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mbahl
Reviews
The Visitor (2022)
What did I just watch?
OMG, I need a Silkwood shower after this. Creepy and icky. 2 stars for the slow burn beginning which actually held my interest where the hubby sees himself in old paintings as "The Visitor." In short, the hubby gets married and moves to his wife's childhood home from London after they lose a baby to start over. Biblical, plague like stuff starts to happen and people die. The town worships the hubby, and eventually he finds out he married his sister and she birthed their devil child so their bloodline could continue. Why? So the town could control the destiny (or demise) of the world. Incest and old people nearly naked in togas worshipping the devil? Nah, I'm good. This is a rare Blumhouse misfire. The first half is one movie (suspense) and the second is Rosemary's Baby done by an imitation of Ari Aster. Ewww.
Random thoughts: The female lead looked so much like Rachel McAdams it was distracting. And the male lead (from GoT) lacked the ooomph! Factor to pull off the role of an evil world leader. I liked him more as the put upon hubby in the first half of the film.
The Wiz (1978)
I'm begging for a remake...
As a time capsule of NYC filming in the late '70s, this movie cannot be duplicated. Hundreds of dancers discoing in a pre 9/11 World Trade Center? Check. An actual Brooklyn subway stop dressed in fake yellow brick with scary moving columns trying to attack Diana Ross? Check again! The EST movement and cocaine are only two things that explain this 1978 film version of The Wiz. It's mostly miscast and depressing. But a charismatic Michael Jackson in his film debut offers some bright spots. And Diana Ross can sing! Ross and screenwriter Joel Schumacher were allegedly enamored with the "find yourself" EST self-improvement movement during filming; hence the decision to pepper the script with upbeat philosophy despite the grimy, empty sets and bizarre script. Any darkness running under the original Oz novel bubbles up in the movie's dreary vibe and the odd cinematography choices...many musical numbers are filmed so far away from the actors it's just weird. The film is overlong and the script is terrible but as a curio of the time, it should be revered. Rundown NYC landmarks were filmed before the city recovered from the 70s financial crisis and repaired them in the 1980s. That subway stop where the columns attack Ross would be used later for Scorsese to film Jackson in his famous "Bad" video. This movie should be remade, with people of color not just in front of the camera, but behind it as well. With updated special effects, music, and choreography, a new vision of Oz could appear.
Killing Them Softly (2012)
Painful to watch
Brad is great, we all know that. But this film is a hot piece of garbage. Full of plot holes, wasted talent, and unfortunately backed by Weinstein; it was nominated for the top price at Cannes...somebody was obviously bribed. Horrible, painful, and hurts my soul to watch it.