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HELL ON THE BORDER (2019) – 7/10
This film is based on the true-life story of Bass Reeves, a legendary tough African American cowboy in the Wild West who became the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. Reeves is played by David Gyasi in the film. Judge Isaac Parker, played by Manu Intiraymi, is another real-life figure. (The character also appeared in TRUE GRIT.) Parker is Reeves’ biggest supporter, and decides to appoint Reeves deputy marshal after Reeves saves him from a group of gunmen, killing at least one white man in the process. Since it’s illegal for Reeves to kill a white person, even in self-defense, designating him a government official is the only way to save him from being hanged.
But before he can solidify his appointment, Reeves is tasked with apprehending ruthless criminal “Bob Dozier” (Frank Grillo) in order to prove his worth as a potential deputy marshal. Salty outlaw “Charlie Storm” (Ron Perlman), who is already slated to be hung, becomes Reeves’ reluctant partner when he is offered a reprieve if he will accompany Reeves on his mission.
It takes about 40 slow minutes to set all this up in the film. There is some action to be had after that, but as far as the characters go, the stoic and laconic Gyasi becomes a supporting player in his own film, constantly giving way to the more lively Perlman and Grillo. That’s OK, because it’s more fun watching Grillo chew the scenery and Perlman becoming a cantankerous but effective lawman than it is in watching Gyasi plod through his part.
Wes Miller wrote and directed the film. The score by Sid De La Cruz won best soundtrack at the International Action Film Festival Spain, and is available as a digital download.
These modern westerns all try to be “authentic"—in their clothing, language, poor gunplay, etc. But I guess I’m not looking for any of that in a western. I’m looking for a return to the 1950s-60s westerns that were unrealistic, stylized…and entertaining. HELL ON THE BORDER is optimistically subtitled “The Chronicles of Bass Reeves Vol. 1.” I doubt that we’ll see a Vol. 2.
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Posted: |
Jul 9, 2022 - 3:58 PM
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By: |
Warlok
(Member)
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In Search Of Tomorrow
A 300 minute documentary about sci-fi films of the 80s and 90s, built upon interviews with the people who helped make them happen. Vasquez (ALIENS), Murphy (Robocop), Wez (The Road Warrior), etc. .
How is it?
I don't know yet... its on the docket. I got in early during its fund-raising, receiving the bluray in the mail recently. I imagine it is available otherwise though (?).
EDIT: Originally posted about "Return To Tomorrow" for some reason. Wonder where I got that from.
8/10
In any event, finished watching it. Worthy, but easily a beast that could have been 600 or 900 minutes instead of 300, when you parse it down to snippets upon each film. Paul Verhoeven, Brad Fiedel, Frost & Vasquez, Wez, Peter Weller, Jesse Ventura, and others are of course great to hear from... though not enough time. 
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TRON: 10/10
40 years ago today, this movie happened. A tale that reinvented the FX wheel as a hallmark of what would be possible in movie magic, accompanied by a sumptuous score that engendered my appreciation of electronica, as well as excited my sense of wonder that remains a rare instance for me. What I adore about it remain the same reasons why others couldn't stand it: it is entirely bitshit crazy (in front and behind the scenes) while remaining grounded in tropes, moves at near lightspeed, poses a hero's journey that is blatantly inadvertent (by escaping his circumstance, the hero never realized he's saving the world by accident), and doesn't care at all if you catch up or not. I certainly was lost in all the phantasmagoria at first sight, but captivated nonetheless, which peaked my curiosity through repeat viewings to decode its chaotic nature into everything cogent and ultimately relatable, which I'll always consider a gift for my imagination.
End of line.
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Winnetou the red gentlemann(1964)8/10
With Lex Barker, Pierre Brice, Karin Dor, Anthony Steele, Terrence Hill and Klaus Kinski
I like these films. Utter bunkum but enjoyable Good cast, good scenery, not too daft. In a nut shell Steel and his gang ate killing Indians coz they want to. Thwarted by good guys.
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Posted: |
Jul 11, 2022 - 1:44 AM
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By: |
Michaelware
(Member)
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Chan is Missing (1982) 7/10
Avail now on Criterion is Wayne Wang's 1982 film Chan is Missing, in many the ways the first asian american independent film. It's only an hr long but loaded with discussionary issues that never resolve because of the inherent contradictions of human existence. Jo and Steve are searching for Chan who was going to get them money to buy a cab to go into business. But Chan is missing! They go on a hunt through SF Chinatown to eke out clues as to the mystery of this person they barely know. An immigrant who hit all the facets of 70s chinatown, he was known to many who all have utterlfy different takes on him, from senior center admins to restaurant ppl to local scam bosses and his own streetwise daughter who doesn't think anything is up and miraculously gets their money to them. Chan pissed off the communists over a taiwan flag so its rumored he is on the lam for bad stuff. Everything that made up chinatown is in play including the simmering antagonism of PRC's (loyal to the peoples republic CCP) vs anti-communists. The cantonese and mainlanders, the filipino's, the ABCs and the hilarious social workers trying to sound integrated. Jo has empathy for an older man lost and trying to find footing in a new world, while younger steve gets mad and yells at him that it's the same for everyone and just be an American. The bay still shimmers without definition flowing to the ocean in a bit of highly Chinese ambiguity. It was an inspiring movie because nobody had a lot of money (16MM handheld) and ppl volunteered their talent, just passionate on the street filmmaking for a purpose all could get behind. You never find that drive now, when everyone thinks its about the cameras, sensor size, gimbals, correct color grading (i.e. identical looks), and netflix deals. Real cinema was worth a whole hour of your time. Wang later made the wonderful Joy Luck Club but then faded away.
Citizen Kane 10/10
Also on Criterion. I am sure everyone knows this film and has their own thoughts about it. What a beautiful fascinating artifact of cinema. And its about an asshole you cant even like. The labyrinth of the soul. All those angles and reflections. The only person we can judge is the one in the mirror. Herrmann's stubborn defiance thunders in eternity. Cinema can be wonderful.
(Thoughts I had while watching it on this blu ray disc, with the corrected mastering:
Welles and Toland really and obviously made some pioneering uses of light and camera that are still instructive. The control of tonality and depth of field to convey the story are unique. They had to use enormous amounts of light to reach to the far back ground and keep it sharp. It would cause modern camera nerds to have heart attacks to see everything in focus, they would screech it's so uncinematic for there to be more than one tiny sliver in focus, where's the bokeh? It was actually more than that, becuase Toland also shaded and flagged and brought out controlled tones within that huge amount of light, with a profound understanding of the properties of light and f stops and distance, and how the lens focuses that light to the film plane. It was not like even some the best cinematographers do now, where they just shoot log files and overexpose to bring it down to lower IRE levels in the post production computer grade adding LUTs that mimic every other hollywood movie- that is so dumbed down. What we have today is so boringly mindless compared to what great photographers of the early film era had to invent.)
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Posted: |
Jul 11, 2022 - 12:15 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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THE ASSAULT (2017) – 6/10
Battered wife “Lindsay” (Jordan Ladd, Cheryl Ladd’s daughter) teams up with longtime stripper friend “Nicole” (Nikki Moore), and commits a string of armed robberies around the local area in Connecticut, their identities hidden with Halloween masks and voice-changers. They’re building up towards a big score, which will involve relieving Lindsay’s abusive husband, “Seth” (Tom DeNucci) of a crisp $1.8 million in cash. But increasingly, sniffing around the robberies is “Detective Broza” (Tom Sizemore), a NYC cop who has recently moved to the town. Nicole starts a relationship with him, ostensibly to see how the investigation is going. But is that her real motive?
This is a by-the-numbers crime drama, with not much more plot, character development, or surprises than you’d get from your average one-hour television procedural. The winter townscapes add some interest beyond the usual Southern California look. But Sizemore seems to be playing a particularly dense cop, and a lot of plot details are left to the imagination. For example, Seth seems to be involved in some sort of shady dealings, but it’s never specified what they are—except that they apparently require that he receive a huge shipment of cash, which is guarded by a couple of mooks. This generically titled U.S.-produced film was released first in the UK—on DVD—before it finally made it to U.S. video two years later.
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Posted: |
Jul 13, 2022 - 3:09 AM
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By: |
Hurdy Gurdy
(Member)
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AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS (2018) 4/10
Low-budget, UK Sci-Fi thriller, filmed BEFORE the pandemic and lock-down, but containing some VERY topical scenes and issues in relation to it.
An emotionally cold and disconnected family get together for Christmas dinner, with racism and other 'hot-topic' issues thrown into the mix.
After a big, heated argument at meal time, during which the son and his Asian girlfriend decide to leave early hours next morning, they wake to find the house is in complete lock-down (a black, slick wall has completely cut them off from the outside world) and their only connection to the outside is via a series of instructions relayed on their TV screen...the first of which says...you've guessed it...Await Further Instructions.
There's a good, uneasy atmosphere to the early scenes and family squabbles, but the more it goes on, the sillier it gets and like many 'intriguing premise' chillers, it hasn't really got an ending.
It just doesn't know what to do with said premise and fizzes out annoyingly, with many a silly contrivance.
So what started out quite good, ends up not very good AT ALL!
It was shown on the newly christened LEGEND channel on UK FreeView TV, formerly known as The Horror Channel (and all but the same, apart from the name change).
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Posted: |
Jul 13, 2022 - 12:46 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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TRAUMA CENTER (2019) – 7/10
In this film, Bruce Willis plays “Lt. Steve Wakes,” a detective whose partner was killed by some crooked cops. The cops also manage to wing coffeeshop waitress “Madison Taylor” (Nicky Whelan) who is sent to the titular establishment to heal from her wounds. Wakes knows the corrupt cops will eventually come after her, so he stashes her away on a floor that’s under renovation. But since the bad guys are cops, they easily convince the hospital personnel to give up Madison’s location while Wakes is away chasing other leads. Now, she must try to survive the night alone.
This film was shot for no discernable reason in Puerto Rico (probably some sort of tax credits). The location doesn’t factor into the plot at all, and it could just as easily take place in any generic city. Bruce Willis is only occasionally the focus of the film (he gets second billing), and reportedly shot all his scenes in two days. This is Nicky Whelan’s show, as she resourcefully fends off the two lethal cops that are chasing her throughout deserted sections of the hospital. She’s a female version of Willis in DIE HARD, albeit less able to take out the bad guys herself. This final third of the film is what makes the picture worth watching. Otherwise, it’s standard fare.
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Posted: |
Jul 13, 2022 - 3:05 PM
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By: |
Tall Guy
(Member)
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High Plains Drifter - 8/10
I believe Eastwood later regretted the early rape scene, and it certainly doesn’t play well now, if it ever did. The last time I saw it was at the cinema in the late 70s or early 80s, and was probably too young to think anything but “Clint will be Clint”, but it’s hard to watch.
That aside (and it’s a big that) this film is really a masterpiece of character study and metaphysics overlaid with a brilliantly effective Dee Barton score. I so regret not picking up the Intrada release, thoroughly meant to but never did.
Considering this was his first assay at directing himself, and I think only his second directorial outing, it’s really well done. A good friend of mine doesn’t rate the film; well, that’s your lookout, Bill! I’d forgotten it was written by Ernest Tidyman, of Shaft fame. His hard-boiled plotting, Barton’s keening, spectral score and Clint’s mixture of taciturnity and dexterous camera-pointing elevate this from the ranks of a good western (admittedly a far-from-favourite genre) into a great one.
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Posted: |
Jul 15, 2022 - 3:58 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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BON VOYAGE, CHARLIE BROWN (AND DON'T COME BACK!) (1980) – 6/10
The Peanuts gang (some of them, anyway) travel to France in this gentle story that finds Charlie Brown and Linus becoming foreign exchange students. Peppermint Patty and her friend Marcie are also chosen from their school to go overseas. And Snoopy and Woodstock go along because, why not? Charles M. Schulz drew inspiration for the movie from a trip he took to France, thirty-three years after being stationed at a French chateau in 1944. He began writing the screenplay in 1977 and the film was released three years later.
I suspect that Schulz’s stay in France during World War II wasn’t very humorous, and not much that’s funny goes on in this film. Charlie Brown meets a cute little French girl, whose reclusive father, the Baron, owns the chateau in which he and Linus stay. Since his daughter invited the students to stay without getting her father’s permission, the Baron attempts to force them out. Snoopy provides most of the humor, going in disguise to a local tavern to drink root beer and listen to nostalgic songs. Forty years on, I’d say the audience for this one would be limited to elementary school ages.
By the time this film was produced, Vince Guaraldi had passed away, and the film was scored by Ed Bogas and Judy Munsen. They obviously have a different scoring style than Guaraldi, but I was surprised that the score wasn’t as bad as I feared it might be. The film grossed a below average $2 million.
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Posted: |
Jul 16, 2022 - 3:40 PM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness- 4-5
I'll give the the film 7/10, as a "standalone" entry, and acknowledge that my understanding of everything that was going on could have been hampered by the fact that I haven't seen SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME, in which Doctor Strange appeared, or Elizabeth Olsen's TV series WandaVision (or any other MCU TV series).
The film is full of incredible special effects, more, it seems, than in most MCU films. I particularly liked it when Strange and "America Chavez" (Xochitl Gomez) are shown rapidly passing through multiple universes on their way to one in particular. As short as that sequence was, it showed a lot of imagination. The film has a lot of bombast, several good set-piece battles, and a better-than-average score.
It always seems to be a toss-up as to what will harm one of these MCU characters--i.e., what types of weapons, spells, potions or powers will negatively affect them. And it's pretty much the same regarding the types of mayhem that they can deliver. At the end of many confrontations, I find myself saying "I guess he can't handle that.", or "I didn't know she could do that." It reduces my enjoyment somewhat when I don't know what the boundaries are.
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Posted: |
Jul 16, 2022 - 8:09 PM
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By: |
Solium
(Member)
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness- 4-5
I'll give the the film 7/10, as a "standalone" entry, and acknowledge that my understanding of everything that was going on could have been hampered by the fact that I haven't seen SPIDERMAN: NO WAY HOME, in which Doctor Strange appeared, or Elizabeth Olsen's TV series WandaVision (or any other MCU TV series).
The film is full of incredible special effects, more, it seems, than in most MCU films. I particularly liked it when Strange and "America Chavez" (Xochitl Gomez) are shown rapidly passing through multiple universes on their way to one in particular. As short as that sequence was, it showed a lot of imagination. The film has a lot of bombast, several good set-piece battles, and a better-than-average score.
It always seems to be a toss-up as to what will harm one of these MCU characters--i.e., what types of weapons, spells, potions or powers will negatively affect them. And it's pretty much the same regarding the types of mayhem that they can deliver. At the end of many confrontations, I find myself saying "I guess he can't handle that.", or "I didn't know she could do that." It reduces my enjoyment somewhat when I don't know what the boundaries are.
We pretty much had the same experience. I haven't seen Wanda Vision or Spider-Man No Way Home either. I haven't even seen the last two Avengers movies in their entirety. They did a good job crafting a script that felt like a stand-alone movie.
I agree their super powers are not well defined and there lazily used to do whatever the story requires at any moment.
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Doctor Strange and the Power of Jazz Hands - 6/10
In this tale of the multiverse, there seem to be only two dimensions in existence: convolution and contrivance. Things happen in abundance that are hardly explained, except when they are profusely explained in practically every bit of dialogue in the story, which then creates even more need for explanation of the explanation (maybe that's what they mean by an Incursion). An actual good convenience utilized here is treating this tale like Civil War, except now it's distilled to the two most powerful people in the franchise, so no one else need apply. In between the sanctioned body horror, the free hits of fentanyl nostalgia, and the nerfing of powers, is a moral about how myopic "hurt people hurt people" really are, and if they simply gave their plans a second draft, they'd just go full Greek tragedy on their own.
On another note, I don't understand why some here complain about different composers being assigned to all of these movies. Maestro Elfman is more than happy to incorporate practically every previous theme in existence. He's like the ultimate macguffin. Problem solved.
Some Came Running - 7/10
What is a person worth? This is the question that permeates through each of these characters' motives, whether it's a self-destructive GI on the verge of alcoholism, a proud hustler who can only plot out his next grift, a stately patriarch who always keeps the town's interest above his own family's, a dutiful school marm who is all business and no romance, or a born-yesterday floozie who's all heart and no brains coming of age a decade late. It's rather sly of the movie introducing the latter as a throwaway ditz, then sneak her into the principals' lives for a more meaningful impact later on. There could have been a bit more taut pacing to keep everything afloat, and some threads are left unsewn. Bernstein channels an eclectic mix of grungy jazz, sweeping love, and even a touch of his biblical sensibility when it counts.
Morbius - 5/10
An interesting approach regarding hemophilia turns into a standard take on superpowers which then turns into a ridiculous exercise of ill-timed Snyder-mo and arbitrary action, with a paint-by-tropes, post credit franchising threat shoved in for corporate measure. The most movie ever that deserves a death by callous meme.
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Mr. Wong in Chinatown(1939) 6/10)
With Boris Karloff
A woman is murdered while buying planes, to be smuggled into China. Wong is on the case.
A fun effort with a decent plot. Though not the best of the bunch. The cast do well and there are a few good scraps. Some laugh out loud wise cracks, too. No Mexicans but some real Orientals. There was also a real midget/dwarf/ small person/short arse*
* please delete and choose one only.
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