I prefer Il Boss. This one is a bit too noisy to my liking.
The comeback as an âartistâ came of course later.
Was it Under the Volcano or Prizziâs Honor? Volcano most likely
DEATH HUNT (1981, Peter Hunt)
Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin star in this chase movie, that couldâve easily been a western, but (in spite of the presence of both horses and Indians!) never feels like one. Allegedly it was based on historic facts. Chuck is a trapper called Albert Johnson who becomes a hunted man after a false murder charge, Lee is the Mountie (!) on his trail. I checked: whether Johnson was guilty or innocent of the charges made against him, is not clear, but never mind: the formula âbased on historic factsâ isnât always based on facts.
Set in Yukon Territory, the film has great scenery and the fine cinematography plus the two iconic stars make it a good time-passer. Itâs certainly one of Bronsonâs better movies from the 80s but note that itâs pretty violent and features a graphic dogfight sequence that might repel some viewers. The supporting cast is very good (notably Carl Weathers and Andrew Stevens as Leeâs unlikely pair of assistants), but Angie Dickenson is wasted in very small role (she hasnât even a decent line of dialogue). But never mind again: Angie is always worth a look.
Funny always get the western feel in this one. Unusual for me though with an Aeroplane in the film. Like the parts of the film when Marvin has no time for the pilot and modern things, which is such a contrast to Marvins traditional ways
Well, thereâs a plane in Villa Rides and I always have that western feel in relation to that one. Not here, donât know why, maybe these odd bonnets theyâre wearing:
Ha, ha yes there is that point. Reminds me of a winter cycling hat I have 
La tourneuse de pages/The Page Turner (2006)
80 wonderful minute of tension, elegance and restrained emotion. Like a non-pulp French version of Poison Ivy. Denis Dercourt background in classical music is evident, as it is used to a great effect, and he keeps us in suspense, guessing what will happen, how this tension will eventually be resolved? Déborah François manages to pull the hard trick: throughout them movie she just stands with the same expression on the face, and yet manages to channel so much intensity.
Very suspenful movie but I thought the ending was a huge letdown.
I, on contrary, thought the ending was great, because it didnât go the expected route. It offered the climax but yet remained restrained and thus true to the whole atmosphere of the movie.
I watched The Cremator (old Czech film) and the new Star Wars film.
OUT OF TIME (2003, Carl Franklin)
Denzel Washington is Matt Whitlock, chief of police in a quiet Florida community. While still going through a divorce, he has a passionate affair with an old flame from high school; she tells him sheâs dying of cancer and therefore makes him the benificiary of a life-insurance (instead of her abusive husband). Matt, at his turn, pilfers a large sum of money (recovered in a drug bust), so she can go to Switzerland for experimental treatment. True love, so it seems, but things take an unexpected turn: the lady and her abusive husband die in a fire and the money seems to have gone up in smoke (literally in this case) âŠ
Director Franklin and Washington team up again (after Devil in a Blue Dress) for this slick, relaxing, but over-plotted thriller, a neo-noir set in sunny Florida. Franklin also made the superior One False Move (1992), one of the best (and funniest) thrillers from the 90s. But that movie was co-written by Billy Bob Thornton, who used all his fantasy to create a fast-moving, spirited comedy-thriller. The script of this movie harks back to 40s noir (especially The Big Clock) with a cat-chasing-his-own-tail narrative: Washington becomes both the main suspect and the detective investigating the case, so instead of picking up clues, he must try to to erase them. Things are complicated by the fact that one of the other detectives on the case, is his wife (Eva Mendes).
Washington is in decent form but in the end weâre too busy figuring out whatâs happening to be concerned about any of the characters in the movie, including Washingtonâs chief of police under pressure.
6/10
A Girl at My Door (aka Dohee-ya) (Jung, 2014)
South Korean drama by first time writer/director July Jung, concerning a police captainâs attempts to protect an abused teenager whilst also struggling with demons of her own. A great debut pic, my ramblings on the matter here:
Straight Outta Compton. Not really my kind of movie, but had some good acting moments here and there.
Iâve been on a WW1 kick lately. I have added a few more movies to my collection.
My Boy Jack - The sad tale of Rudyard Kiplingâs devotion to his King and Empire vs his Family. Davig Haig portrays Kipling while Daniel Radcliffe plays the doomed John Kipling. It is a well done period piece done by the BBC made for TV. Not a ton of war action but the production values are great and it well acted.
Beneath Hill 60 - An Australian release which chronicles Oliver Woodward from mine operator in Australia to Captain in the 1st Australian Tunneling Company on the Western Front. It is their job to dig and place high explosives beneath German defenses in the hopes that the war could be ended sooner. Great claustrophobic feeling for the men fighting for their lives in and below the fighting in the trenches.
All Quiet On The Western Front '30 - The quintessential anti-war movie based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque follows the lives of Paul (Lew Ayres) and his schoolmates who get swept up in the nationalist rhetoric and join the army. Needless to say things are not all fun and games on the front and even the helpful Sgt. Kat (Louis Wolheim) canât save them all from the horrors of war.
Sherpa (Peedom, 2015)
Terrific documentary, my incoherent dribblings on the matter here:
To celebrate Song Kang-hoâs birthday, I watched The Host, a genre-spanning monster movie about a slightly narcoleptic idiot dad who has to save his daughter from a giant mutant that grew in the Han River. Itâs funny, itâs scary, itâs heartfelt, itâs over-the-top emotional. Itâs been described as Gojira meets Little Miss Sunshine.
Itâs a bit flawed, but I personally think itâs one of South Koreaâs best movies.
I also watched the Korean dub of Madagascar, where Song voiced Alex (Just for that movie, unfortunately).
I continued my journey through Space & the Alien Quadrology with a review of ALIENS (1986), the magnificent sequel to Ridley Scottâs Alien, directed by no other than James Cameron.
THIS TIME ITâS WAR:
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Viewed Aliens at the cinemaâŠgreat experience, wish it had been the special edition version though.
I prefer the SE version too, but when studying some articles on the movie, I noticed that quite a few fans prefer the shorter version that was released in cinemas