Bones And All (2022)

A young teenage cannibal (Taylor Russell) is abandoned by her non cannibal father (Andre Holland) when she turns 18. She goes on the road heading for Minnesota where she hopes to reunite with her mother (Chloe Sevigny) who abandoned her when she was a little girl. While on the road, she connects with another cannibal (Timothee Chalamet), a drifter and they fall in love. Based on the novel by Camille DeAngelis and directed by Luca Guadagnino (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME). Although its subject matter is gross and disturbing, director Guadagnino puts the emphasis on the relationship between Russell and Chalamet, two misfits on the fringe of society struggling to maintain a semblance of normality when they are anything but. They are what they are, it was not a choice (the film suggests its genetic) and like ROMEO AND JULIET, it's a romance that is doomed through no fault of their own. The supporting cast is excellent including Mark Rylance (genuinely creepy), Jessica Harper, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jake Horowitz.

Serie Noire (1979)

A door to door salesman (Patrick Dewaere) working on commission is struggling to make a living. He drinks excessively, suffers from mood swings and is stuck in an unhappy marriage. When he encounters an underage prostitute (Marie Trintignant) who appears to be mentally challenged, he is smitten. Alas, this encounter will lead to robbery and murder. Based on the novel A HELL OF A WOMAN by Jim Thompson (THE GRIFTERS) and directed by Alain Corneau (POLICE PYTHON 357). Dewaere's character is one of those born losers and you just know that it isn't going to end well for him. As his character's mental state begins to erode and he becomes increasingly unstable and spirals out of control, it becomes unpleasant to sit through. As the film's protagonist, you watch him from a distance, never investing yourself in his breakdown. While I can appreciate Dewaere's commitment to his character, I found him too over the top. So psychotic that you wonder why people don't cut themselves off from him. With Myriam Boyer, Bernard Blier, Andreas Katsulas and Jeanne Herviale.

The Assessment (2025)

Set in a dystopian society in the near future where parenthood is strictly controlled, a married couple (Elizabeth Olsen, Himesh Patel) applying for a child must go through a seven day personal assessment from a government agent (Alicia Vikander). Directed by Fleur Fortune in her feature film directorial debut. A thinking man's piece of science fiction, there's no special effects or aliens from outer space but a sharp observance of a society under the government's thumb and a psychological game the parental applicants must pass, even as it demeans and humiliates them. At the beginning, I had a difficult time with the absurd extremes that the couple were put through by the assessor. Extremes that most couples would rebel against (like the assessor watching them have sex). But it all makes some kind of sense when the movie is over. The film belongs to its two female leads, who are excellent. Patel's character isn't as interesting but I'm not sure if it's the actor or the character as written. Filmed in the Canary Islands. With Minnie Driver (the only other actor who stands out), Indira Varma and Nicholas Pinnock.

Little Women (1949)

Set in Massachusetts during the American Civil War. The March sisters: Jo (June Allyson), Amy (Elizabeth Taylor), Meg (Janet Leigh) and Beth (Margaret O'Brien) live in genteel poverty with their mother (Mary Astor) while their father (Leon Ames) is away in the war. Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott and directed by Mervyn LeRoy (LITTLE CAESAR). This is the first film version of LITTLE WOMEN that I saw, you might say I grew up with it, first on B&W TV, then in color. It was much later when I caught up with the acclaimed 1933 George Cukor version and even later, more film and TV versions, all good and sometimes much more than that. But this will always be my LITTLE WOMEN. Shot in Technicolor, the film has the look of an old fashioned pastel Victorian candy box (its art direction won an Oscar). Changes have been made from the book but it still remains faithful to Alcott. Unfairly compared to Katharine Hepburn's 1933 Jo, I liked Allyson's feisty hard headed Jo and Elizabeth Taylor's vain Amy is charmingly narcissistic. Lovely Janet Leigh does what she can with Meg (the most colorless of the sisters) and Margaret O'Brien brings a quiet strength to Beth. With Peter Lawford, Rossano Brazzi, C. Aubrey Smith (in his final film role), Lucile Watson, Elizabeth Patterson, Richard Stapley and Connie Gilchrist.

Interlude (1968)

A temperamental and arrogant conductor (Oskar Werner) puts everything second to his musical career including his wife (Virginia Maskell) and children. When an attractive journalist (Barbara Ferris) approaches him for an interview, she draws more out of him than he expects and they begin a tentative affair. Directed by Kevin Billington (LIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD). Films about married symphony conductors/composers/pianists having affairs with pretty young things seemed to be a movie staple for awhile. The most famous example being both the Swedish (1936) and Hollywood (1939) versions of INTERMEZZO with Ingrid Bergman, WHEN TOMORROW COMES (1939) with Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer, INTERLUDE (1957) with June Allyson and Rossano Brazzi and this 1968 film, not a remake of the 1957 movie despite the title. The film is rather tiresome with Ferris whining about Werner not giving the relationship the attention it needs. What did she expect? He's a married man with two kids and a heavy duty career! Werner's egoist is giving both women only half of himself and what he can spare after his career and they both deserve better. The constant soft focus montages with Werner and Ferris wandering around accompanied by Georges Delerue's underscore are tedious. Maskell as the wife is very good but alas, she died at age 31 before the film's release. With Donald Sutherland, John Cleese, Derek Jacobi, Alan Webb and Nora Swinburne.

Henry V (1944)

Henry V (Laurence Olivier) decides to invade France as he feels through his ancestry that he is the rightful heir to the throne of France. Based on the THE LIFE OF HENRY THE FIFTH by William Shakespeare and directed by Laurence Olivier (RICHARD III) in his film directorial debut. I'll be upfront and admit that HENRY V is not one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Olivier's film was made during WWII and intended to boost the morale of Great Britain (it was partly funded by the British government). As such, it's a perfectly decent propaganda piece. But it's more than that. It's a colorful film epic with first rate Technicolor cinematography by Robert Krasker (THE THIRD MAN), art direction by Paul Sheriff (Huston's MOULIN ROUGE), costumes by Roger Furse and score by William Walton. All of which make the film a visual treat which compensates for my lack of enthusiasm for the work itself. For his first time behind the camera, Olivier shows an adept ability for cinema. With Robert Newton, Leo Genn, Max Adrian, Renee Asherson, Felix Aylmer, Robert Helpmann, Freda Jackson and Niall MacGinnis.

Crucible Of Terror (1971)

A reclusive artist (Mike Raven) living in a secluded area of Cornwall in England has a bizarre "habit" of killing beautiful young women by encasing them in plaster and pouring molten bronze through an opening thus turning them into a sculpture. Directed by Ted Hooker, a film editor in apparently his only film directorial credit. A rather sleazy variant of HOUSE OF WAX, the movie trudges along with several nasty killings but outside of the film's "twist" of a finale which I didn't see coming, it's a pretty routine horror movie. A British film, it flopped in England but it's developed a small cult following. I don't think it even had a U.S. release. As the demented sculptor, Raven looks eerily like Christopher Lee who might have brought a bit more gravitas to the proceedings as well as some decent acting. With Ronald Lacey, Mary Maude, Melissa Stribling, Judy Matheson, James Bolam and Me Me Lai.

Love On The Run (1936)

Set in pre WWII Europe. When an American heiress (Joan Crawford) jilts her bridegroom (Ivan Lebedeff) at the altar, a reporter (Clark Gable) attaches himself to her in order to scoop all the other newspapers. Meanwhile, the reporter's helpless rival (Franchot Tone) tries to get in on the scoop. Based on the short story BEAUTY AND THE BEAT by Alan Green and Julian Brodie and directed by W. S. Van Dyke (THE THIN MAN). A derivative screwball comedy that starts off promisingly but soon fizzles out before it can get going. Crawford and Gable are at their most appealing but they can't do much with the silly screenplay. As if the romantic lovers on the run wasn't enough for the plot, the script has a mindless subplot about two spies (Reginald Owen, Mona Barrie) after a map that Crawford and Gable accidentally discover. Still, audiences lapped it up and it was a hit. With William Demarest and Donald Meek.

Jake's Women (1996)

A writer (Alan Alda) is suffering from psychosis. He mentally projects the women in his life, both living and dead, into his real life and talks to them. He can't help himself. This causes problems when dealing with the real women in his life particularly his estranged wife (Anne Archer). Based on the play by Neil Simon and directed by Glenn Jordan (ONLY WHEN I LAUGH). Neil Simon hitting rock bottom! It ran on Broadway for just 245 performances in 1992 which isn't great for a Neil Simon play which usually ran for a year or more. It wasn't even made into a theatrical film as was the norm for Simon's plays, it was made for television. The play and film's protagonist has serious psychological problems but rather than being disturbed, Simon wants us to find him witty as he tosses off his Simon punchlines. Unfortunately, the one liners are a paltry lot and worse, Alan Alda gives a tiresome performance, a retread of most of his film comedy performances from THE FOUR SEASONS to SAME TIME NEXT YEAR. Only Julie Kavner as his sister manages to squeeze a laugh or two out of the mediocre material. With Mira Sorvino, Joyce Van Patten, Lolita Davidovich and Kimberly Williams.

Pharaoh's Curse (1957)

Set in 1902 Egypt, a small group of British soldiers led by Captain Storm (Mark Dana) set out to retrieve a group of archeologists who are seeking a lost tomb. On their journey, they run into a mysterious girl (Ziva Rodann) who insists on accompanying them. Directed by Lee Sholem (TARZAN'S MAGIC FOUNTAIN). Movies about archeologists invading Egyptian tombs and mummy's getting revenge are pretty formulaic. Films like this need imagination and style to work and this programmer fails on that count. The characters behave stupidly. For example, if there's a killer mummy on the loose and you're all alone in a tomb and a mysterious door partially opens, do you get out of there quick or at least go get help or do you walk through the door all alone? Yep, they walk thru the door! The mummy makeup is excellent though. With Diane Brewster, George Neise and Terence De Marney.

The Great Lillian Hall (2024)

A legendary theatre actress (Jessica Lange) is opening on Broadway in a production of Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD. But she has problems remembering her lines and her memory is faltering. Directed by playwright Michael Cristofer (THE SHADOW BOX). Anchored by a towering performance by Jessica Lange, this is a moving account of a life in the theatre. Where the stage is a life and everything else (including motherhood) is secondary. When Lange's Lillian Hall is diagnosed with early stages of dementia, she is robbed of her identity. What happens to a life lived on stage when that is taken from them? Lange is spectacular here but she's not alone. As her loyal live in companion, Kathy Bates gives a fierce performance. For theatre buffs, this is a real treat. The film is inspired by the Tony award winning actress Marian Seldes, the screenplay was written by her niece Elisabeth Seldes Annacone. With Pierce Brosnan, Lily Rabe, Jesse Williams, Cindy Hogan and Keith Arthur Bolden.

Samar (1962)

Set in the Philippines in 1870 when it was still under the control of Spain. Spain used the island of Samar as a penal colony for unwanted political prisoners. An American doctor (George Montgomery) is sent to the island as punishment for participating in a duel. The island's commandant (Gilbert Roland) plots to take the island's small population on a dangerous trek to freedom deep in the jungle's recesses. Directed by George Montgomery, who also had a hand with the script. It's an agreeable adventure film if not very fresh or original but it was shot on location in the Philippines which gives it some authenticity. The film suffers from the monotonous coverage of the trek from various angles throughout the movie. The people and the animals march and march and march at a funereal pace and the camera lingers over them. Yawn! With Joan O'Brien, Ziva Rodann and Nico Minardos.