Movies Watched -- Le Havre (2011)
In French. 93 minute running time so the perfect length. This was a cute story but too cute. Every shot was carefully posed, the colors, the lighting, the framing, all precious, all capital A.R.T. Yes, it’s heartwarming, yes, the humanity, but no, it’s too contrived and forced for me. Farr recommended it but I say pass.
Movies Watched -- Training Day (2001)
122 minute running time so at least 20 minutes too long and felt like an hour too long … I can never buy Denzel as a tough, street smart guy … he has perfect teeth and skin and is super articulate, so it’s like, come on, give me a break … the only part that Denzel can believably play for me is a college professor. He’s like a “safe” black man for Hollywood.
This started out sort of annoying then took a very dark turn and then turned ultra-violent and just ridiculous. It was no good. Ethan Hawke’s imperfect teeth interested me and I found him a more believable character than Denzel’s. And it was way way too long. And there was an unbelievable amount of cussing.
This was not a John Farr recommendation … some guys in my Discord room recommended this and I won’t be taking any further recommendations from them.
Movies Watched -- Onibaba (1964)
In Japanese. 103 minute running time so a good length. This was an unusual one and I sort of enjoyed it .. it’s true that I fast forwarded through the endless rustling grass shots, but I liked the honesty of portraying these savages during wartime and the raw sexuality and the triangular relationship and the female jealousy and bare breasts and the demon mask. I guess I’ll give it a green-go, as did John Farr. I didn’t know at the time I got it that Farr also recommended it, so I was suprised when I saw that he did.
Laundry day
Movies Watched -- Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
127 minute running time so at least 30 minutes too long. It’s kind of a cute story and star-studded with aged fuddy-duddies, but I couldn’t get into it and it was way way too long. I loved young Lauren Bacall, but not old Lauren Bacall. Only Jacqueline Bisset at age 30 looked good, the rest were relics. This was a John Farr reco, but I say pass.
Albert Finney as Poirot
Movies Watched -- Images (1972)
101 minute running time, but I didn’t make it too far in before going to fast forward. It didn’t grab me and it had a 70s vibe where I knew it would be a slog. It’s about a woman who is cracking up, I guess. The star is beautiful and had nice floppy breasts, but there wasn’t much else to hold my attention. John Farr wrote, “The movie's bleak, opaque quality will not be to all tastes, but psychological horror fans should pounce.” Wrong, don’t pounce my fellow psychological horror fans, run away.
Best Thriller / Mystery Movies of the 2010s
These are the best thriller / mystery movies of the 2010s according to John Farr. I’ve arranged them chronologically below:
English-language movies:
Animal Kingdom (2010)
Drive (2011)
Margin Call (2011)
Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)
Take Shelter (2011)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (2011)
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Argo (2012)
Mud (2012)
American Hustle (2013)
Captain Phillips (2013)
Prisoners (2013)
The Widower (2013)
A Most Violent Year (2014)
Foxcatcher (2014)
Bridge of Spies (2015)
Room (2015)
The Gift (2015)
All the Money in the World (2017)
Personal Shopper (2017)
Sweet Country (2017)
Mr. Jones (2019)
Queen and Slim (2019)
Foreign-language movies:
In a Better World (2010) (Danish)
Incendies (2010) (French)
Of Gods and Men (2010) (French)
Poetry (2010) (Korean)
The King of Devil's Island (2010) (Norwegian)
White Material (2010) (French)
Aurora (2011) (Romanian)
Bullhead (2011) (Dutch)
Elena (2011) (Russian)
Policeman (2011) (Hebrew)
The Skin I Live In (2011) (Spanish)
A Hijacking (2012) (Danish)
No (2012) (Spanish)
Bastards (2013) (French)
Stranger by the Lake (2014) (French)
Elle (2016) (French)
The Handmaiden (2016) (Korean)
The Salesman (2016) (Farsi)
The Woman Who Left (2016) (Tagalog)
Transit (2017) (German)
A White, White Day (2019) (Icelandic)
The Traitor (2019) (Italian)
Movies Watched -- Frenzy (1972)
116 minute running time so at least 20 minutes too long … very late Hitchcock and not up to his usual standard … it’s not terrible but it’s also not good enough to recommend … the best part was the comedy between the Chief Inspector and his wife (Vivien Merchant) at dinner … this was a John Farr recommendation.
You’re my type of woman…
Movies Watched -- Maria Full of Grace (2004)
In Spanish. 100 minute running time so a perfect length … sort of a scared straight movie, you don’t want to be a drug mule, kids … starred a beautiful Colombian girl … it wasn’t a perfect movie, but it’s good enough to get a green-go, I enjoyed it and loved the ending. The girl had guts and should become a solid Murkan citizen in time. This was a John Farr recommendation, and I second it.
Movies Watched -- Fox and His Friends (1975)
In German. 123 minute running time so 23 minutes too long. Another Fassbinder film. Sort of you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all, except he (and his Big Johnson) stars in this one. Variations on his blinding hatred of bourgeois German society as well as German gay culture, or maybe all gay culture (Fassbinder was gay), and why not include all of humanity in there as completely loathsome and unredeemable. Fassbinder is very good at playing a naive prole.
People call him a genius and I have to sort of agree, I do like his schtick, but this is not general audience stuff, this is highbrow, art house stuff for sophisticates like me. I’ll give a blanket green-go to all the movies Fassbinder made (at least the ones I’ve seen so far), as does John Farr.
Movies Watched -- Marathon Man (1976)
125 minute running time so 25 minutes too long … yes, the performances by Hoffman and Olivier and Scheider are good, but the story makes no sense. Why would Levy’s father and brother be involved with Der Weisse Engel? That part made no sense to me and sort of ruined the movie.
But I suppose it’s a green-go despite the lack of “plot logic,” maybe for the dental torture scene alone. It’s another in the gritty-70s-Manhattan series of movies … oddly the World Trade Center doesn’t appear in a shot of southern Manhattan, so they must have used old stock footage there? Hoffman din’t like the original ending where he kills Olivier, so they brought in Robert Towne to re-write the ending where Olivier impales himself, which I do think is better. This is a John Farr recommendation.
Is it safe?
Zippo 2024 Collectible of the Year No. 46026
$150. I’ve never been a fan of the Venetian pattern and won’t be getting this one. Black matte finish is nice though. I’m wondering which was “the very first Deep Carve design unveiled in 2004.” Shilly-Shally came out in 2003, but I guess that wasn’t truly Deep Carve? Maybe they mean Carved Elegance No. 20757 and Carved Columns No. 20771, both of which came out in 2004 (pdf).
“The 2024 Collectible of the Year celebrates three Zippo milestones in an incredible display of artistry. Introduced as the Florentine in 1974, the iconic Venetian® pattern swirls on all sides of the Armor® case with our Laser Engrave process. The ornate design stands in gorgeous contrast to the Black Matte finish, which made its debut in 1984, while the Zippo icon is nestled among diagonal MultiCut pinstripes in an ode to the very first Deep Carve design unveiled in 2004.”
Movies Watched -- Witness (1985)
112 minute running time and I definitely could have cut out 12 minutes to make the sacred 100 minute mark, but this is a great movie, a classic from my youth, green-go for sure. Aragorn son of Arathorn puts in an appearance and Danny Glover is a bad mofo, but never fear, since this is an 80s movie, all the black men are killed off by the end. John Farr recommends this movie and I do too!
One of the greatest come-hither looks of all time…
Movies Watched -- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
124 minute running time but doesn’t feel overly long because it’s so much fun … works as both a comedy and a thriller … it’s hilarious but also serious with the grime of early 1970s New Yawk and the violence and horrific killing … helped hugely that Matthau was a native New Yorker. This is a green-go, one of the best thriller-comedies of all time. John Farr also recommends it.
Thank you for a most instructive visit, Lieutenant.
Movies Watched -- Brother (1997)
In Russian. 96 minute running time so the perfect length. I really enjoyed Balabanov’s “Cargo 200” (enjoy may not be the right word, I was astonished by it) … this one was more comical, Russia in the 1990s was a terrifying place (and still is, I guess) … I probably didn’t get one tenth of the humor since I don’t know the Russian language, but I’m sure it’s hilarious. I thank John Farr for the recommendation.
“I know that Danila is often reproached for being primitive, simple and inarticulate. And in part, I agree with that. But a metaphor connected with him forms in my mind: I imagine people in a primitive chaos, who sit in their cave before the fire and do not understand anything else in their life except for the responsibility to eat and to reproduce. And suddenly one of them stands up and utters very simple words about how it is necessary to stand up for their friends, to respect women, to defend one's brother.” －－ Bodrov
Stephen Holden on “sleepy-eyed dolt” Danila…”In the movie's most cynical joke, he emerges as both the most deadly and the most morally consistent character in a world where loyalty counts for little and brute force rules.”
We’re going to wipe the smiles off all your f***ing faces
Movies Watched -- Sister My Sister (1995)
86 minute running time so a good length… this wasn’t bad, I’m glad I saw it, but it’s not good enough to get a green-go. John Farr recommended it. A tough movie to find given the themes of incest and lesbianism and murder … Actress Julie Walters steals the show though, had me falling out of my chair laughing.
Simply Sisterly Love [heavy handed foreshadowing with the bars]
Movies Watched -- All the President's Men (1976)
139 minute time which includes 39 minutes of guys sitting at typewriters or making phone calls or driving somewhere … seriously, this is a classic movie, a green-go, probably inspired a generation of investigative reporters. That’s an old Volvo that Redford drives. John Farr also recommends it.
Follow the money. Always follow the money.
Movies Watched -- Corsage (2022)
In German. 114 minute running time so at least 14 minutes too long. I have no idea what this was about… life as a 19th century Austrian Empress, I guess… tough life, in its own way. This was a John Farr reco, but I wasn’t thrilled with it.
du Arschloch
Movies Watched -- The Conversation (1974)
113 minute running time so about 13 minutes too long, but this is a classic, a green-go for sure. FIFTY years ago, this year, this film was made! Wiretapping, invasion of privacy, paranoia … talk about being ahead of its time. Fatty Ford Coppola was a great director. Gorgeous Harrison Ford in his early 30s and 29-year-old Teri Garr… Bobby Duval, uncredited. Of course John Farr recommends this movie too. Maybe cut out the smashing of the Virgin Mary figurine as a little too heavy handed? I might be able to cut this down to 100 minutes.
I just want a nice fat recording.
Best Thriller / Mystery Movies of the 2000s
These are the best thriller / mystery movies of the 2000s according to John Farr. I’ve arranged them chronologically below:
English-language movies:
Sexy Beast (2000)
Snatch (2000)
The Contender (2000)
Traffic (2000)
Gosford Park (2001)
Memento (2001)
Mullholland Drive (2001)
The Deep End (2001)
The Bourne Identity (2002)
Bloody Sunday (2002)
Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
Insomnia (2002)
One Hour Photo (2002)
Road to Perdition (2002)
Elephant (2003)
Mystic River (2003)
Shattered Glass (2003)
Maria Full of Grace (2004)
Omagh (2004)
The Machinist (2004)
The Staircase (2004)
Brick (2005)
The Constant Gardner (2005)
The Illusionist (2006)
The Last King of Scotland (2006)
United 93 (2006)
American Gangster (2007)
Boy A (2007)
Breach (2007)
Michael Clayton (2007)
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Zodiac (2007)
Frozen River (2008)
Julia (2008)
Man on Wire (2008)
The Square (2008)
Foreign-language movies:
A Matter of Taste (2000) (French)
Lumumba (2000) (French)
Under the Sand (2000) (French)
With a Friend Like Harry (2000) (French)
My Father and I (2001) (French)
Nine Queens (2001) (Spanish)
Safe Conduct (2001) (French)
The Devil’s Backbone (2001) (Spanish)
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2002) (French)
A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) (Korean)
Cautiva (2003) (Spanish)
Crimson Gold (2003) (Persian)
Good Morning, Night (2003) (Italian)
I’m Not Scared (2003) (Italian)
Memories of Murder (2003) (Korean)
Osama (2003) (Dari)
The CIty of No Limits (2003) (Spanish)
The Return (2003) (Russian)
A World Without Thieves (2004) (Mandarin)
Bad Education (2004) (Spanish)
Kontroll (2004) (Hungarian)
Red Lights (2004) (French)
Shutter (2004) (Thai)
The Edukators (2004) (German)
13 Tzameti (2005) (French)
Caché (2005) (French)
L’Enfant (2005) (French)
Paradise Now (2005) (Arabic)
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005) (German)
The Method (2005) (Spanish)
Black Book (2006) (Dutch)
Paprika (2006) (Japanese)
Tell No One (2006) (French)
The Lives of Others (2006) (German)
Cargo 200 (2007) (Russian)
Katyn (2007) (Polish)
Lust, Caution (2007) (Mandarin)
Secret Sunshine (2007) (Korean)
Under the Bombs (2007 (Arabic)
Volver (2007) (Spanish)
Gomorrah (2008) (Italian)
Just Another Love Story (2008) (Danish)
Let the Right One In (2008) (Swedish)
Revanche (2008) (German)
The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008) (German)
A Prophet (2009) (French)
Mother (2009) (Korean)
Rapt (2009) (French)
Sin Nombre (2009) (Spanish)
The Double Hour (2009) (Italian)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) (Swedish)
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) (Spanish)
The White Ribbon (2009) (German)
Troubled Water (2009) (Danish)