[JonE(vil)]

Used cars. 1980.
8/10
Solid cast lead by Kurt Russel as the fast talking salesman. The film opens with high energy for about 30 minutes, then it slows to add little sub plots, and establish the group of characters. Steady humour throughout, with snappy dialogue and physical stunts make for a over the top, laughable watch.

[JonE(vil)]

They will kill you. 2026
3.5/10
A woman gets a job housekeeping at a hotel that has alot going on behind the scenes.
Very stylistic and well filmed action horror comedy, that gets bogged down in flashbacks and dialogue. There is a decent amount of humour and interesting things, but it is all rather forgetable.


From the same director.

Why don't you you just die. 2018
7/10
The boyfriend of a young woman is asked by her to kill her father.
All set in one apartment with a small cast, it a brutal action comedy. It has a similar style of film making and uses flashbacks to fill out the plot. The violence is more intimate, not as flashy as [I]they will[I] with the whole thing being more memorable.

[JonE(vil)]

Some like it hot. 1959.
6/10
Two musicians witness a mob killing, get dressed as women and join a all female band.
Stars Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe.
The film starts off with a few laughs, the two male leads are well cast. There is a slightly exaggerated look to some of the acting, but it moves along. After the initial set up of why they have to disguise themselves, the film then turns to their interactions of a romantic style. Munroe is written like a 'ditzy blonde', and her acting is pretty limited. She does shine in the musical numbers. It largely forgets the start and only comes back around at the end. Interesting film that works as a early style of cinema.

[JonE(vil)]

Extreme prejudice. 1987.
7.5/10
A group of 'dead' ex soldiers rob a bank, with a ulterior motive.
Directed by Walter Hill, (Red Heat, 48 hours 1 & 2). It's a on the face of it, cheesy '80s action film. It has a three way plot that involves the ex soldiers, texas ranger character and what used to be his childhood friend, now drug kingpin living in mexico.
Steady plot that is simple, but interesting. Action scenes that are violent and kinda chaotic but not confusing. The climatic battle at the end looks like a smaller tribute to The Wild Bunch, which sits well with the overall 'western' feel to it.

[JonE(vil)]

The shadows edge. 2025. China.
8/10
A old criminal with a young team gets tracked by a young surveillance team with the aid of a older cop.
Starring Jackie Chan as the older cop, it's a packed action crime thriller. A steady but detailed plot, has a backstory with both sides edited together that isn't jarring. The action is well filmed, but compared to earlier Chan films, a little choppy.
With a runtime of two hour twenty minutes, it's a hefty watch, but again, the plot is very well written, the history of the characters, the reliance of old techniques of surveillance vs cameras and A.I. It builds a level of tension even with the quieter scenes.

[JonE(vil)]

The Boston strangler. 1968.
6/10
Based on the crimes that Albert De Salvo was accused of, but never convicted.
Slow procedural crime (some what) drama that for the first half, follows the police as the deaths number up and they have no leads. Steady in that all information is followed up on, which produces dubious suspects. The film also uses a split screen to show different views which creates a slight tension. De Salvo is only shown in the second half. The third act ends with him in a mental hospital and various conversations. Not a exciting end, more a look at a man with mental health issues.

[JonE(vil)]

In the mood for love. 2010. Hong Kong.
10/10
Bittersweet romantic drama that is sensitive, tragic and uplifting. Filmed in corridors and enclosed rooms. It tells the story of two couples, of whom, only the man and woman from each duo are seen. The other two are having an affair. The film is beautifully shot with slow camera pans, strong but not overpowering colours and visually inspiring still scenes.
The plot is how the man and woman find out, deal with it, move on with there respective lives.
Considered a cinematic masterpiece, it's not for everyone, but a stunning example.

[JonE(vil)]

Normal. 2026.
5/10
Small town interim sheriff gets caught up in a deep held secret.
Bob Odenkirk stars as a character that is not dissimilar to the Nobody films. Except in this, he is not a ex agent/solider. The plot moves along with a 90 minute runtime, slowed every now and again for a dialogue moment. It benefits from the 'secret' that town has and gives it a little more mystery. Action is plentiful and violent.

[JonE(vil)]

Man facing southeast. 1986. Argentina.
7/10
A bloke appears in a mental asylum, claiming to be from another planet.
Slow drama that is entirely centered around the main two characters with others in support. The man and the doctor discuss at length his ideas and why he is here. The film doesn't have any real high or low points, just there discussion. The doctor is convinced he is faking it, but even with time, he can't get the 'break' he seeks. The patient seeks information about humanity, and wonders why we treat each other cruelly, while seeking to learn about how we react to different things. Interesting philosophical film that could be considered similar to One flew over the cuckoos nest just alot quieter.

[JonE(vil)]

Midnight cowboy. 1969.
7/10
A young bloke from Texas goes to New York with a dream of getting paid to sleep with rich lonely women.
Starring John Voight and Dustin Hoffman as Joe Buck and Ratso, Voights 'Joe Buck' travels from Texas to New York, with the idea that he can earn money sleeping with lonely old women. But has to live with an ill cripple, Hoffmans 'Ratso', who has some connections and helps him navigate New York city. A character drama that uses dream sequences to illustrate their ideas versus the reality of achieving it. Grim and dirty, its a showcase for the no nonsense films that were made in the '70s.