Cartel Land (2015)

IMDb plot summary: Filmmaker Matthew Heineman examines the state of the ongoing drug problem along the U.S.-Mexican border.
Directed by Matthew Heineman.

2 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Cartel Land < Single White Female
Cartel Land < High Society
Cartel Land < 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Cartel Land > Jules and Jim
Cartel Land > Made of Honor
Cartel Land > Evan Almighty
Cartel Land < Napoleon (1927)
Cartel Land > Dragon Lee vs. Five Brothers
Cartel Land > Cinderella III: A Twist in Time
Cartel Land > Gomorrah
Cartel Land > Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Final spot: #2385 out of 2700.

The Shape of Water (2017)

IMDb plot summary: At a top secret research facility in the 1960s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in captivity.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Starring Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, and Octavia Spencer.

This was quite lovely. Its extremely simple storytelling brought out the fairy tale aspects of it.

4 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Shape of Water > Jack Strong
The Shape of Water > Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The Shape of Water < I've Loved You So Long
The Shape of Water > Kiss Me, Stupid!
The Shape of Water < Double Indemnity
The Shape of Water < What We Do in the Shadows
The Shape of Water > Apollo 13
The Shape of Water > The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Shape of Water > The Red Violin
The Shape of Water < How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

Final spot: #468 out of 2699.

Ripley's Game (2002)

IMDb plot summary: A dying family man in need of money is being persuaded to assassinate a European crime boss.
Directed by Liliana Cavani. Starring John Malkovich, Dougray Scott, Ray Winstone, and Lena Headey.

John Malkovich is such a compelling choice for the character of Ripley, making him much more interesting than the script does alone. I also want to mention the score, which is stellar (of course, it's Morricone!).

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Ripley's Game > House of Flying Daggers
Ripley's Game < Chariots of Fire
Ripley's Game < The Woodsman
Ripley's Game > October Sky
Ripley's Game > The Pianist
Ripley's Game > Cloak & Dagger
Ripley's Game < Star Trek: Generations
Ripley's Game < Witness
Ripley's Game > Griff the Invisible
Ripley's Game < The Stepford Wives (1975)
Final spot: #1047 out of 2698.

Graveyard of Honor (1975)

IMDb plot summary: A self-destructive man becomes a powerful member of the Japanese mafia but quickly loses his self control. Based on the true story of Rikio Ishikawa.
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku. Starring Tetsuya Watari, Tatsuo Umemiya, Yumi Takigawa, and Eiji Gô.

This film reminded me a bit of Bronson, which I watched last year, in that it's a meandering portrait of a thoroughly unpleasant character that is made more interesting through a lot of creative artistic style. The shifting color palette and the camera movement are the most interesting things about the film to me, which is otherwise feels like a long, slow series of scenes I don't feel any attachment to. Like many mobster movies, I find the plot just kind of dull, except this also had the added bonus of the central character being despicable on every level.

2 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Graveyard of Honor < House of Flying Daggers
Graveyard of Honor > Easter Parade
Graveyard of Honor > The Machinist
Graveyard of Honor < Drive
Graveyard of Honor < Hollywood Homicide
Graveyard of Honor < The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
Graveyard of Honor > Double Jeopardy
Graveyard of Honor < The World Is Not Enough
Graveyard of Honor < Fifth of July
Graveyard of Honor < The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Graveyard of Honor < Talk to Her
Graveyard of Honor < Ocean's Twelve

Final spot: #1664 out of 2697.

The Act of Killing (2012)

IMDb plot summary: A documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.
Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer.

Not an easy watch or an easy rank.

3.5 stars?

How it entered my Flickchart:

The Act of Killing > House of Flying Daggers

The Act of Killing < Star Wars: The Last Jedi

The Act of Killing < The Woodsman

The Act of Killing > October Sky

The Act of Killing > The Pianist

The Act of Killing > Stalag 17

The Act of Killing > Interstellar

The Act of Killing < The Incredibles

The Act of Killing < Saving Private Ryan

The Act of Killing < The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

The Act of Killing > Kind Hearts and Coronets

Final spot: #1030 out of 2696.

Le Trou (1960)

IMDb plot summary: In prison four long-sentence inmates planning an elaborate escape cautiously induct a new inmate to join in their scheme which leads to distrust and uncertainty.
Directed by Jacques Becker. Starring Michel Constantin, Jean Keraudy, Philippe Leroy, and Raymond Meunier.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Le trou > Hoosiers
Le trou < Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Le trou < The Woodsman
Le trou > John Dies at the End
Le trou > Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Le trou < Stalag 17
Le trou > Children of a Lesser God
Le trou < The Mistress of Spices
Le trou > The Last Castle
Le trou > Kung Fu Panda
Final spot: #1066 out of 2695.

Spy (2015)

IMDb plot summary: A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.
Directed by Paul Feig. Starring Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, and Jude Law.

To start with the positive, I love the idea of a spy movie with women in almost all the key roles, and Melissa McCarthy has a few great moments when she's being just plain tough and not funny-sassy-tough that give off a bit of a Kathy Bates vibe and make me want to see her in something more serious. The jokes, however, frequently don't land for me. Bodily fluids jokes will never be funny for me, nor will a comedic sidekick whose sole character trait is "sexual harasser." I didn't actively dislike anything, but I found myself wishing I could see a non-comedic version of this story because I feel like that had greater potential than what we got.

2 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Spy < House of Flying Daggers
Spy > Ray
Spy > Cassandra's Dream
Spy < Drive
Spy < Hollywood Homicide
Spy > Mission: Impossible
Spy > Larry-Boy & the Fib From Outer Space
Spy > Party Girl
Spy > 12 Days of Terror
Spy < No Country for Old Men

Final spot: #1604 out of 2694.