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High Plains Drifter (1973)
A metaphorical cartoonish Western that doesn't age well
It's a metaphorical cartoonish Western set in 1882 in a small fictional mining town of Lago somewhere in the West. It follows a Stranger (Clint Eastwood) who wanders into a conflicted town, anticipating the arrival of three gunmen (Geoggrey Lewis, Dan Vadis, and Anthony James) seeking vengeance in the town after a year in prison. They whipped to death an earlier marshall while the citizens watched.
When the Stranger shows his gun skills, the town leaders, Dave Drake (Mitch Ryan), Morgan Allen (Jack Ging), Jason Hobart (Stefan Giersach), and Lewis Belding (Ted Hartley), seek his assistance. The Stranger raises Mordecai (Billy Curtis), a little person, to leadership to the annoyance of the current leaders. He also shows kindness to Native Americans and Mexicans. However, the Stranger asserts his dominance by sexually attacking two partners of the town leaders, Sarah Belding (Verna Bloom) and Callie Travers (Mariana Hill).
The film follows the Stranger's preparation of the townspeople for the coming conflict and the three outlaws as they travel to the town. The Stranger's symbolic actions and directives are included. There is a final battle after which we may or may not learn the Stranger's name.
"High Plains Drifter" is a pretty standard spaghetti Western. A Lone Ranger figure saves a town despite its failings. Women have no agency in Eastwood's Western world, and the sexual ethics portrayed are disgusting. Any lesson to be learned from the 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens, New York, that inspired this movie is totally absent. This film has not aged well.
Irena's Vow (2023)
An engaging story of a creative young woman negotiating complicated moral terrain
It's a Canadian-Polish World War II drama set in Radom, Poland, from 1939 to 1944. It follows a pious young Polish woman, Irena Gut (Sophie Nélisse), who is training as a nurse in 1939 when Germany invades Poland. She works in a factory for a time but catches the eye of Major Rugemer (Dougray Scott), the senior Wehrmacht officer in the area, because she has German physical features and speaks good German. First, she works in a hotel serving German officers and supervises some Polish workers, including some Jews. She then becomes Major Rugemer's housekeeper in a large villa where he lives and entertains.
Irena uses her position to hide twelve Jews with whom she had worked in the factory in a hidden part of the villa's basement. The film follows her process of hiding the Jews, the threats posed by SS Officer Rokita (Maciej Nawrocki), and the consequences when Major Rugemer finally discovers she is hiding Jews in his villa.
"Irena's Vow" tells an engaging story of a creative young woman negotiating complicated moral terrain. The script smooths out some realities and likely exploits and exaggerates some incidents. Nélisse and Scott are both very convincing in their characters, but the story does seem to drag a bit from time to time and some dialogue seemed canned. Perhaps it could have been 15-20 minutes shorter.
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
An important historical piece of cinema; its content is appalling
It's an American Civil War and Reconstruction drama set from 1860 to 1875 in Washington, D. C., and Piedmont, South Carolina. It follows two families connected by their sons' friendship in a pre-Civil War boarding school. Austin Stoneman (Ralph Lewis) is a political leader in Washington. His children are Phil (Elmer Clifton) and Elsie (Lillian Gish). His right-hand man is Silas Lynch (George Siegmann). Lynch's last name is no mistake.
Dr. Cameron (Spottiswoode Aitken) and his wife (Josephine Crowell) head the South Carolina family. They have three sons and two daughters. The oldest son is Benjamin Cameron (Henry B. Waithall); the elder daughter is Margaret (Miriam Cooper), and the more vivacious younger daughter is Flora (Mae Marsh).
In the film's first half, we see the children's friendship before the war, the potential for romance between the families, and the impact of the Civil War on both families. The story is told mainly from the Southern perspective; slavery is not mentioned. The war is described as resistance to losing states' rights, i.e., the "Lost Cause" argument.
The movie's shockingly racist second half deals with the Reconstruction period in South Carolina. It describes most African Americans as out of control and manipulated by Northern Carpetbaggers. The Southern whites' salvation is the formation of the Ku Klux Klan, supposedly founded by Phil Cameron, with the primary goal of protecting white women from African American men. The two main stories in the movie's second half deal with this theme, one of which ends with a lynching.
"The Birth of a Nation" is notable for its early technological advances in battle scenes and story flow in numerous places. The intercards are mostly scene-setting; their use in dialogue is not as developed as it might be. The movie is an important historical piece of cinema; its content is appalling.
Civil War (2024)
There is no context and no plot
It's a modern-day American Civil War road movie set in New York City to Washington, D. C., and points in between. It follows four journalists hoping to reach the President (Nick Offerman) for an interview before the rebel Western Force reaches him.
Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) is a renowned photojournalist traveling with Joel (Wagner Moura); they're probably in a relationship. Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) is an older reporter with "what's left of the New York Times" who begs for a ride to D. C. with Lee and Joel. Jessie Cullen (Cailee Spaeny) is a neophyte photojournalist who wants to ride along after interacting with Lee. Along the way, we also meet some foreign reporters (Sonoya Mizuno, Nelson Lee, Evan Lai) and a racist military man committing a war crime (Jesse Plemons).
"Civil War" was one disappointing movie. Contrary to the Roger Ebert reviewer, "Civil War" it is no thought experiment about journalistic ethics. Instead, it's a stream of war images with no context from the perspective of journalists who take no notes, report to no one, and constantly put themselves in danger with whatever military group they latch on to. There's no plot except taking dramatic photos reminiscent of past wars.
The lack of context is terribly frustrating and leaves "Civil War" with no core, leaving it more of a Marvel movie than anything else. Yes, there are a few engrossing relationship events, especially around Jesse Plemon's character. But otherwise, "Civil War" has little reality.
On Golden Pond (1981)
The chemistry between Hepburn and Henry Fonda is the film's best feature
It's a drama about aging and relationships set in 1980 on a resort lake in New England called Golden Pond. It follows Norman (Henry Fonda) and Ethel Thayer (Katharine Hepburn) returning to their summer cottage to celebrate Norman's upcoming 80th birthday. Their only daughter, Chelsea (Jane Fonda), her boyfriend, Bill Ray (Dabney Coleman), and Bill's 13-year-old son, Billy (Doug McKeon), join them for the celebration. The only other character of note is Golden Pond's longtime postal worker, Charlie Martin (William Lanteau).
Norman, a retired professor, is crotchety and has some significant memory problems that scare him. Ethel is more outgoing. Chelsea has never felt loved by her father. Chelsea and Bill are off to Europe for a month and wonder if Billy can stay with Norman and Ethel at the cottage. They agree, and the movie works through the developing relationship between Norman and Billy.
"On Golden Pond" is a simple relationship movie in many ways. There's some excellent dialogue at several points, and the chemistry between Hepburn and Henry Fonda is wonderful, which is the film's best feature. The changing relationship between Norman and Billy is predictable but still heartwarming. The scenery glows too much from time to time. It's a nice story that feels more relevant as I am close to within a couple of years of 80 myself!
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
Not fall-down-laughing funny but has solid performances
It's a legal courtroom comedy set in about 1990 in a rural Alabama town. Two New York City college students, Bill Gambini (Ralph Macchio) and Stan Rothenstein (Mitchell Whitfield), stop in a small Alabama convenience store for supplies. Soon after they leave, the clerk is robbed and murdered. Bill and Stan are arrested and charged with first-degree murder after three witnesses identify them and their unique-looking convertible.
Lack of funds forces them to turn to Bill's cousin, Vinny Gambini (Joe Pesci), a new lawyer with six weeks of experience, for help. He arrives with his fiancée, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei), and his New York attitude and runs into an old-school Judge Haller (Fred Gwynne) and Prosecutor Jim Trotter (Lane Smith).
The trial begins badly, and the witnesses are convincing until Vinny's native skills emerge with some essential last-minute help from Mona Lisa, who has an unusual skill set.
"My Cousin Vinny" is not fall-down-laughing funny but has solid performances by Pesci, Tomei, Gwynne, and Smith. Some of the locals are typecast yokels, but not exceptionally so. The pace and chemistry of interaction between the primary characters are good. Macchio and Whitfield fade away after their arrest and the arrival of Pesci and Tomei.
The Pianist (2002)
"The Pianist" exudes authenticity
It's a Warsaw Ghetto World War II survivor biopic of Wladyslaw Szpilman set from 1939 to 1945. The film begins with 28-year-old Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody) playing live on Warsaw radio in September 1939 when the German invasion begins. He is already well-known in Polish cultural circles. We meet Szpilman's family; he appears to be the oldest child. Wladyslaw is somewhat aloof; his brother Henryk (Ed Stoppard) is much more politically aggressive. His parents, Samuel (Frank Finlay) and Edwarda (Maureen Lipman), are upper class and hardly know how to respond.
"The Pianist" follows Szpilman's pivotal experiences over the next six years. The family first lives in the "Little" part of the Warsaw Ghetto. Szpilman is separated from his family and becomes a slave laborer before escaping the ghetto and living with the help of non-Jewish friends in increasingly difficult circumstances. In the last months of 1944, he is even saved by a German officer (Thomas Kretschmann) who learns Szpilman is a skilled pianist.
What is remarkable about "The Pianist" is that it does not portray Wladyslaw Szpilman as a hero. He is primarily passive and survives on the generosity of others. He sees many heinous atrocities and sometimes tries to help others, but mainly reacts when danger is imminent. "The Pianist" exudes authenticity because of this approach.
Although I wish Polanski had faced a criminal trial in the United States, he is a brilliant director. The pacing and visuals are excellent. Adrien Brody is superb.
The English Patient (1996)
A remarkable adaptation of a very complex novel
It's a romantic war drama set in Egypt and Italy between 1938 and 1945. It opens with a two-person biplane shot down by the Germans in Africa, with the pilot suffering severe burns. Gradually, we meet two main characters and many subsidiary characters.
Through gradually unfolding flashbacks, we learn that László Almásy (Ralph Fiennes), the burned pilot, is a multilingual member of the Royal Geographical Society. He's working with his British friend, Peter Madox (Julian Wadham), and others to research cave paintings in the Sahara. A British couple, Geoffrey (Colin Firth) and Katharine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas), are assisting and supplying a plane to help with transportation. Through complex circumstances, László and Katharine develop a relationship.
Hana (Juliette Binoche) is a French Canadian nurse caring for Almásy near the war's end as he continues to fail from his burns. She has brought him to a bombed-out monastery in Italy to reduce his suffering from movement. David Caravaggio (Willem Defoe), a Canadian Intelligence officer, joins their group on a revenge search for persons responsible for his suffering earlier in the war. Lt. Kip (Naveen Andrews) is part of a sapper unit clearing mines and bombs also lives at the monastery for a time and becomes friends with Hana.
The film slowly unfolds what happened to László and Katharine, how Caravaggio is connected to the others, and Hana's fear of relationships because so many people she loves die.
You have to see "The English Patient" at least twice. The first time, the timeshifts are confusing. The second time, there are many "aah" moments when things fall into place. Everything revolves around Almásy and Hana, with flashbacks to Almásy and Katharine.
The direction and editing in the movie are exquisite. All the main characters are excellent. The film is a remarkable adaptation of a very complex novel. Some liberties are taken, but it works.
Rollover (1981)
One of the worst movies I've even seen
It's a high-finance secret-cabal conspiracy drama set mainly in New York City around 1980. It tries to combine two stories into one drama but fails miserably because of a fatally flawed script, which is surprising given some of Alan J. Pakula's other outstanding work.
Borough National Bank is in financial trouble, and requests help. The massive First New York Bank, chaired by Maxell Emery (Hume Cronyn), sends its fixit guy, Hubbell Smith (Kris Kristofferson), to look after the currency issues impacting the bank's health. Meanwhile, Charles Winters (Garrison Lane), the head of a big chemical company looking for financing, is murdered. His wife, Lee Winters (Jane Fonda), is a former film star who has become the company's head.
In 1980, the OPEC oil countries control much of the world's financial assets. Someone is fiddling with the American dollar. Hubbell and Lee get involved with each other and sort out the conspiracy--if they can trust each other.
"Rollover" is convoluted and does not adequately explain the conspiracy it's trying to sell to the audience. The actors seem unconvinced, except for Hume Cronyn. Kristofferson is miscast, and Fonda and Kristofferson have no chemistry, but the script doesn't help. This movie is one of the worst I've ever seen. I watched it because I like Jane Fonda and Hume Cronyn.
Double Indemnity (1944)
I didn't get the money, and I didn't get the girl
It's a classic film noir with an interesting approach. It's set in Los Angeles, California during 1943. Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), an insurance salesman, confesses to a murder at the movie's beginning and then narrates the story as a confession to Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), the experienced claims investigator for the insurance company.
We learn the unfolding of a murder plot between Neff and Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) against Dietrichson's husband (Tom Powers). It involves selling Mr. Dietrichson a double indemnity accidental death policy without his knowledge. We also meet Mr. Dietrichson's daughter with his deceased first wife, Lola (Jean Heather), and Lola's hot-tempered boyfriend, Nino Zachetti (Byron Barr).
The film follows the development of the murder plot, its execution, and the fallout as Barton Keyes begins to investigate and suspect murder.
"Double Indemnity" is a marvelous movie with all the fast-paced dialogue of film noir, many shadows, and great performances by Neff and Stanwyck. Their lack of chemistry is cold, deliberate, and effective. Robinson is good as the number-crunching investigator. The other characters make less of an impression.
I would have given this a 10, but some of the twists at the end don't work as well as they should.
The Fugitive (1993)
High-energy and has survived well
It's a police chase drama of an innocent man set mainly in Chicago in 1992. The story follows Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), a respected surgeon, coming home to find his just-killed wife, Helen (Sela Ward). He struggles with a one-armed man (Andreas Katsulas), but later, Kimble's efforts to prove his existence are futile. Kimble is charged with his wealthy wife's murder and is sentenced to death.
On his way to death row by bus, Kimbel escapes after a prisoner insurrection and a crash of the bus with a train. This escape brings the U. S. marshalls into action in pursuit of the two missing prisoners. They are led by hard-nosed Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), along with deputies Renfro (Joe Pantoliano), Biggs (Daniel Roebuck), and others.
The balance of the movie is a chase drama as Kimbel returns to Chicago to try to identify the actual perpetrator. There are many close calls between Kimbel and Gerard, and Kimbel learns who his true friends (and enemies) are.
"The Fugitive" is high-energy and has survived well. The plausibility issues have stayed the same over the years. How did Kimble support himself while on the lam and come up with nice suits when he needed them? Some of the chase scenes (in the sewer) beggar belief, but they're exciting. Ford's sardonic side doesn't appear in this script; that's more left to Tommy Lee Jones. It would be worth a watch on the big screen.
Wicked Little Letters (2023)
Colman, Spall, Buckley, and Vasan are all excellent in their roles
It's a historical comedy-drama set in 1920 Littlehampton, West Sussex, England. It follows the fraught relationship between two neighbors. Edith Swan (Olivia Colman), a 50-ish spinster, lives with her parents, Edward (Timothy Spall) and Victoria (Gemma Jones). Edith is very religious, and her father is overbearing and authoritarian.
Their next-door neighbor is a new arrival from Ireland, free-spirited foul-mouthed Rose Gooding (Jessie Buckley), who lives with her young daughter, Nancy (Alisha Weir), and Black boyfriend, Bill (Malachi Kirby). Although Edith and Rose initially relate well, Edith begins to receive obscene letters that are very upsetting. After getting 19 of them, the Swans go to the police, and Rose immediately comes under suspicion because of her public manner. Only Woman Police Constable Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan), of Indian descent and the first female police officer in the area, believes Rose is not guilty.
The film follows the run-up to Rose's libel trial and Gladys Moss's ongoing efforts to discover the truth of the letters, which is revealed at the end.
"Wicked Little Letters" is a riot because the script plays up the oddity of 1920s British women freely writing and talking extreme obscenities. The traits of the main characters are also overblown to increase the comedic conflict. Colman, Spall, Buckley, and Vasan are all excellent in their roles. The idiocy of the male British police officers is underscored again and again. And, in the end, even the villain gets some release. The movie's pace is spot-on, and it ends up being a feel-good movie if you can tolerate the language.
The film takes liberties with the historical record. Rose was married, and her sister also lived with her. Gladys Moss was not of Indian descent, and Rose's husband was not Black.
Blackthorn (2011)
Sam Shepard is ideal for the role of an elderly Butch Cassidy
It's a South American buddy Western on Butch Cassidy's old age, set in Bolivia in 1928, with flashbacks to the early 1900s. "Blackthorn" assumes that Cassidy and the Sundance Kid did not die in 1908 as previously thought and provides an alternative that assumes Butch Cassidy (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau/Sam Shepard) changed his name to James Blackthorn and lived a low-profile life in rural Bolivia until he learns of the death of Etta Place (Dominique McElligott) in 1928, and decides to return to the United States to see his son, Ryan. This decision means leaving his Bolivian lover, Yana (Magaly Solier).
The script begins with this premise that gets thrown off track when "Blackthorn" encounters Eduardo Apodaca (Eduardo Noriega), a Spanish engineer fleeing a posse after claiming to steal $50,000 from mine owner Simón Patiño. Circumstances unite them as they flee the posse and former Pinkerton Detective MacKinley (Stephen Rea). Along the way, Blackthorn and Apodaca learn secrets about each other.
There are flashbacks to the early days when Cassidy, Sundance Kid (Pádraic Delaney), and Etta Place first arrive in Bolivia until Etta returns to the United States.
"Blackthorn" is a worthy successor to "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," but doesn't match its quality. Sam Shepard is ideal for the role of an elderly Butch Cassidy. The script does not include the humor and repartée of the 1969 film. Shepard and Noriega do not have the same chemistry as Newman and Redford. However, the Bolivian scenery is stunning and a good switch from standard Westerns.
Night and the City (1950)
One truly upright character in the whole film
It's a grimy British film noir with one truly upright character set in 1950 London, England. It follows four untrustworthy people trying to manipulate one another. The main character is Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark), a smalltime grifter who makes money by trying to get visitors to go to the Silver Fox nightclub owned by Phil Nosseross (Francis L. Sullivan) and managed by Nosseross's wife, Helen (Googie Withers). Harry's girlfriend is Mary Bristol (Gene Tierney), who works at the nightclub.
Harry likes professional wrestling and discovers that Kristo (Herbert Lom), a hoodlum who manages all the wrestling in London, is at odds with Kristo's father, Gregorius (Stanislaus Zbyszko), a former famous Greco-Roman wrestler. Gregorious believes Kristo's more crowd-pleasing approach with wrestlers like The Strangler (Mike Mazurki) is not authentic wrestling. Harry thinks he can exploit this family split and promote wrestling himself by getting Gregorius' participation.
The film follows Harry's efforts to get the necessary funds from Phil and Helen, a secondary plot involving difficulties between Phil and Helen, and Kristo's response to Harry's initiatives. Three of the main characters are dead by the end.
"Night and the City" is classic film noir style, with lots of shadows, nighttime activity, and shabby locations. The plot is over the top, but many film noir stories rely on suspension of belief. Widmark acts with flair in his primary role. Herbert Lom is sinister. The other primary characters don't stand out. Francis L. Sullivan seems like a less polished Sidney Greenstreet.
Monkey Man (2024)
A violent revenge drama with a religious backdrop
It's a violent revenge drama with a religious backdrop set in a fictional modern age in India. We meet the Kid/Monkey Man (Jatin Malik/Dev Patel), who wears a monkey mask as a mixed martial arts fighter in a crooked fight club where he earns money by losing. As the film unfolds, we get flashbacks to a disaster he experienced with his mother (Adithi Kalkunte) when he was a boy. The tragedy occurred at the hands of corrupt police official Rana Singh (Sikandar Kher) and spiritual guru Baba Shaki (Makarand Deshpande). As an adult, the Kid seeks revenge against them but is initially unsuccessful.
The film follows the Kid's efforts to gain access to his targets at a luxurious nightclub/brothel run by Queenie Kapoor (Ashwini Kalsekar). He gets reluctant help from another employee, Alphonso (Pitobash), and enthusiastic help from the keeper of an underground temple, Alpha (Vipin Sharma). Finally, he is able to confront his enemies.
The film has two halves--the unsuccessful one, followed by his rehabilitation and intense physical training. He then wades in again. Both halves are very violent, though Patel's extreme closeups and frantic strobe-like flashes of action make the fighting seem more choreographed and become somewhat annoying.
Alpha instructs the Kid that one needs violence to create space. The Kid provides it in spades. The theme of righteous violence is pretty old hat by now. Still, Patel does bring an intensity that draws the viewer in, and he rarely uses computer-generated images for effects.
The Accountant (2016)
You have to live with some absurd plot intricacies
It's a crime drama about an unusually gifted accountant who is on the autism spectrum. After an introductory scene of a revenge killing by a mysterious figure, we meet young Chris Wolff (Seth Lee/Ben Affleck), his brother Braxton (Jake Presley/Jon Bernthal), and their parents (Rob Treveiler and Mary Kraft) as they explore placing Christian in a facility for treating autistic children.
We then meet Christopher, a 35-ish accountant living near Chicago. He launders money for major criminals while also auditing their books. The Living Robotics firm hires him to find some irregularities noticed by a junior accountant, Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick). Christopher interacts with CEO Lamar Blackburn (John Lithgow), Lamar's sister, Rita (Jean Smart), and CFO Ed Chilton (Andy Umberger).
A parallel plot involves the U. S. Treasury Department's search for the real identity of "The Accountant" (Christopher Wolff is a pseudonym) led by Ray King (J. K. Simmons) and Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson).
The plot takes many twists and turns, and bodies pile remarkably high, given Christopher's unique talents.
The script is so far from reality that one is tempted to walk away. I chose to stick with it with some eye-rolls at the most egregious departures from reality, e.g., the absurd relationship between Christopher and the Treasury Department, given his criminal record and body count. And the neurologist character (Jason Davis) and his daughter (Alison Wright) seem to be a screenwriter's deliberate effort to deflect potential criticism of the film's depiction of autism. However, Ben Affleck plays well as a highly functioning person on the spectrum, and the story is nicely paced. There is lots of violence but surprisingly little blood.
One, Two, Three (1961)
A very humorous commentary on the Cold War of 1961
It's a satiric Cold War comedy set in West and East Berlin in 1961. Indeed, filming was interrupted by the erection of the Berlin Wall in August 1961. It follows a Coca-Cola executive, Mac MacNamara (James Cagney), who is based in West Germany with his wife Phyllis (Arlene Francis) and two children. He also has a highly sexualized secretary, Ingeborg (Liselotte Pulver), with whom he has some history of dallying, and an obsequious assistant, Schlemmer (Hanns Lothar).
Trouble comes when Mac is asked to host 17-year-old Scarlett Hazeltine (Pamela Tiffin) for two weeks. She is the daughter of Mac's boss in Atlanta, Georgia, Wendell Hazeltine (Howard St. John). Scarlett is frightfully naive but outgoing and has already been engaged multiple times. When her stay is extended, she falls in love with an ardent East German Communist, Otto Ludwig Pifftl (Horst Buchholz). The film follows Mac's efforts to maintain his dream of heading Coca-Cola's European division in London while managing the crisis generated by Scarlett's and Otto's relationship. This includes dealing with East German apparachiks Peripetchikoff (Leon Askin), Borodenko (Ralf Wolter), and Mishkin (Peter Capell).
"One, Two, Three" is a very humorous commentary on the Cold War of 1961, with snide references to America's failing missile program and the East German security force's use of "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" as a means of torture to elicit confessions. Images also include banging shoes on a table, emulating Nikita Khrushchev.
Cagney acts with high intensity throughout; it's his picture. Everyone else plays off of him. The pace is breakneck. It's a comedic snapshot of a Cold War moment in time, though it gets a tad patriotic at the end.
Feng gui lai de ren (1983)
Seeing Taiwanese society through Hou Hsiao-Hsien's eyes is engaging
It's a Taiwanese coming-of-age story set around 1980 on the Taiwanese island of Fengkuei and the large city of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, with a population of over 2,000,000. Ah-ching (Doze Niu), Ah-rong (CHang Shih), and Kuo-zai (Chao Peng-chue) are high school friends on a small fishing island with no prospects. They're recent high school graduates waiting for the military draft and constantly get into trouble. Ah-ching has a sister (Chun-Fang Chang) in Kaohsiung, so the three guys head there. They get jobs in shipping at an electronics factory and a small apartment. Near their apartment is a young couple, also working at the factory, Huang Jin-he (Tuo Tsung-hua) and Hsiao-hsing (Lin Hsiu-ling). They become friends, but Ah-ching falls for Hsiao-hsing. However, when trouble arises for Huang Jin-he, Ah-ching's pursuit of Hsiao-hsing does not end as he hoped.
"The Boys from Fengkuei" is a bit odd. The English subtitles are not very good, making the dialogue sound awkward and overly simple. Ah-ching's maturation at some points seems clear, but at other points, the three guys seem as unfocused as ever. Seeing Taiwanese society through director Hou Hsiao-Hsien's eyes is engaging. This is an early effort, and the editing, sound, and flow are choppy at points.
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Stretches the bounds of believability but also echoes some sad realities
It's a classic but sad film noir set in 1950 in Hollywood, California. After showing us a murder victim at the film's opening, it follows the relationship of Joe Gillis (William Holden), a struggling 30ish screenwriter, and a former silent movie star, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), now 50 years old and yearning for her former glory. She lives alone in an old mansion, except for her butler, Max (Erich von Stroheim). Joe stumbles onto her property while trying to keep his car from being repossessed.
When Norma learns Joe is a screenwriter, she asks him to help her with a script she has written that she believes will return her to fame. She lavishes him with gifts and wants the relationship to deepen. Joe is conflicted and is working on a script with his girlfriend, Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson), who is the girlfriend of his best friend, Artie Green (Jack Webb). Eventually, things spiral out of control.
"Sunset Boulevard" stretches the bounds of believability but also echoes some sad realities. Gloria Swanson was a silent film star, and Erich von Stroheim was a silent film director who fell out of favor. The relationship between Joe and Betty doesn't truly work, and it's hard to separate Jack Webb from his "Dragnet" days. There are enjoyable cameo appearances by Cecil B. DeMille, Hedda Hopper, and Buster Keaton. The cinematography is classic film noir, as is the narration by William Holden. It's a fun watch.
Fratello sole, sorella luna (1972)
A hagiographic biopic of Francis of Assisi
It's a hagiographic biopic of Francis of Assisi set from 1203 to 1209 CE in Assisi and Rome, Italy. It begins with Francesco di Bernardone's (Graham Faulkner) return from the Crusades in 1203 to his wealthy cloth-merchant parents (Lee Montague and Valentina Cortese). His experiences at war change his religious perspectives and he turns to a life of simplicity and poverty, freeing him from the world's demands.
Francesco attracts followers, including old friends from the Crusades like Bernardo di Quintavalle (Leigh Lawson) and Silvestro (Michael Feast). He also attracts to his movement the founder the Poor Clares, Clare Offreduccio (Judi Bowker). Conflict with the local Catholic Bishop Guido (John Sharp) leads him to seek an audience with Pope Innocent II (Alec Guinness). The movie ends after that encounter.
"Brother Sun, Sister Moon" tends to wander along a cheerful path, interrupted only infrequently by disquiet. Like the recent film, "Cabrini," the script and direction seem determined to show Francis as a saint with no self-doubt, almost to the extent of making him a holy fool. The contrast of Francesco's simplicity to the ostentatious and lavish lifestyles of the Catholic hierarchy is constantly emphasized.
The scenery and beautiful filming technique are impressive, but underscore the prettiness of the production. The songs by the folksinger, Donovan, are interesting but don't add any weight. Guinness is a good Pope, but the costuming seems over-the-top.
Samson and Delilah (1949)
Is it campy or is it bad acting?
It's a campy Biblical drama based on the story of Samson in the Old Testament book of Judges 13-16. It begins with a quasi-political post-war claim that "Samson and Delilah" is a film about the pursuit of freedom. Then it turns to unwinding either a deliberately campy story, or immediately falls into inadvertent poor acting with a lousy script.
Samson (Victor Mature) shows promise as a tribal leader with enormous strength but demonstrates gullible judgment throughout (actually in line with the Biblical text). Although from the tribe of Dan, he falls in love with a Philistine woman, Semadar (Angela Lansbury). The leader of the regional Philistine Kingdom (George Sanders) makes ironic observations throughout. Semadar's sister, Delilah (Heddy Lamarr), has her eyes on Samson and is furious that he chose Semadar. The Philistine military leader is Ahtur (Henry Wilcoxon), who also has his eyes on Semadar.
The film stumbles repeatedly, force-feeding a Biblical plot onto a doomed 1940s-style romance. We see an unmistakable double wrestle with a lion and campy battles between Samson and the Philistines. The most spectacular scenes are at the end, in the Temple to Dagon. The movie presents all the critical Biblical activities, though it constructs an unbiblical relationship between Semadar and Delilah, and some events are compacted. Mature and Lamarr both sound like they're reading their lines.
Io capitano (2023)
It's a fine story, but the script could have been sharper
It's a Senegal-to-Italy refugee drama set in modern times from Dakar, Senegal, through Mali, Niger, and Libya to Sicily, Italy. It follows two 16-year-old cousins, Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and Moussa (Moustapha Fall), who have planned for six months to leave Senegal and to go Europe to find a better life as they see on television and to be able to help their financially fraught families. Initially, Moussa is the aggressive cousin, convincing Seydou to leave despite the fierce opposition of his mother (Khady Sy).
The film then follows their experiences on the journey as they encounter exploitative guides, corrupt police, and evil gangsters. Seydou and Moussa are separated for a time, but an older African man, Martin (Issaka Sawadogo), helps Seydou escape a dangerous situation. Eventually, Seydou becomes "The Captain" of the small, overloaded boat crossing the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy.
"Oi Capitano" is beautifully filmed. Some of the scenes in the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean are stunning. There are brief scenes of torture, but generally, the movie exudes the need for goodwill and cooperation. The story is told from the refugee perspective, but European filmmakers made the movie. So, a certain "feel good" tinge feels misplaced. It's a fine story; the script could have been sharper and extended some ambivalence into the European experience.
King David (1985)
It has survived better than I expected
It's a Biblical biopic of King David (Ian Sears/Richard Gere) set about 900 BCE in the Kingdom of Israel. The movie follows the chronology of the Old Testament's 1st and 2nd Samuel and 1st Chronicles. Occasional verses from Psalms also enter the script.
We see a flamboyant and erratic Saul (Edward Woodward), as well as severe prophets Samuel (Denis Quilley) and Nathan (Niall Buggy). We see David's rise in popularity after overcoming Goliath (George Eastman) and his increasing tension with Saul despite marrying Saul's daughter, Michal (Cherie Lunghi), and his significant friendship with Saul's son, Jonathan (Jack Klaff). Of course, we meet Bathsheba (Alice Krige), various children of David's, and military leaders like Abner (John Castle) and Joab (Tim Woodward).
Critics have generally dismissed this movie. It survived better than I expected despite some noticeable flaws. The script is uneven and lays too few clues for those unfamiliar with the Biblical text. It does take liberties with the Old Testament text in places. It would have improved with an additional 30 minutes of nuance and flinched less about the era's brutality. The script's brevity meant many characters, like Jonathan, though extremely important, received short shrift. Woodward, Quilley, and Buggy were strongest in their roles, and Gere was quite passable.
The Ten Commandments (1923)
Interesting to compare DeMille's technique between 1923 and 1956
It's a silent two-part film, a Biblical story and a drama supporting the Biblical narrative. It is set during the Israelite Exodus from Egypt, and in the early 1920s, probably in California.
The Biblical spectacle, the first 50 minutes of the two-hour, fifteen-minute film, tells the story of Moses (Theodore Roberts). We see the suffering of the Israelites under Pharaoh Rameses (Charles De Roche). We also meet Moses' siblings, Miriam (Estelle Taylor) and Aaron (James Neill). Some of DeMille's visual effects in this early film come back very similarly in his 1956 epic of the same title.
The second part of "The Ten Commandments" is an unsubtle dramatic story about the consequences of ignoring the Ten Commandments. Martha McTavish (Edythe Chapman) is a devout conservative Christian woman with two adult sons living at home. Dan (Rod La Rocque) is slick, totally irreligious, and out to make money as quickly as possible as a building contractor. John (Richard Dix) pays more attention to their mother and aspires to be an honest carpenter. They both fall in love with Mary Leigh (Leatrice Joy), a poor young woman who stumbles into their lives, but Dan's slickness wins the day.
The story jumps three years, and we see Dan's involvement with a crooked building inspector, Redding (Robert Edeson), and the catastrophic consequences of Dan's crooked dealing. It also portrays John's steadfastness.
The movie's Biblical part was most interesting as I could compare DeMille's approaches that were repeated in 1956. The story of Moses is truncated in this film, but Theodore Roberts, at age 60, was a more convincing Moses than Charlton Heston, at age 33 in 1956. The following dramatic story hits the viewer over the head with its message (the text of various commandments displays at appropriate times), and it's pretty obvious how things will turn out. That's partly the nature of silent films, where gestures are overly dramatic. Still, it was a fun watch of an early Biblical "epic."
Ru (2023)
Convincingly represents a "good" refugee experience in Canada
It's a Vietnamese refugee family story set in Saigon, Vietnam, and Granby, Quebec, ending in 1979. Minh (Jean Bui) and Nguyen (Chantal Thuy) are an educated, upper-middle-class Vietnamese family. Minh is a senior civil servant and Nguyen helps run a business her mother owned. They decide to flee at the war's end with their three children, Tinh (Chloé Djandji), Quôc (Olivier Dinh) and Duc (Xavier Nguyen). Their beloved siblings and cousins decide to remain in Vietnam.
The family flies to Montreal in winter 1979. Their host and sponsoring family includes Normand Girard (Patrice Robitaille), his wife, Lisette (Karine Vanasse), and their extroverted and talkative daughter, Johanne (Mali Corbeil-Gauvreau), who is near Tinh's age.
From Tinh's perspective, the film follows the struggles of employment and the relationships of the families, especially Tinh and Johanne, all mixed with flashbacks to their escape from Vietnam and time in a refugee camp. Tinh misses her cousin and is sometimes triggered by events in Canada. At the same time, she learns from grandfatherly refugees with their own stories and encouragement to look ahead.
"Ru" is emotionally engaging and convincingly represents a "good" refugee experience. The film presents no real dark sides in the Canadian context, which is its greatest limitation. The story is well told and paced, but never really ends. I don't think Tinh smiles once in the movie. Nonetheless, "Ru's" strength is its unique perspective.