Log: week 38 / 2024
A rather raw and unfiltered crime drama, but it lacks the true grit to have any kind of impact. The lead is a rather dull and unwieldy character, the rest of the criminals aren't much better. There are some blunt scenes left and right, but none of them are able to shock, nor do they linger. The romance angle isn't very interesting either, the cinematography is rather dire and the inclusion of pop music feels silly almost three decades later. Balabanov still manages to create a somewhat intriguing portrait of a young man who slowly submerges in a criminal swamp, but the delivery is rather poor.Read all
Till We Meet Again on the Lily Hill
Till We Meet Again on the Lily Hill confirms Narita's talent as a director, but the subject matter here is a bit more iffy. It's a rather blunt story about sacrifice, that thrives on sentiment. I wasn't entirely on board with the message of this film, but as a drama/romance, there are some impressive scenes scattered throughout. The use of music is strong and the cinematography is slick. The performances aren't quite there though, the leads in particular fall short, and the chemistry between their characters could've used a bit of extra sparkle. It's a pleasant film, but considering Narita made one of my favorite years last year, I expected more.Read all
The third and final part in Ortega's surprise hit musical trilogy. I'd seen the first two ages ago but never cared enough to watch the finale. That's one less thing to worry about now. This was also a good reminder of why I didn't bother with the third part back then, as this is quite the ordeal. The songs and routines are in fact the best part of this film. The high school drama is atrocious and the performances are very much on the same level. I'm also unsure why they thought this had to last a full 110 minutes, even though there's only 70 minutes worth of material at best. Pretty terrible.Read all
Lupino is known for her noir(-adjacent) dramas, but this one plays more like a romantic drama. It's a rather generous portrayal of a man who marries two women and the emotional struggles that come with the deceit. I'm not sure if there are any important takeaways here, but as a simple narrative drama, the film isn't the worst. The performances are decent, the pacing is okay and the runtime is short. These are all things that made the film easy to get through, but nothing that made me become excited about it. It's all very basic and forgettable, then again that's what I think about many (if not most) classic dramas.Read all
Hou's deliberately slow pacing is nice, and there are some impressive scenes here. But overall, it didn't feel quite as special as it used to. I watched this film early on in my quest to see more Asian cinema, 30 years later it's all a little too familiar. And some lesser choices cost the film. The performances are strong though and Hou's transportation scenes are as impressive as ever. The opening scene on the train is just magical. The cinematography is pleasant but something I've grown accustomed to, the soundtrack is a little different (rock/metal influences) but unfitting. I still enjoyed watching this again, but the film lost some of its shine along the way.Read all
I'm glad I missed the hype surrounding this film because it serves Strange Darling better to have limited expectations. Director JT Mollner tries to flex his muscles (with his 35mm message up front, the disjointed narrative, and the "twist"), but it cannot hide the basic setup of this horror film. It's nice that the film attempts to be bold, but I didn't appreciate the throwback to earlier decades and neither the comedy nor the horror elements are compelling. The narrative jumps and the chapter setup don't add much either, it's just a generic thriller/slasher with lots of embellishments that have no sizeable impact whatsoever.Read all
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