Saturday, January 26, 2019
L'Odyssée (2016)
Highly influential and a fearlessly ambitious pioneer, innovator, filmmaker, researcher and conservationist, Jacques-Yves Cousteau's aquatic adventure covers roughly thirty years of an inarguably rich in achievements life.
Well-produced biopic with some great nature and underwater cinematography and a competent cast never quite captures Jacques-Yves Cousteau's love and enthusiasm for oceans and nature.
Dead of Night (1945)
An architect senses impending doom as his half-remembered recurring dream turns into reality, when the guests at the country house encourage him to stay as they take turns telling supernatural tales.
Magnificently conceived anthology movie, four directors pull it all together, with memorable and some frightening moments and a great. cast
Halliwell****: "Chillingly successful and influential compendium of the macabre, especially effective in its low-key handling of the linking sequence with its circular ending."
Maltin****: "Classic thriller...final sequence with Redgrave as a schizophrenic ventriloquist is a knockout."
New York
The scene in front of Everett House 17th Street north side of Union Square January 25, 1908
First Lines: Iain M. Banks - Against a Dark Background
She put her chin on the wood below the window.
Friday, January 25, 2019
Hush (1998)
A young bride becomes the emotional pawn of her controlling mother-in-law.
A standard and fully predictable plot with an unconvincing ending is hardly redeemed by good performances.
Not really worth the second viewing...
Halliwell (no star): ""Dire, risible domestic melodrama with action and sex asides, from a rock bottom bestseller. It long outstays its welcome even for unintentinal hilarity."
Maltin *1/2: "Viewers could read a novel watching this "thriller" and still not miss anything. Lange appears to believe doing Blanche Dubois all over again."
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Eloise (2017)
Four friends break into an abandoned insane asylum in search of a death certificate which will grant one of them a large inheritance. However, finding it soon becomes the least of their worries in a place haunted by dark memories.
Highly illogical horror drama manages some cheap thrills, but not much atmosphere or mystery.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
The Remaining (2014)
Friends gather at a wedding, but the celebration is shattered by terrifying apocalyptic events forcing them to examine life, love and faith as they must choose between redemption and survival.
Lacklustre and illogical doomsday yarn is especially annoying by abusing Biblical motives to explain its content.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Jaws 2 (1978)
Police chief Brody must protect the citizens of Amity after a second monstrous shark begins terrorizing the waters.
A sequel in full B movie quality in all departments; a far cry from the original.
Halliwell (no star): "Repetitive and feeble sequel aimed directly at the popcorn market."
Maltin**1/2: "...here comes another gratuitous sequel."
