FOOL'S VIEWS (1/21 – 1/27)

Hey kids,

Been a wild and wacky week. In addition to my usual chicanery, after years of waffling on the subject, I decided to start up a separate blog to celebrate those flicks that take up at least half of my viewing time – those of the “Civilian” quarter. The fact of the matter is that I’m lazy and didn’t want to be managing two different blogs, but as the past year has shown, there are many non-horror efforts that could use some championing.

FOOL’S VIEWS with Dr. AC will hopefully serve as a venue where I can extol the virtues of underrated, overlooked civilian gems. And just as hopefully, I hope you, Faithful Reader, will stop by from time to time to see what’s cooking over yonder.

Another format change is that as the horror views have been growing in size and visual content, I will now be providing links to these individual reviews as opposed to re-printing them below. Hopefully that won't prove too annoying, but please leave your feedback below. After all, I'm writing these for you.

On with the show. Wrapped up the Oscar views this week, as well as completing the first Kryptic Army assignment of 2013. Hope you like. As always feel free to leave your two cents worth – we’ll make sure you get some change back.

Enjoy!

HORROR:

Mama (2013) (1st viewing) d. Muschietti, Andreas (Spain)

Other Side, The (2006) (1st viewing) d. Bishop, Gregg (USA)




KITLEY’S KRYPT ARMY ASSIGNMENT: WHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO IS DIRECT:

Naked Massacre (aka Born for Hell) (1976) (1st viewing) d. Heroux, Denis (Germany)

Uncanny, The (1977) (1st viewing) d. Heroux, Denis (Canada/UK)





CIVILIAN:

Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) (7th viewing) d. Post, Ted (USA)

Prepping a big POTA retrospective over on the Fool’s Views side of things very soon. Keep you posted, since I imagine there’s a fairly decent crossover from the horror crew and aficionados of those damn dirty apes.

Blue Valentine (2010) (1st viewing) d. Cianfrance, Derek (USA)

Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, but I never thought Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams’ characters – as flawlessly executed and as truthfully inhabited as they are – really belonged together in the first place. And I really wish people wouldn't have sold it as "the most depressing film of the year," since that's what kept the femalien and I from sitting down to it sooner.



OSCAR BAIT HAIKUS, VOLUME 2:

Amour (2012) (1st viewing) d. Haneke, Michael (France)

Health slipping away
Elderly French pair cling tight
Unflinching pure gaze

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The (2012) (1st viewing) d. Madden, John (UK)

Expert British thesps
Strangers in strange land gambit
Heartfelt time waster

Rust and Bone (2012) (1st viewing) d. Audiard, Jacques (France)

No legs Cotillard
Fiery emotional piece
Packs a mighty punch

Sessions, The (2012) (1st viewing) d. Lewin, Ben (USA)

Charming Hawkes and Hunt
Birds and Bees and Iron Lungs
True story well told

Wreck-It Ralph (2012) (1st viewing) d. Moore, Rich (USA)

Videogame brute
Seeks a more heroic path
Fun Ed Wynn tribute



2013 Totals to date: 28 films, 27 1st time views, 8 horror, 7 cinema