Netflix And Chill: The Carrier (2014)

There may be some people out there who like the sound of The Carrier AKA The Bag Man, a neo-noir crime flick that features a cast of familiar names - John Cusack, Robert De Niro, Crispin Glover, Dominic Purcell, Rebecca Da Costa, Martin Klebba, and Sticky Fingaz. I advise you now to push that positivity aside. This is a horrible mess of a film, and it's clear that most of the people in front of the camera turned up for a paycheck that they knew wouldn't require them to break a sweat.

As much as it pains me to do so, I'll give a very brief plot summary here. Cusack plays Jack, the carrier of the title. He's transporting and taking care of something on behalf of Dragna (De Niro). The only rule is that he cannot look to see what's inside the package. Hiding out at a remote motel, manned by a curious man named Ned (Glover), Jack soon gets himself mixed up with some trouble swirling around Rivka (Da Costa).

Apparently written by James Russo, and then worked on by Paul Conway and director David Grovic, this is about as painfully lazy and irrelevant as it's possible for a movie to be. It feels as if it would have been easier to slightly enjoy back in the mid-1990s, but this was released two decades later. None of the cast are on top form, with one or two acting as if they're trying to give a career-worst performance, the dialogue could have been written by someone who was handed a variety of soundbites snipped from a variety of much better crime movies, and the 108-minute runtime is at least 20 minutes too long.

Few people have squandered their talent in the latter part of their career more than Cusack, who has given many performances by now that convey his complete disdain for his main career. This performance belongs in that category, although I don't blame him for being unable to work up any enthusiasm for the material. Da Costa has to look lovely, and occasionally be in danger, which she does. I'm not any big fan of her, but she does okay with what she's given. The best person, and someone who brings some fun to the proceedings, is Glover though, and the film is good whenever he's around. Purcell also does pretty good, it's a shame that he's not in the movie more, and both Klebba and Mr. Fingaz are perfectly fine. De Niro, sadly, is not. He doesn't seem to loathe the thing as much as Cusack, but he certainly doesn't do more than the bare minimum. 

It's odd to think of how much work had to be done here to make this as bad as it is. The screenplay is dire, but it could have been saved by a charismatic lead performance. The charisma isn't here. Cusack actually inverts any charisma he once had, creating some kind of monochromatic negative photo version of himself. And I'll eat my own hair if I encounter anyone who feels invested in this long enough to care about how the third act plays out.

The only good thing I have to say about this is that I at least hope to never have to rewatch it. 

2/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Shudder Saturday: Good Madam (2022)

Directed by Jenna Cato Bass, who also worked on the screenplay with, it appears, everyone in the cast, Good Madam is a drama with a nice shading of horror that will work for those who can accept and enjoy movies that make use of some genre trappings to reckon with some major societal issues and/or injustices. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to anyone just looking for a horror movie, but it's a rewarding experience for those who can handle their art with some creepy and unnerving imagery used throughout.

Tsidi (Chumisa Cosa) doesn't have anywhere to stay. She ends up visiting her estranged mother, Mavis (Nosipho Mtebe), a woman who has spent her life in devoted service to a a white family, and the Madam (Jennifer Borraine) at the head of it. Madam is now bed-ridden, but Mavis remains just as devoted and acclimatised to the way of life that is the only one she has known for many years. Tsidi resents what she sees, especially when it stirs up the memories of her own upbringing, an experience she doesn't want to pass along to her own young daughter, Winnie (Kamvalethu Jonas Raziya).

In case you didn't extrapolate from that plot description, Good Madam is an exploration of apartheid in South Africa and the ongoing ramifications of that. Watching Mavis go about her usual day is like watching a recently-released prisoner acting too bewildered by the entirety of the world and choosing to keep themselves in a small indoor space where they feel safe and a bit more in control. It's a reminder that history isn't just history. It can be massive generational trauma that reverberates for decades.

Cosa is brilliant in her role, constantly striving to move forward through a life that seems intent on holding her back. Raziya and Mtebe are also very good, each one seeing the world around them with very different eyes. Sanda Shandu plays a vital part in the proceedings, and his character helps to embody what our lead is fighting against. Erasure and oppression are obvious when part of major events, but they are allowed to continue whenever people stop resisting the pressure.

I assumed that Good Madam was going to be a bit of a struggle for me to get through, considering the subject matter. Well, that was wrong. Very easy to get into, with the characters quickly established and the main theme twisted around every scene like a double-helix of DNA, and even one or two moments that delivered some standard horror imagery (although still not enough for anyone wanting a good helping of bloodshed and thrills). If you've had your interest piqued by any of this discussion then you should definitely make time for this. If not, however, there's nothing in the film that will win you over.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-vember: Leave Her To Heaven (1945)

I love Gene Tierney. I love Gene Tierney so much that there's a chance I start every review of any Gene Tierney movie by stating my love for her. It doesn't make it any less true though. I've seen a fair few Gene Tierney movies, but there have been some blind spots that I should have seen long before now. Thankfully, I have friends to remind me of the many movies that I should make a priority, and last week I was told that I should definitely fit Leave Her To Heaven into my viewing schedule.

Tierney plays the beautiful and captivating Ellen Berent, a woman who captures the heart of a writer named Richard Harland (Cornel Wilde). Things move along quickly, a bit too quickly for the ex-fiance of Ellen, Russell Quinton (Vincent Price), and it's not long until the happy couple are living in wedded bliss. Well, there's the happy couple and Danny (Darryl Hickman), the polio-crippled younger brother of Richard. Ellen doesn't like to share though, and that isn't necessarily a good thing for a healthy relationship. It's also not a good thing for those who may take up some of the time and attention of her husband.

Based on a novel by Ben Ames Williams, Leave Her To Heaven is a good enough story that it would have been a great film in many different forms. It's directed well by John M. Stahl, who shows the right amount of confidence in the screenplay and his stars, and the writing from Jo Swerling does well to move viewers from a fairly standard opening act to the wild and heightened melodrama of the finale. 

Nobody really puts a foot wrong in front of the camera, although Hickman has to lean into the vulnerable and innocent "patient" persona as he tests the patience of Tierney's character. Speaking of Tierney, she conveys her willpower and steely resolve so well that it's easy to imagine her carrying the whole movie on her own. She essentially plays someone who is truly monstrous, but the edges are softened slightly by the fact that she's, well, Gene Tierney. She's ably supported by Wilde (even if he has to be a bit of a damn squib), a delightful Jeanne Crain, and a suave Price. There are a few other people populating this tale, but that central quartet is the reason for it being such a memorable and enjoyable experience. 

While I wouldn't place this alongside the absolute best Tierney films you could watch, that's only due to other specific titles setting a very high bar indeed. This would definitely be jostling with a few others just below the very best though, and it's certainly something you come away from with no questions about why it is so highly thought of. The runtime may be a bit longer than most noirs from this era, it's 110 minutes, and the bright colours may seem incompatible with the growing darkness of the plot, but don't let either of those things put you off. This is a classic. I'd love to spend much more time picking out specific highlights, but that would ruin the experience for anyone else yet to get around to it.

9/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-vember: Fortune Is A Woman (1957)

A film noir that focuses on an insurance investigator who has his head turned by a beautiful woman. I must admit that I thought I knew how everything would play out when I pressed play on Fortune Is A Woman. It's not hard to predict the beats when a noir sets itself up in ways that lead to comparisons with one or two of the all-time greats. Surprisingly, things didn't play out exactly as I thought they would, although I did start to get in step with everything as the second half unfolded.

Jack Hawkins is Oliver Branwell, the aforementioned insurance investigator. When sent to deal with one Mr. Tracey Moreton (Dennis Price) he encounters an old flame, now married, Sarah Moreton (Arlene Dahl). After some conversation that includes some talk about arson, Oliver moves on to other work, although he enjoys being reconnected with Sarah. Things sadly get a bit too coincidental when Oliver spots a painting elsewhere that he believes belongs to the Moretons, just before there's some arson and a death, leading to a large windfall for Sarah.

There are a number of reasons to watch, and enjoy, Fortune Is A Woman, with the dialogue and plotting being quite an obvious draw. Adapted by Val Valentine from a novel by Winston Graham, the screenplay written by director Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder maintains a great feeling of fun and a frisson of danger for the majority of the runtime. A big plus, however, is the inherent British politeness of the character played by Hawkins. There are at least two occasions that have him ready to fall on a sword that hasn't necessarily been placed directly in front of him.

Aside from Hawkins, who is a delight in his role, Dahl is also very good, and is allowed to work within an area of pleasing ambiguity while viewers try to figure out who is the real villain of the piece. Price is fine in his small role, Violet Farebrother is very good as his mother, and there are enjoyable performances from Ian Hunter, Geoffrey Keen, Bernard Miles, John Phillips, Greta Gynt (a scene-stealer), and even Christopher Lee, sadly only in the film for a couple of minutes.

There's a comforting cosiness to this. It's not one of those many noirs that will have you awaiting the ending with dread. It does still have stakes for the main characters though, and there's at least one corpse thrown into the mix. I had a great time with it, and the pacing of the 95-minute runtime is helped by the way in which the plot is almost broken up into a number of mini-vignettes (the set-up, the crime, and some investigative work only takes you to just over the halfway point, there is a bit more bobbing and weaving on the way to the end credits). The very last scenes may feel a bit underwhelming, but they don't do enough to spoil everything that came along before them.

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Prime Time: Riff Raff (2024)

I cannot recall the last time I watched a film that was SO reliant on the cast to keep viewers engaged and entertained. Of course, most movies rely on the cast. Riff Raff has nothing else going for it though. Nothing. And the cast are largely used to play popular screen incarnations of their typical personas.

Ed Harris is Vincent, married to the lovely Sandy (Gabrielle Union). He enjoys a quiet life, which seems set to get a bit quieter with his step-son, DJ (Miles J. Harvey), getting ready for college life. That quiet is interrupted, however, by the arrival of Vincent's son, Rocco (Lewis Pullman), Rocco's pregnant girlfriend, Marina (Emanuela Postacchini), and Vincent's ex-wife, Ruth (Jennifer Coolidge). Is it just a surprise visit to spend some quality time together? Or has Rocco done something to incur the wrath of two violent criminals, Leftie (Bill Murray) and Lonnie (Pete Davidson)?

This was written by John Pollono. I won't be rushing to watch anything else that he's written. It was directed by Dito Montiel. I also won't be rushing to watch anything else from him. All they have managed to do here is mash together a selection of tired and predictable tropes, made no effort to freshen things up, and then bagged a cast they assume will paper over the many cracks in their work. I like a few of these cast members, but few people would be good enough to paper over this many cracks.

The best person here is actually the one I don't know very well, Harvey. Harvey is wonderful, believably hanging around in that slight limbo between early teenage years and young adulthood. He's so good here that the film notably suffers during the scenes that he's not involved in. Murray and Davidson are often good fun in movies, but they're used here to do very little more than be Murray and Davidson. The same goes for Coolidge. Harris brings his hefty amount of baggage to his role, which helps do more for his character than anything in the screenplay, and Union tries to remain a bright spark amidst all of the murkiness. Pullman and Postacchini are both decent, even if the former is slightly mis-cast, but both deserve much better than what they're given here. 

There's nothing here to recommend this to all but the biggest fans of the cast, with the exception of Harvey's performance. The dialogue isn't as witty or weighty as it thinks it is, the plotting is tiresomely predictable and unsatisfying, Montiel doesn't bother to add any style to any scenes, and the ending puts some characters in peril without doing enough to get viewers to care. It avoids being unwatchable, mainly thanks to the competence of the performers, but it also avoids being any good.

4/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-vember: Framed (1947)

This is the stuff. This is what you want when you start to swim through the murky waters of lesser-known noirs. Framed is enjoyably fast-paced, very blunt, and hits a lot of the expected tropes. It's also helped by the stoic Glenn Ford in the lead role, as well as a fine turn from Janis Carter.

Ford is Mike Lambert, a mining engineer who we first see finishing up a job as a truck driver. That job ends with him crashing into someone's car, thanks to some faulty brakes. His employer doesn't want to pay up, or accept any responsibility, but Mike demands his pay and then passes a compensatory amount over to the man who had his vehicle damaged. Stuck in town for a little while, and hoping to find a job in his main field, Mike eventually meets a woman named Paula (Janis Carter). Paula helps him out when he is arrested and ordered to pay a $50 fine, but she sees that as an investment to get Mike roped into a scheme that she has involving the vice-president of the local bank, Steve (Barry Sullivan), and a prospector named Jeff (Edgar Buchanan).

With a tight and lively screenplay from Ben Maddow, director Richard Wallace does plenty to keep viewers distracted from the fairly low budget here. It helps that everything begins with the old standby of the "stranger coming into town", and the pacing feels planned around the introduction of the various characters. There's Mike, the crash that makes his moral compass clear, then Paula, then Steve, Jeff being optimistic about a find that he needs money to properly mine, and one or two other individuals who present some key evidence on the way to a final scene that should lead to some kind of satisfying conclusion, whether it's for our hero or villain.

Ford may not be the most charismatic performer onscreen, but he does well when required to be fairly decent and blunt, making him a good choice for the lead here. Carter is a delight, delivering the kind of turn that makes her character a very entertaining and convincing femme fatale. Sullivan and Buchanan both do well enough, and it's also worth mentioning the main sequence featuring Barbara Woodell and Jim Bannon as our hero pretends to be an investigative reporter looking for some answers to report on a crime that isn't as clear cut as it first appears.

Having honed his skills throughout the first half of the 20th century, Wallace may not be a director many would think of as being worth checking out, but his filmography has a number of treats scattered throughout. Framed is one of them. It's not the best, and lacks the star-power and real darkness of many others I could mention, but Wallace does well with what he's given, and I can imagine many other film fans will enjoy it just as much as I did.

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Mubi Monday: House By The River (1950)

If you're like me then hearing the name Fritz Lang has your mind going immediately to two all-time classics of cinema. At the very least. Lang helmed some enduring masterpieces. You could even say that he Brigitte Helmed at least one of them (hey, it might be a weak pun, but I felt the need to share it). There are so many more movies throughout his filmography that are also worth checking out though, and House By The River is one such example.

Unable to control himself when the housemaid, Emily (Dorothy Patrick), comes close to him while dressed pretty and smelling nice, author Stephen Byrne (Louis Hayward) makes an unwanted advance. Being loudly rebuffed, he sets out to keep Emily quiet as a neighbour moves around outside. Which leads to murder. Stephen then concocts a story to garner the sympathy and assistance of his brother, John (Lee Bowman), and the two of them set out to dispose of the body and conceal the crime. Soon making use of the "disappearance" of Emily to gain some publicity for his books, Stephen starts to become more brazen, and it soon becomes clear that he can easily shift the blame to his brother if the finger of suspicion is pointed his way. It could be his wife, Marjorie (Jane Wyatt), piecing things together though.

Based on a novel by A. P. Herbert, this was one of a good run of thrillers and noirs written by Mel Dinelli, and I highly recommend checking out their first half dozen or so movies (at the very least). It's a delicious and dark premise, especially when the second half shows Stephen being "inspired" in his writing, and the two brothers being inextricably tied together by the crime is a great way to give viewers a way to easily root for one and against the other. 

It's hard to remember to credit Lang, but the fact is that he does such a good job with the direction that the film never feels forced or awkward, despite the contrivances being dotted around the plot to keep raising the stakes on the way to a strange, but very entertaining, final sequence. Lang steers the whole thing with a steady hand, allowing for it to jump between a feeling of very dark comedy and very palpable danger.

Hayward is very good in his role, always getting close to full-on panto villain without becoming outright laughable, and he's helped by some solid supporting performers. Bowman may have a decent amount of screentime, but he has to be the growing conscience of the film, meaning that he doesn't get to have nearly as much fun. He's easy enough to like though, as is Wyatt, and both deserve so much better than the apparent fate awaiting them in the third act. Patrick doesn't get many scenes, obviously, but does well enough in her role, and Ann Shoemaker, Jody Gilbert, Peter Brocco, Howland Chamberlain, and Will Wright all deliver enjoyable character turns.

Like some other Lang movies I could mention, although they are movies that aren't the first ones to be brought up when his filmography is being discussed, this has an excellent mix of superior visual language, dark content handled with a light touch, and sheer entertainment. Recommended.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Netflix And Chill: No Country For Old Men (2007)

Sometimes you revisit movies and they hold up even better than you remembered. I find that happens to me often when I go back through the filmography of the Coen brothers. I'd seen No County For Old Men before (I would call it an essential viewing, but almost all of their features feel like essential viewing), but it had been a very long time. All that was left in my mind was a fading echo, sometimes made louder again by a clip shown online or a meme. Revisiting it this week was a real pleasure, and a reminder of how often I can seek cinematic comfort in so many of their works.

Josh Brolin plays Llewelyn Moss, a man who thinks he may be in luck when he stumbles across a bag of cash left at the scene of a drug deal gone wrong. Nobody would just accept that much cash going missing though, and Llewelyn soon finds himself being pursued by the relentless and ruthless Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). Other people are also interested in where the money is, but the main game of cat and mouse is played out by Moss and Chigurh.

Adapted from a novel by Corman McCarthy, this is a bleak and brilliant slice of neo-noir that somehow allows the characters to continue feeling very much alive and ready for anything thrown their way . . . until death puts an end to their plans. The Coens take their time, especially in moments that show Chigurgh either killing people or letting their fate be decided by a coin toss.  

While it would be easy to spend all of my time praising Bardem, he does such a great job of portraying such an iconic character, everyone does well in their respective roles. Brolin is solid as the guy hoping to turn a bad situation to his advantage, Kelly Macdonald handles her accent well in the role of his wife, Carla, and both Tommy Lee Jones and Garret Dillahunt get some good scenes as two law enforcement officers who end up on the very edge of a horrible mess. There are also welcome roles for Woody Harrelson, Stephen Root, Barry Corbin, and Beth Grant.

It's hard to think of anyone watching this and not being able to appreciate it as a cinematic masterpiece, but I would say that about many of the Coen brothers movies. You have to accept a slower pace, as well as some idiosyncrasies, but the whole thing feels like some gorgeous piece of classical music all about life, death, chance, and fate. It doesn't necessarily build to a crescendo, but there's certainly a build up to something tremendous before the music then starts to gently fade out.

No Country For Old Men is a modern classic. If you don't agree with me then maybe you can agree that, to paraphrase a character in the film, "if it ain't, it'll do till one gets here."

10/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Shudder Saturday: The Noonday Witch (2016)

It's tough, it really is. Making a horror movie that isn't a standard horror movie means that you risk upsetting both horror fans and non-horror fans alike. And when you're using some genre tropes to explore loss and grief then you end up being compared to some other films from the past decade or so that already took viewers on a very similar journey. So I went into The Noonday Witch with fairly low expectations.

Anna Geislerová is Eliska, a woman who moves to a fairly isolated home with her young daughter, Anetka (Karolína Lipowská). Eliska is trying to cope after the death of her husband, but she hasn't yet told Anetka that daddy won't be coming home. She maintains a lie about him working away. It is only a matter of time until the truth comes out though, surely.

Based on a bit of folklore, which is why Karel Jaromír Erben is credited for his poem, The Noonday Witch is the result of the direction and writing from Jiri Sádek, Matej Chlupacek, and Michal Samir. The end result is good enough to rate their collaborative work as a success, despite it veering close to those other movies alluded to in the opening paragraph (and, yes, I know some people will be rolling their eyes now, but I do think this is different enough to be worth your time).

Maybe it is the setting, the particular lore being used, or just the many scenes set in bright daylight, but The Noonday Witch manages to feel surprisingly unique as it covers what could easily have been dull and over-familiar ground. It could have been better, I wish there had been some more moments of raw emotion and creeping unease on the way to the predictable ending, but it does what it sets out to do very well. Anyone going into this with any high expectations is bound to be disappointed though.

Geislerová and Lipowská are both very good in their roles. They have a couple of excellent people supporting them, but the film really rests upon their shoulders. Believable as parent and child, and equally believable as two individuals processing their emotions in different ways, the two leads help to keep you invested in something that wouldn’t work with anyone less convincing. 

Not unmissable, not one I will rush to recommend to anyone after a guaranteed great movie night, but still good enough to make me feel glad that I finally got around to it.

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-vember: Chicago (2002)

The fact that Chicago is as good as it is seems to be a testament to the songs, the staging, and some of the casting. I don't think Renée Zellweger feels right in the main role, and I never have, but she does well enough to try and keep up with absolutely superb turns from Catherine Zeta-Jones, Queen Latifah, Richard Gere, and John C. Reilly.

Things start with Zeta-Jones, playing Velma Kelly. We see her performing a routine, "All That Jazz", that she used to perform with her sister. She's now a solo act, having murdered her sister. She hopes to do alright in the long run though, having the allure of celebrity on her side, as well as a smooth and brilliant lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). She ends up begrudgingly moved out of the spotlight, however, when Roxie Hart (Zellweger) is jailed for the killing of her lover. Roxie may not have had any profile before the crime, but she sure knows how to create one now, especially with a little help from Matron Mama Morton (Latifah). Cold-blooded and ambitious, Roxie not only wants to escape an appointment with the hangman, she wants to turn her celebrity status into something that lasts after she gets out of prison. But getting out of prison will also depend on, yes, the suave Billy Flynn.

Adapted for the screen by Bill Condon, who has the benefit of great source material to work from, Chicago holds up as one of the best musicals of the 21st century, and, despite the period setting, works very well as a look at the constant allure of celebrity and the way famous people can take advantage of their position to manipulate a narrative. Director Rob Marshall does a hell of a job with his first cinematic release, arguably delivering a debut that he never bettered (although I am saying that before having seen absolutely everything in his filmography).

I don't want to feel as if I'm being overly rude so I'll just say that Zellweger remains the weakest part of the movie, albeit perfectly fine when supported by the many others doing much better work. Zeta-Jones loves every minute of her vamp character, and the film sizzles when she's onscreen, Latifah is a lot of fun, and gets a great number that introduces her character, and Gere is such a perfect fit for his role that it's unsurprising that he ends up involved in the two of the most well-staged numbers in the film. Reilly plays a wonderful sap, somehow making you feel sorry for him every time he is used and betrayed, and there's also room for enjoyable moments that involve Taye Diggs, Dominic West, Colm Feore, Lucy Liu, and the inimitable Christine Baranski.

But let's face it, a musical lives or dies by the musical numbers. This is what makes Chicago such a satisfying watch. The songs are catchy, the choreography is inventive and fun, and it's very rewatchable. "All That Jazz" might be the one that everyone knows, and was the only one I was familiar with when I first watched the film, but "When You're Good To Mama", "Cell Block Tango", "We Both Reached For The Gun", "I Can't Do It Alone", "Mr. Cellophane", and "Razzle Dazzle" are all brilliant in different ways, not to mention the other numbers that help to make up the runtime. 

It really is a shame about that bit of mis-casting, but the rest of the film is so good that it still comes very close to being a bit of a modern classic. Maybe one day I'll be able to overlook my biggest problem with it. Not today though.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-vember: The Mark Of The Whistler (1944)

The good thing about The Whistler movies is that they all tend to be pretty short, this one is 62 minutes, they lack any pretension, and you could easily marathon the movie series in a day. The bad thing about them, or maybe I should just refer to it as a weakness, is The Whistler himself, a presence who doesn't really seem to be necessary to guide us through the storyline. Mind you, I enjoyed his narration here more than I enjoyed it in the first film.

The story is enjoyably simple. Richard Dix plays Lee Selfridge Nugent, a man who sees an opportunity to change his life when he reads a newspaper notice about  a large sum of money being left for a different, and unrelated, Mr. Lee Nugent. Taking the time to work on his backstory, Nugent then gets himself along to the bank and presents himself as the recipient of the money. He is nervous as he considers his chances of being successful. But he is unaware that other people may want to catch up with Mr. Lee Nugent.

Based on a story by Cornell Woolrich, it's George Bricker who gets the writing credit for this second movie in The Whistler series. Bricker does a good job of packing a lot of exposition and character development into each scene, leaving director William Castle free to just focus on keeping everything clear and enjoyably fast-paced as the story zips from scene to scene. Castle doesn't have to use all of the extra tricks that he used in the previous instalment, now having the luxury of a more dense screenplay and an "established brand" (with the first film proving to be a successful transition from an audio to a visual medium).

It's fun to see Dix take on a lead role that feels so far removed from his lead role in the last movie, and he seems to enjoy having a lot more to work with this time. Porter Hall is amusing as someone who might be able to help our lead, but only if he can make a decent profit for himself, Paul Guilfoyle is enjoyable in the role of a street vendor named 'Limpy' Smith, and Janis Carter lights up a few scenes as a determined reporter named Patricia Henley. There are also a couple of menacing performances from John Calvert and Matt Willis, both working better when trying to observe Mr. Nugent before their motivation is made clear.

I've yet to be convinced by the need for The Whistler himself, but the rest of the film makes this an easy one to recommend. It's a great blend of fun and danger, as well as being another classic noir premise (someone pretending to be someone that they're not in order to collect a large sum of money) given that ever-so-slight twist by having it presented to us by The Whistler. I don't expect the rest of the series to keep entertaining me as much as this, but I was pleasantly surprised that this was a step up from the first movie. And I'll be pleasantly surprised if another one or two subsequent instalments match it. 

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Prime Time: Play Dirty (2025)

Another attempt to successfully adapt some of the "Parker" books, written by Donald E. Westlake, into something that could be viewed as a profitable movie property, Play Dirty has the bonus of being directed by Shane Black, who also worked with Charles Mondry and Anthony Bagarozzi to create the screenplay. Unfortunately, it's the Shane Black of recent years, and not peak Shane Black. And he's decided to give himself a challenge by putting Mark Wahlberg in the main role.

Parker (Wahlberg) is involved in a heist that ends well, until his team is killed off by someone who betrays them. Aiming to get another payday lined up, as well as some revenge, Parker ends up helping Zen (Rosa Salazar) with a planned robbery that will once again get him targeted by the powerful and dangerous Lozini (Tony Shalhoub). Lozini has his goons, but Parker has Zen, Grofield (LaKeith Stanfield), Ed and Brenda (Keegan-Michael Key and Claire Lovering), and Stan (Chai Hansen). And he aims to stay one or two steps ahead of everyone else.

This should be great. It's a perfect marriage of material and writer-director. So the fact that it isn't feels like a confirmation that things started to go wrong when the casting decisions were made. Wahlberg can be good in movie roles, and I've enjoyed him in many other features over the years, but it has become harder and harder to view him as some kind of cheeky charmer with every opportunity to be reminded of how he puts himself across in everyday life. Not that Play Dirty necessarily wants the character to be viewed that way, but, then again, the film doesn't ever really settle on what it wants.

This is a mess, disappointingly inconsistent as it lurches from one unsteady set-piece to the next. Parker is sometimes ready to quip and wink at others, sometimes just intent on being dead-eyed and murderous. The characters around him have the potential to be a fun mix, but most of them are either underused or not used in the right way. This should have been a home run for Shane Black. He barely avoids a strike out.

Salazar is a great fit for her role, and arguably the highlight of the film. Other standouts include Hansen, Chukwudi Iwuji (who plays someone caught up in the unfolding scheme), and Nat Wolff as one of the main generals to Lozini. That maybe tells you all you need to know. Wahlberg has a bit of presence, but no charisma, Stanfield is crying out to be allowed to have more fun with his role, and both Key and Lovering seem to have been picked for one scene that makes decent use of them.

There are similarities between bad action movies and bad comedies. Cast the wrong person in the lead and you're scuppered. Punchlines aren't effective if nobody cares about the setups. And you can't cover up your mistakes by simply making things louder and busier on the way to a weak and completely mishandled ending. Play Dirty is a bad action movie, but it occasionally mixes things up by also being a bad comedy. The opening sequence is decent, and had me getting my hopes up for the rest of the film, but it quickly goes downhill from there.

I think it's unlikely to happen, but I'd love to see Shane Black take things down a notch and bring us a stripped-down and low-budget detective film for his next feature. Something that would sit nicely alongside his best work, but also sticks to a grittier tone that might still surprise his fans. 

3/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-vember: He Ran All The Way (1951)

Based upon a novel of the same name, written by Sam Ross, He Ran All The Way is a very enjoyable and brisk noir that should appeal to those who have enjoyed the similar, and better-known, (The) Desperate Hours (released later, 1955, and remade in 1990). This is the kind of noir that maintains a decent bit of grit, but also has you hoping for some turn in the third act that might allow some of the characters to change their apparent fate.

John Garfield plays Nick Robey, a young man who takes part in an armed robbery and shoots a policeman. Desperate to evade the authorities, Nick ends up ducking into a busy swimming pool, where he meets Peg Dobbs (Shelley Winters). There's a bit of a connection, but only while Nick needs to stay hidden in the crowd. Once out of the pool, however, Nick gets the idea to escort Peg home, aiming to lay low there a while until the heat dies down. That gets a bit trickier when Peg's parents (played by Wallace Ford and Selena Royle) enter the home. They also have another young boy in tow (Tommy, played by Robert Hyatt). It's not long until everyone figures out just what Nick is up to, but maybe Peg won't mind the opportunity to help a man she sees to have taken a liking to.

Adapted into screenplay form by Hugo Butler and Guy Endore (although the bulk of the work was done initially by an uncredited Dalton Trumbo), He Ran All The Way doesn't waste much of the relatively short 77-minute runtime. We see Nick getting himself into seriously hot water and the rest of the film shows us his attempt to get out of that situation. Sometimes he looks unwilling to harm people he has just met, sometimes he looks ready to dispose of anyone he even suspects of getting between him and his pending freedom.

Garfield is suitably on edge for most of the runtime, initially sympathetic, but soon hardening as he feels the world closing in around him. Winters is wonderful in her role, soft and naive and loving without ever seeming like a world-class dope. Both Ford and Royle do well in their supporting roles, as does Hyatt, and together they represent a very typical family unit that you don't want to see kept in a dangerous situation any longer than necessary.

I've not seen any of the other films directed by John Berry, and no other titles immediately jump out at me, but his handling of this material makes me think I could do a lot worse than check out more of his output from the 1940s and 1950s (aka his most prolific period). If there's anything else like this gem in the mix then I'll be a happy viewer.

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Mubi Monday: El Planeta (2021)

Written and directed by Amalia Ulman, who also gives herself a starring role in her feature debut, El Planeta is a strange and brilliant look at a mother and daughter duo hustling their way to what they hope is a better life just beyond the next interaction. Neither main character ever seems too cunning or malicious, but . . . maybe that just goes to show how good they are at what they do.

Amalia plays Leonor, the daughter of María (played by her real mother, Ale Ulman). The two of them spend their time grifting, but never really managing to provide themselves with anything more than just the most fleeting of pleasures. That would be enough for them, in an ideal world, but this isn't an ideal world. Bills need paid and people need others to help maintain the ever-moving cogs of society.

Presented in black and white, and taking place in a modern age that we can all recognise as being on a downward spiral from some economic highs of decades past, El Planeta does a great job of observing and critiquing modern life while keeping the two main characters stuck firmly in it, despite their ongoing attempts to act as if they're not just as restricted as so many others around them.

Both Ulmans are great in their respective roles, and the two act more like siblings than mother and daughter. Director Nacho Vigalondo has fun in a cameo role, and both Zhou Chen and Carlos Carbonell do well in moments that require them to be slightly enchanted by the young lady trying to figure out her next bit of con work and/or theft.

Amalia Ulman does well to balance everything, making use of her smart writing and the winning performances from herself and her mother. We don't necessarily view the characters here as good people, but we also don't necessarily view them as being bad. They're just trying to exist in a way that feels more natural to them, which just happens to be in conflict with what the world expects of them. Ulman doesn't make any judgements, although we see moments with other characters doing that . . . which actually leads to viewers judging those doing the onscreen judging.

Maybe if things worked out the way that those with money keep insisting it should then El Planeta would have a different vibe. That hasn't happened though. We're working harder for less money, overall, and trickle-down economics doesn't seem to allow money to trickle anywhere below the 1%. So it ends up being strangely satisfying to watch people who refuse to allow their lives, or the image of their lives, to be dictated by how much money they have to hand. There may be no such thing as a victimless crime, but it's hard to condemn people for coveting, and pursuing, a lifestyle that has been sold to them every minute of every day for the last few decades.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Netflix And Chill: Perfect Stranger (2007)

While I picked Perfect Stranger as a viewing choice because I believed it would fit alongside the many noir movies I have been watching this month, I knew that I shouldn't go getting my hopes up. Released in 2007, meaning it could have good or bad performances from the two main leads (Halle Berry and Bruce Willis), and appearing to be skirting the erotic thriller sub-genre without being either erotic or thrilling enough to have been involved in any conversations I have had over the years about those movies, it's safe to say that I set the bar low when I pressed play on this. And it still let me down.

Berry plays Rowena Price, an investigative journalist who finds herself at a low point when her latest story, one she has been working on for month, is nixed by her boss. Eager to sink her teeth into something else, Rowena is delighted to discover some rumours about Harrison Hill (Willis). He seems to spend a lot of his time guided by his libido, and may also be a killer. Helped with the tech side of things by her colleague and friend, Miles (Giovanni Ribisi), Rowena sets about getting as close as she can to Harrison. She could even be putting herself in serious danger. Although . . . is Harrison the one that she needs to be most wary of?

Director James Foley had an interesting career, and he was behind the camera for at least one classic. This is nowhere close to his best work, and I'd say that it's not even jostling for a place alongside his more average works. Perfect Stranger feels like a film that is all out of sorts. It's almost a decade too late, considering when it could have felt a bit ahead of the curve, it has a clumsy and unengaging screenplay from Todd Komarnicki, and none of the stars are able to grin and wallow in the potential sexiness and sleaze of the plot. 

I didn't expect Willis to be very good here (it's after his peak acting period, and he was never at his best in other films I would place close to this . . . e.g. Color Of Night), but it's a shame that Berry is also unable to do anything with the material. While I have often argued that Berry stopped being sexy when film-makers started pushing her as "SEXY", she still has the huge advantage of being Halle bloody Berry. You wouldn't think that here though, which may be due to her being hobbled by both the screenplay and her co-stars. As for Ribisi . . . he just doesn't feel like he belongs anywhere within this film, let alone being the third main name in the cast. Gary Dourdan is welcome for a couple of brief scenes, but the only other person I want to mention is Nicki Aycox, playing the friend who sets everything in motion before mysteriously disappearing.

I pressed play on Perfect Stranger while wondering why I couldn't recall anyone ever mentioning it. I watched the end credits roll by with a very good understanding of why it wasn't mentioned. It's just bad. Not laughably awful. Not painful (not to me anyway, although that might just say something about my pain threshold). Just bad, and subsequently very easy to forget about. Some may think that the very end of the film saves it. I would argue that the very end just adds insult to injury.

3/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Shudder Saturday: Abraham's Boys (2025)

I have liked some of the previous directorial work of Natasha Kermani. I have also liked a lot of the writing of Joe Hill (including his collection, 20th Century Ghosts, that contains this story, although I cannot say that I remember it). Titus Welliver being in a main role will also get me to watch something. Which makes it all the more frustrating that Abraham's Boys was such a disappointing work. There's an interesting idea somewhere in the middle of it, but Kermani isn't able to explore it in the best way.

Welliver plays the Abraham of the title, and he's one Mr. Van Helsing. He's now married to Mina (Jocelin Donahue). They have two sons, named Max (Brady Hepner) and Rudy (Judah Mackey). Things might be good for them, but the work of a Van Helsing is never done, which is something the sons need to learn as they start to worry about their parents.

Here are the things I liked about Abraham's Boys. The performances from Welliver, Donahue, Hepner, Mackey, Aurora Perrineau, and Jonathan Howard (playing Arthur Holmwood). That is all. Okay, maybe I enjoyed some of the last scenes, but not half as much as I expected to. The strength of this film lies in the performances, and I think it would be very interesting to see this adapted into a one-man show, with someone as capable as Welliver carrying the entire thing on his shoulders.

That doesn't mean that I disliked everything else here. I just didn't find anything else very interesting or impressive. The visual style throughout is sparse and quite dull. I get that it is aiming to reflect the rudimentary way of life apparently preferred by the main patriarch, but it doesn't do anything to improve the weak and disappointing screenplay. Kermani seems to have too much faith in the central idea, but it's only good enough if used as a starting point for an actual journey. There's no journey here. In fact, it feels as if it spends 89 minutes going absolutely nowhere.

The strangest thing about this is that I can't see why Kermani was drawn to it. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe she viewed it as an interesting challenge, but was subsequently undone by it. Or maybe she just wanted to try something different. It's hard to see see any connecting threads between this and her previous two features though (note: I've not seen Shattered, the 2017 film she directed), and I would argue that she clearly works better when it's a screenplay with more of an overt female view of certain subject matter. Whether or not any of my theorising is correct, I can at least opt to blame Joe Hill for this. That way I can still look forward to whatever Kermani decides to do next.

3/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-Vember: The Whistler (1944)

Based on the radio program by J. Donald Wilson, The Whistler is a very economical and fun little noir from director William Castle. He wasn't yet the William Castle that we know and love as the master salesman, this was very near the start of his feature directorial career, but he certainly already knew how to deliver thrills to an audience. It helps that the runtime just about nudges right up against the one hour mark, making everything feel more urgent and fast-paced.

Earl C. Conrad (Richard Dix) is seen arranging for a hit man at the start of the movie. It soon becomes apparent that the target is himself. He remains grief-stricken after the loss of his wife. Things change, however, when he receives news that his wife may actually still be alive. It should just be a case of calling off the hit, letting those who arranged it keep the money, and getting on with a happier life ahead. The middle man is no longer available though, having been caught in a shootout with police just after arranging the hit. Conrad needs to find out who the killer is, and he then needs to convince him that the job is no longer going ahead.

Despite the framing device (The Whistler is an unseen character who comments on the events like some omniscient figure who enjoys being caretaker of some kind of criminal Twilight Zone), which feels strangely redundant, The Whistler is essentially everything you could want from an enjoyably basic and cheap noir. It's a solid premise, one we've seen many times (sometimes with slight variations to the methodology, of course), the cast are all working well enough with the material, and Castle does his utmost to put his stamp on everything. Everything is dark and slightly askew, a nightmare landscape that our lead character seems unable to escape.

Dix is decent enough, and we can stick with him as the hero because we're given clear motivation for his initial decision and subsequent turnaround (hey, isn't love always the most noble of motivators? or maybe that is just too cheesy for us noir fans to keep in mind). J. Carrol Naish is a suitably focused and dangerous killer, and it's obvious from early on that he won't be easily swayed to drop a job that he's already been paid for. The cast also includes Alan Dinehart (as Gorman, a friend of the killer), Gloria Stuart (a concerned secretary/friend named Alice), Charles Coleman (a loyal butler), Don Costello (the middle-man), and Joan Woodbury (a widow searching for some information that she might get from Conrad).

I can see why this would work better on the radio, despite being a decent little feature, but I got to the end of this film and wondered why we needed The Whistler to be part of the whole thing. Of course, that name allowed this one film to start off a series of eight features, which I'll definitely check out some time (especially as I now own them all). Maybe later instalments will allow The Whistler to play a more integral part in the proceedings. Or maybe not. I'll have to wait and see.  

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-vember: Shockproof (1949)

I decided to finally make time for Shockproof because it was yet another noir with a credit on it for Samuel Fuller (he helped to co-write the screenplay with Helen Deutsch). I'll admit that when I saw it was directed by Douglas "King of the melodrama" Sirk I was wondering just what the end result would be. It turns out . . . this is exactly what you might think, considering the people behind the camera.

Cornel Wilde is a parole officer named Griff Marat, struggling to help a young woman, Jenny Marsh (Patricia Knight), stay on the straight and narrow. Jenny seems like she could benefit from a second chance, but that might be completely scuppered if she keeps meeting up with her bad influence of an ex, Harry Wesson (John Baragrey). Griff not only wants the best for Jenny, he may well end up falling in love with her. Which would make him much easier to manipulate if Jenny keeps wanting to plan a future with Harry.

Not the best example of noir, and certainly not the grittiest, this is a melodrama that makes use of some familiar tropes to liven things up on the way to a decidedly safe and comfortable finale. Despite the runtime only clocking in at 79 minutes, it's a bit of a slog at times, especially as the leads often engage in some circular conversations and arguments while figuring out just how much they can trust one another. 

The leads help though, and Knight is a particularly enjoyable potential femme fatale. She gets to have more fun, and gets to be very believable as someone who could steal the heart of a good man. Wilde has to be much more straight-laced, but he does well enough to avoid being completely overshadowed by the entertainingly dastardly Baragrey, who does such a good job that his shadow looms large over the proceedings even in the many scenes that don't have him onscreen. Esther Minciotti also does well as Mrs. Marat, the blind mother of Wilde's character, perhaps pivotal in helping Jenny to see that she doesn't have to keep making the same mistakes that haven't helped her improve her life so far.

Many may view this as being a bit too soft, considering the premise and the potential, but I thought it was nice to actually have some sweetness working against the usual bitterness. Sirk may not be the best person to helm this, but he's very capable when it comes to presenting a seemingly ill-fated romance complicated by circumstances and pressures. It's a shame that all of the sharp edges are removed, leaving the end result as one of the weaker films to feature major input from Fuller, but there's still fun to be had, particularly in a third act that turns up the heat before, sadly, turning it right down again just before the end credits.

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Prime Time: Out Of Time (2003)

While this isn't the best noir directed by Carl Franklin, nor the best star vehicle for Denzel Washington, nor the best noir directed by Carl Franklin that ALSO doubles as a star vehicle for Denzel Washington (that is, of course, Devil In A Blue Dress), Out Of Time is the kind of enjoyable and silly entertainment that makes you wish that Franklin and Washington worked together on a dozen more movies.

Washington is Matt Lee Whitlock, a police chief in Florida who is separated from his wife, Alex (Eva Mendes), and tries to make plenty of time to get hot and heavy with Ann (Sanaa Lathan) whenever her husband (Chris, played by Dean Cain) is busy at work. Ann has some bad news though. Cancer. The treatment that might save her life is far too expensive. Whitock thinks he may be able to help though, if he can temporarily make use of a large stash of cash being held in his evidence room. The evidence won't need to be examined for a while, which gives him plenty of time to sort everything else out and get it back before anyone notices. Unfortunately, things change very quickly. Whitlock needs to work fast to stay one step ahead of people investigating a crime on his patch, as well as some people heading to his office to collect that pile of money.

Out Of Time is ridiculous for almost every moment of the runtime, but it's ridiculous AND entertaining. The 105 minutes just fly by, helped by the fact that Whitlock has to keep moving faster and faster as soon as he knows that people are breathing down his neck and watching his every move. One of those people being his ex-wife adds a layer of tension, but that's offset slightly by a good friend (Chae, played by John Billingsley) who is always eager to help. Dave Collard's screenplay keeps the emphasis on the fast-thinking and happy coincidences that allow our lead to maintain his freedom, even if that looks set to inevitably come to an end before the end credits roll, and Franklin directs everything with the perfect level of energy and Denzel-charged charism.

Washington is great in the lead role, at his most charming and confident, even as the walls close in tighter around him. Both Lathan and Cain also do well, with the latter really making the most of a moment opposite Washington that is the absolute highlight of the entire movie, both men speaking to each other directly while covering the truth in a very thin layer of metaphorical clothing. Mendes does well with what could have been a nothing part, considering how she is one of the people who have to be kept a step or two behind Washington's character, and Billingsley is just the right kind of comic relief, highlighting the true moral compass of our lead by often referring to his own willingness to exploit the situation. 

Absolutely disposable nonsense, more interested in allowing a star to spend time delivering some of that star swagger than anything else, but everyone gives their usual attention to their individual work, from Theo Van De Sande's cinematography to Graeme Revell's score. It may not be one you'll think of revisiting often, but it's a fun time while it's on.

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Noir-vember: Each Dawn I Die (1939)

There are many names attached to Each Dawn I Die. Director William Keighley is someone I always forget worked alongside Michael Curtiz on the peerless The Adventures Of Robin Hood. I also didn't remember writers Norman Reilly Raine or Warren Duff, despite them having a heap of credits on films that I have loved over the years. This is based on a novel by Jerome Odlum (I don't think I have read any of his works), and the supporting cast includes a wide selection of impressive players, from George Bancroft to Maxie Rosenbloom, Stanley Ridges to Alan Baxter, John Wray, and many more. 

The only two names I care about though, considering my own attachment to both of them, are James Cagney and George Raft. The former was a huge figure in my early days of discovering cinema (and I am still in awe of some of his best gangster movies). The latter made an impression on me due to his involvement with at least two classic movies in very different genres. So that's why I made time for Each Dawn I Die.

Cagney plays Frank Ross, the kind of character you would label a crusading investigative reporter.  He's so good at his job that he ends up framed for a DUI manslaughter incident. Once in prison, Ross ends up roped into a scheme by a con named Stacey (Raft) who believes that he can make an escape and then help Ross from his position outside the prison. Things don't go smoothly though, of course, and it's a real test of how patient and loyal Ross is while he waits for Stacey to keep his word. Meanwhile, Joyce (Jane Bryan) suspects the worst, and she doesn't think Ross is ever getting out of prison. So she might as well find Stacey and give him a piece of her mind.

Focusing more on the everyday perils of prison life, especially for someone who has made powerful enemies, Each Dawn I Die leans fully into the noir side of things when it becomes clear that the whole thing hinges on whether or not Raft's character can bring himself to take a huge risk in order to repay a debt to someone who put their faith in him. Raft isn't a good man, but he's also never had anyone really be good to him. This is a test for him, but it's also completely new territory.

Cagney can do the stoic tough man in his sleep, and he's great here. In fact, he's so good that you can see the change in his character and demeanour as prison life continues to drain his energy and optimism. Raft is as cool as can be, something he can also do effortlessly, and he does such a good job of convincing himself that he doesn't owe anyone anything that viewers may consider a number of potential directions for the third act. That changes when Bryan has her say, but at least that allows her to have one moment where she is pro-active and fearless. 

The screenplay has a smattering of really good lines of dialogue, the pacing just about works well enough for the 92-minute runtime (although the middle section dips slightly), and Keighley directs well enough. It's all about Cagney and Raft sharing the lead duties though, and both men absolutely excel in roles that feel tailor-made for them. Ironic, considering it was initially meant to be Cagney playing Stacey and Edward G. Robinson, then John Garfield, then Fred MacMurray playing Ross. 

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Mubi Monday: The Nest (2020)

Writer-director Sean Durkin has been doing great work for about two decades. He's not the most prolific artist, but anything he puts his name to tends to be worth your time. The Nest is no exception, and the title might clue you in to the tone. A nest can be a lovely thing, something you see up high as birds come and go, but it can also be something dark and dangerous, like a nest of vipers. The setting here could go either way, depending on how the characters opt to live a lie or accept a number of harsh truths.

Jude Law is Rory O'Hara, a risk-taking entrepeneur who moves back to England with his American family. His wife, Allison (Carrie Coon), is tiring of a life that seems to be all a facade as they struggle to regain financial stability, and the children (Sam, played by Oona Roche, and Ben, played by Charlie Shotwell) have their own standard problems, exacerbated by the fact that their parents are tarred with the brush of "new money vulgarity". If money can't buy happiness, pretending to have more money than you actually do is a recipe for even more misery than usual.

I would say that we've all been in situations when we pretend to be financially okay. Whether it's getting Christmas presents sorted for loved ones, trying to fudge the numbers while applying for a loan or mortgage that we pretend isn't going to be an absolute life-line, or just having that big night out with friends just a week or two after the last big night out that the bank balance has yet to recover from. Things are on a different level for those who have had large amounts of money though. There are wealthy people who are often cash-poor (I THINK that is the right phrasing), and any small financial bumps are too often dismissed while they can continue to access their friends and social circles that allow them access. Someone who is as poor as so many in the world today are will panic and scrabble to find one extra pound. Someone who is rich will often only start to sweat when they're no longer afforded entry to the private member club that keeps allowing them to ring up a hefty bar bill while they entertain potential clients. And they'll still have a hundred more ways to get some immediate cash than someone in dire need.

The Nest looks at this, and does it by brilliantly presenting us with someone who looks every inch a success. It's Jude Law. How can Jude Law have the appearance and confidence of Jude Law while not being a resounding success? Well, one bad decision after another can create a lot of changes behind the scenes. But he's determined to fake it until he once again makes it. The fact that he is somehow relishing the challenge while Coon's character has grown completely exhausted, and disgusted, with the whole charade shows a dynamic that I suspect has played out in a number of households featuring similarly inconsistent incomes. 

Law is very good in the main role here. His desperation starts to show more clearly as the film progresses, but he's always trying to regroup and redirect things if he can, ready to set up the one big deal that he needs to get things back on track. Coon has much more fun. The fact that her character is so unhappy for most of the runtime makes it all the more enjoyable when she dispenses with politeness and pretence to pointedly undermine her husband. She's brilliantly blunt and cutting, and her dwindling amount of care for how they are perceived by others is a refreshing breath of fresh air amidst the stifling atmosphere of business chat and displays of wealth. Both Roche and Shotwell do well, and their inclusion lets Durkin show how the actions of Law continually impact more than just himself, even if he doesn't want to acknowledge that fact.

Not an easy watch, and not exactly a happy-go-lucky time, The Nest is nevertheless a gripping drama that takes some interesting twists and turns on the way to a surprisingly satisfying final scene. It's a slow burn, and some may not want to spend time alongside the main characters for 107-minutes, but it's a fascinating exploration of the mindset and character of someone who has had a taste of the good life and subsequently never wants to let it go. 

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Netflix And Chill: Eileen (2023)

The sophomore directorial feature from William Oldroyd (who helmed the fantastic Lady Macbeth almost a decade ago),  Eileen certainly has some comparison points that show what Oldroyd seems to be drawn. There's a very strong-willed woman at the centre of things, there's a sense of some justice being served, albeit not necessarily in the right way, and there's a lot of manipulation. It's an interesting film, but I'm not sure that it's entirely successful.

Thomasin McKenzie plays Eileen Dunlop, a young woman who works at a correctional facility for teenage boys. She's quiet and withdrawn, often placing herself in little fantasies while she kills time during visting hours. Her home life isn't too great either, due to the fact that her father (Shea Whigham) is an alcoholic who keeps getting increasingly paranoid and dangerous. Things take a slight turn for the better when her workplace takes on a new psychologist, Rebecca (Anne Hathaway), and Eileen is soon pleasantly surprised to find herself becoming fast friends with her. Friends can take you on some very unexpected journeys though.

Based on a novel of the same name by Ottessa Moshfegh, who also adapted the tale into screenplay form with her husband, what is here is a dark and intriguing tale of loneliness and pain being exploited by someone who knows how far they can push the limits of someone far younger and weaker than themselves. Everything leads up to a third act that turns truly dark and uncomfortable, but things don't ever settle into a cohesive whole. It's a character study, and it's a look at relative morality, but it falls just short of being great.

Oldroyd directs well enough, and he's comfortable once again with placing his characters in sparse environments that reflect the restrictions and drudgery of their own lives, but he doesn't do anything to help underline any of the main points being made. It would be fair to say that this is a film designed to make viewers ask some hard questions, but it would be equally fair to say that it doesn't even come close to providing any satisfying answers, or even just something that feels like a proper and natural end point for the story and the characters.

It doesn't help that McKenzie (who I have LOVED in other films) is a weak link here. The accent doesn't feel right, which does a lot to unbalance her performance, and she's hampered by the fact that her character spends most of her time reacting to things around her, as opposed to being pro-active in ways that could change her life for the better. Hathaway is a lot of fun in her role, although she often feels as if she's in a different movie from McKenzie. Then you have Whigham, doing fine work, but feeling as if he is in a different movie from both Hathaway and McKenzie. Marin Ireland absolutely kills it in the third act, enabled by material that allows her to give the best performance in the film, and I'm always happy to see Siobhan Fallon Hogan get more substantial roles, even if she is once again only here as a supporting player.

From a purely technical standpoint, there's very little wrong with this. There's just also nothing great about it, which is disappointing. Considering the talent here, on both sides of the camera, I thought this would make a stronger impression. The third act helps it to rise above average, and it certainly tries to be something a bit different, but I doubt anyone will remember it in a year or two. 

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing, and ALL of the links you need are here - https://linktr.ee/raidersofthepodcast
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share