All posts by scottmet99

2025 Films, Chloé Zhao, Drama, Emily Watson, Historical Drama, Jacobi Jupe, Jessie Buckley, Joe Alwyn, Noah Jupe, Paul Mescal, Sam Mendes, Steven Spielberg

Hamnet-2025

December 8, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Hamnet-2025

Director Chloé Zhao

Starring Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal

Scott’s Review #1,505

Reviewed December 8, 2025

Grade: A

For lovers of William Shakespeare, the famous sixteenth-century playwright, poet, and actor, Hamnet (2025) is highly recommended for its recognition of his renowned tragedy, Hamlet, written in 1599 or 1600.

Any literature nut will ooze with pleasure since the tragic play is the basis for the entire film, and its creation is based on the events in the movie. This allows viewers to understand the reason for it, despite some fictionalization.

A bonus is a portion of it being performed on stage late in the movie.

And for cinemaphiles, Hamnet contains gorgeous cinematography, raw, emotionally charged acting, and a believable love story mired in heartbreak and ultimately hopefulness.

The film’s story dramatizes the marriage between Anne Hathaway (Agnes in the movie), played by Jessie Buckley, and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), and the impact of the tragic death of their eleven-year-old son, Hamnet, on their relationship, which inspired Shakespeare’s play Hamlet.

Sam Mendes and Steven Spielberg produced the film, which ensured it was made, and Chloé Zhao directed it. The financial help undoubtedly made sure (hopefully) that Zhao could make the film she wanted, and the final product looks like her vision.

Zhao is well known for directing Nomadland (2021), a movie with powerful landscapes, and Hamnet is no different in its exterior riches, though it is set in the late 1500s rather than the present.

She includes peaceful green forests, lush with quiet, thoughtful sequences, leading the viewer to enjoy the tranquility and mystique rather than to incorporate a storyline purpose.

It’s an overall vibe.

As characters wander along a path or a garden, the audio enhancement of birds chirping pairs well with greenery or flowers lit with golden sunshine.

A colder, grey vibe enshrouds the interior scenes of humble cottages, where characters peel boiled eggs, perform tedious household tasks, or share a modest meal.

I totally bought the authenticity of the 16th and 17th-century locales, costumes, sets, and characters. This buy-in did wonders to reflect the believability of everything else.

The leading actors get an A+ for chemistry and connection, with powerfully acted, sometimes guttural scenes, scene after scene.

From the first garden scene, when Buckley and Mescal, strangers, meet amid instant attraction and infatuation, the scene smolders with fiery romance. How the actors conjured that amount of intensity is remarkable.

They are forever linked when they give in to their attraction, shortly after which results in a pregnancy, much to the chagrin of his family.

Separately, Agnes is intriguing and spiritual, rumored to be the daughter of a forest witch. Before her death, Agnes’ mother taught her herbal lore, which Agnes later uses to heal a cut on William’s forehead.

William is thoughtful, bookish, and very introspective. His intensity towards his writing and art is inspiring.

The characters get each other; Agnes even insists he go to London, where he can work in a proper environment and understand his creative mindset.

Buckley especially delivers the goods with ferocious acting and startling realism.

Equally noteworthy are Jacobi and Noah Jupe, who play the real Hamlet and the stage Hamlet. Brothers in real life, both look similar and possess top-notch acting skills.

And can Emily Watson (playing Mary Shakespeare) not be great in anything?

A minor gripe is why Buckley is positioned as the lead actress while Mescal is deemed the supporting actor. As equals, it’s not her story versus his; together, they share the depth of the storyline as a pair. And Shakespeare as a supporting character doesn’t sound right.

Destined to be rewarded for its artistic merit, humanistic integrity, and truthful approach, Hamnet (2025) is a beautifully slow-building film. It elicits heartwarming cinematic perfection.

2025 Films, Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri, Chloë Sevigny, Julia Roberts, Luca Guadagnino, Michael Stuhlbarg, Thriller

After the Hunt-2025

November 29, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

After the Hunt-2025

Director Luca Guadagnino

Starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield

Scott’s Review #1,504

Reviewed November 29, 2025

Grade: B+

After the Hunt (2025) is a thriller mired in questions and secrets, which, from the outset, director Luca Guadagnino successfully creates. An atmosphere of the Yale University elitist intelligentsia, enshrouded in internal chaos, just reeking to be let go.

Julia Roberts reemerges into the awards conversation with a startlingly raw and introspective performance as Alma, a professor harboring a secret past that is invaded by present circumstances.

Guadagnino, known for the brilliant LGBTQ+-themed Call Me by Your Name (2017), usually incorporates emotional complexity, eroticism, and lavish visuals into his work. This one is highly character-driven, embellishing the thoughts and desires of the leads.

For the viewer, After the Hunt remains compelling because we don’t know whom to believe, with allegiances teetering from character to character, including Alma herself.

Alma drinks too much, pops pills, and has a secret apartment away from her eccentric husband, Frederick, wonderfully played by Michael Stuhlbarg. Despite being a psychiatrist, he coddles Alma and serves as her househusband rather than an equal, causing him peculiar bouts of weird behavior.

Meanwhile, Alma is desperately seeking tenure at Yale.

At a boozy party at Alma’s house one night, amid societal and philosophical conversations, Maggie (Ayo Edebiri), one of her students, uncovers a secret about Alma while snooping in her bathroom.

Later, Maggie, who is black and gay, leaves the party with Hank, one of Alma’s handsome colleagues (Andrew Garfield).

The next morning, Alma finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when Maggie, a star student, levels an accusation against Hank, claiming she was sexually assaulted.

As the onion is peeled back, it is discovered that Maggie plagiarized a paper and has wealthy parents who help the University maintain its financial status. She is also obsessed with Alma, even wearing the same shade of fingernail polish.

At the same time, Hank is a volatile hothead with a vicious temper. Does he have a romantic past with Alma?

Who should Alma believe, and what should the audience think? Are we supposed to side with Maggie because it’s politically correct to believe a young black female over a white male?

Maggie immediately put me off. Was that the intention? I wanted to like her, but just didn’t. This was even before it was known that she was privileged.

By contrast, I immediately did like Hank. His passion for philosophy and his yearning for debate about the younger generation being coddled resonated with me.

Guadagnino offers more than solely a compelling story in After the Hunt.

As a Connecticut resident, the exterior locales are powerful. Rich camera shots of the massive Yale campus, especially on snowy days, provide wonderful texture to the film. A small, cruddy yet cozy Indian diner, strangely empty, serves as a meeting point for two poignant scenes.

Besides the campus, New Haven, Connecticut, is not the ritzy Greenwich, Connecticut, by any means, and Guadagnino must have realized this by incorporating ugly waterside views and glimpses of factories.

A quiet, introspective director, many scenes of Alma staring into the distance, in thought or pondering life, play well with philosophical debate scenes between faculty and students.

While the film’s pacing is slow, it works for me. And throughout the question remains of what Alma’s secret is and whether Hank sexually assaulted Maggie, or is it all lies?

The film is also reminiscent of Fatal Attraction (1987) or Single White Female (1992). The key to the film may lie in Maggie’s obsession with Alma, which slowly unfolds.

In what may be Julia Roberts’ best film role to date, After the Hunt (2025) doesn’t hit a home run with a slightly ambiguous, unsatisfying ending, but with stellar performances from Roberts, Edebiri, Garfield, and Stuhlbarg, it’s enough to warrant a watch.

1976 Films, Brian De Palma, Cliff Robertson, Geneviève Bujold, John Lithgow, Thriller

Obsession-1976

November 25, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Obsession-1976

Director Brian De Palma

Starring Cliff Robertson, Geneviève Bujold, John Lithgow

Scott’s Review #1,503

Reviewed November 25, 2025

Grade: B+

Brian De Palma’s Obsession was made in 1976, the same year as his iconic horror film Carrie, which made him a household name. This kicked off a period of other great De Palma films, like Dressed to Kill (1980) and Blow Out (1981).

The marginally successful film gained respectability because the director acknowledged that Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 masterpiece Vertigo heavily influenced Obsession, which undoubtedly drew many to sit up and take notice.

Since Vertigo is a film I am ‘obsessed’ with, I can easily see the blueprint that it is on many levels.

Film composer and Hitchcock stalwart Bernard Herrmann beautifully scores both movies, so the similarities are undeniable on both a musical and a plot level. I immediately recognized the orchestral and mysterious notes that fill Vertigo with intrigue and sophistication.

A case of doppelgangers and an obsession with a presumed-dead character or the ghost of someone from the past are common elements in both, as a tangled web is spun.

The heroic male character struggles with this obsession while spiraling out of control and making rash or poor decisions.

The story begins in 1959 and centers on a prominent New Orleans businessman, Michael Courtland (Cliff Robertson), who is riddled with guilt following the death of his wife, Elizabeth (Geneviève Bujold), and daughter during a kidnapping-rescue attempt gone wrong.

Fast forward to 1975, and Brian, while traveling to Florence, Italy, meets and falls in love with a young woman who is the exact look-alike of his long-dead wife. He must do anything to have her and imagines she actually is his wife.

While Obsession is a compelling film with an appropriate, suspenseful buildup and a startling twist during the final act, Vertigo’s influence also makes it a weakness for Obsession on its own merits.

Since I knew it was patterned after such greatness, I also found myself constantly comparing it. While Obsession is good, it’s also more of an opening act to Vertigo’s headliner status.

Some standard De Palma particulars are incorporated, which is what I waited for throughout, and some are not.

The slow-motion sequence appears at the conclusion of the film, in a long shot of an airport terminal, as one character runs to another. The fact that one character weilds a hidden gun makes the perilous situation even more daring.

The dreamlike quality is apparent, including a puzzling romance scene in which Michael imagines a marriage and a steamy bedroom sequence with Elizabeth. He also imagines the kidnapping events happening again.

Is this real or imagined?

The split screen, so potent in Sisters and Dressed to Kill, is abandoned altogether.

De Palma also treads lightly on the subject matter of incest that could have made Obsession daring and cutting edge, but instead is softened considerably. This irritated me slightly, since I assumed there would be pushback from studio executives.

Robertson and Bujold have adequate chemistry, and it’s a treat to see John Lithgow in what would be the first of several De Palma films.

Obsession (1976) is worth a watch for De Palma fans because, like Sisters (1973), it offers a glimpse of the greatness he was about to achieve with grander, more fleshed-out efforts.

Some early tools from the director’s arsenal are featured, making the watch enjoyable and a treat for anyone with a fondness for what air travel was like in the mid-1970s, well before terrorism and 9/11 changed the world forever.

1993 Films, Angela Bassett, Biography, Brian Gibson, Jenifer Lewis, Khandi Alexander, Laurence Fishburne, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, Shavar Ross, Vanessa Bell Calloway

What’s Love Got to Do with It-1993

November 22, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

What’s Love Got to Do with It-1993

Director Brian Gibson

Starring Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne

Scott’s Review #1,502

Reviewed November 22, 2025

Grade: A-

Many biographies have been made in cinema over the years, but What’s Love Got to Do with It? (1993) is the only one, to my knowledge, about the legendary and leggy singer Tina Turner.

The blues and rock diva, known for her lioness wigs and powerful voice, had a rough road to achieving her greatest success in her 40s.

Made over thirty years ago, more modern biographies have both succeeded (Bohemian Rhapsody-2018 and Rocketman-2019 come to mind) and failed (Respect-2021), but impressively, What’s Love Got to Do with It? holds up well and provides emotional power throughout.

Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne are exceptionally well cast. As Tina and her abusive husband, Ike, the actors give a lot of investment and believability into the performer’s tumultuous relationship.

The film, based on Turner’s 1986 autobiography I, Tina, is not quite a solid A because Bassett, while terrific as Turner, lip-syncs to Turner’s vocals. It’s left unclear why Ike is such a controlling tyrant and why she stayed with him for close to 20 years, and some aspects are embellished from the autobiography.

But the acting and other aspects usurp these nitpicky particulars.

The production numbers when Turner performs are electric, and the film’s best parts. Especially ‘River Deep-Mountain High’ and the title track allow Bassett to embellish the superstar in raw fury and guttural range.

It is clear how the actor channels Tina through gestures, stage confidence, and passion for her art. It’s beautiful to observe and be inspired by.

The story is based on the life of the legendary soul singer, who was born Anna Mae Bullock to an absentee mother and father and a meager upbringing in the rural South. When her grandmother, who raised her, dies, she reconnects with her birth mother and sister (Jenifer Lewis and Phyllis Yvonne Stickney) in 1960s St. Louis, where she meets the charismatic Ike, already an established star.

As a musical team, Ike and Tina take the charts by storm. But as his physical abuse worsens, Tina has to make the tough decision to leave Ike and set out on her own.

This eventually leads to her climactic return to the pop charts in 1984, achieving massive success.

The abuse scenes are startling and challenging to watch. At first, Ike appears smitten with Tina (whom he renamed), but he beds her while married to another woman. The luster quickly wears off as he becomes militant about her performances and berates her when she dares to question his authority.

A brutal rape scene in a music studio left me shocked and sickened.

Again, I wondered what made Ike the way he was, and it’s a minor misfire by director Brian Gibson and screenwriter Kate Lanier. I asked if his own father beat him and subsequently taught him that fame and success are the be-all and end-all, but it gnawed at me that I had no proof.

A brief flashback of Ike’s father being stabbed in front of him told me little.

Also mysterious is why it takes Tina so long to finally leave him, even though she is willing to be penniless as long as she can keep her stage name. Her kind friend, Darlene (Khandi Alexander), urges her to leave him for years.

Delightful is watching Bassett and Fishburne play off each other, proving that amazing chemistry is so important in film. I never bought that Ike really loved Tina; instead, saw her as a talent to solidify his career.

The finale, a live performance by the real Tina, propels Bassett’s already divine performance. The audience can confirm that her portrayal is spot on by identifying similarities.

With a miscast, the differences would have been glaring.

Thanks to superb acting, impressive production design that encapsulates the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, and a hefty dose of the star’s greatest hits, What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993) is one of the better biopics.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor-Laurence Fishburne, Best Actress-Angela Bassett

"Weird Al" Yankovic, 2025 Films, Akiva Schaffer, Busta Rhymes, CCH Pounder, Comedy, Danny Huston, Dave Bautista, Kevin Durand, Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Priscilla Presley

The Naked Gun-2025

November 20, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Naked Gun-2025

Director Akiva Schaffer

Starring Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson

Scott’s Review #1,501

Reviewed November 20, 2025

Grade: B-

With different levels of cinema for audiences to choose from, The Naked Gun (2025), a reboot of a long-dormant franchise, is meant for a particular spoof comedy fan who expects goofiness over a heavy subject matter.

It’s not The Godfather (1972), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), or Vertigo (1958), and pondering a more profound meaning or luxuriating in great visual art will not happen.

Instead, for some tepid chuckles and escapist fare from a rough day at work or a family matter one is hoping to run away from, director Akiva Schaffer crafts a smirky one-liner riddled experience in lunacy.

The fourth in The Naked Gun franchise, and the first in over 30 years, the plot follows the son (Liam Neeson) of Lt. Frank Drebin, also named Frank Drebin, as he steps into his father’s footsteps to prevent the closure of Police Squad.

Fans know that Leslie Nielsen played bumbling Frank senior in the first three installments, while George Kennedy played his sidekick, Captain Ed Hocken. Priscilla Presley played love interest Jane Spencer.

Essentially, Nielsen is replaced by Neeson, Kennedy by Paul Walter Heiser, and Jane by Pamela Anderson.

Preseley does quickly appear in a cameo (if you could even call it that), sitting on a sofa watching television.

While it is familiar territory to someone like me, who has seen only one other in the series and barely remembers it, the pattern is very one-note and more of a retro greatest hits compilation than anything new and noteworthy.

If we’re talking the 1980s, think Police Academy for a similar reference, and there is little reason I see to dust the franchise off the shelf.

We meet the new Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. of the LAPD Police Squad, who single-handedly dispatches a gang of bank robbers while disguised as a schoolgirl.

The fact that he morphs from a 3-foot-tall girl into a 6-foot-tall grown man is expected to be plausible.

Unbeknownst to Drebin, the bank heist is a distraction to steal a gadget called the “P.L.O.T. (“Primordial Law Of Toughness”) Device” from a safe deposit box by the film’s villain Richard Cane (Danny Huston), who is intent on reverting the human race to primal animals who kill each other.

This is to make sure that the world’s billionaires are safe to rule the planet.

The audience is not expected to wonder who will be left to serve the billionaires, or otherwise do the world’s grunt work.

The fewer plot points asked, the better.

Predictably, hard-edged Police Chief Davis (CCH Pounder) reassigns Frank when his over-the-top law enforcement becomes a legal liability.

From there, we watch Drebin eat bad food, have diarrhea, and suffer further embarrassments while working alongside Beth Davenport (Anderson), a crime novelist, to figure out why her brother died in a car accident deemed a suicide.

It’s hard to believe Neeson is the same actor who received an Oscar nomination for playing Oskar Schindler in the 1993 masterpiece Schindler’s List.

Still, shifting to an action star in 2008 proves that some actors accept projects to stay relevant.

While the plot is inane and easy to dissect with over-the-top plot points, overacting, and silly potty jokes, it can almost be overlooked for simple moments that bring a sliver of joy.

The chemistry between Neeson and Anderson is not bad, mainly because the actors know how to create it. As they banter and deliver monotone dialogue, the woodenness actually becomes an asset.

The scenes that made me smile were solely between the duo as they embraced the lines served to them to the best of their ability. Creating enough comic wit to remain entertaining, I clamored for more between the two and less of the ridiculousness of everything else.

Neeson and Anderson are the saving grace in an otherwise shit show.

The Naked Gun (2025) knows what kind of film it is, which helps level-set expectations. There is something refreshingly silly about anticipating a bad movie and having fun with it nonetheless.

1980 Films, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Dinah Manoff, Donald Sutherland, Drama, Elizabeth McGovern, Judd Hirsch, M. Emmet Walsh, Mary Tyler Moore, Robert Redford, Timothy Hutton

Ordinary People-1980

November 15, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Ordinary People-1980

Director Robert Redford

Starring Mary Tyler Moore, Donald Sutherland, Timothy Hutton

Scott’s Review #1,500

Reviewed November 15, 2025

Grade: A

Ordinary People (1980) demonstrates that a quiet film with excellent writing and superb acting can pack an emotional punch, surpassing the gimmicks or action sequences that other films often employ to draw attention.

It’s character-driven and tells a story of a family tragedy and the ramifications and complications that affect the surviving members. The emotional intelligence that director Robert Redford embeds in the film is astonishing.

Deservedly winning the 1980 Best Picture Academy Award, it proves how crucial good writing and good characters are to a quality film.

Significantly, it propelled 1970s television sitcom star Mary Tyler Moore, known until then as the iconic girl-next-door type, into cinematic respectability. Her narcissistic, uptight character was uncharted territory and a career risk for the actor who ended up exceeding expectations.

Tortured by guilt following the death of his older brother, Buck, in a sailing accident, we meet the alienated teenager Conrad Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) right off the bat, following a failed suicide attempt.

Returning home to his affluent Chicago suburban life following an extended stay in a psychiatric hospital, Conrad tries to deal with his mental anguish and also reconnect with his mother, Beth (Mary Tyler Moore), who has grown bitter after the accident.

His emotionally wounded father, Calvin (Donald Sutherland), tries to gently repair the family damage with the help of a psychiatrist, Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch), who begins to treat Conrad.

The screenplay, written by Alvin Sargent, is based on the 1976 novel by Judith Guest.

Combined with Redford’s masterful direction, the story never shifts to a soap opera direction with Calvin or Beth having affairs, turning to booze, or other showy plot devices, intent on stirring up drama.

Instead, it’s about how they and Conrad handle their trauma. Each has an individual view of the events, who they blame, and how they cope with such trauma.

The audience can easily empathize and relate to the incidents if anyone has faced a death, loss of a job, an accident, a divorce, or any such upheaval in their lives.

The posh autumnal suburban landscape is enveloped by Redford, which enhances the experience. The Jarretts’ affluence is put to good use as they attend local theater, play golf, take European vacations, and can afford to send Conrad to a psychiatrist.

Exterior shots of large suburban homes, accompanied by luxury cars, housekeepers, well-manicured lawns, and sleek golf courses, all convey the comforts of life.

It makes their pain a bit more understandable as they, especially Beth, soak in luxury as a way of comforting herself from the loss of her son.

Can’t their money help alleviate some of the suffering?

I had mixed emotions about Beth’s character. Appearing to be a cold bitch with Conrad and the assumption that she favored the dead son, she never visits Conrad in the hospital after his suicide attempt, instead fleeing to Europe on vacation. She engages in small talk with him rather than caring for him.

What kind of mother could do that?

But I realize that she is hurting too, and when she becomes teary-eyed or crumbles in her husband’s arms, I feel genuine sympathy for her, a testament to Tyler Moore’s talents.

My favorite character, though, is Conrad (Hutton).

Via flashbacks, we see the closeness of the brothers’ relationship and the action that occurred during the drowning.

Hutton delivers on many levels. Whether staring into the distance, pondering events, exploding with rage, tenderly sharing a date with a blossoming love interest, Jeannine (Elizabeth McGovern), or struggling with a friend, Karen, his performance is always inspiring.

Ordinary People (1980) marks his directorial debut; Redford crafts a family drama rich in layers and a beautifully moving pace that draws the viewer into the lives of the primary characters.

The still taboo of mental illness and therapy is also embraced, showing that expressing feelings is better than repressing emotions.

Oscar Nominations: 4 wins-Best Picture (won), Best Director-Robert Redford (won), Best Actress-Mary Tyler Moore, Best Supporting Actor-Timothy Hutton (won), Judd Hirsch, Best Adapted Screenplay (won)

2025 Films, Aidan Delbis, Alicia Silverstone, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Stavros Halkias, Thriller, Yorgos Lanthimos

Bugonia-2025

November 8, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Bugonia-2025

Director Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons

Scott’s Review #1,499

Reviewed November 8, 2025

Grade: A

Going into the movie theater to see Bugonia (2025), I had the apt knowledge that off-center iconoclast Yorgos Lanthimos directed the film once again using his muse, superstar Emma Stone, in his latest project.

Responsible for the weird efforts like The Favourite (2018), Poor Things (2023), and a bizarre early effort, Dogtooth (2009), I knew I was in store for something off-kilter if not altogether unhinged.

My mouth salivated for something deranged, and I was not disappointed.

I hoped that nobody in the theater was expecting something similar to La La Land (2016), also starring Stone. No disrespect intended, since I adore that film, but a story about a chirpy aspiring actress conquering Hollywood is hardly a Lanthimos storyline.

The creative Greek director hits a home run with Bugonia while subsequently convincing Stone to shave her head and take on a bald role.

Like several other recently released films, Lanthimos critiques modern society and the decisions made by this generation of human beings. He challenges the audience to ask if people have simply fucked up the Earth.

Should we start over from the dinosaur era and try to get things right?

By the time the credits rolled and a few nervous chuckles had enveloped the audience, I knew that not everyone had grasped this Lanthimos film.

Sigh.

Without spoiling the film, a late-inning surprise catapulted Bugonia from very good to exceptional, leaving me pondering the conclusion and its ramifications for days.

The idea is based on the 2003 South Korean film ‘Save the Green Planet!’ by Jang Joon-hwan. Bugonia follows two young men, led by a spectacular performance by Jesse Plemons, who kidnap a powerful CEO (Stone), suspecting that she is secretly an alien intent on destroying Earth.

Ludicrous as it sounds, the plot begins to unravel as Plemons and Stone play kidnapper and kidnappee against the backdrop of a dilapidated suburban house, each trying to outsmart the other using reasoning and conspiracy theories to argue their case.

It becomes a game of chess.

Stone’s Michelle Fuller, the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company, who has a secret connection to Plemons’s Teddy Gatz, now a beekeeper, initially assumes Teddy is dimwitted and an easy target to outmaneuver.

Along with Teddy’s cousin, Don (Aidan Delbis), an intellectually disabled young man, they accost and keep Michelle bound and tied in their basement, encouraging her to confess to being an alien and taking them back to her planet at the upcoming lunar eclipse.

The audience goes along for the ride, wondering if the characters are who they seem to be and exactly how the wacky plot will play out.

Will Michelle ultimately escape? Will the more sympathetic Don come to Michelle’s rescue?

The plot thickens when flashbacks reveal a connection between Teddy’s mother, Sandy (Alicia Silverstone), and Michelle.

Is Teddy seeking revenge, or does he believe Michelle is an alien? Or both?

Stone can’t do enough with her large green eyes, only enhanced by her bald head, which Teddy and Don shave. Her shock at both being shaved bald and accused of being an alien elicits comical moments from the actor.

Her timing is perfect as she emits corporate jargon meant to placate and manipulate Teddy. She assumes she can talk her way out of her crisis by putting on her CEO hat, which is intended to intimidate him.

The fun part is that we don’t know whether to root for Michelle or root for Teddy.

Stone and Plemons play off each other so well, keeping the dialogue juicy and crisp, and entirely engaging the audience.

Bugonia (2025) offers up twisted twists and turns set against delicious cinematography and a couple of blood-spurting dark comedy moments.

A cringy torture scene and a suggested childhood molestation only add to the bizarre puzzle that Lanthimos creates.

Fans of the director will celebrate and champion the film for its uniqueness and dizzying thrill rides. Hopefully, he will continue to inspire young filmmakers to create unconventional and thought-provoking offerings.

2025 Films, Hailee Steinfeld, Horror, Jack O'Connell, Li Jun Li, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Omar Benson Miller, Ryan Coogler, Wunmi Mosaku

Sinners-2025

October 31, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Sinners-2025

Director Ryan Coogler

Starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton

Scott’s Review #1,498

Reviewed October 31, 2025

Grade: B+

After hearing so much positivity about Sinners (2025), director Ryan Coogler’s latest film, which shifts from independent (Fruitvale Station, 2013) and Marvel (Black Panther, 2018) films to the horror genre, I excitedly waited months to see it.

Coogler shifts into a vein more like Jordan Peele, a contemporary director known for daring horror message offerings like Get Out (2017) and Us (2019).

While very good, it’s not the A+ daring, horrific, extravaganza I was expecting. The tone is dark, mysterious, and compelling, but it takes an awfully long time to actually get going despite a looming expectation of bloody events to come.

Or maybe that’s because my expectations told me to await thrills and gore mixed with a powerful storyline.

Nonetheless, had I not listened to the buzz, I might have been more satisfied. Instead, I was impressed but not blown away.

Sinners reminded me very much of the HBO series True Blood (2008-2014), with its southern vampire fantasy/horror mix, but featuring an almost entirely black cast and a lot of music.

Set in 1932 in the Mississippi Delta, the film stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as twin brothers, ‘Smoke’ and ‘Stack’ Moore, one of whom is a criminal, who return to their hometown, where they confront a supernatural evil.

The brothers return from Chicago, where they have made an illegal fortune, and purchase a sawmill from a racist landowner to start a juke joint for the local Black community.

They reconnect with local friends and musicians, offering substantial amounts of money to help make opening night a grand experience.

Coogler wisely begins the film, which takes place over the course of a twenty-four-hour period, the morning after the thrilling Saturday night events, so we somewhat know something bad will happen.

Sammie Moore (Miles Caton), the brother’s cousin, staggers into his preacher father’s church during services, clutching his coveted guitar. He is an aspiring blues musician and is wounded.

Michael B. Jordan, clearly the star of the film and frequently in Coogler films, is an Oscar hopeful by portraying dual roles. With a good versus evil vibe, he may make the cut, given the differing personalities fleshed out in the parts.

While offering decent cinematography and a southern flavor that adds dimensions, it takes so long for much action to arrive that the payoff isn’t as satisfying as I’d like.

Sure, the last forty-five minutes work well as the dusk-to-dawn fight scenes, a workable whodunit of who’s a vampire and who isn’t a vampire, and hold your breath moments of which characters will unwittingly invite a vampire inside.

The last sequence is excellent when 1932 suddenly turns into the 1990s, and one character is still left alive. The film ends happily as the character realizes a pact made in the ghastly night years ago has allowed him to live.

A question repeatedly dangled before the audience’s noses like a carrot before a horse is whether we would give in to temptation and live forever as a vampire.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful never to age? I’ll admit to realizing the appeal.

The supporting characters, including Stack’s girlfriend, Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), the bouncer, Cornbread (Omar Benson Miller), and Smoke’s estranged wife, Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), deliver strong performances.

However, the southern accents occasionally feel overdone, but the lovely costumes never do.

Neither good nor bad, the characters don’t look genuine from the 1930s, and there is more inclusion (a Korean family in the deep south?) than in real life.

Still, the film works as a fantasy, right?

Coogler gets points for creativity and showcasing racism of the 1930s still exists today, but treads lightly on going full throttle with any message.

Instead, he shows that strong black characters can forge their own success in a racist world, accompanied by a toe-tapping melody and bluesy guitars.

Sinners (2025) crosses genres like horror, supernatural, fantasy, and musical, with some sexy scenes of blood and sex amid music. The creativity is there, but it’s a slow build.

2025 Films, Action, Alana Haim, Benicio del Toro, Chase Infiniti, Crime Thriller, Kevin Tighe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Paul Thomas Anderson, Regina Hall, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Thriller, Tony Goldwyn

One Battle After Another-2025

October 20, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

One Battle After Another-2025

Director Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti

Scott’s Review #1,497

Reviewed October 20, 2025

Grade: A

In my opinion, one of the modern great directors, Paul Thomas Anderson has released One Battle After Another (2025), a film rich with thrills and relevance. Sought to be made for years, the film is inspired by the 1990 novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon with some narratives by Anderson peppered in.

Undoubtedly, Anderson was influenced by the current state of the United States in terms of immigration issues and tyrancy in the ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement) organization.

While immigration is not a new hot button issue, the inhumanity heaved onto ‘illegal immigrants’ and some US citizens is current as well as powerful.

Additionally, a frightening tone of racism and ‘white power’ is an underlying theme of the film contrasting covert hatred by a group of white supremisists with the humanity of revolutionaries who attack the political system.

Therefore, the film has an overwhelming modern feel.

Otherwise, the breakneck twists and turns and action make One Battle After Another the crown jewel in storytelling fun and an Anderson offering that could easily be added to his top 5 of all time.

Events follow an ex-revolutionary explosive device expert, “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun / “Rocketman” / Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio) who is forced back into his former combative lifestyle when a corrupt military officer pursues him and his daughter.

With new identies, they had assumed they could live a peaceful life of tranquility but they were in for a rude awakening.

Set in present times, the film begins fifteen years before events later in the story but with a clear linkage. This ensures the audience is invested in the characters especially in the latter half as we get to know them better.

While DiCaprio can never deliver a bad performance and firmly grips the lead role as the intelligent yet comically clumbsy Bob, other actors shine making One Battle After Another an ensemble piece dripping with award worthy performances and hefty accolades.

DiCaprio improvises his way through the script with stutters and stammering enveloping his character with endearing qualities like forgetting a vital password or falling off a roof. Nonetheless, he possesses sentimenal and introspective moments towards his life and teenaged daughter, Willa Ferguson / Charlene Calhoun, played by Chase Infiniti.

Infiniti is tremendous in what is her breakout role playing a mixed race girl attempting to lead an everyday life while having to pay for the crimes and mistakes of her parents.

Playing confident, yet scared and vulnerable, Infiniti is quite the find. Is she destined to follow in her parents footsteps?

Teyana Taylor is brutally talented as she plays Perfidia Beverly Hills, a tough as nails, take no prisoner, kick ass young woman known to tease and humiliate her prey strictly for laughs.

Regina Hall and Benicio del Toro leverage their kind hearted and supportive characters with emotional flare and some needed humor especially on the part of del Toro.

The standout, however is Sean Penn. Giving a bravura performance as the hated and racist Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, a military officer who pursues the French 75, he sneers and pouts, never playing the character over the top or for laughs.

He truly believes he comes from a superior race while bedding the women he despises.

A three-way highway car chase scene nearly rivals classic sequences in The French Connection (1971) and The Getaway (1972). As three separate drivers points of views are featured along a hilly highway with deadly results the audience is treated to rear view mirror and reaction shots.

I honestly did not know what would happen next and was delighted at the outcome.

Hopefully, as the years go by One Battle After Another (2025) will be remembered for embracing different genres and delivering a powerhouse final product. With great acting, editing, storytelling, and action the film has got it all.

Add in a timely message and you’ve got yourself a gem.

2025 Films, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, Cillian Murphy, Danny Boyle, Edvin Ryding, Horror, Jack O'Connell, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes

28 Years Later-2025

October 13, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

28 Years Later-2025

Director Danny Boyle

Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams

Scott’s Review #1,496

Reviewed October 13, 2025

Grade: B

For loyal fans of the 28 Days Later film franchise, launched in 2002, 28 Years Later (2025) may be a disappointment.

Not what I expected, the film has less raw horror than its two predecessors, but it adds a deeper emotional connection, linking various characters together.

A family is introduced, which helps provide character depth. Apparently, 28 Years Later is the first of a new trilogy, which may leave the first two installments by the wayside.

Still, the film is uneven and meanders quite a bit until the final thirty minutes or so, when I felt more invested in the events.

This is surprising, given the participation of Academy Award-winning participants, including director Danny Boyle, writer Alex Garland, and actor Cillian Murphy, as Executive Producer. It also features the original cinematographer (Anthony Dod Mantle), so I’m surprised how little connection it has to the original.

A weak sub-plot featuring Sir Jimmy Crystal, the leader of the Jimmy Savile–inspired “Jimmy” cult, and a survivor of the original outbreak is the only connection.

It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a heavily enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected.

One group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily defended causeway.

When Spike (Alfie Williams), the twelve-year-old son of Jamie and Isla (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer), leaves the island on a mission to find help for his ailing mum, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but also other survivors.

He encounters characters like “Samson”, a physically imposing Alpha leader of the infected, the odd Dr Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), a former doctor and survivor of the outbreak, and a pregnant infected woman.

Isla, who teeters in and out of sanity, is along for the ride.

Comer, known for the television series Killing Eve (2018-2022), has begun to forge her way into feature films and is the standout performer.

Isla suffers from a mentally debilitating disease, but it’s unclear what the issue is. She mostly lies in bed, sleeping or suffering from excruciating headaches. It’s not until the final act that Comer’s work is stellar.

When she becomes attached to a healthy newborn baby, her emotional connection to Spike and her memories of time spent with her father are linked.

These are the best scenes, and when Comer shines brightly. She is aided by the inclusion of Fiennes as the sympathetic doctor.

This proves that superior actors can make any film better as long as they infuse their talents into the script, which Comer and Fiennes do. They have tremendous chemistry during their limited scenes, offering humane and tender moments. Young Williams also does good work.

The cinematography is impressive. Lavish outdoorsy sequences in meadows or amidst a raging fire are lucid and colorful. An abandoned train set is dressed perfectly with dingy seats overgrown with plants and weeds. When the characters race through the aisles, there’s a realism to the scene.

The rest of the film has issues, especially weak subplots.

There’s a bit too much going on, so the result feels messy. Visions, memories, Jamie cheats on Isla while Spike watches, Spike pulls a knife on dad, the alpha is on the loose, a mysterious doctor, a fire, and other such additions are included.

Some work better than others.

A hunting expedition where Jamie teaches Spike to hunt is superfluous and clichéd. Doesn’t almost every post-apocalyptic film or television show feature someone showing someone else how to hunt?

The film also feels remarkably similar to television’s The Walking Dead or The Last of Us, suggesting that the filmmakers may have been riding a trend rather than creating their own original work.

Why make the father sympathetic, then non-sympathetic? Is it a way to enhance Isla’s and Spike’s bond?

The same occurs later when a kind Swedish soldier (Edvin Ryding) debuts, only to become unlikable minutes later. Is this to justify his head being torn from his body? An incredible scene by the way.

28 Years Later (2025) has some impressive story and technical tidbits, marginally giving it a recommendation for fans of the franchise. Otherwise, there isn’t enough quality content to entice new viewers.

2025 Films, Alden Ehrenreich, Amy Madigan, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, Cary Christopher, Horror, Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, June Diane Raphael, Justin Long, Toby Huss, Zach Cregger

Weapons-2025

October 5, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Weapons-2025

Director Zach Cregger

Starring Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Amy Madigan

Scott’s Review #1,495

Reviewed October 5, 2025

Grade: A

Zach Cregger, who made his directorial debut with Barbarian in 2022, may have made his way to the big leagues with Weapons (2025), a highly original film rumored to have a follow-up prequel in the works.

One of his characters, the wicked Aunt Gladys (Amy Madiagan), is already becoming a household name and a potential Halloween costume idea.

The fabulous combination of tone, mystery, and genuinely frightening moments makes Weapons an edge-of-your-seat experience.

And who doesn’t find the disappearance of children a perfect horror premise?

Furthermore, the inclusion of chapters dedicated to each central character does wonders to retain the intrigue. Each character has a connection to others, making each subsequent chapter enthralling as viewers realize the connections.

Weapons is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in recent years.

Cregger masterfully gets the film off to a suspenseful and foreboding start with a quiet narration by a child. The youngster explains how one night at exactly 2:17 am, seventeen children left the safety of their suburban Pennsylvania homes and fled into the night, missing without a trace.

All but one child from the same class is included.

Alex (Cary Christopher), who has a strange connection to Aunt Gladys, is mercifully spared.

The rest of the town is left wondering what is behind their disappearance as fingers start to point towards suspects, most notably Justine (Julia Garner), the classroom teacher with a troubled past.

The ensuing witch hunt involving Justine is terrific. We tag along with the haggard teacher to the liquor store as she buys vodka in preparation for a boozy night alone in her small house, hoping to escape her troubles.

Alone, in the dark, and in a small town is frightening enough, but when a mysterious person knocks on her door and vandalizes her car, we feel vulnerable along with the character.

But is Justine as innocent as she appears?

When her chapter ends, and other characters like cop Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), James (Austin Abrams), a homeless drug addict and burglar, and Archer (Josh Brolin), a construction contractor and the father of Matthew, one of the missing children, get their backstories, the dots start to connect.

Aunt Gladys doesn’t appear for quite a while except in sudden, eerie background shots, but when she does, she immediately takes over the film.

As Alex’s elderly aunt (or is she only posing?), she quickly becomes the main antagonist of the film. Recently arrived in town, she is clad in a short, curly, ginger wig, large amounts of red lipstick, blue eyeshadow, fake eyelashes, and fake eyebrows, all behind thick-framed, tinted sunglasses.

On the surface, she appears to be an odd, old eccentric woman, but jovial and good-natured.

I wonder if Cregger patterned her after Minnie, played by Ruth Gordon, the eccentric woman revealed to be a witch in the 1968 masterpiece Rosemary’s Baby?

In one terrific scene, we almost see a sympathetic side to Aunt Gladys. She explains to Alex that neither a hospital nor water will help her recover from her terminal illness. There is a glimpse of kindness and humanity in her eyes before we recall her intentions.

There are also periodic jumps that come out of nowhere. When kindly principal Marcus (Benedict Wong) suddenly behaves out of character, we are startled. An odd woman brandishing a knife stumbles out of a doorway and lumbers to a car, cutting the hair of Justine.

Why, we wonder?

Many scenes are shot from a long-view angle without dialogue, which adds to the tension.

The finale combines a chase scene to end all chase scenes, blending horror and comedy in a way that oddly works similarly to what The Substance did in 2024. This might be the new trend in modern horror films.

Solidly infusing classic horror elements with mystery and intrigue, Cregger provides an unsettling experience that feels fresh and original.

He served as director, producer, writer, and co-musical scorer, proving that having only one chef in the kitchen often works wonders for creativity and structure.

Weapons (2025) has deservedly received critical acclaim while enjoying box office success, solidifying Cregger’s name on the cinematic map.

2025 Films, Billy Campbell, Brandy Norwood, Chase Sui Wonders, Freddie Prinze Jr., Horror, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jonah Hauer-King, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sarah Pidgeon, Slasher, Tyriq Withers

I Know What You Did Last Summer-2025

October 3, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

I Know What You Did Last Summer-2025

Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Starring Chase Sui Wonders, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Madelyn Cline

Scott’s Review #1,494

Reviewed October 3, 2025

Grade: B+

The 2025 I Know What You Did Last Summer offering is pure nostalgia for fans of mainstream 1990s horror flicks. Those who love film franchises like Scream (1996-present) and Final Destination (2000-present) will be pretty pleased.

I adored watching the film and traveling back to my youth, although I was startled by the revelation that the young cinema stars of the 1990s are now almost 50 years old.

I only knew that Jennifer Love-Hewitt was returning by way of coming attraction trailers. Still, I had no idea that Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar were also returning, which added to my viewing pleasure.

It felt like catching up with old friends you haven’t seen in nearly thirty years.

While not a sequel to the 1997 original, it feels fresh with its clever ideas, twists and turns, and whodunit sensibilities, adding a refreshing dose of feminism that is timely.

This can undoubtedly be due in large part to being directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, a female director who also co-wrote the screenplay.

Just like in 1997, when five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences.

A year later, their past comes back to haunt them when one of the friends receives a threatening note, and they realize that someone knows what they did last summer.

As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this has happened before, and they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport Massacre of 1997 for help.

The most fun is the whodunit factor and trying to figure out who is the one donning a fisherman’s cloak and brandishing a hook to slice and dice their victims to ribbons.

Or does Robinson borrow a gimmick from the Scream films and make it two killers?

Of course, the victim of the original summer tragedy shares a link with the killers, and plenty of red herrings are in store, adding to the enjoyment.

The rulebook is slightly bent to allow for even more female empowerment than the original, wisely bringing Love-Hewitt’s Julie James back into the fold.

Now older, wiser, and tougher, and a college professor, she serves as a coach and mentor to Ava Brucks (Chase Sui Wonders), the leader of the new group of friends.

In a cool bit of inclusion, the character of Ava is bisexual, having a passionate bathroom encounter with a rocker chick while also having an ex-boyfriend, Milo (Jonah Hauer-King).

It’s also revealed that Julie and Ray Bronson (played by Prinze Jr.) were once married and have a tumultuous past. This is appealing to viewers familiar with the duo from the original film.

Putting the soap opera trimmings aside, the main highlight of I Know What You Did Last Summer is the accident during the first summer, the chase scenes, and the kill scenes, and the film wisely provides many of these.

When Teddy (Tyriq Withers) and Danica (Madelyn Cline) go to a dark graveyard to snoop for information, it doesn’t bode well for either when the fisherman lurks nearby.

These straightforward yet compelling sequences blend seamlessly with the finale aboard a yacht and later in a bar. The twists and turns, as well as the killer reveal, are well-written and character-themed, building on history and making sense.

I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) successfully takes a stroll down memory lane while providing jumps, scares, and even a few laughs along the way.

1974 Films, Ann Prentiss, Barbara Ruick, Comedy, Drama, Elliott Gould, George Segal, Gwen Welles, Jeff Goldblum, Robert Altman

California Split-1974

August 25, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

California Split-1974

Director Robert Altman

Starring Elliott Gould, George Segal

Scott’s Review #1,493

Reviewed August 25, 2025

Grade: A-

California Split (1974) is heavily recommended for hardcore Robert Altman enthusiasts as a way of comparing his other, more well-known works with this effort.

It’s a minor film in his vast catalog, but a dissection of the very best of what the director offered the world of cinema and why cinephiles forever love him.

For novice Altman viewers, I’d start with The Long Goodbye (1973), Nashville (1975), or Gosford Park (2001).

Rich with fascinating, mostly minor or even background characters, combined with overlapping, largely improvised dialogue, this is Altman’s sweet spot. The dialogue crackles with brilliance and everyday conversation, especially around the casino tables.

California Split dives headfirst into a sad and sometimes depressing world of casinos, filled with prostitutes, derelicts, robust cashouts, and shattered dreams.

Footloose and fancy free, Charlie Waters (Elliott Gould) rooms with two high-class prostitutes, Barbara Miller (Ann Prentiss) and Susan Peters (Gwen Welles), and lives to gamble.

Along with his more reasonable friend Bill Denny (George Segal), Charlie sets out on a gambling streak in search of the big payday, regardless of the ramifications or hijinks they encounter along the way.

After troubles in Los Angeles, they quickly flock to Reno, Nevada, to see if their luck changes.

While Charlie and Bill have some lucky moments, they also have to contend with serious setbacks like owed debts and stolen money that threaten to derail their lofty ambitions.

California Split is a minor treasure.

Good chemistry exists between Gould and Segal, and they make compelling buddies. Charlie is the yin to Bill’s yang, but Bill is the character I care about most.

Explained to be married but separated, assumed because of his gambling addiction, Segal’s character is conflicted. Unable to help himself, he is nonetheless marginally sensible and aware of his problems.

After winning an enormous payout, instead of celebrating like Charlie does, Bill is instead morose.

He shares a tender moment with Susan, but after a feeble attempt at intimacy, he suddenly bails, leaving her shattered.

While the ladies don’t get as much screen time as the men, Prentiss and Welles also have a strong connection. With lesser acting talents or lesser writing, their characters could have been dismissed as floosies without any merit, but there’s a deeper understanding.

I yearned for more backstory, especially for Susan. Wounded and starved for love, she is my favorite female character.

Characters who appear in just one scene can leave a lasting impression.

The sassy receptionist, the angry, well-dressed woman in a bar who insults Bill with homophobic slurs, the female bartender (Barbara Ruick) in Reno observing Charlie and Bill’s conversations, and the fat lady at the casino table, each is fraught with endless possibilities.

How did each reach their lot in life?

Despite the unique characters and strong chemistry amongst the leads, California Split suffers from some aimlessness.

Occasional scenes are useless and meander incessantly. When the gents engage in a game of basketball with some strangers, there’s really no point to the scene.

The final sequence is compelling but also a letdown, as there is little satisfying climax or explanation of what happens to the characters in the future.

California Split (1974) is triumphant because it proudly celebrates Altman’s unique brand of filmmaking, showing his abilities as an iconoclast in the world of cinema.

It thrives on character over plot and the nuances of human behavior over dramatic story arcs. It displays his improvisational style and his ability to draw the viewer into a seedy world quite willingly.

Though not his most outstanding work, the mere essence of Altman is prevalent, making it a measured success.

1975 Films, Anthony Perkins, Berry Gordy, Billy Dee Williams, Diana Ross, Drama, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Musical, Musical Drama, Nina Foch

Mahogany-1975

August 20, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Mahogany-1975

Director Berry Gordy

Starring Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Perkins

Scott’s Review #1,492

Reviewed August 20, 2025

Grade: B-

Watching Diana Ross, the ‘Queen of Motown Records’ and the lead singer of the legendary pop group, The Supremes, in a film role holds appeal.

A fabulous singing star, she had her sights set on continued film stardom with Mahogany (1975), having achieved respectability with Lady Sings the Blues (1972).

Ross portrays Tracy Chambers, a struggling Chicago fashion design student who rises from shop girl to popular fashion designer in Rome, after a chance meeting with hotshot fashion photographer Sean (Anthony Perkins) in the department store where she works.

Her love interest is aspiring politician Brian Walker (Billy Dee Williams), a local activist fighting against gentrification in their community.

But will her sudden success and diva antics destroy her relationship as well as her respect in the fashion world?

The highlights of the film are the many exterior sequences in and around Chicago and the swanky Rome locales featuring the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, and other sophisticated locales.

Also, the soundtrack includes the single “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)”, sung by Ross, which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1976.

The song is a gorgeous ballad wisely recreated in different tones and styles throughout the film as well as during the credits.

Ross and Williams have a decent amount of chemistry, making an unlikely pair. Brian yearns to make a difference in the world, caring for the ‘little guy’ while earnestly forging a career in politics.

He puts up with Tracy’s ambitions because he is progressive, and their tender scenes of romance work well. When they spar, the tension builds into a believable crescendo, especially their blow-up fight in Rome.

This showcases the best acting from the pair, and the audience roots for them to reconcile.

It’s inspiring, especially for 1975, to see a black couple featured in a film front and center. Their lives are showcased instead of merely supporting white characters.

Other aspects of Mahogany are affected by various issues.

Ross, a singer, has hits and misses in the acting department. Sometimes she nails a scene, and other times she overacts. This may be the less-than-stellar writing, though, as her character progresses from likeable to diva bitch to likeable again in lightning speed.

It’s wonderful to see Anthony Perkins in another film role besides his signature role as Norman Bates in Psycho (1960). But his character, struggling with his sexuality, is possessive of Tracy, then has a death wish, all with underexplored and unsatisfactory themes.

Was being gay in the fashion industry such a big deal?

I wished for a more substantial role for Nina Foch, famous for her 1951 turn in An American in Paris. Playing a one-note, stuffy character like Miss Evans doesn’t give her much to work with.

It has a soap opera tone and a feeling that Ross is somewhat playing herself. Combined with a nagging, schmaltzy vibe and messy, plot-driven writing, it’s a film that’s all over the place, especially towards the conclusion.

The best example is when Tracy’s new benefactor, Count Christian Rosetti (Jean-Pierre Aumond), also in love with her, agrees without argument to let her give up her entire career and return to Chicago, and Brian.

This follows Tracy’s sudden epiphany that she no longer wants to be the biggest star in the world.

All in the final ten minutes.

Mahogany (1975) is a marginal success with a few highlights and a dismal failure for other reasons, leaving it hovering somewhere around the mid-line for mediocrity.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Song, “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To”).

1980 Films, Dean Jagger, Horror, Independent, Independent Horror, Lewis Teague, Michael V. Gazzo, Robert Forster, Robin Riker, Sue Lyon

Alligator-1980

August 18, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Alligator-1980

Director Lewis Teague

Starring Robert Forster, Robin Riker, Michael V. Gazzo

Scott’s Review #1,491

Reviewed August 18, 2025

Grade: B-

Alligator (1980) capitalizes on the Jaws (1975) and Jaws 2 (1978) craze with a similarly themed ‘creature that attacks humans’ idea.

The stalking musical score is essentially the same as Jaws, and the film includes a copied underwater camera shot of a victim in peril trying to reach a boat.

The late-night offering is adequate, though amateurish and cheaply made, with enough stock characters to make for a comical offering, whether intentional or unintentional.

The romantic chemistry between the two leads, Robert Forster and Robin Riker, is surprisingly genuine and sweet, which barely lifts this effort above mediocrity.

The kills are underwhelming and quickly become redundant as a leg or arm is chomped off a victim with little more than systematic style as the doomed person desperately attempts to escape being the giant alligator’s next meal.

Set in Chicago, the film follows Detective David Madison (Forster) and a reptile expert, Dr. Marisa Kendall (Riker), who team up to track an enormous, ravenous man-eating alligator flushed down the toilet years earlier as a baby.

The reptile terrorizes and attacks residents without capture after escaping from the city’s toxic sewers.

An inane explanation is provided, involving the alligator mutating to a humongous size due to feeding on animals used as test subjects for an experimental growth formula intended to increase agricultural livestock meat production.

The plot-driven story assuredly pairs David and Marisa as romantic counterparts from the get-go, so there is little doubt they will wind up together. A weak attempt at a spat between the couple is perplexing and a waste of time.

Thank goodness the actors have a decent amount of chemistry, which compels during scenes when they trapse around the metropolis trying to catch the reptilian murderer.

Marisa is written well as a self-assured, intelligent female doctor, though inexplicably, she lives with her overbearing mother. David has a mediocre backstory involving an incident where he should have saved his partner’s life but failed.

The death setups are outrageously satisfying as cookie-cutter stock characters quickly get their comeuppance. For example, the villainous Slade (Dean Jagger), an influential local tycoon responsible for the experiments, is crushed by a car that the alligator flattens.

This follows Slade’s selfish attempt to save his skin at the expense of another character, whom he locks out of his car.

Interestingly, Alligator features Jagger, an Oscar-winning actor (for 1949’s Twelve O’Clock High) and Oscar-nominated actor Michael V. Gazzo (for The Godfather Part II, 1974).

The grand finale is delicious B-movie style. The alligator goes on a rampage through a high-society wedding hosted at Slade’s mansion, eating a maid serving guests at the reception and killing Slade, the mayor, and Slade’s chief scientist for the hormone experiments, who was also his intended son-in-law.

The shrieking women and scrambling guests hilariously try to outrun the creature amid flying champagne glasses, wedding cakes, and delicate dining dishes.

This scene is worth the price of admission.

The rest of the experience is ludicrous as the alligator escapes notice in the city of millions. He crawls down urban streets and hides in dark alleys at whim, occasionally eating a villain or two.

Like any horror film of the 1970s or 1980s, Alligator perfectly sets up a sequel, a la Alien (1979), with a spawn being hatched in the sewer.

Playing more like a light comedy than a scary film, Alligator (1980) has moments of satisfaction. But most of it is an attempt to capitalize financially on an idea that has been used before, making it feel more like a ripoff movie than anything original.

1968 Films, Anna Quayle, Benny Hill, British, Children, Desmond Llewelyn, Dick Van Dyke, Fantasy, Gert Fröbe, International Fantasy, International Musical, Ken Hughes, Lionel Jeffries, Musical, Robert Helpmann, Sally Ann Howes

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang-1968

August 13, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang-1968

Director Ken Hughes

Starring Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes

Scott’s Review #1,490

Reviewed August 13, 2025

Grade: B

With a strong connection to James Bond, especially when looking beneath the most obvious details, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) offers pure escapist fun in the fantasy genre.

Albert R. Broccoli, who produced many of the 007 films, also serves as producer, a surprise given the differing genres. Furthermore, Ian Fleming, who wrote a series of James Bond books, also wrote the novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1964.

The screenplay was written by the famous British children’s author, Roald Dahl (James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), whose handprint can be noticed as well.

I missed some of the subtle and not-so-subtle trimmings upon my viewing until taking a deeper dive into research. I also did not know the James Bond connection before watching the film.

One day, in rural England, young siblings Jeremy and Jemima meet the striking Truly Scrumptious (Sally Ann Howes), who falls for their widowed father, Caractacus Potts (Dick Van Dyke), despite coming from different backgrounds.

Potts tinkers with various oddball inventions, including the family’s noisy rebuilt car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which they name because of its unusual engine noises.

Caractacus tells Truly and the children a fantastical fable about the villainous Baron Bomburst (Gert Fröbe) and his evil designs on the Potts family car.

This becomes the central part of the film and the adventurous events that the family experiences.

For much of the film, events meander a bit more than I would have liked, and there seems not to be a clear direction. There were also too many over-the-top moments, mostly involving Caractacus’s wacky father (Lionel Jeffries) and various bumbling villain accomplices.

While enjoyable, the action felt silly and cartoonish.

After the intermission, the family ‘flies’ by car to a lavish castle owned by Bomburst in the childless nation of Vulgaria. There, they encounter frightened townspeople and the scary Child Catcher, wonderfully played by Robert Helpmann.

The colorful sets and art direction lend a helping hand to the secret of why there are no children in Vulgaria. We experience an odd yet witty toymaker played by Benny Hill and a splendid cat and mouse sequence involving human jack-in-the-boxes.

Later, a hidden grotto beneath the castle explains the mystery of where the town children are being kept and why.

While the Baron and Baroness (Anna Quayle) are unbelievably silly, the romance between Caractacus and Truly takes off and cements my investment in the pair.

Obviously and satisfyingly, they experience a happily ever after send-off after a couple of hiccups.

Van Dyke and Howes have dynamic chemistry despite Howes being a runner-up to Julie Andrews, who turned down the role, fearing it was too similar to Mary Poppins.

Fröbe (the diabolical title character from 1964’s Goldfinger) and the actor who played the familiar Bond character, Q (Desmond Llewelyn), make appearances.

The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car is practically a character in itself, boasting special powers and gadgets reminiscent of numerous unique Bond cars, and serves as a good comparison.

Finally, the name Truly Scrumptious is a similar character name, albeit much more family-friendly, to Pussy Galore from Goldfinger.

Of course, since Roald Dahl is involved, it’s no wonder children are in peril.

Other than the award-nominated title song, which is easy to hum and hard to forget, the other songs pale in comparison to this standout. I’d give second place to Trudy’s earnest ‘Lovely Lonely Man, a decent song.

For a family-ready affair with deeper particulars for eagle-eyed viewers to spot, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) is recommended around holiday time when other pleasant children’s musicals make their emergence.

The film would serve as a perfect warm-up act to the superior but companionable Oliver! (1968).

Oscar Nominations: Best Song- Original for the Picture, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’

2025 Films, Adam Stein, Brec Bassinger, Horror, Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Richard Harmon, Teo Briones, Tony Todd, Zach Lipovsky

Final Destination Bloodlines-2025

August 9, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Final Destination Bloodlines-2025

Director Zack Lipovsky, Adam Stein

Starring Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Brec Bassinger

Scott’s Review #1,489

Reviewed August 9, 2025

Grade: B+

Final Destination Bloodlines (2025) is the sixth installment in the Final Destination film franchise, but the first in fourteen years, making the film feel more like a relaunch than a retread.

I’ll gladly see any new (or old) chapters since I enjoy the once inventive premise, which is now familiar territory and part of the brand.

The plots are based on the idea of a small group of people who escape impending death after one visionary individual has a sudden premonition and warns them about a major disaster that is about to occur.

Of course, Death cannot be tricked for long.

After avoiding their deaths seen in the visions, the survivors are later killed one by one in bizarre accidents caused by an unseen force.

The unique deaths are the fun part. From a garbage truck compactor, a malfunctioning MRI machine, and a deadly vending machine, the anticipation is in the killings and how they will be showcased.

Events begin in 1969, marking the best segment of Final Destination Bloodlines and one of the greatest in the series.

Young adults, Iris (Brec Bassinger) and Paul (Max Lloyd-Jones), embark on a lavish opening celebration of the Skyview, a high-rise restaurant tower that resembles the Seattle Space Needle. He awkwardly plans to propose, and she intends to reveal that she is pregnant.

The scene is shockingly tender and emotional since we immediately care about the couple, a pleasant surprise in the horror genre.

As the lovebirds sip champagne at the sophisticated bar, Iris is unsettled by the skyscraper’s lofty height and an unnerving feeling of dread and destruction as revelers hoot and holler on a glass dance floor.

Eventually, the tower collapses following a deadly chain reaction, killing everyone inside.

The Mad Men-style art direction and set design are magnificent and polished, adding worlds of style to the film. The pacing also works with appropriate tension throughout the extended sequence.

The action shifts to 2024, and a violent recurring nightmare plagues Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), revealed to be Iris’s granddaughter. She heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save the Reyes family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them.

The 2024 events are what you’d expect from the Final Destination films, and while decent, they don’t compare to the superior 1969 part.

The most fun is watching the cat-and-mouse setup of the presumed chain of events.

At the Reyes family barbeque, an accidental chunk of broken glass, a mislaid sharp rake, a fiery grill, and a torn trampoline are all possible death objects revealed as the family sips drinks and revels in outdoor activities and chatter.

Or are they merely red herrings?

The genius is forcing the audience to look around their own homes and decipher how many different objects could lead to their deaths.

Santa Juana is excellent at carrying the film, playing a relatable girl next door. Her likability keeps the audience invested in her as she attempts to break the cycle.

Other characters are more stock. The annoying tattoo artist cousin, the absentee mother looking for a second chance, and the uptight female cousin. They are all intended victims that Death will surely pluck.

They all play second fiddle to the bloody deaths, which are the main attraction.

Notably, a recurring character played by Tony Todd returns before the actor’s death, getting a lovely sendoff. His character’s appearance, in both 1969 and 2024, ties in deliciously with the history of the franchise.

Giving fresh breath to a formerly aging franchise, Final Destination Bloodlines (2025) is much better than expected. It adds charm and fulfillment, making it a treat for longtime fans of the past twenty-five years.

2025 Films, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Eli Craig, Horror, Katie Douglas, Kevin Durand, Slasher, Will Sasso

Clown in a Cornfield-2025

August 7, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Clown in a Cornfield-2025

Director Eli Craig

Starring Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams

Scott’s Review #1,488

Reviewed August 7, 2025

Grade: B+

Clown in a Cornfield (2025) is a surprisingly satisfying throwback to 1980s slasher horror films but with a modern twist.

The fun vibe creates an entertaining experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously, incorporating comic moments and blending twenty-first-century technology with traditional genre standards.

Additionally, a juicy and surprising same sex romance is revealed in the final stages of the film, when typically the crazed killer whodunit would be the featured main attraction.

The film feels vintage, containing killer clowns, a midwestern cornfield, and eerie townspeople. These one-time clichéd add-ons suddenly feel fresh with a younger audience in mind.

Middle-aged horror buffs can fondly recall 1980s gems like Children of the Corn (1984), which is reminiscent primarily. There is something particularly unsettling about a rural plains area in the middle of nowhere and menacing figures emerging from a dusty cornfield late at night.

As with most creepy small-town horror films, there is a deadly secret harvesting amid the lonely, quiet nights.

In 1991, two fresh-faced teens sneak off into the nearby cornfield and are killed by the local mascot, Frendo the Clown.

Decades later, teenage Quinn Maybrook (Katie Douglas) and her father, Dr. Glenn Maybrook (Aaron Abrams), begrudgingly arrive in the quiet town of Kettle Springs, Missouri, after Quinn’s mother dies, hoping for a fresh start.

Quinn meets fellow students Cole (Carson MacCormac) and Rust (Vincent Muller), and they uncover a mystery surrounding the once-affluent small town that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down.

The adults warn Quinn to be wary of the high school cool kids, whom she quickly starts to hang out with. But is it the locals and Sheriff Dunne (Will Sasso) that Quinn and her father should be wary of? What is the symbolism of a haunting Baypen factory music box?

The screenwriters wisely, and fantastically, add a mix of humor to many sequences, which both counterbalance the bloodshed and provide laugh-out-loud, genuinely funny moments.

This mostly comes at the expense of two female supporting characters, Janet and an unnamed friend. After a series of pranks to initiate Quinn into their group, one girl assumes that a decapitated head belonging to her boyfriend is fake.

She giggles and juggles it between both her hands before she shrieks in horror at the realization that the head is real. Later, she trudges through the cornfield, complaining that she feels like she’s in a bad 1980s slasher movie.

The best kill comes when a buff, shirtless high school kid bench presses weights in his garage and is decapitated by Frendo. His head bounces into a laundry hamper, and the lid closes shut with exact precision.

I noticed a potent anti-nationalist message as the antagonists are portrayed as small-town, small-minded simpletons meant to represent the United States, the MAGA movement. They blame the teens for the town’s troubles and for ruining its public image.

In satisfying form, the teenagers make fools of the adults, except for Quinn’s father, who is one of the good guys and subsequently runs for mayor to rid the town of the dolts who currently control it.

The sexual preference of Quinn’s male crush is also a breath of fresh air in a genre that typically doesn’t stray too far from mainstream gender roles.

The 2020 novel of the same name, from which the film was adapted, might be superior, but Clown in a Cornfield (2025) is fun. It also proudly has one twist that I did not see coming, which has nothing to do with the deadly clowns.

2024 Films, Alicia Witt, Blair Underwood, Horror, Kiernan Shipka, Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Oz Perkins

Longlegs-2024

August 1, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Longlegs-2024

Director Oz Perkins

Starring Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, Nicolas Cage

Scott’s Review #1,487

Reviewed August 1, 2025

Grade: A-

Oz Perkins, already making his mark in the modern horror genre with films like The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015) and The Monkey (2025), offers an eerie little gift sure to creep many viewers out.

Add-ons like nuns, sacrifices, satan, and the like usually freak religious church-goers out, which is a testament to the achievement Perkins makes.

Giving credibility to Perkins is being the son of Anthony Perkins, aka Norman Bates from the 1960s Hitchcock masterpiece, Psycho.

That’s some horror legacy, and he gets more and more comfortable with the genre.

The story follows Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), a quiet FBI agent in the 1990s, who is tasked with tracking down an occultist serial killer responsible for murdering multiple families throughout Oregon.

Harker, reminiscent of Jodie Foster’s Clarice from The Silence of the Lambs (1991), is serious and grounded with a tinge of tension and insecurity. She has been through some trauma that could be a key to unlocking the mystery.

Does she have a secret connection to the tragic events that includes the victims sharing a birthday pattern? With her birthday approaching, things become more and more perilous.

Besides the disquieting tone of the film being filled with terror, Nicolas Cage, who produced, plays Longlegs (also known as Dale Kobble), an elusive Satanic serial killer.

On screen for only a short amount of time, Longlegs/Cage leaves an impression. With long hair and a pasty face, he looks like a cross between the Joker and Pennywise the Clown, with lipstick and a super-creepy, demonic voice.

There is something very off about him.

Buffalo Bill, the serial killer from The Silence of the Lambs, also bears a resemblance to Longlegs.

The first sequence leaves an indelible impression—a young girl on a snowy afternoon peers across her vast front yard to her family’s paneled station wagon. It is the 1970s. Suddenly, Longlegs appears and charmingly announces he forgot his long legs.

The scene made the chills run down my spine.

The atmosphere makes the film as good as it is. There is a lonely, isolated feeling throughout, like events take place in a secluded, middle-of-nowhere setting. And, this consists of both interior and exterior scenes.

Set in the Pacific Northwest, United States, specifically Oregon, the geography is perfect for a rash of patriarchal killings. Mysteriously, a seemingly normal father kills his wife and kids without hesitation. A pattern develops involving an upcoming birthday of the family’s daughter.

In an effective sequence, one of the family deaths is featured on-screen, mirroring Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980). A long camera shot from far away makes the viewer feel like they’re in the room and watching voyeuristically.

Blood splays, an ax impales a victim from behind, and death and destruction have never looked finer in cinema.

Perkins incorporates a visual satisfaction that makes the film work, especially given the horror genre.

The fact that Longlegs, the villain, is frightening to look at makes the film a significant win and probably Perkins’ best work.

Yes, the story has a surprise ending, including one character’s deal with the devil. The final plot summation is shocking but rather far-fetched. While gripping, it doesn’t seem possible, and a supernatural suspension of disbelief is required.

The occult and spiritual possession are the ingredients that make Longlegs startling but not realistic.

Special shout-outs to actors Kiernan Shipka and Alicia Witt, who brilliantly portray their minor yet monumental characters with top-notch acting.

What Longlegs (2024) lacks in making sense—a common theme among modern horror films with camera-heavy trimmings over storyline plausibility, if I’m being honest—it succeeds with a visual wizardry.

The mood of terror is the film’s most significant victory.

#1 Favorite Film, 1958 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Barbara Bel Geddes, Favorite Film of the Year, James Stewart, Kim Novak, Thriller, Tom Helmore, Top 10 Films, Top 100 Films, Top 25 Films, Top 250 Films, Top 50 Films

Vertigo-1958

August 1, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Vertigo-1958

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring James Stewart, Kim Novak

Top 250 Films #1

Scott’s Review #151

Reviewed August 7, 2014

Grade: A

Over the years, Vertigo (1958) has quickly become one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films. With each repeated viewing, I learn, appreciate, or see something new.

It is an absolute masterpiece.

The primary appeal of Vertigo lies in its mystique and dream-like quality, which offer a beautiful cinematic experience. It is sometimes ominous, psychological, gloriously complex, and even confusing.

That is what makes it extraordinary.

Considering the time, the colorful opening visuals are dynamic, groundbreaking, and stunning.

The story involves a retired detective, Scottie, played by Hitchcock stalwart Jimmy Stewart. Scottie suffers from vertigo, which hinders his daily life.

After an incident in which a police officer is killed, and Scottie blames himself and his vertigo for causing the death, he whiles away the days brooding and keeping companionship with Midge, a college friend to whom he was once engaged.

One day, he is hired by another college friend to follow his wife, played tremendously by Kim Novak, who is acting strangely and periodically disappearing, obsessed with a painting of a woman from years past.

From this point, the plot twists and turns in a mysterious fashion, and a romantic, bizarre, and obsessive love story is intertwined.

Is Scottie in his right mind? Will his vertigo continue to haunt him? What is the secret to Madeleine and Judy? Is Midge as sweet as she appears?

The score to Vertigo is haunting and unforgettable, adding significantly to the film’s mood and ambiance.

Several location shots are featured in San Francisco, including the Golden Gate Bridge, steep streets, the Mission District, and the Redwood Forest.

As with all Hitchcock films, every set and detail is perfect, from paintbrushes, coffee mugs, curtains, and furniture to the gorgeous, bright red décor of the restaurant, which is heavily featured in the film.

How exquisite does Kim Novak look in the film??

Initially critically panned upon its release, it is now considered one of the greatest films. Its unique camera angles and slow, methodical pacing have influenced other films.

The film is not always an easy watch, as it is complex, to be fair, but like a fine wine, it improves with age.

Vertigo (1958) is a layered psychological thriller that gains more appreciation with each viewing.

Oscar Nominations: Best Sound, Best Art Direction

#2 Favorite Film, 1974 Films, Al Pacino, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Connie Mason, Danny Aiello, Diane Keaton, Drama, Epic, Favorite Film of the Year, Francis Ford Coppola, Gastone Moschin, Harry Dean Stanton, James Caan, John Cazale, Mario Puzo, Michael V. Gazzo, Mob, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, Tony Sirico, Top 10 Films, Top 100 Films, Top 25 Films, Top 250 Films, Top 50 Films

The Godfather: Part II-1974

August 1, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Godfather: Part II-1974

Director Frances Ford Coppola

Starring Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro

Top 250 Films #2

Scott’s Review #197

Reviewed: November 25, 2014

Grade: A

Frances Ford Coppola’s sequel (and technically also a prequel) to the highly regarded and successful The Godfather (1972) is one of the rare sequels to equal, if not surpass, the original in its greatness, creativity, and structure.

The Godfather Part II (1974) feels more profound, more complex, and ultimately richer than The Godfather- and that film itself is a masterpiece. Part II is much darker in tone. Francis Ford Coppola had complete freedom to write and direct as he saw fit, with no studio interference.

The results are immeasurable in creating a film masterpiece.

The film is sectioned into two parts, which is an exciting and practical decision.

The story alternates between the early twentieth century, following Don Corleone’s life, now played by Robert DeNiro, as his story is explained- left without a family and on the run from a crime lord, Don escapes to the United States as a young boy and struggles to survive in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City.

He obtains a modest job as a grocery stockboy and finally celebrates his eventual rise to power in the mafia.

The other part of the film is set in 1958, as Michael Corleone faces a crumbling empire, with both rivals and the FBI investigating him and holding Senate committee hearings in Washington, D.C., and a failing marriage to Kay (Diane Keaton).

Betrayal is a common theme of the film, as Michael’s wife, brother, and mobster allies are revealed to be cagey enemies. Michael becomes increasingly uncertain and mistrustful of almost everyone around him. Is Kay a friend or foe? Is Fredo plotting against him? He even begins lashing out at Tom Hagen on occasion.

What makes The Godfather Part II so brilliant, and in my opinion richer than The Godfather, is that it is tougher to watch- and that is to its credit. Now, instead of being a warm, respected member of a powerful family, Michael is questioned, analyzed, and betrayed.

New, interesting characters are introduced, including Hyman Roth, played by Lee Strasberg, a former ally of Don’s, and Frankie Pentangeli, played by Michael V. Gazzo. These characters are intriguing, and their allegiances remain unknown throughout most of the film: are they loyal to the Corleones or deadly enemies?

The character of Michael evolves from conflicted to all-out revenge-minded, including seeking revenge against members of his own family. Michael is now a dark, angry character- gone is the nice, decorated war hero with his whole life ahead of him.

He is much older and has changed.

Similar to the original Godfather, the opening scene is a large celebration- this time, Anthony Corleone’s first communion celebration.

Additionally, the film’s finale involves the deaths of several significant characters one after the other.

Unique to this film are the multiple-location scenes, featuring New York, Nevada, Italy, Florida, and Cuba, which make for an enjoyable segue throughout and a more substantial budget.

The blow-up confrontation between Michael and Kay is devastating and shocking in its climax. When Michael punches Kay in a sudden rage, the audience feels punched as well.

The incredible scene at the end of the film, with the entire family gathered around for Don’s fiftieth birthday in 1942, is a special treat for viewers; familiar faces make cameo appearances.

I love these aspects of the film.

The rich history of Don is the most significant aspect of The Godfather Part II, known as “Godfather” and patriarch of the family. His life as a boy and young father is explained, so we see how he became one of the most powerful men in the crime world.

I love how he remains a decent man and helps people experiencing poverty and the victims of ruthless Don Fanucci, his predecessor. He loves his wife and children, but also loves his neighbors and helps them, believing in the principle of fairness.

Ultimately, the characters of Don and Michael are worlds apart.

The Godfather Part II (1974) is one of the most complex and well-written films in movie history- studied in film school, discussed, imitated, and championed.

It remains vital and should be viewed and analyzed repeatedly.

Oscar Nominations: 5 wins-Best Picture (won), Best Director-Francis Ford Coppola, Best Actor-Al Pacino, Best Supporting Actor-Robert De Niro (won), Michael V. Gazzo, Lee Strasberg, Best Supporting Actress-Talia Shire, Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material (won), Best Original Dramatic Score (won), Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction (won)

#3 Favorite Film, 1975 Films, Drama, Elliott Gould, Favorite Film of the Year, Geraldine Chaplin, Gwen Welles, Jeff Goldblum, Julie Christie, Karen Black, Keenan Wynn, Keith Carradine, Lily Tomlin, Ned Beatty, Robert Altman, Ronee Blakley, Satire, Scott Glenn, Shelley Duvall, Top 10 Films, Top 100 Films, Top 25 Films, Top 250 Films, Top 50 Films

Nashville-1975

August 1, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Nashville-1975

Director Robert Altman

Starring Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine, Karen Black

Top 250 Films #3

Scott’s Review #47

Reviewed June 19, 2014

Grade: A

Nashville (1975) is a brilliant film.

I have found that with each subsequent viewing, it creeps higher and higher on my list of favorite movies of all time.

The style is unique (largely improvised) and epitomizes creative freedom in the film during the 1970s.

Director Robert Altman lets his actors express themselves, even allowing them to write their songs; the dialogue overlaps at times, which results in a natural feeling as the viewer watches the cast of twenty-four principals intersect over five days at a political rally/country music festival.

It is pure Robert Altman at his finest.

Nashville is a satire of the political arena of the early 1970s, particularly the Vietnam conflict and its politicians.

The film certainly questions and challenges the government with an ironic patriotic setting (Nashville).

The country music industry was in uproar upon the film’s initial release. It is a layered film that can be discussed and appreciated, and every character is cared about.

I cannot adequately describe the multitude of nuances in each scene that are noticed over time.

Each character, even those with limited screen time, is vital to the story, as are the political elements —the questions of war, policies, and so on.

The chaotic bits and individual storylines come together at the end, and many background happenings are exciting to watch and take note of throughout each viewing.

With each experience, the audience will notice more and more. I certainly do.

Lily Tomlin, for example, plays Linnea, a haggard mother of deaf children with a supportive husband, a woman who, on the surface, is heroic; yet, she is a complex character. She is bored with her life and falls in love with a young musician despite the guilt and repercussions.

The musician in question is Tom Frank, played by Keith Carradine. Handsome and self-absorbed, he arrives in Nashville to dump his bandmates in hopes of a solo career and beds many willing females.

He also lashes out at a soldier at the airport, saying, “Kill anyone lately?”

Despite his unlikable character, Carradine gives one of the most beautiful performances in the film when he sings “I’m Easy”.

Several of the female characters assume he is singing the song for them, but who is he truly singing it for — if anyone?

Another character to analyze is Barbara Jean, played by Ronee Blakley. A frail yet very successful country singer, she is in and out of hospitals as she frets about her replacement singer stealing her thunder.

Her insecurities rise to the surface.

Insecurity is a common theme among the characters. Many of them are unsure, afraid, or lack confidence in their musical talent, relationships, or themselves.

These are only three examples of the twenty-four richly layered characters- some ambitious, some falling apart, others meandering through life.

Many songs throughout were written and performed by the actors themselves.

Nashville (1975) is storytelling and filmmaking at its best. A creation by Altman that is deservedly admired, revered, and heralded as a significant influence.

It is studied in film schools as it should be.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Robert Altman, Best Supporting Actress-Ronee Blakley, Lily Tomlin, Best Original Song-“I’m Easy” (won)

#4 Favorite Film, 1972 Films, Al Pacino, Best Picture Oscar Winners, Diane Keaton, Drama, Epic, Favorite Film of the Year, Francis Ford Coppola, James Caan, John Cazale, Mario Puzo, Marlon Brando, Mob, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, Talia Shire, Top 10 Films, Top 100 Films, Top 25 Films, Top 250 Films, Top 50 Films

The Godfather-1972

August 1, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Godfather-1972

Director Frances Ford Coppola

Starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan

Top 250 Films #4

Scott’s Review #196

Reviewed November 24, 2014

Grade: A

The Godfather (1972) is one of the most identifiable and brilliant film masterpieces of all time. It is so ingrained in pop culture and film history that it was a blueprint for 1970s cinema, and its legend deserves to live on.

The film has not aged poorly nor been soured by over-exposure. It is as much a marvel today as it must have been when it was initially released in theaters.

The film revolves around the Corleone family- a mob family living in New York. They are high-powered, wealthy, and influential with politicians and law enforcement alike. They are the cream of the crop of organized crime families.

The patriarch of the family is known as “The Godfather”; his real name is Don Corleone, played by Marlon Brando.

The eldest son is hot-headed Sonny, played by James Caan. Middle son Fredo, played by John Cazale, is dim-witted and immature, serving as the family’s weak link.

Finally, the youngest son is the central character in the film. Michael, played by a very youthful Al Pacino, has just returned home from World War II, a decorated and Ivy League-educated hero.

Throughout the film, Michael wrestles with steering the Corleone family business toward the straight and narrow or continuing the death, bloodshed, and corruption that currently plague the family.

Rounding out the Corleone family is Tom Hagen, an Irish surrogate son of sorts, who serves as the family attorney. Connie, the temperamental and emotional sister, and Mama Corleone, the passive wife of Don, complete the prominent family.

The various supporting characters are numerous, ranging from family friends and relatives to corrupt mob figures and those introduced when Michael lives in Italy.

The brilliance of The Godfather lies in the richness of the numerous characters on the canvas, as well as the film’s structure and pacing.

Even minor characters are vital to the film, and every scene is essential and effortlessly paced, so that they neither seem rushed nor dragged out; the film is immeasurably character-driven.

My favorite character is Michael Corleone, as he is the most troubled and complex of all. Pacino plays him to the hilt as, initially, a nice guy trying to do the right thing, going against the grain, and non-traditional- he proposes to a WASP woman who has no Italian heritage.

When events develop in a particular way, Michael suddenly becomes the leader of the family, despite being the youngest son, and the complexities of the character deepen from this point.

Specifically, the revenge killing sequence is brilliant as the viewer is kept on the edge of their seat through a car ride, a meal in a restaurant, and a men’s room scene, until finally, all hell breaks loose, all the while Michael is conflicted, unsure, and intense.

Has he veered too far from being a nice guy? Can he salvage the family business without being ruthless? Michael faces a battle of good vs. evil.

The scenes are brilliantly structured- the grand opening scene alone is beautiful as the audience is introduced to the entire family- cheerfully dancing and frolicking during a bright and sunny outdoor wedding (Connie’s) at the Corleone estate, while inside a dark interior study, a man begs Don Corleone to help avenge his raped and beaten daughter by having her attackers killed.

Several scenes in The Godfather are my personal favorites —the aforementioned restaurant scene, where Michael is faced with a dilemma involving a corrupt policeman and a high-powered figure. One can feel the tension in this extended scene.

The scene in a Hollywood mansion where poor, innocent, horse Khartoum meets his fate in the most gruesome way imaginable.

Later, Michael’s beautiful Italian wife, Apollonia, has an explosive send-off.

Towards the end of the film, there is an improvised scene featuring a tomato garden with an elderly Don Corleone playing with his young grandson.

Finally, the brutal scene involving Corleone’s son Sonny at the toll booth is mesmerizing, murderous, and flawlessly executed.

The lack of any strong female characters and how women are treated (either beaten or passively following their husbands) is bothersome.

Still, unfortunately, circa the 1940s, this was the way things were.

One could argue that Kay Adams, played by Diane Keaton, is the strongest female character, as she questions the Corleone family’s motives and attempts to keep Michael honest and trustworthy. She has little in common with the other female characters.

Lines such as “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” and “Don’t forget the cannolis” are unforgettable and quote-worthy.

The finale of the film is breathtaking —a combination of bloody kills mixed with a peaceful scene of Michael accepting the honor of becoming his nephew’s godfather. As he pledges his devotion to God and denounces Satan, the murders he orchestrated are simultaneously being executed.

The character, while complex, suddenly becomes a hypocrite.

Some view Michael as strictly a hero whose choices should not be questioned or analyzed; others view Michael as not a hero, but rather a complex, tortured, and flawed character.

One must watch The Godfather and The Godfather Part II (1974) as companion pieces, as Part I is slightly more straightforward and easier to follow than the more complex and layered sequel.

The Godfather (1972) is storytelling and filmmaking at its absolute best and continues to influence films to this day.

Oscar Nominations: 3 wins-Best Picture (won), Best Director-Francis Ford Coppola, Best Actor-Marlon Brando (won), Best Supporting Actor-James Caan, Robert Duvall, Al Pacino, Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (won), Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Film Editing

#1 Favorite Horror Film, #5 Favorite Film, 1960 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Anthony Perkins, Favorite Film of the Year, Horror, Janet Leigh, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, Pat Hitchcock, Simon Oakland, Top 10 Films, Top 10 Horror Films, Top 100 Films, Top 20 Horror Films, Top 25 Films, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films, Top 50 Films, Vera Miles

Psycho-1960

August 1, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

Psycho-1960

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins

Top 250 Films #5

Top 40 Horror Films #1

Scott’s Review #165

Reviewed September 6, 2015

Grade: A

Psycho (1960) is the film to end all films, and not just within the horror genre. At the time of its release, it transcended the art of cinema to a new level and has influenced generations of films since, still holding up incredibly well today.

It is undoubtedly one of the greatest Alfred Hitchcock films and one of the greatest films ever made.

Hitchcock took considerable risks and dove from the thriller to the horror genre with Psycho.

The story revolves around a young woman named Marion Crane, superbly portrayed by Janet Leigh. Marion lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and sees her boyfriend (the dashing John Gavin) for frequent afternoon rendezvous at cheap motels when he is in town because they are both struggling financially.

She is presented with an opportunity, via her job, to steal $40,000 and flee the state to start a new life with her beau. She seizes the opportunity.

On the run, she stops at a run-down Bates motel where she meets owner Norman Bates, hauntingly played by Anthony Perkins.

Perkins and Leigh have fantastic chemistry together, and the audience picks up on it—is it romantic? Is there a mysteriousness to it? Something is odd about Norman. They bond over a quiet meal of sandwiches at the motel while discussing life and his ailing mother.

The famous shower scene and the shocking twist that follows are now almost taken for granted, as most people are already familiar with them. However, I can only imagine the shock viewers felt when they first saw these two delights.

To this day, both are still suspenseful.

Fortunately, when I saw this film for the first time, I didn’t know the ending, and I am glad I didn’t, because it took my breath away.

Killing off the leading actor at the start of the film, halfway through, was a novel idea and mind-blowing at the time of its release (1960).

This act left the audience’s mouths agape in disbelief, prompting them to ask, “What now?” “How can this be followed?” This act later influenced the original Scream (1996) film and surprised audiences again.

According to Hitchcock, no one could enter the film after it had started, and viewers were persuaded not to reveal the ending – oh, how I wish that occurred these days.

An aspect of the success and longevity of Psycho is the chemistry between Perkins and Leigh, who got along famously while shooting Psycho, and more importantly, the likability of Norman Bates. There is a rooting value for him, even though he is the villain.

When Marion’s car is only half-submerged in a lake containing her dead body, we root for it to sink entirely because of Norman. The concerned look on Norman’s face has a sense that affects the audio at this point in the story. Norman is troubled and wo, undead, and the audience does not have history.

Let’s not forget Janet Leigh. The audience sympathizes with her predicament. She is hopelessly in love with her man, steals money, is conflicted, and, at her core, is a friendly, decent, kind woman.

Halfway through the film, Marion’s sister, Lila, played by Vera Miles, is introduced as a detective, and the suspense and mystery intensify as they search for Marion and investigate the Bates Hotel and Norman Bates himself.

Miles then takes center stage as the lead in the film, which is intriguing.

The film then returns to horror at the terrific and terrifying conclusion, which will shock first-time viewers.

The musical score (especially the shrill strings) is incredibly effective and influenced other horror films to come (Friday the 13^th immediately comes to mind).

Psycho is a film that can be enjoyed and studied over again.

Oscar Nominations: Best Director, Alfred Hitchcock, Best Supporting Actress-Janet Leigh, Best Art Direction, Black-and-White, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White

#2 Favorite Horror Film, #6 Favorite Film, 1963 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Darlene Conley, Elizabeth Wilson, Ethel Griffies, Favorite Film of the Year, Horror, Jessica Tandy, Karl Swenson, Richard Deacon, Rod Taylor, Suzanne Pleshette, Tippi Hedren, Top 10 Films, Top 10 Horror Films, Top 100 Films, Top 20 Horror Films, Top 25 Films, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films, Top 50 Films, Veronica Cartwright

The Birds-1963

August 1, 2025 scottmet99 Leave a comment

The Birds-1963

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor

Top 250 Films #6

Top 40 Horror Films #2

Scott’s Review #173

Reviewed September 22, 2014

Grade: A

The Birds is one of director Alfred Hitchcock’s finest works.

Made in 1963, following Psycho, it continues Hitchcock’s run of successes, both commercially and critically.

It is set in northern California (in San Francisco and Bodega Bay) and tells the story of unexplained bird attacks in a peaceful small bay town.

Tippi Hedren plays Melanie Daniels, a wealthy socialite from San Francisco who drives to Bodega Bay to pursue a love interest, Mitch Brenner.

Mitch, played by Rod Taylor, is a successful attorney who meets and shares a flirtation with Melanie the day before at a pet store in San Francisco. He regularly visits his mother (Jessica Tandy) and sister (Veronica Cartwright) in Bodega Bay.

Once Melanie arrives in town, birds begin to attack the locals living in the sleepy community periodically.

The Birds is a film that has held up incredibly well and is as exciting and horrifying today as it was in the past.

One intriguing aspect of the film is that it offers no rhyme or reason for the bird attacks, which keeps the viewer guessing when a gull swoops down and attacks innocent Melanie.

It is entirely mysterious and open to interpretation- are birds fed up with being caged?

Are the love birds that Melanie purchased the cause of the attacks? Do the birds hate humans? Why do they attack the children? Why do they peck the eyes of their victims out?

One could spend hours debating these questions.

A major creative success of the film is its decision to eliminate a musical score. The eerie silence and the loud sounds of the birds attacking create a haunting dynamic.

My favorite scene of The Birds features Melanie sitting on a wooden bench in the schoolyard, enjoying a cigarette. Behind her is a deserted jungle gym. She barely notices a tiny bird innocently flying past her and landing on the jungle gym.

She continues smoking her cigarette. The viewer sees what Melanie cannot- as slowly, hundreds of birds land on the jungle gym behind her.

Without music, the scene is deadly silent and dramatic, shifting from close-ups of Melanie to long shots of the birds gathering behind her.

Another interesting aspect of The Birds is the character relationships. Mitch’s mother, Lydia, is afraid of losing her son, so she initially despises Melanie. Mitch’s ex-girlfriend, schoolteacher Annie Hayworth, strikes up a close friendship with Melanie; one might expect them to be rivals.

A hysterical mother lashes out at Melanie, calling her evil and blaming her for the attacks.

During the long periods of calm, one wonders when the next attack will occur—and we know it will. We searched for clues to identify what triggers the attacks, but we found none.

This makes for brilliant and suspenseful filmmaking. They hardly come better than the masterpiece The Birds (1963).

Oscar Nominations: Best Special Effects

Welcome to my blog!1,505 reviews posted so far! I'm Scott Segrell and I reside in Stamford, CT. My site features hundreds of film reviews I have written since I launched the site in 2014. I hope you enjoy reading my latest reviews or searching for your own favorites to see if we agree. Please see my featured films of the month, and don't forget to utilize the tags and category links.