MC's Criterion Challenge 2021 (by way of Letterboxd)

[Idioteque Stalker]

41. Film Noir -- The Naked Kiss. Another tonal curio from Samuel Fuller that, unlike White Dog and Shock Corridor, never hits its stride. The editing should bear a bulk of the blame, with unclear time jumps, awkward throwaway shots, and a general tendency to abruptly end scenes one or two beats early. To progress so quickly from violent prostitute to World's Most Beloved Nurse (for disabled children, no less) is to lay on the madonna/whore dichotomy a little thick -- and this is even before Fuller doubles down with a bizarre musical moment at the hospital that surely had Sarah McLachlan and the ASPCA licking its proverbial chops. It has its moments visually, but overall this "feminist" film (in which the lead condescends to every other female character but is nevertheless treated as the town hero by film's end) is neither as socially progressive nor as darkly entertaining as it needs and wants to be. Two stars.


42. Samurai -- Samurai Rebellion. Masaki Kobayashi had already eviscerated Bushido propriety five years earlier with Harakiri, but strong direction plus Toshiro Mifune is more than enough to overcome any thematic redundancies. Those looking for samurai hack-and-slash will be rewarded for waiting through ninety minutes of characters politely making outrageous requests while sitting very still. Had Tatsuya Nakadai as the friend/border patrol been given a few more scenes (and the mother character been given any complexity whatsoever) this climax may have broken through the stratosphere, but Mifune very nearly manages it on his own. Three stars.

Next up:
43. A film featured in the "Queersighted: Queer Fear" series -- It's time for me to see Hellraiser.
44. A film featured in the "New Korean Cinema" series -- Kinda tough. I think my best chance to love something is Mother, but it's been far longer since I've seen something from Park Chan-wook, so Lady Vengeance or Mr. Vengeance are options as well. Leaning Mother.