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Totenfrau (2022)
Interesting and watchable
I found this Austrian crime drama intriguing enough to kick back and watch it within a few days. Unique quirks make this stand out, including the protagonist's penchant for bouncing ideas and thoughts off the corpses she attends as a mortician.
Color me weird as a beekeeper and science geek, but I mull things over aloud with myself and query my bees in the same manner as Blum, so I was actually delighted when the first body responded to her thoughts. I mean if you can't talk things over with yourself in such a way, I'm thinking you'll have a very difficult time resolving problems.
So maybe the plot line is a bit formulaic and it comes across as some kind of estrogen-fueled Liam Neeson Alpine revenge fantasy, but damn if I didn't cheer Blum on every hog-fueled step of the way.
Entertaining, breathtakingly scenic, and darkly comic.
Monster (2022)
A match made in... heaven?
I'm referring to Ryan Murphy and Evan Peters, whose disturbingly sick synergy has been made evident in AHS; it's a perfectly horrific partnership and is just what this dark topic needed.
Finally, FINALLY a production team that wasn't afraid to go balls out on an extremely disturbing subject! Peters is, of course, brilliant, as we learned from his insane portrayals throughout the AHS seasons (his wildly erratic characterization in 2017's "Cult" epitomizes this). He encompasses the role of Dahmer to the point where that annoying fourth wall comes crashing down and leaves the viewer smack-dab in the midst of the blood-soaked horrors going on in that tiny apartment. Creepy is an understatement.
A big thing to remember is the stigma that was prevalent during the early days of the AIDS epidemic when this story is set. Having lived through that time, the cops' reactions are unfortunately not atypical. Rewatch "Philadelphia Story" to get a glimpse of most people's mindset. When Tom Hanks's character is rocking his sister's baby (or IRL when Princess Diana touched or held AIDS patients in clinics overseas), it was groundbreaking behavior because (it was believed) nobody in their right mind would be anywhere near an AIDS patient. Hence the cops' hesitation to search Dahmer's apartment and their (by today's standards) insensitive comments about needed to wash off the gay. It was less a racial thing than a homophobic thing.
Under Murphy's keen sense of the macabre, everything from the spot-on costume design to the skewed cinematography enhances the twisted storyline.
Clearly I can't say enough good things about this series. Definitely not for the feint-of-heart, but there you go.
The Princess (2022)
The only one to watch
As soon as I saw this had premiered at Sundance, I suspected it would be worth the watch. Why? Because unlike the glut of so-called documentaries about this ill-fated yet fascinating woman--with their dubious research, endless speculation, and onslaught of unverified opinions--this extremely well-made film doesn't tell you what the producers are pretty sure must have happened during Diana's life using a bunch of crap from the public archives that everyone's already seen a zillion times. Instead, it shows you exactly what went on through the use of historical footage and audio--most of which (as a Yank) I've never before seen or heard before. It's meticulously edited to chronologically follow the facts. By doing this, the story becomes so engrossing that there were times I felt swept up in the saga as if I was there and experiencing everything for the first time. That's good filmmaking imho. Totally worth the time investment.
Crypto (2019)
Horrible
Trash attempting to pose as art, with probably the worst dubbing I've EVER heard in film. Bad acting, crappy editing, horrendous writing. Hard pass on this train wreck of a movie.
Shirley (2020)
Underestimated study
"Slow burn" is the new black, so I won't go there. I found this film to be as twisted and fragmented and uncomfortable as any piece Jackson wrote, which, to my aesthetics, is nothing short of remarkable. The cinematography is stellar, as are the characterizations. I was riveted. I found myself gasping at times as I came to the realization that that's exactly the reaction I get when reading a tremendously effective horror story. Is it completely factually accurate? Probably not, but name me a biopic that is. The purpose of the genre in film is to affect a mood and atmosphere, not to overwhelm the viewer with a fact-laden, linear diatribe. You want that, read the bio. That's the whole point. You want the experience, watch the movie.
A Fall from Grace (2020)
Lame
Two stars because Cicely Tyson. Otherwise a boring, contrived, predictable waste of celluloid. Young couple, neophyte lawyer and cop hubby, are both a couple of idiots. Who tells a judge what to do in his own courtroom during a capital murder trial? And who enters a felony in progress with no backup? If this is the best Tyler Perry can come up with, I won't be watching any of his other work.
The Foreigner (2017)
Unexpectedly good
I've never been a Jackie Chan fan. I am now after viewing this absorbing and very watchable take on the stereotypical action film. Likewise, I've always thought Piercee Brosnan a bit too slick - even for James Bond. Both actors give stellar performances as two deeply motivated and conflicted men, thrown into unsettling circumstances that expound on their strengths and frailties and test their resolve. Not perfect, but very worthwhile. Don't miss it.
Fracture (2007)
Yay for cast, boo for plot
Well I figured out the plot immediately after the murder scene, so everything after that was drivel. I mean it was so completely obvious that I had to finish watching just in hope there'd be a totally unpredictable twist, but no such luck. Hopkins, et al did credible jobs but nothing could save this loser.
Les frères Sisters (2018)
Well-played!
A superb cast, outstanding cinematography, and thoughtfully fleshed-out characters make this French foray into the American western genre an absolutely gripping movie experience. I was hooked from the opening scene, which stands out as the most realistically played night gunfight I've ever seen. This directorial team really nailed the details on every front, from the use of flash powder, to the overall grittiness of life in the wilderness, to the caustic effects of what I assume was a radium-like "formula" that was used to make gold nuggets glow (although in reality Au is chemically nonreactive, the scenes were well-executed). It's a visual treat throughout, and I loved every minute of it. One star knocked off due to a bit of confusion up front as to who was doing what to whom, but otherwise well worth the time. Highly recommended!
The Spy (2019)
Extremely well-done
I enjoyed this film immensely as a peek into the complicated world of Syrian/Israeli espionage. Plays out like a LeCarre novel, with all the twists and turns of those gripping plots, all the more unsettling knowing it was real. The actors do a remarkable job, slowly unraveling Eli Cohen's story while switching between past and present. This is unquestionably SB Cohen's magnum opus, beautifully played. My only frustration is not with the film but with the facts-an occupational hazard, to be truthful-being familiar with the workings of counterintelligence I could easily see the signs of Eli's downfall from his first breach of protocol. Still, I'm glad I chose to watch this unique work.