Classic-Movie-Club Reviews

Khrustalyov, My Car! (1998)

A unique journey

[8/10 · 7 August 2022]

Surreal journey into the last days of the Stalin regime, with its madness, absurdity and brutality.

Staggering art direction that almost defeats attempts to comprehend a "plot", but instead offers a fast pace experience with a complex maelstrom of characters, that leaves you exhausted but with unique visual memories.

For cinephiles only.

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Warm but not so hot any longer

[7/10 · 13 November 2021]

Considering that Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968, this 1967 white cop/black cop feature was very hot and topical when released, and gathered many awards.

It is still a suspenseful watch, but I could not help notice the clichés/stereotypes and the Hollywood-style conclusion. Overall satisfying but maybe not a masterpiece.

Being There (1979)

Crowd pleaser

[8/10 · 3 November 2021]

Winter is coming soon, but after winter comes spring.. Warning: Simpletons and gardeners may inadvertently trigger huge political stirs.

Unexpected crowd pleaser. Recommended.

Wild Tales (2014)

Gripping roller coaster

[8/10 · 23 December 2020]

When in distress, and you think you have hit bottom, please watch this remarkably well acted, scripted and shot series of shorts filled with dark humour and wild twists. It is a gripping roller coaster, surely to inspire you to rise from the ashes.

Cul-de-sac (1966)

No laughable matter

[7/10 · 28 November 2020]

Polanski got it wrong here. The title should have been Cul Sec ! Lots of drinking for sure in this classic, restrained yet convincing study of human relationships disguised as a gangster story that goes wrong. A good vintage! Recommended.

Map of the Human Heart (1992)

It could have been much much better

[6/10 · 16 November 2020]

What started as exploration and adventure, turns into a stimulating romantic drama; however as we are offered implausible twists and turns of events, the movie partially fails despite its interesting storyline, human emotions and visuals. Interesting but not compelling.

Samurai Rebellion (1967)

Not a samurai movie

[8/10 · 17 June 2020]

Like a Greek tragedy, ethical dilemmas at all levels, society vs individual, husband vs wife, lord vs vassal, brothers, father vs son, mother vs children, but above all an ode to love. Not a masterpiece but a classic study of the human psyche

Deliverance (1972)

Cult classic

[6/10 · 5 April 2020]

Finally got to watch this on the 4th day of 4th month, 20+20 = 4. Was that a sign of bad luck, as Asians tend to believe ?

Certainly for the protagonists of this cult classic.. and also for me as a viewer.. the movie ran dry quickly due to its lengthy water scenes during which not much happens.

It has its good moments of tension, mystic and suspense, and one can draw several morals from it.

Highly watchable, dont expect a masterpiece though.

Knives Out (2019)

Exciting movie

[8/10 · 29 March 2020]

Just what the doctored order in these troubled times: engaging, surprising with lots of twists, well crafted and acted..definitely worth watching but don't expect a message. This is pure entertainment.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Dont believe the high ratings

[5/10 · 10 February 2020]

Expectations were high alas this turned out to be a painfully slow burner with unconvincing acting that does not feel satisfying whether on the passion/relationship side, nor on the art side. Soporific... Maybe enjoy again "The Piano" instead

1917 (2019)

Don't believe the ratings

[7/10 · 6 February 2020]

A visually and technically impressive, gripping until a certain point but then the holes in the implausible storyline weaken the overall impact, to the point where it feels unsatisfying and not engaging any longer.

Instead watch Elem Klimov's 'Come and See', a visionary cry of despair from the depths of hell -as a reviewer wrote-, and rewatch Coppola's epic masterpiece 'Apocalypse Now'

Open Your Eyes (1997)

Less than meets the eye

[7/10 · 3 February 2020]

Psychological thriller, a roller-coaster with a self-centred shallow character hiding under an attractive face, swinging back and forth between beauty and ugliness, dream and reality, paranoia and sanity. What you dream is what you get. A good effort, which ultimately falls short in terms of clarity. Also check Beauty and the Beast, Les Yeux sans Visage (1960)

Pain and Glory (2019)

Bravo !

[8/10 · 26 January 2020]

Sophisticated yet simple, intimate and personal yet universal, slow yet gripping, emotional yet not melodramatic.. the director is back in form and the result from his pain is a pleasure for the viewer.

Center Stage (1991)

A mixed bag

[6/10 · 20 January 2020]

This story of a young beautiful acclaimed actress from the 30s could have been so much more. Unfortunately it is a bit of an overlong mess which mixes a somewhat boring documentary approach with 90s interviews and vintage reels, with a rather gripping and stylish account of love, society bias and deceit. Had to fight not to fall asleep during the dull moments

Despair (1978)

Troubling art piece

[7/10 · 10 December 2019]

Fassbinder turns Nabokov into a multi-level visually stimulating art piece that is challenging to the mind, and where mirrors play with dreams and reality, insanity and absurdity, and a complex geopolitical situation in Nazi Germany. turns Nabokov into a multi-level visually stimulating art piece that is challenging to the mind, and where mirrors play with dreams and reality, insanity and absurdity, and a complex geopolitical situation in Nazi Germany.

Lili Marleen (1981)

Minor Fassbinder, worth a watch

[6/10 · 21 October 2019]

The story of a song in Nazi Germany.. a fiction piece masterly created by Fassbinder. Whilst a stimulating watch, it feels editing could have been tighter at times. Afterwards you can not get the song 'Lili Marleen' out of y head. Best to watch the German version instead of the dubbed English one.

Love on the Ground (1984)

Intriguing if you can stand the length

[6/10 · 8 July 2019]

There are reasons that Rivette is the least known of the New Wave directors.. For some this will feel like a slow drag (the director's cut is running 169mn long), but a few others will enjoy the blend of theatre and life itself that turns into one big messy, ecstatic stew, bubbling over with emotions, both performed and deeply felt.

Brute Force (1947)

A mixed bag

[6/10 · 5 July 2019]

It could have a been a real dark Noir movie about an overzealous and ambitious prison head versus his prisoners driven to despair and fury.. but melodramatic flat-backs ruin the mood.

Honey (2010)

No sugar-coated Hollywood feature

[6/10 · 4 July 2019]

As slow intimate feature about a boy, his father, bees and school. Life is not easy, nor is learning how to read, when told to whisper in the first place.

The Dawn Wall (2017)

Get a grip on that rock

[8/10 · 30 June 2019]

Intense and captivating documentary about grit and passion, one obsession, and brotherly attitude in repeated failures .. before success.

Small Change (1976)

A minor but entertaining Truffaut

[7/10 · 28 June 2019]

A raw portrait of children (and their misbehaviours) from a primary school in rural France in the 70s.. Funny, cute and touching.

Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud (1995)

Age is just a number

[7/10 · 26 June 2019]

Unspoken words are sometimes the most meaningful.. "We all want love, but when we find it, we pull back. It scares us." ..

Lisbon Story (1994)

The sounds of life

[6/10 · 20 June 2019]

A pleasant minor Wenders, a relaxed study about the sounds of life, the awesome vocals of Teresa Salgueiro that launched Madredeus's international fame, a hint of Saudade or nostalgic longing.

A Heart in Winter (1992)

Sautet n'est pas jouer..as the French saying goes.

[6/10 · 19 June 2019]

Stares, glances, unspoken words, non-fatal attraction .. Some might feel dizzy or fall asleep, .. in front of such hidden powerful feelings and lack of action.. But the beauty of the violin and Emmanuelle!

Port of Shadows (1938)

"T'as d'beaux yeux, tu sais."

[7/10 · 11 June 2019]

Mist, love at first sight, Michèle's unbelievable eyes, rotten luck in Le Havre.. Classic quintessence.