Dish of the Day
Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Sunday, January 29, 2023
Today’s “Dish of the Day” has more brief reviews of mine that are inspired by posts in various film related Facebook chat rooms. This includes the Cinema Cafe group (all readers are encouraged to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/902349343110685). My thoughts on the following motion pictures typically form an extreme minority view, occasionally even the lone dissenting voice.
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991):
For me, this movie was contrived suspense building by the numbers simply to make money, since none of the characters nor their situations are given enough distinction or development to engage beyond the obvious. Perhaps in a way, I slept with the enemy by going to see their movie. See the same director’s earlier genre classic The Stepfather (1987) instead.
The Recruit (2003)
I believe viewers would have to graduate at an Olympic Gold Medalist level from a recruitment facility like the one shown just to make it through this film. It doesn't seem like, in the beginning, anyone knows where their story is headed which is only confirmed later when the filmmakers decide to invent something entirely new in a desperate attempt to sell more tickets... my being one of those recruits suckered into seeing this in the theatre when it was first released. The Recruit is one film where a lack of anything memorable actually works in the viewer's favour. See an earlier film about the C.I.A. Spy Game (1991) instead.
(Out of 5 Treasure Chests)
Indecent Proposal (1993)
This is one of those high concept movies that much of the general public loves (at least enough to get them hooked into seeing it) and the corporate brasses adore even more. Problem is, in terms of communicating the characters' feelings, it's also concept driven leaving their thoughts and emotions unsubstantiated and behavioural responses a muddle after so much superficial, conflicting and confusing exposition. John Barry’s score offers the only decent proposal for seeing this film. See the same director’s Unfaithful (2002) instead.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Nothing more than a marketing ploy. It looks cheap and made on the fly. No plot to speak of, no distinguishable characters, no discernible conflict so therefore no meaningful resolution. Repetitive and pointless. I don’t know what would be worse to suffer through: actually experiencing for real what the actors went through or having to sit through this film once again. Of course its commercial success spawned a sequel Blair Witch (2016). See Witchfinder General (1968) instead.
Nothing too exciting on TCM to report (at least by this writer).
All responses are not only welcomed but encouraged in the comments section below.
Hope to see you tomorrow.
A.G.