Log: week 37 / 2024
Much like Tsuruta and Shimizu, Hideo Nakata has trouble reinventing himself. The Forbidden Play is another archetypical J-Horror, with some minor twists, but the crux of the matter is that these films are past their expiration date, and horror cinema-wise, the world needs something else right now. The Forbidden Play has an interesting setup and with a different director this could've been a fun Rampo-like chiller, but it all leads back to a pale ghost who goes through the usual haunting procedures. The scares are only mildly interesting and clocking in well beyond the 90-minute mark, the film overstays its welcome. It's not a terrible feature, but only for the hardcore horror crowd.Read all
Was it a good idea to let Van Damme direct a movie he was headlining himself (not to mention he even co-wrote the thing)? I think the answer is pretty obvious. It's crazy that there used to be a time when studios were willing to spend 30 million dollars on a project like this. Sadly, the quality is subpar. Van Damme isn't the greatest actor and the plot is pretty bland, but nobody is surprised about that. The fact that the action sequences aren't great is a much bigger problem. Van Damme's enemies are dumb and there are only a handful of nice moves on display. It's fast-paced, dumb entertainment, but even that it doesn't do well.Read all
Rupert Sanders, destroyer of beloved franchises. I'm not sure why he keeps doing these remakes, people clearly aren't too happy with them. Lucky for me, I was never the biggest Crow fan, so there wasn't much to ruin, but it's easy to imagine fans of the original won't be too happy with this Joker-inspired remake. Skarsgård and Twigs have a nice vibe going, there are some solid action scenes and I like the styling of the in-between world, but Sanders isn't a great director. Even for a remake, it's all quite uninspired and poorly balanced. But it's easy entertainment, so I didn't mind it that much.Read all
A decent enough disaster movie, but there's no reason this film is almost three hours long. Too much time goes into lame character introductions and needless conversations. I assume this was meant to make the film more epic and to have the audience be more sympathetic, but all it does is draw out things unnecessarily. Apparently this film is also based on two separate novels, which is funny because the plot is as barebones as you can imagine. A fire breaks out, people are trapped, and a hero in the building will do some crazy stuff to save as many lives as possible. Those are the fun bits, but they could've been handled in less than two hours.Read all
An impressive Mappa production. So far I haven't been too impressed by their work, even though they have a knack for picking out promising franchises. Maboroshi feels like old-school Shinkai, a conceptual fantasy film that doesn't mind slowing down and digging a little deeper. The animation quality is slick, the plot is interesting and even though things get a tad cheesy sometimes, the film always finds its way back. This is a quality anime feature film, I wish there were more of those around these days.
Uchida takes on a more classic drama/romance, which isn't really what I want to see him do (there are plenty of other directors doing that already). It's not that he does a bad job, the film is quite good in fact, it's just that Uchida doesn't manage to add anything distinctive, so what's the point? The latter half does get some additional crime elements, but not enough to have a big impact. The performances are good though, the drama and romance work well and the finale is effective. Silent Love is a perfectly serviceable film, but knowing it comes from Uchida, it's a little too by the numbers.Read all
There are some interesting scenes here, but the core was a little disappointing. The first part in particular is terribly slow, with a mediocre performance by Hurt, who fails to make something interesting of his character. I was hoping for something with a bit more flair and spirit. The second half is better, but not enough to save the film. The drama remains a bit flakey and it's only the dream sequences that up the quality. The runtime doesn't help, but a different lead actor could've made a big difference. It's not the worst film that was ever nominated for an Academy Award, but the potential was there to do a lot better.Read all
A fine drama with some lighter touches, but I wasn't quite as impressed as the first time I watched this. It's not the most outspoken film and I saw it pretty early on in my quest to become a weathered cinephile, so my expectations were a bit tempered, but I was hoping for something a bit more refined. The performances are good though and I liked the slow pacing. The central trio is a fun bunch and the train angle adds a little dry comedy, but the drama felt pedestrian and the styling was rudimental. I did appreciate the short runtime and McCarthy did justice to his characters, but I've seen so many dramedies since that this one had a hard time standing out.Read all
Another one of Lang's US noirs. His move to the US probably helped his career along, but it didn't increase the quality or the scope of his films. This is another minor production, peppered with bad performances, endless dialogues, and crummy thriller elements. At this point, that's all I'm expecting from these noirish films. Human Desire is a bit more serious than most, but because the dramatic nor the romantic elements are done well it doesn't really work. The thriller bits are dull, the film is too slow for its own good and the finale lacks impact because of it. This isn't a film I'll be remembering for long.Read all
Like many of his Asian peers, Ki-duk ended up in France to make at least one film. This resulted in Wild Animals, an outlier in his oeuvre that has signature Ki-duk elements but fails to bring them together in a sensible whole. It's as if you're watching a French copycat trying to plant Ki-duk in Paris. The actors aren't great, the presentation is a little shabby and the plot is unfocused. The characters are interesting though, not the easiest of most sympathetic people around, but they come off as genuine and layered. It's nowhere near the gem I remembered this to be, but it's still a worthwhile film, especially for those who appreciate Ki-duk's work.Read all
It's not just the setting that feels old and crusty, the entire film feels like it was made in a different era. That's nice if you love reminiscing about the (g)olden days, it makes it considerably less suitable for someone like me, who likes it when films push the boundaries and explore new territory. Other than that, this is a pretty inoffensive film and a typical extension of a TV series. It features a slightly bigger and stand-alone event that warrants the extra runtime, but it's all just an excuse for fans of the series to spend some extra time with the characters they already love. Extremely bland and boring.Read all
A toothless remake saved by McAvoy's spirited performance and Watkins' (his return to horror cinema) expert direction. But fans of the original aren't going to be happy with some of the choices here, the ending in particular is why Blumhouse deserves to crash and burn. It's a shame because the setup was pretty perfect. McNairy and Davis are perfect too as the dreary couple you love to hate. The first hour is a little slow but the promise of what is to come adds to the intrigue. It's a shame the film never really banks on that promise and changes the ending to be more palatable for mainstream audiences. It's completely unnecessary and it costs the film, other than that though, this was a fine remake.Read all
Though I've never been an active part of 4-chan culture, I was around and aware of its existence, and I enjoyed some of its lighter, funnier parts. The documentary shows how it morphed into something less innocent and does so quite convincingly, though it does take a few shortcuts that undermine its message (like the Gamergate segment without a single mention of Anita Sarkeesian). That said, the makers seemed intelligent enough to realize this wasn't simple cause and effect, but part of a much bigger context that isn't handled by this documentary. That sentiment saved it for me and created the space to enjoy the parts it did cover. An interesting watch, though quite traditional in setup.Read all
Shyamalan is turning his films into a family business. Trap is a vehicle for his daughter Saleka, who can finally step into the spotlights (quite literally) after working on his scores before. The film is pretty simple, especially for a Shyamalan production, but Hartnett's performance saves the film. I was also amused by the less-than-glamorous portrayal of the concert, a fun slice of realism. The film itself is quite okay, though the twists are a little blunt and often a bit too convenient. The cast is decent enough and the pacing was fine, it's all quite predictable and by the numbers. Not one of Shyamalan's finest.Read all
An American crime flick, only the Mafia has been replaced with Chinese Triads. There's also Micky Rourke, who looks suspiciously old and has no clue how to do justice to his characters (which isn't all that complex). There are a few decent action scenes though and the film at least deserves some props for having a few scenes in Cantonese. Apparently there was some controversy surrounding this film, so many years later it's difficult to tell what the upset was about exactly. The film overstays its welcome, the direction is rather bland and the performances are mediocre at best. If you really want to see the Triads in the US, watch Lau's Revenge of the Green Dragons instead.Read all
An early pre-Ringu Tsuruta film. Many of the signature elements of the less-is-more J-Horror wave are already present here. Then again, people who know their horror history and have seen some of the earliest Honto ni Atta Kowai compilations know this isn't all that surprising. A Haunted School is very basic, but the setup is rather fun and the pacing is decent too. There's also a little cameo of Kiyoshi Kurosawa, which is cute, but as someone who has had his fill of the J-Horror clichés, there isn't much here that got me excited. It's decent enough for horror completists, but it's hardly a standout.Read all
The answer to the question: can India rival epic Hollywood blockbusters? The answer is a resounding yes, though you are free to wonder whether it should. The only interesting bits here are the cultural elements, which are different from what you'll find in the average Hollywood blockbuster, but that's not enough for 150 minutes of film. The setup of the film is okay (though not too original), once it's padded with romance and action the film quickly slips into blandly familiar territory. I can't say I was very impressed with this, though the scale easily matches its Hollywood peers, so if you like those types of films, it's worth checking out.Read all
Escape from the 21st Century
My kind of film. Incredibly fast-paced, visually intense, a mad mix of genres, and no lack of original ideas. It's a film that feels fresh and exciting, a continuation of the promise that Lee's Adventure held more than a decade ago. As it turns out, this film is by the same director. I guess the man has a signature style. The uncompromising dedication to maximalism will no doubt be a hindrance to many, but it's what I crave, and Escape from the 21st Century delivers it in spades. One of my favorite films of 2024 so far.
A blunt comedy that spoofs action and crime cinema. The primary focus lies on the humor, which is why it gets away with a few dopey action sequences and some dumb crime clichés. But it's not all bad. Too Fat Too Furious has a layer of absurdity and a level of brutality that turned this into an amusing and easy watch. The performances aren't too great though and the plot is unfocused. The running gags aren't strong enough either, but the comedy is well over-the-top and there are laughs and giggles aplenty. I didn't expect a lot of this film, but it kept me entertained throughout and it as a few memorable moments. Avoid if subtlety is a requirement though.Read all
An interesting concept and a very willing cast set the stage for a haunting documentary. History is written by the victors (as one of the people in the doc states), but regardless, it's quite shocking to see people recount murders and stage them with an inappropriate amount of vigor and glee. It's just that the structure of the film felt a bit too leading, particularly the final scenes are quite convenient from an emotional perspective. Not that I doubt the integrity of the documentary makers, but editing is a powerful tool, and somehow I suspect the film was structured in this way to draw a stronger emotional response from the audience. A little unnecessary, as the topic was shocking enough already.Read all