SILENT RUNNING (1972).
⭐⭐⭐⭐
For some reason, this film was never on my radar, until recently. Wound up buying a DVD rather than rewarding our corporate overlords' stranglehold on culture.
What a melancholy, somber film. Having been alive in the 1960s, I can see where this film comes from—it's an extrapolation of the then-current and now ongoing battle between ecologists and corporations, to a final resolution. It's The Lorax, as a sci-fi film.
1/2
COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT (1970) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Okay, I'm just going to say this was an amazing movie to watch, fifty-five years after its release. What if HAL9000, but in 1970, in charge of the U.S. nuclear arsenal? It is both a wonderful capturing of the mid-century moment—its culture, its fascinations and fantasies, its worries—as well as a incredible prognostication of parts of the torment nexus in which we are living.
Watched YES, MADAM! (1985) ⭐⭐, one of Michelle Yeoh's first movies. 😆 The script is bonkers bad, but the fight scenes are NOT to be MISSED. Also, every male is either a criminal, or is ineffectual/inept (some are both). And the two women police officers not only are the best at their jobs, but also are the best at martial arts! What more can you want? A little unbalanced (okay, a lot), but worth it for some of the action scenes.
Finally geared myself up to watch BONES AND ALL (2022) ⭐⭐⭐½.
It was less grisly, less horrifying, and sweeter than I was expecting. Still grim and very, very creepy though. 😂 Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet make a cute couple. Mark Rylance was great as a super-creep.
#CSPreview
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) ⭐½
Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke play an upper-middle-class family who take their two teen children to a lavish beach house rental for a weekend getaway—only to have society crumble while they are there. Mahershala Ali and Myha'la play a very wealthy father and daughter who own the rental and have to navigate white fear to talk themselves into their own home. What follows are these six people interacting during the collapse of the country. 1/2
THE MENU (2022) ⭐⭐⭐
Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) arrive at exclusive an island restaurant run by Chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). It soon becomes clear this will be a very unique meal.
Satirizing high-end "foodie" dining, this dark comedy has a good ensemble cast and unfolds well to its grim conclusion. While some parts were a tad underdone, if you've ever been at a meal where smoke was one of the ingredients, grab a glass of wine and laugh at yourself.
GRANDMA (2015) ⭐⭐⭐
Elle (Lily Tomlin) is an ancient lesbian poet having a bad day—she's still getting over the death of her long-term partner and having a messy breakup with her current girlfriend. The day is made worse when her granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) shows up needing $630 for an abortion, money that Elle doesn't have. What follows is an Odyssean journey as the two of them crisscross Los Angeles to comb through Elle's past friends and lovers trying to scrape up the money.
Tomlin is the engine of this tale (age 76!), delivering a high-energy, mouthy, abrasive irritant who calls everyone out on their shit. Garner gets her role just right—somewhat unknowing, but also knowing just enough to correct things. Sam Elliott has an excellent cameo as patriarchy personified. Watch this movie if you want to see cranky old people demonstrate to the young that life is complicated and long.
Coles Street Pothole