Binge Bones

Gerald's Game (2020) RELEASED September 29, 2017 RUNTIME 104 mins DIRECTOR Mike Flanagan  WRITERS Stephen King (novel), Jeff Howard (screenplay), Mike Flanagan (screenplay)  STARS Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Chiara Aurelia COUNTRY United States LANGUAGE English  STUDIO Intrepid Pictures  GENRES Thriller, Drama, Horror Streaming On: Netflix The plot: A woman's husband dies during a sex game where she is handcuffed to a bed.  Random observations: The movie kind of plays like a recap of the first episode of Season 8 of a series. There is obviously too much from the book that couldn't be squeezed in, and the weird flashbacks don't necessarily cut well.  The pacing stutters but I like the dog. The quality is good for Netflix, but I'd feel ripped off if I paid movie ticket prices at a theater for this.  This is my second viewing of this film and its rewatchability doesn't hold very well. The deep subjects covered going on in the main character's tape...

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) RELEASED October 31, 1962 RUNTIME 135 mins DIRECTOR Robert Aldrich  WRITERS Lukas Heller (screenplay), Robert Altman (dialogue), Henry Farrell (novel)  STARS Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono COUNTRY United States LANGUAGE English  STUDIO Associates & Aldrich Company, The  GENRES Drama, Thriller, Horror Streaming on: Hoolpa, Criterion The plot: Two aging actresses live as recluses in an old Hollywood mansion. Basically what starts as Gypsy ends as Grey Gardens. Random observations: I want their mansion. I've heard people complain about the score being too melodramatic, but I found it unimposing. Apparently, Joan Crawford insisted on having Blanche's hair and nails perfect as well as her costumes pressed. Bette Davis argued that someone who had been a recluse for 20 years wouldn't have any of these traits and that Crawford had "made a mistake".  It's been a pretty minute since I had watched this film, but I ...