What was the last movie you saw...? Part IV

[Charger]

THE SEVEN UPS (Courtesy of Typhon!)

A tough cop squad in the NYPD is doing some routine stakeout when one of their own gets killed by a crew that is targeting mobsters for ransom. The leader of the squad Buddy (played brilliantly by Roy Scheider) makes it his mission to find the ones responsible.

The movie starts out bit slowly setting the scene but then it explodes into one of the greatest car chases of the 70s! This has some of the same realistic grittiness that The French Connection had, which is no surprise as some of the same creative forces were behind both films. And even the main character Buddy is based on the same character that French Connection's Cloudy was based on..Sonny Grosso, who worked as a creative consultant/writer on both films. And both are loosely inspired by actual events.
Also producer Philip D'Antoni wanted William Friedkin to direct this one as well but he wasn't interested in doing another so similar film so D'Antoni directed this himself.

The car chase is rather phenomenal and most certainly the main focus point of the movie. And what is spectacular about it, it doesn't feature loud music or fast edits (which seem to be the way car chases have been done in the past 20 or so years) but long shorts and only engine and tire noices as the soundtrack...making it a very immersive experience.

The movie isn't as intense or as brilliant as The French Connection but it's clearly a gritty tough 70s cop action flick...and I have to say I am ashamed that I have never seen this before!


*  *  *  ½

[Zzzptm]

Glengarry Glen Ross

Because I'm livin that scenario in my current job.

[Charger]

THE PACKAGE

On the eve of a major treaty between the USSR and the USA a army sergeant Gallagher is ordered to transport a prisoner to the US. Once they land he prisoner escapes and Gallagher is blamed...but he soon discovers that the prisoner wasn't who he thought he was and accidentally involves himself and his ex-wife in a very sinister plot and are forced to go on the run and at the same time try to prevent an assassination of a high profile target.

Gene Hackman and Tommy Lee Jones star in an end of the cold war era action thriller that doesn't really let you take a rest. And both do a great job, especially Gene Hackman, who wasn't your average action star.

Director Andrew Davis already here proved that he can direct great action thrillers even before his masterpieces The Fugitive and Under Siege. The script is well written and has enough twists and turns to keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat.

Something of a forgotten gem of the late 80s this one.

*  *  *  *

[Typhon]

@Charger:  You are pretty accurate and thorough with these movie reviews.  I was especially impressed with the your review of the Seven-Ups.  You may have a second career with this. 

[Charger]

Thanks bud! That's very nice of you to say.

I have written reviews (movie and album) for over 25 years in some form or another...never professionally though...mainly because I don't wanna watch (or listen) to garbage which you'd have to if you'd be doing it professionally!

[Typhon]

My Halloween time viewing has officially begun.


The Human Centipede (2009)

In Germany, a deranged retired surgeon captures people in order to fulfill his desire to create a 3-person centipede.  I won't give details on how this is accomplished other than saying that when the first person in the chain eats a meal, the excrement comes out of the third person.  Easily the sickest movie I have ever seen, although, I have to admit it was entertaining at times.  5/10

[Typhon]

The Wicker Man (1973)

A London police sergeant, played by Edward Woodward, is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed.  Instead, he encounters odd pagan rituals some of which include naked women.  There is one scene with a nude Britt Ekland, which I was delighted to see.    To complete this eerie atmosphere, the village leader is played by Christopher Lee.  This is the first time I have seen this little known film and I'm glad I found it.  9/10

[Charger]

Wow! I'm surprised that you haven't seen that one before...as it is considered a cult classic!

It's been 20 or so years since I've last seen it....but it is a great movie! That Brit Ekland scene is...well...a delight!

[Typhon]

^^^^^^
I don't think it was ever on broadcast television here, and with good reason.  That's probably why it passed me by.

[Zzzptm]

Yes, that one's a classic. It was shown on public tv here in Dallas... heavily edited...

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

It's been a few months since I posted anything I;ve seen... mainly because it was rubbish stuff the girlfiend wanted to see. However, I'll summarise:

Freakier Friday - haven't seen the original, this wasn't as bad as I feared, but still not for me. 4/10

Materialists - Romantic drama with some comedy elements. Not dreadful, but again not for me. 4/10

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale - I've not seen any of the TV shows or either of the previous films as the girlfiend usually takes her mother. It felt like a TV episode, absolutely no idea who anyone was. Again not for me. 4/10

Now we start to get somewhere more interesting

The Roses

Romantic, revenge, comedy starring Olivier Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate McKinnon, Andy Samberg.

Theo (Cumberbatch) is a renowned architect, while Ivy (Colman) is an aspiring chef specialising in deserts. They meet in the kitchen of a restaurant where they immediately fall in love. Some years later having relocated to the California coast (actually the Devon Coast was the filming location I;m guessing it was cheaper to fly the Americans actors over), tensions start to emerge in their marriage when Theos latest building project collapses iduring a storm because of a design flaw and Ivy becomes the main bread winner when her restaurant suddenly takes off.

It's quite a funny film, if a little over the top in places. 7/10

----------

I Swear

Tells the true story of John Davidson who develops Tourette's syndrome at school. Starring Robert Aramayo, Peter Mullen, Shirley Henderson, Maxine Peak and Scott Ellis Watson.

When John (Watson and later Aramayo) first develops the condition which means he twitches, strikes out and swears uncontrollably he basically becomes an outcast as no one seems to know how to help him. His mother (Henderson) does her best but is clearly out of her depth. But his life is turned around when a friends mother (Peak) takes him in and tries to sort his life out.

Such a good film, it's a dark comedy and drama which doesn't shy away from the difficulties he experienced growing up and into adulthood. 9/10