May Movies, part 2 of 3:

65. (1124.) Hangar 18 (1980)
Blech. This excrement of a sci-fi movie is horrible, from the misleading advertising to the weak script and dialog to the bad editing and continuity. The ending isn't even an ending; the story just stops! Terrible all around. Even the most devoted Darren McGavin and Gary Collins fans need to think thrice before committing to watching this trash.

66. (1125.) Swiss Army Man (2016)
Now this sort of film is the reason I watch movies. Unique, inventive, and equal parts comedy and tragedy, this independent movie rises above the typical rabble and says something about the human condition, especially in relation to modern disposable society. That makes it art (with a bunch of fart jokes for good measure). Highly recommended.

67. (1126.) The Zodiac Killer (1971)
On the other end of the art spectrum is this throwaway violent exploitation piece. I read after the fact that this was originally intended to help catch the Zodiac Killer, which, if true, forgives a lot, since the entertainment quality of the finished movie wouldn't be its first concern. It's not the worst film I saw in April. (That would be Hangar 18.)

68. (1127.) Gangster Squad (2013)
I have finally seen all three Emma Stone/Ryan Gosling movies! They play a romantically involved couple in all three, though Stone's role in this action film is really just plot device to get to some more action scenes. The movie's highlight is its recreation of 1940s L.A. Its lowlight is Sean Penn's Dick Tracy "Ugly Face" makeup. I was entertained.

69. (1128.) Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)
Tina Fey movies have a tendency to bury their universal "life is what you make of it" messages under self-effacing humor, and this is no exception. The sour reviews led me to expect a dud, but I much enjoyed the humor (especially Billy Bob Thornton's dry delivery). It turns out that life, even in a war zone, is what you make of it. Who knew?

70. (1129.) Hot Millions (1968)
Peter Ustinov wrote and starred in this very Peter Sellers-like comedy about a would-be embezzler who has more scruples than almost everyone in the business world around him. Cute.

71. (1130.) Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)
This mundane story — an American reporter falls in love with a "Eurasian" doctor and their life is complicated by the expectations of their cultures — is exactly the sort of tripe men complain about when they deride Harelequin Romance novels. If this is what love is like, I'll have no part of it. (Though I quit watching after an hour, that was was still time better spent than watching Hangar 18. Blech.)

More to come.

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