local butcher, and Michelle Dotrice one of the kids. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Unless Angela Lansbury or Anjelica Huston are
involved, witches and witchcraft don’t tend to be my kind of thing. This 1966
effort from Hammer Studios is nonetheless well-done, though the more mysterious
first half engaged me more than the unravelling in the second half. Directed by
Cyril Frankel (who directed Hammer’s terrific <b>“Never Take Sweets From a
Stranger”</b>), it’s really creepy stuff and overall quite solid though the
editing is a bit crude at times. Scripted by Nigel Kneale (<b>“Quatermass and
the Pit”</b>), you can see where it’s going and the all-too happy ending isn’t
entirely to my taste, but the story is still a really interesting one. The
final stages sure do get quite barmy in the best sense, and the opening scene
is also a strange mixture of silly and creepy as hell that somehow works. Throughout
the film there is an unnerving, creepy undercurrent, like a more low-key
version of <b>“The Wicker Man”</b>. You certainly won’t look at a flock of
sheep the same way after seeing this film. I particularly liked that the film
plays mostly as a mystery and doesn’t put the witch-y stuff to the front until
towards the end. The production values are typically first-rate from Hammer –
production design, costuming, cinematography, props etc. All great stuff. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I wasn’t overly sold on Joan Fontaine here I must say.
I’ve always preferred her sister Olivia De Havilland, and particularly early on
I found her histrionic to the hilt. She gets a bit better after a while, but is
still the weak link here. Oddly enough it was she who brought the project (an
adaptation of a novel called <i>The Devil’s Own</i>) to Hammer as a vehicle for
herself. Thankfully other members of the cast around her work, especially
veterans Kay Walsh, Duncan Lamont, and a baby-voiced Michelle Dotrice. All
three steal their every scene. An interesting and mostly creepily effective
witchcraft horror-mystery from Hammer. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">B-</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-66682923123775529292023-12-08T17:19:00.001+11:002023-12-08T17:19:05.964+11:00Review: Suspiria (2018)<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Set in the late 70s, Ohio-born Dakota Fanning arrives
in West Berlin in hopes of admittance into the Markos Dance Academy. Academy
director Miss Blanc (Tilda Swinton) reluctantly accepts the novice, and soon
enough starts to see something in her new pupil. Meanwhile, it appears several
of the students have started to go missing, with rumours of witchcraft
circulating as well. Mia Goth plays a fellow student, Chloe Grace Moretz plays
a troubled former student, and Jessica Harper turns up briefly as well in a
cameo. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">No one needed a remake of Dario Argento’s iconic
giallo <b>“Suspiria”</b>. It’s not my favourite of his films (I prefer <b>“Inferno”</b>),
but it still works perfectly fine. It definitely didn’t need to be turned into
a 2 ½ hour dance drama with psychological and supernatural horror elements,
that’s for damn sure. While this arty-farty 2018 remake from director Luca
Guadagnino (<b>“Call Me By Your Name”</b>) and screenwriter David Kajganich (the
underrated <b>“Blood Creek”</b> and <b>“True Story”</b>) features a somewhat
similarly visually dynamic camera style to the original, it is a much, much
lesser experience. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Although it shares the bare bones of the (rather bare
bones to begin with) plot of the original, it feels like overall the showy
filmmaking style is at complete odds with the script’s greater focus on drama
than horror – not to mention that the grossly indulgent length is at odds with
just about everything here. It just doesn’t work. I also think the dynamic
camerawork by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (<b>“Call Me By Your Name”</b>) is rather at
odds with the film’s overall drab production design, which is a bit strange to
me. Rather than <b>“Suspiria”</b> the film reminded me more of <b>“Picnic at
Hanging Rock”</b> set at a dance academy. “Suspiria” was never meant to be
about a dance academy, it’s a story of murder and a witches’ coven that is
simply set at a dance academy. Yes, we get more of a sense early on about the
coven than we did with the Argento film, but the overall main focus is very
much away from that for far too long. It doesn’t even reach <b>“Black Swan”</b>
levels of psychodrama, it's much flatter than that despite the surface visual
and audio (via composer Thom Yorke) presentation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Also, for a film taking a dramatic rather than
horrific approach, the characters are simply too dull to care about. I felt
both Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton were well-cast here (Swinton was born to
play a dance instructor and Satanist, with all due respect) and do good work in
a losing effort. I also have to admire a certain someone’s secondary efforts,
aided by great makeup (Actually they play three roles, but the third part is
fairly minor). It’s just a shame that the character is a rather dull one. I was
less impressed by Chloe Grace Moretz, who I found overly mannered and
completely inept at what she thought she was doing in the part. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">In the second half we get some horrific moments,
including one of the most bizarre, creative, and truly disgusting death scenes
in any film you’ll see. I’m still struggling to figure out how in the hell it
was done. If we’d gotten much more of that throughout, this might’ve been
something worthwhile (though the editing is too MTV for my taste). Instead it’s
dull and glacial-paced, and what a waste of Jessica Harper in a tiny role! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">You can either remake a film with great fidelity or go
in a different direction, either way it has to be good/better or else you end
up looking like an idiot. This mostly boring-arse film looks like a damn fool.
The less you know about the original the more you may get out of this film. If
you’ve seen the original, you’ll keep trying to find it here and it’s not easy.
<b>“Suspiria”</b> was never meant to be an epic-length psychodrama, nor was it
meant to look so drab and muted in colour palette. Why bother remaking
something only to go so far in a different direction – and largely fail at
making that work anyway? Some of it is weird, occasionally interesting, and quite
disgusting. A lot of it is boring as hell. The camerawork and performances by
Johnson and Swinton give this one its only real life. A big misfire.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">C</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-15053170660336459122023-12-05T13:04:00.001+11:002023-12-05T13:04:24.027+11:00Review: Fortress<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Wannabe crypto-currency entrepreneur and tech whiz
Jesse Metcalfe visits his estranged dad Bruce Willis with hopes the old geezer
will invest. Willis lives in a surprisingly hi-tech retreat for elderly
citizens (which also contains the ultra hi-tech bunker of the film’s title) and
isn’t overly invested in any father-son bonding, let alone crypto. However,
before long father and son will have bigger problems on their hands. Armed
mercenaries led by a figure from Willis’ past (Chad Michael Murray) storm the retreat.
They’re looking for Willis…but why? Shannen Doherty plays a senior military
figure (!), Michael Sirow plays a supremely annoying ranger at the retreat, Sean
Kanan is a goon, and Kelly Greyson is an employee at the retreat. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Director James Cullen Bressack (<b>“Killing Field”</b>)
and screenwriter Alan Horsnail (<b>“Midnight in the</b> <b>Switchgrass”</b>) combine
to make one of the lesser of Bruce Willis’ recent output, which is really
saying something. This cheap, uninspired 2021 film takes a bunch of woefully
miscast actors and a relatively game Jesse Metcalfe and throws them into a
slow, clichéd affair. This dull, woefully inadequate wannabe <b>“Die Hard”</b>
doesn’t even feature the villain until 45 minutes in. It’s not a long film
either, so it leaves quite a big hole. The cinematography/scenery is nice and
Metcalfe (who seemed to be popular for a few seconds) tries to give it
something credible, but this is a loser. It’s basically <b>“Die Hard”</b> with
Willis now playing the Bonnie Bedelia part. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">I know none of the actors here are in their prime, but
it’s still sad to see some recognisable faces here. I know Sean Kanan is no Al
Pacino, but surely he can do better than these colourless henchman roles he’s
been getting. I assume Shannen Doherty has medical bills to pay, as she could
definitely do better kinds of projects than this. She’s woefully miscast as an
experienced military woman. Even more miscast is former heartthrob Chad Michael
Murray as our main villain. He gives off zero menace or intimidating vibes. The
awful dialogue doesn’t help him. Worst of all is an instantaneously irritating
Michael Sirow, who seems to come in from a completely different action-comedy
film (Fun fact: He’s even worse in the sequel <b>“Sniper’s</b> <b>Eye”</b>). Of
those I didn’t recognise, someone named Kelly Gregson fumbles an English accent
(and not just because her character is faking it) and can’t act a lick. She
sure is fit, just not fit to be an <i>actress</i>. Her best moments are when
she’s in action and silent. As for Willis, some of his scenes suggest he and
the other actors aren’t really in the same space at the same time, and some of
his scenes with Metcalfe bizarrely seem like he’s reading from an entirely
different script. Their interplay doesn’t flow at all. I know they’re playing a
father and son who aren’t on the same page, but I don’t think it was meant to
be <i>literal</i>. I guess with Willis’ condition, you get what you get and
have to run with it. Horsnail’s script (based on a story by the controversial
duo of Randall Emmett and actor Emile Hirsch) definitely seems to favour short,
sharp pieces of dialogue for him, which makes sense under the circumstances. I
feel for Metcalfe, as these conditions would’ve made it difficult for him to
play <i>his</i> part as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Bargain bin <b>“Die Hard”</b> that doesn’t convince on
any level, despite a relatively committed turn by Jesse Metcalfe. This is…sad. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">D+</span></b></p><p></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-32237097797365132642023-12-02T19:26:00.001+11:002023-12-02T19:26:12.694+11:00Review: Mr. Sardonicus<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Set in the late 1800s, surgeon Ronald Lewis is asked
to venture to the castle of Baron Sardonicus (Guy Rolfe) by Lewis’ former lover
(Audrey Dalton), now Mrs. Sardonicus. Sardonicus is afflicted with a certain
condition which he believes Lewis can help him with. Once at the castle, Lewis witnesses
servant Krull (Oscar Homolka) torturing someone, making Lewis wonder what on
Earth he has gotten himself into. He then meets the facially-scarred Baron, who
proceeds to tell Lewis the story about how he came to be afflicted with a
ghoulish, permanently frozen smile. Erika Peters appears in flashbacks as
Sardonicus’ first wife. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Director/producer William Castle (<b>“The House on
Haunted Hill”</b>, <b>“The Tingler”</b>) and screenwriter/author Ray Russell (<b>“The
Premature Burial”</b>) offer up a bit of a Price-Corman-Poe film with this
enjoyable macabre 1961 film. Good-looking for the presumably low-budget, Castle
is very well assisted here by B&W cinematographer Burnett Guffey (<b>“King
Ray”</b>, <b>“Bonnie and Clyde”</b>) who gives us some nice light and shadow.
They conjure up a decent amount of Gothic, spooky atmosphere. We also have some
terrific performances by Guy Rolfe and Oscar Homolka. The latter is oddball and
creepy as hell in a latter-day Lon Chaney Jr. kinda way, while Rolfe is a
perfectly fine substitute for Vincent Price. The central gimmick of Sardonicus’
face is absolutely brilliant, both silly and creepy in equal measure just like
the film. Does it make sense that he can talk while his jaw is locked (and Rolfe
sports an immobile prosthetic)? No, but the Joker-esque visual is nonetheless
creepy as hell. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Erika Peters is quite good in flashbacks, though
Ronald Lewis and Audrey Dalton are far less interesting. I also have to say
that the gimmicky ‘Punishment Poll’ inclusion with smarmy Castle is the least
effective part of the film. In addition to being a jarring interruption to the
story you’re trying to immerse yourself in, the ‘punishment’ is ordinary and
falls flat. Up until then, the film is an entertaining, macabre horror picture.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Good-looking, entertaining attempt by William Castle
to somewhat evoke the Roger Corman adaptations of Poe that were being made at
the time. Good fun on the B-level, one of Castle’s best.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">B-</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-46157298875125535572023-11-29T12:51:00.004+11:002023-11-29T12:51:48.378+11:00Review: The Final Countdown<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Captained by Kirk Douglas, an American aircraft
carrier departing from Pearl Harbour gets caught in an unusual storm.
Afterwards, they find they are unable to pick up any comms signals outside of
outdated radio broadcasts and wartime coded messages. Further investigations
reveal that ships that were destroyed during WWII are still out there in the
ocean in the exact same location they were in the war. Yep, they’ve travelled
back in time to 1941. What to do? And how in the hell will they get out of the
1940s and back to the present day? Martin Sheen plays a systems analyst on
board the ship to observe its functionality. James Farentino and Ron O’Neal
play Commanders, Charles Durning is a 1940s Senator, Katharine Ross plays the
Senator’s aide, and Soon-Tek Oh plays a feisty downed Japanese pilot. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Perhaps if I hadn’t seen <b>“The Philadelphia
Experiment”</b> (both versions) before this 1980 film from director Don Taylor (<b>“Five
Man Army”</b>, <b>“Escape From the Planet of the Apes”</b>) I might’ve liked it
a bit better. But I did and I don’t. A mixture of Irwin Allen disaster movie
and sci-fi you keep wondering why you’re not enjoying it much, it seems like a
can’t miss. Unfortunately in Taylor’s workman-like hands it’s a bit dull and
flat, with only Martin Sheen’s rock-solid performance and a good music score by
John Scott (<b>“Wake in Fright”</b>, <b>“Wrong Bet”</b>) to keep you awake. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">It’s too slow, 40 minutes in and the characters are
only now figuring out what we figured out 15 minutes prior at the very latest. Even
when they do, the film never really goes anywhere. It’s ‘Golly gee, we’re in
1941!’ over and over. Great, yes you’re in 1941. Now <i>go</i> somewhere with
that. But the film never really does. Also, the Maurice Binder FX are a
mistake. They look exactly of the quality of his early Bond title designs. He’s
a great title designer, but phony as hell in visual FX work and it undermines the
film. The film also wastes the talented Charles Durning and Katharine Ross,
whilst Kirk Douglas is just collecting a pay check here. Worst of all is Ron
O’Neal. He was terrific in <b>“Superfly”</b> but here he’s awful and stilted.
Is this indicative of a bad performance or an actor who isn’t interested in the
material? Perhaps both, but either way the man was much more capable than what
he shows here. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">World War II buffs with a side interest in time travel
might find something in this slow-moving affair, but I was struggling. I think
it’s dull and rather too pleased with its premise at the expense of being
interested in the characters. When the film arrives at its ending, you wonder
what the hell the point of it all was. It’s a total cop-out to say the <i>least</i>.
No, this one isn’t satisfactory at all. The screenplay is by Gerry Davis
(creator of TV’s <b>“Doomwatch”</b>), David Ambrose (<b>“The Survivor”</b>, <b>“D.A.R.Y.L.”</b>),
Peter Powell (who died the same year the film was released), and Thomas Hunter
(more productive as an actor in <b>“Anzio”</b>, <b>“The Vampire</b> <b>Happening”</b>
and <b>“The Cassandra Crossing”</b>), from a story by the latter three.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">C</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-50214725305258097792023-11-26T16:44:00.004+11:002023-11-26T16:44:53.467+11:00Review: Special Forces<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">When an American photojournalist is captured and held
hostage by a Bosnian war criminal (Eli Danker), the US response is to send in a
six-man team of elite Special Forces bad arses, led by Major Harding (Marshall
R. Teague) and including Tim Abell as his second-in-command. Scott Adkins turns
up as a British SAS man on a separate but connected vengeance mission. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">An early teaming of director Isaac Florentine and
actor/martial artist Scott Adkins (later to pair up for the excellent <b>“Undisputed
II: Last Man Standing”</b> and several other films), this 2003 special ops
action film gives the B-grade action movie audience what it wants. Florentine
knows what he’s doing and is damn good at it. This is for a niche audience, but
it will satisfy that audience, an audience I’m a part of. Here Florentine is
basically making a Chuck Norris movie (Nu Image/Millennium Films basically
being the modern Cannon/Golan-Globus), except with more emphasis on teamwork
than you’d ever find Chuck involved with. And frankly Florentine is ten times
the director of action than most of the directors Norris worked under. I
probably shouldn’t associate this with Norris because for one thing, this is a
solid movie. Even Chuck’s best films (<b>“The Delta Force”</b>, <b>“Code of
Silence”</b>, <b>“An Eye for an Eye”</b>, <b>“The Octagon”</b>) were just OK at
best. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Florentine gives us an exciting action opener, getting
off and running right away and letting you know what you’re in for. The man
directs action with just enough style that it’s cool without being John Woo in <b>“Mi2”</b>
levels of silly, overindulgent wankery. We also get introduced to our evil
villain right away, with Eli Danker ordering the mowing down of innocent
villagers while he chomps on a big ‘ol cigar. It’s a great entrance, and Danker
is a reliable presence. What a bastard this guy is, a true black-hearted prick
and I was totally here for it. Lead actor Marshall R. Teague is probably best
known for being one of the henchmen in <b>“Road</b> <b>House”</b> (I think he
was the one in denim if I recall), and he’s got more presence and charisma on
show here than he offered up in that film. He’s kind of like a cross between
Charles Napier and Sam J. Jones. A real-life Navy veteran and former deputy
sheriff, he’s got that gruff, no-nonsense drill sergeant vibe and has nice
chemistry with second-in-command Tim Abell, who also has a legit military
background. A pre-Boyka Scott Adkins turns up here after about 25 minutes and
steals his every scene. Not only is he charismatic, but he’s so impressive in
full-flight here spin-kicking villains it yet again makes you wonder how he’s
never quite escaped the direct-to-DVD realm. His final fight with the smarmy
Adam Driver-looking henchman amongst bags of rice is epic, almost Jackie
Chan-esque stuff. This isn’t the best film of Adkins’ career or his best
acting, but some of his best action work is definitely contained here. At times
he comes off like an uber-efficient one-man army here. The cool thing with the
action here as that although these guys are special forces guys, Florentine
mixes in martial arts with the gunfire. Having said that it’s almost worth
seeing the film for the most OTT reactions to being shot. Even some of the main
players are guilty of having overly elaborate deaths, but the bit players
especially do ridiculous somersaults after being shot. It’s hilarious. I love
it, it’s not a complaint. You want this shit in a B-grade action film and
Florentine and co. give it to you. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">A good B-tier action film for an appreciative and
select audience. Well-directed, efficiently choreographed, and good cheesy fun.
Seek this one out if you think it’s up your alley. The screenplay is by David
N. White, who also scripted the <b>“Undisputed”</b> sequels as well as
Florentine and Adkins’ excellent <b>“Ninja: Shadow of a Tear”</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText2" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU;">B-</span></b><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8876584025787652757.post-46673265413670485582023-11-23T09:01:00.004+11:002023-11-23T09:01:54.526+11:00Review: The Mummy’s Shroud<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Arrogant 1920s tycoon John Phillips organises an
expedition to Egypt to find the lost tomb of a Pharaoh. On the expedition are
archaeologist Andre Morell, ancient linguist Maggie Kimberly, Phillips’ son
David Buck, and a photographer played by Tim Barrett. Once they uncover the
tomb, they are warned by local Roger Delgado to leave well enough alone.
However, Phillips insists on bringing ‘his’ find back to Britain to put on
public display, even going so far as to have Morell committed to an asylum so
as to take full credit. Eventually the mummy (played by Christopher Lee’s stunt
double Eddie Powell) is awakened and goes on the usual rampage. Elizabeth
Sellars plays Phillips’ wife, and Michael Ripper turns up as an obsequious
personal assistant. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Bottom-tier Hammer film from 1967 directed by the
usually reliable John Gilling (<b>“The Gorgon”</b>, <b>“The</b> <b>Reptile”</b>)
who co-wrote with Anthony Hinds (<b>“Captain Clegg”</b>, <b>“Taste the Blood of
Dracula”</b>). It’s mostly well-acted by far too talky and slow. The title
creature only turns up after 45 minutes and looks cheap and stupid. There’s a
nice bit where the mummy drops a bottle of acid on a poor bloke who then has to
suffer a subsequent fire burning to go with the acid burns he’s already
suffering from. We also get an absolutely brilliant bit near the end where the
mummy literally crumbles and decays. If there was a lot more of that and much
sooner, this might’ve gotten off the ground. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">It’s a shame because most of the performances are good
here, with perhaps Michael Ripper’s best showcase in a Hammer film. He’s
terrific and his final scene is both brutal and sad. John Phillips’ loud,
pompous turn is a definite scene-stealer and we get a terrific, creepy turn by
Catherine Lacey as a fortune teller. Roger Delgado is always good value and one
of the easier actors to take in a role different to their own ethnicity/skin
colour. Andre Morell doesn’t deserve his top-billing as he’s absent for most of
the second half, but when he’s around he’s a perfectly suitable Peter Cushing
substitute. But then, the talents of the very lovely Elizabeth Sellars end up
rather wasted, too. The one clear dud in the cast is South African-born Maggie
Kimberly, who didn’t have a long acting career and it’s obvious why. Girl can’t
act a lick. The cinematography by Arthur Grant (<b>“Tomb of Ligeia”</b>, <b>“The
Devil Rides Out”</b>, <b>“Blood From the Mummy’s</b> <b>Tomb”</b>) is typically
tops, and the score by Don Banks (<b>“Captain Clegg”</b>, <b>“Rasputin – The
Mad Monk”</b>) is quite possibly the man’s best-ever work. Shame it doesn’t go
to a greater film. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Handsomely-mounted, but slow, dull, and forgettable. It’s
a real back-half of a double-bill stuff and lousy even by that standard. This
film is lucky that <b>“Terror of the Tongs”</b> is even worse.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-right: 22.7pt; mso-mirror-indents: yes;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;">Rating: </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">C-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #7F7F7F; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=50000 lumo=50000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 128;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Ryan McDonaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13300679163586234877noreply@blogger.com0