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Video Movie Guide 1999
Wondering what video to rent tonight? Well, this bestselling, fact-packed guide is the only sourcebook you and your family will ever need. Mick Martin and Marsha Porter steer you toward the winners and warn you about the losers. VIDEO MOVIE GUIDE 1999 covers it all--more films than any other guide--plus serials, B-Westerns, made-for-TV movies, and your favorite old television programs! Each video entry, conveniently alphabetized for easy access, includes a concise summary, fresh commentary, the director and major cast members, the year of release, and a reliable rating-- from Five Stars to Turkey--so you'll never get caught with a clunker again!
THE BEST IN THE FIELD FOR FOURTEEN YEARS
CROSS-INDEXED BY DIRECTOR AND STAR
COMPLETE ACADEMY AWARD LISTINGS
THE BEST IN THE FIELD FOR FOURTEEN YEARS
CROSS-INDEXED BY DIRECTOR AND STAR
COMPLETE ACADEMY AWARD LISTINGS
- GenresReferenceNonfictionFilm
1584 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 7, 2020
Oh, the '90s! This book brings back fond memories. The idea is that you take it with you to Blockbuster and use it as a guide for what to rent. Pretty much every movie ever made (up to 1999) is included, with brief reviews on a sassy rating scale from Five Stars to Turkey. Five Star reviews are ultra-rare and reserved for the best of the best films, while turkeys represent the bottom of the barrel. Most reviews are only a sentence or two, but they manage to tell you everything you need to know. Here’s a taste:
Titanic (1997) Five Stars
Writer-director James Cameron has, against all odds, come up with an old-fashioned-style classic in the oft-told tale of the sinking of the luxury liner. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are perfectly cast as the vulnerable young lovers from opposite ends of the social strata who find true passion before the ship inevitably collides with an iceberg. As are Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Titanic is a touching story against a cataclysmic backdrop with universal emotions and timeless grace.
Anaconda (1997) Turkey
A documentary-film crew, searching up the Amazon for a tribe of legendary Indians, finds instead a forty-foot killer snake. Asinine hodgepodge of monster movie clichés proves that money can’t buy quality and even digital special effects can be cheesy. The wasted cast halfheartedly tries playing it for laughs. Rated PG-13 for profanity and unconvincing violence.
From cover to cover, each review has this spark of personality and does a genuinely good job of explaining why a film is thumbs up or thumbs down. The tone is remarkably consistent, creating the illusion that Mick Martin and Marsha Porter literally watched thousands upon thousands of films together to write each review. More likely, I assume, they paraphrased existing reviews or had a swarm of teenagers do the legwork.
In any case, as a kid I fell in love with writing reviews from reading this book. Somewhere there exists a floppy disc with about fifty pages of video game reviews I wrote in the ‘90s. My plan was to copy Martin and Porter’s formula for a thick book of game reviews. Still a good idea!
I think later editions fixed binding issues, but my copy is in tatters from being so well-read. Pages unglued, half-torn, stuffed back in out of order. Paperbacks weren’t meant to be this thick and probably not intended to be read cover-to-cover. But that’s how I read it, from A to Z, and a fan of every page. Several movies have stars next to the title. I assume young me deemed these movies of interest based on the review, but I’m not entirely sure. It doesn’t seem to indicate movies I’ve seen.
There’s no longer a market for such books, I suppose. You can Google any movie you want and find thousands of reviews in a blink. I’m still a fan of the bound copy, however, because it allows you to discover movies you wouldn’t look up on your own. In fact, just leafing through I’ve already found several I want to watch: Lisztomania (1975) “Hokey screen biography of composer Franz Liszt” and Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1949) “Charlie Chan weaves his way through false clues, false faces, and poison darts to unravel the eerie goings-on.”
Where’s my pen? I need to put a star next to these!
Titanic (1997) Five Stars
Writer-director James Cameron has, against all odds, come up with an old-fashioned-style classic in the oft-told tale of the sinking of the luxury liner. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are perfectly cast as the vulnerable young lovers from opposite ends of the social strata who find true passion before the ship inevitably collides with an iceberg. As are Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Titanic is a touching story against a cataclysmic backdrop with universal emotions and timeless grace.
Anaconda (1997) Turkey
A documentary-film crew, searching up the Amazon for a tribe of legendary Indians, finds instead a forty-foot killer snake. Asinine hodgepodge of monster movie clichés proves that money can’t buy quality and even digital special effects can be cheesy. The wasted cast halfheartedly tries playing it for laughs. Rated PG-13 for profanity and unconvincing violence.
From cover to cover, each review has this spark of personality and does a genuinely good job of explaining why a film is thumbs up or thumbs down. The tone is remarkably consistent, creating the illusion that Mick Martin and Marsha Porter literally watched thousands upon thousands of films together to write each review. More likely, I assume, they paraphrased existing reviews or had a swarm of teenagers do the legwork.
In any case, as a kid I fell in love with writing reviews from reading this book. Somewhere there exists a floppy disc with about fifty pages of video game reviews I wrote in the ‘90s. My plan was to copy Martin and Porter’s formula for a thick book of game reviews. Still a good idea!
I think later editions fixed binding issues, but my copy is in tatters from being so well-read. Pages unglued, half-torn, stuffed back in out of order. Paperbacks weren’t meant to be this thick and probably not intended to be read cover-to-cover. But that’s how I read it, from A to Z, and a fan of every page. Several movies have stars next to the title. I assume young me deemed these movies of interest based on the review, but I’m not entirely sure. It doesn’t seem to indicate movies I’ve seen.
There’s no longer a market for such books, I suppose. You can Google any movie you want and find thousands of reviews in a blink. I’m still a fan of the bound copy, however, because it allows you to discover movies you wouldn’t look up on your own. In fact, just leafing through I’ve already found several I want to watch: Lisztomania (1975) “Hokey screen biography of composer Franz Liszt” and Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1949) “Charlie Chan weaves his way through false clues, false faces, and poison darts to unravel the eerie goings-on.”
Where’s my pen? I need to put a star next to these!
reviews-of-books-i-didnt-read
February 27, 2023Companion piece to Kirk's summary of the first 6 months of 2019 in movieland, which is here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
GREAT OR AT LEAST INTERESTING NEW MOVIES
The Sisters Brothers
I’d read the book and this was like the book so it was rockin’ rollin’ fun.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Gotta say that it was a bold move to construct a movie around a series of forgeries of literary autographs done by a frumpy old alcoholic has-been who lives alone in a grotty apartment with a cat, as has-beens often do. Melissa McCarthy and Richard E Grant were terrific. Must see movie.
Thunder Road
This is a weird indie movie about a very unbalanced cop whose mother has just died and whose marriage has broken up. This is one of those written by, directed by and starring type things, so if you don’t get on board with Jim Cummings’ wild and crazy performance you’ll really hate this.
The Favourite
A must see – this is how costume dramas should be done. Quite strange, cruel, funny, demented – great performances all round especially Olivia Colman and Emma Stone, and a mesmerizing style all of its own.
Stan and Ollie
For me, a knockout, and two more favourite performances. The knowledge that for years after Oliver Hardy’s death Stan Laurel was still writing scripts for them both makes me almost dissolve into boo hooing every time I think of it.
Sorry to Bother You
This was probably trying too hard but I liked it’s strange energy. File next to Get Out and Us, I suppose.
AWFUL NEW MOVIES
Late Night
Emma Thompson usually means death to any movie but this one was already DOA, ghastly script packed with first world problems all resolved by a non white Very Nice Woman who harrumphs and charms the world into the Way It Should Be. Not even unintentionally funny.
Wild Rose
Yes, a bad film, but a crackerjack performance in it by new face Jessie Buckley makes you forget just how crap it is until 20 minutes after you’ve seen it.
Baby Driver
The star was the soundtrack, I guess. Otherwise, well edited wallpaper.
Hereditary
Allegedly a real horror movie. Actually an incoherent mosh pit.
Mandy
More frothing incoherence. Not even the bug eyes of Nicholas Cage and not even the quarts of blood dumped all over him could make this watchable.
Mary Poppins Returns
Don’t ask! Okay – I thought it would be a good idea! How wrong I was. This was a damned remake, with every scene an inferior update of a scene in the great original. And the songs were so really very bad.
I FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH A BUNCH OF FAMOUS MOVIES WITH VERY MIXED RESULTS
THE GOOD ONES
High Sierra
Finally found a Bogart movie that made me understand why people think he’s the king of Hollywood. This one was perfect.
The Battle of Algiers
I thought this was a war film & so had avoided it but it’s not, it’s a slam bang wrenching, fabulous movie about a people’s revolution against the colonial masters, in this case the French. It’s a stone must-see.
Marty
A short sharp trip to the lump in your throat from 1955 with Ernest Borgnine as the sad sack not good looking not that sharp bachelor and Betsy Blair as the left on the shelf timid spinster. I thought – aw, this is just going to be a plateful of mush, and it really wasn’t. Totally predictable, but totally loveable.
THE BAD ONES
I just put all these into a category called oh my god I am really on the wrong planet if film fans and scholars promote these movies as being something you should give your valuable time to
Vanishing Point
Silent Running (Bruce Dern as Jesus in Space – ha ha ha)
Rebel without a Cause (so wrong in about eleven different ways)
To Have and Have Not
The Barefoot Contessa
My darling Clementine
Imitation of Life
Barbarella (ok, no one thinks this is great, but it’s not even so bad it’s good)
The Blues Brothers (tragically unfunny, but it does have Aretha Franklin singing Think)
DOCUMENTARIES
Hoop Dreams
Wow – this lurked in the 1001 Films you Must See list and I thought why should anyone see a documentary about one of those sports that only Americans get excited about, and then I saw it. Blam! It was like The Wire series three mashed up with Friday Night Lights, only for real. Great! Also a must see.
Three Identical Strangers
Yeah, pretty weird all right. Best to see this one knowing absolutely nothing about it. Kind of recommended.
The Gleaners and I
I am now an official Agnes Varda fan – this is her goofy documentary about people that scavenge in France – after harvests, after markets in the town square – and how they live off their meagre pickings. She just gets in a car and zigzags around and finds curious people. Great.
FOREIGN GOOD ONES
Shoplifters
Japanese movie from last year about a family of petty thieves. A third masterpiece from Hirokazu Koreeda, following Nobody Knows and Our Little Sister. All these are must-sees.
One Cut of the Dead
Japanese meta-zombie horror movie, about a crew filming a zombie apocalypse movie when a real zombie apocalypse happens. Fun for all the family, except grandma I suppose.
Wadjda
A Saudi Arabian movie (never seen one of those before) from 2012 telling the story of a girl who wanted a bike. Quite wonderful, must see.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
GREAT OR AT LEAST INTERESTING NEW MOVIES
The Sisters Brothers
I’d read the book and this was like the book so it was rockin’ rollin’ fun.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Gotta say that it was a bold move to construct a movie around a series of forgeries of literary autographs done by a frumpy old alcoholic has-been who lives alone in a grotty apartment with a cat, as has-beens often do. Melissa McCarthy and Richard E Grant were terrific. Must see movie.
Thunder Road
This is a weird indie movie about a very unbalanced cop whose mother has just died and whose marriage has broken up. This is one of those written by, directed by and starring type things, so if you don’t get on board with Jim Cummings’ wild and crazy performance you’ll really hate this.
The Favourite
A must see – this is how costume dramas should be done. Quite strange, cruel, funny, demented – great performances all round especially Olivia Colman and Emma Stone, and a mesmerizing style all of its own.
Stan and Ollie
For me, a knockout, and two more favourite performances. The knowledge that for years after Oliver Hardy’s death Stan Laurel was still writing scripts for them both makes me almost dissolve into boo hooing every time I think of it.
Sorry to Bother You
This was probably trying too hard but I liked it’s strange energy. File next to Get Out and Us, I suppose.
AWFUL NEW MOVIES
Late Night
Emma Thompson usually means death to any movie but this one was already DOA, ghastly script packed with first world problems all resolved by a non white Very Nice Woman who harrumphs and charms the world into the Way It Should Be. Not even unintentionally funny.
Wild Rose
Yes, a bad film, but a crackerjack performance in it by new face Jessie Buckley makes you forget just how crap it is until 20 minutes after you’ve seen it.
Baby Driver
The star was the soundtrack, I guess. Otherwise, well edited wallpaper.
Hereditary
Allegedly a real horror movie. Actually an incoherent mosh pit.
Mandy
More frothing incoherence. Not even the bug eyes of Nicholas Cage and not even the quarts of blood dumped all over him could make this watchable.
Mary Poppins Returns
Don’t ask! Okay – I thought it would be a good idea! How wrong I was. This was a damned remake, with every scene an inferior update of a scene in the great original. And the songs were so really very bad.
I FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH A BUNCH OF FAMOUS MOVIES WITH VERY MIXED RESULTS
THE GOOD ONES
High Sierra
Finally found a Bogart movie that made me understand why people think he’s the king of Hollywood. This one was perfect.
The Battle of Algiers
I thought this was a war film & so had avoided it but it’s not, it’s a slam bang wrenching, fabulous movie about a people’s revolution against the colonial masters, in this case the French. It’s a stone must-see.
Marty
A short sharp trip to the lump in your throat from 1955 with Ernest Borgnine as the sad sack not good looking not that sharp bachelor and Betsy Blair as the left on the shelf timid spinster. I thought – aw, this is just going to be a plateful of mush, and it really wasn’t. Totally predictable, but totally loveable.
THE BAD ONES
I just put all these into a category called oh my god I am really on the wrong planet if film fans and scholars promote these movies as being something you should give your valuable time to
Vanishing Point
Silent Running (Bruce Dern as Jesus in Space – ha ha ha)
Rebel without a Cause (so wrong in about eleven different ways)
To Have and Have Not
The Barefoot Contessa
My darling Clementine
Imitation of Life
Barbarella (ok, no one thinks this is great, but it’s not even so bad it’s good)
The Blues Brothers (tragically unfunny, but it does have Aretha Franklin singing Think)
DOCUMENTARIES
Hoop Dreams
Wow – this lurked in the 1001 Films you Must See list and I thought why should anyone see a documentary about one of those sports that only Americans get excited about, and then I saw it. Blam! It was like The Wire series three mashed up with Friday Night Lights, only for real. Great! Also a must see.
Three Identical Strangers
Yeah, pretty weird all right. Best to see this one knowing absolutely nothing about it. Kind of recommended.
The Gleaners and I
I am now an official Agnes Varda fan – this is her goofy documentary about people that scavenge in France – after harvests, after markets in the town square – and how they live off their meagre pickings. She just gets in a car and zigzags around and finds curious people. Great.
FOREIGN GOOD ONES
Shoplifters
Japanese movie from last year about a family of petty thieves. A third masterpiece from Hirokazu Koreeda, following Nobody Knows and Our Little Sister. All these are must-sees.
One Cut of the Dead
Japanese meta-zombie horror movie, about a crew filming a zombie apocalypse movie when a real zombie apocalypse happens. Fun for all the family, except grandma I suppose.
Wadjda
A Saudi Arabian movie (never seen one of those before) from 2012 telling the story of a girl who wanted a bike. Quite wonderful, must see.
July 15, 2019
Started doing these semi-annual State of Cinema posts in 2016, I wavered this year for various reasons (mostly life being rather busy) but got a bit of encouragement from Paul who also posts them, so here it is. Seen January - June 2019. As before, bold = a five star film or nearly so.
Destroyer
Met with lukewarm reviews in both the US & UK, and dumped in January, but this was brilliant. Nicole Kidman as the most burnt-out, hard-bitten cop ever. Best modern noir since After Dark, My Sweet.
Shirkers
One of the oddest documentaries I’ve seen, about a Singapore teenager film geek who decides to make a movie with her friends, and does, and the wannabe mentor who just about ruins everything. Infuriating and fascinating in equal measure.
The Tale
That rarest thing, an issue film made with such transcendant artistry that I take back even calling it an issue film. A story of child sexual exploitation, told in jumbled timelines, so painfully insightful it’s breathtaking. A lot of great acting, but especially by Isabelle Nelisse as the main character at 13. The director is Jennifer Fox, and the lead character is called Jenny Fox. Yes, her own story. Highly recommended.
Minding the Gap
Another excellent documentary, about three skateboarding friends (one of whom is the director) living in poverty with problematic families.
Rosetta
My third film by the Dardenne brothers, and easily the best. A teenage girl really really really wants a job, and her frantic/obsessive quest is the entire film, mostly in suffocating closeup. That’s it, and it’s a masterpiece.
Beyond the Hills
Romanian religious tragedy by the director of 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, one of my favorites of the new century. Mostly brilliant but almost too oppressive to watch.
Offside
A Persian comedy about several girls trying to sneak into a soccer (futbol) match in Iran, where the law doesn’t allow female attendance. Great stuff.
Booksmart
The best comedy so far this year. Much irrelevant nitpicking on the internets but who cares, this is hugely funny throughout. Highly recommended.
Pauline at the Beach
Only my second Eric Rohmer film, but I loved both of them, so I really want to see more.
Little Woods
A great little indie about two sisters living in dire poverty in North Dakota. Worth seeking out.
Rewatches
Stop Making Sense
Deservedly iconic concert film, even better than I remembered (helped by seeing on a big screen at Berkeley’s PFA).
The Burmese Harp
Japanese anti-war classic.
The Late Show
Sleeper from 1977, an affectionate homage to private eye flicks with Art Carney & Lily Tomlin, funny and poignant.
Miracle Mile
1988 end-of-the-world flick, I used to love this, but armageddon ain’t what it used to be. Still a quality film, but I forgot that in the Me-decade you could foreground the personal troubles of two average people and no one would blink. In 2019, it’s hard to care whether Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham end up together given that, you know, the world is ending.
The Wanderers
This is a dirtier, filthier, more honest version of American Graffiti about gangs in the early 1960s. It’s funny and mostly good-hearted but holy crap not the best time to be a teenage girl.
The Last Picture Show
Hasn’t lost a thing, cast and performances to die for.
A Woman’s Face
I’m not the biggest Joan Crawford fan, but this is one of her best roles, as a blackmailer with a facial scar who’s life gets turned around twice.
Gojira
The original Japanese cut of Godzilla (without the added Raymond Burr scenes), more sad and somber than remembered. Half the human characters don’t even want to kill the big guy.
Two Films About Class
Roma and Ilo Ilo
Everyone knows about Roma, and it’s very good if a bit indulgently long. Ilo Ilo was made five years earlier, has essentially the same setup except it’s set in Singapore and the live-in nanny is Filipino, and is just as good and affecting a film, but 35 minutes shorter.
Not the best film I saw but the most interesting to talk about
The Constant Nymph
So in our modern times, ‘melodrama’ is only used as a pejorative, if something is called melodramatic it’s never a compliment. But there was a time when they made melodramas on purpose, it was its own sub-genre. This is one of those, from 1943, Joan Fontaine plays a teenager smitten with a family friend, a composer played by Charles Boyer. (Fontaine was 26, her character begins the film as a 14-year-old; is that convincing? No, but think about it, that might be for the best.) This movie is florid as all get out, and you either get on its wavelength or you recoil. My wife recoiled, and left the room about ten minutes in. I was fascinated and went with it. It’s often ridiculous, but Fontaine is excellent, managing to play her character as simultaneously a genuine innocent while also suggesting an undercurrent of something more calculating. The movie’s not subtle but her performance is, she’s wonderfully nuanced. Anyway, not sure if I can recommend it, but it’s not like anything else I’ve seen, and that’s not nothing.
Horror and weird genre stuff
Mandy
Full gonzo Nic Cage movie from last year, about cults and demon bikers and chainsaw duels. Basically a '70s grindhouse throwback, entertaining in the moment, then you'll forget about it.
Suspiria
The remake, which breaks one of my Rules of Cinema: no horror movie ever needs to be two and a half hours long. Here's your proof. Gorgeous to look at, with one truly horrifying scene, but otherwise a long slog to nowhere that makes not a lick of sense. Of course, neither did the original, but Argento did it in ninety minutes and had way more fun.
Contracted
Three days in the life of an unlucky woman who contracts a rather nasty virus. This isn't particularly good in any respect but I kind of sort of almost liked it anyway.
Us
Jordan Peele's latest zeitgeisty horror flick. Though I didn't love it quite as much as Get Out, it's still pretty great, entertaining and tense and funny with alot to think about. Recommended.
Pontypool
Zombie flick as radio drama. Set in a radio station, you hear described but never see what's going on outside its walls. A nifty idea fairly well executed.
Two films I completely hated
High Life
Claire Denis makes the most boring science fiction film since Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Nothing to do with Eugene O'Neill, a Chinese arthouse flick with no narrative, no story, no forward motion but lots of pretty cinematography. Avoid with prejudice.
Bette Davis
The Working Man
Continuing my quest to see every Bette Davis flick, this is a decent workplace comedy.
In Progress
We are halfway through watching Kieslowski's Dekalog. Pretty great so far.
Everything Else
The Age of Shadows
Made in Dagenham
Cold War
Stan & Ollie
Searching
They Shall Not Grow Old
Queen Christina
Everybody Knows
Ash is Purest White
The Mustang
Dinner at Eight
35 Shots of Rum (a much better Claire Denis film)
After Life
Shadow
Dark River (pairs well with Little Woods, a US/UK rural poverty double bill)
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Destroyer
Met with lukewarm reviews in both the US & UK, and dumped in January, but this was brilliant. Nicole Kidman as the most burnt-out, hard-bitten cop ever. Best modern noir since After Dark, My Sweet.
Shirkers
One of the oddest documentaries I’ve seen, about a Singapore teenager film geek who decides to make a movie with her friends, and does, and the wannabe mentor who just about ruins everything. Infuriating and fascinating in equal measure.
The Tale
That rarest thing, an issue film made with such transcendant artistry that I take back even calling it an issue film. A story of child sexual exploitation, told in jumbled timelines, so painfully insightful it’s breathtaking. A lot of great acting, but especially by Isabelle Nelisse as the main character at 13. The director is Jennifer Fox, and the lead character is called Jenny Fox. Yes, her own story. Highly recommended.
Minding the Gap
Another excellent documentary, about three skateboarding friends (one of whom is the director) living in poverty with problematic families.
Rosetta
My third film by the Dardenne brothers, and easily the best. A teenage girl really really really wants a job, and her frantic/obsessive quest is the entire film, mostly in suffocating closeup. That’s it, and it’s a masterpiece.
Beyond the Hills
Romanian religious tragedy by the director of 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, one of my favorites of the new century. Mostly brilliant but almost too oppressive to watch.
Offside
A Persian comedy about several girls trying to sneak into a soccer (futbol) match in Iran, where the law doesn’t allow female attendance. Great stuff.
Booksmart
The best comedy so far this year. Much irrelevant nitpicking on the internets but who cares, this is hugely funny throughout. Highly recommended.
Pauline at the Beach
Only my second Eric Rohmer film, but I loved both of them, so I really want to see more.
Little Woods
A great little indie about two sisters living in dire poverty in North Dakota. Worth seeking out.
Rewatches
Stop Making Sense
Deservedly iconic concert film, even better than I remembered (helped by seeing on a big screen at Berkeley’s PFA).
The Burmese Harp
Japanese anti-war classic.
The Late Show
Sleeper from 1977, an affectionate homage to private eye flicks with Art Carney & Lily Tomlin, funny and poignant.
Miracle Mile
1988 end-of-the-world flick, I used to love this, but armageddon ain’t what it used to be. Still a quality film, but I forgot that in the Me-decade you could foreground the personal troubles of two average people and no one would blink. In 2019, it’s hard to care whether Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham end up together given that, you know, the world is ending.
The Wanderers
This is a dirtier, filthier, more honest version of American Graffiti about gangs in the early 1960s. It’s funny and mostly good-hearted but holy crap not the best time to be a teenage girl.
The Last Picture Show
Hasn’t lost a thing, cast and performances to die for.
A Woman’s Face
I’m not the biggest Joan Crawford fan, but this is one of her best roles, as a blackmailer with a facial scar who’s life gets turned around twice.
Gojira
The original Japanese cut of Godzilla (without the added Raymond Burr scenes), more sad and somber than remembered. Half the human characters don’t even want to kill the big guy.
Two Films About Class
Roma and Ilo Ilo
Everyone knows about Roma, and it’s very good if a bit indulgently long. Ilo Ilo was made five years earlier, has essentially the same setup except it’s set in Singapore and the live-in nanny is Filipino, and is just as good and affecting a film, but 35 minutes shorter.
Not the best film I saw but the most interesting to talk about
The Constant Nymph
So in our modern times, ‘melodrama’ is only used as a pejorative, if something is called melodramatic it’s never a compliment. But there was a time when they made melodramas on purpose, it was its own sub-genre. This is one of those, from 1943, Joan Fontaine plays a teenager smitten with a family friend, a composer played by Charles Boyer. (Fontaine was 26, her character begins the film as a 14-year-old; is that convincing? No, but think about it, that might be for the best.) This movie is florid as all get out, and you either get on its wavelength or you recoil. My wife recoiled, and left the room about ten minutes in. I was fascinated and went with it. It’s often ridiculous, but Fontaine is excellent, managing to play her character as simultaneously a genuine innocent while also suggesting an undercurrent of something more calculating. The movie’s not subtle but her performance is, she’s wonderfully nuanced. Anyway, not sure if I can recommend it, but it’s not like anything else I’ve seen, and that’s not nothing.
Horror and weird genre stuff
Mandy
Full gonzo Nic Cage movie from last year, about cults and demon bikers and chainsaw duels. Basically a '70s grindhouse throwback, entertaining in the moment, then you'll forget about it.
Suspiria
The remake, which breaks one of my Rules of Cinema: no horror movie ever needs to be two and a half hours long. Here's your proof. Gorgeous to look at, with one truly horrifying scene, but otherwise a long slog to nowhere that makes not a lick of sense. Of course, neither did the original, but Argento did it in ninety minutes and had way more fun.
Contracted
Three days in the life of an unlucky woman who contracts a rather nasty virus. This isn't particularly good in any respect but I kind of sort of almost liked it anyway.
Us
Jordan Peele's latest zeitgeisty horror flick. Though I didn't love it quite as much as Get Out, it's still pretty great, entertaining and tense and funny with alot to think about. Recommended.
Pontypool
Zombie flick as radio drama. Set in a radio station, you hear described but never see what's going on outside its walls. A nifty idea fairly well executed.
Two films I completely hated
High Life
Claire Denis makes the most boring science fiction film since Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Nothing to do with Eugene O'Neill, a Chinese arthouse flick with no narrative, no story, no forward motion but lots of pretty cinematography. Avoid with prejudice.
Bette Davis
The Working Man
Continuing my quest to see every Bette Davis flick, this is a decent workplace comedy.
In Progress
We are halfway through watching Kieslowski's Dekalog. Pretty great so far.
Everything Else
The Age of Shadows
Made in Dagenham
Cold War
Stan & Ollie
Searching
They Shall Not Grow Old
Queen Christina
Everybody Knows
Ash is Purest White
The Mustang
Dinner at Eight
35 Shots of Rum (a much better Claire Denis film)
After Life
Shadow
Dark River (pairs well with Little Woods, a US/UK rural poverty double bill)
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews