Log: week 32 / 2024
The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai
Japanese pinku cinema has quite the reputation, but depending on which films you watch, you may wonder how it earned it. Well, try The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai. It's one of those films that stick to the rules of the genre but then builds an entirely different kind of film around it. The result is pretty baffling. The erotic elements are pretty bland, then again, that's what funds these types of films. The plot is pretty random (especially when US President Bush "joins" the film), but that's what makes this film stand out. There's also more than just a silly premise here, the weirdness keeps on coming. It's not the greatest cinema, but it's a lot crazier (and better) than I expected.Read all
A fun crime flick, with some black comedy layered on top. The first half of the film is pretty unpredictable, the latter half doubles down on the plot and harvests as much out of its finale as possible. Not everyone will appreciate this loose way of handling the core narrative, for me it's what makes a film like this more interesting. The performances are good too, but it's the neon-drenched cinematography that makes the biggest difference. The film looks lush from start to finish. The pacing is pleasant too, the finale is both tense and hilarious and the short runtime keeps the film from outstaying its welcome. If the comedy had been that tiny bit edgier, this could've been a personal favorite, but Ko shows lots of potential.Read all
A simple coming-of-age film executed with plenty of flair. I had low hopes for this one, I'm not a big fan of grimy 70s cinema and I'm not that interested in 70s youth culture either, but thanks to some spirited performances and a less serious approach I had good fun with Deep End. Jane Asher steals the show, as the young femme fatale driving the men around her crazy. Young Mike doesn't have a chance, but that doesn't mean he isn't willing to give it his best shot. Deep End ventures into some darker territory, but always does so with enough visual flair and self-awareness to avoid becoming a drag. A nice find.Read all
A peculiar mix of arthouse and genre cinema, blending a deep love for the artistic and the philosophical with some B-level genre elements. It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that there's an infamous pinku director behind this film, this is typically what happens when they direct something outside of their comfort zone. There are some superb scenes here. The cinematography is fun, the mix of genres is interesting, and although a bit slow and pandering in places, the film kept surprising me. There's a lot to like here, but the balance between both worlds is a bit off and the film lacks that little extra touch of magic to make it unforgettable.Read all
The fourth film in the series. I was hoping three would be enough, but apparently, there's still marketing potential left in the Despicable Me franchise. At this point the story has become completely negligible and the fourth film just banks on the familiarity of its most famous characters. Gru's story reminded me of a Simpsons episode, the rest of the film is padding with the Minions, who keep shouting random Italian words, which passes for comedy. The art style is ugly, the comedy is disappointing, and the animation is nothing special. No doubt there'll be a fifth film at some point, all I can hope for is that it'll be later rather than sooner.Read all
Oh Alfred. What should've been a rather thrilling and suspenseful film is a complete bore from start to finish. The slow and uneventful start is defensible if the latter half would've had enough of a turnaround, but the film simply trudges on toward a belated finale I never really cared for. The performances are part of the problem. I can't stand Grant and Fontaine isn't great either. The central mystery is a simple one that never has urgency and without a proper finale, the first half of the film is ridiculous. I'm not a big Hitchcock fan to begin with, but this is one of his absolute worst.Read all
An intriguing drama that blends many influences, yet still feels unique and distinctive. It's a coming-of-drama at heart, but the contemporary presentation combined with some surreal moments set it apart from the more typical entries in the genre. Merz shows a lot of promise with this film. It's close to a personal favorite, if not for the baffling 4:3 aspect ratio that ruins the otherwise fine cinematography. It's a horrendous trend, one I cannot respect. The dynamic camera work, the stark lighting, and the moody editing are held back by the overly tight framing. The soundtrack could've been better too, though the sound design was on point, as were the performances. It's a memorable film for sure, looking forward to Merz' next.Read all
A pleasant Chinese romance with minor arthouse touches. It's somewhat of a forgotten film (and virtually impossible to find these days), which is a little disappointing as there is a lot to like here. The film could use a better quality release, as it could help to highlight the cinematography, even so, I don't think that would've been enough to keep it a personal favorite the second time around. The performances are good, the cinematography is nice and the editing is interesting. The theatrical/arthouse touch is also nice, but the film doesn't do quite enough to set itself apart from similar (and better) films of that era. For fans of Chinese rural dramas, this is an easy recommendation, good luck finding it though.Read all
The third entry in Ti West's ode to the grimy horror of yonder. The appeal of these films is obvious if you're into (classic) genre cinema, I find West's pandering mostly tiring and uninspired. Part of the problem is Mia Goth, though I'm not quite sure whether it's the actress or the roles she chases that I don't appreciate. MaXXXine is an ode to the 80s (a good decade too late, but alas), though West is eager enough to reference some older Hollywood work too. The presentation is better than his previous films, but the characters are annoying and the story isn't all that interesting. Neither are the horror bits. Not great.Read all
For a Cat III film, this is pretty tame. As a regular thriller, I didn't mind it so much. There are some decent scenes and the presentation is pleasant, though it never rises above itself and there are plenty of films alike which deliver the exact same thing. Apart from the finale, this is generic genre fare. The plot is a little iffy and the performances aren't great, but the pacing is good, the film looks nice and there are a handful of memorable moments. It's not a Hong Kong highlight, certainly not considering its year of release, but for those who have seen all the big Hong Kong films already, it's decent enough filler.Read all
I didn't care much for the remake, but at least that one went all-in on the action. The original version is a much slower film, and that's not a good thing. The sport itself is a little iffy and not the most interesting, but at least there's a bit of fun to be had. In between lie slower and more serious segments, which completely miss the mark. There's a dystopian angle that the film seems hellbent on exploring, but this is just a cheesy B-flick with a silly plot. Rather than lean into that, there's a lot of conversation and bad acting that slows the film down. The action scenes aren't the greatest either, but at least time doesn't move quite as slowly when they're on. Not half as fun as it could've been.Read all
One of those films I liked a lot when I first watched it, but it hasn't held up that well over time. The comedy is still wacky and fun, but the presentation is disappointing and some of the effects are simply too dire to ignore. It's still an entertaining romp, but this film is far from a personal favorite. Sars Wars is a comedy first and foremost, and in that sense, it does pretty well. It's self-aware and it has a few good surprises in store. The action and horror elements aren't on the same level, with some paltry CG and bland zombie fights woven into the film. Props for the short animation sequences, but it's not enough to elevate the film. Decent fun, but nothing more.Read all
One of the films that helped Kaursimaki to attain his international status. It's a pretty decent comedy, if you're a fan of Scandinavian humor that is. It's very dry, and very understated, but there are a few nice chuckles along the way. It's not my favored sense of humor, but this wasn't too bad. The performances are stoic, the cinematography is static (but the framing is a tad better than usually the case) and the characters aren't particularly happy, but that's the type of black humor that fares well in the Northern countries. The film is decently paced and sports a nice ending, but I prefer my dark humor a bit edgier and weirder.Read all
The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz
The premise sounded like a lot of fun, but like most of Bunuel's films, the result is rather tepid and dull. While a comedy on paper, I didn't find much to chuckle at, even though the potential to be a mad black comedy was there. Instead, the pace was slow and the whole felt more like a drama. The performances are mediocre, the presentation is dull and the pacing sluggish. Archibaldo is a power-mad serial killer who never really commits an actual crime, but the film lacks joy and wit to do justice to its premise. A disappointing film, but then that seems par for the course. I'm clearly not a Bunuel fan.Read all
A somewhat unlikely hit. Plane is a rudimentary action flick. The plot is simplistic and unrealistic, the performances are standard and the plot structure is predictable. This is core genre cinema and fodder for action fans, but within its genre, it does a decent job of being entertaining. Butler isn't the most capable action hero, but he does well here as a pilot who tries to protect his crew and passengers from a bunch of outlaws. The pacing is proper, the action scenes are decent and the finale is pretty tense, even though the ending holds few surprises. This wasn't a very memorable film, but it was fun regardless.Read all
Kiriya is back. From the End of the World feels like a Shinkai film, only with a darker edge to it. It offers a peculiar mix of fantasy and thriller elements (with a little drama added), sporting a young lead trapped in a story that is too big for her to cope with. The presentation is very stylish, I liked how the fantasy elements added extra layers of wonder and unpredictability to the story and even though the film is quite long, it never felt like it started to drag. I wish Kiriya was a bit more prolific, on the other hand, it's nice that he takes his time to release quality productions.