Such a fun, retro-futurist look. Is 1966 gazing at the 1980s too early to be cassette futurism? I only know Dr. Who peripherally, so the first appearance of the Cyber Men meant less to me than the wonderful, low-tech-imagines-high-tech set design here. I'm totally ripping this off for my Delta Green campaign.
March Around the World 2026: Croatia
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On paper, I should love this. A crime film set in Eastern Europe and shot in a single, unbroken take? Yes, yes, and yes.
Unfortunately, Sirens and Screams squanders its potential. The technical achievements are still there — this long of a take required an impressive amount of preparation, choreography, and direction. But everything else ranges from ho-hum to downright confusing. First, the film keeps switching characters. This is understandable in a one-shot…
The Big Noirvember 2025: #21. Featured on the Tipping My Fedora podcast
The Criterion Challenge 2025: #17. 1970s.
What a gorgeous film. I found myself losing the plot of this languid neo-noir at times, but the stunning cinematography always kept me riveted. I'm not sure how much of this credit goes to cinematographer Gordon Willis (more famous for his work on The Godfather films) or director Alan J. Pakula. Whoever it was, this film is luscious to look at—like taking…
The Big Noirvember 2025: #4. Horror noir
Another solid Mexican noir this Noirvember. In the Palm of Your Hand deserves a restoration and Region 1 release; the version I found don YouTube was not a great print. Nevertheless, this film is noir through and through. Arturo de Córdova plays a smarmy-yet-charming charlatan fortune-teller, while Leticia Palma plays the widow-in-mourning the fortune-teller is blackmailing, using what he learned from her deceased husband, a former client. It's a great noir set-up, and…
