Movies Watched -- Dead Man Walking (1995)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

122 minute running time so 30 minutes too long … disc didn’t have subtitles so I was unable to watch / read it on fast forward … looked heavy and depressing and apparently based on a true story. This was a W.D. By movie by that goofy pinko Tim Robbins (half joking) … Susan Sarandon has nice even features and a terrible fake southern accent … this was a John Farr reco, but I couldn’t watch it, esp. at over two hours long. I did spend 25 minutes fast forwarding so I’m counting it as “watched.”

Lots of niggers down where you live. They knock each other off like beer cans off a fence.

Movies Watched -- Queen & Slim (2019)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

132 minute running time so around 40 minutes too long … this was way way too long, they tried to cram in all kinds of ideas and scenes and side stories (including a love story!) … it started out OK, sort of interesting, this innocent young couple chattering away, but everything quickly spiraled out of control once the key tragedy happened and it became a fugitives on the run thing … none of it was realistic, I mean their reactions, etc. I wasn’t thrilled with the politics of it either — a bunch of mixed and confusing messages and when the SPOILERS little boy shoots the black cop, it just took an awful turn. This was a bad recommendation from John Farr, who wrote it was “sadly all too believable.” Yes, the awful traffic stop was believable, but none of what followed was. Badly done movie about racism (that’s what it was about, right?) and just way way way too long.

Movies Watched -- Thieves Like Us (1974)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

123 minute running time so 30 minutes too long … another Robert Altman movie from the 70s, a re-make of They Live By Night (which is a classic Nick Ray movie I own) … Shelley Duvall plays a good “picayune” dimwit “Keechie” and Keith Carradine is good as lucky crook “Bowie” … this wasn’t terrible, but it was just too darn long. John Farr recommended it for it’s “breezy, old-timey feel,” but it was just too darn long for me. Breaking Chickasaw out of prison was a pretty classic scene though, as was throwing him out of the car when he was complaining too much, I laughed hard there.

I already am mixed up with you.

Movies Watched -- Le Havre (2011)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

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)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

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)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

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)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

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)

Added on by C. Maoxian.

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.