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Greener Grass (2019)
Kind of like an extended Mad TV skit
This film is not strictly "surreal," as I've seen it referenced. Eraserhead is the most surreal film I can think of in the past fifty years. But Greener Grass is not Eraserhead, even if it touches on some of the same themes.
Not that much happens in the script. If you mapped out the plot, it would be pretty anticlimactic, but that's a quality I think is of value in today's high-octane social media environment. I do think audiences need to remember to be intellectual creatures, not just apes, and that intellectual patience is an important ingredient in sustaining high-quality art as a "thing." To that end, I really appreciated Greener Grass. Any time a writer goes outside the mainstream and takes a risk on something that's a little off-key, I instantly am interested, with my full attention.
Without getting too long-winded, I would like to say that I appreciated the colors of the backdrop and what they represented. I appreciated the concept of the main character, aptly named Jill, struggling with her role and wanting to embrace imperfection. I really do feel wholeheartedly that this is a timely theme worthy of dissection. I wish I had been able to feel a little more depth in the characters. I think the writers/directors perhaps struggled with what they'd created. It felt like a gag, almost, rather than a fully developed story. And it made it difficult, ultimately, to make these doll-like characters three-dimensional humans.
I do have another criticism, which I will phrase in the form of a question. Why did Jill's attempt to embrace imperfection require her to kidnap a black child? I leave that question open because perhaps I missed something, perhaps I'm being judgmental, etc. I'm not sure.
Overall, I did laugh a few times (e.g., "Native American giving) and I think it's worthy of viewing. At least it's trying to do something unexpected, something risky. That earns my respect.
The Other Lamb (2019)
Written by a woman, directed by a woman, about women
I'm a little disturbed that The Other Lamb has a 5.3 rating here on IMDB when some of the tripe that gets 7 or 8 stars is full of graphic misogynistic sex and violence. I know many of the most prolific users who review here are offended at the idea of raising something on a concept something like affirmative action, but in this case, it's a well-written, well-directed film with a mindfulness for visual beauty as well as a regard for macabre interpersonal relations between the genders based on a female's usefulness to men, or a man. I personally appreciated that aspect, as well as the outcome for that man, though I might have appreciated seeing him beaten and torn apart by his subjects even if I realize it's a bit impolite and off-color. Please forgive me for my crudeness, I beg.
Run (2020)
Totally silly thriller in the early '90s fashion
I was taken by the first twenty minutes of this film. I might say I was even taken by the first 35 minutes of the film. I was looking forward to some realistic human drama (not melodrama) that was subtle, authentic, at the very least believable if not eloquent. After all, the stuff we learn in the first third of the movie actually happens in real life. We've all heard a variety of disturbing news stories about such things.
However, though the acting is perfectly good, the writing is just cheap and disappointing. It reminds me of dumb, melodramatic (and pretty much all misogynistic) thrillers of the '90s, in the vein of Malice, Fatal Attraction, Final Analysis, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, etc. I don't know why it has such high ratings. It's not just a cheap thrill, it's complete and utter tripe.
Darling (2015)
Has a strong Repulsion feel with great acting
This movie is heavily Polanski-esque with a little bit of Hitchcock and Lynch as well, but I think it's a great effort. The acting especially was excellent. Lauren Ashley Carter had to hold down the film with very little to play off of, and she did an exceptional job, in my opinion. She was totally believable and creepy and crazy and all the things we wanted her to be in this role.
Darling reminded me especially of Polanski's Repulsion with the same kind of walls-coming-alive stuff. The themes of Darling also are similar to Repulsion., which might be why some ... ahem ... other (read: male) reviewers struggled with this movie.
This is definitely a thinking person's type of horror movie, where all the answers are not going to be presented on a silver platter, but the information/clues are all there if you're paying attention.
Some things are overdone; for instance, there are just a few too many sped-up shots of "Darling" staring, catatonic, down the hall. But the movie as a whole is short and sweet and keeps you engaged.
Depraved (2019)
Character-driven, psychologically taut, modern-day Frankenstein
I agree with the user who said that the title of this movie is terrible. It truly is awful, and it doesn't at all represent the quality of the movie itself. Also, like Frankenstein, while this movie does have horror attributes, it's more a psychological thriller (also like Frankenstein) about humans as monsters.
The writing is quite decent, my favorite lines being Polidori's. He is a strong portrayal of a narcissist with antisocial personality disorder. Nothing is ever his fault, and the way that plays out in the dialogue is subtle and clever. Liz was another interesting character. She supports her Henry to the ends of the earth, participating without thought in unspeakable acts.
Adam, like Frankenstein's monster, is the least evil of all of the main characters. He's a product of his makers, and nothing more.
I have a few criticisms, but my main one is that the ending sequence could have been shorter. It got a little verbose there for a moment, and it wasn't necessary. Nevertheless, Depraved definitely is a cut above the competition.
Black Fly (2014)
Reminds me of '90s indie dramas but with poorer acting
There's definitely a decent story here, and pretty strong character development. It wasn't at all boring, in my opinion. The rising tension is done effectively, and we believe every decision each character makes. Also, the ending was appropriate and not overly contrived.
It did at times, however, feel like the actors were kind of *playing* at being country bumpkins with a tough start in life. That is, the acting didn't feel entirely authentic. The actress who plays Paula, for example, went way over the top with the melodrama. I was rolling my eyes at her a little by the end. I felt similar about the actor who played Noel. Just a little too much screaming and kicking when a bit more subtlety would have been much more effective.
It made me think of the movie Affliction, an indie drama from (I believe, without checking) the '90s, starring Nick Nolte and Sissy Spacek. It's the same kind of themes but much better acting. Anyway, Black Fly is a decent watch even if it's a bit forgettable.
The Alchemist Cookbook (2016)
A strong, disturbing portrayal of mental illness
The acting in the movie was truly excellent. It's sort of an actor's dream--roles that require a whimsical spirit willing to risk looking silly or maniacal to play them authentically. Also, the theme/premise, a young isolated man who at the beginning of the story has his mental illness barely under control with medication, is gripping, if something that we as a society instinctively look away from. It was admittedly difficult to stay tuned. I had the instinct to stop it a few times. But I stuck with it.
The reason I didn't rate it higher is because the structure was flawed. And I'm echoing others with this criticism. The pacing was slow, and there were more than a couple superfluous scenes/sequences that could have been pared down or cut altogether. But for fans of the dark and disturbing, it's a gripping experience.
The Sacrament (2013)
Not the best cult film of the past ten years
Though it was made several years later, I am firm in the belief that Midsommar is the best cult film inspired by these past ten years. Nevertheless, The Sacrament hits some strong, true notes about the power of persuasion and how natural it is for people who are down and out to become brainwashed to the point where they're allowing their infant to be fatally poisoned even as they hold her in their arms. I liked also the portrayal of the subtlety of imprisonment in a situation like this, where no one can or will help you because you have allowed yourself to be boxed in.
The main issue I had with this movie is Father's suicide. From his behavior throughout the movie and especially the moments when he expresses his viewpoints, we learn that he is a delusional, psychopathic narcissist. I don't have the data in front of me, but delusional narcissistic conmen typically will not kill themselves after murdering all of their blind followers. They will pick up their pieces, steal whatever money is left, start over somewhere else under an assumed Identity, and do the whole thing over again. I don't understand the choice to have him kill himself except possibly for dramatic effect. But the scenes toward the end were harrowing, and the portrayal of cult culture was believable and disturbing.
Shuttle (2008)
Longer than it needs to be and annoyingly misleading
I liked the ultimate message of this film. The way the story resolved was evocative relative to the glacial pace of the development of that story. Why did they make it so long?
The focus of scenes is on one acute struggle after another, as if suspense is the only important factor. Yes, I was in suspense, but I also was frustrated. The characters repeatedly make terrible, sometimes illogical decisions that keep them embroiled in a struggle they could've ended. Even the villains do things that make no sense. If your entire operation is your livelihood, why would you risk it creating more overt chaos to catch a victim who nearly has gotten away? The answer is: to keep the story trundling toward its bleak conclusion. That's why I found myself just plain annoyed that they didn't approach this subject in a totally different manner. I felt for the characters at the end, but the power of it also felt unearned. The focus should have been on the subjugation of the victims from early on rather than their action-filled fight to escape their captor.
Tilt (2017)
Falling Down, but for Over-Privileged People Who Hate Adulting
I saw one critic reference Taxi Driver in his review of Tilt, and while I see some slight resemblance there, there were more moments in this film that reminded me of Falling Down, a '90s movie in which a man, played by Michael Douglas, has lost his job as an engineer and is on a downward spiral toward irrational violence and self-destruction.
In this movie, the protagonist, Joseph Burns, a thirty-something indie documentary-maker who experienced marginal success with his previous film, is currently jobless to make time to work on his next film, which seems to be on the same path of mediocrity as the first. The only problem is his wife, Joanne, who is in medical school and working/studying almost constantly, is pregnant. Joseph is provided an opportunity to work full-time as an assistant editor, and at first he rejects the opportunity. But when Joanne angrily pleads with him to stick to the agreement they had, that he would work once she was in medical school, he agrees to interview for the job.
In the meantime, Joseph apparently has been on a secret road to insanity since (at least) the couple's vacation in Hawaii. Obsessed with economic stratification (the topic of his documentary-in-progress), he becomes increasingly interested in the idea of lording power over those perceived as weak (a homeless man, a stray dog). It's ironic and interesting, as it was in Falling Down, or even in the satirical movie, American Psycho. What's missing in this movie is ... well, anything resembling a reason for us to sympathize with Joseph.
In Falling Down, we sympathize with the protagonist because those of us who have experienced the terror of having no income, no financial security, understand how it can fray the ends of sanity in the worst moments. Even in American Psycho, though we don't exactly sympathize with the protagonist, we laugh at him--we're meant to laugh at him because he's ridiculous and absurd.
In Tilt, Joseph and Joanne, a couple of Millennials, live in a lovely little house with a backyard and a separate workspace next door where Joseph can play with his little movie-making gadgets. They eat health-food, which they don't appear to struggle paying for. At the start of the movie, they are just returning from a vacation in Hawaii. Joseph has the ability to get a good job with benefits, but he thinks having a job merely to pay the rent is degrading to him as an artist. He despises those more financially privileged than he is. In fact, in one scene in roughly the middle of the movie, he subtly threatens a rich, older tourist, who drives an expensive convertible, at a scenic overlook.. He hates the rich and wants to eat the poor. What in the world is it that Joseph stands for, anyway?
Perhaps the problem is that Joseph is not merely an individual character but a representation of a cultural phenomenon--a generation of people, now coming into middle-age, who were raised to believe that in adulthood they would be independently wealthy, perpetually vacationing in Bora Bora. Joanne's friend Kendra calls him out: "Welcome to adulthood," she says. Indeed, Kendra, indeed.
Ultimately, Tilt is lost somewhere between what I believe the writers meant to achieve and the sheer, self-pitying emptiness of their protagonist's psychological struggles. My psychological struggles watching this movie were in believing Joseph, the ineffectual but socially well-adjusted geek, as a foreboding predator capable of horrific acts. Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) goes violently insane because he's socially awkward and anachronistic in a time of cultural revolution. Joseph Burns goes violently insane because he doesn't want to work to pay the bills, because having a comfortable home, a good job, and a loving family is below him, apparently.
Snowtown (2011)
An artful and deeply disturbing depiction of real, horrific crimes
Though this film is eleven years old, in the context of what's popular in 2022, it struck me first and foremost that this film is wonderfully nuanced and artful. An example is the moment when Jamie is outside the house, murder and torture being committed inside, and he glances at some children across the street, running toward home through the rain with their bikes--a symbol of his lost innocence. He knows he has passed the point of no return. It's a subtle but tragic moment that I'm not sure the majority of viewers would appreciate in the current cinematic climate.
The acting in this film is artful, as is the writing. I wasn't aware until the end that it was based on the real Australian serial killer John Justin Bunty. Like so many evil, violent psychopaths, his prolific success was not based so much on intelligence, as I'm not sure he's very much above-average intelligence, but on the cooperation of others who enabled his crimes. In this case, his enablers all lived and were raised in a ghetto in southern Australia, which lends them some of our sympathy. Domestic violence and rape seem to be par for the course in this section of Adelaide. Jamie is the primary example, as he is not only forced into child pornography by one of his mother's boyfriends but he's also raped by his older brother seemingly on a regular basis.
Nevertheless, we as moralistic citizens understand that experiencing abuse does not entitle a person to commit violent crimes against others. The people involved in these crimes are portrayed in the film as weak in spirit, even tired, exhausted, unable to stand up for themselves in the face of even the worst evil in Australia. The film portrays this aspect of the characters, especially Jamie, the protagonist, with sympathetic but stern judgment.
This movie is not for the faint of heart, but if you're in the mood for some deeply disturbing excellence, give it a whirl.
Open 24 Hours (2018)
An exercise in mediocre misogyny
I found the first third of this film suspenseful, if a little predictable in terms of characterization and setting. She's a quiet young woman named Mary from a small town. She's been through an ordeal--she set her serial killer boyfriend, who purportedly made her watch him kill young women, on fire, presumably to prevent him from killing more victims. She served time for this crime. We're told through various interactions and individual scenes that she is mentally ill, plagued by invasive memories and hallucinations stemming from the trauma she suffered with her now imprisoned ex-boyfriend.
Though I found both the writing and the premise fairly blah, I was fully on Mary's side. I wanted her to persevere, even as each of her allies is murdered one by one. Further, her serial killer ex-boyfriend, whom she has seen her first night on her new job at a 24-hour gas station/convenience store, has apparently escaped from prison due to a power outage (speaking of convenience!). We, the viewers, are not entirely certain of who's murdering whom until the pivotal scene when he murders Mary's heroic (RE: Mary is a damsel in distress) parole officer, who's trying to rescue her.
Throughout the interactions with the ex-boyfriend we now know is real, he continuously accuses Mary of liking his kills, of enjoying watching him do it. Mary of course denies this, her lower lip trembling at the suggestion. We believe Mary because we like her. We're rooting for her, of god's sake. Why in the world would anyone react so genuinely to all this carnage if she didn't mean what she says? Why would she try to KILL her ex-boyfriend if she really loved him? Indeed, why would she have set him on fire and served time as a result? We the viewers do not waver for a moment. Mary is innocent, a good person. The ex-boyfriend is an evil psychopath and delusional narcissist.
There's the obligatory cat and mouse chase, and it's suspenseful. We're not entirely sure who's going to come out on top, but we definitely want Mary to triumph and finally escape her torrid past. Indeed, some struggle and four dead people later, Mary gets the upper hand and impales her one-dimensional but tenacious and evil ex-boyfriend on some deer antlers. Then, after he appears to be dead, Mary passes out on the convenience store floor ... for like six hours, a cop car with blinking lights and a dead cop in it sitting quietly in the otherwise empty parking lot for the whole time.
This is where this mediocre film lost me.
Mary wakes up suddenly. The ex-boyfriend whose death we cheered is gone, mysteriously. All the other dead bodies presumably remain where they were when Mary decided to take a long nap. Mary gets up, notices that the ex-boyfriend she thought she'd killed the previous night has oddly vanished. She doesn't seem terribly bothered. She walks out of the convenient store, passes the blinking cop car with the dead cop's exploded head matter all over the windows, and heads off into the sunset. Without calling the police. Also note no MORE cops have shown up to check on their pal, which is a little hard to swallow.
Cut to Mary, some time later, at a new job in a hair salon. It's after closing, as there are no customers, no other employees, and the lights are down. Mary is sweeping up hair. There's tense music. Mary turns. THE EVIL EX-BOYFRIEND IS STANDING THERE, NOT DEAD. The End.
I chewed on this ending for a bit, because it was not what I expected at all, which of course can sometimes be quite welcome. However, in this case, I was left with a lot of logic questions, such as, who the hell would hire her after all of that? Oh, well maybe it was all in her head, but that doesn't make sense because then why would she be at a new job instead of the original one? Why wouldn't the director somehow indicate that it was all in her head? No, it probably wasn't all in her head.
After some head shaking, the conclusion I came to was that Mary ran away and took an alias somewhere else because ... and here's the most irritating part ... she DOES actually enjoy watching her evil ... no longer ... ex-boyfriend? ... kill people! Ha! She was NEVER a damsel in distress, and look at how many people died as a result of her denials! She DID enjoy it. She just couldn't admit it, and her poor evil murderous serial killer ex-boyfriend with the burn scars was telling the truth all a long. It's a game they play. He kills people, Mary watches and enjoys it, and then she gets to play victim. What a terrible person that Mary is. Huh. We were duped. Damsel in distress my foot!
This conclusion I drew made me angry, and I started to feel that the whole entire movie was an exercise in misogyny cuz, you know, a complex and duplicitous vixen like Mary could really screw a guy's mind up. Maybe the boyfriend wasn't even a psychopathic murderer before he met Mary. Maybe she just manipulated the whole thing with her super smart man-hating brain just to mess him over. Who knows what happens in a lying little wench's head.
In summation, I hate the ending of this movie very much. Also, I will not be watching anymore of this director's stuff.
The Ice Cream Truck (2017)
Worth a watch
I don't write reviews for every movie I watch because I watch a lot of them and gems are rare, which is why they're gems. This film might not be a gem, but it certainly is not a waste of time. It might not have boobs and butt and wall-to-wall blood and guts, but then, perhaps there is more to the horror genre than one misogynistic perspective. This film makes a not entirely original observation about the suburbs and suburb living as well as the tragedy of aging and the loss of innocence as the responsibility of adulthood weighs heavily. It's also ABOUT A WOMAN and doesn't center maleness as the final word on everything. In fact, without spoiling the end, the female protagonist has the final word. In my opinion, though it's not doing anything entirely original and is somewhat derivative, it's much better than a lot of the tripe out there.
Trauma (2017)
Gratuitous sexual violence
The premise of the movie is strong, and the overall production is good, but while I'm fairly desensitized to graphic violence, the rape scene was sickening, excruciatingly long, and unnecessarily graphic. The direction of the scene doesn't waver in terms of the brutality and that the women are tragic victims; nevertheless, I felt it was over the top to a point that I had to ask why.
The introductory scene of Juan as a young man, which also is the opening scene of the film, also was intensely disturbing. I'm on the fence as to whether it was gratuitous or not. I know the Chilean revolution of the '70s was exceptionally brutal and violent, so perhaps it's necessary thematically. I don't think viewers from the United States are willing to tolerate that level of visceral, grotesque brutality on the screen, however.
The film is overall very dark and difficult to tolerate at times, in my opinion, and I sort of wish I hadn't watched it.
The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)
Read the book first, still loved the movie.
So I read the book a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. A unique take on a zombie story--the sentient zombie. I don't remember the book in detail, so when I saw this movie yesterday, it felt pretty fresh. Therefore, I won't compare the two. The movie is well produced and does the story and themes justice. Top-notch acting. The little-girl protagonist (and actress) is totally great. A story about what life and free will truly mean. A hundred percent engrossing from the opening credits (amazing theme music by the way) even if you know where it's going. Also, Glenn Close--where the hell has she been?--is wondrous. She was a lovely surprise in the casting. Overall, a very entertaining movie and a wonderful addition to the zombie genre.
It Comes at Night (2017)
Lots of good stuff here
First of all, the low ratings of this movie generally seem to be from people who went into it expecting to be dazzled by a gory horror movie, which isn't at all what this is. This is an artistically rendered film about human nature, especially when under duress. I came away from it haunted and sad. It's not a movie you watch to cheer yourself up, but it's well done and its overarching message is disturbing but also true: Despite our gift for higher reasoning, we fundamentally are animals of survival like every other creature on the planet.
My main issue--and I didn't have many--with this movie was the way the female characters were portrayed. The older woman, Sarah, is a key character--she could've been the central character--but she wasn't given many lines aside from expressions of distress and exasperation--and the camera often finds her in the peripheral view. The younger woman, Kim, is traditionally sexy, "pretty," flirty, and cute. And the film is so generous as to let us hear her have a breathy orgasm. Ultimately, between the two female characters, we get to experience Madonna-Whore in real-time, which YES is a little bit offensive. However, I think it's just a case of a dude not knowing how to write three-dimensional women, or at the very least wanting to write three-dimensional women and struggling with it.
This is absolutely a male-centric film, which is fine, but it could've been stronger if the female characters were more three-dimensional.
Overall, 24 hours later, I'm still haunted by this movie. Strong story, haunting imagery, deft acting, fairly skillful writing. It's not uplifting, but it has depth and import, especially in these precarious times. This movie shows us one very possible realization of our future.
Children of Men (2006)
Timely story
Not only is this movie a superb piece of work--superior acting, writing, directing--but its message is timeless. Everyone should see it, particularly at this dubious moment in history. I'm ashamed to say that I haven't read the book, and I have avoided it because I love the movie so much, and the book versions, the original articles, are *always* better, I find.
Though the movie has a political hue, above all else, it's about humanity, individual acts of kindness and sacrifice for something greater than oneself and for that which cannot be seen in the present moment. Hope, faith in others, and faith in oneself that what seem like the smallest contributions can have a huge impact down the road.