Log: week 35 / 2024
A core action flick that doesn't waste too much time on a sensible plot, instead, it spends its limited time trying to be as cool and kick-ass as possible. And it's pretty successful too. Not everything is equally great (the foreign cast is pretty terrible and the middle part could've used an extra action scene), but the rest is pretty wicked. Jing Wong producing and Andy On has the lead role, so there's some HK action talent present. The characters are cheesy but fun, the action is flashy and relentless (also quite direct and gory) and the runtime is short. There's very little fat to be trimmed and there's plenty of genre fun to be had. A nifty surprise.Read all
A night in Berlin, presented in a continuous take. It's a gargantuan undertaking that forces directors to get a little creative, so I'm naturally drawn to these types of films. I do think it gets in the way of the film a little, especially looking at the runtime, but overall I had a good time with Victoria. The performances are solid (though the characters are a bit irritating, especially the interaction between the boys), the camera work is good (not in the least considering the limitations) and the tension ramps up during the second half of the film. It's all a bit slow and drawn out though, some tighter and smarter planning up ahead might've given the film a bit more drive. But worth a watch.Read all
Perkins continues to distinguish himself as a modern horror director. Longlegs is more of a police procedural, but with some very twisted and gruesome scenes that show Perkins' affinity with the horror genre. I wasn't entirely happy with the '90s setting, but he's an undeniable talent and there are some great scenes here. Monroe and Cage are also excellent, giving their characters something unique. The presentation is refined, Perkins builds up the tension perfectly and the film delivers when it needs to. The dreary setting and focus on the investigation keep this film from receiving an even higher score, but kudos to Perkins for delivering another great movie.Read all
Cheesy and kitsch, but during the first half of the film, done in a (relatively) good way. The casting is pretty ingenious (Travolta and Walken are perfect) and the silliness of the setup, coupled with the over-the-top presentation, makes for easy watching. It's a shame the film can't quite keep it up. The songs aren't great, but that was to be expected. I had a bigger problem with the more serious tone during the second half. Also, the runtime could've been a little shorter, by the end I was fully done with the music. Still, I had expected worse from this one, not the worst Broadway musical adaptation I've seen.Read all
Did we need a second Chicken Run? Based on the generic plot (another one featuring overprotective parents) I would think this film was made with other ideals in mind. I quite liked the first one, but somehow I wasn't too excited for this sequel, and sure enough, the spark wasn't there. I still appreciated the stop-motion animation, Aardvark is one of the best in the business. The voice cast is fun too (a nice selection of British actors), but the plot is bland and the comedy is a little dusty. It's just a rehash of the first film, with the same core characters. Not the worst, but an unnecessary sequel nonetheless.Read all
The Ju-on series was plenty confusing when it first hit the West (two films with two sequels, various chapters, and some overlap). This fourth and final part was my clear favorite, but looking at it now the formula doesn't work as well as it used to, and without the scares, these films lose a lot of their appeal. The cinematography is a clear step up from the previous parts and the performances aren't too bad, but the ghost scenes lack impact and the various chapters make the whole thing more convoluted than it needs to be. It's still a decent horror film, especially if you're into J-Horror, but it's far from a personal favorite.Read all
This is the kind of cheese that is bound to do well at the Oscars (and it did). It's an attempt at feel-good that is so misguided and queasy that it becomes almost impossible to watch. It doesn't help that the film has no other redeeming qualities, making this a real bottom dweller for me. The performances aren't the worst (not great either though), but the cinematography is drab and the soundtrack is an absolute earsore. The plot is cheesy and the characters paper-thin. What remains is a film that fails at what it set out to do. Fingers crossed I'll have forgotten about this one sooner rather than later.Read all
A sweet indie drama that reminded me of early Shunji Iwai and Hideaki Anno, but isn't quite as accomplished. The story is a mere hook, the film is more interested in the characters and mood. It's quite slow and unfocused, but that's exactly what makes this such a pleasant and warm trip. The performances are on point (watch this to see a young Nishijima at work, or for the Suzuki Matsuo cameo), the camera work is intimate, and the score gentle and soothing. The dialogue gets a bit too serious at times, without landing the gravity of the conversations, but other than that this is a little undiscovered gem. A nice find.Read all
This film is based on a play, and they didn't do much to hide it. Sure enough, the single-location setting is a giveaway, but it's the focus on endless dialogues and the bland direction that seals the deal. It's a small miracle this film was able to launch Bogart's career, as it isn't much to look at. The introduction seems to take ages, we're already halfway through the movie before the actual plot kicks in. The characters get a lot of exposure, but they're pretty dull, and the long dialogues slow everything down. It's not a long film, but it sure feels like it's well over two hours. Not good.Read all
Tokyo Eyes was conceived as a purely French film, only at the last minute they decided to move the whole thing to Tokyo while working with a Japanese cast and crew. The mix of European and Japanese elements works surprisingly well, as long as you don't mind watching a breezy and fun movie. There are some notable cameos (Osugi and Kitano), but it's Takeda and Yoshikawa stealing the show. There's some real chemistry between the two. The plot is interesting but secondary to the mood, the soundtrack is surprisingly banging (extra point for that) and the pacing is perfect. A nice surprise considering the track record of Western directors making films in Japan.Read all
A cute romance from Shinohara. It's a sweet film with a light fantastical touch to make things a bit more intriguing, but it lacks a stronger directorial vision to set it apart from a slew of similar projects. If you're looking for an easily digestible romance though, this one checks all the boxes. The problem is that apart from the little twist, there isn't anything that truly stands out here. The performances are okay, the cinematography decent (but a little murky) and the score is nice but forgettable. I had fun watching it, but it's not a film that will stay with me for very long.Read all
The first half of the film had me wondering why I liked Sublime so much the first time I watched it. The second half does clear things up, but there are too many weaknesses and not enough strengths to balance things out. I loved where the ending went, but the rest of the film was too mediocre. The performances are rather weak, the presentation is second rate and the film takes way too long to get up the speed. Once the paranoia sets in things improve though and the finale is pretty sweet (no gore, no kills, but very dark and very funny). I still enjoyed the rewatch in the end, but a personal favorite this is not.Read all
Jojo Rabbit, but without Waititi's quirky comedy. Europa Europa offers a more straightforward war drama about a young boy who has to hide his Jewish descent while being enlisted in the Hitlerjugend. It's a solid setup and Holland builds a decent film around it, but there's not enough here to set it apart from a bunch of other WWII movies. The performances are proper and the direction is good. It's never quite as sentimental as its US counterparts, but it's also not as bleak as the usual Eastern European dramas. The film is a bit long though and the middle part does drag a little, but all in all, this was better than I expected it to be. Not bad.Read all
Fun, but it's not easy looking at this film while ignoring Refn's vastly superior Bronson. Both films share a similar setup and tackle the life of a mad criminal with a serious dose of comedy. Bana isn't as good as Hardy and Dominik can't match Refn's direction, but Chopper is still very entertaining. Bana does a good job as the attention-whoring Read, the rest of the cast isn't on his level though. Luckily, there are a couple of notable scenes that give the film a bit of extra flair. The pacing and runtime are perfect and the finale is perfect, it's just that there's another film out there doing the same, but better.Read all
One of Sang-soo Hong's most respected films, but I still can't quite get on board with his style of cinema. There are meta elements that are supposed to make the narrative a bit more interesting and give the film some extra weight, but I got distracted by the bland presentation and some iffy performances. Not everything is bad though. Some of the quieter scenes are nice and the slow pace works well for most of the runtime. The runtime is short and there are no real lulls, but the drama and characters never gripped me, nor was I too interested in the little twist. Not terrible, but not very memorable either.Read all
If you're familiar with classic musicals then the Ziegfeld name will surely ring a bell. Its Follies spilled over into the movie business several times, as his name once stood at the top of an entertainment/showbiz empire. It's no surprise then that the man got his own rise and fall biopic. The film offers the usual biopic drama, but it is the uncut musical numbers in between that proved the most problematic for me. They extend the film to a 3-hour undertaking, a bit much considering how generic everything is. The man certainly deserves respect for his legacy, a more entertaining film championing this legacy would've been appropriate though.Read all
A pleasant coming-of-age drama disguised as a crime/romance. The setup is pretty simple, but the performances are nice, the setting is interesting and the direction is on point. Mario Cases could've added a tiny bit more focus on the presentation, just to make the film stand out more, but that's just nitpicking. The drama isn't too original, neither is the way the plot develops, but the central duo is strong enough to carry the film and the street art angle gives this a fun twist. The pacing is perfect, as is the runtime. I don't have anything negative to say about My Loneliness Has Wings, just that it doesn't leave enough of an impression to rate it even higher.Read all