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Reviews
Oppenheimer (2023)
Boringheimer
At an hour and twenty minutes in and realizing that the film lasted for three, I was pretty sure I would never get through to the end. After a while I simply lost interest. The film is well crafted but the back and forth between the characters and all their possible communist leaning associations that lead to congressional investigations just flat out became tedious. The sequence of events relative to the the Big O's development of the bomb and development into the babes didn't seem to have any coherent sequence in terms of where we were in terms of historical chronology. Somber music drones in the background in an effort to convince us of the seriousness of the entire matter. A lot of high quality actors and crew made an ostensible historical motion picture that may have won a lot of awards because audiences are simply growing tired of super heroes. As far as our relationship with the Russians go, the film implies that we've made no real progress since WW2. Overall, an O K movie that narrowly avoided being a bomb.
Sam Was Here (2016)
Sam Was Nowhere
Hey, we've got a camera crew with locations and actors plus a budget so let's make a movie. Anybody got any story ideas? Apparently not, as this movie presented nothing more than a half baked attempt at what could remotely be described as a plot. There is plenty of fine desert cinematography here, but nothing much to fill it with. Main protagonist is trying to sell something to the the sparse population of rural California. Is the big plush bear he carries around the item he's peddling or is that the gift for his kids' upcoming birthday? No matter who our hero calls, the phone is always connected to a room managed by a shirtless guy with a tape recorder. So anyway, all the locals wear masks and try to kill him, possibly due to a constant stream of news implicating him in some terrible act. Meanwhile, all of the analog TV's are security cameras. Get it so far? Yeah, me neither.
The Nest (2020)
Nesticcism
I knew as soon as the movie started that it would end like most modern flicks, in which it's as if the film spool runs out and the end credits are abruptly inserted to signal that it's finally over. Oh well, call it a finale. Anyway, this is a story of a guy that wants to be rich and in the absence of the real thing, tries to create at least the illusion of wealth in order to foment further success while suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and his familial relationships. That's basically the arc of the story line which is redeemed only by the solid acting involved. Otherwise you're in for a couple of hours of viewing self absorbed characters in an essentially directionless state. I assume you're supposed to feel some empathy for these simpering whiners who may have to give up their massive castle sized estate, equestrian accommodations and their kids expensive private school. Oh, the humanity! Maybe they could get a more reasonably sized house or condo like the rest of us and trade the Benz in on a Toyota. Perhaps they could consider boarding horses for extra income. Dude tries to make deals while his wife pulls the rug out from under him at business dinners. If you could go ahead and not do that, that'd be great. Meanwhile the kids have parties and problems at school which are never detailed so who really cares. I was trying to recall another movie about familial strife where the principles come off as completely spoiled and lacking in any expressions other than anger and sniveling. There are some but they're negligible too. The movie took a long time in an effort to try to go somewhere, albeit without success and hey, it must be over because the credits came on. Five stars conferred only for the quality acting.
Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend (1992)
Even Exploitation Can be Brilliant
I recall that Joe Bob Briggs picked this flick out as one of the best drive - in movies of the year, if not the best. JBB knows whereof he speaks, although I suppose the term " drive - in " means little to nothing to current audiences. This movie is a contemporary exploration into the pure alienation of a modern man and his efforts to integrate into a society that refuses to accommodate his needs and desires outside of a capitalist system that can only last as long as the cash does. The movie features some scenes of gyrating women in dishabille which initially seems like straight exploitation that will not significantly add to the story, but these shots ultimately prove to be strangely hypnotic images, especially when played against stark images of power lines and quickly moving ominous clouds. There's serious danger and implications of terror lurking underneath the surface of this painful dark comedy. This is a much more sophisticated offering than a lot of the recent high budget Hollywood stuff that gets off with a rave review because it's allegedly symbolic and darkly allegorical and everyone wants to act like they " get it " when there's really nothing to get. If there's a genre for existentialist comedy, then this movie should be at the top of the list.
Play for Today: Robin Redbreast (1970)
A Dark Bird
It's truly a sharp criticism of contemporary horror/ thriller style movies that when a good one is finally found, it's over 50 years old. Solidly written stories with strong characters and a compelling plot have been discarded in favor of gallons of blood and cheezy background sound effects. Interminable films aimed at and written by middle schoolers now dominate the alleged horror movie genre. This film starts off simmering and continues to boil until it reaches a fever pitch of suspense and terror. The steadily sure and brilliant hand of a capable director and crew, who hold the over the top in your face fervor at bay, is clearly evident. Instead, the presentation favors a subtle, yet increasingly powerful ambience of potent fear. All of this cinematic vigor is contained within limited settings and with minimal violence. The viewer will fill in the real fear with his own imagination. This film constitutes a vital component in the history of British cinema celebrating the legends and horror stories of their land. Recommended viewing.
Ted (2024)
Tud
I fell asleep near the end of the Chiefs - Dolphins game which was a lackluster affair ... a Florida team playing in minus 23 degree temps against a solid midwestern crew probably doesn't stand much of a chance anyway. I awoke to this " Ted " program which initially struck me as innocuous, if not funny, yet soon devolved into a tasteless, yet still consistently unfunny, smorgasbord of silly sophomoric slime. If you want topicality penned by fourth graders, then you're in luck. " Family Guy " is a good show, so stick to the 'toons, Seth. I realized at some point my subscription to Peacock for the night had amounted to a poor NFL presentation and an even worse sitcom or whatever you may wish to call this dreck. Wow, impressively subpar. The 8 out of 10 rating awarded to this mess can only be attributed to heavy drinking during the football game prior.
The Last Shift (2020)
Tone Shift
This is a character study of two different demographics, namely elderly white and youthful black. The acting is of such high caliber that I couldn't see this rather minor story having any impact whatsoever without them. Richard Jenkins is one of the most talented and versatile contemporary actors working today and that's not to diminish the rest of the cast. The actors are pros that have a rapport that translates well on screen. The problem with this film is that it seems to lose its identity at some point. It starts out rather darkly comedic based on the interplay of the two leads that are destined to be fast food workers and then takes an even darker dramatic turn that upsets the established premise rather than enhancing it. If the core of the screenplay is ultimately about race relations, then the arc of the story provides no relief or redemption in that regard, which is probably what the director intended. I feel as though I'm being taught a lesson that I'm not even very clear on, masked in an alleged entertainment venue. An ending that puts the viewer off balance can be powerful, however in this case, it's simply unsatisfying. The lure of this film is in the power of its actors.
Kekkô Kamen: Ribôn (2012)
Kekko Nekko
When I saw the blurb for this flick, I was too intrigued to pass it up. A nearly naked super heroine ( boots, gloves, cape and mask essentially ) ... this could be pure trashy sleaze or an original idea cloaked in an exploitative cover. Obviously it's not a concept that's probably gonna fly in America and if I deciphered the code correctly, the Japanese only required that a viewer be 15 years of age to watch, which certainly seems reasonable. This is not an " ogle the scantily clad young girl engaged in martial arts " film one might expect. Our hero has a bigger agenda, involving fairness and equality for her school sisters that draws us into her character, transcending puerile prurience and making us accept her skimpy costume as an integral and even necessary part of her presentation. She makes herself appear raw and vulnerable in order to reinforce her seemingly defenseless status. She wears her femininity as a badge of honor. Like one of the male teachers says, a nearly naked female attacker is a brilliant strategy when it comes to fighting men. Highly entertaining from start to finish.
Honeymoon of Horror (1964)
An Almost Romance
It's really too bad this flick couldn't have been a bit more coherent in its near pyschotronic ambience since many of the necessary sleazy cinematic components for a cult flick are intact. Slightly dulled but once vivid early 60's style color images, mediocre overacting, a southern locale and a story line that holds promise but can't quite bring the entire production into a focused and entertainingly low budget fun fest. The elements are there but the firm hand of the true 60's schlockmeister crew is noticeably absent, unfortunately. The movie starts off with turgid deliberation then seems to pick up some speed as it develops into a more compelling tale, but the barely sketched out multiple peripheral characters along with a convoluted plot line weigh down most of the scenario. I thought I might have discovered a neglected slice of trashy filmic flair that had been overlooked, but no such luck. I liked the story line involving a hedonistic, swinging artists collective that, while being a cool concept, never gets fully and properly exploited. At any rate, if you're into the 60's - 70's low budget genre, you'll likely wind up watching this by yourself because only a true aficionado will have the steely willpower of endurance required for full viewing.
Big Trouble (2002)
Marginal Entertainment
Ah, the day that " Pulp Fiction " was released, spawning a plethora of cinematic wannabes that could never quite hit the mark, including this star studded dud. This genre, made of dark humor with goofy hit men in semi-tropical locales, depends largely on the misplaced humor we feel when confronted with ostensibly tragic circumstances. Of course, there's also the burden of more characters than you even want to keep track of. The characters pile on early and often in this flick, then are often forgotten in a screenplay desperate to go somewhere, anywhere. The stars seem to be giving it their best shot but the film ultimately falls flatter than a Miami tortilla. Many of the scenes are episodic, played for laughs without actually invigorating or substantively connecting to the overall plot line. Ultimately, the climax plays like a Three Stooges bit although they're more convincing since the Stooge ethos is a kind of manic, constant insanity that is at least consistent with sustained humor based lunacy. You're in big trouble if you're expecting anything more than cinematic mediocrity from this one.
Keep Watching (2017)
Keep Watching ... Or Not.
The well worn premise here is about a home invasion with some unidentified invaders whose mysterious purpose becomes clearer over the course of the film, although chances are good you won't actually care because there's no significant investment in the character development of the victimized family. Looks like someone forgot to make us actually care about the defenseless parties here, thus undermining the whole concept. At some point you may find yourself pleading for mercy, not for the beleaguered family, rather for yourself, in order to conclude this protracted journey into horror cliche village. Of course, like any other contemporary alleged horror flick, everything takes place in dank darkness, implying that any natural 24 hour cycle of night and day no longer exists, adding to the overall artificiality of the ambience. There are some roughly sketched outlines, afterthoughts really, to create some melodrama among family members but you'll find yourself not giving a care. Brevity may enhance witticism but certainly not strong protagonists. The story hinges heavily on high tech devices and their relationship to current cultural developments, possibly a commentary on our narcissistic society, but chances are yawns will prevail over any significant sociological analysis. This is a movie where we click our tongues in disapproval at the voyeur's views of the half naked nubile maiden via hidden camera while simultaneously fully participating in the salacious skin show as entertainment. Apparently all we can do in the 21st Century is to .... keep watching.
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)
Insipidness
As I recall, I thought the first " Insidious " was pretty good, but like with most horror franchises, steady deterioration is to be expected until the popularity of a series is built on nothing more than a title that may have had some positive connotations at some point in time but is now bereft of any quality that justifies its longevity. I don't remember seeing " Insidious 2 or 3 " at all but I don't know if that's because I didn't see them or that they were forgettable, but I'll defer to the former for the sake of fairness. Since this story is ostensibly " horror " , everything takes place in the dark as is the current trend in this genre, however, the tale is literally as well as figuratively obscure, which may be by design, to mask the enormous failings of the production that would only worsen upon illumination. The premise of astral projection is a big component here yet not necessarily in a logical or coherent fashion. The A P factor seems to be jammed in for an ostensibly novel approach while seeming mostly disjointed. For example, our protagonist, young Dalton, goes to a frat party, slides into AP trance and meets with a vomiting frat house zombie who apparently partied too much, blowing groceries all over Dalton, which then conveniently disappears upon return to to normal mode. Caught in Nick the Dick's room, Dalton and girlfriend Chris have to think fast to escape before being brutalized by the violent frat house contingent. Later Dalton remembers that some answer to a question was partially revealed by puke zombie and decides to go back for more info. The duo gets caught again, which should guarantee frat boy vengeance but nothing happens at all. Dalton and Chris are a bi-racial couple, with implications of a discriminatory, hateful vibe from the frat pack yet the scene ends ridiculously unresolved. Not only that, but I thought Astral Projection could be done remotely, so what's with the return to the scene of the crime. Another scene involves Dalton projecting his spectral self into his girlfriend's room to play the melodica. Why don't you just ask to borrow it, dude or better yet just get one for your own, for protection from Covid if nothing else. I cite these scenes as examples of the consistently half baked approach that plagues this entire feature. Mercifully, someone finally turns up the stage lights to end this dank ill conceived misadventure. Maybe with time, the characters' further ventures into A P could warn us of the impending schlock that may haunt future sequels.
Cold Pursuit (2019)
Lukewarm At Best
Hey, here we go again with Liam Neeson as a vengeful father going on a rampage, so what else is new. Neeson's kid gets offed right out of the chute and that's too bad because the lack of proper character development means we don't care. Speaking of characters, the movie has a strange habit of abruptly inserting players into the action who seem initially significant but are later forgotten or show up randomly for an oddly confusing narrative. In the beginning of the story, killer dad's systematic tracking of the perps makes some sense, however, in keeping with the scattered and slapdash sensibility of the screenplay, eventually Neeson simply appears at critical junctures without explanation. Actually, this entire production requires a cheat sheet of sorts to create some context as to WTH is going on. Bloody bodies and dark motives abound yet sometimes appear to be presented in wacky satire mode like a Tarantino wannabe. The wrap up will leave you stunned by its inanity. Nice Canadian landscape cinematography , so its got that going for it, otherwise this cold dish of silliness can be tossed from the film fridge like a rancid pimento loaf.
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Dead Asleep, May Rise During Closing Credits
If you've seen this story once, you've seen it a million times. Yep, the titular dead that are evil and stuff are on the rampage again, and after a few familial characters are hastily and vaguely sketched out, they start getting hassled by the demonic presence or whatever. Of course they're stuck in a place they can't leave ( thus cutting costs for multiple locations ) and are then subjected to vomiting and bleeding and screaming and the usual ostensibly horrifying spook house effects and noises. After a couple of hours of brutality, one may begin to wonder where the other story threads went ... like the pregnant sister/ guitar tech/ groupie dilemma and abandoned mom's search for a new apartment as well as her missing husband. It seems the trouble starts when one of the kids plays a Zeppelin or Judas Priest or Perry Como album backwards that he found in a hole after an earthquake and brother, that's all it takes for the bowels of the earth to open up and spew venom in the form of some vaguely defined yet evil entity that " isn't governed by the rules of man. "
Euphoria (2019)
Euphonia
This series has a lot going for it in terms of acting and cinematography, however, the characters are non substantive and superficially sketched out. Their personalities appear to be limited to those of self absorbed vampires that voraciously consume drugs and sensuality. The soundtrack is usually as vapid as the protagonists. Perhaps that was an intentional ploy to reflect the post modern brave new world where everyone is a candidate for pharmaceutically driven dream states that transcend normal limitations of waking and sleeping and the only real experience that pervades the cloud of intoxication is sex or sex related acts performed under a synthetic non poetic background drone. The players drift like phantoms in a generally well designed series of interiors. The blood and bodily fluids function as gesturally intrusive brush marks on an other wise pristine canvas. This teenage dystopia presents the frequently under age sex and substance abuse simultaneously as a lure and a repellent. Either way, you're probably gonna keep on watching.
OK, so that review was after the first season. The characters start to get fleshed out ( and get their flesh out as usual ) in the second season. However, the cinematography is absolutely stunning at points and actual music is employed in the soundtrack as opposed to the sonic debris that dominates the initial season. The high school play that kills a couple of episodes could have been compacted and the entirety of this program could have been compressed into a single season, but I have to say it's not exactly like anything I've seen before.
To Leslie (2022)
Leslie is More
Undoubtedly at this point in your experience as a cineaste, you've been served a heaping dollop of films about addiction, most of which were likely cliche ridden and heavy handed. Chances are that upon reading the storyline for this film you will be struck by the sensation that this subject matter is something that you've seen before and don't need to delve into yet again. However, those tales did not feature the formidable talents of Andrea Riseborough along with a similarly impressive cast and crew. If you've ever had a friend or family member that was an alcoholic, her performance will make you cringe with recognition as does the social circle that surrounds her, alternating between exasperation, empathy and the often futile effort to resolve the attendant truckloads of problems that plague everyone involved. Although a return to sobriety is not always in the cards, shreds of hope remain and even the stark and lonely landscapes of small town America may ultimately hold a promise of redemption.
Succession (2018)
Suck Session
Sorry about the title, it wasn't that bad but I wouldn't categorize as good either. I gave it a " 6 " because I only watched a few episodes, which is unfair and I'm not primed for enduring several seasons based on what I've seen so far, but based on that, I would say more like a rating of " 5 " would be adequate. Brian Cox is a terrific actor although the rest of the cast are completely unknown to me. My family and friends recommended this show with unbridled enthusiasm although I've gotta say most recommendations in my experience are hit or miss. First of all, this family is so wealthy, I can't really relate to them. The crew seems comprised of sniveling, avaricious parasites, who, while bantering in an ostensibly humorous mode of sardonic sarcasm, are apparently somehow made more palatable because they're so damn entertaining. Nah, didn't like any of them and felt sorry for the employee that kept getting exploited. Mean spirited humor works only occasionally, usually when it's so vitriolic and witty that it's actually funny. I'm willing to admit that it's possible that I just don't get it but maybe when I become more sophisticated, assuming that ever happens, I'll try again.
The Son (2022)
The Schlub
If your idea of entertainment is watching a petulant adolescent moan and whine for a couple of hours, then you're in luck. " The Son " could be more aptly titled " The Sulk" as our central character pouts and wears his alienated adolescent psychodrama on his sleeve while being unable or unwilling to verbalize exactly what is bugging him ( which appears to be based on little or nothing considering his high end New York City lifestyle ) so that we have to play detective in order to figure out what the kid's issue is. The problem, however, is that there's no aspect of this melodrama engaging enough to make us care. The titular character is relentlessly annoying and vague. Clearly, depression is a serious issue, but a little illumination or insight may have provided the story line some with some compelling complexity as opposed to the bludgeoning endured under this one note script. How fine actors like Jackman and Dern got roped into this pity festival is anybody's guess. Like " The Whale ", persons with significant personality dysfunction in current culture have morphed into entertainment icons simply by virtue of their grandiose mental disorders. Maudlin is the motif here, so have fun.
A Man Called Otto (2022)
OUGHT'NT
If it wasn't for the fine acting of Hanks and Trevino, this movie would seriously be like a " 3 " based on its hackneyed, ephemeral script and overall lack of any semblance to reality in the 21st Century. Yeah, maybe a little Hallmarky escapism is cool once in a while but this flick is frequently annoyingly cloying in its overdone and unbelievable sentimentality. Hanks has lost his wife and child and hit retirement age, which propels his new found hobby of trying to commit suicide. As the movie drags on, you might find yourself hoping he succeeds in order to end the misery. Heavily intrusive syrupy pop music throughout at high volumes helps hammer home each sappy scene like an iron mallet. Yeah, so anyway, Otto is a real tactless jerk which makes him so adorable no one can resist him. In reality, the neighbors would have been eager to assist the ostensibly evil land developers that appear sporadically in a subplot to actively aid in getting rid of this irritating bee-otch. No one gets left out of the steamrolling woke-osity as the demographic correctness includes heavy dollops of Afro-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Trans- Americans and the elderly. Of course, Otto is a curmudgeon probably because he's an old white guy, but, in a rather abrupt transformation, suddenly sees the error of his way and comes around to save the world in a cliched turn you can see coming as soon as the opening credits conclude. Speaking of AUTO, lots of product placement from Chevrolet and minor contributions from Ford, Toyota and BMW, portrayed here as the German Car of Satan! This movie has been done a thousand times and you OTTO check out some of the better ones like maybe the original.
Love Me Deadly (1972)
Baby's in Black
Mary Wilcox, as Lindsay Finch, is a west coast girl who enjoys the new found sexual freedom afforded to modern womanhood, which is, however, a mixed blessing for the dudes she's drawn to since she likes her men like she likes her household pests, namely dead. Mary is an attractive blond who paints the town black in her mourning attire, seemingly unable to get enthusiastic over anyone with a pulse until she meets Alex Martin played by Lyle Waggoner ( of the Carol Burnette Show ). At that point the motif of the film becomes more of a " Love American Style " presentation, promising the hope of young love, yet undermined by occasional hints of Lindsay's repressed necrophilic tendencies. She appears to be on the road to recovery until she sees an ambulance pass by and her eyes widen in anticipatory glee, realizing that something may still be amiss. Unable to get it on with Alex, she is drawn into a crew that initiates her into a death/ sex ritual cult, where she finally succeeds in getting her non mainstream sensual desires fulfilled, like having her ashes hauled while skipping the crematorium, however Alex stumbles into the plan and decides the whole necromancy thing needs to come to a halt already. Alex can't stand the idea of losing his true love, especially to a dead guy. The leads, if not necessarily great actors, bring a certain verve to their roles, creating largely sympathetic characters that flesh out a compelling story line. The film has a made-for-TV style quality which feels just right for this production. Somewhere out there on a slab, Lindsay's future sweetheart is toe tagged for a tryst.
The Whale (2022)
Leaving Pocatello
The movie starts with our corpulent protagonist, The Whale, flogging his dolphin to gay porn when a door to door religious brochure distributor bursts in unannounced. Well, that's kinda wacky but that's all the comic relief your gonna get. A nurse shows up a few minutes later and there you have the three main characters in what essentially amounts to a filmed play. The main role is played brilliantly by Brendan Fraser and the supporting cast is top notch as well, however, we can see early on that this grim descent into self destruction is only going to accelerate with a relentlessly sullen tone. The Whale seems to revel in his obesity, seeking the costars to concur with his self assessment that he's disgusting, so most agree in order to satisfy his masochistic tendencies which are as gargantuan as his girth. He's a one man 24/7 pity party and there's always refreshments served however there may not be enough for you. Could someone hand this dude a 5 pound barbell instead of a foot long sub, PLEASE! The characters, oddly enough, don't seem all that well fleshed out despite the massively melodramatic milieu, existing more or less as reference points relative to the Whale's pathetic condition ( which could possibly be improved with a modicum of self determination). Apparently we're being " shamers " if we consider our main man anything other than a hopeless fat victim deserving of consolation. The nearly constant rainy weather ( the only real reference to the world outside ) helps pound home the gloom factor. Nothing much really happens although at one point, Whaley's ex-wife refers to their daughter as evil and I was like here we go, cool, some demons and stuff, but no, it was more like typical commentary from a parent about a teenage kid. You may not feel like eating at all after this two hour safari into sadness.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Everybody Was Kung Fu Versin'
Essentially an hallucinogenic king fu style action film with a sci- fi subtext that features some funny bits and cool effects that's good for most of the movie despite having a full running length of nearly two and a half hours. Grasshopper, meet Buck Rogers for a mostly creative although ultimately slightly exhausting excursion into a series of interplays among simultaneous time portals where flaccid as well as more substantive marital aids, along with a lot of other stuff, is weaponized, only to be wrapped up within a typically melodramatic family style conclusion, like an Asian Hallmark flick on acid. Of course, the inclusion of minorities and a gay family member no doubt bolstered this film as a winner at the Oscars, and there were probably some other popular trendy cultural variations tossed in at rapid speed that escaped my view. This flick is a visually intriguing and well acted update on the martial arts genre that will likely get its creators audited.
The Menu (2022)
Baloney on Wry
This is a half baked casserole that could have been saved from the steel jaws of the disposal if properly prepared. Like so so many contemporary films, the viewer may relish the initial stew of spicy dialog, a tasty narrative mix and flavorful characters only to find that the potent soup soon devolves in a quasi-surrealist miasma of spoiled leftovers. ( You may want to consider " The Exterminating Angel " from 1962 if you're looking for a dadaist dinner party grotesquerie ) . The 21st Century trend is to write a semi-saga and then go all Samuel Beckett or something when the idea is exhausted .... ( see prior Luis Bunuel reference for the real thing. ) At any rate, apparently Big Chef Ralph Fiennes is getting his vengeance on a variety of evil doers which includes a critic that gave him a bad review and an actor that was in a bad movie and perhaps someone who previously farted at the dinner table. Wow, he might have lost his mind even sooner if he had to sit through this self indulgent slice of cinematic silliness. However, Hong Chau is choice as the condescendingly pleasant waitress and Anya Taylor-Joy rips up the screen with her relentless charisma as usual but, hey, you can't make filet mignon out of spam.
Side Effects (2013)
Side Effects Include Drowsiness
Warning, this film may induce sleep as your find yourself being taken along a story line that ultimately doesn't really make much sense. The good doctor Jude Law, in spite of getting an advanced degree in medicine, never develops enough common sense to retain an attorney while he babbles to the cops as well as a lawyer representing the mother of the deceased man for whose death he may ultimately bear some culpability. How about the pharmaceutical company's liability or did they retroactively void their responsibility with the advent of the Rona Vax? Anyway, after gaining notoriety for prescribing a med that caused the death of his patient's husband, complete with follow up paparazzi and bad press, Dr Doofus continues to remain as the psychiatrist in charge of his patient while she is jailed for murder. What? Maybe the judge and counsel for the venue weren't watching the news. There's a potential conspiracy here and apparently only the doctor, despite his lack of awareness regarding potential legal entanglements caused by his loose lip, has the sleuthing skills to suss out. The movie starts out with an anti Big Pharma vibe but subsequently develops into a morass of nonsensical melodrama, despite the presence of high end actors. Whether Zeta-Jones is a good actor or not seems somewhat irrelevant considering how good she looks and you gotta take your enjoyment where you find it in this soporific soaper. I suggest a second opinion before you try to swallow this bitter pill.
Agony of Love (1966)
Lust for Sale or Rent
I had been looking for this movie for a long time and as of last year ( 2022 ) finally bought a VHS copy. I was a fan of Pat Barrington for a variety of reasons including the fact that she was from North Carolina and was a stripper/ dancer here in the Washington DC area before heading to Hollywood, plus I find the less successful actors to frequently have more compelling back stories. She was married to a local musician who later turned out to be a serial killer, so I recommend that you check out that shocking saga. 1966 was an interesting year for movies and this film reflects a dark and noirish sensibility seemingly typical of (s)exploitation films of the mid-sixties, just a year before the " summer of love " when vibrant psychedelic colors became a trend in film and culture. Pat Barrington looks great despite ( or due to ) heavy hair and make-up, resembling a sort of poor man's Elizabeth Taylor. The film has some good bits including the psychiatrist visits, the hallucinatory sequences and stark urban cinematography. The interior shots are well staged, exuding a seedily enticing sleaze factor and a tawdry, black and white esthetic. The film is unfortunately undermined by dubbing, especially the moaning and laughing during the " sex " scenes which actually makes them somewhat laughable and they're fairly dull to begin with. During this era, sex apparently involved fully clothed men with women sporting panties and high heels. Speaking of that, you'll find more hard core scenes in current fare offered on cable and apps. I understand the director had to get to the nudity quickly in order to meet the grindhouse requirements which may have unfortunately necessitated abandoning a potentially complex psychological study of the main character. Some have claimed that this film may be the inspiration or source material for the more well regarded " Belle de Jour " created a year later. Of course in the end, our sensual adventuress must be sacrificed ultimately for her moral decisions, thus maintaining an iconic archetype of inherently immoral seductresses that has been a recurring theme since Adam & Eve or even Adam & Lilith.