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