stve’s Film Reviews

70 Films have been rated or reviewed by stve.

Bellbird (2019): Loved it. Maori n Pakeha in a tolerance and equality. Farm life beautifully presented and observed. Healed a part of my heart
Outcast of the Islands (1951): Tense and wrought. No one comes out smelling of roses in this melodrama of greed and misogyny.
Minari (2020): Top line camerawork, pacing and superb performances. A rare humility and gentle human observation.; DVD $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95
Nomadland (2020): See it
While the City Sleeps (1956)
Bete Humaine, La (1938): Pretty well as good as it gets.a
Curse of the Demon (Night of the Demon) (1957): A rare gem, A British noir. Psychological and just plain psycho.
Blast of Silence (1961): Beautiful. Love it. Perhaps an anti xmas movie. NYC captured cold
6ixtynin9 (Sixtynine; Ruang talok 69) (1999): Lively and lovely. 100 minutes passed in a flash. Very funny
Hitch-Hiker, The (1953)
Red Dust (1932): Ambrosia for thems that hanker for a less PC world
Show People (1928): Real fun
Testament of Dr. Mabuse, The (1933): Gangsters and the rise of fascism. Sumptuous photography. And aRumpolian and a ColomboCannonesque police inspector
Spies (Spione) (1928): Engrossing and engaging. Twisty turny grandparent of much in spy meglomaniac crime master genres
Man Who Watched Trains Go By, The (1953): Simenon's characters and plot wrap around you like a warm bath, leaving you tingly and warm
I Walked with a Zombie (1943): Gripping. Bizarrely unlikely gothic voodoo. Approaches perfection
Body Snatcher, The (1945): Beautiful.
Queen Kelly (1929): This and it's extras are like an instant 101 course in 1930s Hollywood. A smorgasbord of treasures.
Cabin in the Sky (1943): Love it. A document of amazing artists proving that the finest gold will shine through shit everytime.
Stormy Weather (1943): Winge all you like about black face and race politics. This remains the greatest music n dance movie Hollywood made.
It Always Rains on Sunday (1947): A peerless portrait of East End life after WW2. Makes you wish there was a similar documention of working class life from all areas and eras. Mise–en–scène, acting, direction, and camera work are beautiful.
Bait (2019): Give Cornwall back to the Cornish!rnI liked it so much I adopted it and I’m a right tight bast*d.
Bacurau (2019): adventure tourism with a side order of cruel local politics. Gritty as all hell. The side of South America The gap year scum don’t see
Gate of Hell (Jigokumon) (1953): Fabulous. Makes you wish there were more of Teinosuke Kinugasa's considerable ouevre still extant. A treasure
Branded to Kill (Koroshi no rakuin) (1967): Superb! Not a wasted moment. Gangster bliss
Tokyo Drifter (1966)
Gun Crazy (1948): fascinating stuff
Ascent of Man, The (TV Series) (1973): fascinating stuff
Civilisation (TV Series) (1969): fascinating stuff
Adventure of English, The (2002): fascinating stuff
Heiress, The (1949): Lovely
Stranger, The (1946): Absolute fun; DVD $29.95
Green for Danger (1946): Light touch for serious material. The story flies by
I See a Dark Stranger (The Adventuress) (1946): Light touch for serious material. The story flies by
Seven Stages To Achieve Eternal Bliss By Passing Through The Gateway Chosen By The Holy Storsh (2018): Impossibly silly. A back comedy b–movie cop with Taika, phoning in a home video as a Humourbeasts reminiscent Pantomime dame guru. Nirvana for fans of EagleVsShark TonganNinja maybe not admirers of Boy Wilderbeest Thor. I'm glad I've seen it.
Ruben Brandt, Collector (2018): A mental rollercoaster demanding repeat viewing. Was that? Is that? Pretty mindbending in a fabulously good way.
20 Feet From Stardom (Twenty Feet From Stardom) (2013)
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood) (2019): The time flew by. I felt I was back in the 70s; DVD ~~$24.95~~ $18.70
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017): DVD $24.95
Climax (2018): Visceral and raw; DVD $29.95
Requiem for a Dream (2000): Enthralling and engrossing; DVD ~~$24.95~~ $18.70
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975): Has saved my life on numerous occasions. Nothing is so bad that RHS can't cure it.; DVD ~~$20~~ $15
Freaks (2018): Carrie meets Charmed and nothing like either; DVD $24.95
Parasite (2019): A lot of fun. References many modern films in architecture and mood.; DVD $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95
A Double Life (1947): Cinematic and theatrical. LOved it
Untold Story, The (1993): Really a bit too brutal in its casual and realistic depiction of rape and beatings. The quirky malevolence of the protagonist brought to mind No Country For Old Men. That said, I quite enjoyed it. However I wouldn't recommend it to my kids
Song Keepers, The (2018): Companion to where the green ants dream. Where can I get some of that wild chewing tobacco?
Dengue Fever - Sleepwalking Through the Mekong (2007): Throw all your MTV Columbia Tri–Star Dreamworks product pushing music docs in the bin. This is the real thing. Music, community, education, excitement, comfort, and that was just what I got out of it.; DVD $49.95
Greed (1925)
Pawno (2015): Nice, an enjoyable iAussie miniature shortcuts–esque quirky romance.
Rock All Night (1957): Almost surreal bar room sink mix of rock n of hokey clumsy awkwardness, amusing enough
Horse's Mouth, The (1958): Extremely entertaining and thoughtful. Gritty galley sink tale of art vs life.
Zero Theorem, The (2013): Gillian paces familiar territory. Dystopia holding a mirror to disintegrating internal human architecture. Artful metaphor and allegory illuminating emotional disconnect in a technological society. Great performances
Punishment Park (1971): More twilight of the post summer of love. This would make an amazing triptych with Jesus Christ Superstar and Zabriskie Point. Proof that America changes little in the scale, scope and ferocity of its bi–partisan splits
No Petrol, No Diesel! (2009): delightfully lackadaisical kiwi yarn made on the smell of an oily rag; DVD $34.95
House (Hausu) (1977): Top notch for them that like it whacky. By turns, gobsmakin and jawdroppin, a Pythonesque St Trinians Hellzapoppin. Would suit a drink game.
Tropical Malady (2004): Weerasethakul gives more ponderous wonder in another wander in the jungle. By the end you do feel like you've been on a holiday even if you don't know where or why. Occupies similar psycholgical space to Hermann Hesse's Steppenwolf.
Ichi the Killer (2001): Hmmm, one hestitates to call this a lot of fun, though it is if you have a certain sensibility. But then it could also be a date movie, just not *that* kind of date.
They Live (1988): Great premise. Ripe for a contemporary remake a la Trumptown.
Pervert's Guide to the Cinema, The (2006): a twisty hilarious romp through cinema and the mind
Dogma (1999): Kevin Smith on top of his game. His most accomplished, best paced and catholic of thoughtful movies
Chasing Amy (1997)
Mall Rats (1995): Fun. Not as top drawer as Clerks or Amy but A pivotal part of the view askew jersey trip
Clerks (1993)
Operation Avalanche (2016): Nicely crafted and evocative feel for the times
Timothy Leary's Dead (1998): Great footage and talking heads.
Lodger, The (1926): essential
Steamboat Bill Jr (1928)
Blackmail (1929)
Parting Glances (1986): fresh, nicely kinetic and feelie real, races by

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stve’s Film Reviews