I also like it, in a few part it works almost like a horror movie, the Joan Baez music in the end was a nice toutch
2 Likes
I think you may feel that way because the film has an old-fashioned flavor to it which doesnât bother me that much. I cherish the movie for what it is instead of agonizing over what it isnât. With that being said, my expectations were quite low prior to watching it, so that might account for some of my appreciation for the pic in question.
Silent Running is a nice film with an interesting plot, only that there isnât enough story for much more than 1 hour. Despite a runtime of only 89 min it feels longish (which 2001 never does). 6/10
Director Douglas Trumbull helped to create some of the still astonishing special effects for 2001.
Blue Desert (1990) - Director: Bradley Battersby - 4/10 - Itâs about an independent female cartoonist who upon being raped in NYC, moves to the small-time America to work on her comic book. As some viewers have remarked, the script seems to obsess over her empowered status as well as malesâ predatory instincts to the point of utter ludicrousness. There is little to no subtlety in the way the whole mystery unfolds and to add insult to injury, there is a fair batch of plot holes and rather questionable, manipulative writing choices. With that being said, itâs fairly entertaining for what it is despite all the preposterousness found therein and the direction keeps things moderately engaging throughout its running time.
Caught in the Act (1993) - Director: Deborah Reinisch - 3/10 - Itâs fairly entertaining most of the time, however, it has one of the most ridiculously unrealistic endings Iâve ever seen and the denouement is so unbelievable it actually borders on being a horrid deus-ex-machina if it isnât one. Some of the stuff almost appears to have been conceived on the fly, therefore if youâre searching for some premeditated, calculated writing, look elsewhere.
Dark Angel (1990) - Director: Craig R. Baxley - 7/10 - A wonderful piece of cheesy eighties entertainment. Itâs got a classic Jan Hammer score, a zany mystery at its core and a wholesome amount of well-orchestrated action. Probably one of my most favorite cartoonish flicks of this kind, itâs got a nice, tongue-in-cheek vibe to it.
Deadly Desire (1991) - Director: Charles Correll - 4/10 - There is not an iota of originality injected into the script and the story basically follows all neonoir tropes you could think of. The direction has that shoddy, straight-to-VHS look, the editing looks similarly inert and choppy, the acting is distinctively stiff and rather unengaging. Despite all that, I found it all fairly entertaining. Even if you can pretty much predict most plot twists and character developments, itâs like whatever, itâs a movie that can be watched and enjoyed in the same way you eat a flabby, flavorless hamburger because youâre hungry and you merely want to feel your famished stomach: it will do the trick, but donât expect miracles.
Liberi armati pericolosi (1976) - Director: Romolo Guerrieri - 6/10 - Guerrieriâs poliziotteschi basically endeavors to make a statement about gli anni del piombo and the complicity of bourgeois parents who payed no heed to their children in their formative years, as a consequence of which the youngsters became radicalized and turned to violence as a means of escaping reality, their personal traumas and their psychological disfigurement. Instead of heaping criticism upon young thugs resorting to senseless violence, Guerreri points out the absence of moral authority and indicates that this lack of instilled moral compass is, in fact, the failure of the society at large and not solely the young misfits. With that being said, the social commentary is never fully explored and it serves more as a point of departure for some fairly galvanizing action sequences rather than constitutes the main subject of the motion picture in question. The filmâs violence is remarkably grim and the entire tale is fraught with a sense of existential doom and moral decay. As a matter of fact, some of the depicted brutality is so senseless and gruesome that it is occasionally quite painful to watch. I wish the film had a lot more going on in terms of its social critique. Had Guerrieri elaborated on filmâs central issues, he couldâve then endowed all that grisliness with some underlying meaning and purpose and actually lift it from the exploitation territory. It might not be an essential watch, but itâs very well made and highly entertaining for the most part.
Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950) - Director: Otto Preminger - 7/10 - I really like the main story of the strict, somewhat abusive, but righteous cop who accidentally kills one suspect during an investigation and then attempts to cover up his wrongdoing. The characterization is very aptly handled, however, the motion picture veers into a conspicuously moralistic territory towards the end which makes the whole tale feel somehow less realistic and compelling. Still, the filmâs a very enjoyable classic noir thatâs well worth checking out.
Odd Man Out (1947) - Director: Carol Reed - 8/10 - While nowhere nearly as great as The Third Man, itâs still pretty goddamn outstanding. I kind of hoped for a more taut narration centering upon the persona of the IRA militant instead of the municipality and its inhabitants affected by the portrayed events in all sorts of ways. The film has an old-fashioned flavor to it which manifests itself in a number of corny characters such as the kooky vagrant. Still, some of it attests to Reedâs amazing capabilities as a director and it possesses an array of beautifully rendered sequences with a very distinctive visual code embedded in them.
Gilda (1946) - Director: Charles Vidor - 8/10 - Its first half an hour is absolutely perfect, however, its narration progressively grows gratuitously diluted and loses some of its initial impetus and pure cinematic glory, turning into more of a biopic of sorts rather than a low-key noir that I like most. Itâs definitely worth a look or two just by virtue of having some incredibly iconic scenes, nevertheless, it couldâve been a lot better in my book.
The Killers (1946) - Director: Robert Siodmak - 6/10 - I donât get all the hype surrounding the opus to be perfectly honest. Iâve seen lots of superior noirs, I fail to see any grandeur thatâs supposed to be provided here in spades. The plot might perhaps offer an intricate tale of betrayal and whatnot, however, the direction itself feels a bit on the old-fashioned side and some of it did not age all that well in my estimation. The non-linear structure doesnât work all that well either, distancing the entire plot and dissipating the focus of the central story. Itâs okay, but calling this a classic is a bit of a stretch for me.
Year of the Gun (1991) - Director: John Frankenheimer - 6/10 - Surprisingly good. A large chunk of the motion picture lacks a genuine focus to become a minor classic, however, itâs got the very impressive cinematography; its action sequences as well as the resolution are both incredibly potent and make this a genuine pleasure to watch. Some dialogues are spoken in Italian (obviously), but there are no English subtitles provided. I was able to understand like 70% of it, but supplying no written English translation was quite an odd decision to make, especially taking into consideration the fact that these arenât some insignificant chatters, but some pretty significant conversations investing the entirety of the plot with some depth and shedding some additional light on the mindset of left-wing radicals from that time and era.
Alien 3 (1992) - Director: David Fincher - 6/10 -> 7/10 - A re-watch - The directorâs cut is ridiculously better than the theatrical one.
Flatliners (1990) - Director: Joel Schumacher - 6/10 - The premise is quite intriguing and some of the scares found here are pretty evocative, however, Schumacher ultimately turns the entire effort into a cheesy, Hollywoodian sort of thriller marked (or marred) by its rather lacklustre approach to the subject matter and some regrettably cheap mainstream touches. With that being said, itâs got the redolent, flamboyant cinematography and the ruggedly creppy atmosphere, so it might very well fit your bill. It ainât too bad.
The Getaway (1994) - Director: Roger Donaldson - 6/10 - The remake doesnât exactly bring anything new of note to the table, nevertheless, the rendition is highly satisfactory and some of the action is filmed and edited in a remarkably electrifying fashion. Some very fine performances as well as the taut narration all underpin the overall composition and ensure the good quality of the filmmaking at hand. No surprises, but it ainât a piece of crap either, there is quite a bit of chemistry between the two lead actors as well.
Only God Forgives (2013) - Director: Nicolas Winding Refn - 7/10 -> 8/10 - An eighth or ninth re-watch.
Thunderheart (1992) - Director: Michael Apted - 8/10 - A socially-aware thriller from Michael Apted. Not only does the film supply a healthy dose of adrenaline in the form of the very serivceable and exciting crime formula, but it also provides some insight into the plight of Indians dealing with the excessive interventionism on the part of the US government and some possible corruption scarring their people and undermining their sense of community. The superior acting and the very dexterous direction make the entire effort a veritable pleasure to watch and render it one of the more successful crime flicks of the early nineties.
8 Million Ways to Die (1986) - Director: Hal Ashby - 2/10 - This thing is something truly special. Prior to viewing this thing, I read some pretty goddamn positive reviews praising filmâs general style which was supposed to be reminiscent of Miami Vice and whatnot, so I resolved to give this one a try. Boy, oh boy, was I in for a big surprise. The film is a total, unequivocal disaster. Practically everything about this movie is so uncannily off, so strikingly wrong that it almost feels like one of those no-budget productions where filmic decoupage is completely fucked, nothing makes sense in terms of its visual narrative or how it is all spliced together, the difference being that weâre dealing with a multimillion endeavor here instead of some hillbilly running around with a camera in his hand. I guess some shots are fine and it doesnât look like some gargantuan travesty, but the rhythm and the feel of narration are exceedingly inert, the visual narration is downright slapdash. Therewith, the script conspicuously suffers from multiple redrafts and a general lack of conceptual cohesion. The movie has very little to offer as far as some palpable sense of tension is concerned and the whole effort is effectively botched beyond salvation. The bewildering thing about the entire venture is that itâs not just one component stultifying the remainder of the work, you could say it is a collaborative, multilayered debacle, for everything about its rendition smacks of some production difficulties or some behind-the-scenes frictions, the result being an impenetrable failure of a motion picture. There are some things it does right, for instance its portrayal of alcoholism is fairly poignant and accurate, but other than several passably performed scenes, it is a complete flop. The acting doesnât really ameliorate the opus either. Nothing adds up, nothing makes sense. I suppose the final shootout in the warehouse is pretty stimulating, but itâs the only thing about the entire goddamn thing which doesnât suck horrendously. I also refuse to believe that itâs solely the studioâs fault and the director is in the clear here; the theatrical cut is two hours long: it doesnât feel like there are massive gaps in the narrative and all of those scenes were directed by the Ashby himself. I think the bloke just snorted one line too many and fucked up the entire project in the process.
From Beyond (1986) - Director: Stuart Gordon - 6/10 - Itâs got some pretty mind-blowing practical special effects, but the plot beneath the glossy (or should I say, sludgy) veneer doesnât really impress all that much; the film doesnât really provide all that much in terms of its originality and focuses on the general vibe and the overall look of the opus which is ultimately what itâs all about and why itâs fairly enjoyable to watch. No classic, but it will definitely do for a watch, lots of laughs and wincing guaranteed.
Clear and Present Danger (1994) - Director: Phillip Noyce - 5/10 - A Tom Clancy thriller: formulaic, predictable, but competently made.
Black Hawk Down (2001) - Director: Ridley Scott - 7/10 - A very nice late Scott work. Black Hawk Down is a visually gritty war drama with the very impressive structure that doesnât feel disorderly despite its complexity; lots of satisfactory performances too.
The Ipcress File (1965) - Director: Sidney J. Furie - 8/10 - A highly gratifying cold war spy thriller with a lot of style and charisma at the center of it. Furie knows how to infuse the film with just the right dose of style without impending the overall flow of the film or turning it into some pretentious garbage. The Ipcress File doesnât rely on some over-the-top gadgetry or some ridiculous action sequences and opts for a more old-fashioned, laid-back attitiude.
Patriot Games (1992) - Director: Phillip Noyce - 5/10 - Tom Clancy blah blah.
A Perfect World (1993) - Director: Clint Eastwood - 7/10 - A very nice Eastwood manhunt drama. Costnerâs intruiging character and his subtle performance distinguish it from other movies of this kind, endowing the whole tale with some ambiguity and a little bit of a twist to it. The interesting thing about the film is that it is not as much about the manhunt as it is about child abuse.
The Hit List (1993) - Director: William Webb - 6/10 - The filmâs got some seriously sumptuous neonoir imagery at its core and some fine performances underpinning the work at large, nevertheless, it never substantiates its stylish modernist milieu with some satisfactory story to boot. The first half basically recycles some neonoir platitudes and frames them within the glossy entourage of its chic interior sets, which initially proves adequate for the most part, nonetheless, the opus subsequently begins to devolve into this schmaltzy crime drama that reeks of a cheap, truistic soap opera. There is no noir irony or cynism to speak of and the motion picture starts aiming for some nonsensically maudlin plot twists that virtually undo everything cool about the entire venture. With that being said, its stylistic, glossy package is sufficiently alluring for me to overlook some of its more glaring faults.
Leviathan (1989) - Director: George P. Cosmatos - 6/10 - I can understand anyone who might have some gripes with the film in question because everything in it is a bit on the cheesy side. However, I loved all of it. The pic is an incredibly entertaining little monster movie thatâs way more entertaining and fun than it has any right to be. Some of its entertainment factor derives from Cosmatosâs prodigious storytelling capabilities and despite being awfully bromidic and trashy, the film tries to bring forth some remarkably fun moments. Some impressive special effects are appropriately sludgy and additionally juice things up. Overall, while there is absolutely nothing unique about the entire endeavor, the entirety of it is a lot better and entertaining than it would appear at a glance.
Ultraviolet (1992) - Director: Mark Griffiths - 4/10 - A shoddy no-budget neonoir with the ludicrously overacting antagonist at its core. The main psychopath appears to be menacing and creppy enough all right, however, his âhot bad guyâ schtick wears off after his first 15 minutes on the screen and then he begins to look more like a horny retard. There is a fair amount of bad writing âcoincidencesâ and other than that, the film includes some fairly slipshod dialogues and choppy montage. The overall uninspired structure of the flick prevents the film from transcending its inherently cliched framework, therefore surprises are somewhat scarce if there are any. Still, Iâd be lying if I said it was horribly tedious; most of the time the flick provides some duly trashy fun and doesnât drag all that much, so I suppose it might be worth a look.
Dream Lover (1993) - Director: Nicholas Kazan - 7/10 - The filmâs not really about exploring some new territory as it is about perfecting the general formula, playing with the genreâs cliches and framing them within the context of the beautifully filmed, expertly structured and dexterously performed feature film. The filmâs strengths do not lie with plot twists per se or the manipulative handling of the narrative, but the excellent execution that firmly establishes it as one of the more enjoyable entries of the kind of the 1980s. Again, Ebertâs review is spot on; I might disagree with him when he tries to critique some classics, but his reviews treating of lesser known motion pictures tend to be absolutely splendid.
Curiosity Kills (1990) - Director: Colin Bucksey - 3/10 - A trite thriller with nothing particularly of note other than its classic Jan Hammer soundtrack perhaps. One track, which was subsequently reused in Beyond the Mindâs Eye (1992), is one of the best pieces of music heâs ever recorded. The film itself is an absolutely forgettable affair with very little going on. The story barely makes sense and fails to create much tension or interest with the kind of second-rate, cursory storytelling it offers to its viewers. The characters are your typical walking-talking cliches and the supposed villain is your usual grinning baddie thatâs supposed to be this masterful and secretive assassin, yet is too much of a retard to see through a thin veil of pretense put on by the two main heroes.
Watchers (1988) - Director: Jon Hess - 3/10 - A horrible cheese fest with the horrid characterization, the painfully tedious narration as well as the incredibly monotonous and repetitive development of the story. The monster attacks, the monster kills, the monster flees and so forth for the entirety of its running time. Nothing introduced to the plot makes much sense as far as diversifying the general flow of the story goes and while the entire venture may prove sufficiently diverting for the first half an hour, the remainder of it is pure crap and nothing prevents it from descending into nether regions of utter vapidity. Some of it may be okay for some, but by the end of it I was begging for it to end.
The Sender (1982) - Director: Roger Christian - 7/10 - An astonishingly good and creppy little horror flick, the art direction is genuinely impressive here. The film is a bit of a slow-burner, so if youâre searching for some swift slasher-y type of thing, you may try to look elsewhere. Nevertheless, if you want something more relying on the general atmosphere and the enveloping miasma of dread distilled into the narrative and the visual aspect of the motion picture, give this one a try.
The Entity (1982) - Director: Sidney J. Furie - 8/10 - Another surprisingly good little horror flick. Some people have complained about the soundtrack; while it may sound a little bit intrusive on several occasions, its more ambient parts are incredibly redolent and greatly amplify the overall atmosphere. Therewith, the acting as well as the direction are very impressive and the motion picture may constitute one of the most impressive, lesser-known achievements of the 1980s within the horror genre. The rhythm of the narration is a bit on the slower side, so be prepared for a more contemplative viewing so to speak, nevertheless, the things the movie subsequently supplies reward the somewhat slow pacing and its relatively long running time of two hours.
A Case for Murder (1993) - Director: Duncan Gibbins - 3/10 - A predictable piece of crap. The slovenly narration precludes any possibility of taking its viewer aback and the ill-chosen structure effectively gives the game away way too early. Besides, the storytelling is numbingly poor and unengaging; neither was I particularly straining to predict the next turnabout nor did I really care about what was about to happen next. The characters are reminiscent more of cardboard figurines rather than three-dimensional characters, so the tale doesnât exactly evoke any strong emotions. The acting is on the cut-and-dry side and the overall lack of technical proficiency hinders the film in taking things to the next level. Not that the director or the cast were desperately striving to endow the whole affair with some compelling qualities: itâs simply a two-dime courtroom drama which is to be watched on a slow Sunday evening and forgotten forthwith.
Diary of a Hitman (1991) - Director: Roy London - 5/10 - A moderately engaing drama revolving around the mental breakdown of a hitman who wishes to redeem himself and mend his ways before itâs too late. While the story conveys some unusual touches and doesnât exactly tread any particular path of formula so to speak, the results are merely passable. The central character is not sufficiently developed and the storytelling doesnât unearth the great potential the basic concept has.
Edge of Honor (1991) - Director: Michael Spence - 3/10 - A completely forgettable and hackneyed survivalist thriller. I suppose Corey Feldman acting skills are somewhat superior to his talent as a songwriter, but that doesnât really say much and I found him annoying most of the time. The direction is passable at best and the further the story develops, the more it leans towards ludicrousness and pure cheese. I suppose it is supposed to be one of those fun shit flicks that I happen to not like. Yeah, some of it is diverting enough, but itâs too long and too crappy to be treated seriously and its action or the story arenât that entertaining or engaging. Unless you find the prospect of watching Corey Feldman brandishing logs and jumping around the woods mindblowing, you may very well skip this one.
Mindwarp (1992) - Director: Steve Barnett - 4/10 - Barnett lifts certain elements from The Time Machine (1960), introduces the VR simulation, then throws in some gore and some incredibly cheesy costumes for good measure and voila, here is your movie, plebs. The wrinkly masks look so utterly ridiculous that it appears they mightâve been later reused by Harmony Korine in his Trash Humpers (2009). Either way, it is fairly okay for what it is. Some gore here is pretty excessive and some aspects of the story made my stomach churn, so if youâre looking for a little gross-out fest, this might very well fit the bill. The denouement verges on being a deus-ex-machina, but it kinda worked for me. Not bad overall.
The Fourth War (1990) - Director: John Frankenheimer - 5/10 - A completely preposterous, but ultimately incredibly entertaining and trashy cold-war drama involving Scheider and Prochnow engaged in some impetuous military dick-wagging taking place on the border. I suppose I could try to disclose some ulterior meaning buried somewhere in the plot, but the thing is the movie is so utterly ridiculous it would be a bit of a waste of time talking about it at length. Itâs a film to enjoy, not to rack your brains over.
3 Likes
Nah, the old fashionedness isnât an issue - I like plenty of stuff that is all kinds of old fashioned
What bothered me was specifically the beating over the head with its poorly written ecological agenda⌠without getting too much into a debate over what its message was, my issue isnât so much the message as its delivery here. I love lots of movies which contain ideas I donât agree with, and I donât have to agree with things in movies to enjoy them, but when a movie is transparently written solely to express an idea, and it comes off like a naive college student who doesnât really understand what they are passionately preaching, it drives me crazy⌠Even if I do agree
2 Likes
There is no directorâs cut unfortunately, but the assembly cut is the closest weâll get to Fincherâs vision. The theatrical cut is pathetic.
Iâve always loved Alien 3, even when I saw it on original release in the theatre.
The unrated cut is great, and so is the documentary about how it got all fucked up
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Iâve always liked the theatrical cut despite its obvious flaws, but the assembly cut is really freaking good. Some cuts that were made in the theatrical version make no sense whatsoever.
Gotta give it a watch I suppose.
I feel sorry for young Fincher getting screwed by FOX. That movie couldâve been so much better.
3 Likes
Last 10
- Tsangar: Chevalier 5/10
- Lanthimos: Dogtooth/Kynodontas 9/10
- Rossetti: The Dirty Outlaws 6/10
- Schipper: Victoria 8/10
- Carnimeo: The Crazy Bunch 7/10
- Kassila: Tähdet kertovat, komisario Palmu 8/10
- OâBannon: The Resurrected 6/10
- Ăstlund: The Square 6/10
- Tornatore: Cinema Paradiso 10/10
- Coppola: The Conversation 7/10
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I sometimes think though that, at this stage, he could afford to take some ownership; certainly of the workprint which, as you say, is a fine picture, but even of the theatrical cut which, against subsequent Alien pictures, really doesnât look too shabby at all, all things considered. In the final analysis, I think he won that particular skirmish. Iâd love for him to have contributed to those making-ofs in the Quadrilogy/Anthology box sets, if only to have seen him pop up, scream, âWhaddup, bitches? Iâm David motherfuckinâ FINCHER, yo! And youâre not!â and sod off again. 
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switched things up tonight and watched Dr. Strange - I was actually quite surprised by how good this was, hitting lots of different points for me. Iâm rather tired of the superhero movies but this one was good
Yeah, itâs pretty good.
Over the last few weeks, a little bit of this, little bit of thatâŚand some poop!
â
Seconds(1966)-8/10----Body Double(1988)-8/10
------------------
X.Night of Vengeance(2010)-6/10-----Loganâs Run(1976)-6/10
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Black/White Mama(1973)5/10-- White line Fever(1975)5/10
â
Lisbon (1956) 6/10--------Volcano(1950) 6/10
**Poop Alert Below!
----
The Predator(2018)-4/10âStraight to Hell(1987)-4
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Iâm F. T.Hippopotamus (1979) 4 - Poseidon Adventure(2005)-4
â
Hunt to Kill (2010)-3/5 -----Humanoids (1980)-3
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I quite enjoyed âHumanoids from the deepâ ⌠not my usual sort of thing, but as âpoopâ goes, not bad 
Come on, if itâs Doug McClure, what did ya expect!?
The Predator was crap, though. I mean I wasnât expecting Lawrence of Arabia but it turned out almost as bad as The f*cking Meg.
Both are on my to watch list ⌠poor me, if the predator wonât kill me, the meg surely will
I guess Iâm going to have to watch The Predator, since I often end up quite liking movies that get this bad a rep
I have il grande odio for shark movies tho, so you guys can keep your Meg
I actually like Dough McClure, iâm a big fan of âThe Virginianâ western TV seriesâŚbut Humanoids was just too stupid for my liking.
Well, IMO Shane Black probably killed the franchise, itâs a complete disaster.
1 Like