Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

IMDb plot summary: In December 1935, when his train is stopped by deep snow, detective Hercule Poirot is called on to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before.
Directed by Sidney Lumet. Starring Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam, and Ingrid Bergman.

There's something very satisfying about watching an Agatha Christie story play out, even if you know every step of it. I revisited the book and saw the 2017 movie not long ago, so the plot points of this movie were fresh in my mind, but seeing how the actors bring these various characters to life is so fascinating, and watching them interact with each other is such fun. This version focuses more on the mystery and less on the emotional component in comparison to the 2017 adaptation, and I don't think that's better or worse, just a different interpretation. A solid, well-made book-to-film transition.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Murder on the Orient Express > Silent Hill
Murder on the Orient Express < Little Children
Murder on the Orient Express < Thor
Murder on the Orient Express > Charlie St. Cloud
Murder on the Orient Express > Hellboy
Murder on the Orient Express > Harakiri
Murder on the Orient Express > Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles
Murder on the Orient Express < The Minus Man
Murder on the Orient Express > 21
Murder on the Orient Express > 2046
Murder on the Orient Express > Undercover Blues

Final spot: #1088 out of 2870.

Vagabond (1985)

IMDb summary: A young woman's body is found frozen in a ditch. Through flashbacks and interviews, we see the events that led to her inevitable death.
Directed by Agnès Varda. Starring Sandrine Bonnaire, Yolande Moreau, Macha Méril, and Stéphane Freiss.

Of the three Agnes Varda films I've seen so far, this is probably the one that is likely to have the strongest impact on me long-term. Mona is such an incredible character, distant and aimless and seemingly finding her own existence too much work. And as she drifts from situation to situation, seeing her interact with other people around her just elicits such a strong sense of empathetic sadness for her. It's a dark, tragic tale, but it's beautifully crafted, and I think it's one I'm going to be think about for a long time.

How it entered my Flickchart:
Vagabond > Silent Hill
Vagabond > Little Children
Vagabond < E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
Vagabond > Bruce Almighty
Vagabond < Enchanted
Vagabond > Les Miserables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary

And now Flickchart is just getting stuck and won't let me rank further than this, but that lands it at #449, or 84%, which seems about right, so we'll let that stay.

Konrad (1985)

IMDb plot summary: Konrad is a perfect instant child "born" in a factory at age 8. Due to a mistake in the factory's computer, Konrad is delivered to Bertie Bartolotti, a woman whose life and appearance are in a constant state of disarray.
Directed by Nell Cox. Starring Max Wright, Polly Holliday, Huckleberry Fox, and Ned Beatty.

This is such a strange, strange movie. It was made for TV and it's evident in every bit of the script, the acting, and the cinematography. It feels even more strongly like some sort of PSA for children, but what in the world is the message being sent here? "Don't stress about being perfect," I guess. There's nothing overtly cringy or uncomfortable or BAD here, it's all too goshdarn sincere for that. It's too innocent and well-intentioned to hate, but it's too awkward to love. It just sits in a weird in-between place.


This movie is so obscure it is not actually on Flickchart yet. I've requested it to be added to the database and will come back and post an update when it's been included.

Autumn Sonata (1978)

IMDb plot summary: A married daughter who longs for her mother's love is visited by the latter, a successful concert pianist.
Directed by Ingmar Bergman. Starring Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Lena Nyman, and Halvar Björk.

There's a lot about this movie that I like a lot. It's slow and thoughtful about its characters in a way that Bergman often is -- it's very theatrical. Individual lines and insights are gorgeous. These are such great characters. It just has a strange emotional arc, hitting its peak in the middle of the film and coming down somewhat anticlimactically after that. But overall, scene by scene, it's really beautifully done.

4 stars.

How it landed in my Flickchart:
Autumn Sonata > Silent Hill
Autumn Sonata > The Thief of Bagdad
Autumn Sonata < E.T.
Autumn Sonata < Bruce Almighty
Autumn Sonata > Hairspray Live!
Autumn Sonata < Heavenly Creatures
Autumn Sonata > Deadpool
Autumn Sonata < Contagion
Autumn Sonata < Collateral
Autumn Sonata < The Florida Project
Autumn Sonata < The Great Race
Autumn Sonata < Dog Day Afternoon

Final spot: #603 out of 2866.

Faust: A German Folk Legend (1926)

IMDb plot summary: The demon Mephisto wagers with God that he can corrupt a mortal man's soul.
Directed by F.W. Murnau. Starring Gösta Ekman, Emil Jannings, Camilla Horn, and Frida Richard.

Like a lot of silent dramas, this one feels especially dated in its acting, but that doesn't mean it's not interesting to watch. It enhances the folk tale aspect of it and paints these characters broadly. The story itself seems to be a bit wobbly, with Faust's motivations unclear -- we go from him wanting to save the suffering from the plague to abruptly being all about chasing this woman (who clearly is not interested in him). The last half hour gets pretty muddled and not nearly as interesting as the first. Some interesting moments, but not a movie I'd jump to rewatch.

1.5 stars.

How it landed on my Flickchart:
Faust < Bye Bye Birdie (1995)
Faust > Baby Mama
Faust < Shadows and Fog
Faust > La Dolce Vita
Faust < The Librarian: Quest for the Spear
Faust < What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Faust < The Day of the Triffids
Faust > The American President
Faust > Bridge to Terabithia
Faust > The Spanish Apartment
Faust < Mr. Pip

Final spot: #1950 out of 2865.

The Last Emperor (1987)

IMDb plot summary: The story of the final Emperor of China.
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. Starring John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, and Ruocheng Ying.

This is a very elegant movie. It looks gorgeous (seriously, just about any screenshot you could take of this movie would look amazing) but it's also a very well-written, compelling script, and the acting all round is solid. It's a subject I didn't really know a lot about, and hearing this story told throughout this character's life is so interesting. There's just a lot to like about this, and I'm glad I finally saw it, though I'm having trouble putting into words everything that I think about it.

4 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Last Emperor > Dirty Dancing
The Last Emperor > What's Eating Gilbert Grape
The Last Emperor < The Big Sick
The Last Emperor < The Kid (1921)
The Last Emperor > Gremlins
The Last Emperor < Robin Hood (1973)
The Last Emperor < Jack Goes Boating
The Last Emperor < The Invisible Man
The Last Emperor < Hairspray Live!
The Last Emperor > Bride of Frankenstein
The Last Emperor < Army of Darkness

Final spot: #623 out of 2864.

A Thief in the Night (1972)

IMDb plot summary: The story of Patty, a young woman caught up in living for the present with little concern for the future. She meets and marries a young man and her life seems great, until one moment she awakens to find her husband gone and the radio reporting millions of people have mysteriously disappeared. As dramatic, earth shaking events begin to unfold around her, Patty realizes she is living in the end times spoken of in biblical prophecy.
Directed by Donald W. Thompson. Starring Patty Dunning, Mike Niday, Colleen Niday, and Maryann Rachford.

Not a lot to say about this one. It's pretty clumsy. I watched it with some of my favorite podcasters riffing it, and I think it would have been far too dull otherwise. It does kick into gear a bit with the dystopian ending, but even that is done pretty awkwardly.

1.5 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
A Thief in the Night < Crocodile Dundee
A Thief in the Night > Palo Alto
A Thief in the Night < It's Always Fair Weather
A Thief in the Night < My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
A Thief in the Night < Scotland, PA
A Thief in the Night < Little Witch Academia
A Thief in the Night < Treasure Planet
A Thief in the Night > Avanti!
A Thief in the Night < Lawless
A Thief in the Night < Charlotte's Web (1973)
A Thief in the Night > Before I Fall

Final spot: #2134 out of 2863.

The Horse's Mouth (1958)

IMDb plot summary: A somewhat vulgar but dedicated painter searches for the perfect realization of his artistic vision, much to the chagrin of others.
Directed by Ronald Neame. Starring Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh, Renee Houston, and Mike Morgan.

This movie has a weird lack of overarching story. Even from early in the film, there's a sense that this character's life and deeds are pretty cyclical, and it does feel very episodic, with various events not necessarily leading to each other but just sort of happening near each other. But it's a pretty fun ride. Alec Guinness is delightful, and his repartee with those around him is really fun to watch. The dialogue in this film is lovely to listen to -- smart and funny and interesting. I don't know that it wowed me, but it was a solid watch.

3 stars.

How it entered my Flickchart:
The Horse's Mouth > Downfall
The Horse's Mouth < What's Eating Gilbert Grape
The Horse's Mouth < The Terminal
The Horse's Mouth > Star Trek: Nemesis
The Horse's Mouth < Nine to Five
The Horse's Mouth < Blade
The Horse's Mouth > Maine Pyar Kiya
The Horse's Mouth > Man on Fire
The Horse's Mouth > Steamboat Bill, Jr.
The Horse's Mouth > No eres tu, so you
The Horse's Mouth > The Good Dinosaur

Final spot: #1208 out of 2862.