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polaire2005
Reviews
Neko zamurai (2014)
Extremely Enjoyable
Madarame Kyutaro aka "Madarame Demon" is an intimidating ronin and sword instructor who lost his position. He has taken leave of his wife and daughter and moved to Edo (modern day Tokyo) to seek work. Desperate for any kind of income, he reluctantly accepts a job to kill a frightening monster cat that apparently has possessed its owner -- at least according to the man's servant. But when Madarame prepares to strike the killing blow, the little white cat turns, looks him in the eye, and is simply too cute to kill. The samurai takes the cat, called Tamanojo, back to his humble Edo dwelling and their adventures begin.
The plot is very simple; nevertheless, I found this program extremely enjoyable. It's funny, the cat, Anago, is exceptional, and the cast, which stars the gorgeous Kitamura Kazuki, is quite talented. The Edo setting is fascinating, including Japanese customs and lore about cats.
I'm watching the "Making of" video for Season 2 and learned that this piece is part of a genre called a "Samurai Healing Drama."
Love Wedding Repeat (2020)
Awful
I don't really care for Rom-Coms, but was hoping this one would be better than average because of cast members like Eleanor Tomlinson and Jack Farthing. But as one improbable but easily resolved mishap occurred after another, I started fast forwarding. Life's too short.
Ava Gardner, la gitane d'Hollywood: les années espagnoles de la Comtesse aux Pieds Nus (2018)
Unpleasant, Unsubstantiated, and Sexist: A Substandard Documentary
This was a filmed get-together of European film people who clearly do not like Ava Gardner. There are sexist remarks about her looks and supposed lack of talent, armchair psychology about the men she chose, and some very ugly statements. A child from rural North Carolina, she is described as "coarse." Her decision to move to Franco-ruled Spain to escape the spotlight gets her described as "unscrupulous." She wasn't a well-educated person and probably was politically naive, but "unscrupulous"?
A newspaper headline in which she is described as a woman is mistranslated and she is referred to as an "animal." The Hollywood studios are described as engaging in "money laundering" because they reinvested their assets and made movies in Spain because Spain would not allow the profits of foreign films to leave the country.
At one point, a woman tells a story involving Gardner getting up on a table in a restaurant, removing her underwear, and urinating. I couldn't tell whether she was saying that actually happened or if it was being used to illustrate how beyond the normal rules Gardner supposedly strayed. It needed to be backed up by more than one person's statement.
In sum, this documentary is extremely poor. I'm surprised that TCM aired it.
Bubbles (1930)
Creepy Pre-Code Curio
I didn't realize until after deleting the program that Judy Garland was in this. I'll have to look through the other reviews to find out where she makes an appearance.
It's an ensemble seemingly of all girls who are dressed in highly-sexualized costumes for the era and who use the gestures of tarty adult women. The "Hot Little Comet," was particularly sleazy, a 10- to-12 year old girl gyrating and scatting.
They dance well, but there is a feeling that they're dancing their little hearts out to avoid being fired. The enthusiasm is forced. I think that tap dancing in ballet toe shoes is tacky.
The little girl at the end is an amazing gymnast, but the performance goes on too long. It's also weird how instead of ending with a close-up or some kind of frame shot the camera just pulls away. I seldom consciously note camera shots so if I did it's because it was done particularly ineptly.
I agree that the Moon Man emcee is disturbing. The set-up at the start that takes them to the moon is also weird. The song the girl sings is not pleasing to the ear.
It's fascinatingly awful and repellent.
Hamlet (1996)
Brilliant Commentary on the DVD
I just received the DVD yesterday (I pre-ordered it from Amazon back in the spring) and popped it into my computer. The movie still looks gorgeous and it's wonderful to be able to watch it without commercials and to take breaks. There aren't a whole lot of special features (not surprising given the budget for this kind of project), but the commentary by Branagh and consultant Russell Jackson, an English professor and Shakespeare specialist, is terrific. Be prepared for a short seminar on Shakespeare, acting, and film-making, especially the adaptation of plays into film. And if you're partial to dry British humor, you won't be disappointed.
There's also an interesting introduction by Branagh filmed on the occasion of the release of the DVD and a short making-of feature. But the commentary's the thing.
The DVD was worth the wait.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
My thanks to the many commenters who gave this film one-star.
There are already so many intelligent, insightful comments about Borat that I really have nothing much to add. After the landslide of critical approval (Armond White in the New York Press being one exception), I thought, I'm going to have to slit my wrists if I'm the only person on IMDb who thought this was an ugly, unfunny film.
I especially liked the comment observing that this film is being used as a silly litmus test: If you liked it you're cool; if you hated it you should be wearing orthopedic shoes and shaking a ruler in someone's face.
Thank you.