Category Archives: Reviews

Review: The Ring (USA 2002)

Posted on July 24, 2020 by David

Finally watched the American remake after all these years and … not overly impressed. I’ve had people argue to me that it’s better than the original but I don’t see it. Seemed largely an adequate copy with some minor cultural … Continue reading →

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Review: Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2 (Japan 1968)

Posted on July 17, 2020 by David

Part 2 of the Goro saga moves to Tohoku, and gives us snow instead of city for a while. Tetsuya Watari is back as honorable (now former) gangster Goro – he tries to get out but they keep pulling him … Continue reading →

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Review: Judex (France 1963)

Posted on July 17, 2020 by David

Georges Franju’s tribute to the silent serials of Louis Feuillade. Franju takes a different path than Olivier Assayas, whose tribute to Les Vampires, Irma Vep, recontextualized the action into a meta-tribute to Feuillade and Maggie Cheung. Rather Franju does something … Continue reading →

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Review: The Beach Bum (USA 2019)

Posted on July 16, 2020 by David

Why do I keep watching Harmony Korine movies? I hate Harmony Korine movies. I can only imagine the pitch on this one: “Spring Breakers, but with old people!” I spent the whole first half of this movie thinking these people are … Continue reading →

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Review: The Old Guard (USA 2020)

Posted on July 12, 2020 by David

Solid sci-fi actioner with a Highlander twist from the Netflix factory, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Greg Rucka (and man does this feel like a Rucka joint thematically). Weakened a bit by low stakes and a really lame villain (Harry Melling doing … Continue reading →

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Review: Outlaw: Gangster VIP (Japan 1968)

Posted on July 9, 2020 by David

First in the series (working my way through a box set I received as a present). Apparently I’d watched this before but had no memory of it. Somewhat old fashioned Yakuza high melodrama starring Tetsuya Watari covers all the cliches: … Continue reading →

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Review: We Are Little Zombies (Japan 2019)

Posted on July 6, 2020 by David

First off, that is not a “zombie movie” per se. Just had to be said. Horror movie fans should check this out – everyone should – but don’t expect any gut-munching. Rather, We Are Little Zombies is about a metaphorical … Continue reading →

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Review: Deathsport (USA 1978)

Posted on June 15, 2020 by David

This thematic sequel of sorts to Death Race 2000 from the Corman factory doesn’t capture any of the magic of that film (I mean, hey no Paul Bartel involved) but is a goofy good time. It’s post-apocalyptic silliness full of … Continue reading →

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Review: Da 5 Bloods (USA 2020)

Posted on June 14, 2020 by David

I liked it just fine overall, but didn’t think it was one of Lee’s stronger films – too much that didn’t work. But in lieu of a real review (having trouble being coherent on this one – hard to disentangle … Continue reading →

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Review: Juno and the Paycock (UK 1930)

Posted on May 27, 2020 by David

Social tragi-comedy based on a play about a poor Dublin family with a blustering father who come into a brief payday, set against the backdrop of the Irish Civil War. The material doesn’t really suit Hitchcock, and only really comes … Continue reading →

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