Recommend a movie

[Vultural]

Lang Historie Kort - 2015 - 7/10
AKA - Long Story Short

Ensemble movie tracks eight or nine friends for two or three years.
Multiple characters seem confusing, but attentive viewers will catch the rhythm and faces soon enough.
Transitory relationships, established friendships, marriages fresh and stale.
At the center is Ellen, who keeps making poor choices as far as men.
Stories advance at various parties.  New Years, wedding, birthdays ...  Alcohol lubricates misbehavior.
Those who favor French fare or Woody Allen romantic dramas, should enjoy.

[Vultural]

Ghost House -  2017 - 6/10

I'm inclined to indulge this cobbled together horror outing.  It has strong points and liabilities.
American couple visit Bangkok, searching for adventure amidst their romance.
The female takes photos of anything and everything.
Being turistas, neither of them ask permission or consider others.
She is particularly drawn to ghost houses, or shrines to the dead.

Plot is a mix of other horror films and themes, from It Follows to "dead wet girls."
It is not predictable, though, as it changes course throughout.
Thailand visuals are nice, and seem accurate.  (most of the rooms I stayed in always had a greenish tint)
Sound mix is moody ambiant.  Story itself, while clichéd, rarely drags.

[Vultural]

A Date With The Falcon - 1942 - 5/10

Second outing for George Sanders suave thrill seeker and police meddler.
Early on, he is supposed to be flying off with his not-yet-wed bride on their honeymoon.
When a pair of dark eyes and thick eyelashes beckon, his fiance is forgotten.
The plot - if you tend to be charitable - is of a kidnaped synthetic diamond inventor.
Misunderstandings with police, banter with lovelies, and glowering heavies cannot disguise a fluff story.
Film relies on Sanders' charm, but is beneath his talents.

[Vultural]

La Main Passe - 2014 - 6/10
AKA - The Table Turns // The Main Pass

Offbeat French femme fatale revenge film.
Wife confronts husband's mistress, telling her to back off.
In the next beat, the women realize he has a new bang bunny and is cheating on both of them.
A low level attorney gets entwined with Mistress #1, who starts to exhibit psychological neuroses.
Oh, yeah, said attorney also happens to be a kleptomaniac!
Not that I'm giving much away, this occurs in the first ten minutes of this trashy thriller.
Clever females, men with the IQ of head cheese.
Good enough, I suppose, if you're in the mood.

[Vultural]

After Hitler - 2016 - 7/10
AKA - An Dèidh Hitler

Two part documentary of Europe in the five years after the end of World War II.
The mass starvation, dislocation of millions, the survival of widows and orphans.
After the Soviet Union took control of eastern Europe, they took steps to take Greece, Germany, and any other country who would listen.
The West eventually countered, but almost too late.
Pretty much an unknown chapter for most.
A lot of historical territory covered, but overall enlightening.

[Vultural]

Whose Streets? - 2017 - 6/10

Documentary on the Ferguson riots in 2014.
The trigger was the killing of a black high school boy by a police officer.
The boy was unarmed, and the officer, who felt threatened, subdued him with 6 bullet holes.
When the community gathered to protest, the city responded with overwhelming force.
This is not an unbiased documentary.  Reference Michael Moore.
The point of view on this is strictly with the community.
Law enforcement, city officials either were not interviewed or declined.
Focus weakens during unnecessary coverage of a wedding.
The rest of the time, this carries some eye-opening information.

[Vultural]

Ça va Barder - 1955 - 6/10
AKA - Give 'em Hell

Fun, albeit extremely confusing Eddie Constantine vehicle.
He hires on as investigator for shipping magnate / arms dealer.
Vessels are being hijacked and contents stolen in Mozambique.
Our man is soon dealing with smugglers, embezzlers, gangsters, scam artists, and lots of barely dressed, gorgeous women (or, to use the vernacular of the day, dames).
If you think Lemmy Caution territory, you would not be far off.
This strikes me as a spoof of that franchise.
Fistfights are sheer nonsense, and chases are undercranked (ie: Benny Hill).
Nonetheless, blacklisted Hollywood director John Berry does wonders with small budget, as far as the look goes.
Enjoyable time waster.

[Vultural]

Social Suicide - 2015 - 5/10

Loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet for the age of tweets and selfies.
Star crossed youths post on web blogs, defy parents, chase romantic love.
Fate, in the form of a beguiler, ever so carefully clears a path.
At best, may hold the interest of the indulgent.
At worst, predictable and contains alarming cameos.

[Vultural]

Maudie - 2016 - 6/10

Arthritic and otherwise disabled female moves out of her aunt's home to work as housekeeper.
The man who hires her, a fish seller, is slow on the uptick, as well.
She paints, however, and her work has an undeniable primitive charm.
Slow, very slow, yarn of the creative outsider, based on Nova Scotia artist, Maud Lewis.
Bleak cinematography captures the loneliness, and acting is excellent, if depressing.

[Vultural]

Cool Air - 1999 - 5/10

Struggling writer rents room in boarding house.
When he suffers a heart attack, he is treated by the doctor who resides above him.
They strike up a friendship.  The writer discusses his literary challenges, the doctor his past.
Lovecraft's oft adapted story is filmed here as a one set drama.
Low budget is compensated with two fine leads, helpful black n white photography, and a serviceable ambient sound design.
Pace is sluggish, though, the narrative predictable, and the secondary players overact.

[Vultural]

The Undying Monster - 1942 - 6/10

Handsome Gothic potboiler set in the craggy cliffed manor house.
An ancient family curse stalks the final descendants, brother and sister.
The night air is rent with the howls of --- what?
Reminiscent of "The Hound Of The Baskervilles," this is, nonetheless, its own beast.
A solid B-film mystery, that never reveals until the end, and at 63 minutes, does not outstay its welcome.

[Vultural]

Trilogy Of Terror - 1975 - 6/10 (composite)

Part One, "Julie," college guy bags his introverted English professor.  Yawn.
Part Two, "Millicent/Therese," sisters (one mousey, one frisky) snipe.  Zzzzzz.
Part Three,  "Amelia," finds woman torn between spending night with obsessive mother and the new boyfriend she is keenly interested in.
Why she even bought him a birthday gift.  A curio.
A fetish doll of a Zuni warrior, its spirit restrained by the golden chain encircling its waist.
Of course, if the chain were to somehow slip off . . .

Hair raising thriller still packs a punch, helped by Karen Black's all-in performance.
Goofy nonsense, but my God, that doll is an remorseless block of fury.
Unforgettable adaptation of Richard Matheson's "Prey."

[Vultural]

Hitler's Rise: The Colour Films - 2013 - 7/10

Two part documentary covering events from the final year of World War I to Kristallnacht.
Covers the leader's growing oratory skills, deft manipulation of others, and incredible energy.
Weimar economics are covered, as well as street clashes between the Red Front and the SA.
Some visuals are soft (to be expected).  Digitized colour, which I usually disdain, is restrained and well done.
Solidly presented timeline, and quite accessible (this not limited to Hist buffs).
Modern day Cassandras should respond to the line,  "Hitler provoked disorder, while at the same time, claiming to be the only man capable of stopping it."

[Vultural]

The Century That Wrote Itself - 2013 - 6/10

Century, meaning the 17th (1600s if this is easier), and the writers, the English.
Presented by Adam Nicolson, this does not follow the poets or novelists.
No, for the most part, he selects ordinary people, writing diaries, letters, journals.
As more are able to read and write, and as delivery methods improve, communication explodes.
This propulsive juggernaut of all this knowledge will lead to our modern era.
So ... the skeptical may have to suspend a bit with this, and E03 is marred by fluff.
E02, however, "The Rewritten Universe" excels!
The beginning finds diarist Ralph Josselin recording his daily life, piously thanking God for even the most trivial occurrences in a world mysterious and dangerous, only to conclude with Isaac Newton attempting to understand the mechanics behind the Divine design.

[BorisVictor]

Many thanks for all you hard work!

[Vultural]

La Bûche - 1999 - 6/10

Days before Christmas, mother's second husband dies and gets planted.
Her daughters gather, attempt to reorganize the Christmas dinner, and begin arguing.
This is not about the season of good will, but relationships and histories.
γνῶθι σεαυτόν
Holiday lights and decorations aside, most of the sisters have "men problems" be they boyfriends, husbands, lovers, or dear old dad (Ma's husband #1).
Attractive cast, lushly photographed, but this is possibly more for French film connoisseurs.

[Vultural]

Citizen Jane: Battle For The City - 2016 - 7/10

Jane Jacobs takes on Robert Moses, staunch believer in urban renewal (ie: negro removal).
In the 50s and 60s, Moses was extremely influential and powerful, annihilating neighborhoods, replacing them with overpasses, bypasses, highways.  Cars vs people.
Rough, albeit safe, blocks were leveled and high rise tenements erected.  Crime exploded.
This occurred not only in Gotham, but across the States.
Moses crushed opposition:  business owners, neighborhood groups, politicos.
Jacobs and her supporters took his machine on, over and over.

Note:  I have been in numerous battles against the faceless, imperious palisade.
City Hall, highway developers, zoning flunkies, employing different tactics depending.
Sometimes victory, other times defeat.  You must contest, however, (not mere petitions, either, get your ass in motion) or they will simply walk over your rights.
Jacobs is inspirational, and essential viewing for anyone taking on "the man."

[Vultural]

Two O'Clock Courage - 1945 - 6/10

Gent staggers along darkened street, a nasty gash in his head.
Fortunately, an attractive female cabbie picks him up, realizes he has amnesia, then takes a shine to him.
Because ... a high profile murder has been committed and he could be suspect Number One!
Tom Conway in easy going B-film mystery, with many pluses for Noir fans.
This has one of Jane Greer's earliest roles, Anthony Mann directs, Jean Brooks has a key part.
There are comic elements, so while this has the Noir look, as well as an edge, this is more light hearted.

Watching this reminded me how astonishing the output was of this generation of players.
Most worked in films (later TV), radio shows, theatre boards, even commercials.
Richard Lane, for example, who plays a nosy reporter in this, had 176 acting roles, countless OTR shows, and was Los Angles announcer for roller derby as well as wrestling matches.

[Vultural]

Joanna And Jennifer: Absolutely Champers - 2017 - 6/10

Holiday bonbon from Pats and Eddy.  Oops, Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders.
In this documentary, the ladies travel to France.  What region?  Champagne!
They tour several vineyards, including their quaff of choice, Bollinger.
Muddling excursion doesn't really go anywhere, yet goes down smooth.
Lumley, as one might expect, is an experienced and professional host.  Saunders often lapses into Edina buffoonery and frivolous remarks.
Fine for fans of the Ab Fab series, certainly superior to the bloated 2016 movie.

[Vultural]

Strange Aeons - 2005 - 4/10

Anthropology professor (at Mis****onic U), watches helplessly as unsettling new student, Asenath Waite, seduces and weds his assistant.
There are gates to be opened, Shuggoths to be unleashed!  And she needs a thick headed male helpmate.
Horror film is fairly faithful to HPL's "The Thing On The Doorstep."
Script tries to juice proceedings with nudity and coupling, but dawdles throughout.
Directing is indifferent, acting mannered, sets remind one of cheap sheets hotel.

I noted the low IMDB rating beforehand, yet watched nevertheless.
Fools clutch their hopes.
Actually, with that title, I wondered if this might be based on Robert Bloch's "Strange Eons."
Not to be, though that novel, its plot stuffed with references to HPL himself and his Mythos, would make a good intro.
This one, however, is another missed Mythos dud.