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waynegmarsh
Reviews
The Night Comes for Us (2018)
Spectacular Fight Choreography and Cinematography
No need for any Spoiler Alerts here, since there aren't any unpredictable plot points to spoil. There's some sort of schism in a huge criminal cartel, and those on one side are sent to kill those on the other side, and some on the other side arrive to kill those on the first side, and, later in the movie, a couple lesbian killers are added to the mix. Oh, and there's a solo woman killer whose role seems to be to alternately kill and rescue people on both sides. Maybe the plot's lost in the subtitles.
But the fight choreography and cinematography are the best I've seen. Maybe too good -- I often found myself admiring those techniques, which distanced me from any involvement in the characters' situations.
My objection here is the same as to all of these kinds of movies -- they're complete fantasies. In choreographed confrontations between our hero and 30 killers, the killers come at the hero only one or two at a time, while the rest of the killers hop back and forth in the background, waving their weapons until it's their turn to be dispatched. In a real confrontation like that, the killers would attack the lone hero from many different directions, overwhelming him. Plus, no real hero could absorb one-hundredth the punishment these cinema heroes absorb, and still be alive.
Sharp Objects (2018)
A Master Class in the Psychology of Evil
It's a very dark series starring Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson in great performances. Murders in a small town where everybody has secrets and nobody tells all they know. You have to pay attention to put together the back story as the series progresses - the director gives you the information you need, but doesn't slap you in the face with the important plot points. Psychologically deep - it'll make you think about how people can come to be consciously blind to great evil, or passively accepting it, or even actively abetting it. And, if you watch it, don't hit the Stop button too soon at the end of the last episode. Saying no more...
Neighborhoods (2014)
Brilliant Sample from a Promising Young Filmmaker
I saw this short film at the 2015 Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. For an eleven-minute film with little dialog, it packs an emotional wallop. It deals with a pivotal moment in the lives of three young Somali people, part of first generation of the Somali diaspora in the U.S. Can their friendship survive the stresses of their new country?
As of early 2015, Marcus is traveling the film festival circuit trying to find support for a longer film on the same theme. I hope he gets it. He's got some impressive dramatic and technical skills that should be developed.
The Luck of the Irish (1948)
If you liked "Miracle on 34th Street" you'll like "The Luck of the Irish"
I have to believe this movie was inspired by "Miracle on 34th Street." In both, a supposedly fantastical person (Santa Claus, leprechaun) puts his oar into the lives of some cynical, unhappy people, makes them realize What's Truly Important, and changes their lives forever, for the better. Sappy nonsense, but absolutely enjoyable from start to finish.
This is one of Jayne Meadows' first films. I thought I recognized her from an early TV panel show, and I did. She appeared many times on the old "What's My Line" show. She is the sister of Audrey Meadows, who played Alice Cramden on many of Jackie Gleason's "The Honeymooners" shows. Thanks to IMDb for the details that make these old films more interesting.