SUTEKH07

A pianist becomes embroilled with gangsters after helping his brother escape from them.

There were some engaging and innovative camera shorts from occasionally unexpected angles. Although the characters were fairly basic, the female actors held their own rather well and easily outshone all of the men since they were able to actually emote. Even the lead man was impassive for most of the duration.

Most of the narrative is barely coherent, not in the sense that the story isn’t going anywhere but in that it doesn’t feel like it matters where it’s going. A major character death changes the basic environment and behaviour of the protagonist but no development is shown or discussed which makes most of the characters archetypes.

The better part of the movie was Fido and his kidnapping as it was the first time there felt any proper risk. The prank on the gangsters’ car added some much needed relief to the depressive lives of the other characters. Being mostly shot on the streets was a novelty which introduced more realism.

Only one character was really likeable and that sort of made it inevitable that she would die and even then she was rather naive by falling in love so easily, asking no questions as her love interest became single rather suddenly. Near end there was little to connect the aidience with the protagonist and the tedious artistic improvisation wore down the movie until there was little left.

1/10 -I’d rather listen to a tape of leaf blower noise-

-The lead character is said to be based on the director since he also allegedly suffered from shyness.

-When the movie bombed at the box office the director returned to more traditional storytelling.

A man balances his work life with dating two women, one of whom is married.

In one way it works as an expression of repressed sexuality and frustration of the economic system that exploits workers as much as if can even to this day. The lead is expressed as the villain but is seeking the few pleasures availiable since none are offered by the nuclear family dynamic and he’s proven though his efficiency that he deserves rewards not given by the current structure.

Even so, the lead character does little to redeem himself as a respectable or even sociably likeably person since he openly talks about how he plans to use people while rejecting political structures like communism which suggest helping others like himself. He’s also neglectful in his own home but still feels like he’s owed more than he has.

Some of the subtext is similair to the Ken Loach stream of indie cinema demonstrating the hardships of the working class while aknowledging the flaws of the dynamic. However, in doing so it also reveals the flaws of the generic social system in which women are repressed and look for an outlet that satisfies their unfulfilled desires through adultery with men who will break the social rules they are confined within.

As with most social realism movies, this one was depressing and had nobody that seemed worth likeing because at the time of prodcution showing them as actual people and not just lecherous villains meant promoting bad ideals. However, the supposedly honorable neigbours were just as awful which exposes the injustice of the time and society despite the unorthadox methods the main characters used to gain the basic level of leverage.

2/10 -It’s not THE worst, that’s something else, but…-

A family living in poverty try to make the best of it by any means availiable to them.

Despite the clear artistic liscense involved with making so many morally dubious characters likeable, it’s fairly realistic in showing the parts of drama often left out of other shows and even documentaries. There’s nudity but it’s rarely glamourised and though the violence may appear excessive, it represents some communities and much thought has gone into the practical, legal, and social representation and implications.

Although there are many sub-plots at once so some variety in tone is possible, several arcs can be consistently pessimistic especially when it comes to love. The series definitely makes some judgement on politics or ethics but also attempts to show both sides, even on topics that don’t really require debate.

There’s a few different explorations of sexuality which sometimes provide a more hopeful depiction of love to contrast the more volatile relationships, Ian and Mickey being the most fun to route for. Even though the events are unpredictable most of the time, there’s a sense of closure at regular intervals or when a main character leaves.

It’s consistently bizarre that everyone keeps forgiving Frank and even listening to his ideas when he’s demonstrated his lack of reliability so frequently. This usually occurs when he has a rare good day but it tests the credibilty of the family dynamic. It’s not a great message when certain characters get less likeable when they attempt to be healthier or sober.

7/10 -Well above average, but no masterpiece-

A journalist spends a week following the rich and famous, indulging in their quality of life.

The satire is potent and it somehow got even more relevant over time since humanity doesn’t learn from subtext very well. There is some very effective juxtaposition by showing an average person with higher aims wandering in a new world of excess. Due to the rich atmosphere, there are naturally many interesting locations but also variety for contrast with the poorer characters.

All of the rich people are necessarily depressing. The host of the party that murders his family in a fit of depression is especially effective since we are introduced to them at length and in detail and then there’s a sufficient gap to make it a surprise when they all turn out to be expendable to the plot.

In one way it’s clever in that the characters have power due to their fame and money but are trapped by the paparazzi hounding them and the expectations of what they should look like, however there’s a parallel to the creator of the movie who is directing every characters’ decisions and is expected to make it into a viable story. Amusingly a considerable amount of characters have gay subtext, presumably because the rich are above the law and social conventions but it was fun to see how conventional it looked in a 60’s film.

As a movie it’s very slow and depressing since it’s designed to convey a message, as well as being terribly too long to be entertaining to anyone but the tediously facetious. Although there are many interesting political features, there are no enjoyable characters so we’re barely routing for any happy ending which gives the audience little hope to be crushed. Also the protagonist’s girlfriend is exceedingly irritating.

2/10 -It’s not THE worst, that’s something else. But…-

-Photographers capture Robert on film and one says “and to think this guy did Tarzan”. A reference to the actor who played that character in five films.

Three stories about the states of death and their relationship to the living world: after death, before death, and the act of dying.

It was interesting that each story included Vincent Price in one role or another and each was slightly different which also added variety to the stories being told besides the premise. All the other actors held the drama very well and all the roles felt well suited to them. Even the animal training was of a high wuality and there were some good shots.

The first installment was the weakest of the three since it was both predictable and there were no characters the audience were alligned with and especially had no chance to actually identify with. It began in a state of morose and suspicion and the only possibility given for closure was revenge which isn’t ideal.

In an odd interpretation the second part combined two Allen Poe stories: The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado, and it doesn’t feel like it does either justice by mixing them. The third was at least satisfying at the end and had a decent impact both by characterising the dead man with a voice and then having aesthetic practical effects for the climax.

There was a common theme besides life and death which got tedious as the stories progressed, namely the weak heterosexual relationships that end with people supposed to love each other desiring the death of their spouse. Women are presented as very fickle and naive, giving in to anyone who shows them kindness or support regardless of what they’ve done previously.

As Nosferatu is filmed in 1921, the lead actor is in fact a real vampire and intent on devouring the leading actress the the orchestration of the director.

It’s an interesting spin on the classic formula since we get the gratification and threat of having an actual vampire but it also works as a highly inaccurate mockudrama of how the 1922 movie Nosferatu was made. The effects for Orlock was still very strong and well recreated, especially the nails which had a nice click to them with sound.

Considering it’s an insidious plot that had so much potential for suspense with the aid of classic tropes, it was rather a low movie. The actual Count was a huge downgrade from the original depiction since he didn’t have nearly as many powers, had forgotten most of his past, and the kills were brief and rather dull.

There weren’t any actors that let it down and the main two, the director and Orlock actor, held up most of the drama well enough to make it engaging. They kept in a few of the key cinematographic aspects of the source material, in particular the use of shadows and some fo the most iconic shots were recreated with a new perspective.

The most disappointing part was that it’s based upon a film that has intense drama and a constant noir shadow over it but when suggesting there was something even more sinister behind it, it comes up so much less. The cast and crew are superficial characters and the monster is reductive to the point that the iconigraphy withers.

3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

-The actor playing F.W.Murnau was 46 when doing the role, however the real Murnau was only 33 when he filmed Nosferatu.

-The crew stay in the Han Budala Inn, which translates from Turkish as “The Fool’s Inn”.

A hotel for elderly expatriates opens in India and is greeted by disagreeable patrons that find a place in the local society and don’t want to leave, however when a second venues becomes available for expansion, there are complications for all.

Easily the biggest attraction is the consistent abundance of great British actors in both movies. Keeping the cast consistent definitely helped carry the drama over to the sequel. Although the setting wasn’t always glamorous, it felt genuine to the environment and allowed the audience an appreciation fo the qualities of an imperfect but still very vital and connected culture.

Although they’re consistent movies, the first installment was clearly superior to the sequel since the structure was repeated almost entirely and added little. There was one homosexual connection in the frist movie but it was dissapointing that int eh second it reverted to the generic upper-class romantic stereotypes.

Development is always welcome and at least there wasn’t something so tedious as killing off a few of the characters simply for the drama. There was some variable development in different was depending on the sub-plot and it was interesting to see how they affected each other. Each character gave advice despite their own problems.

The second installment wasn’t disappointing, it just wasn’t that surprising. It was more of a continuation of the developments we already saw in the first movie. The interloper for the hotel owner in the sequel was interesting and it was good that jealousy wasn’t shown as a justifiable quality but was also disappointing since he was a little too smug and it’d have been satisfying to see that knocked down a peg.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: 6/10 -Just a cut above average-

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: 5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

A South American lizard-god appears to have been released in a natural history museum but the gala for a new exhibit isn’t likely to be delayed.

There was a fairly consistent lore and even an attempt to scientifically explain it which appeals to both fantasy and sci-fi horror audiences. The setting was engaging, especially when we got to see some of the exhibits and the debate about superstition and science was assisted by the nature of the new gallery.

Although there was an explanation as to how the creature came into being, it doesn’t really address how all of the computer and security systems were overridden at just the opportune moments. It would have been cooler to see more of the environment and artefacts playing a more active role rather than just being the back ground.

The creature design was rather effective and it wasn’t overused in the first half but there was also a satisfyingly good look at it towards the end which made for a good payoff. The lead woman was competent and decent enough at acting to drive the drama, the main detective was an archetype but didn’t harm the pace.

Even though it wasn’t the main threat, they could have done more with giant carnivorous beetles since we only see one and a large swarm would have been pretty scary as well as the main beast. A fair few of the characters were too generic to do much more than irritate or be a basic hindrance to the main characters.

3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

-The leaves are place in a styrofoam container in a refrigerator, however the container would insulate them from the cooling properties of the fridge.

-The creature in the movie was called the “Kothoga”, probably because too many cast members would have trouble pronouncing “Mbwun” as it was called in the novel from the culture that it’s based upon.

A young yautja is exiled from his clan, but when his brother sacrifices his life to keep him alive, he’s sent to acquire the ultimate trophy.

There was a clear attempt at coherent world building to give the Predators more of a cultural back ground and a completely hostile planet seems the perfect place to show off their capabilities. The lore of the world was constantly engaging because there were various lifeforms that clear thought had gone into.

A clear criticism that makes itself clear throughout the movie is that all of the charming practical effects that look real because there are actually physically there have been replaced by CGI which has the uncanny element of not looking right from any angle and has no visual acting nuance. It may have actually have gained more empathic traction if they had animated the whole movie and just made it a cartoon because it didn’t look real.

Some of the new animal and plant life were welcome additions to the Alien-Predator universe and there were more references to the lore that combines the diagesis. In one way it was good to have more personality for a Predator since we get to explore what humanity means through a different perspective as well as a synthetic being with the understanding to want to know something new.

In this installment of the franchise there weren’t actually any humans which was a fun and different way to go but it also took a lot from the mystery of the race that so far has barely been able to speak and reduced them to just hunters. Mostly the plot was structured superficially more like an action movie than a horror film, including the quips and animal sidekick; the franchise isn’t what it was since there was tension and threat once.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-”Badlands” is also the name of an infamous area in Alberta, Canada.

-Due to the apparently youthful look of Dek, he has been known socially as “Gen-Z Predator”.

A young boy with ghost powers accepts responsibility for protecting his home town and occasionally the world from ghosts.

Most of the characters are amusing and likeable enough and there’s plenty of variety for both the humans and ghosts. The way the technology works and the rules that the ghosts have is interesting and surprisingly consistent. The animation is also engaging and colourful with some effective designs.

A few of the characters were obvious archetypes who don’t get much back story or development but that’s not unusual for a kids’ cartoon. They repeat a few of the tropes a few times and even several of the fights that are used just to demonstrate how busy the protagonist’s life is.

Some of the humour works rather well as there’s a range of slapstick, satire, and even a few adult jokes hidden in there. There’s some amusing gay subtext between Danny and Dash in the earlier series which was unexpected as it was a little overt at times with Dash calling him a twink in the first episode and later even making Danny eat his used underwear.

Not all of the jokes work out especially well as a few of them are a little too juvenile even accounting for the target audience. They sometimes present Danny as being less intelligent that some of his peers and adversaries but his plans are often reasonably smart and he is shown to apply himself on occasion.

6/10 -Just a cut above average-

-Vlad Masters was initially intended to be a vampire but was changed to a ghost because the sudio believed vampires to be too violent.

-Danny’s father is named Jack. In the novel The Shining, the father and some are also Jack and Danny.

A team of superheroes use their powers and skills to defend people and take down supernatural and criminal threats.

The cast is all very talented and likeable even when they’re turning evil. Most of the costumes are very modern but still have enough iconography from the comics to feel true to the source material. The effects weren’t bad, although some of the flying looked a little shaky, the magic and energy projection was entertaining.

One of the biggest flaws is that the narrative tries to move too fast, constantly relying on the action to maintain the drama, however there’s little time for meaningful development; most of the heavier emotional parts are done through a rapid series of flashbacks now and then rather than have the characters properly communicate and express their feelings.

It’s something of a superficial positive but it helps that all the cast are attractive as there’s something to look at whenever the plot quality dips. There was a chance to explore characters from the comics that haven’t appeared in the superhero films before and use the powers of characters that would be expensive to use the copyright for by having younger versions of them.

Not all the characters were especially strong, usually the older ones who don’t quite fit with all the younger characters and are consistently flawed parental figures. It was also kind of weak to hint at Superman appearances then never show him properly. Giving Gar a suit that meant he didn’t have to get naked anymore was not supported by this audience.

5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

-This is the first live action adaptation to show Batman and Dick Grayson together since 1997 and the first time in a live action TV series since 1966.

-The intro changes slightly each episode to show significant moments of what’s to come.

A youth controlled by his rich mother falls in love with a destitute eccentric who has a soul similar to his own.

There were a fair few surprises in the movie even after the audience is given the chance to get use to the structure of the pranks and understand the motivation behind them. This was then challenged by the influcence of Maude and provides more inspiration as to how many rules can be broken.

It was often difficult to route for any one character since the lead ones were aloof and transitory but likeable enough to allign with. The flaw wasn’t with the rule breaking or socially unethical behaviour, it was the implausible way they got away with everything. The police state would have launched a manhunt just for insulting an officer.

A good part of the subtext is contrast; between young and old, life and death, order and chaos. It’s a great example of how dicotomy never works since there are too many unexpected variables to know anything for sure. A lot of the satire was amusing and some of the cinematography on the dates was actually humorous.

One key form of irratation is that the mother was set up as a major influencial character but doesn’t get any consequences or development. There’s no communication and even the thearpy or spiritual aides are separate from her so we don’t know if she cared in the end. Same for the lead, such is the danger for neo-avant-garde movies.

4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-A Nazi death camp tattoo is briefly seen on Maude’s arm suggesting she’s from Jewish decent.

-The lead actress was 51 years older than the male lead.

A callous and selfish countess uses blood magic to steal the youth of virgin women in the local village but her secret is becoming conspicuous now that she has taken a lover while pretending to be her own daughter.

All of the actors were of the usual high quality of Hammer movies; even the characters that only had short parts seemed to embrace their roles which made the characters less archetypal. The costumes were all in keeping with the period which gave accurate contrast between the peasants and the excessively rich characters.

The subtext wasn’t kind to the women in the film at all. They were reduced to naive victims or evil. That’s without mentioning the obvious sexual objectification that the male characters aren’t even close to experiencing. Several times it was clearly gratituous including when the characters were dead, in fact then they were portrayed as more exposed.

Some of the plot works as a message againt vanity and sacrificing basic humanity for an extention to life but it’s not the strongest version of it since there are so many actual vampire media that do it far better. The scholar character was probably the most interesting even though his part was short, there was more potential there.

Easily the biggest flaw of the movie was that it’s advertised, an titled, as a vampire film but there are no actual vampires in it. Sure, some of the rules apply like a requirement for blood and someone getting younger, but it’s more of a demonic ritual than an actual horror antagonist. The pace was also rather slow and there wasn’t much resolution for the villagers who lost people.

2/10 -It’s not THE worst, that’s something else. But…-

-There’s an uncredited appearance of Elton John as a gypsy in a white turban.

-The film is listed as cut on most records, however the cuts requested by censorship were denied due to an appeal from the studio.

An unruly cop that breaks rules and is intermitently suspended solves large scale gang crimes with unorthadox methods and a convincing attitude.

Throughout the saga, there’s a fairly good balance between the heavy crime related issues and the comedy to lighten it and prevent it becoming a serious drama. To facilitate this, most of the criminals play their roles straight but the protagonist doesn’t conform and therefore takes them all off guard by being a consistently unexpected element.

There are a few points where the balance doesn’t quite work, such as when there are proven trigger happy thugs that just don’t shoot simply because it wouldn’t work for the plot. There were more recognisable stars in the latter two movies but that made it esaier to identify the bad guys and their deceases were rather abrupt considering the build-up.

A more amusing and relatable aspect is when the lead tricks fellow cops into being mislead because they’re predictable. One of the best aspects is how persuasive the lead actor can be when improvising ways to convince people to believe that he belongs, has authority, or simply not to kill him.

The fourth installment lost a fair bit of its charm because it tried a great deal to be more modern and relatable even though it kept the signature tune. In the third installment it rather reaches by including a humorous sci-fi gun that was underwhelming. It’s also expedient but very irritating when a character we know has a new history that introduces new adult children and familial issues we, the audience, missed out on learning about.

Beverly Hills Cop: 5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

Beverly Hills Cop 2: 5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

Beverly Hills Cop 3: 5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

Beverly Hills Cop 4: 4/10 -It’s below average, but only just!-

-In the original film the lead characte’s car is described as “crappy”, it is then later chasing a limo and a delorean can be seen parked nearby which would later become a famous car when Back to the Future was released 7 months later.

-The sequel was planned to be a TV cop series, however the lead actor refused but allowed for a theatrical sequel which resulted in later movies.

A young teen frees Agatha from a flawed spell so they can find the Witches’ Road, however many dangers lie ahead for their newly formed coven.

This series needs some context from the previous WandaVision (2021) in order to get all of the references but it also works faily well as its own story. All of the cast were consistently exemplery, especially the two leads. They all carried the mixture of comedy and risk due to the backgrounds that we’re fed fairly concisely.

Although every episode is enjoyable, they are rather inconsistent with duration since one is only half an hour, whereas another can be up to 50 minutes. Also the retroactive episodes are necessary and have some value but also do seem like filler episodes at times because they can’t move the narrative forward from the past.

Even though the budget didn’t seem excessive, there are still some engaging effects and enjoyable aesthetics. There are a variety of locations and the fantasy element means there can be cultural references with them being relevant to the narrative rather than gratitious. Some of the finale was also an entertaining payoff.

The villains had some potential and provided some decent threat, however when they were faced they were either dealt with disappointingly quickly and off-screen or not really at all. There are some significant plot holes that would require spoilers but mostly pertain to the nature of the main villain’s magic.

8/10 -It’s certainly worthy of very high praise!-

-The map shown of Westview is in fact a map ot Mattoon, Illinois from 1884.

-Some titles suggested for the series were “Agatha: House of Harkness”, “Agatha: Coven of Chaos”, “Agatha: Darkhold Diaries”, and “Agatha: The Lying Witch With Great Wardrobe”.

A hated priest is murdered in an alcove alone and a young father seeking redemption appears to be framed.

It was introduced as a mystery in an interesting way. Instead of starting at the beginning we technically start from a recap so that when we catch up we don’t have to go over old ground again but it also allows it to be subjective and in that way the audience can be lied to by the narrator which was to be repeated later.

The mystery in this installment wasn’t as convoluted as the previous two movies and honestly the culprit was a fairly clear suspect who was never discouraged much. The lead detective didn’t have much of a starring role in this one, instead working behind everyone else to connect things and then deferring to the will of the less proficient protagonist near the end.

Much of the subtext about religion, spirituality, and what motivates people to do good or bad was very engaging. It was decent that there was no clear judgement even by the lead characters but some exploration was still made. The acting was also of a generally high degree, though some had more opportunity to express than others.

There were quite a few clues that were on-the-nose for people who read, especially in the book club list as there were big clues in one place. It was almost satisfying that the in heritance was hidden for so long but since it was the elder relative that had the money at first, surely giving it to various charities or people in need would have been far better.

5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

-The main victim is a pries called Wicks; in German “Wichs” or “wichsen” are words for masturbation, a false sin the priest claims to indulge in.

-The pizza place “diavola” is the Italian feminine name for the devil.

A young girl sworn to protect a gem is tricked and is partially responsible for releasing a plague on the world that turns people to stone but there may be a chance if the remaining people can trust each other and work together to save the last dragon.

The format and characters were all strong. The lead in particular was likeable and complex enough to identify with even when she falters from the typical Disney narrative despite being justified. There was architecture based on several ancient civilisations which added variety and also a great deal of aesthetic appeal.

It wasn’t as iconic as many other stories in the same vein, mainly because it felt archetypal by trying to generalise the mythology of several cultures including China, Japan, Korea, and Wales. Although the lead character was strong, she was also rather generic compared to other Disney princesses and her main strength before the end appeared to be a tendency for violence.

Some of the comic relief was engaging, especially the con-baby. Much of the main message was an inadvertant invocation of peace and communism whereby every group of people are equals which was fun. The animation was especially effective when water was involved as it was a demonstration of the magic the world had been lacking.

Even though the leader of Fang seemed like she was going to be the lead villain, she only got her development off-screen and there was no final showdown with her as it felt like there should have been. The structure was predictable since there were five nations and the crystal happened to split into five pieces but the last bit was the least satisfying.

5/10 -Can’t find a better example of average-

-Originally titled to be “Dragon Empire”.

-Much of the plot appeared to be based on Southern Asian culture so it created some debates as to why much of the cast were of Eastern Asian descent.