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Review: Men (2022)

Londoner Jessie Buckley needs a break after the death of her husband, so she rents a house in a small country village. Soon after, a disturbed and nude man tries to break in. Two things strike her as disturbing; 1) The rather disinterested attitude of the locals towards this disturbance, and 2) Said locals all seem to look alike. As in they all look a lot like Rory Kinnear in various guises. And that’s when things turn even more disturbing…and bizarre.   I seem to be on a lonely island of my own here, but this film from writer-director Alex Garland ( “Ex-Machina” ) is second only to Phil Tippett’s “Mad God” as my favourite film of 2022. I don’t think I’ve felt this isolated in praising a film so strongly since “Repo Men” was named as my favourite film of 2010, but this seems to be the one A24 film that people either were disappointed by or actively despise. That’s OK, I’ll have it. I really liked this one. If you like folk horror and/or you like psychological horror, and if y...
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Review: The Hitter (1978)

Ex-boxer and now drifter Otis (Ron O’Neal) defeats Louisiana Slim (Bill Cobbs) at a game of pool, in the latter’s own pool hall no less. ‘ol Louisiana Slim isn’t happy about that at all, so Otis makes a swift exit. Then he meets aging con artist Nathan (Adolph Caesar), who upon finding out what Otis used to do for a living, sees dollar signs for them both in the street fight caper. Sheila Frazier plays a hooker whom Otis romances, unawares that she’s also the squeeze of the already pissed off Louisiana Slim.   A small, overlooked 1978 drama from director Christopher Leitch (director of “Teen Wolf Too” , co-writer of “Universal Soldier” ), if you’re a Ron O’Neal fan you’ll want to check this one out. It’s got an archaic plot, and a bit of a mixed tone, but it’s a pretty entertaining watch. Ron O’Neal had enormous power and charisma as an actor, but was largely wasted throughout his career. “Super Fly” made him a star, and whilst he seems to think it also ironically ended his ca...
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Review: May/December (2023)

This fictionalised version of the Mary Kay Letourneau case has Natalie Portman playing an actress about to embark on a film project concerning the relationship between Grace (Julianne Moore) and Joe (Charles Melton, staggeringly out of his depth). What’s the fuss all about? Well, when Grace was 36 she began having criminal sexual contact with the then 13 year-old Joe and eventually became pregnant. Now Grace is around 60 and Joe in his 30s, and they’re welcoming Elizabeth (Portman) into their home and lives. The intrusion opens up holes in the relationship, whilst also taking Elizabeth on a bit of a journey herself.   The Mary Kay Letourneau criminal case could provide the basis for a good big screen film. Director Todd Haynes (the solid “Carol” ), screenwriter Samy Burch (better known as a casting director), and producer-star Natalie Portman have not given us that good film. This 2023 meta-infused fictionalisation of the real-life criminal case is utterly repugnant, worthless,...
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Review: Puppet Master III: Toulon’s Revenge (1991)

In 1940s Germany, a scientist (Ian Abercrombie) is forced by Gestapo Major Krauss (Richard Lynch) to work for the Reich in using chemicals to reanimate corpses. Meanwhile, puppeteer Andre Toulon (Guy Rolfe) does two things to piss off the Nazis; 1) Mock the F ü hrer through his puppet show, and 2) He refuses to give them the secret formula for giving the otherwise inanimate puppets life. Major Krauss responds to this lack of co-operation by having Toulon’s beloved wife (Sarah Douglas) gunned down as she attempts to stop them taking the formula. Time to unleash the puppet master’s obedient followers on the Third Reich!   If the first “Puppetmaster” film was the one that got Full Moon studios up and running, this 1991 prequel from David DeCoteau ( “Creepozoids” ) represents the high point of the series and one of the best films Full Moon ever made. Scripted by C. Courtney Joyner ( “Doctor Mordrid” , “Mandroid” ), the film is every bit as slow as the previous two films but the ke...
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Review: Man Hunt (1984)

Ethan Wayne plays The Stranger, who gets on the wrong side of a local rancher (Ernest Borgnine) and wrongly accused of stealing his horses. Sent to a harsh prison run by Henry Silva, who tries to break the young man. Wayne is hell-bent on escaping and clearing his name (Does ‘The Stranger’ even count as a name though?). Bo Svenson plays a lawman, with Terry Lynch playing Borgnine’s daughter who sympathises with Wayne.   So far as the sons of John Wayne go, Patrick Wayne is probably the most recognisable having appeared alongside his dad in films like “The Searchers” before trying to branch out on his own in the likes of “The People That Time Forgot” and playing Pat Garrett in the first “Young Guns” movie. Then there’s Ethan Wayne, you might’ve seen him on TV’s “Pawn Stars” as an ‘expert’ on his dad’s memorabilia. Yeah OK, he also played Storm Logan on “The Bold and the Beautiful” , and an early role with his dad in the underrated “Big Jake” , but that “Pawn Stars” gig is o...
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Review: Four-Sided Triangle (1953)

Childhood friends Stephen Murray, John Van Eyssen, and Barbara Payton are working on a scientific project – a duplication device. Murray has long harboured feelings for Payton, but the latter becomes engaged to Van Eyssen. What is a scientist with a duplication device and a love triangle to do? James Hayter plays the resident doctor in the small town the characters live in.   You won’t find too many films that director Terence Fisher ( “Stolen Face” , “The Curse of Frankenstein” , “Horror of Dracula” ) also worked on the screenplay for. In fact, there’s only two, the mediocre 1953 “Mantrap” and this 1953 sci-fi/drama, both for Hammer Studios. To be honest, it’s pretty clear that Fisher’s strengths aren’t in screenwriting, but this is by far the better of the two films. James Hayter and his narration are terrific, the film has a cosy, small village family movie vibe, at least at first. Imagine “The Fly” done by Frank Capra but set in England, and you’ll have some idea. There’s...
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Review: Aftersun (2022)

**** SPOILERS AHEAD, SAVE THE REVIEW FOR LATER. **** My take on this 2022 drama from Charlotte Wells is so greatly antithetical from 99.5% of the viewership of this film that, when combined with the seriousness of the subject matter, made me contemplate not even writing this review let alone publishing it. It just seemed to be asking for trouble that I genuinely don’t want. I certainly wouldn’t want to seem like I was trampling on or invalidating the greatly emotional response many had to the film. Your take on the film is no doubt absolutely valid and widely held. Y’know what, though? I think I owe it to the 0.5% to post this one and hope that maybe my view’s as valid as the majority view because I really do have a firm view on this one. It seems like cowardice to refrain from posting. Perhaps it’s a view a few of you will share, or at least one that you’ll understand.   This will be an entirely spoiler-filled review, because it’s impossible for me to talk about this particu...
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Review: Mitchell (1975)

Joe Don Baker plays the sleepy-eyed but dogged cop of the title who thinks there’s a criminal connection between sleazy lawyer John Saxon and crooked businessman (AKA drug kingpin) Martin Balsam. Harold J. Stone plays a criminal higher up on the chain than Saxon and Balsam. Robert Phillips plays the superior officer, Jerry Hardin is a desk sergeant, and Linda Evans plays a hooker/love interest for our leading man.   As shabby as its lead character and performance, this 1975 husky cop movie from director Andrew V. McLaglen (who later made the underrated actioner “The Wild Geese” ) and screenwriter Ian Kennedy Martin (creator of TV’s “The Sweeney” ) is an uneven experience. Lead actor Joe Don Baker’s performance is far from his best work. In fact, it’s proof that he’s a much better support player than lead. However, the bleary-eyed, yet determined cop character he plays here is not without some interest. His often lack of giveashit is amusing at times. Baker’s Mitchell actually ...
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