The Stranger 

Meursault a handsome young man living an existential life in 1930’s Algiers seemingly unaffected by events around him.  His job, the death of his mother, the affections of a young woman who wants to marry him despite is ambivalence.  Willing to be carried along by lifes unpredictable currents while stylishly smoking cigarettes. His friendship with a dubious violence prone neighbor leads him to an altercation on a beach. Whilst walking alone after the event he unexpectedly comes across one of the protagonists. After a silent standoff the surprised assailant draws a knife. Meursault draws his friends gun and disinterestedly fires one bullet killing the man an Arab and afterwards fires four more shots into the dead body. Even this violent random act leaves him unmoved. He is arrested and brought to trial, found guilty because of his unwillingness use any of the plausible defenses that his lawyer could have employed to get him acquitted. This is the third filmic incarnation from the famed 1942 novel by Albert Camus.

Beautifully directed by François Ozon  Stunningly shot in black and white by Manu Dacosse.

Bejamin Voisin is hypnotic in the lead.

A musical comedy this is not, but you will, as I did watch it until the end. 458 stars

 

Two people exchanging saliva.

Set in an alternate world, where kissing is a criminal offence punishable by death and a slap on the face is financial currency, from there on things get stranger.  This 36 minute long film set in a fashionable Paris department store tells the tale of a growing  friendship between a staff member and a wealthy client.Their friendship forbidden by society on the most elemental level and their persistence in spite of the risks. Shot in black and white with many Bergmanesque scenes its surprisingly engrossing and feels very much like a feature due it the intense focus of the storytelling and acting brought to the screen by directing duo Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Sing.  Luana Bajrami playa the sales girl and Zar Amir Ebrahimi plays the wealthy client both giving memorable performances. While not everyone’s cup of tea this multi award winning effort is well worth a look. In French with subtitles.

 256 stars

 The Bride.

Dizzying,Frenetic,Hot, Exhilarating Mesmerizing Romantic.

Not adjectives that readily come to mind when describing a film based on a 1935 Horror classic penned by Mary Shelly who in the black and white title secquence comes back from the afterlife to introduce this VERY updated version of a story she always wanted to tell until her death intervened.  

Set in 1936 Chicago the monster (Frank) arrives at the house of Dr Cornelia Euphonious having read about her work on reanimation, enlisting her help on creating a companion for him after a century of loneliness. They dig up a corpse and the doctor reanimates her unfortunately without her memory. Many other adventures ensue to try and jog her identity. Movie theaters to view Franks favorite screen idol. Dance clubs after which they were accosted by some thugs who Frank in a rage kills. This sets off their criminal lives. After refusing  to leave him  they run away, to New York City, the law close on their heels.  During an escape they crash a high end party during which Ida's shenanigans unwittingly attract the attention of a mob boss complicating their plight. Their crime spree becoming a publicized sensation, gathering lots of followers. The mob boss recognizing Ida (the bride) orders a hit. More chases and shootings ensue, reaching a Bonnie and Clyde final creciendo. But not to worry all is not lost.

Jessie Buckley as Ida deservedly owns this film with her electrifying performance. Christian Bale as Frank gives a convincing (for a monster) empathetic portrayal, as does  Annette Bening as the scientist. All the rest of the cast are top notch.  The scope and excellence of the production show that Maggie Gyllenhaal in her second feature that her directing chops are up there with the veterans.

 679 stars

 

Sinners

In the midst of the great depression  identical twins Elijah "Smoke" and Elias "Stack" Moore, (Both played by Michael B Jordan) return from Chicago to Clarksdale Mississippi with their ill gotten money to open a juke joint, recruiting their younger cousin Sammie the son of a preacher and a  guitar playing prodigy, along with other localist fill out the band. On the joint’s packed opening night, Sammie, Delta Slim, and Pearline – a singer with whom Sammie becomes enamored – perform on stage. Sammie's music is transcendent, unknowingly summoning spirits of performers both past and future to join the crowd. Here the film transitions from a blues biopic into a vampire blood fest with all the traditional accoutrements. As amongst the people attracted by the performance is Remmick and his Irish band of vampires, who offer money and their own raggedy music in exchange for entry. A suspicious Smoke refuses, realizing that the intruding vampires have to be invited in before they can turn the uninfected patrons. Mayhem and confusion ensue, with the time tested battles between good and evil. (Guess who wins). At the very end Buddy Guy makes a cameo appearance, giving the film some authentic gravitas.

An odd but effecting mixture on genres.  High production values and acting by the entire cast, but especially by Jordan will prevent you from fast forwarding through any of the scenes.

425 fangs

One Battle after Another

If social unrest, doomed left wing insurgent groups, military government crackdowns, a psychotic army colonel,  a stoned single father, battling a rebellious teenage daughter, and an elderly cabal of white supremacists.  Is your idea of entertainment and not too close to the world we actually live in this film could be just what the doctor (or psychiatrist) ordered.

The product of gifted director Paul Thomas Anderson this somehow a worthy but exhausting gloomy film.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays Pat Calhoun who along with his partner Perfidia Beverly Hills played by Tanaya Taylor play the two leads and lovers in said left wing revolutionary group. From there the plot gets super complicated. There are as suggested in the intro many conflicting groups all jockeying for supremacy. Apart from DiCaprio, the star attraction in a hilariously intense standout portrayal from Sean Penn as the deranged colonel Steven J Lockjaw. Always on the trail of the baddies at the same time trying to erase his own mortal sins. A fun musical this is not, but I did watch until the end to see some version of redemption but you really have to look hard. 236 stars  

 Last Tango In Paris.

It’s hard to remember what the world was like 54years ago when this groundbreaking film was first released. How many boundaries and taboos that seem today so mundane and ordinary were broken. 

From the title sequence featuring paintings by Frances Bacon this was destined to be an unprecedented film, the eighth film in an already remarkable career for 31 year old Bernardo Bertolucci, who went on to direct many other notable films.  The story of an older man who as they are both serendipitously viewing a vacant Paris apartment, almost immidiately begins torrid affair with a woman (Maria Schneider) young enough to be his daughter in a vain attempt to blot out his grief after the suicide of his unfaithful wife. While initially trying to base their relationship on anonymous sex he eventually falls in love with her just as she is falling out of love with him. In the leading role it was the last time Marlon Brando did any serious acting. 

Maria Schneider as his sexual plaything is initially perplexed by his advances, transitioning into enamorment of this lonely man before realizing that her true love is with her age appropriate film director boyfriend. 

At the time the explicit sexual depictions were the most controversial aspects of the film, although Brando’s acting raw and convincing was also a draw. This is a handmade product of a bygone era but there are still many startling  scenes of acting and cinematography which hold up as much today as when they were first shot. 454 stars

 

Good Luck Have Fun Don’t Die.

Completely brilliant on EVERY level. A cinematic and directorial tour de force. An Oscar and Golden Globe worthy performance by 

Sam Rockwell.  Haley Lu Richardson amongst a terrific cast  giving a good female portrayal as the indestructible side kick  Genius director Gore Verbinski, backed with the equally brilliant writing of Mathew Robinson sets news of the coming apocalypse at Norms diner in LA.   The messenger is the mesmerizingly goofy Sam Rockwell on his 117th attempt to recruit a team to help him with his mission. Announcing to stunned patrons a specific combination of which will help him succeed, but as he doesn't know which combination is correct, to help him change the outcome and save (At least 50% of the world's population). Their ultimate mission is to find a nine-year-old boy who is about to create an AI that will take over the world, they do not want to stop the process, but merely introduce a security protocol that will secure the AI. 

More scientifically inventive than 2001,  More thrilling than Towering Inferno. As funny as blazing saddles. And with romance of on par with You’e got Mail. The time traveling plot is dizzying in its inventiveness and keeps you guessing until the very last frame. (Do they still have frames?)   12000 stars