Delayed Reaction: Afflicted

Premise: A man on a trip around the world gets startling symptoms after a night with a mysterious woman.

This is a found footage movie that's eluded me for a while. I'm not really sure why. The trailer I'd seen looked good and it's been on a recommended list for a while. I guess I can't see everything right away.

Pretty early on, they establish a good enough reason for the cameras to always be on. They grow the mystery at a steady pace. I was genuinely surprised when they kill off the best friend midway through. I figured he'd be recording until the end. The idea that Derek would continue filming in his honor is a little suspect, but whatever.

This is a vampire story at the end of the day, although it challenges the concept some. The idea that he can't kill himself is cool. I like that his choice is ultimately between control and lack of control, not whether or not he'll be a monster. It leads to a nice, open ending. Perhaps the best thing of all is that the movie clocks in at under 90 minutes. I love when filmmakers know when to let a movie end. Horror filmmakers in particular.

Verdict: Weakly Recommend

Delayed Reaction: Repulsion

Premise: Over a long weekend, a young woman goes slowly mad.

Maybe it's the fact that I've been stuck home a lot more than normal lately, but this movie makes a lot of sense to me. Who of us hasn't left the food out a little too long and found themselves in a catatonic state under the bed? I haven't had any visitors, so how can I be sure I wouldn't treat them the same way as Catherine Deneuve does? Maybe this was a horror movie in the innocent times of 1965, but in Spring 2020...well...

In all seriousness though, I can see why this movie became a calling card for Roman Polanski. It's easy to see how the guy who made this went on to make Rosemary's Baby. There's a similar feel to them both. I'm so used to the sanitized Hollywood films of even the mid-60s, so it's surprising to see a movie from this era taking on such serious topics.

There are some striking visuals in the movie. I love how she sees the walls slowly come apart. And, the scene with the hands coming out of the wall in the hallway is super unnerving. I always have a certain hesitation with Polanski's movies, given his personal history, but this movie is solid.

Verdict: Weakly Recommend

Quick Reaction: Fast Color

There's not a lot to say about this movie. It comes from a growing genre of "indie superhero movies". In particular, this reminded me a lot of the tone and story of Midnight Special. Fittingly, this move also struggles to hit a really satisfying climax. Tis the nature of low budget films in a traditionally effects-rich genre. The movie does a good job of establishing the rules of how the family's powers work. It establishes the government as an antagonist is a believable way too. I mainly saw this for Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who is an actress that should have a much better career than she's had so far. Granted, in the last decade, she's moved from starring in failed TV series, to starring in underseen indie movies, to featured player in major Disney movies. She's only 37, so maybe she's just one great role away from the profile she deserves. It would be sad if her close call with Beyond the Lights is the closest she ever gets to an Oscar nomination.

Verdict: Weakly Recommend

Delayed Reaction: Nashville

Premise: An ensemble movie following numerous stories around Nashville in preparation for a politically convention.

There are some classics I love without hesitation (Casablanca, 12 Angry Men). There are some that I'm hesitant about and end up loving, much to my surprise (Citizen Kane, Schindler's List). There are some I dislike and wonder how they ever got to be so beloved (Network). Then, there's the group that I get but just can't muster up love for. The fact that I can't get myself to genuinely love Moonlight still bothers me. I've seen it 3 times in multiple scenarios and I still can't get it to click. I know it's good, but I don't love it. Nashville is in that last category as well. I know that people love this movie. It's often considered Robert Altman's best. It's a marvel of the kind of episodic, interconnected storytelling that I'm a real sucker for. The cast is unimpeachable. It's full of colorful characters. Even at 2h40m, it's impressive how much it manages to fit in.

Much to my disappointment though, I didn't fall in love with the movie. I kept watching parts and thinking "I see how that's good" without actually liking it. The best comparison I can find is hearing a joke and saying "that's funny" rather than laughing. That said, I could see changing my mind about the movie over time. If I see it again with someone who is a big fan or if I go through a long overdue Lily Tomlin phase, my appreciation could grow. As is, I kept drifting away during the movie. I felt every minute of the runtime. At one point, I checked the time, assuming I was nearly done and realized I was only at the halfway point. I can't say I really fell in love with any of the characters, and the music scenes (other than the one after the chaos at the very end) didn't enchant me.

So yeah, if someone puts Nashville in their top 10 movies list my response will be a muted "Oh, ok" rather than a disgusted "Really, that movie?". Movies do have a habit of growing on me rather than me immediately loving them, so maybe this will become one of those.

Verdict: Weakly Recommend