Movies
An old thriller that could be cataloged as either horror or noir, depending on how you're willing to shift the boundaries of genres throughout the years. Either way, it's a rather tepid affair that failed to get me fully engaged, though there is some inspired black-and-white cinematography. The setting is appropriate and thanks to the clever use of black-and-white some scenes manage to build up tension, but many endless conversations immediately tear it down again. The plot is weak, the horror elements are unimpressive and the somewhat cheesy finale left me wanting. Not great, but if you consider this a noir, it's not even all that bad.Read all
A narrative film with amateur actors, set up as a passion project of the 5 directors involved. The story behind it is probably a bit more interesting than the final result, but it's not all bad and the more natural feel (some call it a semi-documentary, but that's stretching it a bit) is indeed quite novel for its time. Talk about a film that is still relevant in this day and age. The thing is that not all that much happens, and while the acting is quite natural for its time, it's hardly realistic. It's a short film though and the pacing is pretty decent, the light tone certainly helps too. Not a great film, but like most German films of their time, better than many of the alternatives.Read all
One of the endless number of noirs that was made in the 40s. The more I watch, the more boring they get. Criss Cross doesn't stand out in any way, which is perfectly fine when you're a genre aficionado, personally I'm a bit surprised these very basic genre films have such a dedicated following. Like most of these films, the plot sounds interesting enough, but the film is basically a lot (and I mean a lot) of talking, with maybe a short, crummy action scene at the beginning or end (the latter applies here). The performances are bland, the pacing is slow, crime elements dull and badly developed. Not a fan.Read all
Disappointing. The Killers started off very promising. Heavily contrasting black & white cinematography, a solid pace, a simple but intriguing premise. Everything was present to turn this into an entertaining film, except the will to keep it going. After the introduction, it gets duller by the minute. Two killers for hire murder a gas station clerk. An insurance claims specialist is interested in the case and starts an investigation. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that the clerk is an ex-boxer whose glory has faded over the years. The deeper they dig, the more it looks like there's a hidden angle to the murder. The intro is moody, the rest of the film is just people talking and narratives unfolding. Endless conversations between rather bland characters that reveal the true nature of the murder, which isn't interesting in the least. It's a shame to see the potential go to waste, looking at the first 10 minutes this could've been a decent classic.Read all
Back when one simple plot twist was enough to warrant an entire movie. Phantom Lady is one of those dialogue-heavy noirs, a film that has a pretty decent mystery setup but does very little with it. Instead, you get endless conversations between people who have cardboard personalities. Much of the film feels like watching a play adapted to the screen. People talk in barren rooms and try to solve a riddle that hinges on a rather tepid finale. Though the poster promises one of the most talked-about mysteries in a decade, I assume it's much like the scariest-ever horror promos nowadays. Much ado about nothing.Read all