{"id":14067,"date":"2025-02-23T10:19:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T15:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=14067"},"modified":"2025-02-23T10:20:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T15:20:47","slug":"14067","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=14067","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Movie Roundup"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I watched a dozen movies last week:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-3-209x300.jpg\" alt=\"The War of the Gargantuas\" width=\"209\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14055\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-3-209x300.jpg 209w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-3-715x1024.jpg 715w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-3.jpg 754w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 209px) 100vw, 209px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-3-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"She-Wolf of London\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14056\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-3-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-3-677x1024.jpg 677w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-3-768x1162.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-3-1016x1536.jpg 1016w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-3.jpg 1354w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-3-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Omni Loop\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14057\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-3-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-3-684x1024.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-3-768x1149.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-3-1026x1536.jpg 1026w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-3-1368x2048.jpg 1368w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-3-scaled.jpg 1710w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0060440\/\">The War of the Gargantuas<\/a> does exactly what it says on the tin. Its charms are in the bad dubbing, the rubber suit monsters, and the wanton destruction of miniatures.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0038934\/\">She-Wolf of London<\/a> is fairly slight and a little silly, but June Lockhart&#8217;s quite good in it.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt28150132\/\">Omni Loop<\/a> is strange and surprising and more than a little sad, and Mary-Louise Parker is really great in it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4-3-203x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius)\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14058\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4-3-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/4-3.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-3-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"Rock &amp; Rule\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14059\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-3-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-3-675x1024.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-3-768x1164.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-3-1013x1536.jpg 1013w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-3-1351x2048.jpg 1351w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-3-scaled.jpg 1689w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/6-3-203x300.jpg\" alt=\"Crossfire\" width=\"203\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/6-3-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/6-3-694x1024.jpg 694w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/6-3-768x1132.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/6-3-1042x1536.jpg 1042w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/6-3-1389x2048.jpg 1389w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/6-3-scaled.jpg 1736w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt26424928\/\">Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius)<\/a> is maybe more about the second half of that equation more than the first, though it certainly never skirts around the amount that Sly Stone&#8217;s blackness impacted the arc of his own self-destructive behavior and career. The documentary is an interesting look back and some genuinely terrific music.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li>In her review at the time, Janet Maslin reportedly called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0086203\/\">Rock &#038; Rule<\/a> &#8220;dopey and loud,&#8221; which describes the movie very well.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li>I was surprised by how seriously and thoughtfully <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0039286\/\">Crossfire<\/a> tackled bigotry and the violence it inspires, and there are a lot of really good performances throughout.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/7-1-202x300.jpg\" alt=\"More American Graffiti\" width=\"202\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14061\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/7-1-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/7-1.jpg 509w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 202px) 100vw, 202px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/8-1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Stage Door\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14062\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/8-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/8-1.jpg 334w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/9-1-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"Crank\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14063\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/9-1-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/9-1-687x1024.jpg 687w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/9-1-768x1146.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/9-1-1030x1536.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/9-1.jpg 1373w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0079576\/\">More American Graffiti<\/a> is interesting, though it&#8217;s a little difficult to say what its disjointed narrative is really in service of, how these stories connect in any meaningful way to one another, much less the original film.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0029604\/\">Stage Door<\/a> is just incredibly smart and acerbic, and all of the actresses in it (Hepburn and Rogers especially) are fantastic.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0479884\/\">Crank<\/a> is as fast-paced and high-octane as you expect, which is honestly more than a little tiring after an hour and a half, especially with not especially likable characters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/10-193x300.jpg\" alt=\"Tin Men\" width=\"193\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14064\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/10-193x300.jpg 193w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/10-660x1024.jpg 660w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/10-768x1191.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/10.jpg 967w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 193px) 100vw, 193px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/11-210x300.jpg\" alt=\"Memoir of a Snail\" width=\"210\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14065\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/11-210x300.jpg 210w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/11-717x1024.jpg 717w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/11-768x1097.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/11-1075x1536.jpg 1075w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/11-1433x2048.jpg 1433w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/11-scaled.jpg 1792w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 210px) 100vw, 210px\" \/><\/td>\n<td><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/12-192x300.jpg\" alt=\"The Brutalist\" width=\"192\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-14066\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/12-192x300.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/12-656x1024.jpg 656w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/12-768x1199.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/12-984x1536.jpg 984w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/12-1312x2048.jpg 1312w, https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/12-scaled.jpg 1640w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 192px) 100vw, 192px\" \/><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0094155\/\">Tin Men<\/a> is honest and straightforward and often very funny.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt23770030\/\">Memoir of a Snail<\/a> is a strange and obviously deeply personal film, in some ways a much less cozy, much more Ozzie flipside of <em>Wallace &#038; Gromit<\/em>.<\/li>\n<ul><\/ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt8999762\/\">The Brutalist<\/a> is sweeping yet intimate, and if what it says isn&#8217;t always groundbreaking, how it does so, and the performances used to tell the story, are nothing short of fantastic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I also re-watched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0083866\">E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial<\/a>, which I haven&#8217;t rewatched in a few years but which remains just such an incredibly affecting film and genuinely one of Spielberg&#8217;s best.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I watched a dozen movies last week: The War of the Gargantuas does exactly what it says on the tin. Its charms are in the bad dubbing, the rubber suit monsters, and the wanton destruction of miniatures. She-Wolf of London is fairly slight and a little silly, but June Lockhart&#8217;s quite good in it. Omni &#8230; <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/?p=14067\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14067"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14067"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14069,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14067\/revisions\/14069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unreality.net\/weblog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}