ffolkes

There’s a certain unabashed cheesiness to this late '70s action flick. It is, without a doubt, a product of its time—and thus comes to us today, if you have the right frame of mind, with a dose of retro appeal. Most of the production is, compared with modern action movies, remarkably low-key; perhaps even low-rent is a term that would fit. Mostly, this flick is notable the venue for as one of Roger Moore’s best roles. As the title character--a strange, misogynistic, cat-loving Scottish naval special ops soldier--Moore gives a fun, standout performance, smart and arch and entertaining through and through. The plot is almost irrelevant, except to provide co-star Anthony Perkins an opportunity to chew the nautical scenery as the lead criminal. Mostly, this is just an enjoyable ride from back in the day when the UK was still a great power and the idea of a gang holding its oil production hostage would have been considered a stage for heavy, international drama. They don’t make 'em like this anymore; it’s up to you to decide if that’s good or not. From this viewer's perspective, we’re not necessarily missing that time, but then again it’s nice to visit there once in a while. (Note: IMDB has this listed as "North Sea Hijack," without any reference to its original title. I distinctly remember it being named "ffolkes" due to the noticeable lowercase lettering and unusual double-f name--but you might find it under the other title if not the original.)

Tusk

Strange bizarre and unexpected, as old Mr. Ripley used to say. Everything I ever heard about this movie--even from the creator himself via his podcast--was that this one is a piece of shit. Imagine, then, my surprise in finding that this flick actually isn’t all that bad. It is eccentric, to be sure, but there’s plenty of solid movie-making here; apparently, Kevin Smith was not so baked at this poing that he couldn’t direct a competent flick. (No guarantees for today.) The most intriguing aspect of this strange work is the competing oddball performances by Johnny Depp and Michael Parks. They provide many layers of interest in their contributions, even if Depp's Quebecois accent has a habit of showing up and hiding in equal measures. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this a good movie, but...awful? No, not really. Just really, really weird. Too weird for most, but I think it works for a niche audience. There’s even, dare I say it, some intriguing philosophical musing at work here, which might just make this story something to ponder even after its running time has been spent. I guess it goes to show, from the most unpromising ground, sometimes something unique and intriguing can grow.

Red State

So this is what Kevin Smith's now-perpetual cloud of weed smoke hath wrought--a genuinely good indie film, with surprising philosophical depth, storytelling skill, and an almost oddly sympathetic engagement with its central crazies. If this really is his penultimate film (preceding the forthcoming Hit Somebody!), one could argue Smith is going out with a bang--and maybe just when he's finally figured out this whole film-making thing.