Westcember 2023: Film 27
"All that other stuff, all that history? To hell with it, right? Forget the Alamo."
I just genuinely loved this. It's one of the most complex films I've seen, and I loved every minute of it. The neo-noir cold case style blends well with the Western setting. That, mixed with the timely struggles of racism and entrenched power feel especially relevant today. Sayles has a clear style that really relies on the audience to put everything…
"You're an animal!"
"No, worse! Human. Human!"
Me: Let's put on a silly 1980s action movie!
Movie: Based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa
Me. That's weird.
Movie: *Starts with some silly prison stuff and over the top office stuff*
Me: lol
Movie: *has incredible performances from Voight, Roberts, and DeMornay*
Me: Huh, that's surprisingly complex for this silly action movie.
Movie: *ends*
Me: Damn.
Fantabuary! 2025: Short 10
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Yikes! The war propaganda at peak racism. This is notable for Superman definitely be able to fly at the end there. Cannot recommend, though.
Fantabuary! 2025: Film 4
"But... that's like... the fourth dimension."
There's some cool ideas here. The ability to phase through walls and the drawbacks. The fear of getting stuck. It's a surprisingly character-focused, noirish thriller.
How is this not mentioned in the same breath as Vertigo and Suspicion? It is the predessessor of both works, and it surpasses the latter. Rebecca brings Gothic romance to the screen with all the grandeur, mystery, and melodrama of the genre. A lesser actor would have made Olivier's character unlikable. Joan Fontaine brings both shy vulnerability and haunted seriousness in a role that could easily be stupid or weak. Judith Anderson delivers pure insanity. Definitely one of Hitchcock's best.
"My name will mean nothing to you."
Whereas The Umbrellas of Cherbourg really seemed like no one was responsible for the heartache, it really feels like this film's characters just make really terrible, selfish decisions. It makes for decent drama, but mostly deserved tragedy. It also seems more contrived than many of Demy's earlier works. Poor Violette, though.
