Recent Viewings, Part 2

[Rev. Powell]

SIRAT (2025): Accompanied by his young son and companions he meets on the way, a father goes searching for his lost daughter, whom he believes is attending a mysterious rave in the remote desert of Morocco---but the road trip turns into a struggle to survive. Well-made, but strangely pointless. 3/5.

[lester1/2jr]

Altered States (1980) - I'm on a ripping two movie, really good movie streak. I had seen this a number of years ago but, as usual, forgot most of it. I also remember seeing it as a kid, mainly the scene where he escapes from the tank thing. I live near Harvard, I should go see if they still have them there.

William Hurt is a scientist obsessed with our hidden ancient past that's in our DNA molecules or whatever. An, in retrospect, unlikely combination of weird drugs and an isolation tank (which is just being alone isn't it? ) are the only tools he has to try and access his inner primatational ape. Can he get anywhere with this or will he have to be happy just banging hot Harvard women and being a misunderstood genius stereotype? Director Ken Russell aims to makes sure that whatever happens, it will be psychedelicly insane at some point. He massively succeeds.

It's an interesting film to be made in 1980, as it contains the ancient DNA of the 60's with the hippy aspect, but is set amidst the rarefied, professional academic circles where probably a lot of hippies ended up? or something

In short, it's completely ridiculous and awesome. There's no zoo in Cambridge btw.

5/5

[Rev. Powell]

THE SECRET AGENT (2025): A man with a mysterious past hides out in Recife, Brazil in 1977, where he deals with corrupt cops and hitmen against the backdrop of Carnivale and a sensational news story about discovery of a human leg inside a beached shark. Don't let the title fool you into thinking this is a James Bond thing: it's a dramatic thriller about life during the Brazilian dictatorship that feels so authentic (right down to the uncertainty of the conclusion) and true to its period that you would be forgiven for assuming it was based on a true story. 4/5.