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Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
The Comic Strip presents the Manson murders.
AKA Ms Tate lives next door. An absolute joke of a film. Intentionally. But not at all funny. I've the strongest suspicion that QT is a fan of both the Comic Strip and Filthy Rich and Catflap. Nigel Planer is Al Pacino, Rik Mayall is Leonardo DiCaprio and Ade Edmondson is Brad Pitt. Throw in A Fistful of Travellers Cheques for good measure.
A long series of boring disjointed scenes with absolutely no tension or emotional impact only quirkiness (tm) and the occasional in joke that falls flat - Mr Wagner's boat?, John Wayne's cigarette?
Its not a serious film and it's not a spoof. The set designers, the costume department and the cinematographer were wasted on this nonsense. David Lean directs Terrence Hill and Bud Spencer in a remake of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls would be far more fun.
The Room (2003)
The work of a genius Auteur
Contains Spoilers
The Location - The film is set in San Fransico, as we are reminded several times throughout the film, with good reason. San Fransico represents the city that gave birth to free love - and this is subtly juxtaposed with the theme of the film, that love is not free. Johnny's apartment has a spiral staircase indicating that the path to meaningful congress isn't straight forward, as evidenced by Lisa's liaison on the stairs. The many scenes on the roof top actually represent reaching a higher level of understanding. The transcendental if you will.
The football - the football represents Lisa, a woman who is prepared to be passed from man to man, and indeed those that are not prepared for her suffer a literal downfall. It is symbolism and beautiful metaphor.
The dress - this is Johnny's subconscious awareness of Lisa's true reality expressed in Jungian terms. He is bestowing on her the role of the Scarlet Woman.
The rose - When Johnny places the rose on the bed next to Lisa he is saying " I am replacing one prick in this bed with several pricks" How true he is!
The white car - this is in fact Johnny's white steed. Symbolism for him being the good guy.
The repeated scene - don't believe all you read. The lovemaking scene is repeated, not for budgetary reasons or the actress' dislike of Tommy; rather it indicates that the lovemaking has become boring and literally repetitious.
The Tuxedos - these symbolise Johnny's identity loss and awareness of mass consciousness.
The Psychologist - forsaking the R.D Laing school of thought, he is unable to identify the existential angst of the other characters and after his symbolic downfall plays no further part in their lives.
Chris R - this is in fact a scathing critique of the American Health Care system. Denny is obviously using him to get extra supplies of the Ritalin he so badly requires.
The alcohol - the Scarlet Woman Lisa tempts Johnny away from the path of virtue by intoxicating him with the noxious substances of two cultures - whiskey and vodka, representing the intoxicating combination of their pairing.
The names - Johnny, the 'everyman', a name used in countless films in the 40's and 50's. His everyman status is reinforced by the florists failure to recognise him until he removes that which alters his perception of the world. His sunglasses. Lisa represents 'everywoman'. Notice how the other characters have lovers called Betty and Elizabeth. Claudette - literally 'Claw Debt' - a woman obsessed by her own and others financial situation.
Genetic determinism - Lisa was born out of a loveless relationship and is therefore doomed to repeat such behaviour. Her mother's breast cancer represents the transmission of this through suckling.
The spoons - one is reminded of Heideggers contemplation of the representation of boots in art. The spoons are there for aesthetic rather than utility purposes. This shows that one does not always get 'one's just desserts' ( Get your coat, you're fired - Ed)
Dead Man's Shoes (2004)
The smell of stale Stella
The kitchen sink drama updated to the sink estate drama. Realism in British films fizzled out in the mid 60's, made something of a comeback (though not entirely successfully in Get Carter), came back with a vengeance in Scum and Bloody Kids and then became overly maudlin in Mike Leigh's works of the 90's. Dead Man's Shoes brilliantly resurrects the genre.
The plot, superb though it is, is secondary to the realistic portray of mundane life in a deprived small midlands town. Dingy houses with broken furniture, empty pot noodle containers and empty cans are an accurate portrayal of the lifestyle of the white British underclass (think Shannon Matthews), and the biggest budget in the world would not have improved on Meadows vision. You can almost smell the stale Stella and cheap cannabis.
The dialogue is particularly well observed. Contrary to what some other posters think, people do actually talk over each other, particularly in confused situations.
The acting is excellent throughout - there is not one duff performance.
This is not only a brilliant revenge story, but a brilliant insight into the lives of people perpetuating their meaningless grim lives through drug taking and bullying.
Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975)
Oh dear
Some films are deliberately downbeat and depressing; this film achieves that by default. The mid seventies were a high point for British TV - The Sweeney, Fawlty Towers, Rising Damp, Morecambe and Wise, Are you Being Served and many others; in all other ways British culture was at a low point. This film more than demonstrates that. Glam Rock was over, Punk hadn't started. There were two choices, Bay City Rollers for the kids, or bloated (if you'll pardon the pun) prog rock and heavy metal for the adults. Really not a good time for cinema to make a sexploitation comedy concerning pop music then! In fact as welcome as wearing a West Ham shirt at Millwall was at that time.
A sex comedy that is neither sexy nor funny, and these days you won't even be able to go to a Berni Inn in your Austin Maxi to refresh your jaded palate after watching.
But I have to agree - the appearance of Liam Gallagher's doppleganger provides a jaw dropping moment!
Hard Candy (2005)
Reverse Engineering
I can only damn this movie with faint praise. Well scripted, well acted, and well directed, but, and it's a big but, the suspension of disbelief ultimately fails. SPOILER!!!! How did Hayley know that the showdown would be acted out on the roof, with the necessary foresight to arrange the ending? She couldn't have done. And that is what ruins the film. With this kind of subject matter, more nihilism and less plot twist is required. The reliance on the repetition of escape-capture might have you on the edge of your seat but the contrivance fails to convince, so yet again we end in the tired old cliché of formulaic Hollywood; Halloween, Friday 13th, blah blah blah. If ever a good film was ruined by the last 15 minutes, this is it. Even metaphysical allegories require internal logic.
1408 (2007)
Groundhog Nightmare
Sums it up really! At last a frightening film that is a refreshing antidote to all of the Saw/Hostel genre of unpleasantness. Take a large portion of Groundhog day, a heaped tablespoon of Dead of the Night, a small quantity of the Hammer House of Horror episode Rude Awakening and Jacobs Ladder and the merest pinch of Dead End and you have the perfect recipe for a film that sends shivers down your spine as opposed to turning your stomach.One of the most effective visions of hell ever put on celluloid.This is the kind of horror film that audiences have been deprived of for too long now, proving that having your guts ripped out is a walk in the park compared to having your mind ripped out. Hang on, I've Only Just Begun.
The Wife Swappers (1970)
They are awful but I like them!
During the first 10 minutes you wait with eager anticipation for Dick Emery to appear. This must be where he got his idea of interviewing 'characters' in the street from. If you've seen it you'll know what I mean. Hello honkytonks indeed! This film is a classic and the British equivalent of a release on the Something Weird DVD label. The music is fantastic and some of the women are actually very attractive. It certainly is a social document from a by-gone age. Think Budgie, dodgy punters in Soho bookshops, 8mm stag films and Get Carter. But it's not really that seedy - the middle class swingers own Forever Changes by Love - that's far from being a drag man! The most bizarre thing is that this film has the ambiance of a public information film on the 'Charley Says' compilation.
I'd swap my wife....For a new motor!!! 10/10
The Village (2004)
Rock Ridge, Rock Ridge
The anti-gravity machine necessary for the suspension of disbelief required to take this drivel seriously doesn't exist. I can only suggest that the film is actually a comedy. Blazing Saddles with bits of Monty Python and the Holy Grail thrown in for good measure. Village: community in peril from outsiders ; Blazing Saddles ditto.I could go on to list many other similarities, but just consider the ending of both films. They,re the same! The studio must have bottled it at the last moment and didn't include the scene where the camera cuts away and shows the Village and the modern day all on a large movie set. With M.Night in the foreground laughing all the way to the bank. It isn't big, it isn't clever and it certainly isn't funny. Avoid like quick-sand.