#123. Odd Man Out (1947)

 

 

Carol Reed sure knew how to stylize these kinds of movies, didn't he? Much like The Third Man, Odd Man Out is heavy on dark tones, tactile settings, and political anxieties, with a lot of shadowy figures in trench-coats running down backlit alleys (maybe my single favourite noir trope). So, at least texturally, this one's for me.

 

Structurally, I'm not so sure. I mean, I like that the movie spends the first half-hour presenting itself as a straightforward heist thriller only to shuffle around to different perspectives and genres as it goes along, but I think my problem is that I'm not always interested in these new perspectives. For every one that works, there's probably two that feel like unnecessary padding. And it doesn't help that the pacing slows down considerably once the crime stuff is out of the way.

 

Still, I guess it all comes together pretty well, both because it turns this character's incapacitated state into something of a journey and because this journey slowly paints a distinct portrait of the entire community. And, again, even when I wasn't super invested in the story, I was always captivated by the vivid moods and compositions.

 

Plus, it's nice to see a little blood in something this old. Gives the movie an added edge. 

 

Grade: B+

 

#122. Fat City (1972)

 

 

Gotta give John Huston some credit: he knew how to keep up with the times. This movie is so aggressively '70s that you can practically smell the cigarettes and body odor.

 

Fat City is essentially the un-Rocky. It's bleak, it's unsentimental, and it never once makes you want to stand up and cheer (unless you're a big fan of alcoholism). Doesn't make for an especially lively or likeable movie, but it reeks of legitimacy. Every frame feels incredibly authentic and lived-in, and you really get the sense that these people are going to be stuck in their shitty situations forever, regardless of what they do.

 

I just wish the whole thing was a bit more focused. Despite the realism, it's all kinda soft and episodic for my liking, to the point where the material doesn't quite leave the impact that it probably should. As a domestic drama, I don't find any of these dynamics interesting or developed enough to care about (and it doesn't help that I think most of the characters are either bland or annoying), and, as a boxing movie, the bouts are almost laughably unconvincing. So a good chunk of it falls a bit flat for me.

 

Still, I can see why many people consider this to be among Huston's best work. The tone's unique, the point of view is distinct, and Stacy Keach gives a great performance. It's just too bad that there's a vaguely aimless vibe to the presentation that makes it difficult for me to latch onto anything.

 

Grade: B-

 

#121. Pale Rider (1985)

 

 

Here's how I know I'm getting older: I'm starting to love these formulaic westerns.

 

By the '80s, Pale Rider wouldn't have been anything new. It's basically just Clint Eastwood's take on Shane, with some spaghetti style and grounded realism sprinkled in. And yet, because the movie's about a quiet and mysterious (and possibly supernatural?) outsider who comes to town to save some poor villagers and take on a handful of evil capitalists, I was naturally riveted. Even with the slow burn storytelling and lack of action, the compelling drama and foreboding atmosphere was enough to keep me invested.

 

It also helps that Eastwood's direction is as rock-solid as it is. The storytelling is extremely fluid (to the point where even the cornier subplots work for me), the many landscape shots are breathtaking, and the score is so tense that it sounds like something out of a horror movie. Plus, the climax is absolutely worth the wait, with its wonderful suspense, brilliant use of blocking and staging, and well-earned action.

 

I feel like this one's long been overshadowed by Unforgiven, but it really wouldn't surprise me if, a few years and a handful of rewatches down the line, I consider them to be equals - or perhaps even give it the edge.

 

Grade: A

 

#120. Office Christmas Party (2016)

 

 

About time I started getting into the Christmas spirit, right?

 

Look, every criticism that's been thrown at this movie is completely warranted. The jokes are mostly cliches, the improv is tired and tedious, the physical comedy is marred by obvious CGI, and the resolution is dumb as hell. We're not exactly dealing with a masterpiece here. But you know what? I was in the mood for a silly little holiday comedy, and a silly little holiday comedy is exactly what I got.

 

Sure, that's maybe not the most bulletproof defense in the world, but I'm gonna stand by it. I tend to like these dark, deadpan Jason Bateman vehicles (Game Night might be my favourite comedy of the 2010s), and this one comes with added doses of lunacy and heartwarming sentimentality, not to mention some hamminess from the supporting cast. Your mileage may vary when it comes to deciding whether these qualities are infectious or irritating, but I enjoyed the unrestrained energy and goofiness, and thought it made for both a fun and cozy watch. It also made me laugh quite a bit.

 

Like a lot of "bad" Christmas comedies (Jingle All the Way and How the Grinch Stole Christmas come to mind), I think people will slowly come around to this one with each passing December.

 

Grade: B+

 

#119. The Whip and the Body (1963)

 

 

A.K.A. What! (its ridiculous United States release title) and Night is the Phantom (its much more understandable United Kingdom release title). 

 

It's hard to care about a movie's flaws when the aesthetics are this good.

 

Not only is The Whip and the Body a stylistic masterwork, complete with sumptuous sets, gorgeous lighting, vivid colours, a lush score (even if that main theme is probably repeated once too often), and some thick, heavy atmosphere, but it's also a mix of some of my favourite horror subgenres. The movie's a ghost story, a whodunit, and a gothic romance rolled into one.

 

I mean, when all those ingredients are on the table, on top of a fun Christopher Lee performance (though I think Daliah Lavi is the real standout here), I can forgive some awkward emoting and an occasionally meandering pace. Hell, even the ending is exactly what I was anticipating it to be, but I think the whole thing plays out with such hypnotic visual mystery, and utilizes such a fiery blend of strong emotions (which hits especially hard in this Italian soap opera setting), that I simply got lost in how beautiful and powerful and striking it all is.

 

Black Sunday and Blood and Black Lace may not've grabbed me much on a first viewing (we'll see how the rewatches go), but this one certainly did. You're back in my good graces, Bava.

 

Grade: A

 

#118. Gods and Monsters (1998)

 

 

When you're watching a movie about the dramatic final days of James Whale, director of horror classics like Frankenstein and The Invisible Man, you expect a lot in the way of stylistic embellishment. But while there are a few touches here and there (my favourite being Brendan Fraser's Creature-esque silhouette), it's really more of a personal story about three individuals who are in serious need of companionship. 

 

That's not only a relatable and compelling premise, but one that allows for a triple character study, which is wonderfully brought to life by Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, and, of course, Ian McKellen. Sure, the tone and conflict can get a little campy and overwrought at times, but these choices are pretty appropriate given the people involved, and they never get in the way of the relationships or their developments.

 

Even the BBC presentation (which admittedly makes the movie look like a British TV series) started working for me after a while. Gives the drama that much more tenderness and legitimacy.

 

Grade: A-

 

P.S. Another thing this movie does quite well is resemblance-based casting. Young Jimmy looks just like McKellen, the guy playing Ernest Thesiger (the crazy doctor from Bride of Frankenstein) is a dead ringer, and you could easily convince me that they really got Liz Taylor to cameo as herself in that party scene.

 

#117. Thank You for Smoking (2005)

 

 

Prior Viewings: 1

 

It's always neat when a movie can gradually get you on the side of a character that you'd obviously detest in real life. Nick Naylor is a smarmy and unlikeable prick who goes to kids' classrooms and promotes smoking. I don't think he performs a single kind act throughout the entire runtime. And yet I still find myself rooting for him.

 

Part of that's obviously due to Aaron Eckhart, who can always be counted on to provide some charisma. But I think it also has a lot to do with the wittiness of the script and the snappiness of the movie's overall presentation. When the two converge, and they pit the character against other, more hypocritical corporations, it causes his lack of scruples to feel disarming and even a little aspirational. And it's in these moments that you realize how much you want to see this guy take them down.

 

My only major problem is that, between the short runtime, the largely underutilized supporting cast, and the consistently sarcastic tone, the whole thing feels a little thin and surface-level to me. But I guess that's acceptable when the satire's this sharp, funny, and convincing.

 

Grade: B+