Log: week 17 / 2025
A fine and gentle drama about an a-sexual lead character. Kasumi struggles with herself as the people around her expect her to get married, but she doesn't dare to open up to her friends and family to tell them how she truly feels. A classic queer setup with a minor twist that sets it apart from similar films. The performances are strong, the presentation is pleasant, and the pacing is gentle. The drama is a little predictable though, and there's no real edge or conflict, just Kasumi's inner struggle. It doesn't take away from the power of the drama, but it keeps it from being a true stand-out.Read all
A sweet drama by Shinohara. It's not his greatest film, the limitations of its TV origins are difficult to ignore, but the core of the film still works. It's a gentle drama about a young woman reconnecting with her grandma after they'd drifted apart for a while, sporting some endearing moments. The performances are pleasant, the presentation is uplifting, and the drama is light, despite handling some tougher subjects. The runtime is perfect too, especially since films like these tend to aim for 120-minute runtimes. It's not the most memorable Japanese drama, but it's enjoyable filler nonetheless.Read all
A simple but sweet and genuine comedy. The setup is silly but amusing, the second half gets a bit too sentimental, but the film has its heart in the right place, so any doubty moments are easy to forgive. Not that I'll be remembering this one for long, it's a forgettable flick, but at least it was fun while it lasted. The performances are okay, the runtime is fine, and there are some cute moments. A lot of the charm hinges on the premise though. Once that has worn off, it starts to show that Head in the Clouds doesn't have a lot extra to offer. Still, if you're looking for easy filler, you could do a lot worse.Read all
Cheesy fun. This is one of those horror films I watched way before I developed a deeper interest in movies, but despite seeing thousands of films since, and this not being that unique, it has remained pretty entertaining. It's the right level of self-awareness that makes this such an enjoyable ride. The effects are decent, the performances are okay, and the pacing is solid. The lo-fi Dune horror is cute, but none of it warranted the four (or more?) sequels. Still, if you're looking for some prime horror entertainment that doesn't take itself too seriously, this is a very pleasant way to waste 90 minutes.Read all
A pleasant drama about a young woman who escapes from the city to the mountains and reconnects with her life. Yes, there are some darker moments here, but most of the film is about leaving the bustle of the city behind and enjoying the smaller things in life. And the Japanese countryside is ideal for such a scenario. The performances are strong, the setting is perfect, and the pacing is agreeable. What the film lacks is something that makes it rise above a bunch of similar films. I've seen this setup before, and I can't connect enough with it on a personal level to be swayed by the premise. Other than that, this is a perfectly fine film.Read all
I'll watch anything Miike, but this clearly wasn't for me. It's a TV film based on one of Japan's longest-running TV series, which I'd never heard of before. Without knowing the characters, and not being a big fan of samurai fiction, this was very tough to get into, so be warned if you're giving this a shot. There are some famous names present, but this is very much a project with strong TV roots, meaning it looks cheap and rushed. Keep your expectations low, and there are some decent moments and somewhat memorable scenes. But unless you're a Miike completist or a big fan of the original series, there's no reason to chase this one.Read all
A classic mix of Solondz drama and comedy. A lot of the comedy on display is uncomfortable, awkward, and cringe. And Solondz doesn't hold back at all. It's just that I'm not a big fan of the imbalance that the two separate narratives create. One story is just about 25 minutes long, the other is 60, and they have zero overlap. Yes, both are stories about high school, but that's a very loose connection. It just feels like a mid-length feature and a short thrown together in order to sell it as a regular feature. The presentation is also quite basic, but if you're a Solondz fan, you should still see it, because the painful comedy makes up for most of the film's defects.Read all
A wacky Chinese comedy, let down by some less-than-stellar comedy. It's a common trait that many of these big Chinese blockbusters share. They don't mind chasing creative ideas, yet somehow, they can't do it with a straight face. And Chinese comedy is often a bit too lackluster for my taste. The mix of fantasy and romance is novel enough, the production values are there, but this is clearly a more commercial project. The film could've used a better director, someone who dared to fully commit to the weirdness on display. Still, if you like an odd blockbuster that mixes genres left and right, this isn't your worst option.Read all
Already the fourth film in the series, but just like the other three, this is completely generic and forgettable. Apart from a red Hulk, nothing in this film stands out. The characters are bland, the action is dull, and any attempts to make it relevant to current political situations are underwhelming. I've never been a big fan of the MCU, so it's no surprise that two decades in, with very few tweaks made to the formula in that time, I'm utterly bored with what these films have to offer. Brave New World (the irony) doesn't even try to take any creative risks, it's just the same old recycled garbage they've been feeding us for the past twenty years.Read all
Bong Joon Ho's latest has a fun premise, it doesn't take itself too seriously, and doesn't squander its finale, but the whole "multiples" narrative in the middle dragged down the film. I didn't really care for Pattinson and Ruffalo, the rest of the cast fared better. Overall, the film's a little uneven. It's not quite goofy enough to be a true comedy, it's not edgy enough to be a real satire, the sci-fi is a bit too fantasy-inspired, and the fantasy elements are a little plain. But it's a relatively original big-budget sci-fi flick, and there aren't too many of those around. It was an amusing enough film, I just hoped for more.Read all
We sure love to see white folks exploring the Amazon. I was surprised to see Jan Bijvoet take on one of the lead roles here, other than that, this is a pretty decent but somewhat basic arthouse adventure that somewhat overstays its welcome. A shorter, more pointed version would've been better. The choice for black-and-white cinematography isn't the most original, but the film looks nice enough, and it added a dash of mystery, so it wasn't all bad. The trek through the Amazon has its moments, I just wish there was a bit more to it. It's a perfectly decent film, but a bit overrated.Read all
This was a lot of fun. The setup is pretty simple, but the mix of horror and somewhat dry and over-the-top comedy makes it a standout. The horror is quite graphic, the presentation is well above average, the performances are on point, and the comedy is often laugh-out-loud funny. The shorter runtime also helps, as do some weird twists and turns in the plot, which kept me guessing until the final frame. If you like off-the-rails Japanese horror cinema, Visitors is a neat little surprise.