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Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget 👤 dir. Sam Fell

This post contains spoilers.

"The characters have such nuanced life breathed into them that's encouraged further through each fingerprint left in their figures by animators."

Like a lot of folks, I grew up having seen the first Chicken Run film many times. Aardman animation has always been such the forefront of filmmaking to develop revolutionary styles of animations that have been recognizable for generations with more to come. This film, like other pieces of Aardman's portfolio, is a definition of wit. The characters have such nuanced life breathed into them that's encouraged further through each fingerprint left in their figures by animators.

The story itself is heartfelt and dramatic. These characters have such a long history with each other, but with the introduction of Molly as Ginger and Rocky's new kiddo, there are more avenues of their relationships and familial structure to explore. There is lots of showing, not telling, with the thought process through the character's thinking. They have minds of their own and sometimes the viewer is left to wonder about their decision-making. It's not something the director can tell the puppets, or the animator, but a combination of all that's being developed for this character that comes out once shooting is over and editing experiences together commences. These characters, despite being chickens are definingly human. Seeing old enemies too was shocking, but also somewhat satisfying, to see them yet again be bested by a group of chickens.

Watching stop-motion always inspires something in me. After the movie is over, I highly recommend watching the process video afterward. Even with behind-the-scenes, there's so much magic that happens on these sets.

8/10

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izi's Random Movie Reviews

Orion and the Dark, dir. Sean Charmatz

This post contains spoilers.

"The film was aware in itself that it wouldn't solve any problems kids have with being scared of the dark, but it does provide an excellent opportunity for conversations to be had..."

Dreamworks once again makes a fantastic approach to a children's book to develop the story into a complex configuration of environments and characters. The art style and direction were all around charming through and through. Tackling visual elements of light and dark seems easy in concept to depict the differences between them. Still, even within darkness and light, there are variations within each of them, and I think the visuals captured that well. The other entities were also quite charming, but I wish we had some more examples of them working together through the night. They claim to be friends but I didn't pass the impression of their relationship as just coworkers.

Throughout the film, the characters explain this as a "complex story" and that for sure is what it is. The film was aware in itself that it wouldn't solve any problems kids have with being scared of the dark, but it does provide an excellent opportunity for conversations to be had and questions to be made between parent and child. The film was kind of all over the place, but with the (pleasantly surprising) reveal of it being a story between three generations of family, it made more sense as a story coming together.

My biggest gripe with this film which I've been noticing with a lot of children's media lately, is that it is expected of the kid to have all of the answers. Hypatia in this film is a very self-aware child, and while being able to question things around oneself can be seen as a positive, it not always is. I think adults need to take better opportunities to listen to our younger generations but that doesn't mean we have to expect the world of them.

(That being said, I guess if Hypatia in the film was looking for some sort of answer rather than hearing a nice story from her dad, her father would provide it in some form of light, instead of letting her decide the continuation of the story)

I hope that this film encourages more conversations between adults and children about figuring the world out together. No one has all the answers, and sometimes we are scared of things, but that can be a great thing.

6/10

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The 'Burbs 👤 dir. Joe Dante

This post contains spoilers.

"This cyclical viewership keeps everyone so engaged with what's happening, creating little to no space to breathe or think, just react."

This is one of those movies that, when mentioned, the first response back is usually, "Oh, that's a good one!" This is a movie that's clipped all the time online, but I've never taken the time to watch it in full until now. The greatest aspect of this film is the characters. There are so many little pockets of community between all of these people in this small cul-de-sac that bee-bop around each other with familial-like connection. These are neighbors who have known each other a long time and can't help but feed on each other's obsessive superstitions.

The comedy is often larger than life in physicality, and the conversations sound crazy even from the "normal" thinkers of this movie. Folks often deflect an argument away from the extreme suspicions of their new neighbors, but they all can't help but come to the same conclusion.

There are layers to the viewership of this movie. Front and center, you have neighbors spying on the new move-ins. From there, you have a teen boy with some buddies watching his neighbors get up to their crazy antics. Then there's you and I, the viewers, watching the watchers of the watchers. This cyclical viewership keeps everyone so engaged with what's happening, creating little to no space to breathe or think, just react.

There were often times when I was open-mouthed in shock at what was happening, especially in the last half hour of the film. Just when you think it can't get any crazier, it does (and I won't say how you'll just have to watch that for yourself).

You can direct eccentric characters all day long, but if their communication doesn't feel real, then it's not going to be a good movie. The writing of this is inspirational, to say the least, and getting my hands on the screenplay would be wildly exciting to read and watch side by side.

8/10

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izi’s Random Movie Review

Greener Grass, 2019 dir. Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe

This post contains spoilers.

"This movie feels like Gerwig's Barbie but amped up x10 with a lot more to think about."

Greener Grass (2019) was a movie that caught my attention through its brightly colored poster and continued to pique my interest through its black comedy. This absurd and macabre storyline follows a neighborhood of individuals, mainly focusing on the one Jill Davies in her effortless sacrifice to please.

The entire movie sets itself up like a stereotypical role-assigned American movie, but as the storyline continues, clearly objectifies the roles that a character can play. The roles between media-centric men and women are battled roles. The children in this movie seem to harness more understanding of mature comprehension, conversation, and protest to the world around them than the braces-wearing adults who struggle to compete with one another.

Jill has a loving family, but due to the influences and harsh struggles to please the relationships around her, she slowly finds parts of herself being stripped away. The awkward conversations give into why Jill is so weak to give into the demands of those around her without much question. There are lots of confusing dynamics when it comes to intimacy that Jill struggles with, from those with her husband, her son, and her peers and friends (especially that of her friend Lisa Wetbottom). Jill fears the perceptions that others have of her becoming actualized in a less-than-perfect way. To deflect this, she spares the feelings of others and it leads to her feeling more discomforted in her own skin. She has to remember so much about those around her to make sure that she's always watching over her shoulder, that she doesn't even realize the parts of her that she's losing, both in a metaphorical self and when an impersonator comes right from under her nose to take over her life.

This movie feels like Gerwig's Barbie but amped up x10 with a lot more to think about. There are many layers of symbolism that all connect to spell out the competitive nature of their community. Jill falls heavily into the influence of others and it causes her to ruin her own life. At the end of it all, the actualization that she now realizes for herself allows her to see so many things around her that others can't, things that she has been blind about for years. Is there a betterment of life living in ignorance and feeding into competition with others?

Lisa and Jill demonstrate such an interesting relationship between two women. Upon first meeting them, we see Jill give up her new baby to her. Throughout the movie, we watch the two slowly switch places. Jill swapped out due to her submission to others' perception, and Lisa's manipulation of this weakness as she tries to manifest what she has always wanted to appear superior in her community (despite lots of what she flaunts from children, her home, and other parts of her lifestyle being fabricated from lies that no one has challenged or caught on to).

Like any movie I will review, there is always a lot more to analyze. There's more to go deeper into about the relationship Jill and Lisa have, there's more to dive into about the power dynamic children hold over the adults in this story (and how these protests to power lead to such differences in characters between Julian and Bob as children growing up and changing into people). This movie was such an inspiring watch when it comes to symbolic theming through a variety of subtle to direct approaches. The ambiance of this movie was such a refreshing watch, and I think DeBoer and Luebbe have a fantastic experimentation of chemistry together.

8/10

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Dr. Terror's House of Horrors 👤 dir. Freddie Francis

This post contains spoilers.

"Each tale had whimsical horror that gave personality and life to each man as the viewer configured whether to root for him or not."

This anthological film has a feeling similar to that of watching Goosebumps. Instead of children, we view these horror fortune-told tales from the perspectives of five men.

The movie begins with all of the men boarding a train, along with an additional mysterious man who tells their futures through a tarot. The connection bringing all of these men together on their journey to the same destination is carried out throughout the film (in more ways than one) despite their lives being so different. Each tale had whimsical horror that gave personality and life to each man as the viewer configured whether to root for him or not. I particularly liked the architectural one with the werewolf and the one about the killer plant (the reason why I sought to watch this film). I did not care for the musician voodoo one.

Not all energies towards these stories are the same, but there are some similarities between stories. These are stories that one would think could never happen, as shared through the retorts of these young men at the beginning of the film, but that being said, they're not unbelieveable. There is a bit of "what if" for each story; maybe it could actually come true in a wild turn of supernatural events, maybe they happen due to the paranoia of the men now knowing these fates untold to them, or some other cog in the machine of these horrors.

Typically, I find that the ending isn't very satisfying in films like these. The entire narrative is filled with build-up, only to have a very insignificant event mark its end. This is not one of those films! The viewer is left wondering, along with these men, if anything they've ever been told was actually real and where the truth actually lies.

I found myself so drawn to the set and environment during every minute of the film. It almost felt like the characters were in a dollhouse (which added to the storyline of it all). The designs of the homes were beautiful and captivating, as was the case with the late 50s/60s American interior design. It's very romantic in a design sense.

8/10

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Live Wires 👤 dir. Phil Karlson

Comedy used to have such a physical flare to it that we don't see in movies these days, such a shame. The characters in this movie are so funny, and their banter is really inspiring for quick-wit writing. The pacing is a bit fast, but it was nice to have everything around the corner at the end.

I wasn't a huge fan of the character Slip, our main focus, because he reminds me of my team lead at work, and I don't like him much. Maybe that adds to Slip's character as a dude you don't really want to root for, but you do anyway because it'll be funny to see where his hijinks get him.

I can't say I know more about the history of the related works to this film, but even then, on its own, it's still a nice watch.

5/10

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Nikos the Impaler 👤 dir. Andreas Schnaas

This post contains spoilers.

"There is one scene, though, where Niko's sword makes an airplane sound as it moves through the air - gold star to the sound guy overall."

Alert: Good, bad movie! My friend and I randomized a movie to watch, and we landed on this piece of cinema. This movie is a Z-grade splatter film, meaning it's not that great of a budget, but it sure does have lots of killing in it. The mix of pros and cons of this movie fell to the unexpected end of the spectrum.

I became fond of all of the characters, which typically, with these movies, isn't the case. I thought the main character focus was the two college boys, but it's not; it's the teachers. I didn't grow attached to anyone in a super heartfelt way, but the dynamics among the characters added to the fun of this overtly violent film. The beginning of the movie in the gallery is drawn out for a long time without much going on, but it allows for the characters to bond for survival while yelling at each other for a third of the movie. Nikos, our dear titular star, was a funny character to watch run around and slice through people like butter. He never had any hesitation in making his large, gaited strides toward people and using his comically large sword to smite them where they stood. They don't call him the impaler for nothing.

Some of the audio mixing and music volumes were wild at times. It didn't help that we watched this movie in 144p on YouTube, and everything was shot in the dark so we couldn't see a whole lot. There is one scene, though, where Niko's sword makes an airplane sound as it moves through the air - gold star to the sound guy overall.

As is the case with a low-budget movie, there are occasional scenes that have wild camera cuts. There are lots of tangential headshots, where the tip of the head to the bottom of the chin is the only thing in view. Folks are often standing way too close to the camera. Kudos to them for shooting in the space they reserved for the gallery, which seemed like a tight space to record all of these random shots in. 

A common scene in these Z-grade films is the Booby Scene, where a woman gets full-body naked for no reason other than to show boob. This turns into gore porn quickly, and while these scenes are always of bad taste, this one gets an even lower rating for its poor execution in exposition and delivery. 

My friend and I were unsure about what the guy sneaking into the backroom to find Nikos' helmet in an unpadded crate had for a goal that led to his resurrection. It was very confusing at the end, too, when Nikos suddenly developed superpowers and summoned Hitler and a low-budget Elvira to serve under him.

Upon researching more about this movie, we discovered that it is meant to be the fourth and last movie of Schnaas' "Violent Shit" movies. If we had watched the previous three, then maybe more would have been explained, and the ending may have been a bit more satisfying. I could imagine the other three films are just like this one, though. Before seeing the movie, we found DVD listings for around the $40 range. After watching, we determined the price tag might be worth it at the risk of it not getting a better resolution.

2/10

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Muppet Treasure Island 👤 dir. Brian Henson

This post contains spoilers.

"It was really neat seeing familiar Muppet faces, but it was also a nice surprise to see new faces added to the mix; some real pirates on this crew!"

A good classic Muppet film for sure! To see beloved Henson characters fill in the roles of these well-referenced characters gives the original story its homage while still playing into the performances and strengths of these puppets. Tim Curry was outstanding as John Silver and did not disappoint. It was really neat seeing familiar Muppet faces, but it was also a nice surprise to see new faces added to the mix; some real pirates on this crew!

Some of the storyline got lost from me. Yes, I understand this kid movie, but some lines made me confused especially at the beginning (maybe it was the pirate speak?). Very quick beginning/establishment, well paced middle and an outdrawn end.

I cannot express how annoyed I am at the trope of “young white boy who doesn’t actually bring anything to the story.” Him being Super British did not help his case either. Having Gonzo and Rizzo as his pals/family was a very cute dynamic though.

I thrifted this DVD so I wanted to take time to note that Gonzo and Rizzo meet you at the menu screen, chatting with you and asking you to hit buttons. I have not checked out bonus features yet, but as always, with physical media like DVDs, these little nuggets of behind-the-scenes and extra features are always a treat.

6/10

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Donnie Darko 👤 dir. Richard Kelly

This post contains spoilers.

"There were moments I predicted to happen (more so towards the end of the film) that left me disappointed at my lack of surprise, but that was made up for through the surprising elements that connected the events of this film."

(At the time I'm writing this, Donnie Darko is available for free, with ads, on multiple platforms!)

One of the first things I learned while studying for an art degree was that time is a tool. This movie utilizes subverted expectations about time and Donnie's perspective of himself and the forces around him to keep the audience slack-jawed at the screen. There were moments I predicted to happen (more so towards the end of the film) that left me disappointed at my lack of surprise, but that was made up for through the surprising elements that connected the events of this film. Some moments happen so quickly that they allow further doubt to the concept of time. While I'm finding a fascination for environmental time shifts and differences, the mysterious details of the connection between people in this film influenced by directions of time are what really captivated me throughout.

I appreciated that the viewer can't always tell what a person thinks. It is not just Donnie; I greatly value his mother's perspective on how she interacts with her son, the folks influencing his life, her options in deciding her fate and that of her family, etc. I appreciate that this movie for a teen demographic has relatable parents who demonstrate dynamic humanity rather than being two-dimensional slates out to get their kids like other films might.

I dock quite a few points off because the soundtrack, while individually has nice ambiance sounds, works so incoherently in the film and doesn't fit at all. This movie would have been better without songs in it. I also dock points for the sexy teacher trope with Drew Barrymore. She was cool in the film, but I think there was a bit too much flaunting. I understand her perspective as another person in Donnie's life, but a lot of her didn't have much meaning overall. Major points are also docked for the variety of -phobic remarks made by teen boys (and before you say it's because it was a movie of its time, that makes no damn sense because this was only 2001, and those comments were never okay in the first place. Quite literally, they serve no purpose to the plot).

Overall, this film is a definite catalog in my collection, and I will look for a disc version next time I go thrifting.

6/10

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Aachi and Ssipak 👤 dir. Jo Beom-jin

This post contains spoilers.

"This movie, with a forwardly crass concept, is an action-packed, strange, but, surprisingly cohesive film."

I'm unsure what draws me to this genre of animated movies, but I'm surprisingly interested each time. This is one of those movies maturely themed through ridiculous comedic, beyond-belief sexual fantasies shrowded in its entirety with violence. Characters are harshly drawn and aren't always easy on the eyes. It's filtered with crazy violence and action beyond any expectation of what's to happen and without regard to why it's happening. This movie, with a forwardly crass concept, is an action-packed, strange, but, surprisingly cohesive film. The characters are likable in their rude banter to each other. It was interesting following Aachi and Ssipak through their selfless journey in helping Beautiful but seeing that they were never the center of any of the action. They always happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time (or maybe conveniently right spot at the right time?). While they did express wanting a gain out of their efforts, most of the time it seemed like they didn't have anything better to do than follow along to try and save their new colleague. The world they live in, with its long battle between mutants and humans in the quest for retrieving popsicles, that are rewarded for defecation, desired as a resource, is wild all the way through.

My low rating is for the super weird plot that kept losing me. This is a movie where, in the middle of watching, I thought to myself, "Why did someone make this? For what purpose does this film serve?" Not every film has to necessarily serve a purpose, but I couldn't help but think of the experiences' impact on our main focus characters. The dub I found was also not the best. Arguably, it adds to the charm of it being so weirdly communicative. I never made a lasting impression or care for any of these characters due to their lack of motive and background. Beautiful was also a pretty cool character, but we didn't get much of her when she wasn't screaming, running, or trying to defend herself. Aachi and Ssipak seem to have known each other for a long time, and I would have liked to learn more about their dynamicity.

tldr: This is a wild movie for a night with the bros if you're looking for an un-serious and crazy film to watch.

4/10

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Stalker, dir. Andrei Tarkovsky

This post contains spoilers.

"It's 161 minutes of visually captivating food for thought."

Stalker is a film you can't look away from. It's 161 minutes of visually captivating food for thought. Visually the camera work is simple but the environments are captivating through the rhythmic state of pure nature, being used as placeholders of space, spanning for minutes on end. At first, the elongated scenes were tense to watch; the repetition was difficult to sit through without the temptation of skipping forward. By the end, those long moments of the most featherlike changes in scenery are welcomed. The discussions of the meaning of life, the purpose of self, the beliefs in the future, the critique of lived society, and the supernatural, fill those gaps of how humanity is weaved in with nature. This movie lets you appreciate the little things while also questioning what's bigger than you.

The changes and swaps in character perspectives in life were the most captivating part to me. To see characters start and end the same way, yet so much being different. To see how their relationships change amongst each other, so many strangers happening to live the same life shows how precious the human connection is. That, along with the connection of a classic man vs. nature, new a grounding experience for external and internal experiences is at play leading the viewer to be captivated through each part of that shared life.

Going into this movie, the synopsis (and also the default Letterboxd cover) left me skeptical. I was surprised introduced to evangelical allegories being hailed to grace during the imagined state of dystopian society becoming actualized. This is my introduction to Tarkovsky's filmography, and while this is one of his most popular, I'm still looking forward to his other films.

9/10

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izi's Random Movie Reviews

King Tweety, 2022 dir. Careen Ingle

This post contains spoilers.

"The focus on Sylvester and Tweety building their bonds as brothers has never been a concept I’ve seen before and was a refreshing take on expanding their dynamic in a bit of a different direction."

When this movie initially came out, I didn’t have the proper means to watch it. Now that I do, I’ve spent the time to get acquainted. Careen Ingle’s work is an inspiration of mine, through her storyboards and joke telling, and this is at the top of that list for those directions. This film pays such a nice but not overbearing homage to previous Looney Tunes media (earlier last week I also watched Tweety’s High Flying Adventure and was pleased when watching King Tweety that Awooga made another appearance).

The focus on Sylvester and Tweety building their bonds as brothers has never been a concept I’ve seen before and was a refreshing take on expanding their dynamic in a bit of a different direction. Granny as a caregiver is always so fantastic and it’s always a blast seeing what antics she gets into on the sidelines. 

As a movie geared towards kiddos, it’s easy to tell who the “bad guy” is right away, but even so, the way the story progresses is wild, wacky, and might I even say, looney! The writing and the art have so much care put into them. The stylization of the characters is so cute and fun but still stays recognizable to their old designs. As an animator, I want to go back and do studies on how these backgrounds were done, because they’re so intricate and beautiful.

This review isn’t going too in-depth on the actual plot of the film, but that’s even more of my encouragement for you to go watch it!! it’s a nice feel-good movie that I needed this week and definitely will get rewatches out of me.

9/10

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Animal Farm, 1954 dir. Joy Batchelor and John Halas

This post contains spoilers.

"This movie is agonizing from an outsider's perspective because the farmer is just like the animals."

When I was in middle school, we had different groups in my English class to read certain classics of literature. While I wasn't in their group (and I still regretfully haven't taken the time to read the book), I was always fascinated by what the Animal Farm group was up to in their readings. I've grown to understand this literature as a means of portraying politics and the "human" condition (only put into quotes because this media is about animals and not people). To sit and watch this movie, especially during the time of America's uncertainty but undeniable corruption of politics, is eye-opening. Animal Farm has stood the test of time by always being relevant (being an animated film from the 50s also fills me with many questions about how this was received). History is doomed to repeat without proper discipline and understanding of perspectives and equity. I think that is what Animal Farm represents.

The animals started their revolution strong but eventually became what they were warned not to become (the farmer). Animal Farm became a clear visual of how important it is to keep your humility and remember what started the revolution in the first place. Animal Farm had established rules that reminded them of what they were there for and who they represented (animals, not humans). Over time, with the dictatorship of Napoleon and soon other pigs, those were rewritten. This movie is agonizing from an outsider's perspective because the farmer is just like the animals. The farmer starts the film by showing he's overworked. He then reflects the behavior he is subjected to onto the animals, and in turn, the animals do it to themselves in a vicious cycle. Despite going through so much hurt and dismay, many animals (especially poor little Benjamin) never lost sight of what being an animal and a part of that community means.

For the film (and I'm assuming the book) to end just like it started, with a revolution driven for change, provides hope of breaking the cycle bit by bit, until proper rights and freedom are restored for the animals. At the end of the movie, the narrator shares that the animals don't even quite know if there's any point in doing what they're doing and how it will affect their near future or the end of their life, but they still know it's something they have to do. That is something that can be said for every generation. Generations work hard to live the life they have always wanted to live, to embrace their freedoms more than the generation could before them, and only hope to give space for the next generation to have their prosperity too.

This movie was beautifully animated (the animals were so animal-like in nature, it was very charming). The backgrounds were beautifully rendered to help set me in the space of Animal Farm. I really enjoyed the limited dialogue and the elaborate soundtrack that carried the emotion, voice, and action of the animals. It's been a long time coming for me to finally experience this narrative, and now that I'm not in middle school, I feel like I can understand it so much better. Hopefully, now I can borrow the book and read about more details that may have been missing from the film. A must-watch (and/or read) for everyone.

8/10

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The Room, 2003 dir. Tommy Wiseau

This post contains spoilers.

"This movie, while not the supposed intention of the writing (which seems like a first draft that went all the way through) is about a woman, Lisa, going through a downward emotional spiral."

For this new year, one of my resolutions is to watch more movies. The best way to do this and stay engaged is to share my movie reviews on my tumblr. It's not a new concept and by no means uniquely exciting, but this is for me and to have fun sooo I do what I want! What better way to start the new year, and to start a weekly movie review challenge than to start with the critically acclaimed, best bad movie nearly ever recorded and recognized by the mass public, The Room by Tommy Wiseau. I was first introduced to this movie during a storyboarding course at school a few years ago. Since then, I have read parts of the script and heard remarks, niche inside jokes, and references about the film, yet I had never seen any of it until now.

Overall, I found myself interested in the characters and their dynamics, despite being frustrating to watch and confusing to piece together. Something I like about movies is when there are pre-established relationships between characters, and that is prevalent in this film. Despite that, issues lie with how these pre-determined dynamics give characters a lack of motivation. Other issues, of course, lie in the movie's infamously catastrophic audio and dubbing issues, and the sometimes shaky or unskilled camera movements and cuts that don't always make sense.

This movie, while not the supposed intention of the writing (which seems like a first draft that went all the way through) is about a woman, Lisa, going through a downward emotional spiral. This is seemingly caused by undisclosed past experiences and her outbursts in taking it out on others, attempting to regain control over a life she never felt like she had control over in the first place. This I've pieced together due to her mother's manipulation, her dissatisfaction with her relationship, and her overall loss of interest in the things she used to love. Johnny, her fiance (played by Wiseau), is a sensitive guy who is trying to do the best for his future wife, but his efforts aren't what she wants. Her love for him is gone, and she's cheating on him with his best friend, Mark. Mark wants his best friend to be happy but keeps giving in to the temptation of Lisa.

We see Lisa change a lot throughout the film, turning from a cheeky person to one of more melancholy as the chapters of this story and her downward demeanor continue. Mark changes through the film too, at a point realizing he doesn't love Lisa and favors his friendship with Johnny over her. He shaves his beard and gets a new clean-shaven look. Johnny more-or-less stays the same throughout the film, which leads him to be in his own head and causes him to push everyone away from him at the end, leading to the very surprising climactic end of the film.

I think this movie has a deep takeaway on male fragility and an interpretation of the relationship between men (a lot of these scenes are summarized by simply "football"). Johnny and Mark have an intimate relationship as two men, which isn't romantic but is one of deep connection. Lisa plays into the fragility of these two men and comes between them to pit them against each other simply because she knows she can. She's doing this because she wants to do whatever she wants (but, due to the lack of motivation why, it pushes further into my interpretation of an emotional spiral with no direct root cause). She manipulates the two men into tarnishing their relationship, but in the end, Mark stays true to Johnny through it all, and their bond isn't broken by Lisa's ploy.

There's a lot more I could talk about this movie, from the beautiful San Fransisco scenery (one shot, in particular, being reused many a time but with the panning direction and focal point switched each time on the same piece of footage), the relationship Johnny has with his adoptive son Danny, and even more so in the relationship Lisa has with her mother. The film is a mess but that makes it so great. There's so much more about this film than I thought I would take away. Each time I watch this film, there will be something new for me to take away from it. That's what makes a cult classic, in my opinion; Repeated viewing, and the interest of a niche audience.

4/10

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