Which Films Did You See Last Week? [Week 46, 2023]

[Onderhond]

First of all, a word from our founder:

"Please share with us which films you saw last week. It would be great if you could include some comments on each film. It would be awesome if you could also take some time to comment on everyone else's viewings. Please also note that this is intended as a movie discussion thread, not a large image posting thread. Having too many large images makes this thread difficult to navigate through. If you wish to include more than five images in a reply, please use spoiler tags - [ spoiler ][/ spoiler ] - to hide extra images." - sol



01. 3.5* - Grand Guignol by Hajime Hashimoto (2022)
Interesting horror flick. At first sight, it looks a lot like other, often game-based, Japanese high school fantasy horror films, where kids are locked in at night and strange things start happening to them. But Grand Guignol adds some unexpected slasher folklore and isn't stingy when it comes to blood and gore. A small, secluded school only takes on troubled students. There's a study group that tackles the Grand Guignol novel, and soon enough the school is facing a similar murder case. A masked demon is haunting the students and killing them in cold blood, The problem is that almost everyone is a suspect. It's not often you see clear slasher influences in a Japanese horror. Add to that the overt violence, LGBTQ characters, and a pretty cool killer, and you have a film that is more than just another generic horror rip-off. Fans of (Japanese) horror cinema would do well to give this one a shot. Not for the faint of heart though.

02. 3.5* - Black Cat, White Cat [Crna Macka, Beli Macor] by Emir Kusturica (1998)
Quite a bit livelier than I remembered it to be. Black Cat, White Cat is a pretty entertaining film, full of zany characters, odd situations, and sporting a fair number of absurd moments, though never quite crossing over into complete madness. An uplifting Balkan comedy if there ever was one. Matko is a hustler, even though he isn't cut out to be one. When he combines forces with a notorious criminal, he gets scammed and has to give away his only son Zare in marriage to the criminal's sister. Zare is in love with another woman, luckily his grandfather is there to help him out. Kusturica is fun as long as you don't expect a relaxing film. The characters are noisy, the music is ever-present and everything is well over-the-top. The comedy is borderline slapstick. Not always very refined, but there's a bit more to it than barebones physical comedy. A great way to waste two hours, if you have the energy for it.

03. 3.5* - Tales From The Occult 2: Body and Soul [Sat Hang Hung Gaan 2: Ji Jeui Yu Saat] by Daniel Chan Yee-Heng, Frank Hui, Doris Wong Chin Yan (2023)
Hong Kong loves a good horror trilogy, so it's no surprise the first Tales from the Occult film got a sequel. The concept is pretty simple: three different horror(adjacent) stories that bear little connection to each other, but explore different niches within the genre. And that this film does pretty well. The first short is about a barber who scouts and scalps women who need a late-night haircut. The second short follows a cat rescuer who gets herself into some serious trouble. And finally, the third short is about a woman who wants to take revenge on her dentist, as he harassed her. Each short brings something different to the table. The presentation is nice, the performances are decent and the horror elements are properly executed (read, there's none of that wonky Hong Kong comedy to detract from the film). It's a solid anthology, nothing too spectacular, but easy filler for horror fans.

04. 3.0* - Yudo: The Way of the Bath by Masayuki Suzuki (2022)
A film for fans of somewhat sappy and nostalgia-ridden Japanese dramedies. Think Yamazaki's Always: Sunset on Third Street series, maybe with a dash of Koki Mitani. It makes for easy viewing, but I felt that after a while my tolerance for the feelgood started to slip a little (often when characters started singing older tunes). When an architect is close to bankruptcy, he moves back to his hometown, where he tries to reconnect with his estranged brother. He once left for Tokyo to make a better life for himself, his brother stayed behind to run the family bathhouse. He tries to convince his brother to sell the place, but he isn't willing to budge. The outcome of the plot is pretty predictable, the performances are a little fluffy and the nostalgia was a bit hit-and-miss. The characters are cute though, and Japan's bathhouse culture is interesting. For a better film, I recommend Thermae Romae, but Yudo is decent enough filler.

05. 3.0* - Dynamite Graffiti [Suteki na Dainamaito Sukyandaru] by Masanori Tominaga (2018)
A pretty standard biopic. Not only are they quite easy to construe, but they're also the perfect excuse to chase a bit of marketable retro charm, something that will get all the film fans giddy. There's some decent drama here, but it does get a little tiresome after a while, especially after the film passed the 2-hour mark. Akira Suei had a rather traumatic youth, but he got his life back on track after meeting his first girlfriend. He trained himself to become a graphic artist, a career choice that would steer him to the world of erotic magazines. Later on, Akira would become the chief editor of one of Japan's most infamous erotic publications. The film's a little slow to get going, but the performances are quite strong and Suei's origin story is interesting. His life story is just that though, and there are better films handling Japan's adult industry. It's all a little too by the numbers, but if you're looking for decent filler drama, it's not the worst choice.

06. 3.0* - Hedwig and the Angry Inch by John Cameron Mitchell (2001)
A pretty decent musical. It's easy to see how it got its cult status, especially considering how the core themes of the film have evolved since its release, and now resonate stronger than ever. The blending of genders, glam rock music, and visual tomfoolery only add to the film's appeal. Hedwig was born Hansel in East Berlin. He fell in love with an American soldier but was only able to leave the country after he changed genders. Once in the US, things don't go quite as planned and Hedwig starts touring the country with her rock band. Then she meets Tommy, a young pop star. Mitchell's performance is captivating, the direction is interesting and the film is vibrant from start to finish. I didn't care much for the music, but it was still a lot better than I'd expected from a rock musical. People who love queer themes, a bit of experimentation, and/or musicals should give this one a go.

07. 1.5* - Brother's Keeper [Okul Tirasi] by Ferit Karahan (2021)
Turkish cinema tends to be bleak, and Brother's Keeper continues that longstanding tradition. The setting is depressing, the characters are not very sympathetic, and the dreary styling doesn't add much appeal either. And like many other Middle-Eastern films, it feels less like a narrative and more like a point that needs to be made. When Yusuf's friend falls ill, the adults at a remote boarding school seem unable to put the boy's priorities first. Instead, they start a little investigation into what happened exactly and who is to blame for their current predicament. Meanwhile, Yusuf can only hope that his best friend survives. The kids do a pretty solid job, but the miserable location, the bland camera work, and the blatant moralizing made for an unappealing film. There's a little twist at the end that felt tacked on, and it simply wasn't enough to make me care about anything that came before. Not for me.

08. 1.0* - Mr. Arkadin by Orson Welles (1955)
Orson Welles was a better director than he was an actor, sadly he just loved to cast himself as the lead role of his films, actively cheapening the entire experience. Mr. Arkadin is a pretty tepid noir film, struggling to stand out, but Welles' terrible performance just made it that much worse. An eccentric banker can't remember much of his life before 1927. He hires a young American reporter and tasks him with the investigation of his mysterious past. The reporter starts his work but soon notices that the people he interrogates end up dead soon after he visits them. Like most noirs, there's a lot of conversation to wade through, and most of it isn't all that interesting. The performances are poor and feel forced, the pacing is relatively slow and this certainly isn't Welles' most attractive-looking film. There wasn't a lot here I cared for, which seems to be the case for most classic noirs I've watched these past months.

[Silga]

The Big Bang (Tony Krantz, 2010) 6/10

Cop and ½ (Henry Winkler, 1993) 5/10
Stroker Ace (Hal Needham, 1983) 5/10
Dead for a Dollar (Walter Hill, 2022) 5/10
Meg 2: The Trench (Ben Wheatley, 2023) 5/10

Top Dog (Aaron Norris, 1995) 4/10
Bullet Head (Paul Solet, 2017) 4/10
First Kill (Steven C. Miller, 2017) 4/10
Castle Falls (Dolph Lundgren, 2021) 4/10
Edge of Winter (Rob Connolly, 2016) 4/10

The New Daughter (Luiso Berdejo, 2009) 3/10

Reprisal (Brian A. Miller, 2018) 2/10
The Prince (Brian A. Miller, 2014) 2/10

Zeros and Ones (Abel Ferrara, 2021) 1/10

[Torgo]

First of all, a word from our founder:

You weren't even that late!

The Creator (2023) (7,5/10)
___________
The Fanatic (2019) (3,5/10)
Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021) (5/10)
Uninvited (1987) [riffed] (4/10)
Deadly Illusions (2021) (3,5/10)
The Babysitter (1995) (3,5/10)
Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978) (3,5/10)
Barb Wire (1996) (4/10)
Test Tube Babies (1948) (3,5/10)

[Onderhond]

I was a couple of hours later (3 or 4), just as announced

[PUNQ]

Managed to finish October 1951 this week. Only two months left of the year and I'm on track to at least get one classic year done in 2023.

Pre-1951

The Sleuth (1922, Ray Grey) [****] - Short


KIPHO (1925, Julius Pinschewer) [****] - Short


A Little Girl in a Big City (1925, Burton L. King) [****]
--- Felt it was a little slow and unappealing at first, but it got gradually better. Mostly to the ladies credit. Not a super thrilling silent, but a fairly okay standard B-picture from the era.


Erzherzog Johann (1929, Max Neufeld) [***]
--- Late Austrian silent of the royal drama variety. Barely much of interest here. Rather pedestrian delivery with some European elegance framed in. I found it boring.


Up the River (1938, Alfred L. Werker) [****]
--- Up the River (1930) was a very loose 'prison fun' movie, and they sure keep that spirit alive for the 1938 remake. Just as loose, plenty of likable characters, and I barely know what they were doing. With that said, I do feel this should have been a upgrade, like with the technical advancements made during those years, but Up the River (1938) struggled to find itself.

1951

October 10, 1951

Love Nest (1951, Joseph M. Newman) [*******]
--- A nice and enjoyable romcom with June Haver & William Lundigan trying to run a apartment building. And one of their tenants is nonother than Marilyn Monroe! Not a major role for her, but she makes herself a big part of Love Nest (1951). One of the last rounds as a supporting player before hitting it bit.

They dig up and splice together Frank Fay & Leatrice Joy for a swansong, Both been only working sporadically since the days sound came to Hollywood. Fay probable best known as Barbara Stanwyck's troubled husband. As a performer, I've found him fascinating. Smooth and soothing delivery. He stands-out. Joy's hay day was during the silents, and it was more her gentle tone which made her final feature film a nice send-off.

Love Nest (1951) is not the wildest of comic adventures, but the combination of a likable couple up-front, Monroe steaming up the place, and seeing oldtimers like Frank Fay & Leatrice Joy one last time on the big screen made it a lot for me to enjoy.



October 11, 1951

Crosswinds (1951, Lewis R. Foster) [*****]
--- Standard adventure. Rhonda Fleming and bare-chested John Payne in Technicolor. Some good action. Overall nothing too amazing. But it does the job.


Slaughter Trail (1951, Irving Allen) [*****]
--- I liked that it was a sing-a-long with the action type western.


The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951, Henry Hathaway) [******]
--- Probable the nicest a Nazi officer had been portrayed since the end of the war. Naturally, wanting Hitler dead might have something to do with it. But still Rommel was a ruthless military man, and they don't hide that. A fascinating look into the politics of Nazi warfare and James Mason makes a good presence portraying this stubborn man.


The Man with a Cloak (1951, Fletcher Markle) [******]
--- A murder mystery that was a little on the clumsy side. Still, taking place in mid-1800s and with such esteemed Hollywood stars, The Man with a Cloak (1951) does provide a appealing scenario.



Trouble In-Laws (1951, Hugh McCollum) [****] - Short


The Amos 'n Andy Show - S01 - E16 - Amos Helps Out (11.10.1951, Charles Barton) [*****]
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show - S02 - E02 - The Beverly Hills Uplift Society (11.10.1951) [******]



October 12, 1951

Across The Wide Missouri (1951, William A. Wellman) [******]
--- The story didn't grow on me, but Across the Wide Missouri (1951) had a lot of individual moments that were crazy fun, a rugged Clark Gable and the once suave Adolphe Menjou as a raving redneck lunatic! That's a good time!


Bannerline (1951, Don Weis) [****]
--- MGM hoping old-timers like Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone and many more could elevate the young team of Keefe Brasselle & Sally Forrest. They couldn't. Even looking tired and dying, the seniors had so much more screen personality than the two dry youngsters. Fairly weak writing too, but it was okay when the aging guard of Hollywood were doing their thing, but fell flat when the leads tried to do the same. A money loser for MGM, and rightfully so.


Tales of Tomorrow - S01 - E09 - The Crystal Egg (12.10.1951, Charles S. Dubin) [*****]



October 13, 1951

The Adventures of Kit Carson - S01 - E10 - Law of the Frontier (13.10.1951, Lew Landers) [****]
The Stu Erwin Show - S01 - E52 - It's Only Money (13.10.1951, Howard Bretherton) [****]



October 14, 1951

The Colgate Comedy Hour - S02 - E07 - Hosts: Bud Abbott & Lou Costello; Guests: Gale Storm, Phil Regan (14.10.1951, Fred Hamilton) [*****]



October 15, 1951

South of Caliente (1951, William Witney) [*****]
--- They shot Willie Best! Regardless of his early exit, but was a okay Roy Rogers adventure where the horses nearly out-shined the human stars. Follows the usual routine with some good fists being thrown, and does a alright job of entertaining.


Utah Wagon Train (1951, Philip Ford) [****]
--- Rex Allen was one of the last cowboy heroes to arrive in the original B-westerns era. Therefore, his series of Studio factory westerns would last a few more years compared to the others. Utah Wagon Train (1951) comes about halfway through that initial run. And it definitely a B-western of the tired old formula. Picks-up whenever Rex or Buddy Ebsen are in the mood to entertain with song and dance, but the plot rarely feels engaging.


I Love Lucy - S01 - E00 - The Lost I Love Lucy Pilot (1951, Ralph Levy) [******]
I Love Lucy - S01 - E01 - The Girls Want to Go to the Nightclub (15.10.51, Marc Daniels) [******]
Lights Out - S04 - E08 - I Spy (15.10.51, William Corrigan) [*****]
The Cisco Kid - S02 - E07 - Ghost Story (15.10.51, Paul Landres) [******]



October 16, 1951

Drums in the Deep South (1951, William Cameron Menzies) [*****]
--- Made by a smaller unit, they filled this quite a lot of action and stuff going on. Wasn't always a clear approach to the narrative and had a few shortcomings. Being in color helped, and James Craig gave it all some personality. Still difficult to give it super high grades, even if I've seen worse attempts.



October 18, 1951

Anne of the Indies (1951, Jacques Tourneur) [*******]
--- Swashbuckling girl action with Jean Peters, meaner than the meanest pirate! A lovely variation to the old Technicolor adventure films. She sure brings a lot of spunk as one of the most badass women put on-screen that year! And they surround her with all types of characters that fits into that crazy world. Damn entertaining!


Lyntoget [Bullet Train] (1951, Aage Wiltrup) [*****]
--- Delivered as real low-key Danish thriller. Had the characters, the settings, but none of the excitement.


The Magic Carpet (1951, Lew Landers) [****]
--- Some real Arabian hokum where Columbia Pictures wanted to take down Lucille Ball, who accepted this gig to get out of her contract with them. The movie is pretty bad and unintentionally humorous, and Ball knows it, not giving one shit about her performance, which made it even funnier. On top of that, Ball got the last laugh. "I Love Lucy" debuted on CBS just a few days before the premiere of The Magic Carpet (1951), and the rest is history...


The Amos 'n Andy Show - S01 - E17 - Getting Mama Married: Part 1 (18.10.1951, Charles Barton) [*********]



October 19, 1951

Detective Story (1951, William Wyler) [*******]
--- Stageplay in the raw. Depicts a day at the police station where you get introduced to a bunch of questionable fellows, both cops and crooks, including one nasty Detective played by Kirk Douglas. More a character driven than creation, where you get these mini stories and some more detailed. Mostly people making a mess of their life, and probable been in the habit of doing that for a long time. In-the-moment type experience with some excellent bits once in a while.


Touchdown Town (1951, Douglas Sinclair) [***] - Short


The Stu Erwin Show - S02 - E01 - Hate the Love Seat (19.10.1951, Howard Bretherton) [*****]



October 20, 1951

Honeychile (1951, R.G. Springsteen) [******]
--- First film in five years for Judy Canova, one of the best hillbilly gals on the screen. They'd usually put her in these nonsense musical comedies, and she'd make them work. And she sure does in Honeychile (1951)! A real talented performer, even if she never gets a proper plot to center around.


Space Patrol - S01 - E43 - The Space Patrol Code Belt (20.10.1951, Dick Darley) [****]
The Adventures of Kit Carson - S01 - E11 - The Road to El Dorado (20.10.1951, Lew Landers) [*****]



October 21, 1951

The Red Skelton Show - S01 - E04 - Smokeless Sunday (21.10.1951, John Gaunt) [*******]



October 22, 1951

The Black Widow (1951, Vernon Sewell) [****]
--- A stiff old Hammer murder story. I was liking some of it, but with a production like this they weren't going to get more out of it than they did.


Boston Blackie - S01 - E07 - Scar Hand (22.10.1951, Paul Landres) [*****]
I Love Lucy - S01 - E02 - Be a Pal (22.10.1951, Marc Daniels) [*******]
Lights Out - S04 - E09 - The Deal (22.10.1951, Laurence Schwab Jr.) [******]
The Cisco Kid - S02 - E08 - Protective Association (22.10.1951, Paul Landres) [*****]



October 24, 1951

Bride of the Gorilla (1951, Curt Siodmak) [*****]
--- Who knew Raymond Burr could be such a gorilla?! Perhaps a little too much gentleman talking going on, but I loved the cheesy horror moments! And a rather cool selection of actors involved too in this jungle rot.


Come Fill the Cup (1951, Gordon Douglas) [******]
--- James Cagney tackling alcohol. A serious drama with a tiny bit of a criminal activity involved and quite a bit of heartache. More a respectful movie than being among the more spectacular pictures Cagney has been in. A bit slow at times, but it's fine.


Saltimbancos [The Circus] (1951, Manuel Guimarães) [*******]
--- An appealing human approach to circus life. One of the finer Portuguese films I've come across. The whole framing and sets takes you right into their world.


The Family Secret (1951, Henry Levin) [******]
--- Didn't always feel as engaged in this guilt, but it was onto something, presenting it in a decent manner. Foundation way laid by Lee J. Cobb. Had hoped for more from John Derek, but his looks probable did half the job. The rest of the supporting cast do well in a movie that wasn't build on over-dramatizing the events. Kind of a toned down desperation to it all.



October 25, 1951

La vendetta di Aquila Nera [The Black Eagle] (1951, Riccardo Freda) [******]
--- Italian adventure, though I saw the English dub, doing it in lavish style. Not the most original stories, but there are some strong scenes in there to heighten the excitement in between all the elegant bits.


Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951, Frank Launder) [******]
--- A lot of humor in this spoof on the mechanisms of beauty contests. Introduces Pauline Stroud as this naive small town girl who gets thrown into the sexy world. Got quite a few well known people on the British scene, often done as cameos, and was also the place some actresses got their first start, including Joan Collins, though you don't get a good shot of her as a extra in the beauty contest. But for a good while you do get a good dose of Diana Dors, and several other beauties. While it got naughty tones, it's mostly a innocent one.


Stronghold (1951, Steve Sekely) [****]
--- Stronghold (1951) is a pretty bad movie with some appeal. The acting ranges from stiff to exaggerated without rhyme or reason, and the narrative feels more like unpolished ideas than something gripping. But it's fascinating seeing Veronica Lake doing something outside the Hollywood flavor. But not surprising, after this Lake was done with movies for a long while. Weird career. She was a megastar for about a second with that iconic hairdo, and then she did one movie after the other exposing her limitations until she was of no more worth to the studios.


The Racket (1951, John Cromwell, Mel Ferrer, Tay Garnett, Nicholas Ray & Sherman Todd) [*******]
--- The potential was unlimited, but the unfocused cool of The Racket (1951) prevents it from becoming iconic. But it's still a robust crime flick where Robert Ryan shine as the ruthless villain, and Robert Mitchum slothfully gets the job done.


Umi no hanabi [Fireworks Over the Sea] (1951, Keisuke Kinoshita) [*****]
--- Felt livelier and more direct than most Japanese melodramas of the era. There is a crime element, so the way it's executed, one can compare it to a Hollywood B-movie with such a plot. Not as much action, but features characters with questionable morals and confused romance. Not quite sure how to feel about it. There is a lot to like, but there was also other parts which didn't work as well.


Racket Squad - S02 - E08 - The Perfect Match (25.10.1951, James Tinling) [****]
The Amos 'n Andy Show - S01 - E18 - Getting Mama Married: Part 2 (25.10.1951, Charles Barton) [********]
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show - S02 - E03 - The Football Game (25.10.1951, Ralph Levy) [*****]


October 26, 1951

Bahar (1951, M.V. Raman) [****]
--- The sweet charms of Vyjayanthimala got me through this!


Surcos [Furrows] (1951, José Antonio Nieves Conde) [*******]
--- Spain takes influence from Italy with something neorealism for themselves. Starts real strong, but soon drags a little when they go for a more traditional approach, or at least for a portion that didn't seem that significant. Picks up when it feels like it's delivering something grittier at the end. I guess they hadn't fully embraced what style to go for and without changing too much visually, the realism compared to the more film-cool stuff kept shifting. Was still a pretty satisfying experiment.


Ten Tall Men (1951, Willis Goldbeck) [*****]
--- This sure was an adventure! But at no point did it feel like a great one. Still, it's Burt Lancaster, Technicolor, and plenty of desert action, so it did entertain.


The Blue Veil (1951, Curtis Bernhardt & Busby Berkeley) [******]
--- A sentimental journey of Jane Wyman taking care of other people's children and not having a family of her own. Tells a gentle tale, designed to bring a few soft tears. And and guess it does, in a very predictable way, and that's nice sometimes.


Unknown World (1951, Terry O. Morse) [***]
--- Loosely inspired by Journey to the Center of the Earth, the only thing I liked about this was character actor Victor Kilian's efforts. The rest didn't mash.


Tales of Tomorrow - S01 - E10 - Test Flight (26.10.1951, Charles S. Dubin) [*****]


October 27, 1951

The Strange Door (1951, Joseph Pevney) [******]
--- Richard Stapley took up too much time and attention away from the excellent duo of Charles Laughton & Boris Karloff. But you know whenever the morbid two would get the spotlight, it was going to be great. Laughton was adorably hammy in this!


Inside Cackle Corners (1951, George Gordon & Carl Urbano) [****] - Short

The Adventures of Kit Carson - S01 - E12 - Fury at Red Gulch (27.10.1951, Lew Landers) [*****]



October 28, 1951

Elephant Stampede (1951, Ford Beebe) [****]
--- 6th of twelve Bomba films, and this time some creeps enter the jungle wanting a taste of Bomba's girl. Fairly roughly patched together at times, but also had the enjoyable adventure bits. Donna Martell as the girl certainly helped make the viewing easier.


Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok - S02 - E03 - The Lady School Teacher (28.10.1951, Frank McDonald) [****]



October 29, 1951

Challenge the Wilderness (1951, Jack Atlas) [***] - Short


I Love Lucy - S01 - E03 - The Diet (29.10.1951, Marc Daniels) [********]
Lights Out - S04 - E10 - The Veil (29.10.1951, William Corrigan) [****]
The Cisco Kid - S02 - E09 - Kid Sister Trouble (29.10.1951, Paul Landres) [*****]



October 31, 1951

Let's Make It Legal (1951, Richard Sale) [*****]
--- A light film with a lot of bitter charm. In fact it rides on it. Becomes a little conflicting because there's so many personalities you want to like, but the tone is so often in the way. More a time waster that had it's moments than a totally satisfying one. I'm still trying to adjust seeing such a young Robert Wagner. And then there's Marilyn Monroe, "Sometimes even I feel like calling him Daddy."


Scrooge (1951, Brian Desmond Hurst) [*********]
--- Scrooge is a holiday institution. Even after watching countless of adaptations of Charles Dickens' Christmas classic, it still warms the heart. And Brian Desmond Hurst's 1951 version of A Christmas Carol with a excellent performance from Alastair Sim might be the best of them all.


The Son of Dr. Jekyll (1951, Seymour Friedman) [*****]
--- The Son of Dr. Jekyll (1951) leaves a lot to be desired. It's not really this horror story reawakening of the Jekyll & Hyde monster. Only a tiny fraction is dedicated to Hyde. The film works better if you take it as a drama. The photography is pretty great, good acting and cast. There are qualities here, and there are horror elements of the original story, but for the most part it's about securing the Hyde formula and a son trying to save the family honor.


The Tanks Are Coming (1951, Lewis Seiler) [****]
--- Not badly shot and it's got a few likable characters involved, but The Tanks Are Coming (1951) is not exactly a movie that engages. Where exactly the appeal is supposed to be is unclear beyond being a war movie. Feels it's more about the bonding between army members, but when few of them manage to stand-out they blend together. To me George O'Hanlon, of "So you..." shorts fame, became the star of the picture.



November, 1951

Cave of Outlaws (1951, William Castle) [******]
--- A Technicolor western that's on the simple side plot wise, but oh so beautiful to look at. I appreciated the cave thing.


Submarine Command (1951, John Farrow) [*****]
--- Noble attempt, but like we see with most war movies that came out in the years after the war, and that initial war film fatigue at the cinema, there is a lack of urgency in the drama compared to those war movies that came out during the war. More a human approach, and not too much in the face of the ticket buyer, who probable still wanted to forget about the bad times. This one was more a William Holden thing, satisfying his fans. Okay drama for him.


The Model and the Marriage Broker (1951, George Cukor) [*******]
--- Thelma Ritter was absolutely great as the marriage broker! Some of the clients where annoying, but her, she was always in control guiding this lovely comedy in a satisfying manner.


Young Wives' Tale (1951, Henry Cass) [******]
--- Dizzy domestic comedy where couples have to share their home. Becomes almost too much intrigue, but the presence of a fresh Audrey Hepburn in one of her biggest roles up to that time certainly helped ease the stress of it all.


Fast and Foolish (1951, Hal Yates) [****] - Short
Howdy Doody's Christmas (1951, United World Films) [****] - Short
The Bully (1951, Arthur H. Wolf) [*] - Short



November 1, 1951

Golden Girl (1951, Lloyd Bacon) [*****]
--- A musical too eager to charm, but it was a good showcase for Mitzi Gaynor, whose whole thing was to ooze as much charm as possible.


The Vanishing Outpost (1951, Ron Ormond) [****]
--- The Vanishing Outpost (1951) is a standard poverty row style western, but Lash La Rue and his trusted sidekick Al St. John put all their energy into it, to make it feel like there is a ton going on.


The Amos 'n Andy Show - S01 - E19 - The Happy Stevens (01.11.1951, Charles Barton) [*******]



November 2, 1951

America's Singing Boys (1951, Harry W. Smith) [**] - Short

Racket Squad - S02 - E09 - Two For One (02.11.1951, James Tinling) [*****]
The Stu Erwin Show - S02 - E03 - Nice Little Doggie (02.11.1951, James Tinling) [****]

Post-1951

Keys to the Heart (2023, Kerwin Go) [*****]
--- Filipino remake of a 2018 Korean film. Not seen the Korean one, so I can't compare, but this had its charms. Elijah Canlas plays Zanjoe Marudo's autistic and gifted brother, and we take part in their bonding and musical adventures. Does throw off vibes that it's copying something without adding much of its own identity, which is something I've seen before when pinoy movies redo Korean ones, but it's still a good time.

[kongs_speech]

FEATURES

26.2 to Life (2022, Christine Yoo) - 3.5/5 (rewatch)
Hell’s Hinges (1916, Charles Swickard) - 3/5
Self-Portrait (2022, Joele Walinga) - 2/5
Mother Land (2022, Park Jae-beom) - 3.5/5
The Last Run (1971, Richard Fleischer) - 3.5/5

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991, Lam Nai-choi) - 4/5
The Comfort of Strangers (1990, Paul Schrader) - 3.5/5
Miller’s Crossing (1990, Joel Coen) - 4.5/5
Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007, Joe Swanberg) - 4/5
Dodes’ka-den (1970, Akira Kurosawa) - 3.5/5

Anatomy of a Fall (2023, Justine Triet) - 5/5
Lawrence of Arabia (1962, David Lean) - 5/5
Volver (2006, Pedro Almodovar) - 4/5

SHORTS

Ben Folds Five: Battle of Who Could Care Less (1997, Norwood Cheek) - 3.5/5 (rewatch)
The Smile: Wall of Eyes (2023, Paul Thomas Anderson) - 3.5/5
Garfunkel and Oates: Weed Card (2011, Raul B. Hernandez) - 3.5/5 (rewatch)

ALBUMS

Eminem - Encore (2004) - 4.5/5 (repeat listen)
Lil Peep - Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 (OG Version) (2023) - 4.5/5
Cyberbully Mom Club - Outdoor Activities [EP] (2014) - 3.5/5
Eminem - Music to Be Murdered By: Side B (2020) - 4.5/5 (repeat listen)
Zach Bryan - Zach Bryan (2023) - 4.5/5 (repeat listen)

Bar Italia - The Twits (2023) - 3.5/5
leroy - Dariacore (2021) - 3.5/5
Zach Bryan - DeAnn (2019) - 4.5/5
Katie Dey - Never Falter Hero Girl (2023) - 4/5
Jason Isbell - Southeastern (2013) - 5/5 (repeat listen)

Steve Earle - El Corazon (1997) - 4.5/5 (repeat listen)
Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight (2008) - 4.5/5 (repeat listen)

YOUTUBE

Has Kanye Completely Lost It??? [Fantano]
This New Taylor Swift Song Is… [Fantano]
What Is The Worst Christmas Song of All Time [Fantano]
2024 Grammy Awards Picks & Predictions! [The Needle Drop]
oh my god my fart killed you
Matthew Lillard talks about the stress of working on Twin Peaks
Unboxed Watched and Reviewed X Can Can - The Tan Tan (VOMIT WARNING!)
Hersheys Kisses Movie Review aka Brown
Look what jesus did!

GAMES

Coffee Talk (Xbox One) - 2.5/5

[LeSchpountz]

Looking back at a few Jim Jarmusch films

Permanent Vacation (1980) 7/10
Down by Law (1986) 8/10
Mystery Train (1989) 8/10
Night on Earth (1991) 10/10
Dead Man (1995) 8/10

[Kublai Khan]

The Blue Angel (Josef von Sternberg-1930) 18 Official Lists 4,305 checks - I was expecting to be impressed by Marlene Dietrich (and I was), but I was blown away by Emil Janning's performance as the stuffy professor.

The Gospel According to St. Matthew (Pier Paolo Pasolini-1964) 14 Official Lists 2,597 checks - I think this movie depends on the viewer being moved by the depicting of a character they revere. This is a dull movie otherwise.

In the Valley of Elah (Paul Haggis-2007) 2,700 checks - Tommy Lee Jones stars as a military father whose son gets reported as AWOL. He travels to the town by the base and eventually a body is found so he teams up with a local cop to solve the murder. As a thriller, this is pretty well done. The pacing is good, there's very few leaps of logic, Jones kicks it into a high gear of acting. But there is a political message that was just really heavy handed and unnecessary.

Shadowlands (Richard Attenborough-1993) 2 Official Lists 1,012 checks - Stodgy CS Lewis (played by Anthony Hopkins) falls in tragic love. Very pompously English with repressed emotions and snarky banter and I was loving it. Debra Winger is a contrast, but that it precisely what attract's Lewis attention and the romance is believable. Very well done period piece.

[Rufus-T]

99 River Street (1953) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045465/ Boxer turned cab driver got framed for a murder. Quite good cat and mouse story.

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The Kennel Murder Case (1933) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024210/ William Powell played a detective in figuring out a murder of a wealthy collector. Typical good mystery and good performances.

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Dark Mountain (1944) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036743/ A forest ranger protecting his former girlfriend who is married to a criminal. Very short. Low quality. Some good moments. Not one of the best.

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Jaws 2 (1978) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077766/ Of course, can not hold up to the original, but quite good a sequel.

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The Wrong Man (1956) One of my Hitchcock first watch. A man mistakened for a serial robbery. One thing leads to another to his life's ruin. Excellent suspense like Hitchcock can.

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I Confess (1953) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045897/ A priest is accused of a murder he didn't do. Another excellent Hitchcock first watch.

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I Want to Live! (1958) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051758/ A woman with a shady past hooked up with a gang that committed a murder and got charged along. Powerful.

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Kiss of Death (1947) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039536/ A man caught in his jewel robbery. Willing to do anything to get out. Richard Widmark was awesome as one of the gangster. One of the best.

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