Log: week 13 / 2025
La Blue Girl: Revenge of the Shikima Realm
Some fun fantasy cheese, but if you're not familiar with the La Blue Girl franchise, think twice about watching this. This is an anime adaptation, and the original series is one of the main reasons anime had such a bad name in the West. Much like Legend of the Overfiend, there's some tentacle action here that isn't for everyone. The fantasy bits are cute, the film is short, and the pacing is pleasant enough, but the pinku elements are rather silly, and the shock value of the anime is mostly absent. Still, the content hasn't changed, so it's still tantacled monsters and young girls battling it out. Great cinema this is not, but it's better than your average pinku flick.Read all
Fenglou Chronicles: Tale of the Spirit Fox
And here's another one. Don't ask me to keep these movies apart, a week from now this one will have blended in with a dozen others, but they're still good fun. The usual mix of fantasy, action, and romance is on full display here, the limited runtime and slick pacing make sure it never tires. The CG is decent enough, but as always, the actual costumes and sets are way nicer to look at. The fight choreography is cool, the fantasy lore is fun, and the mix of genres works well. But when all is said and done, it's just another overly familiar film about fox spirits, no surprises here, just good fun.Read all
A decent crime flick, though not nearly as cool and/or dry as I remembered it to be. It's been a long time since I last watched it and my taste in films has changed a lot. While there are still some interesting scenes and memorable moments, overall it's a bit too generic and familiar to leave a sizeable impression. The performances are fun, but the presentation is a bit bland and the 2-hour runtime is excessive. The comedy is what saves this film, but it isn't that unique. The film thrives on the chemistry between its central duo, other than that, it's just a basic US crime flick. Not bad, but far from the personal favorite it used to be.Read all
A gentle, though somewhat predictable, film about a young boy who spends more time with his grandma hoping to get her inheritance. It's a pleasant slice-of-life drama that slowly makes its way to an inevitable ending, giving you time to properly bond with the characters while also showcasing some of Thailand's culture. The performances are nice, the presentation is pleasant and the pacing is okay for a film like this (but expect it to be rather slow). There aren't too many surprising elements though and two hours might've been a tad long, but I never lost interest. It's not the most notable film, but still worth it if you're looking for calming, somewhat emotional filler.Read all
I was a bit worried about this one as I usually don't love Japanese narratives about bands, but Naoko Yamada crafted such a sweet, innocent, and lovely little film that I didn't mind the music scenes one bit. It's one of those films where everyone is gentle and well-meaning. That doesn't mean the film is without drama, only that it's more related to the insecurities and fears lying within the characters themselves. Add some stylish animation and a lovely art style and this is another standout from Yamada.