This is a good, super-convoluted, South Korean crime thriller. It’s a bit slow at times, but it’s also sporadically crazy-violent. I found it entertaining, so there’s a good chance you will too.
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This one seems to have really disappointed people hoping for another Mad Max movie. I thought it was a much more realistic depiction of what life would be after the fall or law and order. The Rover is not an action movie. It’s very deliberately paced. There are little bursts of gun play here and there, but it struck me as more of a subtle art film than anything else. All the actors were excellent, but between this and The Lighthouse I have gained a ton of respect for Robert Pattinson’s range. Not everyone will like this movie. I loved it.
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This is a fictionalization of a 1989 Montreal mass shooting in which 14 women were murdered. It’s obviously brutal at times, but the filmmakers balanced out the movie well with victim and witness storylines. With its elegant black and white cinematography, and tasteful approach, I would say this is one of the most well made films about a tragic event I’ve ever seen. The director, Denis Villeneuve, went on to make some slightly bigger budget films.
A Blu-ray was released in 2010 but appears to be out of print.
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I have poked around quite a bit on the three streaming services I focus on, and there is very little film noir available in HD (thankfully things have improved since I first posted this). One that I did find is by none other than Stanley Kubrick. This seems to be his first film to really show his directorial ability. His previous film Killer’s Kiss was damn good, but does not stick in my memory like The Killing. The one element of this movie that really hangs in my brain is the supporting role by Timothy Carey as Nikki Arcane (how great is that character name?). Carey was a very talented actor, and generally creative guy, who also happened to be functionally insane. I once heard Crispin Glover relate an incident where the two actors hung out. Glover said that it became clear that Carey’s behavior was not an attempt to be funny, or just the antics of an eccentric. He was officially bonkers. Anyhow, come to the show for Kubrick and Nikki Arcane, and stay for everything else The Killing has to offer. It’s a true classic.
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This is a very good historical drama about the struggles of a group of political prisoners in Uruguay. It is just as grim as the name indicates. A Twelve Year Night features solid acting performances and some excellent sound design and soundtrack work. Highly recommended.
Not available on domestic Blu-ray.
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This is a very complex but enjoyable Spanish murder mystery with many twists and turns. There is little blood, and no guts, however The Invisible Guest is definitely worth your time.
Not available on domestic Blu-ray.
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“The most destructive civil disturbance in American history” and this documentary makes that excruciatingly clear. I didn’t watch this for a while because I got it confused with Let It Fall (another very good documentary on this subject). What makes LA 92 exceptional is that the filmmakers just let archival footage and audio tell the story. There is no narration, and thankfully no obnoxious animation. Yes, this is a disturbing experience. It is also perfectly made and essential viewing.
Not available on Blu-ray.
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This is a bio-drama about poet Pablo Neruda‘s escape from arrest by the Chilean fascist government. I didn’t know what to expect, but the skillful performances and elegant cinematography really made it an enjoyable experience. Pablo Neruda seems like he was a pain in the ass redeemed by artistic genius. It comes as no surprise that he was friends with Picasso.
Not available on Blu-ray.
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Here’s a very amusing action / comedy by Ben Wheatley (High Rise). Like I said before, you should really see all his films. The tag line tells you what you need to know… “All guns. No control.” Yes please.
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If you are not interested in ‘70s TV cop shows you will want to skip this recommendation. I don’t normally talk about television series here, but the feature-length pilot of the this gritty old cop drama was too irresistible. Please note the following important features: Dirty old LA, Richard Lynch as an uncredited hitman, a scene in a porno movie theatre, an appearance by a young Gordon Jump from WKRP, music by Lalo Schrifin (Mission Impossible, Enter the Dragon, Dirty Harry) and Hutch / David Soul’s sweet-ass leather jacket. I was impressed by the quality of the film-making too. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that it was helmed by Barry Shear, who also directed Across 110th Street.
I used to watch this show as a kid and had never seen this pilot. Obviously it was a lot of fun for me. I think anyone not into ‘70s TV crime shows would think it was just an old police action movie with all the blood and nudity cut out. I understand but I still can’t believe this was broadcast to every home from coast to coast. Starsky and Hutch seems to have begun with the idea that they would push the limit of what network censors would tolerate as much as possible. It really was a different world back then.
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