Foolish Wives (1922) [Blu-Ray/DVD]

Posted on July 2, 2023 by Phil Hall

Billed as the “first million-dollar movie” when it was released in 1922, Erich von Stroheim’s “Foolish Wives” is a film whose reputation is greater than its contents.

Stroheim stars as a grifter who pretends to be a Russian count – a pair of his ex-lovers masquerade as his cousins, also putting on the fraudulent personas of being aristocrats of the tsarist orbit. They live a precarious existence in Monte Carlo, paying their mounting bills with counterfeit money while staking out rich suckers for extortion. The “count” finds his latest mark in the young and naïve wife of a newly-arrived American diplomat – but he overplays his hand when he juggles his chicanery with lascivious recklessness involving the affections of a chambermaid and the mentally retarded teenage daughter of his counterfeit money provider.

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Tales from the Apocalypse (2023)

Posted on July 2, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

I’m shocked at how great “Tales from the Apocalypse” was, and I say that as someone that loves a good apocalyptic yarn here and there. While I wouldn’t be quick to compare it to “Trick r Treat” as the premise has explained, it manages to stand on its own two feet as great anthology filled with five great science fiction shorts obvious influenced by the likes of Ray Bradbury, Rod Serling, and Richard Matheson. I’m also glad a lot of the shorts picked for this film aren’t the usual tired tropes, but aim for something so much more meaningful and thought provoking.

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

Posted on June 30, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

“The Dial of Destiny” is significant not only in that it’s a movie primarily about time, but about wanting to go back in time and fix mistakes. The Indiana Jones we see here is not the Indiana Jones we saw in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” or even “The Last Crusade.” He’s older, he’s war torn, and he’s grappling with so much regret that he’s lost his passion for adventuring. When we see Indiana Jones he’s a man who has lived two full lives and he’s thrust back in to what is arguably his final adventure and it’s bittersweet.

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Open Secret (1948)

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Cinema Crazed

Newlyweds Paul (John Ireland) and Nancy (Jane Randolph) Lester are on their honeymoon when they decide to stop by to see Paul’s army buddy, Ed Stevens. The problem is when they arrive at his apartment, Ed is missing. His mail has been taken and someone has broken into the apartment looking for something. Something important.

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You Hurt My Feelings (2023)

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

Director and writer Nicole Holofcener’s film is usually something I turn my nose up at if only because I’m not a fan of affluent people complaining about their lives for ninety minutes. However, I really did respond to “You Hurt My Feelings” mainly because despite the setting, Holofcener reaches down deep to tell a movie not just about the struggles with impostor syndrome in writers, but also about the concept of confrontations and the sense of grief and pain that follows when we’re subject to an uneasy truth or revelation.

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Asteroid City (2023)

Posted on June 27, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

I confess that I’m just not a Wes Anderson fan. I’ve tried very hard to be over the years, but so many of his movies have left me cold, indifferent, and just downright bored. With “Asteroid City” it feels like Wes Anderson is appealing to his hardcore fans more than trying to create something that’s accessible to new fans. With his sense of framing and shooting scenes that feel like bad A.I. jpegs, and his multi-layered, somewhat confusing narrative, “Asteroid City” will score with folks that loved the likes of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” or “The Aquatic Life.” As for me, I entered it hopeful and left generally indifferent by the whole affair. Not even the obscenely talented ensemble cast could win me over, I’m disappointed to admit.

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No Hard Feelings (2023)

Posted on June 25, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

It’s been a minute since we’ve had a good raunchy adult comedy in the theaters. In the early aughts, the raunchy sex comedies were everywhere and they’ve since been slowly dying out. “No Hard Feelings” is a refreshing return to the good old days where comedies weren’t afraid to be risqué and offensive. And it happens to be led by none other than Jennifer Lawrence of all people. Lawrence, who is mostly known for her dramatic performances, leads the charge in what is basically a vehicle for her. While most actresses would opt for a drama or romance, Lawrence dips her toes in the National Lampoons arena with a movie that feels ripped straight out of 1987. And whether you like her or not, Jennifer Lawrence goes all in on the raunchy sex comedy.

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