Malcolm1980's 2022 Review Thread

[malcolm1980]

1/1

A Tale of Winter (Eric Rohmer) ***1/2 - A woman has an affair with a man while on vacation. When they go their separate ways, she inadvertently gives him the wrong address. So they haven't reconnected even after she has his child. This is actually my first film of 2022 and it's actually the perfect film. It's basically set around this time and the film ends in a note of hopefulness. I won't spoil what that means but you get the idea. But being an Eric Rohmer film, a part of his "Tale of the Four Seasons" series, it is a film that wraps you around the characters and the situations with a more intellectual and matter-of-fact approach to themes of love, romance and destiny but still managing to be quite emotional when it counts. Sure, he has done it better before but it's still an excellent piece of work.

Mass (Fran Kranz) **** - Two couples meet in a church basement to talk about the tragic event which connect them to each other. I've been hearing a lot about how great the acting in this film is. Believe the hype. These are some of the best performances I've ever seen captured on film in recent years so far. These quartet of actors: Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton all give amazing, raw performances that I almost forget they're acting. It really, really felt I was eavesdropping on something real. But the acting isn't the only exemplary thing about this. The directing is terrific. The film felt cinematic despite it being mostly four people talking in a room and the writing is beautiful and nuanced. You don't get lectured or hit in the head with the issues or go for cheap emotion. Everything felt honest. This is one of the best films of the year.

Faust (Jan Svankmajer) *** - We all know the story of Faust. The man who makes a pacet with the devil Mephistopheles. This is the Jan Svankmajer version of the tale. It's been a while since I have seen something from Czech stop-motion animation director Jan Svankmajer. He is a one of a kind filmmaker. This film blends live-action, his signature stop-motion animation as well as puppetry to tell the story. It is visually interesting (I mean, it's Svankmajer after all) but it's not quite as great as his other features. This is not something I would recommend to someone new to Svankmajer. But I have to say, I loved the way it ended. Overall, not bad but far from his masterpiece.

The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal) *** - A woman on summer holiday becomes fixated on another woman and her young daughter while reminiscing about her own experiences being a mother. Adapting it from an Elena Ferrante, actress Maggie Gyllenhaal has made a pretty solid feature directing debut with this film. She infuses her film with a voice and a style reminiscent of European films from the 1960's and 1970's. Although her tendency to direct this film almost like a thriller sometimes muddles the main thematic thrust of the narrative. But thankfully, the actors all keep it together. Olivia Colman gives yet another great performance in this film. And she is actually matched beautifully by Jessie Buckley who plays her younger self in flashbacks. This may not be one of the best films of the year but it's still a very good one.

[malcolm1980]

1/2


Parallel Mothers (Pedro Almodovar) ***1/2 - Two unwed pregnant women meet in a hospital and give birth the same day. One is older and really wanted it. The other is an adolescent who's scared. The older woman is also in the process of trying to find the body of her great-grandfather who died during the Franco regime. This is the latest from Pedro Almodovar which of course sold me on the film. Much like the title, there are two parallel stories. One is a melodrama about two single mothers. The other is about addressing and uncovering the atrocities of the Franco regime. My one major issue with the film is that I'm not sure how well those two story lines go together. But one thing is for sure: Penelope Cruz is fantastic in this, giving a career-best performance. I have to say, she may be my favorite actress performance of 2021 so far. The film itself though is midtier Almodovar but that's better than 90 percent of most people's films so...yeah.

Roger & Me (Michael Moore) ****- Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore goes on a quest to ask General Motors CEO Roger B. Smith to come down to his hometown of Flint, Michigan to see for himself all the problems that resulted in the mass closure and lay-offs of all the factories there. For the longest time, true story, I wasn't one hundred percent sure if I have actually seen this film or not. I knew what it was about, I've seen scenes from it but I don't recall if I've actually seen the film all the way through. Well, now I definitely have thanks to the Criterion Channel. This is probably Michael Moore's best work because even though he made himself the entry point and is the narrator, he manages to not make the film about him. So people who find him obnoxious in his later works will find him tolerable in this. It is sometimes infuriating, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking but always compelling. Even though this made and released in the mid-to-late 1980's, it is sadly still relevant. Yes, this is a great one.

The Outlaw (Howard Hughes/Howard Hawks) **1/2 - Sheriff Pat Garrett and Doc Holliday's friendship is tested when Billy the Kid arrives in town. Along for the ride is Doc Holliday's alluring new girlfriend. This film's most famous for introducing the world to actress Jane Russell with her sexy image immortalized by the film's posters and marketing. She is, in fact, pretty great in the film and there are a couple of suggestive scenes involving her. But the film is far less racy than the posters suggest (although it may have been too racy for the censors at the time). The film itself is a bit of a mess. It's sometimes a comedy. It's sometimes an intense dramatic Western but it seems to have no idea on how to blend and balance the two elements. Yes, Russell is good but Jack Buetel's Billy the Kid is average and kind of dull. But then again Walter Huston and Thomas Mitchell are both fun to watch as Doc Holliday and Pat Garrett respectively. All in all, it's just okay.

[malcolm1980]

1/3

Man in the Attic (Hugo Fregonese) **1/2 - It's 1888 London and Jack the Ripper is on the rampage. A mysterious man then rents a spare room in a house and he begins to act suspiciously. I didn't realize this is yet another version of The Lodger until minutes into the film. I was like, "This story feels familiar". Anyway, Alfred Hitchcock has already perfected this story. How does this compare? Well, while it's not bad, it's nowhere near as great. But this one does feature Jack Palance who is giving a really interesting performance. He makes it quite watchable. But I say you are better off just watching the Hitchcock version which does more interesting things with this story than this one.

That Most Important Thing: Love (Andrzej Żuławski) ***1/2 - A photographer becomes obsessed with an actress known for starring in soft core exploitation flicks. In order to boost her career and win her over, he gets her to star in an experimental version of Richard III with an eccentric German actor. This film is pretty wild. Of course, coming from the filmmaker who would eventually make Possession, you have to expect that. This film goes from zero to 100 from one scene to the next, seldom missing a beat. It can be funny. It can be shocking. It can even be sweet and heartbreaking. It is quite a ride. Romy Schneider plays the actress and she is amazing in this. This is yet another great discovery courtesy of MUBI.

[NGL]

Nine movie reviews already in this still very young year. No point in asking how you're spending the holidays.

[malcolm1980]

(01-04-2022 06:35 AM)NGL Wrote:  Nine movie reviews already in this still very young year. No point in asking how you're spending the holidays.

....and that's not counting the shorts and the TV shows I'm watching!

1/4

The Last Metro (Francois Truffaut) ***1/2 - An actress married to a Jewish playwright tries to keep their theater open during the Nazi occupation of France. Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu starring in a Francois Truffaut film. What else could be better? Even though I would not put this on a list of my favorite Truffaut films but there's a lot to admire and love here. Art soldiering on (so to speak) even in the darkest of times is a message I can definitely behind. Both Deneuve and Depardieu shine in this film and it ends just so perfectly (Wes Anderson must love this movie, I must say). So, yeah, this is an overall very good film.

Attica (Stanley J. Nelson) ***1/2 - In 1971, prisoners in the Attica Correctional Facility rose up in revolt demanding better treatment and conditions which would lead to tragedy. This documentary tells the story straight from the survivors and their families' mouths alongside news and archival footage. Watching this, one can't help but be mad and frustrated. A lot of the things being tackled way back in 1971 from racism to prisoner's rights are, unfortunately, still problems to this very day. This is one of those films that will make you mad but it's a compelling, human story that will give you a lot to think about and chew on. It's one of the best documentaries of the year.

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (John Huston) *** - An American soldier and an Irish nun are both stranded alone on a tropical island occupied by the Japanese during World War II. Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr (playing yet another unforgettable nun) are both fantastic as two different people who must rely on each other to survive. Their performances are crucial since it's only the two of them for about ninety percent of the time. John Huston of course directed the hell out this, using the location and the widescreen color pallet to its full extent despite having mostly two characters on the screen. Sure, it kind of feels like an African Queen retread but the actors and cinematography all make it very watchable. It's far from everyone's top-tier work but it's still an overall very good film.

[malcolm1980]

1/5

House of Strangers (Joseph L. Mankiewicz) *** - An Italian-American banker involved in criminal activity has four adult sons. Three of whom are unsatisfied with how they are treated in the family business but one remains loyal and actually goes to prison for him. A film noir take on King Lear? A proto-Godfather gangster picture? A twisted take on the Prodigal Son parable? It's all of those, actually The themes get muddled here and there but it is anchored by a great performance by Edward G. Robinson who is always good and fun to watch and he is matched by Richard Conte who plays the loyal son. It's not one of writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's top-tier works but it's a solid film noir/family drama.

The Flying Ace (Richard E. Norman) *** - A war hero fighter pilot returns home to his former job as "railroad detective" just as a group of thieves try to make off with the $25,000 pay roll. This is one of the few surviving "race films", features and shorts with mostly or all-black casts to tap into the African-American market at the time. This is a pretty good one, I must say. It contains a very impressive action sequence and I'm not talking the flying sequences. There's a chase scene here that's...well, I won't spoil it but I will say this film features probably the best one-legged character I've ever seen in cinema, certainly in the top five. It may not break any new ground in narrative or technical terms but it does feature a full-range of characters of color which was seldom seen in American movies at the time. And for that, this must be applauded.

[malcolm1980]

1/6

Souls for Sale (Rupert Hughes) ***1/2 - A young woman marries a man in a whirlwind courtship. She gets cold feet on their wedding night and escapes. Then she almost literally stumbles upon a movie set and then decides to enter show business. This is a very underrated, very under-seen silent film and one of the earliest films about show business. It is often quite funny and meta (before it was even a thing) and it even features some surprise cameos from people I didn't expect to show up. The film goes from being a comedy to a thriller to an almost epic drama without missing a beat. Roger Ebert apparently loved this film. He wasn't wrong. I concur this is a very good film which deserves to be seen more.

Two Acres of Land (Bimal Roy) ***1/2 - A poor farmer who owns a little bit of land is being pushed out by his landlord. In order to keep his land, he is forced to raise money to pay his debt which brings him to the city. This film is a Bollywood film which sprinkles in some musical numbers to the proceedings and there is some humor. But make no mistake, this is an otherwise serious drama. I have to say the film kind of reminds me of Bicycle Thieves in its overall message, feel and tone. It is a sad, often heartbreaking film but thankfully it is not misery porn. It's one of the finest examples of older Bollywood pictures. Definitely worth checking out.

Down Argentine Way (Irving Cummings) *** - This is technicolor musical film about an Argentinian man who falls for an American woman to whom he is trying sell a horse but things get complicated when the former's father has beef with the latter's father. Yeah, like with a lot of musicals, the plot is kind of meh. But the actors are fun to watch especially the supporting cast. And of course the musical numbers and songs are a lot of fun. I mean, Carmen Miranda is always a delight. But what makes this worth seeing are the Nicholas Brothers who show up and do their thing and their thing always makes everything worth watching and make everything better. They make this otherwise just okay film a must-see.

[malcolm1980]

1/7

Chance Meeting (a.k.a. Blind Date) (Joseph Losey) ***1/2 - A man enters a house and is found by the police with the murdered body of the woman he's been seeing. He swears he didn't do it. And he tells his story to the police investigator. This is a British which explains why it's a bit racier than your average film noir. This film pretty much grabs you and gets you guessing the mystery from the start. The twists and the turns the story takes is intriguing and what's unique about it is that it's almost a character-driven rather than plot-driven. The cast of course is excellent. This is overall a pretty solid mystery-crime-noir. It's available on YouTube for anyone who's into the sub-genre.

At War With The Army (Hal Walker) **1/2 - This is a Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin starrer in which they play two former nightclub performers are now enlisted in the Army. One of them is trying to get home to his wife and new baby. Well, the plot kind of sucks. It only serves as a platform for some songs and some comedy bits and even that is hit and miss. Some of them are funny. Some of them work. Some of them are not. But also some of it is a chore to watch. So overall, this is not the best Jerry Lewis and/or Dean Martin film but there's enough charm and laughs here that it's still entertaining. It's entertaining enough but it's non-essential except for the completist fans.

[malcolm1980]

1/8


Spider-Man: No Way Home (Jon Watts) ***1/2 - I braved a COVID spike to see this in theaters. It will most likely be my last theatrical viewing in about a few weeks or a couple months, give or take, hopefully it won't be too bad. And for all the legitimate criticisms against Marvel filmmaking and its dominance in theaters, this movie is still a good time. This one picks up where the last one left off with Peter Parker being outed as Spider-Man. In foolish desperation, he goes to Doctor Strange to cast a spell to make people for forget but things of course get crazy. The news and rumors coming out as this movie was being made, I have to admit, it sounded like it was gonna be a mess. And it should've been a mess. But surprisingly, it isn't. It works. Granted Into the Spider-Verse sort of did a similarish concept first and did it better but this one manages to be really good. Yes, it's fan service but it does something actually interesting with it. What can I say? I had fun.

The Worst Person in the World (Joachim Trier) ***1/2 - This film chronicles four years in the life of Julie as she navigatest through some relationships. This is Norway's International Feature Oscar entry. It is a romantic comedy. Technically. I mean, you can see the story, all the narrative tropes are there. It's funny and quirky. But it also cuts a lot deeper than your typical romantic comedy. I think it's a romantic comedy with a fourth act. Renate Reinsve is amazing as the sort-of titular character. You love and root for her even if she does something annoying or aggravating. Indeed, the character could have been annoying but her performance gives it just the right amount of humanity and pathos. One scene made me grin like an idiot while I was watching it. Yes, this is one of the best films of the year.

[malcolm1980]

1/9

C'mon C'mon (Mike Mills) ***1/2 - A documentary filmmaker finds himself having to care for his precocious, sensitive nephew while his sister tries to take care of her mentally ill husband. This is from writer-director Mike Mills and is the third of an unofficial trilogy. Beginners was sort of about his father. 20th Century Women was sort of about his mother. And now, this one is sort of about his son. I'm not a parent. But I do have a nephew and a niece so I can sort of kind of relate to the themes being tackled in this film. While you don't need to be a parent to be moved and compelled by this film, I'm guessing parents will be the ones who will be most affected watching this. This is an honest film about what it means to be a parent. It doesn't idealize it, nor does it sugarcoat it but it does manage to be sweet and moving at the same time. Joaquin Phoenix gives a great performance. Woody Norman is a real discovery as his nephew and Gaby Hoffmann also makes an impression. Solid film.

Tomboy (Celine Sciamma) *** - A gender-non-confirming 10 year old girl moves to a new place and introduces herself as a boy to the local children. This is from writer-director Celine Sciamma. It's a fascinating film about gender identity as experienced by this one person. It doesn't really say if the child is trans, lesbian or simply just being well, a tomboy which was the right call. The film genuinely feels almost like a Truffaut film, if Truffaut dared to tackle queer issues. The naturalistic performances of the child cast including the lead, Zoe Heran, is the reason this film works as well as it does. It's far from a perfect film , it does share some insight into non-gender conforming and queer children.