Nazi Town USA (2024) ****
Sadly relevant hour-long American Experience doc about the fascist movement in 1930s America showing that yes, it can and has happened here and it's happening again. I knew about Charles Lindbergh and the big rally, but the Nazis were more established and organized in the U.S. than I thought. Made me want to watch All Through the Night again.
Uncut Gems (2019) **
"I think you're the most annoying person I have ever met. I hate being with you. I hate looking at you. And if I had my way I would never see you again." The movie's own dialogue sums up my feelings, and it's the reason this is the only Adam Sandler movie I have ever watched. I wish I hadn't. It was just a bunch of unlikable people yelling at each other. On the plus side, it does a great job of showing upscale New York as a claustrophobic maze.
Queen of Versailles (2012) ****
I don't often rewatch documentaries, but this movie captures Trumpian excess and arrogance better than anything while still remaining sympathetic to its main characters. I mean, the guy helped put Bush in the White House and lost his house because of it, so he can only blame himself. I guess there's a new musical on Broadway based on the film.
Marat/Sade (1966) ***
I can see that this was avant-garde for 1966, but it's rather tedious today. It seems like a fairly straight adaptation of the stageplay, which might have been a great experience in the theatre but feels confining, talky, and repetitive on film. While it borders on satire, it might have worked better with a more comedic approach, but it does have some good moments.
Beggars of Life (1928) ****
Before William Wellman made Wild Boys of the Road, he made this silent hobo drama with Richard Arlen (who looks like Jeffrey Hunter). Louise Brooks is on the run from the law and takes up with a mob of hobos hopping the rails. I haven't seen many Wallace Beery movies, but he's terrific in this film. He's a Seth Rogan teddy bear that's still able to invoke menace, and he commands the screen so much as the villain that he becomes the hero. He makes it worth watching, along with the terrific boxcar brawl.
Now We're in the Air (1927) **
Only 20 minutes of this film survives, a slapstick farce involving airplanes, hot air balloons, and a circus. Wallace Beery does broad physical comedy, and Louise Brooks is adorable in a tutu, but the silliness didn't play so well after watching Beggars of Life.
Ghosts of Mars (2001) *
Have you ever watched one of those cheap genre films and wonder how much better they'd be with a budget? Ghosts of Mars has the budget, but it's still a piece of crap, perhaps the worst I've seen from John Carpenter (or is that Memoirs of an Invisible Man?) To be fair, I only caught the last half-hour, but that was enough.
Beggars of Life