pscamp01 Reviews

The Elephant 6 Recording Co. (2022)

An above average music documentary

[7/10 · 23 July 2023]

I went into this movie with a little trepidation. I was not that familiar with the collective and while I enjoy music documentaries to some extent, it is hard to get excited about them. They tend to be the same: lots of concert footage, clips of videos, shots of band members workshopping or relaxing at home, and lots of celebrity talking heads going on about how the music changed their lives. And yes, this movie does have all of that (but fortunately, only two celebrities: Elijah Wood and David Cross) but there is so much more here: lots of old footage from videos and other projects, and genuinely witty and charming interviewees. Plus, the story itself is fascinating: A few high school friends in a small town in Louisiana end up forming multiple bands that end up collaborating with each other, and while maybe not changing the face of rock as the movie claims, but definitely making its mark on the music scene, as well as producing the most celebrated alternative rock album of the 90s. Overall, it's an excellent paean to collaboration and the creative spirit. Plus, there is a ton of great music in it. Here's hoping there's a soundtrack album coming out soon.

Deadloch (2023– )

A review of the entire season

[9/10 · 15 July 2023]

Most of the reviews I have seen here seem to have been done after the reviewer had watched a few episodes. Since I have watched the entire series (or is it only the first season?), I thought I would offer my perspective. First off, I found two of the characters in the first episode so annoying that I almost stopped watching there. In fact, that is exactly what two of my friends did. But I saw enough in the first episode to keep going, and I am glad I did. Eddie, the detective played by Madeleine Sami, came on too strong at first, but she calmed down after the first episode, and by the fourth episode I was finding her hilarious. She's definitely the best thing about the series. (Unfortunately, I never did warm up to the other character. Sorry Cath!) Kate Box plays the other lead character, and while it is a much less flashier role, she delivers a performance that is every bit as good. All of the other characters are quirky without being annoying and the mystery part of the story works really well. And I have to give a shout out to the show for nailing the last episode. Endings are really hard to do, and I am often disappointed in them, but the ending here is perfect. Anyone looking for just a comedy or just a mystery may be disappointed, but anyone looking for a combination of the two should be delighted. They just have to make it past the first episode.

Zabitá nedele (1990)

Lost in a fog of memory and fantasy

[6/10 · 18 March 2023]

Not too much plot here: just a day in the life of a Czechoslovakian artillery soldier, who is suffering either from depression or post traumatic stress disorder. Or both. And it's not much of a day either, as he struggles to get out of his apartment and then wanders aimlessly through his town, while either sifting through his memories or indulging in fantasies. Visually, the movie is very striking., with lots of interesting shots and almost Eisenstein like editing. But overall, the movie is a slog to get through. Something is clearly bothering the lead character (there are lots of references to death throughout), but he is so unpleasant that it is hard to care. Worth seeing visually, as long as you don't care too much what is happening.

Nattrikken (2020)

A sweet story of ingenuity and courage

[7/10 · 1 February 2023]

This was a very short movie, so it's going to be hard to com up with 600 words, but here goes: This movie looks like it's going to be a light hearted comedy but it takes a dark turn. A woman waiting for tram to start its route sneaks onto it to keep warm, and in the process accidentally starts it. Things get even more complicated when she inadvertently picks up some passengers. To relate any further events would risk spoiling things, but the movie is ultimately about what one can do in the face of evil when one feels powerless to stop it. The movie packs a lot of events and emotions in its short running time and is worth watching.

Die Sendung der Lysistrata (1961 TV Movie)

An interesting marraige of Ancient Greece and the Cold War

[6/10 · 4 December 2022]

A group of people gather in an apartment to watch a filmed production of Lysistrata on a television in early 1960s West Germany. The movie alternates between what the people are seeing and how they react to it (and each other). Hovering over them is the threat of nuclear annihilation as tensions between Russia and the United States are at a fever pitch.

An interesting time capsule of a movie that, just like the play its based on, still holds some relevance. It is interesting to see the characters' reactions to things we wouldn't think twice about today. One actress worries that her husband will find the play risque. Many of them are scandalized both by the sexual mores of the play and its anti-war message.

I personally found the contemporary parts of the movie more interesting than the play. Because it was a television production, the sets for the play were barebones to the point of distraction, and while the message of Lysistrata is still relevant, the play itself is a bit of a bore. However, Romy Schneider is absolutely delightful both as the character in the play and as the nervous actress. And I had never seen Barbara Rutting before, but she did an excellent job as the lead actress.

The way of Mizoguchi (2022)

A terrible idea, poorly executed

[1/10 · 15 November 2022]

I am almost at a loss for words over this horrible mess of a movie. I simply cannot imagine why whoever put this together thought it was a good idea. It is, simply put, Mizoguchi's Osaka Elegy presented as a silent movie, with a bit of Oyuki the Virgin thrown in at the end for good measure. Since Osaka Elegy was originally a sound movie, there are no intertitles. Instead, we get a soundtrack of someone reading (poorly) an English translation of Matsuo Basho's The Narrow Road to the Interior. The juxtaposition is supposed to reveal some parallel between Mizoguchi's life and Basho's journey, but if there is such a parallel, there had to be a better way of presenting it. Both the original movie and the work by Basho are masterpieces, but by presenting both together, it is impossible to concentrate on one or the other. And, to add insult to injury, the movie is constantly interrupted by intertitles announcing breaks in Basho's work. The result is nothing less than the desecration of two works at once and should be avoided at all costs, especially since Osaka Elegy is so readily available.

Gayby (2010)

A charming non-rom-com

[8/10 · 9 November 2022]

A very nice character study about a lonely woman who decides she wants a baby and asks her ex-best, and gay, friend to father the child. A comedy of sorts, but not one of those comedies that are filled with belly laughs. The laughs come from the quietly witty dialog and are helped by the immensely likable performance by the two leads. ("Leads" may be a little misleading as there are only the two actors in the film.) Short, sweet, and straight to the point, it is everything a short movie should be. I have heard that there is a feature film adaptation of this film, but I can' t imagine how it will improve on the original. Sometimes shorter is better.

Tour De France 1953 (1953)

Frantically paced account of race

[6/10 · 24 April 2022]

The title of this movie pretty says it all: it is a documentary of the 1953 Tour de France. Seemingly shot from cars that accompanied the cyclists, there are many great shots of the racers, both in close up and at long distance. Cycling enthusiasts should enjoy the movie and anyone interested in seeing France in the post war years should as well. Two slight caveats: The movie is Dutch, so there is a slight bias toward the Dutch team, but many other cyclists are followed as well. The commentary is well written and informative, but rather breathlessly delivered. Which brings me to the other problem with the movie: the narration is so fast that any non-Dutch speaker will have a hard time reading the subtitles and watching the action. There were many times I gave up following what was going on and just enjoyed the visuals.

Run This City (2020– )

Superficial, but entertaining, look at a politician

[6/10 · 5 September 2021]

Run This City is a profile of Jasiel Correia II, who was mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts from 2016 to 2020. The movie consists primarily of interviews with him, which are supplemented by interviews with various political opponents, supporters and family members. The series (movie?) starts in the middle of the story with Correia waiting for the results of a recall election and then goes back in time to present how he ended up in this situation.

Correia is a charismatic person and it is easy to see how he was able to become the mayor of Fall River even though he was only 23 years old. The series could have been benefited from going a little further in depth. For a movie about politics, there is surprisingly little actual politics in it. Correia brags about all of his accomplishments, but it would have been nice to learn more about them, especially from the perspective of other people. There are also some shocking allegations made against Correia and it would have been nice to learn more about their truthfulness, although doing that probably would have pushed the completion of this series back a couple years. Still, it is an enjoyable series, even if it did leave me wanting more.

Finally, I have to say a word about the format. It seems pretty clear to me that this was filmed to be a documentary movie and was edited to fit the Quibi format of several small episodes. While I guess it is easier to watch it in installments spread over a few days, I ended up binging it, which meant that there was some repetition and lots of commercials. Re-editing and re-releasing it as a documentary feature would vastly improve the viewing experience.

Mama, ich lebe (1977)

Traitors or Heroes?

[6/10 · 3 June 2021]

Mama, I'm Alive is the story of four German POWs who are talked into joining the Russian Army during World War II. Most of the movie is made up of them being prepared for some vaguely defined mission, coupled with flashbacks of their experiences as soldiers and prisoners. The story was interesting although frustratingly vague at times. The movie never fully explains why the four characters made their choice or what exactly it is that they are expected to do. But the acting is solid and the moral dilemma caused by their switching sides is presented well.

The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps (2019)

A documentary about a rare second act in rock and roll.

[6/10 · 10 May 2021]

This documentary is about a beloved cult band from New Zealand. While The Chills are called a band, they are pretty much just Martin Phillipps, who is the lead singer/songwriter and the sole constant member in something like 23 iterations of the band. The Chills were on the cusp of international success during the 1980s, but when they failed to break through, Phillipps descended into alcoholism and drug addiction. So far, pretty much a standard rock and roll story. But the movie follows Phillips as he cleans himself up and releases a couple albums that are a return to form. It's an uplifting story with some great archival footage of the band in its prime. However, the movie seems a little long as there is way too much footage of Phillips puttering around his house and talking to the camera. Still, fans will eat it up, while others probably will not enjoy it nearly as much.

flüstern & SCHREIEN (1988)

A moderately interesting look at the rock scene in 80s East Germany

[6/10 · 6 January 2021]

Whisper & SHOUT is an East Germany documentary made shortly before the fall of the Wall about that country's rock scene. A number of bands are followed as they rehearse, perform and travel from gig to gig. Both musicians and fans are interviewed about music and their lives. The fans complain about how boring their lives are and how live music is the one few exciting things they have to look forward. More serious complaints (such as about censorship and police harassment) are more obliquely referred to. It's an interesting but not riveting, time capsule look at a world few Americans know about, although contemporaries of the music and the GDR will probably find it much more enjoyable.

Der nackte Mann auf dem Sportplatz (1974)

What is the role of an artist in a contemporary society?

[8/10 · 3 November 2020]

The Naked Man in the Stadium is a light drama about a talented sculptor whose work seems to be out of sync with people around him. There is not much plot, although the movie is loosely centered around the artist's effort to create a statute of an athlete for a small town soccer club. The film is made up entirely of short scenes told in a deliberately flat style. You follow the artist around as he works and deals with family, friends, patrons, models and members of the public who seem bewildered by his work. He spends a lot of time talking to people about how they feel about his work and art in general. A lot of people might find this dull but my interest never waned. The movie is helped quite a bit by Kurt Bowe's charismatic performance and the glimpses of East German life during the early 1970s. An interesting meditation on art and a time capsule look at East Germany.

Madam White Snake (1960)

An OK adaptation of the Chinese folk tale

[6/10 · 14 October 2020]

The plot description of this movie on IMDB (currently) gives the plot description of the Chinese folk tale, but the movie made so many changes to the plot that this description is completely inaccurate, while at the same time being something of a spoiler. The plot of this movie is about a young handsome pharmacist is surprised when a beautiful and rich widow declares her love for him. It seems like a stroke of good fortune but he is soon placed in a series of increasingly dangerous circumstances. This folk tale has apparently been adapted into a movie something like 12 million times. I have never seen any of the other movies, but I strongly suspect that this is not the best one. It seems rather low budget and many of the actors are either over acting or fail to make any kind of an impression at all. But the story is lively enough and the actresses playing the "widow" and her maid give lively performances.

The Unknown Singer (1931)

Who Is The Unknown Singer?

[6/10 · 21 August 2020]

Actually, the answer is no great mystery, but I won't spoil it. A French traveling salesman discovers a French singer in Russia who is a natural talent. Unfortunately, the singer has amnesia and has no idea who he is. The salesman puts a mask on the guy, bills him as The Unknown Singer and he becomes a hit all over Europe. But will his identity remain a secret when he performs in Paris? The plot is wafer thin but enjoyable for what it is. As would be expected by the title, there is a lot of music, so if you're a fan of 30s French music, this should be right up your alley. The singer was played by Lucien Muratore, who was a famous French opera singer at the time. His voice is fine but he is kind of a stiff in the movie as is the actress who plays his love interest. The movie is enlivened, however, by the presence of Jim Gerald, who plays the singer's manager and a young Simone Simon (of Cat People fame) who plays the reporter assigned to find out the singer's identity. Co-written by Henri-Georges Clouzot, but this is a far cry from his later masterpieces.

Yahaeng (1977)

Stylish direction of a so-so movie

[5/10 · 20 August 2020]

Night Journey is the story of a South Korean woman trapped in an unsatisfactory affair. Given a vacation from work, she spends her time visiting her home town and wandering the streets of Seoul. It is an interesting look at the status of women in 70's South Korea. She is a woman with sexual desires in a society of men who are incapable of satisfying her needs or even imagining what they are. A worthy subject that the movie isn't quite capable of honoring. It is tonally all over the place. It starts out almost like a suspense film and then veers from drama to comedy to soft core porn. Odd stylistic flourishes are thrown in randomly at times without much obvious purpose. The whole thing is frustrating because there are some good moments, but not enough of them to make a particularly good movie.

The Melbourne Rendez-vous (1957)

Celebration of both the Olympics and Australia

[7/10 · 17 June 2020]

A nice example of the Olympics documentary before the Bud Greenspan template locked its hold on them. Very nice looking color cinematography with occasional close ups of the athletes. As usual, not every event is covered. The track and field events get the majority of the attention, while swimming and many others are completely ignored. The marathon, with Alain Mimoun's historic, win gets extended coverage with a jazzy score. Much of the film is spent on the mechanics of running the games and also about Australia itself. People who are only interested in the games might grumble about this, but for me it just added to the film's charms. Some demerits though for the casual sexism, though. The narrators seem more interested in the female athlete's appearances than their accomplishments--a common problem in early Olympic documentaries.

Two Half-Times in Hell (1961)

War time drama that inspired many remakes

[7/10 · 16 June 2020]

This movie is also known in English as The Last Goal, which is a much more accurate title, as I suspect the person who came up with Two Half-Times In Hell didn't understand the game of football (or soccer, as we Americans call it.) The plot is relatively straight forward. A German officer who is stationed in the Ukraine during World War II finds out that there is a famous football player in a work crew of Hungarian political prisoners. Lured by his love of the game and by promises of extra rations and reduced work, the prisoner agrees to play in an exhibition game against German soldiers. But first he has to find 10 other prisoners who are strong and talented enough to make up the rest of the team. And that is just the start of his problems...The result is an effectively told tale with many strong characters and occasional bits of humor and communist propaganda thrown in. The movie drags a little bit here and there but the football match is pretty suspenseful and makes the wait worthwhile.

Bud Greenspan's Athens 2004: Stories of Olympic Glory (2005 TV Movie)

Bud Greenspan applies his formula to the Athens games

[7/10 · 29 January 2020]

Bud Greenspan directed many of the Olympics documentaries and people either like his approach to the subject or they don't. I enjoy his movies but people who enjoy a more idiosyncratic touch may want to stay away. Rather than try to cover the entire event, Greenspan (or at least in the movies of his that I have seen) just covers a handful of events, focusing on one or two of the athletes and giving their backstories. In this movie, he focuses on the following athletes and events: Sada Jacobson and Mariel Zagunis (women's fencing), Pyrros Dimas (weight lifting), Otylia Jedrzejczak (swimming), Hicham El Guerrouj (track) Lisa Fernandez (women's softball) and Australian sisters Kerrie and Anna Meares (time trial bike track racing.) Some other events are covered briefly as are the opening ceremonies.

At zije neboztík (1935)

Slight comedy from the early years of Czech cinema

[6/10 · 25 January 2020]

Long Live With Dearly Departed is a Czech comedy directed and co-written by Martin Fric. (I'm not sure why it has such a horribly translated title--I saw the movie referred to once somewhere as Long Live the Dead, which is much better.) The plot concerns a young playboy who lives only to drink, gamble and spend his uncle's money. His life gets complicated when a hospital mistakenly informs him that he only has 24 hours to live. It is the type of plot that can make for a good screwball comedy and this movie seems to be aiming in that general direction. But the pacing is too slow and while there are some amusing moments, the antics never reach the level of hilarity. The movie is mainly a vehicle for star Hugo Haas, which isn't surprising since he co-wrote it. Most of the other characters are there to serve as props or plot developments, with the exception of the actor who plays Baltazar, the manservant, who gets some nice comic moments of his own

The Everlasting Flame (2009)

Solid Olympics Documentary

[7/10 · 22 January 2020]

The Everlasting Flame is the official documentary of the 2008 Summer Olympics, which were held in Beijing. The movie takes two approaches towards documenting the games. The first is to highlight a handful of athletes: Thomasz Wylenzek (Germany, canoeing), Kyle Bennett (USA, BMX racing), Haile Gebreselassie (Ethiopia, 10K race), Usain Bolt & Asafa Powell (Jamaica, track) and Hadi Saei & Sara Khosjamal Fekri (Iran, Taekwondo). These athletes are shown training at home and special attention is paid to their events. The women's gymnastics events are also given detailed treatment. All of the rest of the events are covered in snippets and montages, which is a shame, but given the number of events, understandable. The opening ceremonies, directed by Zhang Jimou, are also given an in depth look, although they were so beautiful, I could have watched a whole movie about them.

Late Season (1967)

Tragi-comic look at guilt and memory

[8/10 · 3 January 2020]

Set during the Israeli trials of Adolph Eichmann, Late Season is a story about how ordinary Hungarians became complicit in the Holocaust and its continuing effects on the country a couple decades later. A stylishly experimental film, its tones veer between broad comedy and horror. The story is about a prank played by a group of elderly roustabouts that leads to man's confrontation with his actions during World War II. This seems like an odd subject to laugh about and the comedy does not always work. But the story, once it gets going, is absolutely riveting, and there are moments when it is genuinely funny. Fabri, the director, performs a lot of tricks, some of which work better than others. Various moments are sped up in an attempt to heighten the comedy (was there ever a time when people found sped up action funny? even in the silent era?) and there are a lot of freeze frames and cut shots. The sound direction is more successful. The soundtrack is spare and haunting and there are moments when individual noises are isolated on the track to heighten suspense. Not a perfect movie, but close enough to be essential viewing.

30/30 Vision: 3 Decades of Strand Releasing (2019)

Interesting anthology film

[7/10 · 2 January 2020]

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Strand Releasing asked a number of directors create a short film on their iPhones. The result is a collection of 35 films ranging from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Anthology movies almost as a rule are inconsistent and this one is certainly no exception and the films featured here are hampered by the time limitation. But that limitation is also a boon because if there is any film you don't like, you just have to wait a minute or two for the next one. The styles of these 35 films are all over the place. Most are experimental. Only 2 directors attempted straightforward narratives. Some are essays on the nature of film and some are just directors playing with special effects. Best in show has to go to Tommy O'Haver for his song celebrating gay directors. Worth watching if you have an hour to spare.

Beyond All Barriers (1989)

Like watching two half-time shows

[5/10 · 30 December 2019]

Beyond All Barriers is an Olympics documentary that has virtually no athletics in it. Other than a five minute montage in the middle, this movie just documents the opening and closing ceremonies of the Seoul Olympics in 1988. It looks like the film makers were operating under some restraints as there does not appear to be any cameras on the field, giving most of the action a very remote feel. A very talented director might have found a way around these limitations but that is not the case here. Almost all of the shots are mid to long shots, with almost no close ups to heighten the action. The result is that the viewer feels he is in stands (and very high up at that) rather than getting a front row view. Which is a shame, because the events in the ceremonies look pretty impressive. A missed opportunity.

O Sport, You Are Peace! (1981)

AN OK Olympics documentary, but oh, that music

[6/10 · 29 December 2019]

O Sport, You Are Peace! is a documentary about the 1980 Summer Olympics, which were held in Moscow. This Olympiad was significant for two reasons: it was the fist held behind the Iron Curtain, and as a result of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the games were boycotted by 66 countries (including the United States.) This movie, for the most part, is a pretty standard Olympics documentary. The first half hour is devoted to the set up of the games and the opening ceremony. There is also some cute animation about the history of the Olympics. The coverage of the events has some nice cinematography but seems a little haphazard. A couple events are covered in depth (such as the marathon and women's gymnastics) but most events are rushed through so fast that it is hard to get a sense of who is competing. My biggest objections to the movie though are the narration and the music, both of which are treacly and annoying. But if you can concentrate on just the visuals, this movie is worth watching.