MacSwell
Bio: Nice beaver
Featured Reviews
Check out MacSwell's...
| 85 T9 |  |
An Inn in Tokyo (1935) - 15 Jul 2020
"The striking balance of childhood innocence against parental tribulation provides the emotional backbone to Ozu’s final silent, achingly capturing the humanity of a single father unable to provide for his two young sons. Filmed with just a handful of actors, simple props and threadbare sets, the lack of anything resembling a budget makes its portrait of desperate poverty all the more effective, and the end result all the more admirable."
|
| 40 T2 |  |
Friday the 13th (1980) - 10 Oct 2018
"Though the slasher genre was in its relative infancy in 1980, Friday the 13th is inexcusably unimaginative for a film of such lasting notoriety. It borrows heavily from Carpenter's Halloween but does nothing as effectively: Cunningham fails to create any degree of tension or kinship with his characters, and, with the notable exception of Kevin Bacon, the kills are fairly monotonous."
|
| 85 T9 |  |
In the Heat of the Night (1967) - 18 Feb 2016
"The main investigation story takes a back seat in this Southern murder mystery, with the film's focus instead lying firmly on the begrudging relationship between a white police chief and a black detective. The racism theme is handled in an impressively thought-provoking manner, and the fantastic direction, script and pacing means there's never a dull moment. Steiger and Poitier are exceptional in their respective roles."
|
| 85 T9 |  |
Street of Shame (1956) - 14 Feb 2019
"Mizoguchi's compassionate approach to his characters, an assortment of distinct and desperate prostitutes, displays a delicacy that prevents their stories from ever becoming mired in pathos, despite their often heartbreaking nature. It's a wonderful swansong for the legendary director, imbued with life by the strong performances and idiosyncratic score against a largely static camera."
|
| 50 T3 |  |
On the Town (1949) - 11 Oct 2020
"“New York, New York” is a brilliant opening number, but had the rest of Bernstein’s original score been used, the film’s music would likely be a great deal more memorable, because Edens’ songs are hopelessly drab. The cast have so little to work with but Betty Garrett still really shines."
|
| 85 T9 |  |
Trouble in Mind (1985) - 09 Oct 2020
"Rudolph conjures an inimitable setting and atmosphere by seemingly grafting vague memories of yesteryear noirs onto the unmistakably 80s setting of a grim, neon-soaked police state. There’s an easiness and aimlessness to the world of Trouble in Mind that both suits its weary inhabitants, for whom he draws out the stylised performances he needs from an eclectic cast, and allows for ample basking in its purgatorial glow."
|
| 50 T3 |  |
Puss in Boots (1988) - 28 Feb 2017
"Unsurprisingly, this is only any good when Walken is onscreen; watching him sing, dance, scheme and preen, all while sporting a fantastic moustache, is highly gratifying. And he says "Puss" a lot. Despite decent production values, there's not much else that's noteworthy."
|
| 80 T9 |  |
Schizopolis (1996) - 17 Nov 2019
"Soderbergh’s Schizopolis is as coherent as a Mad Hatter’s riddle, but this surreal, elliptical oddity is an absolute delight, showing hilarious creativity in its manipulation of language and subversion of cinematic norms. It undoubtedly rewards subsequent viewings, and the acclaimed filmmaker proves himself to be an excellent comedy actor."
|
| 70 T7 |  |
L'Âge d'or (1930) - 28 Mar 2016
"In his last creative collaboration with Dali, Buñuel boldly relays his negative feelings towards the Catholic Church, bourgeois society and contemporary attitudes towards sex, setting the tone for much of his later work. As surreal cinema goes, it's highly accessible: well-paced, occasionally funny and bursting with effective imagery."
|
| 80 T9 |  |
Bride of Frankenstein (1935) - 22 Dec 2016
"A camp blend of horror, science fiction and comedy, this light-hearted sequel really develops the character of the Monster by affording him a great deal more humanity than before, and this is ably relayed by Karloff, who's exceptional alongside mad scientists Clive and Thesiger. Though the titular Bride looks terrific, it's ultimately rather disappointing how little screen time or personality she's granted."
|