tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84554354173025186932024-03-13T09:29:49.767+00:00In a NutshellIn a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.comBlogger4237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-52160553317740592582020-10-06T00:01:00.000+01:002020-10-06T02:04:17.707+01:00Those Who Do Not . . .<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1996" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkasSSV2r2GSMMH51o3XzEzdJ0WKGt0QMCLI4AzQL7IXeDyy1MJTZ8fAmzCYk6ecIo_aCMsYIlLu7UFn74ve2Ys9g3Y62c7ceiNWWivF7krxTzQnM1uTp0Hqd5jGnqXR5XFM6uQZL1eQ/w400-h234/Blogger_Bye_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="552" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In September 2020 <span style="color: #ffa400;">Blogger</span> forced a complete dashboard overhaul upon all users of its service. As a desktop PC user, the push toward a phone + tablet style interface has greatly soured the joy I'd typically feel at creating posts.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">In response, I'm lessening my <span style="color: #ffa400;">Blogger</span> activities. Presently, that means no more <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/">In a Nutshell</a> for the foreseeable future. (I'm shutting the door, but keeping a light on.) I'm extremely proud of how it's evolved over the years and have really enjoyed the time spent on it, initially with companions and the final few years as a solo reviewer. Often, it helped me achieve peace.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Before I confront the Nutshell-shaped void that will no doubt be felt in my life, I want to sincerely thank everyone who made me laugh and/or took the time to read my ramblings. It was just a blog, but it was more than that, too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">- CLOSE -</span></div></div>Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-27090666160669330272020-10-03T00:01:00.124+01:002020-10-03T00:01:00.139+01:00The Iron Giant (1999)<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibm5B-VW8XJNm88BUAo91oJXvUtjjaoyxoYZp_VJQHw_-nDt9jscA1jNMoJufegU1cRBajgJP0O3zAptyH-C5Syz27v-R-RegT1e5X8s13VQd-ae8GhZxrdILupzTVUib6LjLPMpRmaww/s1585/The_Iron_Giant_SE_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1585" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibm5B-VW8XJNm88BUAo91oJXvUtjjaoyxoYZp_VJQHw_-nDt9jscA1jNMoJufegU1cRBajgJP0O3zAptyH-C5Syz27v-R-RegT1e5X8s13VQd-ae8GhZxrdILupzTVUib6LjLPMpRmaww/w323-h400/The_Iron_Giant_SE_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Based on <b>Ted Hughes</b>' 1968 novel <b>The Iron Man: A Children's Story in Five Nights,</b> it tells of a friendship between a spirited nine-year-old youth named Hogarth and a fifty-foot iron giant from space who eats metal, which is an activity that doesn't go unnoticed by the townspeople. When a busybody federal agent begins snooping around, believing the visitor to be a foreign threat, he causes more problems than he had intended to solve.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>The 1957 setting has a wonderfully rich aesthetic, populated with well-fleshed out secondary characters, purposeful cold-war caricatures that personify governmental paranoia and coercion, and many loving nods to 'atomic age' science-fiction movies. Crucially, beneath its era-specific strengths is an inspiring emotional layer that's uplifting and unquestionably timeless.</div><div><br /></div><div>5 duck + cover sirens out of 5</div></div></div>Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-51831907176817059932020-10-01T00:01:00.001+01:002020-10-01T09:17:02.298+01:00The Water Babies (1978)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhkO_9xTzsG6ahAgJ46Yq1WPXV76r0HJkfUgFc1XOAhhNH1kta2EG1WB2K2qcNdmJQZueK6F-2tgFfu_Tf0wJfVdDfPNdydPeqj6atAww4TomshtZRCEWEHCjNfExphhDaINAoU-wiZs/s1600/The_Water_Babies_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="708" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhkO_9xTzsG6ahAgJ46Yq1WPXV76r0HJkfUgFc1XOAhhNH1kta2EG1WB2K2qcNdmJQZueK6F-2tgFfu_Tf0wJfVdDfPNdydPeqj6atAww4TomshtZRCEWEHCjNfExphhDaINAoU-wiZs/s400/The_Water_Babies_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="345" /></a></div>
A loose adaptation of <b>Charles Kingsley</b>'s 1863 book of the same name, the film is notable for its blending of live action and animation, which likely doesn't seem as special now as it did back in the late 70s. Set in 1850 in England, it's the story of twelve-year-old Tom (<b>Tommy Pender</b>), apprentice to a cruel chimney sweep (<b>James Mason)</b>. When Tom is blamed for something he didn't do, he escapes to an animated fantasy world, which gives the film its name.<br />
The animation side of things is colourful and the primary moral lesson is straightforward and easily understood, but there's some broad cultural stereotyping that may seem crude by today's standards. <b>Billie Whitelaw</b> plays multiple roles, which doesn't make a lot of sense, but she brings a welcome level of real-world wonder to what at times is a pretty grim way of life.<br />
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3 transformations out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-36612164029168370112020-09-28T00:01:00.000+01:002020-09-28T12:38:00.886+01:00The Aardman Collection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0PHYCFIzkax4amEEWqc-DzU-fNb-154xcW2GgMYbIH1mGGSCuBt_B7ItIsXvfso04S-EIfsjNPgSO-Pum_cIQrAhPOFcni-amDoeCJjod4dQ8bUWmPgF8hCLGUXj3llMZsnQv0kIV5s/s1600/Aardman_Collection_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="905" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0PHYCFIzkax4amEEWqc-DzU-fNb-154xcW2GgMYbIH1mGGSCuBt_B7ItIsXvfso04S-EIfsjNPgSO-Pum_cIQrAhPOFcni-amDoeCJjod4dQ8bUWmPgF8hCLGUXj3llMZsnQv0kIV5s/s400/Aardman_Collection_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><div>I didn't know it at the time, but as a regular viewer of children's art shows <b>Take Hart</b> (1977–83) and its successor <b>Hartbeat</b> (1984–93) I got my introduction to <b>Aardman Studios</b> through Morph, the show's loveable claymation character (far right in pic above). But it's as creators of the <b>Wallace and Gromit</b> stop-motion animations that the studio is best known - at least in the UK, further afield it may be as makers of <b>Chicken Run</b> (2000). Regardless of which of their creations you think of first, there's no denying that the Bristol based studio is deserving of a Collection post all of their own. I bet even Chas would agree.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>
Wallace and Gromit:<br />
01. <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2013/08/wallace-and-gromit-grand-day-out-1989.html">A Grand Day Out (1989)</a><br />
02. <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2020/02/wallace-and-gromit-wrong-trousers-1993.html">The Wrong Trousers (1993)</a><br />
03. <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2020/03/wallace-and-gromit-close-shave-1995.html">A Close Shave (1995)</a><br />
04. <a href="https://deadercuckoo3.blogspot.com/2013/09/wallace-and-gromits-cracking.html">Cracking Contraptions (2002)</a> TV Series on Nut Box<br />
04. <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2014/12/wallace-gromit-curse-of-were-rabit-2005.html">The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)</a><br />
05. <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2020/03/wallace-and-gromit-matter-of-loaf-and.html">A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008)</a><br />
06. <a href="https://deadercuckoo3.blogspot.com/2013/10/wallace-and-gromits-world-of-invention.html">World of Invention (2010)</a> TV Series on Nut Box<br />
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Other Works:<br />
<a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-grand-night-in-story-of-aardman-2015.html">A Grand Night In: The Story of Aardman (2015)</a><br />
<a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2015/11/shaun-sheep-movie-2015.html">Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015)</a></div></div>Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-33065675718242862372020-09-25T00:01:00.000+01:002020-09-25T00:01:01.334+01:00Asylum (1972)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIsBufZ5edU81MFdnGOxjn2YvyCLEG8p-1gsxcXyi1C4AXct8TmkpbEwQAmIA6-vY8E6Lu6AG-7t5g3feaXqM0pbkcQpt1hPLDCtDiyPrRgWoMST0_rVPZsSsOst3kvDJYWsPtKsgwHE/s1600/Asylum_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIsBufZ5edU81MFdnGOxjn2YvyCLEG8p-1gsxcXyi1C4AXct8TmkpbEwQAmIA6-vY8E6Lu6AG-7t5g3feaXqM0pbkcQpt1hPLDCtDiyPrRgWoMST0_rVPZsSsOst3kvDJYWsPtKsgwHE/s400/Asylum_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
In the best of Amicus' anthology films, <b>Robert Powell</b> plays a psychiatrist seeking employment at the Lovecraftian sounding Dunsmoor Asylum. To prove his suitability he must identify a specific inmate by interviewing each one briefly. However, the stories they tell, written by <b>Robert Bloch</b> (adapted from his own works), may themselves be the product of an insane mind. There's a murderous husband who's final insult is his undoing, a struggling tailor who's asked by <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/search/label/Peter%20Cushing">Peter Cushing</a> to make a suit with "special" material, a deadly alter ego, and a man with some odd ideas about dolls. The frame narrative is better integrated than usual, and the music more memorable, making great use of <b>Mussorgsky</b>'s superb <b>Night on Bald Mountain</b>.<br />
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3½ occupational hazards out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-59217580709249347502020-09-22T00:01:00.000+01:002020-09-22T00:01:02.845+01:00The Minion (1998)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjghe6TxZsGfRK6cxTJdRoz4FBaVvhh1cN1zi1O8oxuT2XpIDqBAG812Yvo6N4z5UHaDxLdfnI2S1wre9IZwkqgnOAU1LHCrhFH6pB-36K0TUq8X0ZGRG9GecS_-rRz1znanYdtQmel4/s1600/The_Minion_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1383" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjghe6TxZsGfRK6cxTJdRoz4FBaVvhh1cN1zi1O8oxuT2XpIDqBAG812Yvo6N4z5UHaDxLdfnI2S1wre9IZwkqgnOAU1LHCrhFH6pB-36K0TUq8X0ZGRG9GecS_-rRz1znanYdtQmel4/s400/The_Minion_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="345" /></a></div>
Maintenance work on NY's subway leads to the discovery of an ancient chamber with an unusual resident, around whose neck is a strange artefact, the discovery of which plunges struggling archaeologist Karen (<b>Françoise Robertson</b>) into the centre of a long-running conflict between good and evil.<br />
The title refers to a body-hopping, growling spirit in service to the Antichrist, who wants to bring on the Apocalypse. Between the minion and his goal stands <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/search/label/Dolph%20Lundgren">Dolph</a>, with faith in his heart and a spiked glove on his killing hand.<br />
There's a commendable amount of fictional lore in the story, and the attempt at establishing a common thread between two very different belief systems was interesting, if unsuccessful, but the production, acting and action are weak. It has two different musical scores; my version was the shit US one.<br />
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1½ warrior monks out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-43516036771190101012020-09-19T08:01:00.001+01:002020-09-19T08:01:01.148+01:00A Study in Terror (1965)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWD6LxaTOp7OthYm-11BPcewcsXt1PpA4AbxYwHigaeYAUXU_AyFwd021Ly_1bafhhn14BUloyUC2MAVHb8P8i4xE2Ogwi9ES43iPDYq5WR-TcO_aZVWgZ-Bd38tjFdzXaC32tB-jquy8/s1600/A_Study_in_Terror_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="864" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWD6LxaTOp7OthYm-11BPcewcsXt1PpA4AbxYwHigaeYAUXU_AyFwd021Ly_1bafhhn14BUloyUC2MAVHb8P8i4xE2Ogwi9ES43iPDYq5WR-TcO_aZVWgZ-Bd38tjFdzXaC32tB-jquy8/s400/A_Study_in_Terror_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="328" /></a></div>
A story that puts the fictional Sherlock Holmes (<b>John Neville</b>) into a real life historical setting, namely Whitechapel, on the trail of Jack the Ripper.<br />
It must be a difficult thing to make Holmes seem ineffability clever without also being arrogant or smug; <b>Neville</b> manages it some of the time, but his sleuth definitely crosses over into the less likable sphere from time to time.<br />
With the exception of <b>Carry On</b> queen <b>Barbara Windsor</b>, who gets colourful attire and some actual characterisation, the prostitutes are blank tools. The city fares better, with dingy alleyways and rain-soaked cobbles. The sound of night-walking heels on the latter is suitably atmospheric.<br />
The murders are violent for the era, even when they aren't shown directly; the most unsettling of which is surely the lengthy POV scene that puts us into the killer's world while simultaneously masking the perpetrator's identity.<br />
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2½ maxims out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-71948908514951455892020-09-16T08:01:00.000+01:002020-09-16T08:01:01.012+01:00Criminal Justice (1990)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2DNKKp0XQqFQ2Y1hoexMaIqGrhyphenhyphen8Px3-ncr9pKWM7BwiU7E-91QCV9NNL-qtY2iWAMEr0s0rstX34T_Yrevd1LFxzMpIENBzC8M7YK6K49hr3tlnjB_Sq1qfEfnTdBz0xofJXKEqUnc/s1600/Criminal_Justice_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1558" data-original-width="1182" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2DNKKp0XQqFQ2Y1hoexMaIqGrhyphenhyphen8Px3-ncr9pKWM7BwiU7E-91QCV9NNL-qtY2iWAMEr0s0rstX34T_Yrevd1LFxzMpIENBzC8M7YK6K49hr3tlnjB_Sq1qfEfnTdBz0xofJXKEqUnc/s400/Criminal_Justice_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
A slow-burning TV drama about a father with priors (<a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/search/label/Forest%20Whitaker">Forest Whitaker</a>) accused of assaulting a Brooklyn prostitute (<a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/search/label/Rosie%20Perez">Rosie Perez</a>) who was someplace she ought not to have been, doing something that would land her behind bars for the night. The viewer doesn't see the woman's assailant, so it comes down to her world against his, and only one of them puts any value in truth.<br />
The story would hold its own ordinarily, but the passion and believability of both <b>Whitaker</b> and <b>Perez</b> take it to another level. It shows both sides of the argument, as the months roll by. But more than that it examines the justice system itself. Presented as something that isn't just broken, it never functioned to begin with, as anything other than a self-serving entity that prioritises saving time and money over the thing for which it was named.<br />
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3½ burdens of proof out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-19221316760760561802020-09-13T08:01:00.000+01:002020-09-13T08:01:01.390+01:00Over the Top (1987)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayYarWl-aEpZ4mKZFuPYDzV-6r2JvOtFrj8dyTn6jkCc1QNdgr_4T00ULq0hC3_6jSHRnFDoLmrOXmqMxFBpGAo7StYER0GnRMZaU4rSwE43CYLGHZD-MH45nhHGV5vtEzZQXttzxSj0/s1600/Over_the_Top_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="940" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayYarWl-aEpZ4mKZFuPYDzV-6r2JvOtFrj8dyTn6jkCc1QNdgr_4T00ULq0hC3_6jSHRnFDoLmrOXmqMxFBpGAo7StYER0GnRMZaU4rSwE43CYLGHZD-MH45nhHGV5vtEzZQXttzxSj0/s400/Over_the_Top_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
<a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/search/label/Sylvester%20Stallone">Stallone</a> plays Lincoln Hawk, a father who's been estranged from his ten-year-old son (<b>David Mendenhall</b>) for the boy's entire life. The kid is a US military school brat, bordering on insufferable when we first meet him. At the behest of the youth's mother, Hawk spends time with the kid, hoping to get to know him during a lengthy truck ride across states. Trouble comes from the boy's overbearing grandfather, who wants trucker Hawk out of the picture.<br />
It's a pretty clichéd story of an absent father who has to fight to knock down the walls of his child's preconceived notions and feelings of abandonment, and the bonding can be disappointingly mawkish at times, but it has the charm of a 1980's VHS rental, and I have a fondness for that kind of thing, When in Vegas it tries to be the <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2012/10/rocky-1976.html">Rocky</a> of arm wrestling, and it does a half-decent job at it. I was inwardly (but assuredly) cheering for pops during the finale.<br />
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3 shoulder pillows out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-44077823220742695692020-09-10T08:01:00.000+01:002020-09-10T08:01:03.595+01:00A Prayer for the Dying (1987)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKtWS1E4H_-Ux8Xy8IXxlZ8bUCGhu43qfq8mwFnS3eX3vylFxmD2wFCajgzmcUAasmpPGErWUQ7vrb9l86KghnWP8fb7UVz_-ToIpufINS_VWEqXyGPgLDW9jbdf1bt_V80_Y5vZXoQM/s1600/A_Prayer_for_the_Dying_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="986" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKtWS1E4H_-Ux8Xy8IXxlZ8bUCGhu43qfq8mwFnS3eX3vylFxmD2wFCajgzmcUAasmpPGErWUQ7vrb9l86KghnWP8fb7UVz_-ToIpufINS_VWEqXyGPgLDW9jbdf1bt_V80_Y5vZXoQM/s400/A_Prayer_for_the_Dying_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="335" /></a></div>
Based on a 1973 <b>Jack Higgins</b> novel of the same name that I haven't read, it stars <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/search/label/Mickey%20Rourke">Mickey Rourke</a> as an IRA member named Martin Fallon. When a plan to murder members of the British Army goes wrong, the bomber flees from the North of Ireland to London. He claims to have had enough of killing, but accepts a job to kill once more in order to fully escape. There's probably meant to be a tragic irony in the situation, but asking an audience to sympathise with the likes of Fallon with little justification is asking too much.<br />
<b>Alan Bates</b> does well as a cultured funeral director who's also a gangster, but <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/search/label/Bob%20Hoskins">Bob Hoskins</a> is miscast as a catholic priest who has a past of his own. The film strives for a remorseful moodiness, but achieves mostly unevenness.<br />
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2½ changed tunes out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-85703040112137971632020-09-07T08:01:00.001+01:002020-09-07T08:01:01.987+01:00Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCT3fEiJi3a7lesYeVafQ2zt-Rg5h_DRnIVCFZZaWDrgfPOtK3eepsmFVnTy7sTtnA7RBtNChSm0djMYPwGDMegvqodyruJqXfNtZ6KA4vzbDtSNZiBudtsEG8MytANMmFmBI5oJhgo4s/s1600/Dr_Terror%2527s_HoH_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="915" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCT3fEiJi3a7lesYeVafQ2zt-Rg5h_DRnIVCFZZaWDrgfPOtK3eepsmFVnTy7sTtnA7RBtNChSm0djMYPwGDMegvqodyruJqXfNtZ6KA4vzbDtSNZiBudtsEG8MytANMmFmBI5oJhgo4s/s400/Dr_Terror%2527s_HoH_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>
The first horror anthology from <b>Amicus Productions</b> stars two of the genre's greatest actors, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. The former is the titular Doctor, but the House isn't literal - the setting is a night-time train carriage into which he steps. He tells the fortunes of the other passengers, each of whom experience a glimpse into their individual futures.<br />
In no particular order, there's creatures of the night, voodoo happenings, and killer vines, among others, with an occasional just deserts situation, and the frame narrative having a twist of its own. I can't say without going into spoiler territory why I thought the frame ending was detrimental to the whole, but maybe I expected too much from the studio's first attempt. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the various settings and the performances of the lauded cast.<br />
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2½ conveyance predictions out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-54966852828597419462020-09-04T08:01:00.000+01:002020-09-04T08:01:01.042+01:00Warning from Space (1956)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj2S4Wz_yZwsI9TvR4HX3H1R8rOO9yVCBVzWX-13ZxuD3n1OSMQBQUmTKOu1pfigi9zrkXLD4QrLHsJjjQTe8ChRH2KCEqLg05pobFVdlMcm9bqt-0RaDmqcgov9Jip9Aj2Z_kdetsSU/s1600/Warning_From_Space_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1130" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNj2S4Wz_yZwsI9TvR4HX3H1R8rOO9yVCBVzWX-13ZxuD3n1OSMQBQUmTKOu1pfigi9zrkXLD4QrLHsJjjQTe8ChRH2KCEqLg05pobFVdlMcm9bqt-0RaDmqcgov9Jip9Aj2Z_kdetsSU/s400/Warning_From_Space_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
We're told that mysterious objects from space have landed in a number of major cities around the globe, but the story takes place in Tokyo. As a lifelong fan of 1950s sci-fi, I've seen some odd creatures onscreen, but the ones in Japan on this occasion are pretty darn unusual. When their first attempt to infiltrate the population is unsuccessful, they try another way, which is good for the budget. And for a while it seems as if the story is laying groundwork for a commentary on atomic power that’s distinct from most films of the era, but it really doesn’t stay on that track. In the end, it’s a sober tale of aliens on Earth and scientists battling impending doom that has a quick-fix ending.<br />
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2½ luminous bodies out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-37771643825081934482020-09-01T08:01:00.001+01:002020-09-01T08:01:00.344+01:00Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTi3RW23oOJHKycJtnaOSnzRJxIe5DVqmTwenM9VRyjbMCXla-CH9c5iWCiZL6Stelz3NV-MMfP3SS28A4XvHFiOO4j3Pn6FmVoaCXEbvTJMq55WDVatcgQYoS6f-WEHwCbdzKJtop9U/s1600/Black+Mirror_Bandersnatch_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1229" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTi3RW23oOJHKycJtnaOSnzRJxIe5DVqmTwenM9VRyjbMCXla-CH9c5iWCiZL6Stelz3NV-MMfP3SS28A4XvHFiOO4j3Pn6FmVoaCXEbvTJMq55WDVatcgQYoS6f-WEHwCbdzKJtop9U/s400/Black+Mirror_Bandersnatch_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="306" /></a></div>
A feature-length episode of <b>Charlie Brooker</b>'s <b>Black Mirror</b> that's the film equivalent of a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book. Limited choices appear onscreen; to advance the narrative you must pick one only. It starts simple, such as what music the character will listen to, but it gets increasingly dark as the story goes on. At least, my experience did. I opted for choices that I'd take, not what I thought was best for the character (<b>Fionn Whitehead</b>). Sadly, it led me to what in video game parlance would be the 'bad ending'.<br />
Usually when deciding what score to end my thoughts with it's on a like-for-like scale, but I've not seen a film like <b>Bandersnatch</b> before, which poses a problem. And the story as I experienced it might not be the same as the one that you get, which makes scoring an even more meaningless concept.<br />
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␦␦ pathways out of <span style="font-size: large;">⑃</span>Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-72069270941454470312020-08-31T08:01:00.001+01:002021-08-26T20:42:11.496+01:00Mothra (1961)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsGInhqkCjg4e2_bbSxWfBFG5ypNgVVzud4Ex_C-AFXM3y0bDL3WpcqMXqZfb7kJT-UrPRVVHgXXQC93ZPdRoUJGHXM8t60Wb0HapBeaU15pGoUXWjY0W9E_YXLhe0lBcbhv8dvUZ4Nw/s1600/Mothra_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1131" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsGInhqkCjg4e2_bbSxWfBFG5ypNgVVzud4Ex_C-AFXM3y0bDL3WpcqMXqZfb7kJT-UrPRVVHgXXQC93ZPdRoUJGHXM8t60Wb0HapBeaU15pGoUXWjY0W9E_YXLhe0lBcbhv8dvUZ4Nw/s400/Mothra_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
The début film for <b>Toho</b>'s other famous kaijū begins with a typhoon in the Pacific. It forces a ship's crew to seek refuge on Infant Island, a place believed to be radioactive. A return expedition there uncovers something wondrous, which the less moral members of humanity typically disrupt, enslave and exploit. Their selfish actions bring an island god incarnate to their door.<br />
Not inherently evil — in fact, with intentions that are objectively good — <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/search/label/Mothra">Mothra</a> nevertheless brings death and destruction to much of Tokyo, with a force that's interestingly similar to the one that wrecked the sailors' ship.<br />
Action scenes are typical of kaijū films of the era, with some quality miniature buildings, but the exotic flora and Polynesian-esque culture stand out.<br />
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3 mysteries of life out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-13211818167874092622020-08-28T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-28T08:01:00.186+01:00Dream Cruise (2007)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjk5j3iiE8HfDvXUAFxZxx_1u3djw-lvSpk76pdgGUEBg1P4UkomhXCHhLkNuu6PPErzBvFhDn52eikxXzRxlxvrZlg9PlPy_P5RsBIcM4v_ReRI787PLjQkW_teg7t9i6koA7Uf5GcM/s1600/Dream_Cruise_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1296" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjk5j3iiE8HfDvXUAFxZxx_1u3djw-lvSpk76pdgGUEBg1P4UkomhXCHhLkNuu6PPErzBvFhDn52eikxXzRxlxvrZlg9PlPy_P5RsBIcM4v_ReRI787PLjQkW_teg7t9i6koA7Uf5GcM/s400/Dream_Cruise_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
A feature-length version of a heavily trimmed episode from <b>Mick Garris</b>' <b>Masters of Horror</b> series (Season Two). Directed by <b>Norio Tsuruta</b>, it's based on a short story by <b>Kôji Suzuki</b>, who's best known in filmic circles as the author of the works that <b>Hideo Nakata</b>'s <a href="http://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/dark-water-2002.html">Dark Water (2002)</a> and <a href="http://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2011/09/ringu-1998.html">Ring (1998)</a> films were based on. <b>Dream Cruise</b>, as you've probably guessed, also involves water.<br />
A lowly lawyer (<b>Daniel Gillies</b>) with a long-standing guilt complex and a fear of the wet stuff agrees to take a boat trip with a "valuable" client in order to keep him happy. The boat breaks down and the atmosphere, which wasn't there to begin with, never gets to a level where it can be felt. The weak framing, stupid plotting, overplayed sound effects, shit acting, lack of music, and reliance on Japanese horror clichés make it an utter washout.<br />
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1½ cabin crawls out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-12511467222801557342020-08-25T08:01:00.002+01:002020-08-25T08:01:00.215+01:00Stone Cold (1991)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCDd6Akhhf6TBHjYRvBo_j25r2yQ_VKkAr2ZBQMObFuM46jHJlWStEF2PJCUj0RBBwkJdsNfhtfPuhDiztNQwiUdsacCa37wCK36Y-tmfIr-IotlQ8ytCurI_ZJv0gKTIuNEusNEvReg/s1600/Stone_Cold_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1507" data-original-width="1276" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKCDd6Akhhf6TBHjYRvBo_j25r2yQ_VKkAr2ZBQMObFuM46jHJlWStEF2PJCUj0RBBwkJdsNfhtfPuhDiztNQwiUdsacCa37wCK36Y-tmfIr-IotlQ8ytCurI_ZJv0gKTIuNEusNEvReg/s400/Stone_Cold_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="337" /></a></div>
Classic 90s macho action with a salon-ready leading man (<b>Brian Bosworth</b>), who looks like he'd bleed adrenaline (and a hint of steroid) if he was to cut himself with a razor at home. He's Joe Huff, an Alabama Cop on suspension for aggressive behaviour, enlisted by the FBI to go undercover in a deadly biker gang that's headed by a laughing <b>Lance Henriksen</b>. But first the gang must accept Joe (aka Stone) as one of their own, so he has to get extra moody.<br />
It's the kind of movie in which shotguns blow people through windows and stunt guys fall impressively from great heights. It uses action clichés to its advantage, somehow, allowing Stone to "turn it on" when needed.<br />
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3 bumpy rides out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-38803091357854602112020-08-22T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-22T08:01:00.124+01:00Broken Arrow (1950)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYB5u6Byqk97kMb7bD_e0kDEhC9RlM7o9Et1V9KItE_D3drCncaANLfd15dz66-KK9ALAp3X9oP32xBbvEuhV9JPssibdMWR2d9BPUVabZXjZ1tVt15rDqvqXaHqs583CF9takQ7D-qAM/s1600/Broken_Arrow_1950_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1289" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYB5u6Byqk97kMb7bD_e0kDEhC9RlM7o9Et1V9KItE_D3drCncaANLfd15dz66-KK9ALAp3X9oP32xBbvEuhV9JPssibdMWR2d9BPUVabZXjZ1tVt15rDqvqXaHqs583CF9takQ7D-qAM/s400/Broken_Arrow_1950_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
Celebrated more these days for what it did contemporaneously than for its story; i.e. being one of the first post-war Westerns to not portray its Indian people as one-note Hollywood savages, Dir. <b>Delmer Daves</b>' film stars <b>Jimmy Stewart</b> as a man who seeks to negotiate peace between the "white" US military and the Apache Indians, who were waging war upon each other. Both sides are characterised as being noble and honest or wicked and prideful.<br />
I'm no expert on 1950s values, but I do wonder if 42-year-old <b>Jim</b> romancing a 16-year-old <b>Debra Paget</b> wouldn't have raised at least a few eyebrows back in the day? And what of the respected Christian General who condones murder as a punishment? Were they viewed as reflective of the 1870s in a similar manner to how we view the film's built-in 1950s social commentary today?<br />
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3½ long-distance signals out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-15383155362500911412020-08-19T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-19T08:01:00.130+01:00Matango (1963)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWEOGuoFblHd3E8EXBo2BHp3tKJbkGxanDcv84TlFatawo6n7MZmQqqjM2DH_0hiGXf62OrldGd1tlFBtAMxsg_HGCr_cEzG-v53viNJFGY-4wRLeXlvs3gmN0RMfoMx0CHQw-jUlf-g/s1600/Matango_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="965" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWEOGuoFblHd3E8EXBo2BHp3tKJbkGxanDcv84TlFatawo6n7MZmQqqjM2DH_0hiGXf62OrldGd1tlFBtAMxsg_HGCr_cEzG-v53viNJFGY-4wRLeXlvs3gmN0RMfoMx0CHQw-jUlf-g/s400/Matango_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
One of the more peculiar creature films in Dir. <b>Ishirō Honda</b>'s filmography is a story told by a Professor (<b>Akira Kubo</b>) who knows what he says will make him sound crazy but is compelled to share it, nevertheless. It begins jovial, with seven people on a private yacht, but shifts to something more grim when a storm blows the revellers onto an unnamed Japanese island. Occasional flashbacks to before they set out on their sea journey add comparative value, but the subtextual layer is where the dark tone finds its anchor. Depending perhaps on your level of cognisance, the creatures may seem ridiculous or oddly unsettling, but my guess is for many it'll be somewhere in-between.<br />
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2½ broken mirrors out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-43201025186982451612020-08-16T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-16T08:01:00.134+01:00Pray for Rain (2017)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ErljiVuQ80k6vp4oZb5DQBvp7WRK4eCN7gJ-Qi0JjIQsFAc-jbBUOLr2sk8gY4lWPKpithJ-2Az06tjISZSFgh7MYK0iDKK_XbHeThnlprHPJlH_eqzblgoGwZTAu5-nSxJ5c5pVR9Q/s1600/Pray_for_Rain_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1223" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ErljiVuQ80k6vp4oZb5DQBvp7WRK4eCN7gJ-Qi0JjIQsFAc-jbBUOLr2sk8gY4lWPKpithJ-2Az06tjISZSFgh7MYK0iDKK_XbHeThnlprHPJlH_eqzblgoGwZTAu5-nSxJ5c5pVR9Q/s400/Pray_for_Rain_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<b>Jane Seymour</b> looms on the cover, but the main focus is on her character's daughter, Emma (<b>Annabelle Stephenson</b>), who looks like she could really be closely related. The basic premise is standard TV drama: a young woman who moved to the big city to escape her farming community life returns to the parental home for a funeral and gets involved in local matters. In this instance the girl is a fashion reporter who suspects foul play. As she investigates one thing, she uncovers truths about the deceased, a person she thought she knew. On paper it's all too familiar, but the direction (<b>Alex Ranarivelo</b>) and score (<b>Jamie Christopherson</b>) help it be one that feels like it grew beyond its original agenda; in that respect, it exceeded expectations.<br />
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3 little fish out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-78598907299514864402020-08-13T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-13T08:01:02.276+01:00Time Trap (2017)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fbf_NZ6rZ_FIgNAFu_oSxYNf5zNwn9U43K-kXgtBA6teX5qoLM66b8cbS7SRv2Ma2kAoY-39lTdQgAyNmNMRg1mxd9LqlypStB5vyZmLbHFjM2oBPDQHLiYpB_77rEqc8QgtgQ7EnIY/s1600/Time_Trap_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fbf_NZ6rZ_FIgNAFu_oSxYNf5zNwn9U43K-kXgtBA6teX5qoLM66b8cbS7SRv2Ma2kAoY-39lTdQgAyNmNMRg1mxd9LqlypStB5vyZmLbHFjM2oBPDQHLiYpB_77rEqc8QgtgQ7EnIY/s400/Time_Trap_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
A modest budget sci-fi about a small group of people who venture into a Texan cave to find someone who ventured into the same cave and didn't come out; coincidently, the person they're seeking was there to find folks who also entered but didn't come out. It doesn't look good for all concerned - doubly so when you factor in the differing time dimensions and that the intelligence level of all but one of the team is barely above a typical horror movie bint.<br />
The concept is classic genre stuff. Initially it seems as if the filmmakers are content to stretch it to breaking point, but if you're able to overlook the weak atmosphere, the am-dram acting, and some dire dialogue that relies too much on exposition, then there's a few turns in the latter half that may surprise. As a fan of shoestring sci-fi, I enjoyed the ideas more than the people.<br />
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3 lengths of rope out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-20056778249788509932020-08-10T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-10T13:28:43.948+01:00Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtSU8QVUDg35-DttRPRIke-w7POk_iDpivaWo8zSWKqy7wOlRGekEO8mv1sFrCEvuE3TEi89xsZzRprW8xAz-Xp648u0dlR72xzi6KvZDOSWJXCFEJPquFp2iEZmv3Hnff54Jl5lGgFA/s1600/Charlie%2527s_Angels_FT_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtSU8QVUDg35-DttRPRIke-w7POk_iDpivaWo8zSWKqy7wOlRGekEO8mv1sFrCEvuE3TEi89xsZzRprW8xAz-Xp648u0dlR72xzi6KvZDOSWJXCFEJPquFp2iEZmv3Hnff54Jl5lGgFA/s400/Charlie%2527s_Angels_FT_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="342" /></a></div>
I feel the throttle ought to have remained close to where it was at for <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2020/08/charlies-angels-2000.html">the first movie</a>, because upping the action to almost super-hero levels of ability makes the sequel feel like unintentional self-parody. If the scene that opens the farce (before the title appears) makes you cringe, then prepare for the worst, because things get even more moronic later on. The homages to other media feel forced, and the underlying worry of separation and outside commitments, which does actually play into the main plot, is as contrived as <b>Justin Theroux</b>'s Irish accent. A pinch of decent subtext could've saved the story, but nothing other than residency on the cutting room floor could've stopped the action scenes from shitting over the potential for more light-hearted fun.<br />
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1½ whip tricks out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-28092759630970762182020-08-07T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-07T11:17:03.533+01:00Charlie's Angels (2000)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj205JqTxpHCrH9idVG-B5y3G6SbfJ9KSFVTE2r9fwiBzLPub4L_yShaOtBab2NHM1MmI5ZYrTuKoOUHczCvwdASvvE4BKXS0_GYmpJEdraacT30XGHv28cZ2g5pj8IRf_mBhiOBgqmbyI/s1600/Charlie%2527s_Angels_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1374" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj205JqTxpHCrH9idVG-B5y3G6SbfJ9KSFVTE2r9fwiBzLPub4L_yShaOtBab2NHM1MmI5ZYrTuKoOUHczCvwdASvvE4BKXS0_GYmpJEdraacT30XGHv28cZ2g5pj8IRf_mBhiOBgqmbyI/s400/Charlie%2527s_Angels_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="342" /></a></div>
If the goal of the <b>Charlie's Angels</b> reboot was movie escapism on a superficial level, then it succeeded. The whole is heightened by the feeling that the "elite crime fighting trio" of Dylan, Alex and Natalie (<b>Drew Barrymore</b>, <b>Lucy Liu</b>, and <b>Cameron Diaz</b>, respectively) are having a blast while making it. The story is pretty thin and the primary villains are forgettable, but for every weak link (e.g. <b>Sam Rockwell</b>, <b>Tom Green</b>) there's a stronger one doing its utmost to draw attention away from the faults. In the latter category there's <b>Crispin Glover</b>, great use of chart music, playful stereotypes, ridiculous disguises, and a dynamic approach that never misses an opportunity to make its leading ladies shine. And for fans of the original TV series, the voice of <b>John Forsythe</b>.<br />
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3 bird calls out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-14890235212417513552020-08-04T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-04T08:01:00.184+01:00Buffalo Soldiers (2001)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtsv7DX4dQFSWU3_SHBsOLCKNwrpmUjtc62f0FkZMCc3R5do9m43c_wGdJWu3hz1KApGcPxmIks7-5sRJI21ffiTdp_g8NYhEYKUbR12iiXlbggn84yulz_RaTc72Jz-6TMVhBQ8_nMM/s1600/Buffalo_Soldiers_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="992" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtsv7DX4dQFSWU3_SHBsOLCKNwrpmUjtc62f0FkZMCc3R5do9m43c_wGdJWu3hz1KApGcPxmIks7-5sRJI21ffiTdp_g8NYhEYKUbR12iiXlbggn84yulz_RaTc72Jz-6TMVhBQ8_nMM/s400/Buffalo_Soldiers_In_a_Nutshell.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
Having no actual 'Buffalo Soldiers' present, nor any direct connection to the <b>Bob Marley</b> song from which it probably took the title, the 'satirical' film stars <b>Joaquin Phoenix</b> as US army Supply Specialist Ray Elwood, who's stationed in West Germany during 1989. When not cooking smack for drug-addicted recruits, Elwood spends his time scheming how to best make a profit on the military black market. He provides an occasional v/o, like Ferris Bueller's less charismatic cousin. And much like Bueller, despite having witnessed first-hand the dire consequences of his actions, his character learns nothing of value in the end. Likewise, I gained nothing of value from watching the work.<br />
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1½ non-regulation high dives out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-56576031248497516572020-08-01T08:01:00.000+01:002020-08-01T08:01:00.494+01:00The Last Dinosaur (1977)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a perfect world, the only living thing that people who hunt for 'sport' would be allowed to shoot are each other. But life isn't like that, and more often than not you'll find a rich person at the head of it. Such is the case with <b>The Last Dino</b>, a US/Japanese co-production between <b>Rankin/Bass</b> and <b>Eiji Tsuburaya</b>'s FX studio, <b>Tsuburaya Productions</b>. The pairing produced an English language adventure film in a Lost World setting with kaijū-like dinosaurs (i.e. men in suits). To that location goes the "world's richest man," Masten Thrust (<b>Richard Boone</b>), under the guise of research, but in reality he wants a T-Rex head for his parlour wall. The T-Rex, however, has other ideas.<br />
With very few sympathetic characters, there's little reason to feel sorry for the team when things go wrong. And the mixed message that surfaces, which seems to justify Thrust's murderous tendencies, doesn't help matters.<br />
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2 behavioural footprints out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8455435417302518693.post-36529146837228203012020-07-31T08:01:00.001+01:002020-07-31T08:01:07.859+01:00The Mule (2018)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Inspired by true events from the 1980s, the title refers to the practice of transporting illegal drugs across borders, in this case American borders for a Mexican drug cartel by an octogenarian named Earl Stone (<b>Eastwood</b>).<br />
Alas, outside of his courier role Earl is a pretty boring character. The semi-estrangement that exists between him and his family could've added colour, but it's sorely underdeveloped. An attempt to add tension and drama in the form of a pursuing DEA squad headed by an even more bland <b>Bradley Cooper</b> also falls mostly flat. <b>Eastwood</b> keeps things pleasingly traditional in style and direction, but the depth of character and/or interactions that were needed to keep such a one-note story engaging simply weren't there.<br />
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2½ pecans out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0