Last Week's Movies #42

I watch so many movies that my movie memory is started to overload. So I've decided to start doing short reviews for each film I've watched during the week. Often they'll be movies I'm viewing for the first time, but some may be favourites that are getting their latest re-watch.

Dark Habits
aka Entre tinieblas

(Spain, 1983, Pedro Almodóvar)

7/10

I'm not sure where I stand with Almodóvar's nutty nun flick Dark Habits. Sure watching nuns shoot up and pat tigers is awesome, but I have to admit I spent most of this film with a confused furrowed brow. Dark Habits farts along with little plot, though admittedly there are some great scenes and ideas sprinkled in. While the film doesn't quite deserve its R rating (Australian R... it definitely deserves its US R), its lack of political correctness still packs a punch. Almodóvar shoots the film with his usual cheese, which is a good thing. Dark Habits looks outrageous with its ridiculous sets, manic lighting and occasionally bonkers camerawork and editing - the acid scenes being a stand out of ridiculousness. The film goes out with a bang - a musical number and all - and, overall, I had fun with it. I'm still getting to know Almodóvar's back catalogue, and this is not a let down. However, it is perhaps the least engaging of his films I've seen thus far. 

The Inbetweeners Movie

(UK, 2011, Ben Palmer)

7/10

The Inbetweeners Movie seems to divide people big time. I've read reviews that give it big fat zeros, while others love it. One thing is consistent though - at least from what I've seen and heard - if you haven't seen the show, you'll hate the movie. That in itself leads me to believe The Inbetweeners Movie is not a good film. However, being a pretty big fan of the show, I enjoyed it quite a bit. But I don't think it's quite the comedy masterpiece that some fans are making it out to be. The Inbetweeners Movie suffers from a problem that most movies adapted from television fall victim to. The characters are taken out from their natural habitat and placed in a foreign land (this one is the classic "characters on a holiday" plot). Here it's not as big of a problem as say The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (which is fairly horrible, by the way), but I did find myself missing some of the side characters.

The film also spends a little too much time trying to redeem Jay and did not keep me on my feet like most of the episodes do asking "oh shit, what's Jay going to ruin next?" The love interests - all four of them - were a mixed bag too. Simon's gal and the bigger boned one were great, but the other two seemed like weak caricatures. The Inbetweeners Movie certainly lacks the consistency of laughs found in the show. That said, the movie is certainly leans more towards good than bad. There are some seriously hilarious scenes - Jay's opening wank scene, the ant hill, Neil's repulsive conquests, the "Pussay Patrol" shirts - and the stretches without laughs aren't too long. The film also gives a frighteningly real vision of a shitty British clubtastic holiday that made me shiver in between the giggles. The cast are as great as ever and the film looks decent enough (some of the editing was a bit too out of control for my liking though). The Inbetweeners Movie is a decent enough send off for the series, but I can't help but think it could have been a little better.          

Manhattan

(USA, 1979, Woody Allen)

9.5/10

Wow, here's another classic I wish I had of watched a long time ago. Manhattan is, no doubt, a masterpiece. Woody Allen is perfect as the charismatic - and, of course, neurotic - Isaac. Isaac quits his well paying television job to write a book. Despite being in his forties, he's dating a high school girl (Mariel Hemingway), but soon turns his attention to a friend's mistress (Diane Keaton). Allen is really at the top of his game with this one. His direction is wonderful and the writing is funny and moving. The film looks amazing, matching the brilliant performances. Hemingway is perhaps the stand out as Allen's ill-treated girlfriend. She gives a very true performance - loved it. Keaton, Michael Murphy and Meryl Streep are also a lot of fun. Manhattan is possibly the finest looking Allen film I've seen so far - the black and white photography is beautiful. The ending of Manhattan is fantastic. Woody Allen knows how to finish a film, whether it be sweet, bitter sweet or a punch in the guts. Great film, I'm now officially an Allen convert. 

Occult Detective Club: The Doll Cemetery
aka Okaruto tanteidan: Shi-ningyô no hakaba

(Japan, 2006, Kiyoshi Yamamoto)

3/10

Occult Detective Club: The Doll Cemetery is another entry in the Hideshi Hino's Theater of Horror series and it's a stinker. The Theater of Horror movies based on Hino's comics are a mix bag, but none have been this bad. And I've only got one left to watch. We follow the anti-story of a bunch of annoying dorks that are part of, yes, an occult detective club. A bunch of discarded toys are killing off their owners (sort of, I think) and the detective club decides to investigate. They have to go to the doll cemetery (or doll hell, whatever the fuck it is), which is just full of zombies instead of toys for some reason. This is a good example of filmmakers truly blowing a Hino story. This would've been a reasonably difficult story to adapt, but to fuck it up this royally takes skill. There's very little to enjoy in this cheap turd. The cast is forgettable, the effects are woeful - but not woeful enough to be funny, okay maybe a little funny - and the plot is dog shit despite the fun source material. I've seen worse films, but I wouldn't recommend starting with this one when watching Hideshi Hino adaptations. 

The Warriors

(USA, 1979, Walter Hill)

8.5/10

Before I get onto The Warriors, I have to say something about the director's cut blu-ray and DVD... steer the fuck clear of it! That is unless you want a lesson on how to completely destroy your own film - the destruction is so intense that even George Lucas blush at the sight of it. Flipping hell! Why did Walter Hill think it was a good idea to insert terrible flash animated "comic book" scene transitions in his film? It's seriously embarrassing and comes close to ruining a great film. Honestly, anyone defending these changes should get their head checked. Anyway, The Warriors - ignoring the horrible additions in the director's cut - is a treat. It quite possibly holds the record for "most ripped off film by Italians in the 1980s", but unlike most of the imitators, this is a truly special film. The plot is simple - set in the near (I guess) future, a gang must make their way back to their territory through several other gangs' territories, all of which are out for their blood. The set up and structure, while basic, is surprisingly unique. This film does not follow typical story trends and has a unique flow to it. Its structure reminded me of a video game - the adaptation on the Playstation 2 a few years back makes sense now - but, weirdly enough, in a good way. The cast is decent enough with a few almost impressive performances ("Warriors, come out and plaaeeay"), the soundtrack is awesome (it reminded me a bit of Goblin's Dawn of the Dead score at times) and the action is sweet. The Warriors is quality stuff. I recommend downloading the original cut or finding the out of print DVD. 

Weekend at Bernie's

(USA, 1989, Ted Kotcheff)

6/10

Why did my parents allow me to watch Weekend at Bernie's as a kid? It has necrophilia in it, for Christ's sake! Weekend at Bernie's is a strange film indeed. Two greedy insurance dorks hide the fact that their corrupt boss has died. Why they think pretending their boss is alive is a good idea is a mystery to me. But anyway, funny situations involving a dead body occur. Over and over again. And that's it. I have no idea why I loved it so much throughout my childhood, nor do I understand how this film was a hit. The film's concept is like something you'd come up with as a teenager, get really excited about for five minutes, then quickly realise how stupid it is and scrap it. The cast is obnoxious as hell - with the exception of Return of the Living Dead's Don Calfa (love that guy). It's like Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman were having a contest of who could be the most annoying douche. Weekend at Bernie's should be a lot more twisted than it is - I mean, every gag centres around a corpse - yet it's far too goofy to slot into the black comedy category. It looks cheap as hell too. Director Ted Kotcheff is a talented man - he brought us Wake in Fright (one of the greatest Australian movies ever made) and First Blood - but you couldn't tell watching Weekend at Bernie's. Everything looks like a bad set - even the beach scenes - and there's a stench of television movie wafting about. I can't hate Weekend at Bernie's though. As dumb and irritating as it is, it's somehow thoroughly watchable. Maybe it's the child in me desperately clinging onto it, but Weekend at Bernie's is - gulp - fun.