tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.comments2024-03-02T23:44:06.835+00:00 Buck Theorem's Hide-outBuck Theoremhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229297104282779341noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-5971346731575555512024-01-02T20:27:50.635+00:002024-01-02T20:27:50.635+00:00As soon as the walky-talky was out, I knew we were...As soon as the walky-talky was out, I knew we were in trouble.Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15229297104282779341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-87785718202285466892024-01-01T23:13:47.426+00:002024-01-01T23:13:47.426+00:00For most of its running time I felt it could be re...For most of its running time I felt it could be read as the normal lacking all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity, until that deplorably conventional "redemptive" ending. The central performance makes it thoroughly watchable, but yes, definitely in the Good But Could Do Better category. Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18076353733931722397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-91973347180340259922023-06-23T23:36:40.814+01:002023-06-23T23:36:40.814+01:00For sure, the boyfriend's tale is secondary, b...For sure, the boyfriend's tale is secondary, but I liked the hint that under his assholiness, he somehow really did care. Not overplayed, either. But mostly, Naud is great.<br /><br />[MAJOR SPOILER!] <br />(And was it just me jumping to conclusions, but I also got the hint that she survived by cannibalism of corpses and then buried them? Hence crosses for respect and CW's surprise? I think I may be assuming too much, but I like the idea because it's horrible and upsetting and explains her survival.)Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15229297104282779341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-586907344849333462023-06-23T13:14:35.064+01:002023-06-23T13:14:35.064+01:00Personally I would have preferred more time with C...Personally I would have preferred more time with CW and less with the boyfriend, whose moral transformation I found even less convincing than Sue Snell's in <i>Carrie</i>. But it's true that the film benefits by keeping her motives obscure, and the smile at the end hints pleasingly at larger schemes and/or a healthy sense of sportsmanship.Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18076353733931722397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-18592828616547678492022-07-22T21:37:54.134+01:002022-07-22T21:37:54.134+01:00Oh I enjoyed it well enough, but it didn't qui...Oh I enjoyed it well enough, but it didn't quite zing upon reflection. By calling it "comfort horror", or "safety blanket horror", I mean it offers the reassurance of its genre tropes - which I enjoy - but I can guess that would also be the "staggering lack of originality". Despite Ethan Hawke striking a truly intimidating and unsettling figure, the rest of the film didn't match that.Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15229297104282779341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-70956037648896967062022-07-20T22:25:13.543+01:002022-07-20T22:25:13.543+01:00I saw it at the Cinema, an hour or so of my life i...I saw it at the Cinema, an hour or so of my life i will never get back , The main thing I felt about it was is staggering lack of originality.Sebastianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08553077986106959118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-37791575010739053352022-05-07T17:38:22.314+01:002022-05-07T17:38:22.314+01:00Oh for sure there are better, but Karloff always b...Oh for sure there are better, but Karloff always brings extra class and, like Cushing, his ability to take the ridiculous seriously is always a bonus.<br />Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15229297104282779341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-73314332705548367192022-05-07T17:12:58.948+01:002022-05-07T17:12:58.948+01:00Electroinblack ~
I prefer Karloff in 'The Gho...Electroinblack ~<br /><br />I prefer Karloff in 'The Ghoul', with 'Have A Potato' Ernest Thesiger. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-59047714198203095412021-06-18T20:08:59.363+01:002021-06-18T20:08:59.363+01:00I think I always sound peeved in my response to gi...I think I always sound peeved in my response to giallo, but with films such as "Solange?" I am thinking "C'mon, give me a little coherence and/or logic and I'm sure to have a good time." I mean, there's plenty of style to make up for a lot, but... Aren't reveals meant to be "oh! Of Course?!" not "whaaa... what's that?"<br /><br />But I think being picky on internal logic just trumps my enjoyment.<br /><br />Thanks for commenting and sharing your viewer's outrage! Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292288553637554092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-21705726640971769622021-06-14T05:24:43.913+01:002021-06-14T05:24:43.913+01:00I just saw this movie and I don't know if you&...I just saw this movie and I don't know if you'll see these comments 3 years later, but I couldn't believe they ended it without revealing that the wife killed Elizabeth! She wasn't killed in the same way at all! I could have SWORN that the wife killed her out of jealousy to make it seem like the other killings...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14521610831685997193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-38352865130306459152021-05-13T23:07:56.978+01:002021-05-13T23:07:56.978+01:00You're right, of course, but this is where my ...You're right, of course, but this is where my accusations of "murkiness" comes in, because- according to the "rules", she shouldn't be able to transform, and yet the rips in the clothes look more claw-like than knife-like. Of course, that's debatable and we aren't really given enough information to know. It's a fine moment, as it's tracing the original iconic scene, and as a teen I had no doubt that she had transformed (in the original, that's a given). But as an adult concerned with internal logic, it raised questions...<br /><br />But this doesn't scupper the film, of course, and it's atmosphere is unforgettable and it's a fascinating spin on the material.Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292288553637554092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-56604229503934171812021-05-10T23:23:19.146+01:002021-05-10T23:23:19.146+01:00As I remember, the pool scene in Schrader's ve...As I remember, the pool scene in Schrader's version comes at an interesting point, after Irena has had her dream of the desert tribe. The scene is from Alice's viewpoint, and I don't think we're shown enough to conclude that Irena has actually transformed - which would, as you note, be inconsistent with everything else we're told about the process. I see that scene as showing that Irena has begun to understand and accept her predatory nature and, without shedding her human shape, is flexing her claws a bit by scaring her rival.Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18076353733931722397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-63588890634487566182021-03-25T23:22:28.005+00:002021-03-25T23:22:28.005+00:00Thank you kindlyThank you kindlymhohttps://soundcloud.com/mhouknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-3530773260319597542021-02-10T17:29:46.485+00:002021-02-10T17:29:46.485+00:00Yeh, the gender wars is the true story here, surel...Yeh, the gender wars is the true story here, surely. The film reeks of male toxicity, but the playing and the zingers are so damned entertaining and delightful. The difference is the men do it for sport and she does it for survival and freedom. The women carry a dignity absent from these men.<br /><br />There's so many scenes that are exemplary. Not only the first time we see JJ at dinner ("Do you believe in the death penalty, senator?), but the scene where it's apparent that Falco is just a pimp, and the friction with the corrupt cop, etc, etc.Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292288553637554092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-3235794979915083682021-02-10T02:17:37.488+00:002021-02-10T02:17:37.488+00:00One reviewer (not sure who, but it might have been...One reviewer (not sure who, but it might have been Geoff Andrew) noted that it's a sort of black reflection of <i>The Ladykillers'</i>, pitting a naively innocent woman against a team of evilly sophisticated men. <br /><br />Among my favourite scenes is the one where Falco tries to blackmail an adulterous rival in the presence of the man's wife, only to be foiled by the man's apology and the wife's dignified acceptance. Must be in the top five Scenes No PR Man Could Possibly Understand.Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242493774242052044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-39881082152072852162020-11-25T19:13:19.715+00:002020-11-25T19:13:19.715+00:00Oh, thank you very much, Lucile! I do try.Oh, thank you very much, Lucile! I do try.Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292288553637554092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-19571399777137358812020-11-22T22:02:28.423+00:002020-11-22T22:02:28.423+00:00Actually it’s Lucile who left you a comment 🤓Actually it’s Lucile who left you a comment 🤓Lucilenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-28890625429009227522020-11-22T21:59:45.325+00:002020-11-22T21:59:45.325+00:00You write so well ! Much impressed by your writing...You write so well ! Much impressed by your writing😊xxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-27056046455400970462020-05-24T23:55:14.522+01:002020-05-24T23:55:14.522+01:00It was novelised by Barry N Malzberg, whose obsess...It was novelised by Barry N Malzberg, whose obsession with the dehumanising effects of technology and bureaucracy dovetailed rather neatly with the ambivalent improvements wrought by the formic revolution.Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18076353733931722397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-23747721885533337402020-03-07T11:52:58.965+00:002020-03-07T11:52:58.965+00:00And thank you for reading and alerting me to my er...And thank you for reading and alerting me to my error - amended now!Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15229297104282779341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-83867049544807786982020-02-09T04:36:02.407+00:002020-02-09T04:36:02.407+00:00HI--
I enjoyed your review. I don't neccessar...HI--<br /><br />I enjoyed your review. I don't neccessarly agree with some points, but it was enjoyable to read.<br /><br />I may seem to be nit-picking, but I was wondering if you could change the wording of one thing in your review?<br /><br />The mountain in Close Encounters is not called "Devil's Mountain." It's proper name is--- reffered as such in the film, and in real life--- Devils Tower.....without an apostrophe.<br /><br />It is a small point, but I wanted to bring it to your attention. Since this is my second favorite film of all time, I noticed this mistake right away. This is not a critique on your opinions or review, just a mistake of a proper name.<br /><br />Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-21703314170663368462019-01-05T10:37:04.599+00:002019-01-05T10:37:04.599+00:00https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizzagate_conspiracy...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizzagate_conspiracy_theory<br /><br />I think the accusations of the "You Were Never Here" as a #pizzagate narrative is to equate it with an absurd conspiracy theory, and therefore silly/laughable. I see the angle and I can't say it doesn't have some weight, but it doesn't damage the film. I think it was just an interpretation of the film for why the commentator didn't like it.Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15229297104282779341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-34002017355792960992019-01-02T10:16:16.656+00:002019-01-02T10:16:16.656+00:00Yeah-I don't dispute the points you make re Bl...Yeah-I don't dispute the points you make re BlackKKlansman,you're right.I just don't think it makes for good film-making.If the point of the film is to bash you over the head then fair enough,but it's not something I'm gonna enjoy or appreciate.<br />I don't understand this pizzagate thing-what's that all about?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13503611321872837813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-88872176124248097182019-01-01T19:12:27.946+00:002019-01-01T19:12:27.946+00:00Oh, I gonna take issue with your accusation about ...Oh, I gonna take issue with your accusation about the sub-Tarantino discussion: firstly, Tarantino is only about his own film knowledge where the "BlacKKKlansaman" discussion is about black people discussing black culture; and as this is set in the '70s, they're probably going to discuss Blacksploitation (and talk about pop-culture representations of fun if ridiculous black empowerment). And I would think that horrible racists do spout racist epithets ad nauseum: that's what makes them terrible bores and horrifying at the same time (isn't that part of the point?). <br /><br />And the montage of modern footage at the end I see as a through-line from the earlier line that is said about David Duke's long-term plan to make these racist views go mainstream ... which they currently are, as evidenced by the footage.<br /><br />I see Lee's polemic as more in the on-the-cuff style of hip hop rhetoric: no need for abstraction or subtlety when you have a message.<br /><br />The accusation of "You Were never Here" as #pizzagate did puncture what I thought of it a little, but I saw it more as like a subplot in a James Ellroy novel. I thought 'Widows' was good with some above-average elements, but many others seem more impressed than me. If anything, surely it shows a more subtle representation of class and race issues that "BlacKKKlansman"?<br /><br />I am definitely intrigued to see "The Rider" and "Zama", for sure. And I am envious if you saw "Once Upon a Time" in optimum conditions: that is great, because Leone is artful and visceral at the same time, and Leone and Morricone's score is an unmatchable combination!<br /><br />And let's go see a film soon!Buck Theoremhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15229297104282779341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739588130392043394.post-38764982401426803702018-12-31T10:06:11.237+00:002018-12-31T10:06:11.237+00:00More positively my favourite films this year have ...More positively my favourite films this year have all been directed by women=The Rider,Zama,and You Were Never Really Here.Not sure if The Rider is a better film than Zama but it's probably more emotionally involving (and devastating).Biggest revelation was seeing Once Upon A Time In The West on the big screen.Stunning-like having blinkers taken from my eyes.All those wonderful close ups in all their intended glory-every detail revealed at last,the music,the rhythm-just an incredible experience.<br />I liked Widows but everything else I've seen has been pretty disappointing.I probably need to see Roma again-I found it a bit overrated,cold,precious,though the central character/actress kept me interested throughout.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13503611321872837813noreply@blogger.com