Letterboxd — Your life in film

Understanding “Upstream Color” can be difficult. Carruth doesn’t follow a typical narrative. He is like a mini Terrance Malick with this feature, but rather than cut away to breathtaking shots of nature, Carruth is in love with his story. A general knowledge of Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden” will certainly help guide viewers through the plot. Pages from the story are handwritten and made into paper chains by Kris. It is quoted and referenced throughout the film. “Upstream Color” blazes its own unique trail, but certainly borrows from Thoreau. The premise that man and nature are connected leads to a spiritual awakening of sorts. People often get so wrapped up with individual thoughts, plans and obstacles it is hard to take the time to notice anything other than ourselves. Kris is forced into a mode of self-reliance that seems to shun the outside world at first, but ultimately opens her mind. Her interactions with Jeff transcend the ‘getting to know you’ phase of a relationship. These souls are connected to the point where they share memories and cannot understand why. Carruth’s thoughts and ideas from “Walden” infuse “Upstream Color” with a layer of thought provoking intelligence that may be tough for the casual viewer to accept. Those willing to stick with the film will be rewarded with a feature that manages to provide closure even while stimulating the brain up until the final credits. Read the full review here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=4737

The synopsis alone should set the tone for this movie for most fans. It is corny, but really fun. “Manborg” is director Steven Kostanski’s sci-fi playground filled with a love for the genre. Justice feels like a reject from Brian Tenchard-Smith’s “Dead End Drive-In” and Mena has this tough girl Pixie punk look that would also fit in the post-apocalyptic universe. Along with the aforementioned “Terminator” twist on Manborg’s low-fi look, there is also a big video game feel to the feature. #1 Man not only speaks with a horrible dub throughout “Manborg,” but he is the perfect mashup of early nineties ‘Mortal Kombat’ characters Liu Kang and Johnny Cage. There are sound effects that may or may not have been lifted from the ‘Marvel vs. Capcom’ series. When combined “Manborg” manages to overcome some of its flaws by tapping into that nostalgic gamer section of the brain and gaining favor with those who appreciate the retro inspired approach. Read the full review here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=4728

“The Telephone Book” naturally leads Alice down a few bunny trails. As she searches for the real John Smith (Norman Rose), she ends up finding quite a few odd imposters. From an aging, perverted auteur named Har Poon (Barry Morse) to a psychiatrist looking for a cheap thrill (Roger Caramel), Alice certainly uncovers the seedier sides of the city. As corny as some of the situations are, Alice and the real Mr. Smith manage to carry the film well. Kennedy plays Alice as a woman who is just as naive as she is brilliant. Alice’s eyes are focused firmly on her goal and it really doesn’t matter to her how she achieves it, as long as the real Mr. Smith is part of the final result. Then there is Mr. Smith, whose semi-masked face covers all but the thin lips pushing out the words to one dirty scenario after the next. Director Nelson Lyon presents Mr. Smith with restraint. Rarely do we as viewers know what he is saying to Alice. We only see her stimulating reaction to him. It is a cat and mouse game that doesn’t unfold in the sexploitation world with this much restraint. There are plenty of silly moments peppered throughout the movie, but the foundation Alice and John Smith provides helps keep the film grounded and on track. Read the full review here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=4711

With “The Grapes of Death,” “Fascination,” “Night of the Hunted” and “The Escapees,” Jean Rollin was on a roll before shitting the bed with “Zombie Lake." The usual Rollin trademarks are still present. The pairing of two ‘innocent’ young women and their willingness to disrobe are going to keep Rollin lovers happy, but there seems to be a bit more substance to these four movies. Perhaps the venture into hardcore pornography is exactly what Rollin needed to break out of the vampire cocoon he created for himself. “Night of the Hunted” is not the best movie in the world, but even with some of the slower spots in the movie there is a definite direction. The ideas and characters are defined enough to help the feature roll along without feeling disjointed. It would make a great double feature with David Cronenberg’s “The Brood.” The stories may be totally different, but there are just enough similarities from this era of film that could make it a killer double bill. Read the full review here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=4706

“Meet the Fokkens” allows the camera to just let these eccentric sisters be who they are. Directors Gabrielle Provaas and Rob Schröder never judge the ladies. They quietly sit back and capture the playful and painful memories of two lifetime prostitutes. Louise and Martine have so many interesting stories, viewers will be entertained even when they aren’t talking about the wide varieties of men who have visited them over the years. Read the full review here...www.theaterthoughts.com/?p=4684