Log: week 38 / 2024
A fine arthouse drama that leans on its excellent cast to do the heavy lifting. Osawa and Emoto are a strong central duo, with a great supporting role from Ryo Kase and a fun cameo by Ken'ichi Endo. The drama is good but not too original, while the presentation is pleasant but predictable. Hana is a quality production, with no clear negatives (if you like arthouse dramas that is), the problem is that it fails to stand out in any meaningful way. It's not that Japan is struggling in this niche, and with such strong competition, Hana doesn't do quite enough to make a lasting impression. It's still impressive filler though.Read all
A reputed war movie, though I have to admit I'd never heard of it before. I can see how it could've been a fan favorite in the past when these movies were still hot property. It's just as easy to see how this one faded from public interest. It's a rather generic war flick, just a little more unfocused than the biggest films in the genre. The fact that we're watching multiple missions makes it less intense, it does however add a bit of variety, which I welcomed. The performances are nothing special, neither is the presentation, but the relatively short runtime and the different settings made it quite palatable still. It's not a great film, but far from the worst war flick.Read all
Boyle's first trip to the US, together with partner in crime McGregor. I used to like this film a lot, a few decades later it doesn't feel quite as special anymore, but it's still an entertaining and quirky film. There's some of that typical Boyle charm present, but it's held back by Hollywood's limitations. Diaz isn't the right fit, Hunter is a pretty big miscast too, but I liked the premise and the caricatural nature of the cast. McGregor steals the show and Boyle's direction feels light and fresh. It's just that there aren't many scenes that manage to leave a lasting impression. It's a good film, but not a great one.Read all
Don't mind the convoluted plot, it makes very little sense. Instead, enjoy some of the grotesque characters and the slow but deliberate build-up. It's nothing exceptional or even all that notable, but Wait Until Dark is an easy enough film that entertains while it lasts. It's just a shame it doesn't leave much of an impression. The thriller elements are proficient and while the build-up is quite slow, the strain it adds works in favor of the film. The performances are decent and there are a few memorable moments, but the finale is rather tame and it's a bit too comical to be truly disturbing. It's decent fluff, nothing more.Read all
This is more typical fantasy streamer fare. It's not quite up to par with other recent releases though, the CG in particular is pretty dire and the mix of action/fantasy with some comedy isn't entirely balanced. That said, the costumes and sets are nice, and the villainess is truly spectacular. The plot is basic (good guys fight a monster and some baddies), the action is decent and the pacing is slick. I did have a pretty decent time with this film, it's just that looking at the styling and the overall potential, more could've been done with it. It's time for them to up their game, especially with an endless stream of films directly competing.Read all
Dramas where abled people are playing mentally ill characters are always a bit iffy, this one is no exception. The lighter comedy elements were fine, as was the romance, but the dramatic bits were overdone and didn't work well. Not in the least because the plot is already very melodramatic. It's a shame because the cast is pretty decent under normal circumstances (Takenaka and Hashimoto are decent enough actors), and Tsutsumi can direct a proper movie. The cinematography isn't too bad either, it's just that the drama never feels genuine and for a film that lasts 120 minutes, that's just not good enough.Read all
A French noir with slightly better performances than usual. That's about it because the plot is as dull and trivial as they come. A boorish husband needs to be offed so two lovers can go their merry way. It's one of the most common noir plots I think, and this film has very little to add to it. It's a shame then that the pacing isn't a tad slicker, or that the presentation isn't more refined. At least the actors do a decent job, so the bit of drama they have to plow through doesn't feel like a complete waste of time. The Adultress isn't a great film, but for a noir it's far from the worst that is out there.Read all
Krasinski's IF deserves praise for being a stand-alone work, not just some franchise tie-in. It's nice to see something original targeted at the younger audiences. The film itself is a bit toothless and cheesy though, it's the kind of American hoopla that you may not even want to subject your children to. The creatures are relatively imaginative and the presentation is decent enough, but I wasn't too taken with the voice work and at times it did feel like a Ryan Reynold project aimed at getting the young ones hooked onto his personality. I'm not the target audience of this film for sure, but I think kids deserve better than this. Still, it is far from the worst you'll get out of Hollywood.Read all