THE CLEANSING HOUR (2019)

Edited & Directed By: Damien LeVeck

Written By: Aaron Horwitz and Damien LeVeck

Story By: Aaron Horwitz

Cinematography: Jean-Philippe Bernier 

Cast: Ryan Guzman, Kyle Gallner, Alix Angelis, Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Daniel Hoffmann-Gill, Emma Holzer, Joanna David, Ionut Cristian Grama 

Another successful "exorcism" streamed online - or so it seems. Can the "exorcist", producer and their team bring the ratings up? Ratings skyrocket, when a real demon gets involved.

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This film Stays entertaining enough  throughout. It offers twists and turns though for any savvy viewer I beleive they will be able to see where it is headed. It will Keep you guessing throughout. Though by the end feels a bit predictable 

The film sets up the audience early to not believe everything that they see as truth. So it tries to keep that mood of guessing throughout. 

Though the movie has some roles that feel useless and only there to add to the bloodshed and kills. The cast still managed to make you care and believe what happens. So that it keeps you engaged. As it seems relevant with today's times and online atmosphere. 

It has very impressive special effects for the most part. Especially for a film that you can tell had a limited budget.

It might have an opinion on social media but it doesn’t beat you over the head with it oir try to act like it’s above it or smarter. Which is what makes is all the more charnong and actually clever. 

One will admit Kyle Gallner being in this film is what Initially peaked the interest. Another film where he is pretty much one of the leads and is phenomenal. In the rare chance to play a more likable character.

Grade: B- 

FREAKY TALES (2025)

 

Written & Directed By: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck

Cinematography: Jac Fitzgerald

Editor: Robert Komatsu

Cast: Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Ben Mendelsohn, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Angus Cloud, Too $hort, Ji-Young Yoo, Jack Champion, Kier Gilchrist 

Four interconnected stories set in 1987 Oakland, CA. will tell about the love of music, movies, people, places and memories beyond our knowable universe.

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I’m Going to say this right now that this room is best to go into blind, as that is the best way to experience it, and might offer you more of a surprise or surprise is there anything. As even if you seen the trailer there’s still enough mystery to not know exactly what you’re getting into.

One thing that can be said Is that the film doesn’t really live up to its title as there are tails I don’t know how freaky they are, rather than just tales of an anthology. The film feels more like short stories, that take place around one another in the bay Oakland, California, as characters do cross paths with each other in different tails, but each one has its own kind of genre in story. It feels very Tarantino ask the light and more of a wannabe.

The thing that connects them might be violence and Oakland legends like Tom Hanks in Too $hort you are treated like legends in this film, and Too $hort has a cameo as well as being betrayed by someone else in one of the stories.

The stories here, pretty much cut and dry. They don’t offer that much in the way of surprises. One story focuses on punks versus Nazis and we get to know some of the characters involved. The next story is about two young African-American women going into a rap battle. The next story is a tale of redemption in the past in the last tail is more of a revenge tail inspired. It feels like by game of death the Bruce Lee movie.

Truthfully, the first tale could’ve been its own film in itself exploring the characters a bit more, but maybe it was in case of been there done that no not offering up as much of a diverse characters in the Punk cultural scene. 

The film fall short as it doesn’t really live up to its title and what are the stories, eventually connect your left, wanting more or expecting more from it, especially with the angle of this green substance, that really only comes into play effectively in one tale, but does work to connect or let the audience know Somethings about to happen. it’s a harbinger.

One wishes, the film was much better as it definitely has the creativity and talent involved. It just builds to a certain level and never goes past it even when it seems like it has the strength to go further and be better.

It’s around the 80s which gives a kind of a nostalgic, feel where you can look back and laugh at the fashions, but I also remember them as that was what was cool at the time as well as the culture.

The film Does offer plenty of cameos throughout the film

No, it isn’t mirable as it still keeps too similar themes but like a true short story collection, it has different types of tails where one can be more comedic. One can be more dramatic. It’s the same here, whereas one tail, or at least two tails are pure, more action territory. Another could just be a kind of a slight more success story.

Wow, the film has trouble living up to its title. It is still worth checking out.

Grade: C+

LORNA’S SILENCE (2008)

 

Written & Directed By: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne 

Cinematography: Alain Marcoen

Editor: Marie-Helene Dozo

Cast: Arta Dobroshi, Jeremie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione, Alban Ukaj, Morgan Marinne, Olivier Gourmet, Anton Yakovlev, Gregori Manoukov 

Lorna, a young Albanian woman living in Belgium, has her sights set on opening a snack bar with her lover Sokol. In order to do so, she has become involved in a scam conducted by Fabio, a gangster.

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A good old fashioned film noir. it’s from explorers the fringe of a criminal underground and has the groundwork of a film noir that plays dark and realistic.

Then, when you think something positive is going to happen in the film, it reveals itself only to sing deeper into the darkness.

Here the femme fatale is the anti-hero of the film. She’s trying to do what she needs to do but isn’t as coldhearted as she would have everyone believe.

She is caught in a situation that should be easy for her to handle which morphs into a no-win one.

What makes this film feel different is that for all the traditional roles the characters play like the mole the mark the femme fatale the mobster the film doesn’t treat or show them as cliché or clueless. It makes them full three-dimensional characters

Wish I could say the film is a Home-run, but it’s not that it isn’t worth watching and the first film by the Dardenne brothers That Is really enjoyable in quite some time. As one haven’t really like any of their films that much since ROSETTA.

Though this one lends itself more to genre then their other films and seems a bit more cruel. then their usual humanist films. 

Grade: B

I WENT DOWN (1997)

 

Directed By: Paddy Breathnatch 

Written By: Conor McPherson 

Cinematography: Cian De Buitlear 

Editor: Emer Reynolds

Cast: Peter McDonald, Brendan Gleeson, Tony Doyle, Peter Caffrey, Johnny Murphy, David Wilmot, Michael Mcelhatton, Antoine Byrne 

Irish action comedy. An ex-con is forced into taking on a new task by a ruthless crime-boss, but finds he is hindered by the partner he has been teamed up with. However, he soon realizes they must work together if they are to survive.

This film reminds me of the quirky indies that had stylized crime stories before it seemed like Quentin Tarantino cornered the market and with him a new generation who tired to copy and clone his style with throwbacks to bygone eras. 

Then having witty, snappy dialogue that told stories while not exactly always being about crime, but reveal ethics, morals, passions or lack of them.

This is one of those films that centers around crime, but is much more interested in the characters and dialogue. 

Though this film Will probably be accused of being one of them. This one has mroe heart 

As the film offers charm. It’s not something you haven’t seen before, but it is fun that the crime story that moves it along is almost secondary and there to keep the characters on their toes and moving from location to location. 

Jsit as the main characters are learning more and more about the job they have been hired to do and the history behind it. We are u raveling the mystery as to what is really going on.

At heart this is a buddy comedy of two nit wits. Not cut out for crime. even though both are ex-Cons. Who are trying to get out of the life, but keep getting pulled back in no matter how ahrdbthey try to escape. It’ also a road trip movie as they keep having to travel and go to new locations to suposedlt finish the job. 

For some audience members this film might remind them or have the same spirit as IN BRUGES only not as violent or dark. It also helps that this film has a similar cast member Brendan Gleeson when he was younger. 

In Fact this was one of his early roles that put him on the map and got him noticed.

The sayings and place cards between scenes are a bit annoying, but representative of the time period in film. Where it was thought witty or like chapter themes.  

There is a lack of style but plenty of laughs. Believable character work. Where you enjoy the company of the characters. As even when you find out the truth. You just have mroe compassion for them. As even the title is kind of a punchline. 

Grade: B

DROP (2025)

 

Directed By: Christopher Landon 

Written By: Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach

Cinematography: Marc Spicer 

Editor: Ben Baudhuin

Cast: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violet Beane, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Sarah McCormack, Jeffrey Self, Ed Weeks

A widowed mother on her first date in years, who arrives at an upscale restaurant where she is relieved that her date, Henry is more charming and handsome than she expected. But their chemistry begins to curdle as Violet begins being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone.

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This film was a major disappointment. As from the trailer It looked like it could be a little exciting, but more like kind of an event film that might be better seen on the big screen and maybe that’s true. Watching it at home on a regular screen, though I was willing to give it a chance as quite a few friends whose opinion I trusted recommended the film saying that it was fun seeing that it also got surprisingly really good reviews peaked my interest so I was excited to finally watch it

I could just never get into this film. I’ll admit the film kept me guessing as to who was behind it all that was through most of it while there were some fun twist the first half left me board and then it seems in the second half to go gonzo and go all over the top. 

Some of said that it’s like a modern day, Hitchcock thriller only with modern technology, and while I admit, using the technology in this thriller was original one of the things that didn’t work was, didn’t really care about the characters. There’s nothing wrong in their performances, even though the male lead played by  Brandon Sklenar was very boring And not that romantic or truly appealing

What was interesting about the film was the dynamic of not only the thriller element but also the power to control how an evening or date goes knowing what to reveal or how to behave to truly attract the other when usually most of us can be guarded in that first date as it is truly getting to know you, though there must be some kind of appeal I got you there in the first place.

Coming from Director Christopher Landon at this point he’s a filmmaker who feels a little late as most of his films come across as great high concept projects that for the most part Work but also seem to have a Debt to 80s and 90s films played in more modern times That sometimes work to their advantage as they are interesting stories, but the follow-through isn’t always as magical or appealing. He didn’t write this one either. 

As one loves a HAPPY DEATH DAY franchise, but his other films freaky in this film are good enough, but never quite when you over as much as freaky was violent horror that had a camping to it. This film tries to be more adult as a thriller, and tries to stay in the realm of reality, but it gets so ridiculous and never quite lean into that camping factor that it just comes off as silly and ridiculous at times not quite as Sterling as it is aiming for.

I think it’s a fine one time watch but it is very disposable and forgettable. Wish it had a stronger script, but then it might not be as loose for the audience is a popcorn movie through and through. That wasn’t for me, but I can see many enjoying. I just didn’t drink the Kool-Aid as the flavor was not to my liking.

Grade: C 

ONE FROM THE HEART (1981)

 

Directed By: Francis Ford Coopola

Written By: Francis Ford Coopola,

Armyan Bernstein and Luana Anders 

Story By: Armyan Bernstein

Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro and Ronald V. Garcia

Editor: Rudi Fehr, Anne Goursaud and Randy

Roberts

Cast: Frederic Forest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia, Natassja Kinski, Harry Dean Stanton, Lanie Kazan, Allen Garfield, Rebecca DeMornay, Jeff Hamlin

Hank and Frannie don't seem to be able to live together anymore. After a five-year relationship, lustful and dreamy Frannie leaves down-to-earth Hank on the anniversary of their relationship. Each one of them meets their dream mate, but as bright as they may seem, they are but a stage of lights and colors. Will true love prevail over a seemingly glamorous passion? Welcome to Coppola's Broadway-like romantic musical.

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watching this infamous film Which has quite a bit of history, now while one  didn’t love it respect and admire it. Also, ended up as great medicine for the soul. Francis Ford Coppola tried, and this is a piece of art. It’s inspiring, Beautiful though it’s too technical and limited in it’s passion still worth watching

One has to give him More Admiration as he does have a gift with musical or dance sequences, and no one swings for the rafters better

This film is experimental nature makes it a beautiful site to behold. That feels exciting and magical. Especially for the time that it was made when it seemed if you had enough clout anything was possible, and as a notary Director, you could take a big swing for the rafters and hope they paid off

I still think that Francis Ford Coppola should be noted for THE COTTON CLUB And this film is making musicals in the 1980s that had flare and had that all time spirit to them that made it feel like the films had soul. Supposedly even His film

TUCKER, A MAN AND HIS DREAMS Was supposed to be a musical at some point.

Go for everything that the film Has going, for it ends up a disappointment to a certain extent, but a beautiful attempt that feels like a time capsule almost. 

As even the music by Tom Waits, who, normally, I love most of his music, one can say this is not one of my favorite albums or music by him even though I can relate to the spirit of it, and it is listenable as it feels like sad, harmonious, ballads, and duets about love.

One of the weaknesses of the films that you don’t really care about the story Or the characters as there’s not really that much to either of them, as they always feel more like concepts than three dimensional characters, so that everything feels artificial as the sets that it takes place on, which are amazing to look at and beautifully built, but unfortunately again, artificial, which was it’s aim. As it always feels like a presentation a lark that feels like theater, which was supposed to be so it did succeed but achieved what It was supposed to in the end. That was simple as it was it seemed like most audiences just didn’t get it or we’re not that interested

Unfortunately, it wasn’t successful and was the last bomb that sunk Francis Ford Coppola zoetrope studios

The film plays more tour, earlier era where you went to films more be entertained, and hoped that some of the story or characters would be identifiable to the audience. If not, personally, they knew of the subject as this plays more as entertainment, and then something that feels deeply personal and thought out or even passion filled.

By the end one can’t help, but feel sorry for Natasha Kinski‘s character as she took a risk on this fling as it’s her first real taste of freedom she can even take not being the first in his heart, but as long as she has him feels like that’s good enough for her in the end she knew that he wouldn’t really be able to tear himself away and though she leaves she has nowhere really to go back to happily

The film is in Everyman Love story that feels vague. It’s a musical with some dance sequences, but the songs are sung Morris, voiceover and narration by Tom Waits and Crystal Gale. So the actors never really sang. They more perform. It’s also the rare film, where Noted character actor, Frederic Forest actually got to play the lead

In the end, it feels like a nice try No, you never feel anything other than a driving force and artistry being thrown at you

Grade: C+