3 things about Alex Pritz’s THE TERRITORY

Posted on June 10, 2025 by robchristopher

The Territory [2022]

1. Encroaching on the territory is merely “freeing the land.”
2. They set fire to the forest and ride away.
3. Age 18 and the leader of his people.

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3 things about Gregg Araki’s SMILEY FACE

Posted on June 10, 2025 by robchristopher

Smiley Face [2007]

1. Her internal voice is Roscoe Lee Browne.
2. “It makes me feel like, yeah, my teeth are being taken care of.”
3. Manifesto raining all over town.

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3 things about Pat Boonnitipat’s HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS BEFORE GRANDMA DIES

Posted on June 9, 2025 by robchristopher

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies [2024]

1. Putting your shoes in line.
2. Caught red handed with the security camera.
3. No beef but plenty of pork.

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3 things about David Cronenberg’s DEAD RINGERS

Posted on June 8, 2025 by robchristopher

Dead Ringers [1988]

1. “I’ve never used contraceptive devices. I’ve never even thought contraceptive thoughts.”
2. Gold-plated instrument.
3. Elly, Elly, Elly, Elly, Elly …

3 other things.

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3 things about James Goldstone’s WHEN TIME RAN OUT…

Posted on June 7, 2025 by robchristopher

When Time Ran Out… [1980]

1. Manual cable wench.
2. Lava bomb mirror smash.
3. Burgess Meredith as superhero!

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3 things about the Hughes Brothers’ DEAD PRESIDENTS

Posted on June 5, 2025 by robchristopher

Dead Presidents [1995]

1. He buries the memento.
2. OD during Soul Train.
3. Radioing for the bus schedule.

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3 things about Steven Soderbergh’s KING OF THE HILL

Posted on May 28, 2025 by robchristopher

King of the Hill [1993]

1. He misses out on three hot dogs.
2. Shooting marbles, smashing marbles.
3. “Don’t you want to say hello to your mother?”

3 other things.

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3 things about Pedro Almodóvar’s THE ROOM NEXT DOOR

Posted on May 27, 2025 by robchristopher

The Room Next Door [2004]

1. Pink snow.
2. A copy of Erotic Vagrancy. Later, she asks the policeman if he’s ever read it.
3. Stretched out on the same chaise as her mother, dressed entirely in white.

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3 things about Fritz Lang’s HANGMEN ALSO DIE!

Posted on May 26, 2025 by robchristopher

Hangmen Also Die! [1943]

1. He notices her reflection in a puddle.
2. Nazi with a pimple.
3. Implicated by his gold cigarette lighter.

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3 things about Benoît Delhomme’s MOTHERS’ INSTINCT

Posted on May 23, 2025 by robchristopher

Mothers’ Instinct [2024]

1. He justifies his behavior by complaining about “too many Mai Tais” the night before.
2. Conveniently labeled PHARMA-KEY.
3. Shakycam at the beach.

Mounting a story with this many contrivances, there are only two fruitful approaches: frosty and clinical (like Haneke) or hothouse camp (Araki by way of Ozon). This film avoids either extreme and is a tonal mess, a “heartfelt” examination of grief one moment, a would-be paranoia thriller the next. The overuse of shaky cam, for no discernable reason, also serves to torpedo any credibility it might have as an early 1960s period piece. And in terms of dialog, I didn’t believe for a moment that these characters were actually from that time and place.

Hathaway and Chastain can’t be faulted (both are well cast) but this film doesn’t offer them any support. What a drag.

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