cryptexcode/MPST huggingface dataset:
Kinky Boots

Plot synopsis:
In the town of Northampton, in the East Midlands of England, Charlie Price is attempting to save the family shoe factory, which has been floundering since his father died. While on a business trip to London to sell the company's extra stock, Charlie encounters a woman being harassed by drunken hoodlums and intervenes to his detriment. He wakes up backstage, in the dressing room of Lola, a drag queen performer and alter ego of Simon. Charlie is intrigued when he sees that drag queens' high heels snap easily since they have only women's shoes to wear, rather than those that can support the weight of a larger male body frame. Back in Northampton, while in the process of making his workers redundant, one employee, Lauren, gives Charlie the idea of looking for a niche market product to save the business. Charlie then recruits Lauren to assist him in designing a high-heeled boot for Lola, initially as a thank-you, but later as a means of finding a niche to save the factory.
When their initial designs are met with scorn by Lola, Charlie and Lauren bring her on as a consultant. The road is initially bumpy: many of the male employees are uncomfortable with Lola's presence and the new direction, and Charlie's relationship with his fiancée, Nicola, begins to deteriorate as she encourages him to sell the company. Although things improve when Lola tones down her personality and starts making friends, matters take a turn for the worse when Charlie is invited to showcase the new boots in Milan; the strain he puts on his employees causes most of them, including Lola, to walk out.
Charlie's fiancée arrives at the factory, furious that he took out a second mortgage on their house to save the company. Nicola insists that he sell the company, but Charlie is determined to save it and the jobs of his employees. The argument (which ends with Nicola leaving Charlie) is broadcast on the factory's PA system, which is overheard by Lauren and Lola's bitterest opponent at the factory, Don, a chauvinistic male worker. Don turns over a new leaf after Lola had graciously allowed him to win the arm wrestling match he was the champion in, and rallies the factory workers to make the boots in time for Charlie and Lauren to get to Milan. After arriving in Milan with no one to model the boots, Charlie is forced to go onstage and model the boots himself as the ultimate symbol of his dedication to his workers and his acceptance of Lola. After tripping and ultimately falling flat on his face, Lola and her posse of drag queens arrive, put on a spectacular runway show, and save the day.
In the film's denouement, Lola headlines her own show and sings a song in honor of the "kinky boots factory" of Northampton. Most of the key workers are in attendance and enjoying themselves, including Charlie and Lauren, who have become a couple.

Tags: queer, flashback

Review:
Along the Navajo Trail

Plot synopsis:
Deputy U.S. Marshal Roy Rogers poses as a wandering poet, finding and defeating a group of bad guys who, for reasons they keep to themselves, are trying to oust a girl and her father from their ranch. As the plot develops, it is revealed that they want the ranch so they can sell it to a company that wants to run an oil pipeline through a mountain pass at the edge of the property.
Roy comes to the town of Padre Wells, leaving his guns at his squatter's camp on the Ladder-A ranch. He gets into a fistfight with Rusty Channing, a cowboy from the Bridle-Bit ranch who is harassing a gypsy girl and her boyfriend. After defeating Channing, Bridle-Bit owner J. Richard Bentley advises Roy to bring his guns the next time he shows up. Roy returns to the Ladder-A, where he forms a relationship with the owner's daughter Lorrie Alastair, and moves into the bunkhouse. Lorrie's father has been shot in the arm by the bad guys who are after his ranch. A range war ensues, with Roy, the Ladder-A group and the gypsies on one side, and the Bridle-Bit gang and bad guys from the Santa Fe Oil Company on the other. The gypsy girl briefly has a crush on Roy, but his heart belongs to Lorrie. Ultimately there is a showdown at the Bridle-Bit, with the bad guys having the upper hand until the gypsies race in and save the day. Roy and Lorrie openly fall in love and live happily ever after.

Tags: murder

Review:
This Revolution

Plot synopsis:
Jake Cassevetes (Nathan Crooker) is a world-renowned cameraman who has just arrived back from being embedded during the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Jake does not buy into the theory of a corporate-controlled press. Though, after having much of his best footage in Iraq censored by the network, Jake is growing disillusioned with his corporate masters. During this, Jake befriends a boy (Brett DelBuono) and in time meets his mother, Tina Santiago (Rosario Dawson), a pretty young widow whose husband died while serving in Iraq, with whom he forms a close bond.
Jake gets an assignment to shoot on the streets of the Republican National Convention protests. There he meets Seven, one of the young leaders of a masked anarchist Black Bloc. Jake quickly wins the trust of the group and is allowed to shadow them as they move through the demonstration. Later that night, after shooting Seven with her mask down describing the Bloc's militant objectives, the videotape is returned to the network with the rest of his footage by Jake's girlfriend and co-worker Chloe (Amy Redford), without Jake's permission. When he goes to retrieve the tape, he is told the network made a deal with the Department of Homeland Security to review all footage to look for potential terror suspects. It is in fact being used to compile a database of activists. Realizing the danger he has brought to Seven and the Black Bloc, Jake decides to use his skills and access at the network to jam the government-controlled corporate media and broadcast the truth of the protests and the message of a new generation of activists.

Tags: romantic, avant garde, violence, flashback

Review:
Conflict

Plot synopsis:
Pat Glendon (Wayne) is a former lumberjack turned bare-knuckle boxer who travels the countryside as part of gambling scam operated by Gus "Knockout" Carrigan for a New York City syndicate. Glendon arrives ahead of the travelling boxing exhibition, building the confidence of the locals who in turn bet on Glendon to win, only to have him throw the fight.
The gambling circuit leads Glendon to Cedar City, a west coast lumber town where he soon finds himself a job as a lumberjack and becoming part of the community. At the lumberjack picnic Glendon fights and defeats "Ruffhouse" Kelly (Woods) a burly man from a rival lumbering camp. The town folk agree that Glendon is the one to represent them in the boxing exhibition soon to hit town.
While in Cedar City, Glendon saves the life of the runaway orphan, Tommy (Tuppin), who befriends the boxer and acts as his "trainer" and is unofficially adopted by him. Maude Sangster (Rogers) a reporter pretending to be a social worker from San Francisco sent to Cedar City to expose the boxing scam, befriends Glendon and the orphan Tommy.
Conscience gets the better of Glendon, and on the day of the rigged fight against Carrigan, Glendon tells him that he won't throw the fight. He tells Carrigan that the Cedar City lumberjacks are his friends and he doesn't want to scam them out of their hard earned money. In a hard fought, honest match, Glendon prevails and also wins the heart of the girl.

Tags: romantic, murder

Review:
Nude per l'assassino

Plot synopsis:
After a fashion model dies while undergoing an illegal abortion, the attending doctor moves her body back to her home, staging her death to remove any trace of his involvement. However, he is murdered by a stranger disguised in racing leathers and a motorcycle helmet. At the Albatross Modelling Agency, womanising photographer Carlo (Nino Castelnuovo) embarks on an affair with fellow photographer Magda (Edwige Fenech). Meanwhile, a newly hired model, Patrizia (Solvi Stubing), fends off the unwanted advances of Maurizio (Franco Diogene), whose wife owns the agency. One evening, Mario (Claudio Pellegrini), who also works at the agency, invites a woman in racing leathers into his home for a drink, and is stabbed to death. The police question the agency's owner Gisella (Lia Amanda) and another model, Lucia (Femi Benussi) about the killing, but learn very little. Gisella and Lucia are sleeping together; one night when Gisella leaves after a fight, Lucia is attacked and killed.
Maurizio propositions another model, Doris (Erna Schürer), but when she refuses to sleep with him for money, he attempts to rape her. However, he suffers from premature ejaculation and Doris leaves unharmed. Shortly afterwards, Maurizio is stabbed by the killer. Carlo later witnesses Gisella being murdered, and is able to photograph the attack; however, he runs off and is injured in a hit and run accident. While he is in hospital, Magda recovers his camera and attempts to develop the film, but the killer breaks in and destroys the negatives. Carlo hurries home, but the killer has gone—going instead to kill Doris and her abusive boyfriend Stefano. Carlo finds Madga alive, but the killer returns to attack them both. During the struggle, the killer is knocked down a flight of stairs. The killer is unmasked and revealed to be Patrizia, who accuses Carlo of causing the death of her sister—the girl who died in the botched abortion, and whose death it is revealed Carlo helped to conceal. However, Patrizia dies of her injuries, leaving no trace of Carlo's involvement.

Tags: pornographic, cruelty, murder, cult, horror, violence

Review:
Final Score

Plot synopsis:
The film focuses on Suwikrom "Per" Amaranon, a middle class Thai student in his senior year at Suankularb Wittayalai School in Bangkok, and his three friends, Big Show, Lung and Boat. They are depicted as average students, not especially studious but are still obedient of their parents and are hopeful of their prospects for getting into a university in Thailand.
The film follows the boys through one year, from May 2005 to May 2006. Documentarian Soraya Nagasuwan is never heard asking the boys questions, simply letting her camera crew follow the boys through their days at school, at home with their families or enjoying time off school while on a visit to the beach and attending a rock music festival.
In order to qualify for admission to a university faculty, students must take standardized tests. In Thailand these tests are the O-Net/A-Net exams. Minimum scores are needed in order to be admitted to certain universities and university faculties.
Coincidentally, the February 2006 exams that the boys took were hit with a scandal after the results were incorrectly reported. Approximately 300,000 students were affected by error, with many puzzled over receiving test results when they had not even taken the tests.
The boys weather the pressure of taking the exams and the erroneous reporting of the scores, however, and ultimately win their choice of disciplines and universities.

Tags: non fiction

Review:
3 Ninjas Knuckle Up

Plot synopsis:
Rocky (Michael Treanor), Colt (Max Elliott Slade), Tum Tum (Chad Power) defend "Truth, Justice and the American Way", once more - this time, protecting a Native American village and the rest of society against a Toxic Waste Company.
During a summer the boys are staying with Grandpa Mori when they encounter a group assaulting a girl named Jo at a pizza parlour. After fending off the men, they are praised for their martial arts techniques which gives them big heads. Despite their efforts, they are put to work by Mori and the pizza owner to work off damages. Mori tries to teach them a lesson in humility, but the reference of a flower blooming goes over their heads. Jo comes to the boys later and explains that the men are under the employ of Jack Harding, an industrialist who is illegally dumping toxic contents into the reserve. Without proof, they can do nothing. Jo's father had gone to investigate but had not returned. Colt, who is seemingly attracted to Jo, says that they will help, and they mount an escape plan for her father that night, which is successful. They spend the night celebrating with the tribe and getting thanks for helping them. Jo's father appeals for a court date with significant evidence to put Jack out of business for good, undeterred. Jack arranges to have Jo kidnapped and convince her father to falsify his evidence, which he has no other choice.
Rocky and the others get information to where Jo is being held and drive out to free her and return before the court case is dismissed and all of her father's hard work accounts for nothing. After working through a small band of armed men, they find Jo and return her to the court house just before her father turns the real evidence over to Jack. He admits his mistake and hands the evidence to the judge who deems the case and shuts down the company producing the waste. Jo looks around for the 'heroes' of the day, but they are nowhere to be found. Rocky realizes the point of Mori's earlier lesson: that a flower is content to bloom quietly, without clamoring for attention.The film ends with Grandpa Mori and the boys somersaulting into the air in victory.

Tags: cult, violence

Review:
Il giovane Mussolini

Plot synopsis:
The movie starts off with Mussolini arriving in a small town in 1901 and getting a job as a school teacher; he is subsequently fired for having sex with the headmaster's daughter. This would be a common theme throughout the movie. After giving up on teaching, he works as a builder on the new University of Geneva campus building, and where a lover persuades him to become a student. This is also where he organizes his first protest after the death of a worker he knew. For this, he is nearly deported but is saved by Angelica's intervention. After getting run out of then-Austro-Hungarian Trieste, he goes back to his hometown of Forlì, where he marries Rachele. Soon he is at the forefront of the Socialist movement when he becomes the editor-in-chief of Avanti!. At this point Mussolini unites the "reds," the Socialists, with the "yellows," the Republicans in an anti-war movement. This marks the peak of his power, with the Italian left-wing politics under his control. However, he gradually loses his anti-war fervor and splits from the Socialist party altogether, turning all his allies into enemies.

Tags: violence

Review:
La morte non conta i dollari

Plot synopsis:
Lawrence White returns to his hometown and reopens the investigation about the murder of his father. At the same time arrives Boyd, who frequently gets into fights. Doc Lester, who is the one behind the murder, hires Boyd and makes him the sheriff to stop White. However, it turns out that "Boyd" is the real Lawrence White, while ”White” is a friend of his.
Rustlers kill Major White, and a witness who reports to the sheriff is later shot and has his tongue cut out. Many years later the son of major White returns in a stagecoach. It is stopped by some military, but another passenger, Boyd, discloses them as false, and they ride off. When White arrives people say that this will mean trouble for major Lester. White now tries to reopen the murder case of his father and gets into a fight with Lester's men. White’s sister, on the other hand, advocates vengeance.
Boyd gets into several fights and is recruited by Lester, who has him appointed the new sheriff when the old one is killed. Elisabeth, a girl he has acquainted, now rejects him and asks him to find the murderer of her father, who has been killed by men of Lester, because he intended to help White.
When he visits the widow of the former land officer, White is caught in a trap by Lester's men. She explains that they would have tortured her otherwise. Lester sends Boyd to make White confess to murder, but instead he unties White. Some Lester men now appear saying that Lester did right to check him. They start beating Boyd when the widow appears with a rifle. She is shot but Boyd gets a gun and kills them. We now learn that Boyd is the real son of major White, while "White" is his friend, a federal lawyer from Washington.
White follows a lead and finds judge Warren’s daughter as a prostitute in Mexico. He now can convince the judge top reopen the case.
Lester's gang ambush White, but the stage is manned with dolls and explodes, and the rest of the gang is killed in the ensuing gunfight. Lester is arrested.
White stays on as sheriff united with Elisabeth, while his friend leaves with White’s sister.

Tags: western, revenge, murder

Review:
Every Which Way But Loose

Plot synopsis:
Philo Beddoe is a truck driver living in the San Fernando Valley. He lives in a small house, with an orangutan named Clyde, behind that of his friend, Orville Boggs, and his mother. Philo makes money on the side as a bare-knuckle fighter; he is often compared to a legendary fighter named Tank Murdock.
One night Philo becomes smitten with Lynn Halsey-Taylor, an aspiring country music singer he meets at the Palomino Club, a local honky-tonk bar. His relationship with her seems to be going well until one day she and her camper disappear from the trailer park. Believing that he is falling for her, Philo decides to set off for Lynn's home in Denver, Colorado.
Along the way, he has a run-in with a motorcycle gang called "The Black Widows", who incur Philo's wrath after two gang members insult him and Clyde at a traffic light. Philo chases them down and takes their bikes (which he repaints, repairs, and resells), and every attempt they make to get even results in disaster. Philo also incurs the wrath of LAPD cop named Putnam, with whom he gets into a fight at the Palomino. Both the officer and the Widows learn of Philo's trip to Colorado and head off to find him.
Orville and Clyde accompany Philo to Denver, and on the way, they meet a woman named Echo who becomes Orville's girlfriend. They earn money along the way by booking fights for Philo. After a fight in a slaughterhouse, the man holding the money tries to stiff Philo. Echo fires two shots from a .38, and the man hands over the money.
Knowing that Philo has come to look for her, Lynn helps the Black Widows lure him into a trap. Philo sees Lynn and attempts to talk to her, but finds himself surrounded by the Widows. He manages to fight most of them until Orville intervenes. Using a garbage truck with a dumpster hoist, he dumps all the motorcycles into the back of the truck. The Widows charge the garbage truck, but Orville gets away. Philo, Echo, and Orville then escape.
Philo finally finds Lynn and she reveals her true nature to him. Hurt by her callousness, Philo says that he is the only one dumb enough to want to take her further than her bed. Lynn erupts in a fit of rage, striking him repeatedly until she collapses in tears.
Orville learns that Tank Murdock, based in the area, is ready to retire after one more fight. Orville makes the arrangements, and Philo faces his elderly nemesis. During the fight, the crowd, initially pro-Murdock, begins to insult him, with some murmurs that Philo is going to be the next Murdock. Philo lets his guard down, intentionally giving Murdock a clear shot, knocking Philo down for the count. Murdock, having regained the crowd's esteem, is allowed to retire undefeated. Clyde, Orville and Echo head home the next day.

Tags: comedy, violence, prank

Review:
The Turn of the Screw

Plot synopsis:
An unnamed narrator listens to Douglas, a friend, read a manuscript written by a former governess whom Douglas claims to have known and who is now dead. The manuscript tells the story of how the young governess is hired by a man who has become responsible for his young nephew and niece after the deaths of their parents. He lives mainly in London and is uninterested in raising the children.
The boy, Miles, is attending a boarding school, while his younger sister, Flora, is living at a summer country house in Essex. She is currently being cared for by Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper. Miles and Flora's uncle, the governess' new employer, gives her full charge of the children and explicitly states that she is not to bother him with communications of any sort. The governess travels to her new employer's country house, Bly, and begins her duties.
Miles soon returns from school for the summer just after a letter arrives from the headmaster stating that he has been expelled. Miles never speaks of the matter, and the governess is hesitant to raise the issue. She fears there is some horrible secret behind the expulsion but is too charmed by the adorable young boy to want to press the issue. Soon thereafter, around the grounds of the estate, the governess begins to see the figures of a man and woman whom she does not recognize. These figures come and go at will without ever being seen or challenged by other members of the household, and they seem to the governess to be supernatural. She learns from Mrs. Grose that her predecessor, Miss Jessel, and another employee, Peter Quint, had a sexual relationship. Before their deaths, Jessel and Quint spent much of their time with Flora and Miles, and this fact has grim significance for the governess when she becomes convinced that the two children are secretly aware of the ghosts' presence.
Later, without permission, Flora leaves the house while Miles is playing music for the governess. The governess notices Flora's absence and goes with Mrs. Grose in search of her. They find her in a clearing in the wood, and the governess is convinced that Flora has been talking to the ghost of Miss Jessel. When the governess finally confronts Flora, the girl denies seeing Miss Jessel and demands never to see the governess again. At the governess' suggestion, Mrs. Grose takes Flora away to her uncle, leaving the governess with Miles, who that night at last talks to her about his expulsion; the ghost of Quint appears to the governess at the window. The governess shields Miles, who attempts to see the ghost. The governess tells Miles he is no longer controlled by the ghost and then finds that Miles has died in her arms, and the ghost has gone.

Tags: insanity, haunting

Review:
Christmas in July

Plot synopsis:
Dr. Maxford (Raymond Walburn) is thoroughly exasperated. He is supposed to announce on national radio the winners of a slogan contest for his Maxford House Coffee; the first prize is $25,000. Maxford's jury is deadlocked by the stubborn Mr. Bildocker (William Demarest). As a result, the program ends without an announcement.
One of millions of contestants, office worker Jimmy MacDonald (Dick Powell) dreams of winning, hoping to validate his faith in himself, provide some luxuries for his mother (Georgia Caine), and marry his girlfriend Betty Casey (Ellen Drew). Betty, among others, does not understand his slogan: "If you can't sleep at night, it's not the coffee, it's the bunk."
As a joke, three of his co-workers place a fake telegram on Jimmy's desk informing him that he has won. Jimmy's boss, J. B. Baxter (Ernest Truex), is so impressed, he promotes Jimmy on the spot to advertising executive, with his own office, a private secretary (Betty), and a raise. Tom Darcy, one of the pranksters, tries to clear things up before they go too far, but loses his nerve.
When Jimmy arrives to collect the check, Dr. Maxford assumes his committee finally reached a decision without informing him, and writes a check to Jimmy. Jimmy and Betty go on a shopping spree at Shindel's department store. After telephoning Maxford to confirm the check is good, Mr. Shindel gives Jimmy credit to buy an engagement ring for Betty, a luxury sofa-bed for his mother, and presents for all of their neighbors.
When the truth comes out, Shindel descends on Jimmy's street to try to repossess his merchandise. Maxford follows them and confirms Jimmy did not win. In the commotion, Shindel learns that Maxford's signature is genuine; instead of reclaiming the merchandise, he tries to force Maxford to pay for it. Tom and the other two pranksters admit they are to blame.
That night, Jimmy and Betty confess to Baxter. Betty's heartfelt plea persuades Baxter to let Jimmy try to prove himself and keep his promotion, although on a very short probationary period and with no raise. Meanwhile, Bildocker bursts into Maxford's office to announce that the other jury members have finally given in and accepted his choice for the grand prize winner: Jimmy.

Tags: prank

Review:
Perdita Durango

Plot synopsis:
Rosie Perez plays Perdita Durango, a woman who goes to Mexico to scatter the ashes of her dead sister.
In Mexico she is picked up by bank robbing drug dealer Romeo Dolorosa, played by Javier Bardem. He robbed the bank to pay off his debt to loan shark Catalina (Demián Bichir). Romeo also engages in various scams pretending to be a magical Santeria priest, hacking up corpses while snorting cocaine.
Romeo’s latest scam is working for gangster Mr. Santos (Don Stroud) transporting refrigerated human fetuses to Las Vegas where they will be used to make cosmetic skin cream.
Perdita devises a plan that they should capture a gringo and eat him as part of Romeo’s ceremonies. They randomly kidnap geeky college student Dwayne and his girlfriend Estelle. First Perdita rapes Dwayne while Romeo rapes Estelle. They hold a ceremony to sacrifice Estelle while they force Dwayne to watch. Before the girl can be killed the sacrifice is interrupted by a gang of men led by a Shorty Dee (Santiago Segura), a betrayed former partner of Romeo.
Romeo and Perdita escape with Dwayne and Estelle still their captives. The four proceed to go to the meeting with Santos’ people to pick up the truckload of fetuses. Unfortunately, the hand-off is interrupted by Drug Enforcement Agent Woody Dumas, played by James Gandolfini. All of Santos’ men are killed but Romeo escapes, driving to Vegas with Dwayne, while Perdita follows with Estelle.
On the trip Romeo finds out his grandmother's house was raided by some of Catalina's men as punishment for Romeo's unpaid debt. Romeo visits Catalina in a club, pretending to offer Estelle as payment. When he gets Catalina alone Romeo kills the loan shark.
Finally Romeo, Perdita, Dwayne, and Estelle get to Vegas. But they’ve been followed the whole way by Dumas. More, the drop has become a trap for Romeo -- Santos is upset about all the dead men at the pick up so he has hired Romeo’s cousin Reggie (Carlos Bardem) to kill Romeo at the drop off.
Romeo and his one-armed ex-marine buddy Doug go to the drop, tipped off about the double-cross. Romeo leaves Perdita to watch the hostages, but Perdita's nervousness overcomes her. She lets Estelle and Dwayne go so she can check on her lover.
Reggie kills Doug and Perdita arrives just in time to see Reggie shoot Romeo in the back, killing him. Perdita shoots and kills Reggie and then flees as the cops bust in, led by Woody, intending to arrest the men but instead finding them all dead.
Alone now Perdita walks the Vegas strip, mourning Romeo.

Tags: psychedelic, comedy, cruelty, violence, flashback

Review:
Cencoroll

Plot synopsis:
In Cencoroll, large, mostly white amorphous creatures have been appearing in a town modeled after Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Tetsu (テツ) (Hiro Shimono) is a male high school student who keeps one such shapeshifting creature named Cenco (センコ, Senko), which he can control via telepathy, though wants to keep it a secret. An inquisitive girl named Yuki (ユキ) (Kana Hanazawa) chances upon Cenco at school when it is transformed into a bicycle. After Tetsu arrives to retrieve the bicycle, Yuki inadvertently causes Cenco to transform back into its normally large form by poking it in the eye. Yuki is much more interested in Cenco than Tetsu and accompanies them into town. There, a boy named Shū (シュウ) (Ryōhei Kimura), who controls two of the creatures, confronts Tetsu in order to obtain Cenco. Tetsu manages to fend off Shū's attacks while also protecting Yuki, and they leave while Shū's creature is incapacitated. Shū confronts Yuki later that day and gets her to tell Tetsu to meet and fight Shū again.
The following day, Shū takes Yuki hostage to force Tetsu to come, and places her on a ledge of a tall building. After Tetsu arrives, Shū attacks from afar and manages to cut off one of Cenco's arms. To repair the arm, Cenco removes one of Tetsu's arms, which incapacitates him momentarily. Shū arrives with a much larger creature and Cenco takes Yuki within its body where Tetsu already is. Yuki gets Cenco to change control of it from Tetsu to herself, and after Shū's larger creature eats Cenco along with Yuki, she manages to take control of the larger creature as well. They are subsequently attacked by the military with tanks and missiles, but are protected for the time being when Tetsu changes the creature's shape to that of a massive walnut. Tetsu and Yuki are separated and Shū attempts to take control back from Yuki, but he cannot control the creature anymore and severs the link, effectively killing it. Tetsu makes it back with Cenco to where Yuki and Shū are, and Yuki knocks Shū out with Cenco transformed into a baseball bat. Afterwards, Yuki transforms Cenco into Tetsu's lost arm, which gives him back control of his limb. Shū is later shown having been rescued by his other creature.

Tags: psychedelic

Review:
Bessie

Plot synopsis:
Bessie Smith (Queen Latifah) is a young singer from Chattanooga, Tennessee. She and her siblings are orphaned when their parents, William and Laura, die, leaving their oldest sister, Viola (Khandi Alexander), to raise them. Viola is stern and Bessie's childhood is unhappy. She along with her brother Clarence (Tory Kittles) scrape by working for local vaudeville shows. Her stage ambitions are frustrated by producers unwilling to feature dark-skinned black women in their shows. Bessie sneaks onto traveling performer Ma Rainey's (Mo'Nique) train compartment and asks to join her show. Ma Rainey takes Bessie under her wing and helps her develop her abilities until Bessie's popularity causes a schism between the two women. Bessie leaves with Clarence to start her own show.
In addition to her lover Lucille (Tika Sumpter), Bessie begins a tumultuous relationship with Jack Gee (Michael K. Williams), a security guard who later becomes her husband and manager. After a humiliating rejection from the newly formed Black Swan Records, Jack manages to get Bessie a record deal with Columbia Records. Immense success follows, though Bessie encounters difficulties, including a stabbing attack after a show in her hometown, racism from white guests during an affluent party, and an attack during her show by the Ku Klux Klan, whom she courageously chases off. Eventually, Bessie reconciles with Viola, and moves her and all of her siblings into a mansion to live with her. The move causes additional tension with Jack, and Bessie pushes him further by adopting a young boy, whom she names Jack Jr., as their son. Eventually, Lucille leaves Bessie in order to have her own life. Despite her own affair with bootlegger Richard Morgan (Mike Epps), Bessie is infuriated upon discovering that Jack is bankrolling his mistress, up and coming performer Gertrude Saunders. After a violent quarrel, Jack leaves her. Bessie spirals into depression and alcohol. Jack returns, kidnapping Jack Jr. with the assistance of Viola, and takes him to live with him, contending that Bessie is an unfit mother.
During the Great Depression, Bessie's fortune dissolves, and she and Clarence move into a small apartment. Bessie reconciles with Ma Rainey and takes some time to recuperate from her personal losses. Eventually, she accepts Richard's love for her and the two begin a relationship. After hearing Lucille Bogan's licentious hit song "Til the Cows Come Home", Bessie performs once again and meets a young John Hammond who wishes to produce her comeback tour. Bessie's comeback is a success and she later reflects on her life while discussing the future with Richard.

Tags: depressing, flashback

Review:
Carnage

Plot synopsis:
When two grade-school boys get into a fight in the park that results in one boy, Zachary Cowan, hitting the other, Ethan Longstreet, in the face with a stick, their parents meet in a Brooklyn apartment to discuss the matter. Zachary's parents, Alan (Christoph Waltz) and Nancy Cowan (Kate Winslet), visit the home of Michael (John C. Reilly) and Penelope Longstreet (Jodie Foster), Ethan's parents. Their meeting is initially intended to be short, but due to various circumstances, the conversation continues to draw out. In fact, Alan and Nancy begin to leave the apartment on two occasions, but are drawn back in to further discussion.
At first, the couples are friendly to each other, but their respective comments start to hurt feelings, making everyone argue with one another. Apart from fighting among themselves, the couples blame each other about who is responsible for the fight between their sons. Nancy calls the Longstreets "superficially fair-minded" and Penelope and Michael complain about Alan's arrogant and dull attitude. Everyone also gets irritated with Alan when he accepts endless business phone calls on his BlackBerry, interrupting the discussion, and showing he has more interest in his business problems than the matter at hand. Michael also receives many phone calls from his ailing mother, to his frustration.
Nancy accuses Michael of being a murderer because he, annoyed by the constant noise it made during the night, had earlier turned his daughter Courtney's pet hamster loose in the street. Penelope becomes emotional about the hamster and with everyone arguing with each other. Other issues include a risky drug Alan is working to defend and Michael's mother has been prescribed, and the question of idealism and responsibility that is part of Penelope's current work.
Michael offers everyone a glass of fine scotch. Penelope claims she doesn't "get drunk" and Nancy drinks way too many and finally stops Alan's phone calls by dropping his cellphone in Penelope's flower vase full of tulips and water. Penelope and Nancy both laugh uproariously while Michael and Alan try to blow-dry the BlackBerry.
The conversation continues to decay into personal attacks and opinionated statements and, eventually, epithets are uttered. Penelope is ranting, calling Nancy's son a 'snitch', and Nancy's true colors are revealed when she destroys the tulips and drunkenly and vulgarly states she is glad that her son beat up Penelope's and Michael's son. The couples realize the conversation is going nowhere. Alan's BlackBerry, lying on the coffee table, vibrates, and all four stare at it.
The film cuts to the hamster, alive and well in the park, where Ethan and Zachary are reconciling on their own.

Tags: revenge

Review:
Kickboxer 2: The Road Back

Plot synopsis:
One year after the events of the first film, it is revealed that kickboxing brothers Kurt and Eric Sloane have been killed by Tong Po in Thailand. David Sloane (Mitchell), the last surviving brother, struggles to keep the family's Los Angeles kickboxing gym afloat. He offers free kickboxing lessons to local kids, often demonstrating a technique he calls the "rock and the river" which allows him to defend against attacks while blindfolded.
Although his will to compete has waned since the loss of his brothers, financial problems eventually force Sloane to fight again in a new organization run by a crooked promoter. His surprising comeback ultimately attracts the attention of Po (Qissi) who, having been defeated by Kurt, seeks to defeat David in the ring and regain his honor. But when Sloane announces his retirement after the bout, Po's manager Sangha (Tagawa) hires a group of thugs to burn down the gym, injuring Sloane and killing one of his young students.
While recovering in the hospital, Sloane is visited by Xian Chow (Chan), who trained his brother Kurt in Thailand. Though David initially wants nothing to do with him, he finally relents and allows Xian to nurse him back to health. Meanwhile, one of Sloane's most promising students, Brian Wagner, has secured a championship bout and invites Sloane to watch the fight. However, the champion is unexpectedly replaced by Po, who brutalizes the young man and kills him in the ring despite Sloane's efforts to talk the young fighter down. Now with no other recourse, Sloane is forced to accept Po's challenge. In a bloody bout reminiscent of the "ancient way" of fighting in Thailand, Sloane is beaten badly and has clouded vision. Utilizing his "rock and the river" technique, however, David ultimately exacts his revenge and defeats his rival. Having lost his honor, Sangha confronts David in the ring at gunpoint, but David is able to disarm and incapacitate him.
The next day, David unsuccessfully teaches Xian to drive a car. When his students introduce him to the new neighborhood bully, David once again demonstrates the "rock and the river", but the lesson is cut short when the ice cream truck arrives and Xian treats everyone.

Tags: revenge, murder, violence

Review:
Love Aaj Kal

Plot synopsis:
Jai and Meera are a modern-day couple living in London. They are happy with each other, but do not believe in tying each other down so when career beckons, they have a mutual break-up, but remain friends. Meera goes to India, while Jai stays in London, hoping to be called to San Francisco, where working at the Golden Gate Inc. is his dream job. Jai begins to date a blonde named Jo, while Meera returns the feelings of her boss, Vikram. The couple believes they have moved on.
Running simultaneously, but set in the past, is the tale of Veer Singh. A great believer of love, the Sikh narrates his love story to Jai to try to convince him not to let Meera go from his life. He explains how he fell for a girl named Harleen. Jai ridicules Veer, who vowed to marry Harleen before he had even gotten to talk to her. But, on Veer's insistence, he agrees to pay Meera a surprise visit in India. Meera is stunned, and the two lie to both Jo and Vikram to spend time with each other. They realize how much they still like each other's company. Jai and Jo break up as Jai is unable to reciprocate the deeper feelings that Jo longs for. On the day Jai is to leave, Vikram proposes to Meera. She meets Jai secretly, who tells her she should make a decision. Angry, Meera tells him to leave her life or else she will never be able to really move on. Parallel to this, we find that Harleen has told Veer she was engaged without being told, and he must leave her.
Jai is called to his dream job in San Francisco the same day Meera realizes her marriage is a mistake. She tells Vikram the truth and calls Jai, but he tells her about the Golden Gate. Realizing he is going to San Francisco, she tells him nothing. Meanwhile, Veer declares his intentions of marrying Harleen but is badly beaten by her family.
Jai begins to lose interest in his "dream job," finding that he is not as happy as he thought he would be. He is beaten by some thugs when, while being mugged, he refuses to give them a picture of Meera. He then realizes he still loves her, and goes back to India. He finds Vikram, who informs him that Meera left him. In the past, Veer travels to Harleen's house on the day of her wedding, and convinces her mother that Harleen can only be happy with him. Harleen's mother lets Veer secretly sneak out with her daughter, and the two marry happily. In the present, Jai and Meera have a heart-touching reunion.

Tags: romantic

Review:
The Girl Most Likely to...

Plot synopsis:
Miriam Knight is an intelligent but unattractive young woman who is disrespected by those around her. She has changed colleges five times in three years. In that time, she has taken a lot of different classes, but is still unable to find a boyfriend. At her new college, things go from bad to worse. She is either ignored or humiliated by almost everyone. Miriam finally lands the lead in a play, but her jealous roommate, knowing Miriam is allergic to roses, places some in a box during Miriam's performance, causing Miriam to sneeze herself into humiliation. She tearfully speeds away from the college campus, but is involved in an automobile accident.
Miriam requires reconstructive surgery on her face. Once the bandages are removed, they reveal a brunette bombshell. From the moment she steps outside the room in the hospital, she makes it her mission to exact vengeance on all those who did her wrong by killing them, one by one. Miriam uses her new good looks, which make her unrecognizable as the "old" Miriam, and skills she acquired in many of her classes to commit the crimes. A police detective, Ralph Varone (Edward Asner), who had a brief encounter with the "old" Miriam, solves the crimes committed by the "new" Miriam and discovers her motive. Varone falls in love with Miriam, becoming the only man to love her for her mind. They marry with Miriam in custody preparing to serve a lengthy jail sentence.
The film has achieved considerable cult status over the years — rare for a film made for television, partly due to its DVD release in 2005.
The plot is similar to that of the 1950 film The Second Face.

Tags: revenge, murder

Review:
The Thrill Killers

Plot synopsis:
The story takes place in 1964 in Hollywood, California.
Joe Saxon (Joe Bardo) is an aspiring actor whose outlandish parties and spending worry his wife, Liz (Liz Renay). As per the narrator, he is "trapped in the world of non-reality".
In another scene, we see a young, Greek immigrant named Dennis Kesdekian (Atlas King) kisses his wife and family good-bye as he leaves for another day at work. Kesdeckian sees a hitchhiker (Steckler) and offers to give him a ride. The hitchhiker shoots the man and steals his car.
That night, Joe throws a party at his house. He and Liz do not know most of the people who attend, but it is part of Joe's plan to wine and dine producer George Morgan (himself), whose next picture Joe desperately wants a part in.
On the other side of town, the hitchhiker has picked up a nightclub dancer/prostitute (Erina Enyo) and takes her back to her apartment, where he brutally murders her with a pair of scissors.
While Joe and Liz are arguing, they hear of the murders over the radio, and learn that the assailant was Mort "Mad Dog" Click, long wanted by the police for similar crimes. Also on the loose are three mental patients who have escaped from the local asylum.
The next day, Liz decides to leave Joe and drives out to her cousin Linda's restaurant up in the hills. At the restaurant, Linda (Laura Benedict) congratulates her friends Ron (Ron Burr) and Carol (Carolyn Brandt) on their marriage and purchase of a nearby house. Liz pulls in just after the couple leave.
Ron and Carol get to their new house and look around. When they find their handyman missing, they look out back at a smaller house on the property, where they find him decapitated by the escaped mental patients—the axe-wielding Keith (Keith O'Brien), Herbie (Herb Robbins) and Gary (Gary Kent). Ron is decapitated in front of Carol, and then after some amount of chasing around the property, Carol is disposed of in a similar fashion.
Joe and Morgan show up at Linda's restaurant, as do the three killers. Herbie calls his friend, who turns out to be Click, to come by and get rid of the two others. When Liz and Joe realize who the three are, the killers hold them hostage. Linda poisons Herbie's coffee and kills him, while Gary chases Liz outside up in the hills.
While Linda and Morgan phone for the police, Joe follows the Gary and Liz up into the hills and a battle between Gary and Joe takes place on a mountain-top. Liz goes to get help, but is picked up and kidnapped by Click, who is now on the scene. Gary is pushed off a cliff and falls to his death. Joe, from afar, sees Liz get into Click's car, unaware that the man driving her is also a madman.
Liz escapes Click's clutches as the police arrive and take chase. Click shoots a camper and steals his horse, and heads further up to the hills on horseback, chased after by a motor patrolman. After a furious gun battle, Click is shot to death.
Sometime after the events have taken place, Joe has sworn off acting, until he gets a call from Morgan that he wants him (at $2,500 a week) to star in his picture opposite his newest discovery, Miss Transylvania—Linda!

Tags: violence, murder

Review:
Aakhri Khat

Plot synopsis:
Govind (Rajesh Khanna) is a young sculptor. While vacationing near Kullu, he sees Lajjo (Indrani Mukherjee) and falls in love. Subsequently, they get married secretly in a village temple. He then has to leave for the city to further his education. Meanwhile, the girl learns that she is pregnant. On finding this, her stepmother sells her off for Rs. 500, where she is beaten. Some time later, she gives birth to a little boy named Buntu. Later, Lajjo comes to Mumbai to meet Govind, carrying her one-year-old son. She leaves a letter for him at his doorsteps, and wants to leave the child with him as well. However, she is unable to go through with it, so she takes Buntu with her. They keep wandering and feed off whatever comes their way, but soon she dies leaving her son alone.
The rest of the film is a story of the little child, wandering around the city. He goes out of the house, eating whatever he finds, including a pill, which makes him doze off. On waking up, he wanders even more and more into the city. Meanwhile, Govind, comes know all through a letter she has left behind, Aakhri Khat (Last Letter), he soon realizes his mistake and with the help of police tries to find his wife and son, though only finds his wife's body. Later, he shows the Police inspector Naik, (Manvendra Chitnis), the statue of Lajjo he has kept in his studio.
The child is then rescued by a man who is a staff member of an orphanage nearby. He escapes from that place at night. And after a long time of wandering here and there, and after the help of some people, he ultimately reaches home to find a statue of his lost mother, and a new lady, who is now his new mother.

Tags: romantic, avant garde, flashback

Review: