Jul 16

"During 'Double Indemnity', Fred MacMurray would go to rushes. I remember asking Fred, 'How was I?' [Fred's response was] 'I don't know about you, but I was wonderful!' Such a true remark. Actors only look at themselves."

Last four movies I've watched. I'm adding short reviews for fun, because I never actually leave reviews on letterboxd. Not entirely spoiler-free.

Dogtooth (2009)

Pleasantly stilted. A little predictable when it comes to its themes and overall narrative, but the alien feeling of the world the family occupies kept me engaged throughout. A lot of reviewers seemed to interpret the ending more conclusively than it was meant to be taken, given the whole thing with cats and unopened boxes.

A Visitor to a Museum (1989)

I had a hell of a time finding a decent translation for this one and ended up sacrificing picture quality (360p) for better translation accuracy. A little slow, but strikingly beautiful at times. Incredible-looking crowd scenes. But the symbolic use of the physically- and mentally-disabled seemed questionable. I hesitate to comment too much on the thematic content, though, since I understand enough Russian to be able to tell that even the better of the two translations I found wasn't completely on-target. I'd love to take another crack at it sometime—with either improved fluency (unlikely) or a better translation.

Double Indemnity (1944)

Quippy, fast-paced dialogue with a heavy noir feel. Great chemistry between all the key players. Period-typical xenophobia. Plot didn't really grab me, but I enjoyed it regardless. Didn't even notice the wig.

Amadeus (1984)

A little clichéd when it comes to its tone and dialogue, but it has good energy. Made for a fun and entertaining family movie night (despite breasts being bared). But the main character was obnoxious to watch, and I didn't like the extent of the historical inaccuracy.

Indirectly tagged by @lesbiancolumbo