nuotio
Criticker Zealot
Member Since: 18 May 2006
Location: Finland
Recent Ratings
Check out nuotio's...
Libido (1965) - Rated 14 May 2025
"A pleasant surprise; It's a post-Bava/pre-Argento mystery giallo in a similar vein as the Baker/Lenzi gialli from a few years later. It's shot in striking black and white utilizing good locations/sets which gives it an unique feel. It's surprisingly daring and twisted for its time; more so than the German krimi-films for example. The script is solid and managed to surprise me (as expected from genre super-scribe Ernesto Gastaldi). The cast is also interesting and features Giannini in his debut."
Lady Morgan's Vengeance (1965) - Rated 12 May 2025
"3rd film that I've watched from Arrow's Gothic Fantastico box and it's an improvement over "Blancheville Monster". It keeps changing gears to keep the viewer's attention: 1st half is gaslighting in a gothic setting; 2nd half focuses on the vengeance while the finale is bordering on surrealistic horror. It's not quite as over the top as Pupillo's "Bloody Pit of Horror", but it's not far off. Interesting cast of Muller, Blanc and Mitchell. It's not a landmark of the genre, but still entertaining."
Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (1972) - Rated 07 May 2025
"This feels like a companion piece to Petri's Citizen Above Suspicion as both film share similar themes, and both star Gian Maria Volonte. He is very good at portraying intelligent men with questionable or no morals. The film paints a bleak picture of its era, which unfortunately still resonates today. I found the film more respectable than enjoyable; it's interesting but ultimately left me feeling somewhat detached."
Horror (1963) - Rated 07 May 2025
"Pretty basic Italian gothic horror. B/W cinematography, sets and locations make it at least look very nice. The story is rather unremarkable and confusing, and the over-the-top acting combined with slow pacing makes the film feel longer than it actually is. Helga Line's character reminded me of Barbara Steele. De Martino's direction gets the job done, but nothing more. It might still be worth a watch for fans of the genre."
La strega in amore (1966) - Rated 05 May 2025
"Unlike director Damiani's other works. It's labeled as gothic horror which is a bit misleading as it leans more towards supernatural drama. The atmosphere is strong, supported by beautiful sets and cinematography with Bacalov's score enhancing the experience. The small cast (Volonte, Schiaffino, Johnson) delivers strong performances. On the downside, 110mins runtime is too long and the ending feels rushed, but the film remains intriguing and is worth watching for fans of Italian (genre) cinema"
Mafia (1968) - Rated 05 May 2025
"Interesting pre-poliziotteschi from Damiani which focuses on characters and procedural side rather than the gritty action associated with the genre. The cast is impressive; young Nero as the detective, Cobb as the mafia boss, and Cardinale in a big female role, which is uncommon for a genre usually dominated by tough men. Delli Colli's cinematography beautifully captures the vistas. Still, I prefer my crime films with more grit or paranoia, qualities that Damiani would provide in later works."
A Minecraft Movie (2025) - Rated 02 May 2025
"I haven't really played the game, but I've watched my son play it, so I got some understanding beforehand. The film is decent, with the first third set in the real world being my favorite. Momoa's character, stuck in his 80's glory days, was pretty funny. When the story shifts to the game world, it feels like a poor man's Lord of the Rings, lacking real stakes but still providing enough gags and action to hold my attention. Some scenes are quite intense and might be too scary for younger kids."
YUL 871 (1966) - Rated 28 Apr 2025
"A small film in the vein of French new wave with either too many elements for its 70min runtime, or it could have benefit from a few extra mins to explore some aspects deeper. It follows the protagonist's encounters around Montreal with a young girl and later a woman who he has a fling with. But there's also his quest to find his parents and the lingering memories of WWII. Cinematography is exceptional, featuring a couple impressive tracking shots. The eerie jazz score provides strong support."
The Monkey (2025) - Rated 25 Apr 2025
"This was a bit of a letdown after Perkins' Longlegs. It's certainly one of the most bonkers movies to receive wide release recently. The humor is more deadpan / amusing rather than laugh-out-loud funny, and it seems like the primary audience was Oz Perkins himself. Although I never fully connected to its wavelength, I appreciated what it was going for, visuals, remote locations, and soundtrack. The story felt disjointed, and the CGI was somewhat distracting. I might give it another shot one day."
Self Defense (1983) - Rated 23 Apr 2025
"Small Canadian film in the vein of Carpenter's "Assault on Precinct 13". The acting is a mixed bag with Doug Lennox being the standout as the main baddie. Budget constraints are evident, but the film maintains a nice atmosphere with many inventive solutions and surprises that keep the audience engaged. It's pretty cruel and had unexpected characters fates. All in all, despite limited resources, it's a respectable effort and worth a watch for fans of Assault, The Warriors, etc."
