Movies Watched -- Too Late For Tears (1949)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

98 minute running time so just under the sacred 100 minute mark. A real film noir with blackmail, a femme fatale, multiple murders, Los Angeles and sleazy Mexico locales (once again, see Touch of Evil and The Hitch-Hiker), double-crossing dames, old wartime buddies, and sex — not graphic sex of course, but a more explicit approach, surprising for a movie made in 1949. My copy from “Alpha Video” was in terrible shape, but apparently there’s a restored version on Blu-ray available now. The movie wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad, and it’s a must-see for noir fans.

You’re quite a gal, Mrs. Palmer

You’re quite a gal, Mrs. Palmer

Movies Watched -- Swing Time (1936)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

103 minute running time … some great dance scenes, lovely songs by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields (The Way You Look Tonight, A Fine Romance, and Never Gonna Dance — the last has the best dance scene, really moving, I shed a tear) … goofy story / comedy in between the musical numbers. I’ve always liked Fred Astaire’s singing. He does one scene in black-face, which will drive the PCs crazy, but those were the bad old days. Certainly a top ten movie from 1936, but I haven’t seen them all. Recommended if you like song and dance.

Ginger suffering from a mild case of nipple-itis

Ginger suffering from a mild case of nipple-itis

Movies Watched -- The Arbor (2011)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

90 minutes, so the perfect length, but I only made it an hour in before quitting because it was just too depressing. Another horror story from a British housing project, just awful stuff … poor, dumb, foul-mouthed, miserable people — why watch them? Some toff down in London published the play, slumming it. Avoid.

I was a vewy pwetty girl, until someone waped me with scissows

I was a vewy pwetty girl, until someone waped me with scissows

Movies Watched -- Touch Of Evil (1958)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

95 minute running time but feels much longer. I’d seen this one in the past and forgot about it. Old Orson Welles grumbling and bumbling around… some really neat camerawork, no doubt the man was way ahead of his time. Dumb story though. Mexican lesbian dopers a novelty in 1958. Sleazy California-Mexico border town featured (same as in The Hitch-Hiker). Welles as corrupt cop, Marlene Dietrich as fortune teller… Aiding justice, partner! Wasn’t thrilled with it, though it’s something every movie buff oohs and aahs over, but it’s just not that well put together, the story is no good. You can give it a miss.

Janet Leigh (Jamie Lee Curtis’s mom) in repose

Janet Leigh (Jamie Lee Curtis’s mom) in repose

Movies Watched -- Widows (2018)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

128 minute running time so at least 30 minutes too long. Dumb, dumb story. Just ridiculous. A twist in the middle, but still, just bad. I have a soft spot for Steve McQueen (the director) because he made “Shame,” which I thought was brilliant, but this was just lousy. One good shot as they showed a car driving from the ‘hood in Chicago to a more gentrified part of the city, a short drive, well done, clever, but doesn’t make a movie. Bobby Duvall comes out of a crypt to swear a blue streak… way too much profanity in this movie. And some really graphic violence. Not recommended.

Rex, as usual, gets it right: “I never believed these grieving widows could ever form a workable alliance of lady gangsters.“

Dick Brody also didn’t like it: “These details … fit together with a technically impressive coherence that’s also dramatically ridiculous.“

A beautiful Latina, black, and Polish woman walk into a sauna….

A beautiful Latina, black, and Polish woman walk into a sauna….

Movies Watched -- The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

70 minutes, so on the shorter side, nothing wrong with that. Rare 1950s movie directed by a woman … story of a psychopathic killer who takes two men hostage and into the Mexican desert … some interesting dialogue about the guys being soft and not being able to escape because they cared about each other … one truly scary scene where the bad guy forces one of the men to shoot a tin can out of his buddy’s hand; you could see a psycho doing such a thing. It wasn’t a terrible movie, but I don’t recommend going out of your way to see it.

Bum eye, not bad, eh?

Bum eye, not bad, eh?

The Sideshow Is Now the Audience

Added on by C. Maoxian.

There’s a new season of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. I watched the episode with Melissa Villaseñor, whom I’ve never heard of, but thought was funny (despite her annoying laugh, and the false hilarity that fills most episodes). Anyway, Jerry said the following, which I loved:

"People in the circus sideshow, huge, fat, tattooed ... these are the people in the audience now. What used to be the sideshow is just regular people now."

Here’s a YouTube thing that Villaseñor did called “Bjork’s Vlog,” which made me fall off my chair laughing:

Bjork does her first vlog and shares with you sensations and things that bring her joy. Also, a new song she created from the sound of a toilet seat cover and shower curtain. ________________________________________________________ Facebook: facebook.com/melissacomedy Twitter: twitter.com/melissavcomedy Tumblr: merrylittleblog.tumblr.com Instagram: melissavcomedy Podcast: soundcloud.com/melissashow www.melissavillasenor.com

Movies Watched -- The Naked Kiss (1964)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

91 minute running time, so the perfect length, but this was a weird one, and proved to me that Sam Fuller wasn’t a normal guy, he had some kinks for sure… Written, Directed, and Produced (W.D.P.) By Fuller … a story about a prostitute who tries to make a clean break … I don’t want to spoil anything, well… after the hour mark (beginning of the third act) pedophilia unexpectedly enters the picture, and you just don’t know what to make of this deeply twisted story. Not recommended.

It may be that Sam Fuller only made one great movie (Pickup on South Street), but I’ll keep watching his others just to confirm it.

From an essay: “[Fuller’s movies] appeared to rise whole from a private fever dream.”

Enough to make a bulldog bust its chain.

Enough to make a bulldog bust its chain.

Movies Watched -- The Long Goodbye (1973)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

111 minute running time, but I quit after 30 minutes because this was terrible. Real clinker by Robert Altman, and whoever thought Elliot Gould and his cigarette should play a Jewish Philip Marlowe was insane. Sort of interesting to see post-60s Malibu, but 1973 was pretty much rock-bottom in recent American history. Just awful, give it a miss.

(This guy has his head up his ass.)

Young Ah-nold (uncredited) makes an appearance

Young Ah-nold (uncredited) makes an appearance

Movies Watched -- Pickup on South Street (1953)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

80 minute running time so the perfect length. I loved this one, great movie. Interesting characters, story, dialogue… first Fuller movie I saw was “White Dog,” which wasn’t that great, but this movie, wow… now I need to see if this was his best. Highly recommended.

林, bring me another order of 炒饭, 叉烧包

林, bring me another order of 炒饭, 叉烧包

Movies Watched -- Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

96 minute running time, so the perfect length, but I quit watching after 30 minutes … poor audio and no subtitles on my DVD didn’t help … just boring and pointless. Bernie Schwartz, “press agent,” a.k.a, flack, a.k.a. “Tony Curtis," looks weirdly effeminate wearing a ton of makeup … Burt Lancaster as tough newspaperman…. only interesting things were thinking about how much power newspaper columnists used to have, back when people read newspapers, and what Manhattan looked like in the late 1950s. Give it a miss.

I love this dirty town. (Burt and (B)Ernie show.)

I love this dirty town. (Burt and (B)Ernie show.)

Selected Excerpts from Linda Raschke's Book, 'Trading Sardines'

Added on by C. Maoxian.

Movies Watched -- White Dog (1982)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

90 minute running time so the perfect length. Boyish Kristy McNichol with feathered hair and flat chest hits a dog, adopts him, then discovers he’s an attack dog, and not just any attack dog but a “white dog,” which is a dog that was trained to attack black people only. Kristy seeks out animal trainer Lt. Ed Traxler, who thinks he can break the dog of its training, and I won’t give away the ending … weird one. Early 80s vibe. I wasn’t thrilled. Give it a miss.

Can't nobody can unlearn a dog

Can't nobody can unlearn a dog

Movies Watched -- Moonrise (1948)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

90 minute running time so the perfect length. Another weird one… post-war mix of romance and violence … guy forces himself on the girl and she submits, not very politically correct … young Lloyd Bridges does some fake fist-fighting … I wasn’t thrilled with this, didn’t think the story was realistic or interesting.

You’re not very courteous!

You’re not very courteous!

Movies Watched -- Ministry of Fear (1944)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

87 minute running time so the perfect length … deeply weird Fritz Lang movie made before the war ended… about a ring of German spies in London … reminded me at times (the village fête especially) of The Prisoner, the great Patrick McGoohan TV series … but I wasn’t thrilled in the end… it wasn’t interesting, just sort of bizarre. Not sure why Criterion included it in their Collection. “Suffused with dread and paranoia … an unpredictable thriller with style to spare,“ nah, not really. Give it a miss.

Girl from Idaho with unreliable Austrian accent

Girl from Idaho with unreliable Austrian accent

Movies Watched -- Shallow Grave (1994)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

93 minute running time so the perfect length … had to watch with subtitles since Scottish accents so heavy … a long-haired Ewan McGregor at his most annoying … when semi-good people do bad things tale … the twist at the end was extremely dissatisfying and ruined everything that came before … I wasn’t thrilled. Criterion probably put it in their Collection because it’s low budget, the first movie made by the guys who made Trainspotting, and “stylistically influential.“ Not essential viewing in my opinion.

Scottish yuppies at their most awful

Scottish yuppies at their most awful

Movies Watched -- Mother (1996)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

104 minute running time, but I only made it 50 minutes in before quitting. Albert Brooks is a middle-aged guy who moves home with Mom to figure out why he has trouble with women — it’s his Mom’s fault of course. There are some funny bits but I just didn’t want to see this Baby Boomer (Brooks born in ‘47) man-child whining to his aged mother (who must have had him when she was 15 years old) … and I had a major problem with Debbie Reynolds as his Mom since she’s a Gentile and has no business playing a Jewish mother. Marrying Eddie Fisher didn’t make her Jewish. Give it a miss.

I want organic peanut butter, mother

I want organic peanut butter, mother

Movies Watched -- White Heat (1949)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

113 minute running time so at least 15 minutes too long, but I liked this one, it’s good. Little James Cagney plays a great psychopathic bad guy, I wonder if he was a little nuts in real life? Crime story, smoggy 1940s LA with City Hall prominently featured, a blonde double-crossing dame, a cop mole in the gang, it has all the elements. See it if you get the chance.

Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Chrysanthemum

Added on by C. Maoxian.

I dig it… especially the opening transitions. Would be a good song to inhale to… thanks to the Spotify algo for recommending it:

Suscribite al canal de Popart https://bit.ly/2tXBQvz Weste "Crisantemo" (video oficial) del album Huestes Direccion y camara: Pilar Condomi Produccion: Pilar Condomi y Clara Trucco Maquillaje: Lucia Scarcelleta Gracias a Gustavo Jaiyes!