Change Your Image
jgrant1-626-85342
Reviews
The Stranger (2022)
Scary but thoroughly confusing true crime
Caution: there are spoilers.
This is a deeply atmospheric and thoroughly creepy movie. Most of the focus is on the Australian gang and the two strangers who join in the vague crimes. I was trying to learn what exactly the crimes were and how they relate to an ongoing police investigation, which is mentioned very early. What's more, I'm sorry to report that the two leads look too much alike to watch late at night while following the twisted plot. Follow two big bearded older Australian blokes with their terse dialog?? Who's the good guy again? What's the crime being investigated?
It's set in Australia and had me getting out my map as I've never been there and the characters travel all over to secret meetings. There's lots of authentic but incomprehensible to us Yanks, Australian abbreviations. Authentic but confusing, Netflix.
I was waiting for a big aha! Discovery at the end, but that never happens. Either because it didn't happen in real life or because it would break the film's tone of ominous foreboding. I really thought real horror and jump cuts might make me jump at any moment.
My problem with this movie, like other true-crime pieces set elsewhere in the British Commonwealth, looking at you, Canada, is the plot revolves around a Mr. Big setup. You know where the police suspect someone of a crime but need more evidence. So they get them to confess all their past deeds to the all-powerful Mr. Big. Of course, it's a sting operation and Mr. Big is a police informant, so case solved. A goofy underpining to a real-life tragedy.
The trouble is in watching many, many US crime stories I've never once heard of this "confess everything you've done to Mr. Big" really happening. And wisely there are no accounts of US law enforcement using this Mr Big plot to get a confession. Maybe it's too effective to let out the secret? Or maybe it's just not used. Very much.
Murder, She Wrote: Programmed for Murder (1992)
Was expecting William Conrad as a KGB agent
Nope., this is the one where Jessica hasn't read her Agatha Christie. As she seems to be a Christie character, this is a serious mistake. Thallium poisoning was covered in Christie's The Pale Horse. It doesn't kill instantly, but acts slowly causing neurological symptoms and hair loss. Yet somehow, Jessica is sure it drops the young ballerina instantly. A really bad clue.
The Endless (2017)
Better movies on same theme
I can't name the better movies, because they give away the plot. I didn't enjoy the rural setting. I wasn't scared. The concept of UFO death cult is so terrifying by itself, I don't know why I watched this.
Maybe a good attempt on a super-low budget. But heck, I preferred The Blair Witch Project, which sure seemed darn penny ante. The reviews made think I'd see a wonderful sci-fi movie.
The Last Thing He Wanted (2020)
Terrible. Great actress needs to pay he rent.
An overly complicated movie set in the beautiful Caribbean. Hiding from hit men. Whom to trust. Terrible ending. (I hope it's merely loosely based on the Joan Didion novel of the same name, which I haven't read.)
A Truman Capote-like hotel owner. (Maybe the actor prepared by watching those Capote bio movies from a few years back. But Philip Seymour Hoffman was better.)
Skip this or see it to see the worst movie by pre-eminent Ms. Hathaway.
American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
Totally predictable yet horrifying
Somehow, because it was new on Netflix and a long crime documentary, I couldn't wait to see this as soon as it was released. Sadly, it's very clear from the cute home video opening and police body-cam videos how this will all turn out. Absolutely sickening.
By the way, if you're expecting a search for the mysterious kidnapper or killer, cool forensic technology, clever clues, maybe Tom Bevel's blood splatter analysis, forget about it. Nothing forensic here. Hurry along, because there's nothing to see but relentless police questioning.
If you've watched Dateline, you've seen all the narratives like this before. Save some time, turn this thing off after 15 minutes. Because you know what the ending will be. What's more, the ultimate resolution is more stomach churning than In Cold Blood.
1BR (2019)
Super disturbing.
Quite, quite sick "with a disturbing sense of community." This reminds me of some horrific real-life events.
I'm not a fan of this kind of plot. The original, "1984" was terrific. Its imitators are less so. (I guess that reference is a spoiler.) I did enjoy the ending. I was going to give it a thumbs down on Netflix, but the ending saved it. A different ending would have made it unpalatable.
In a creepy way, this is almost believable, but I admit I've read too much news from the tabloids. (Think The National Enquirer.) Don't watch this late at night or your dreams will punish you for viewing this..
The Staircase Murders (2007)
Not the whole story. See the documentary.
The documentary has a more up-to-date, DIFFERENT ending.
There's more crime here than just one alleged murder.
This version does highlight the strains within the family, which are huge. (I think Kathleen's sisters would have had Peterson summarily shot immediately after Kathleen was discovered at the bottom of the staircase.)
I read another theory awhile back, without making the all-important connection to this case. Basically, an owl did it. Seemingly absurd on the face of it, but awfully plausible as you look deeper. Kathleen's head injuries are consistent with an owl attack. Maybe an unindicted co-conspirator?
The Doctor Blake Mysteries: The Call of the Void (2017)
Murder on Ice
Not a bad thing to watch. A convoluted story. Baby out of wedlock. Homophobia. Also unrequited gay love. Motives and dark mysteries all over the place. One glaring problem: one of the key revelations is stolen from a famous plot by Roald Dahl. (To make this not an out-and-out spoiler, I'll say no more.) Gotta lose a lot of points for borrowing some of the plot!
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Missed this for years
I'm a Tarantino fan, so I was glad to finally see his breakout movie. Of course, now all the actors look so young. Gruff Lawrence Tierney perfect here, got into real trouble playing Elaine's dad in Seinfeld!
Bonanza: The Ballerina (1965)
Showcases a great dancer
The Cartwrights' usual concerns are put aside as we see a saloon dancer, played by Barrie Chase, trying to learn ballet. Her father, violin-playing Douglas Fowley, is the other half of this team of traveling entertainers.
As I watched the episode, I wondered if the saloon dancer was really any good. But this is Hollywood and she's marvelous.
In fact, Barrie Chase is an incredible dancer. She was frequently a dance partner for Fred Astaire! It's a treat to see her work brought to the Western-viewing audience.
A most unusual episode.