Category Archives: United States

Dec 02 2023
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Art, Cinema, Film, Movie, Movies, Uncategorized, United States

Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989).

What a wee hunk James Spader is in this. Was he the definitive representation in human form of the peak Yuppie era? Spader is almost homeless in the sordid story yet defines that breed. If you ever needed utter sleaze he was your go-to lad. And what an unbelievably annoying little cunt he is here! His purpose is to wind the couple up, expose the facade. And they are manky things aside from the lassie from Four Weddings (1994).

Why do Americans in these films always have deep conversations in coffee shops? I sit in them and want to string myself up, such is the nausea of the establishments.

To summarise, your reviewer felt rather uncomfortable and icky viewing this brilliant movie. I suppose that was the point.

And the psychiatrist at the start is the one who asks Hannibal some rudimentary questions before the doctor brings up stiffening nipples:

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Nov 09 2023
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Crime, Uncategorized, United States

Get Gotti (Netflix).

More valuable than most with its refreshing insight into procedural techniques, and it doesn’t delve much into the cultural appeal of Gotti at the time of his Al Capone status; why bother to dissect the masses’ tendency to elevate cunts into heroes? This creative decision was a relief (we could be here all fucking day).

I liked it mainly because the makers have clearly fashioned the music, the titles, the cinematography … the whole works on Drive (2011). That’s funny. I can picture the production team sitting down to watch the Gosling (birthing into ‘Gosling’) picture and concluding, “Our three-part series shall be Drive with a voice-over.”

Which it is.

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Oct 23 2023
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Architecture, Art, Cinema, Crime, Film, Movie, Movies, Uncategorized, United States

Devil in a Blue Dress (1995).

Despite my deep admiration for Denzel’s acting gifts, this movie is of little note, and I lost all interest with the central murder or anything that anyone was taking about. There’s not even a good thing about this; it is merely a copycat of Chinatown (1974).

It made no sense. The protagonist is in mortal danger yet keeps rocking back to the danger zone that is his house. Characters bubble away about how awful they have all been, but only when there’s a gun to their heads. Three goon cops – one of them Tom Sizemore – keep arriving with the same roughhouse antics over and over. 

It was all just a pain to watch despite the perfectly fine performances. If it were even shot well I’d recommend it for something – but nah. Boring, boring, boring, more boring. 

A boring film. 

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Oct 16 2023
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Art, Cinema, Crime, Film, Movie, Movies, Technology, Trains, Transport, Travel, Uncategorized, United States

North by Northwest (1959).

The weird behaviour of the extras and background actors in this is hilarious to watch, as is the entire movie. Cary Grant’s accent makes no sense, nor does the film. The rear projection is so bad that it can only be a Hitchcock joke. As entertainment, I enjoyed every moment of it, because it’s self-aware and self-deprecating, and most unpredictable.

I think the career of Hitch was just a case of him taking the piss out of people whilst brushing up on his film aesthetics. And that’s fine with me.

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Oct 09 2023
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Art, Cinema, Crime, Film, Movie, Movies, Uncategorized, United States

Copshop (2021).

The ominous opening set the tone despite the humour, some of it actually funny, and this was never dull even though the Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) scenario kept most of the shenanigans indoors.

Gerard Butler wasn’t dire! He’s sometimes capable of being okay and here is one of those occasions. Frank Grillo, Cutty from The Wire, the cast is not an issue and every character was credible.

Rather thrilling hokum, genuinely inexperienced cops of mostly limited talents really struggling when up against hardened criminals.  

It does, however, wholeheartedly exhibit that infuriating habit of American cinema, characters constantly addressing one another by their names during every single exchange they have, as if the audience will have forgotten who they are.

Just stop doing it. It needs to end.

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Sep 25 2023
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Art, Cinema, Film, TV, TV series, Uncategorized, United Kingdom, United States, USSR, World War Two, WWII

The World at War (1973).

The incredible archive footage, the level of research, the interviews, the music, the sound of Laurence Olivier.

Sublime and unrivalled.

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Sep 14 2023
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Art, Technology, Television, TV, TV series, United States

Beef (2023-).

Anxiety, extreme pettiness, and cascading psyches in the suffocating urban nightmare that is modern living, which is a mission at times. You really don’t know what might happen next in this show, and it has a Magnolia (1999) quality to it. The last two episodes approached the ludicrous but then I did consider the overwhelming evidence that these rivals frequently teeter on the barking mad classification, so it all sort of works.

And where would these series be without smartphones? I suppose it’s an accurate reflection of things. 

Black comedy with some pathos, and it doesn’t outstay its welcome. Better than most offerings out there.

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Sep 11 2023
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Art, Cinema, Film, Movie, Movies, Technology, Uncategorized, United States

Crimson Tide (1995).

Crimson Tide (1995) is fucking amazing, and it’s not just for the extended screaming stand-off between Gene and Denzel. It’s a film about an issue, a rather big issue, yet is shot with such electricity, edited and paced as good as any action-thriller, and with a Hans Zimmer score sounding like it was composed when he was conducting an esoteric shite. Even the intermittent pop culture references, weird as they are, kind of work, a way to relieve the unbearable tension.

You have five heart attacks watching this movie.

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Sep 09 2023
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Art, Cinema, Music, Technology, Uncategorized, United States

Barbie (2023). I bit the bullet.

I didn’t mind it at all, and just watched it for the daftness and the epic tunes. 

I’m not going to read much into a movie about dolls. I got the the whole intention of the male/female power-dynamic/divide or whatever. It’s nothing I’ve ever thought about. Or cared to. Or ever will in this moment of time. 

Never seen a Barbie or Ken doll in my life, never wanted one, and have no interest in these creations. 

I’m sure there is a massive yet subtle subtext to everything in this film, but I’ll leave that to the ‘professionals’. 

It was entertaining. It has made a billion. Is that how easy it is? Movie about Bagpuss next. I want to see Bagpuss on a cocaine binge that Jordan Belfort would clap at.

Meow.

And ‘Barbie Girl’, THE tune of the ’90s, made an ‘appearance’. In a way ….

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Aug 27 2023
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Art, Cinema, Crime, Film, Movie, Movies, Uncategorized, United States

One False Move (1992).

The cutting, the stark directness of the style, the quite astonishing framing, this is a movie that demands your attention. The violence is visceral and brutal, and you get the feeling that anything can escalate out of nothing, which it often does. The cast are are all on the top of their game, Billy Bob Thornton a revelation in one of his earlier roles, and the late Bill Paxton once again proving that he’s incapable of a bad performance. And who on Earth was the very bad lad with the tash? Why haven’t I seen this bloke Michael Beach in anything else?

It’s such an unpredictable drama and grips the whole time. It’s also a horrible movie to watch … but for the right reasons.

And there’s a visual reference to North by Northwest (1959) that is simply magical.

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