Who's gonna read my drawn out movie reviews in the dark corner of a harm-reduction site?
Ha, hit the nail on the head with this one!
Although I did recently learn about this site:
https://www.criticker.com/
I've yet to sign up, but apparently the benefit of leaving ratings is getting suggestions back for more movies based on my tastes. The more I rate, the better the suggestions. I hear it's pretty accurate. Has anyone here tried it?
Alright, here goes:
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) by Zack Snyder
So The Flash is DC's answer to MCU Spiderman, eh? And Aquaman is an alcoholic? And why do they play the George Bluth/Iraq/Middle Eastern background jingle from
Arrested Development every time Wonder Woman is on screen? So many questions. Maybe it's because I haven't seen many of these DC films. From the few I've seen, they lack the humor and charm the best MCU films do (see: the
Guardians series). Also 4 fucking hours? Fuck off. Fuck right off with this filth. 1.5/5
Törst AKA
Thirst (1949) by Ingmar Bergman
Early Bergy, he's still finding his legs. But there are flashes. The close ups, the framing . . the rocky marriage. Man, the plot is convoluted as all fuck though. I knock off points if I have to concentrate too much lol. 2/5
Possession (1981) by Andrzej Zulawski
Woo, where to start. This was a stressful film to watch. Also, maybe it's because I saw this right after the film above, but I got heavy Bergman vibes. The religious overtones, the marriage troubles, the close ups on the face. Those were the positives, I suppose? The first third of this film may be an homage to Bergman, but after that it goes off the rails and becomes a fever dream, bordering on surrealism. Weird film but there is a lot to chew on, symbolism wise. Maybe one day I'll be arsed enough to revisit this to really dissect the meaning of it all. More than likely, I'll just watch a YouTube review. 3/5
La Haine AKA
Hate (1995) by Mathieu Kassovitz
Great job on the character development in this one. Really felt like I was just spending the day with some chavs on the streets of Paris. I heard Tarantino refer to "hanging out" films (he was talking about
Dazed and Confused IIRC) and I suppose this would qualify as one. Except this isn't a comedy set in Austin, it's a drama set across a canvas of socio-political turmoil, specifically as it relates to police abuse. Very topical. Anyway, there were some good shots in this one, pacing could have been better, but the acting (and the ending!) make this one above average. 4/5
Nomadland (2020) by Chloé Zhao
Watched this before I even knew it was nominated for anything, let alone before it actually won. Cinematography is beautiful and the directing is strong. Frances McDormand absolutely kills these types of roles. Would love to see her act across from Javier Bardem. Random thought. Also, I like the idea of the whole nomad thing. And yet, with all the accolades, I felt it was missing something to truly take it over the top into a certified Classic. I don't know if the simplicity of the film is throwing me for a loop or if I am second guessing my rating after this won the awards, but. 4.25/5
Seppuku AKA
Harakiri (1962) by Masaki Kobayashi
What a great film. Two hours just flew by. Just a well made story, beautiful directing, and great acting. The plot for me is the strongest part, the way the story unfolds (in a non-linear fashion) is just so masterfully done. Not much more to say, one of the greats. 4.5/5
Le Samouraï (1967) by Jean-Pierre Melville
Seen this on a bunch of lists. It inspired John Woo to make
The Killer. And yet, I haven't been this let down since
Rebel Without a Cause. Don't get me wrong, the main character is cool as fuck. In that cool, French way. And he's a fucking assassin for Christ's sake. And there some cool shots/vibes, considering it's a noir set in 60s Paris. But it's not enough to carry 100+ minutes. Not a bad film, just overall forgettable. Sometimes I wonder if 'influential' films (that came out 50+ years ago) have permeated film culture so deeply that they lose that impact they had upon their original release and unfairly come off as stale now even if they were groundbreaking at the time. Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED talk. 3.5/5
Play Misty for Me (1971) by Clint Eastwood
Eastwood's first time directing. And it's a solid effort. Great performance from a young Jessica Walter AKA Lucille Bluth (RIP). Man, two AD references in the same post. Score! Unfortunately, the plot feels played out and nothing really stood out about this film, particularly, outside of Walter's performance. The stalker story has been done to death. Also, her character gives so many Stage 5 clinger red flags early on that it's hard to sympathize with Eastwood's character here. And gotta knock off points for that, plot-wise. 3.5/5