The Abyss

Movie Name: The Abyss
Year of Release: 1989
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Todd Graff, John Bedford Lloyd, J.C. Quinn, Kimberly Scott, Christopher Murphy, Adam Nelson, Jimmi Ray Weeks, J. Kenneth Campbell
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

After the commercial and critical success of "Aliens", writer/producer/director James Cameron, tackled another original script of his, one that would in a way, introduce the audiences to his love of the Oceans. Much was written at the time about the budget and challenging shooting of this film, but to this day it remains one of his most interesting features, even if the final act feels somewhat unresolved. The film focuses on the story of Bud and Lindsey Brigman, a couple who is going through a bitter divorce. They are reunited when a submarine containing nuclear missiles has an accident and suddenly stops communicating with the command center. Bud works alongside a tightly woven team in deep ocean drilling, on a platform Lindsey conceived and engineered. Even though this team is not affiliated with rescue missions, the army commissions them to go and check for possible survivors, since they're the closest to the last known coordinates of the submarine, and they have some of the most innovative devices for deep sea exploration. They also have to contend with an army team who is not prepared for this type of exploration, and who has an agenda of their own. As they go about seeking the survivors, Bud and Lindsey's relationship continues to be somewhat difficult, though none of them are ready for what they encounter in the depths of the ocean.

What's been consistently interesting about James Cameron's films, is how he always manages to build worlds populated with characters which have their own challenges, giving them just enough time and bandwidth to make an impact on the general narrative. This once again can be attested in "The Abyss". Much like "Aliens", there's a team comprised of very different individuals, who are challenged by a series of obstacles, including a dramatic storm, not to mention the insurrection of a very particular group of characters, and of course, the final surprising discovery, which is in itself reminiscent of Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", but also Ron Howard's "Cocoon". The film has at its core, the possible dissolution of a relationship (something close to Cameron's own life), and the director gives ample space for the actors to illustrate the dynamics of those interactions. Technical wizardry notwithstanding, the film is quite successful at deftly portraying the relationships between all these characters, clearly outlining their roles, even if some of the characters are very basically defined (particularly Michael Biehn's villainous role, who deserved some extra dimension). It's a film that remains as enticing and captivating now as it did when it originally premiered, though the final stretch of the film is somewhat maudlin. The cast is uniformly good, with Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio creating solid characters. The cinematography from Mikael Salomon is stunning as is the score from Alan Silvestri. Always worth revisiting.

A Star is Born

Movie Name: A Star is Born
Year of Release: 1976
Director: Frank Pierson
Starring: Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, Gary Busey, Paul Mazursky, Joan Linville, Sally Kirkland, Oliver Clark, Marta Heflin, Clydie King, Venetta Fields
Genre: Drama, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
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Synopsis and Review:

Director Frank Pierson made a name for himself as a writer, winning an Academy Award for his brilliant screenplay for Sydney Lumet's "Dog Day Afternoon". "A Star is Born" was his proper second directorial effort, and was in fact the third version of the story originally conceived by William Wellman and Robert Carson, which had already been made into films, the first version premiering in 1937 with Janet Gaynor and the second version premiering in 1954 with Judy Garland. This version focuses on the story of troublesome John Norman Howard, a volatile rock star who is experiencing all sorts of problems with alcohol and drugs. In one of his outings to clubs, he accidentally discovers Esther Hoffman, a talented yet unknown singer. They soon become involved in a romantic relationship, with John also bringing Esther to the limelight in his concerts, while also introducing her to people in the music business. As Esther's credibility and popularity increases, John's fade more and more, since no one wants to deal with his substance abuse issues and erratic behavior. He and Esther eventually marry and decide to build a house in a somewhat isolated area, but as Esther's career soars, John's hopes of jumpstarting his, go nowhere. Their relationship becomes riddled with friction as these events continue to unfold.

Watching this version of "A Star is Born", mostly serves to highlight how George Cukor's version of the same material was so good, the same going for the recent version shepherded by Bradley Cooper. This version authored by Frank Pierson, though a huge commercial success upon its release, lacks any subtlety and nuance from a character perspective, with both leads having little to no dimension throughout the entire film. Both Esther and John Howard, are portrayed as uni-dimensional characters, with Esther being the somewhat aspirational young professional who loves the iconic and older rock star, whereas him is essentially the self destructive charismatic artist, haunted by some ghosts of his own. Why these characters are the way they are, we never really get much insight into, there's not much of a journey here to actually digest and understand. The film mostly focuses on the relationship between these two characters, as Esther becomes increasingly more popular, and John fades into the background, even though the reasoning for these events is never entirely established. The film manages to be effective in how it captures the live music universe of the 70s, but it never really manages to have much a point of view when it comes to its characters. Kris Kristofferson imbues his character with energy, but lacks subtlety and substance when it comes to making his conflicts effective. Barbra Streisand never really conveys this notion of a struggling artist, of someone who comes from nothing and finds herself wining awards and selling out stadiums. Somehow in this adaptation of the story, the journey that the previous films illustrated so iconically (also demonstrated in Bradley Cooper's version), is missing, making this particular version feel almost as a vanity project, more so than an authentic adaptation of a classic story. The presence of the late Paul Mazursky is always welcomed, but the film is a mediocre retelling of a classic story. 

Zack Snyder's Justice League

Movie Name: Zack Snyder's Justice League
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Ezra Miller, Diane Lane, Jeremy Irons, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Eisenberg, Connie Nielsen, J.K. Simmons, Ciaran Hinds, Joe Morton, Amber Heard, David Thewlis, Anthony Wise, Billy Crudup, Robin Wright, Joe Manganiello, Jared Leto
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

So much has been written about "Justice League", the film that originally premiered in 2017, where director Zack Snyder had to leave the production of the film due to personal reasons, with the studio producing the feature bringing writer/director Joss Whedon to finish it. The output was mediocre, which in hindsight wasn't that much different than the previous efforts from director Zack Snyder with both "Man of Steel" and also "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice". With many voices clamoring for the director's cut of the material, it has finally emerged, in the shape of a lengthier feature, which enhances some of the plot points from the previous version, but for the most part retains the same DNA. The film follows the events from "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", with the world mourning the passing of Superman, and Bruce Wayne/Batman, looking to build a team that can battle the challenges which lie ahead. He has the support of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, but he attempts to recruit Arthur Curry/Aquaman, without much success, fairing substantially better with the young Barry Allen/Flash. Diana in the meantime tries to recruit Victor Stone/Cyborg, without much success, since he is still coping with living in this new type of existence he has been forced to. As a menace appears in the shape of Steppenwolf, working for the sinister Darkseid, these supernatural individuals have to learn to put their differences aside, in order to prevent the destruction of the world. Even if that means bringing Superman back to life.

The differences between both versions of "Justice League" are substantial, obviously starting with the fact that this current iteration is twice as long as the one which premiered in the theaters. However substantial those alterations are, most of the issues that consumed the original film are demonstrably here as well. Zack Snyder has been a director where the visual flourish and stylistic choices always seem to outweigh whatever character development and nuance the narrative needs to have. If some of his films have been more successful in the marriage of narrative and visuals, such as "Dawn of the Dead" or even "Watchmen", the ones where his fingerprints are more visible on the screenplay, that fragile balance is eclipsed. In this particular case, the film is divided in several chapters, all of which detail the assembly of the team, with the sole aim to battle a seemingly unbeatable opponent. The problem remains that in the 4 hours this film takes to tell its story, the villainous figurehead of this film is nothing more than a digital artifact with no real motivation to take over the planet, aside from just wanting another planet. There's no dimension to the villainous creatures, nor to their minions. The central group of heroes is remarkably bare in terms of dimension and interaction also. Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Jeremy Irons, all excellent actors on their own, have literally nothing to do (how many times is Jeremy Irons going to say Master Bruce). You'd think that in a film of this length, there would be enough time to actually provide an arc for a few characters, but aside from Cyborg, whom we get a brief insight on his origins, not many are granted much time aside from some episodic moments. What is left to admire is once again a faulty narrative without actual characters, but with superlative visual effects, lots of slow motion and a talented group of performers without much to do. It's a longer film than the previous version, but it's not a better one. 

The Brood

Movie Name: The Brood
Year of Release: 1979
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Art Hindle, Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Henry Beckman, Nuala Fitzgerald, Cindy Hinds, Susan Hogan, Gary McKeehan
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review:

Following "Rabid", David Cronenberg tackled a few different projects, which coincidentally came out in the same year, firstly the little seen "Fast Company" with John Saxon, and "The Brood", which featured a more well known and recognizable cast, headlined by Oliver Reed and Samantha Eggar. The film follows the story of Frank Carveth, a man who is going through a difficult separation from his wife, Nola. Nola is actually in a mental institute, being treated by a renown psychotherapist by the name of Hal Ragian. When Frank gets his daughter Candice from one of her visits with Nola, he realizes she has bruises and scratches. He decides to pursue a termination of the visitation rights, at least until the situation of who did that to the child is clarified. As he leaves Candice with her grandmother, the woman is killed by what appears to be a small child, who leaves Candice untouched. As Frank tries to understand what is happening, he gets some assistance from Barton, Nola's former stepfather, and Ruth, Candice's schoolteacher. However, both Barton and Ruth are met with grizzly deaths, always at the hands of those small creatures. As one of them is killed, the police reveals of series of bizarre things about these creatures. When Candice is taken, Frank has no choice but to go to the Institute and confront Nola about the bizarre incidents and Candice's disappearance.

"The Brood" is another great example of the uniqueness of the universe director David Cronenberg has always created throughout his films. This time around, under the guise of these monster-like creatures, which are a manifestation of someone's pain and anger, there's at its core, the dissolution of a relationship, of a connection between two people and of a family unit. There's simultaneously a humane aspect to the pain that this event inflicts on people, and a clinical aspect, in the sense that Nola, channels her pain, anger and past trauma, through the creation of this army who acts on her behalf, trying to control everyone in her universe, near of in the periphery of it. It's a narrative that much to the director's credit, is tempered with a sense of unease and fear, further enhanced by the fact that the menacing creatures are never truly visible. Much like his early films, "The Brood" has an economical aspect to its narrative, exposing the main characters rather quickly and in broad strokes, in order to get to the core of the feature. It's original, unique, and much like "Scanners", "Rabid" and "The Fly" to name but a few, it once again demonstrates how the human body is a field for the director to explore, and demonstrate how much it can mutate itself. The cast is solid, with Art Hindle, Oliver Reed and Samantha Eggar all creating great characters. The cinematography from Mark Irwin is impeccable as is the score of the alway fantastic Howard Shore. Another great film from a truly unique voice in cinema.

The Shining

Movie Name: The Shining
Year of Release: 1980
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers, Barry Nelson, Philip Stone, Joe Turkel, Anne Jackson, Tony Burton
Genre: Drama, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9
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Synopsis and Review:

Director Stanley Kubrick followed both the iconic and critically acclaimed features of the 70s, "A Clockwork Orange" and "Barry Lyndon", with what turned out to be another of his classic films, one that has since been widely discussed, parodied and ultimately hailed as one of the best of the horror genre. "The Shining" is an adaptation of the book by Stephen King, and focuses on the story of Danny Torrance and his family. Danny's father Jack, has had his fair share of problems with alcohol, but has been sober for a while, while he's been doing all sorts of odd jobs to make ends meet, with the ultimate goal of launching a writing career. Danny's mom, Wendy, has always been of a sunny disposition is a full time mom, taking care of Danny and of the home where they live. The family lives in Boulder, and as the narrative begins, Jack is up for a caretaker position with a massive hotel in the Denver area. The hotel closes during the winter due to the merciless temperatures and amounts of snow it gets, and Jack is being hired to maintain the structure functional, preventing the elements from causing too much damage. As he selected for the job, Danny who is gifted with special abilities, fears there's something about the hotel that is menacing. And as the family gets familiar and comfortable in the space, odd things start happening.

Even if at the time of its premiere "The Shining" divided opinions, it has since become a staple of the Horror genre, much like John Carpenter's "Halloween", Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and the classics "Cat People" from Jacques Tourneur or Don Siegel's "The Invasion of the Body Snatchers", to name but a few. The film loosely adapts the Stephen King narrative, and builds a claustrophobic horror exercise around a family, whose patriarch loses touch with reality, due to the influence of supernatural entities. It's a film that works on many levels, and one that is rewarding to watch every time, since from a narrative perspective, there's themes of abuse, of mental health, of broken relationships to digest and reflect upon, not to mention, it's a film that is technically flawless, with fantastic cinematography, editing, production design and score. Stanley Kubrick manages to create a perfect progression of the dissolution of the relationship of Jack towards his family, something that is echoed by nature itself, particularly demonstrating how cold it is outside. As the narrative unfolds and the supernatural elements appear, they never show up gratuitously, but always through this progressive unveiling tactic. If something can be said for this film, is the fact that the characters could have benefited from extra nuance and dimension, but they're still constructed enough to resonate and feel more than cliches. Jack Nicholson is great in the central role, even if he cedes into over-acting at times, but Shelley Duvall is superb, the same going for Danny Lloyd and Scatman Crothers. The cinematography from John Alcott is fantastic, as is the score from Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind. It's an iconic film from a genius film maker, always worth revisiting.

The Last Seduction

Movie Name: The Last Seduction
Year of Release: 1994
Director: John Dahl
Starring: Linda Fiorentino, Peter Berg, Bill Pullman, Bill Nunn, J.T. Walsh, Dean Norris, Herb Mitchell
Genre: Crime, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Director John Dahl flew somewhat under the radar with his first features, the noir "Kill Me Again", which was followed by the equally good "Red Rock West". "The Last Seduction" finally placed him on the map, and justifiably so, since it's a film that manages to capture the film noir style which was a staple of many films released in the 1940s and 50s (though the same can be said for Lawrence Kasdan's "Body Heat"). The film follows the story of Bridget Gregory, who we first encounter working in NYC as a telemarketing manager. Her husband Clay, is training to be a doctor, but is however in debt with some loan shark. In order to solve their financial woes, Clay manages to sell stolen pharmaceuticals, which provides him with a hefty sum of money. Following a heated argument with Clay, Bridget grabs the money and flees, intending to start over in Chicago. Along the way, she stops by a small town named Beston, where she seduces a young man by the name of Mike. Bridget gets tipped her husband knows of her plans to go to Chicago, and decides to stay in Beston for a bit, until the situation calms down. She takes a job in town, coincidentally in the same company where Mike works. Mike who has developed an infatuation with Bridget, tries to know her more, without much success. Bridget has plans of her own, and they include overcoming some of the challenges Clay is sending her way.

"The Last Seduction" succeeds in establishing its lead characters fairly quickly and succinctly. Bridget in particular, is a character with very specific motivations, one who knows what she wants and stops at nothing in order to get it. While most of her background is glossed over, the film follows her destructive path as she goes about setting the world ablaze in pursuit of what she craves for. Mike and Clay end up being supporting players, some accessories, others foibles, but nonetheless, she bypasses them and their intents of dominating her will or conforming her into some vision they have in their mind. The film has of course much of the stylistic touches of the film noir, with Bridget using sex and her intellect to dupe men who constantly underestimate her intelligence and capabilities. The film is essentially a tautly executed B-movie, with great acting, courtesy of Linda Fiorentino and Bill Pullman. Fiorentino in particular has never been better, with just enough cynicism, married with her beauty and sardonic wit. The cinematography from Jeff Jur is solid as is the score from Joseph Vitarelli. Worth watching.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason

Movie Name: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Year of Release: 2004
Director: Beeban Kidron
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Jacinda Barrett, Sally Phillips, James Callis, Shirley Henderson, Celia Imrie, James Faulkner, Neil Pearson, Catherine Russell, Ian McNeice, Paul Nicholls, Neil Dudgeon, Mark Tandy
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review:

After the successful first foray into the life of Bridget Jones, a sequel was of course inevitable. The creative team shuffled a bit, with director Beeban Kidron replacing previous helmer Sharon Maguire. This time around, we're introduced to Bridget's life as her relationship with Mark Darcy is slowly getting into the swing of it. Bridget is still working at the network where she has been for some time, still causing some hilarious incidents. Mark in the meantime has some new colleagues, including Rebecca Gillies, who sparks all sorts of insecurities in Bridget. As their relationship goes through some hurdles, and they get better acquainted with each other, Bridget is forced to reconnect with Daniel Cleaver, who in the meantime left publishing, and ventured into Broadcasting, with a TV Show of his own. Bridget and Daniel are sent to Thailand in order to do a Travel show for the channel they're both working with. After what seems like a possible attempt at a reconciliation, Bridget soon realizes Daniel is still the same person he has always been, and soon after she finds herself in hot waters, due to some unwanted contraband. 

One of the most interesting aspects of the "Bridget Jones" series of films, is of course Renee Zellweger's ability to shed all inhibitions and even ego, and just run with the character through a series of situations that are a mix of awkwardness and physical comedy. The fact that she also marries all this with a very subtle angst about aging, women's physical stereotypes, is the more commendable, since she makes it all look so effortless and natural. While all of this was somewhat balanced in the first film, which featured an economic narrative, this sequel throws the amorous relationship at its center through some hurdles, dealing with insecurities and shortcomings. However whereas the first film had some spontaneity and charm to it, this one, and as much as Renee Zellweger tries to both elicit humor and ground the character and the situations, they're at times so preposterous that it doesn't really resonate. Beeban Kidron, known for such films as "Used People" and "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar", mostly tries to illustrate the narrative, without bringing much of a unique point of view to it. Nonetheless, it's still a film with some really well resolved aspects to it, and again features a great cast bringing all these characters to life. Besides Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, all manage to cement their characters' journeys, and provide some really great rapport with the central character. The production team is impeccable, with highlight going to the cinematography from the late Adrian Biddle. Though not as solidly entertaining as the first feature, it's still worth watching.

The Village

Movie Name: The Village
Year of Release: 2004
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Brendan Gleeson, Cherry Jones, Celia Weston, John Christopher Jones, Frank Collison, Jayne Atkinson, Judy Greer, Michael Pitt, Jesse Eisenberg
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:

M. Night Shyamalan followed his successful "Signs", with a film that once again was shrouded in secrecy. It also featured one of the best casts he has worked with (before and since). The film focuses on the story of Ivy and Lucius, two young adults who live in an isolated community in Pennsylvania in the 19th century. The village is surrounded by thick woods, and the villagers have built a large barrier of oil lanterns and watchtowers, with the intent of keeping watch of creatures who live in those woods and threaten the existence of the community. Lucius and Ivy who are enamored of each other, face a dramatic turn of events, when Noah Percy, a man of the community with development disability, stabs Lucius, since he also has developed feelings for Ivy (who incidentally is blind). The elder council decides to remit a group of three, including Ivy, to procure medication and help beyond the woods. Ivy's helpers soon abandon her, and she makes way through the woods, overcoming a series of obstacles, which includes one of the dreaded creatures. She ultimately reaches the limits of the woods, where she finds the help she longs for, though not all is how it has been portrayed.

M. Night Shyamalan early on made a name for himself, as a Writer/Director whose films had interesting premises, only to have a somewhat unexpected twist in the third chapter of the narrative. That seems to be the case as well with "The Village". What is seemingly a period piece about an isolated community, facing some menacing and terrorizing creatures, becomes something else towards the epilogue of the feature. The director successfully builds an environment of fear and dread throughout the narrative, and we witness the relationships which have defined that community. This chapter is the most effective one, as the relationship between the central couple also blossoms, however as the twists mount, that's where interestingly enough the more engaging and compelling aspects of the film starts to dwindle. There's an interesting insight into collective paranoia looming in this film, however the director goes in a much different direction, particularly as Ivy takes center state in the third chapter of the narrative. The third chapter doesn't so much elevate what has been built previously, as it reduces it to a trope. Even if it is indeed a very unbalanced film, it features great performances from a stellar cast, which includes the phenomenal Joaquin Phoenix, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Adrien Brody and Bryce Dallas Howard. The cinematography from Roger Deakins is sumptuous as usual, the same thing going for the score from James Newton Howard. Still worth watching. 

Pieces of a Woman

Movie Name: Pieces of a Woman
Year of Release: 2020
Director: Kornel Mundruczo
Starring: Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Iliza Schlesinger, Benny Safdie, Tyrone Benskin, Steven McCarthy
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review:

The creative team comprised of director Kornel Mundruczo and writer Kata Weber, have followed their previous directorial effort, "Jupiter's Moon" with "Pieces of a Woman", which made its premiere at the Venice Film Festival of 2020 and got subsequently purchased for distribution by Netflix. The film follows the story of Martha, a young woman currently pregnant, who lives with her partner Sean. Sean and Martha's mother, Elizabeth, do not get along, but as the baby's birth looms they're getting the house ready and making sure they have a car that fits their growing family. Martha has decided to have the baby at home, and has been preparing for the birthing process with her midwife Barbara. When Martha starts with contractions and the birthing process begins, Barbara is unable to be there due to a previous birthing that she's already shepherding. Eva is sent in her place, and she quickly reassures Martha and Sean of her knowledge and what lies ahead. Things however take a dark turn, as the baby dies shortly after being born, leaving Martha numb and devastated, the same going for the rest of the family, including Sean, Elizabeth and Martha's sister, Anita. As Martha tries to make way of resuming her life, her mom is intent on bringing the midwife to justice, whereas Sean feels disconnected of his own life, and lapses back to drug usage.

"Pieces of a Woman" tries to document the painful aftermath of a traumatic situation, which is of course the death of a baby. The creative team's approach to showcasing the aftermath of this horrific event, focuses on capturing the rawness of feelings and interactions between characters. However all these interactions and events, feel strangely artificial and orchestrated, lacking some of the veracity one can find in a John Cassavetes film for instance. When Lars Von Trier or even Catherine Breillat, depicted un-simulated sex acts in their films, it felt very much part of the narrative they were saying, an extension of what their characters were doing. In the case of "Pieces of Woman", whatever is captured in the more intimate scenes between Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf, simply doesn't work, the same going with Sarah Snook's and Shia LaBeouf's interactions. These scenes generally feel more gratuitous than genuine, or for that matter, like they fail to add purpose to what is occurring onscreen. While there's something interesting to Vanessa Kirby's perspective of the main character, namely some aloofness and even coldness during most of the feature, one can't help but think of what someone such as Rooney Mara would've done with this role. Shia LaBeouf's roles by now, seem to blend into each other, without much distinction between them. He's on a streak of playing working individuals, with some personal baggage, which translates into issues with alcohol and drugs, and a general impossibility to relate to others. The film's emotional center and core actually belongs to Ellen Burstyn: she breathes life into that character, creating a mother who carries a heavy burden of history within her, someone who simply wants the best for her children. Molly Parker and Iliza Schlesinger have somewhat smallish roles, but Parker in particular, always manages to create a strong impact, bringing humanity and dignity to every character she portrays. While not being a bad film, it's nonetheless one that tries very hard to be many things. Atom Egoyan in "The Sweet Hereafter" captured pain in an almost lyrical manner, whereas this approach, with its apparent rawness, feels forced and again, lacking authenticity. It's worth watching for Ellen Burstyn's powerful performance.

Eating Raoul

Movie Name: Eating Raoul
Year of Release: 1982
Director: Paul Bartel
Starring: Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran, Susan Saiger, Lynn Hobart, Richard Paul, John Shearin, Ed Begley Jr., Buck Henry, Ralph Brannen, John Paragon, Don Steele
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Paul Bartel had already a few directorial features on his resume, by the time "Eating Raoul" was shot and released. Bartel started his directorial career under the tutelage of Roger Corman, much like Jonathan Demme, Joe Dante and James Cameron, to name but a few. However, "Eating Raoul" was largely self financed, and took him quite a while to get shot, primarily due to the paltry budget. The film follows the story of loving couple Paul and Mary. Paul works in a cheap wine shop, and is struggling to make his fine tastes match the philosophy and approach of its owner. Mary is a nurse, who has to tackle the flirtation from the patients. Following a particular heated incident, Paul is fired, which threatens to destroy the plans the couple has to start a restaurant of their own. As they try to work through what to do next, they're also confronted with a group of swingers, who are having a get together in an apartment on their floor. Following a particularly persistent swinger who is intent on seducing Mary, they end up killing him and taking away their money. This accident inspires them to devise a plan of seducing men to their apartment, under the guise of Mary's beauty, kill them and rob their money. They find an unexpected accomplice in Raoul, who comes to their house to fix the locks, and eventually offers to help get rid of the bodies, in exchange for part of the profits. This starts a lucrative deal, until Raoul and Mary get involved romantically. 

This low budget satire, remains as funny today as it did when it came out in 1982. Paul Bartel managed to create a story which poked fun at a series of topics, namely sexual behaviors, economic meltdowns, and people's general selfishness and inability to look beyond their own interests. While all the adventures experienced by the swingers are quite funny, what still resonates the most from the film is Paul and Mary's loving and tight relationship, which ultimately overcomes all obstacles they tackle. Even if the budget constraints may come across in certain aspects of the narrative, it never prevents the satire to be fully realized nor the dark comedy associated with certain actions Paul and Mary have to eventually do. The supporting cast is for the most part, largely caricatures, but they still illustrate the challenges Paul and Mary have to go through to achieve their dreams (particularly the hilarious Buck Henry). The camera work from Gary Thieltges is solid as is the score from Arlon Ober. A cult classic always worth revisiting.

Desperately Seeking Susan

Movie Name: Desperately Seeking Susan
Year of Release: 1985
Director: Susan Seidelman
Starring: Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn, Madonna, Mark Blum, Robert Joy, Laurie Metcalfe, Anna Thomson, Will Patton, Peter Maloney, John Turturro, Anne Carlisle, Giancarlo Esposito
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

After commencing her directorial career with a few shorts, her debut feature "Smithereens" got director Susan Seidelman enough attention which enabled her to tackle a bigger budget film, with a much more diversified cast of up and coming actors. "Desperately Seeking Susan" follows the story of Roberta, a twenty-something bored housewife, who lives in New Jersey. She is married to Gary, who is completely oblivious to her needs or to her presence. Roberta is fascinated with the personals on newspapers, and in particular she follows the exchanges between two loves, under the title of "Desperately Seeking Susan". Reading their latest exchange on the paper, prompts Roberta to actually go to their arranged meeting place. There she witnesses the meeting between the loving couple, which doesn't last for very long since Jim, Susan's boyfriend, hast to leave with his band to go to Buffalo for some concerts. As Roberta follows Susan around town, she eventually buys some of her used clothes, which actually gets mistaken for Susan. This game of mistaken identities gets Roberta in trouble, as Susan is actually involved in some sketchy situations. As Roberta further goes down the Rabbit hole of New York's nightlife, she also realizes all that she was missing from her life.

One of the most interesting things about "Desperately Seeking Susan" is how at times it feels like the perfect time capsule for New York in the mid 80s (much like Martin Scorsese's "After Hours", also released in the same year), while also being very much a story driven from a female perspective, all of this married with a very unique sense of style. Susan Seidelman manages to not only capture the somewhat stylized and homogenized look of life in suburbia, but also the effervescent energy of New York's night life and art world, all of these witnessed through the eyes and adventures of Roberta, who experiences a re-awakening. The story is not only Alice going down the rabbit hole, but more to the point of Roberta finally pursuing her own desires, growing up, and unleashing a point of view that is uniquely hers, and not molded by someone else. It's a film filled with great humor, brought to life thanks to a very eclectic cast. Rosanna Arquette leads the cast, she manages to be equally delightful with her sweetness, while also demonstrates her newfound sense of strength. The supporting cast is filled with great actors all peppering the narrative with wonderful performances, from the always underrated Will Patton, to the stupendous Laurie Metcalfe, not to mention Madonna, who brings her unique energy and charm to a role perfectly suited for her. The cinematography from Ed Lachman is fantastic, as is the score from Thomas Newman (featuring songs from Madonna herself). A film always worth watching and savoring. 

The Dig

Movie Name: The Dig
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Simon Stone
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James, Johnny Flynn, Ben Chaplin, Ken Stott, Archie Barnes, Monica Dolan, Danny Webb, James Dryden, Joe Hurst, Paul Ready, Peter McDonald, Ellie Piercy, Bronwyn James
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Actor/Director Simon Stone, has followed his previously well received feature "The Daughter" with "The Dig", a much higher profile feature, which has been distributed by streaming platform Netflix. The film is based on the book by John Preston, and is itself based on real facts that occurred in Britain during the 1930s and 40s. The film introduces us to landowner Edit Pretty, who in 1939 hires Basil Brown to uncover what lies beneath some burial grounds at her estate in Sutton Hoo. Mr. Brown who is self taught, negotiates his fees with Mrs. Pretty and starts the digging. When he eventually uncovers what it seems to be the ancient remnants of an Anglo-Saxon ship, the news quickly spreads, prompting the arrival of Charles Phillips and his team, who quickly dismiss the contribution and work he has done thus far. Even though Mrs. Pretty is battling health issues, she intervenes, and Basil resumes is work on the digging site. As more elements are uncovered, Phillips wants the artifacts to be sent to London, while Mrs. Pretty fearing for the War raids in London, and potentially for the destruction of the assets, vetoes that decision. She wins the right to do so as the landowner of the site itself. Mrs. Pretty eventually decides to make the donation to the British Museum, while also giving proper accreditation to Mr. Brown for the finding.

"The Dig" manages to be a film that flows easily, deftly capturing the lead characters and their challenges. The director focuses his attention on showcasing Mrs. Pretty as a conscientious, intelligent and sensitive woman, dealing with her own personal problems, all the while raising her son by herself and managing a property and employees with fairness. He also captures Mr. Brown's aspirations and hard working streak, allowing him to define this character as someone humble, yet with ambitions and knowledge backed up by experience. The relationship, of trust, friendship and respect, which is developed by these characters, is eventually what makes it so interesting. As an array of supporting characters appear, and have their own sub-plots, that in itself never steals away from the focus of the narrative, particularly the quiet intensity from Mrs. Pretty and also Mr. Brown. The film lives from the impeccable work from Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes. Though their characters are quite different, they manage to imbue them with a vitality, authority and even grit, which is memorable and elevates this film's emotional resonance. The cinematography from Mike Eley is beautiful, as is the score from Stefan Gregory. Worth watching.