the truth can get you twenty years!

Average rating: 6.6

Phantom Lady (1944) - "Scott Henderson's (Alan Curtis) innocuous evening with a strange woman becomes crucial when he is later accused of murdering his wife on the same evening. When Scott's story is disbelieved and a trial fails to bring forth the phantom lady, Scott's devoted girl Friday, secretary Carol Richman (Ella Raines), begins her own investigation with the aid of police inspector Burgess (Thomas Gomez). A high point is Carol's unexpected kinky moment with an obsessed jazz drummer (Elisha Cook, Jr.)." 

length: 1h, 27m  |  source: Amazon Prime (rent)  |  directed by Robert Siodmak  |  why I watched: I was in the mood for smart noir

IMDb: 7.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 90% / 72% Audience  |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: unsettling, noir shadows

notable quote: "Have you ever seen a chipmunk in a cage, running round and round on a wheel? That's me. I think I'll get good and drunk."

my notes: this one's just begging for spoilers, but I'll be good. (Except to say that the 'unexpectedly kinky moment'—referenced in the synopsis above—is one way of interpreting it, but discerning viewers might see that in less salacious terms.)

    Ella Raines is quite good as the plucky Carol, who goes out of her way to figure out this convoluted situation. Most of the men are offensive or just borderline useless. Thomas Gomez, as Inspector Burgess, was the exception (and my favorite).  

themes: justice, chaos v. order

overall: mildly recommended (but don't buy it)

  

Little Forest {Liteul poleseuteu} (2018) - "After failing an exam, Hae-won leaves the city and returns to her family home in a farming village. Her single mother had abruptly left one day without letting her know why beforehand and where she had gone to, leaving behind a letter that she refused to read. Although she intended to stay a short time, she begins to settle into her surroundings, making use of her home's bountiful land, helping her aunt work her farm, and creating delicious meals with the recipes she learned from her mother. She reunites with her two childhood friends and their bonds are renewed. What was at first to be a short stay becomes a year, with the passing of the seasons and harvesting of the land. Her mother had once described their home and land as a 'Little Forest' and she begins to comprehend why. Hae-won finally reads her mother's letter and understands the reason she had left." 

length: 1h, 43m  |  source: streamed - TubiTV  |  directed by Soon-rye Yim  |  why I watched: recommended as a film somewhat like This is Not What I Expected, which I adored

IMDb: 7.3/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: N/A% / 84% Audience  |  my IMDb: 9/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: warm, soft & naturalistic

notable quote: "Warm, living things are comforting."

my notes: this is a great movie. Brilliantly filmed and paced. Gentle and revolutionary at once. Kim Tae-ri (Hae-won) is phenomenal, as is Ryu Jun-yeol (Jae-ha). It blew me away. How can silence say so much?

themes: transformation, identity

overall: strongly recommended

The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950) - "Wealthy Lois Frazer, divorcing her fortune-hunter husband, finds he's bought a gun. Suspecting he plans to kill her, she calls in her lover: homicide detective Lt. Ed Cullen. When Ed arrives, the gun gets used...and because of his relationship with Lois, Ed is compelled to compound a felony. The good news: Ed himself is assigned to the case. The bad news: Ed's hotshot younger brother Andy, a newly-minted detective, is also on the case...and anxious to prove himself." 

length: 1h, 21m  |  source: Amazon Prime |  directed by Felix E Feist  |  why I watched: I like Lee J Cobb, and was interested to see him as a romantic lead

IMDb: 6.8/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 100% / 53% Audience  |  my IMDb: 5/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: gritty, monochrome/muted

notable quote: "'This is my first time out. How am I doin'?'

    'All right, kid. Do any better, and I'll be out of a job.'"

my notes: a fascinating idea, not quite fully formed. Cobb is excellent as detective Cullen, though less so as the lovesick swain. That's because Jane Wyatt ("femme fatale" Lois) is a mousey, shrill, unappealing brat. The idea that anyone would do the stuff Cullen would do for her... unbelievable.  

    It's weird, but if the first third of the movie were removed, it would be fully entertaining. 

themes: sacrifice, justice

overall: mildly recommended

Henry VII: The Winter King (2013) - "Author Thomas Penn takes an extraordinary journey into the dark and chilling world of the first Tudor King, Henry VII. From his victory over Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth, to his secret death and the succession of his son Henry VIII, the film reveals the ruthless tactics Henry VII, and how he used them to win and hold onto the ultimate prize, the Royal Throne of England." 

length: 59m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Giulia Clark, Stuard Elliott  |  why I watched: I'd seen it before, but did not review

IMDb: 7.1/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA   |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: somber, documentary/real

my notes: I ought to know better than to try popular history.

themes: power

overall: mildly recommended

 

Woman on the Run (1950) - "After witnessing a murder, Frank Johnson goes on the run to avoid being killed himself. His wife, Eleanor (Ann Sheridan), seems almost apathetic about finding him when questioned by Investigator Harris (Robert Keith), due to a marriage on the rocks. However, after learning that Frank has a grave heart condition, Eleanor recruits reporter Dan Leggett (Dennis O'Keefe) to help track down Frank. Discovering new love for her husband along the way, Eleanor must get to Frank before the killer does." 

length: 1h, 17m  |  source: Amazon Prime  |  directed by Norman Foster  |  why I watched: it was recommended as a thinking noir with a strong female lead

IMDb: 7.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 88% / 77% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: Approved

tone & texture: unsettling, noir shadows

notable quote: "'I don't like this place.'

    'It's a good spot. I used to come here with my girl when I was a kid. It's more frightening than romantic. It's the way love is when you're young... life is when you're older.'"

my notes: interesting premise, well played out. Ann Sheridan is very good as the hard-shelled Eleanor. She does the difficult work in a way that seems real, and like she's undergoing understandable growth. 

themes: forgiveness, justice

overall:  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Woman on the Run]