Recent Reviews by michael
The Railway Children Return
Locked Down
The Spine of Night
La Llorona
Michael says: “Here’s a Guatemalan horror film that features the Central American legend of ‘the wailing woman’ a spirit who returns to avenge an injustice to women, but uses the the actions of a military government that resulted in the
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Stray Dogs
Michael says: “After seeing the great director Tsai Ming-liang’s latest film, DAYS, I decided to go back and watch his previous film, and the only of his features that I hadn’t seen, STRAY DOGS. Interestingly enough, while I was braced
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Barking Water
Michael says: “After hearing some praise about the new streaming television series, RESERVATION DOGS, which director Harjo executive produced as well as wrote and directed for, I decided to dip into his 2009 film, BARKING WATER, before starting in on
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The Postman Always Rings Twice
Michael says: “Often mentioned as one of the best examples of film noir, I thought I should check out this novel adaptation from 1946. An entertaining romp, to be sure, but it doesn’t have the charisma and appeal as those
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Rebels of the Neon God
Michael says: “When Chris mentioned recently that he caught Tsai Ming-liang’s debut feature, REBELS OF THE NEON GOD, I realized that I too had never gone back to watch this film from one of my favorite directors. What I perhaps
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To Have and To Have Not
Michael says: “After a slight slip with KEY LARGO, we’re back in business. Set in Martinque during WWII, Harry Morgan is an Amiercan ex-pat who reluctantly transports a leader in the French Resistance and his wife to the island, all
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Key Largo
Michael says: “After seeing THE BIG SLEEP, I had to watch the rest of Bogie and Bacall’s oeuvre. Count me as one of the many who are smitten by their chemistry. I’m particularly taken by Lauren Bacall’s assured and powerful
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Alphaville
Michael says: “It was about 30 minutes into ALPHAVILLE when I realized I don’t think I like Godard’s films. Now I’ve only seen two, this one and BREATHLESS, so I am still open to more (BAND OF OUTSIDERS and VIVRE
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Weirdos
Michael says: “What a delightful surprise when Chris told me about this charming Canadian film from 2016, written by Chlotrudis pal Daniel MacIvor, directed by the prolific Bruce McDonald, and featuring the magnificent Molly Parker in a supporting role. Set
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The Big Sleep
Michael says: “Not the first, but perhaps the most famous (despite the 1980’s pop song) of the Bogie and Bacall films, I have a vague recollection that I may have seen all or part of THE BIG SLEEP over twenty
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Orpheus
Michael says: “Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, ORPHEUS was the sixth of only eight narrative films that Jean Cocteau directed, the most famous of which, of course, is BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Cocteau’s ORPHEUS revolves around
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Sophie Jones
Maudie
Strange Weather
The Shape of Water
Window Horses
The Death and Life of Martha P. Johnson
Happy as Lazzaro
Felicia’s Journey
Guinevere
An Ideal Husband
Run Lola Run
Boys Don’t Cry
Central Station
The Wedding Singer
Shakespeare in Love
Life is Beautiful
High Art
Elizabeth
Fairy Tale: A True Story
Good Will Hunting
The Daytrippers
The Ice Storm
The Winter Guest
The Sweet Hereafter
Hollow Reed
L. A. Confidental
Michael says: “This complex, film was based on the novel by James Ellroy. It takes a look at the Los Angeles police department in the 1950’s. Corruption and glitz with a Hollywood backdrop provide the framework for an intense study
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Grace of My Heart
Angels and Insects
Flirting with Disaster
Shine
Fly Away Home
Bound
Trees Lounge
Trainspotting
Secrets & Lies
Marvin’s Room
Fargo
Michael says: “I could say a lot of things about FARGO, all of them good, but what I most need to say is that Marge Gunderson is one of our all-time great cinematic heroes! Practical, unflappable, determined, and optimistic are
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Big Night
Sling Blade
When Night is Falling
Exotica
The Usual Suspects
Persuasion
Mighty Aphrodite
Priest
Carrington
Richard III
Smoke
Leaving Las Vegas
Safe
To Die For
Dolores Claiborne
Sense and Sensibility
The Secret of Roan Inish
Jeffrey
Babe
Amateur
Dead Man Walking
Nobody’s Fool
Quiz Show
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Heavenly Creatures
Interview with the Vampire
Forrest Gump
The Shawshank Redemption
Serial Mom
To Live
The Last Seduction
The Ref
The New Age
Vanya on 42nd Street
Pulp Fiction
Bullets Over Broadway
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The Circus
Thom says: “I’m happy to see an intellectual shift in my comic essence. For whatever reason I never was much of a Chaplin fan for the majority of my life although in the past 5 years I quite liked LIMELIGHT
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A Kid Like Jake
Thom says: “The extremely sensitive subject of transgender children is treated here with some understanding and compassion. Enough so that some insensitive bastard criticizing on Ratings and Reviews for New Movies and TV Shows – IMDb wrote that the educators
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Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle
Jason says: “Looking at the cast list for LE GRAND CHEF 2: KIMCHI BATTLE should raise some alarms; the main couple from the first film has been recast and a completely new character has first billing. Given that the plot
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Mai Mai Miracle
Jason says: “MAI MAI MIRACLE is charming. It’s a nostalgic memoir about growing up as free-range kids, but we can use all the good ones we can get before we run out of people who grew up that way. Nicely
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The Place Without Limits
Thom says: “My brother has a dear friend in Seattle who’s a great film scholar and aficionado and he recently recommended Mexican auteur Arturo Ripstein with some 60 films credited to him. In fact, he’s still working. His films have
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1917
Thom says: “This highly-praised WWII film by the talented Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY) is especially impressive with its technical gifts following two British soldiers as they navigate a rough battle path trying to avoid bombs, bullets, & accidents hoping to deliver
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The Last Wave
Michael says: “There’s something about a Peter Weir film that appeals to me… even if I don’t like the film overall. Case in point: I’m not a fan of DEAD POET’S SOCIETY in the least, but I can’t deny the
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You Are Here
Michael says: “I was reading a negative review of TRIGGER, Bruce McDonald’s spiritual sequel to HARD CORE LOGO, starring Molly Parker and Tracy Wright, when a line caught my eye. Paraphrased, it something to the effect of while TRIGGER was
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