[JonE(vil)]

T 34. 2019. Russia.
6/10
A Russian tank commander, taken prisoner, devises a way to escape using a tank.
Set in WW2, its a tank battle action film. There is a rivalry set up at the start between a german officer and the russian. The action scenes are well filmed, with slow motion adding a level of interest as the shells have near misses. The plot has a semi dramatic element, which is inserted at different points. It does slow the film down some what in the 2nd hour.

[JonE(vil)]

The Fascist. 1961. Italy.
7/10
A local 'black shirt' party member, completely loyal to the Mussolini regime, is given the task of escorting a political prisoner, a older bloke who is a professor and looked upon as the next president when the war is over, to headquarters in Rome.
Well paced comedy that centers on the two leads, their mishaps and encounters of a variety of people and places. Throughout the film the two characters are shown are very different. The party member is completely dedicated, unwavering in the fact that his 'prisoner' must be a threat to society. The professor, diplomatic and wanting to get away, but always in a non violent way.
The end of the film is interesting.
They make it to Rome, the party man is dressed in a full fascist uniform, even then when it obvious that the regime has fallen he doesn't want to believe, it's not until a mob gather intent on beating him death, and the professor saves him, that it sinks in and he looks truly lost.
Full film with subtitles.

[JonE(vil)]

Crime spree. 2003.
7/10
A group of french crooks rob the wrong bloke.
Stylistic comedy with a plot that involves several different groups of people. Links it all in a breezy kind of way, that isn't complicated, and as it unfolds adds to the humour of any particular situation.

[JonE(vil)]

Ballerina. 2023. South Korea.
4/10
A woman looks to avenge her friends death.
Typical revenge action film, it has a few flashbacks to show what is a very shallow back story. Really well shot, as to expected from a korean film, but it suffers from a complete lack of plot.
Typical of a NETFLIX production.
With a 90min run time, its effective at basic entertainment.

[JonE(vil)]

Tsareubiytsa. Assassin of the Tsar. 1991. Russia.
6/10
A patient in a mental hospital believes that he was the person who killed the Tsar and his family. A doctor treating him, takes the role of the tsar in what seems to be an attempt to understand his state of mind.
Surreal film with each of them playing their respective roles. Interesting to see the doctors reality and fantasy slowly collide, no real tension or drama makes it slow paced, but interesting to see a 'motive' from the assassins point.

[JonE(vil)]

The blue elephant. 2014. Egypt
8/10
A doctor in a mental hospital is given a case involving someone he knows, who is accused of murder.
Slow burn crime drama, with a run time of two hours thirty minutes, it sets up a interesting dynamic between all of the main characters. They are all linked due to relationships in the past. It reveals their connections slowly, with a separate character, kinda like a possession, that the accused uses to speak with the doctor.
The third act adds a element of mysticism, which ties it all together nicely.

[JonE(vil)]

The cat and the canary. 1978.
6/10
Murder mystery at the reading of a will.
Basic but amusing film about 6 living relatives, all of whom are gathered in a large mansion, for the reading of a will.
The film takes it time to set up all the characters, with the 'murder' only happening at the forty five minute halfway mark.
Very stylized in that its a late 70's film, but still visually entertaining, even if the plot is cartoonish.

[JonE(vil)]

Cromwell. 1970.
7/10
Epic drama about the overthrow and execution of a king of England, and who ruled in his place.
Starring Richard Harris and Alec Guinness as Oliver Cromwell and King Charles, it sets up the story of a monarch who is considered to be overstepping his power. With a kinda bombastic Harris, he raises an army and plunges the country in a civil war. There is alot going in the film, different characters has different motives over time. Some things are mentioned, but with a run time of two twenty minutes, it sticks to a central series of facts.
Interesting slice of history that is well laid out, with eloquent dialogue, costumes and sets.

[JonE(vil)]

Among grey stones. 1983 Soviet Union.
8/10
The film opens with the judge mourning the loss of his wife, and oblivious to his young playful son.
The boy meets one of a homeless mans kids, who along with a group of adults live in the underground of an abandoned church.
It deals with social class, loneliness, innocence of youth, as the young boy gradually comes to realize what he has compared to them.
Slow drama that relies on conveying ideas rather that a conventional plot.

No trailer.
Scene where is taking one of his sisters dolls to the little girl under the church.

[JonE(vil)]

Come sweet death. 2000. Austria.
9/10
Murder mystery black comedy about an ex detective, now paramedic.
When there is a couple of murders, he is asked by a young woman to help. Lots of humour at the start leads it nicely into the mystery the evolves in the later half. With a laid back style to the ambulance crew, it uses the well written plot to avoid any real action scenes that could be used as a distraction.