Log: week 44 / 2024
Like Water for Chocolate
Mexican family drama doused in sepia. That's about the only good thing here, the film looks warm and inviting from start to finish. The drama (and romance) aren't too interesting though, as they rely on endless dialogues to get their points across. That turned it into quite the bore. The performances aren't too bad and I love myself a sepia filter, but it wasn't enough to save the otherwise boring cinematography. The plot is rather tedious and the conversations are way too drawn out. I'm not sure what turned this film into an international success, but I'd hoped for more.Read all
A pretty basic serial killer flick that mixes various storylines to make things a bit more exciting. It's not a bad film, but it lacks a real point of view, or at least something more definitive to make it stand out. It's not a terrible directorial debut for Anna Kendrick, but based on this I'm not sure if it's a career worth pursuing. The performances are decent, the narrative structure adds a bit of mystery and the pacing is nice, it's just that there have been quite a few of these serial killer flicks of late and I couldn't see what this one was supposed to add. Nice filler for those who love this type of thing, but a bit too pedestrian for me.Read all
A step up from the first film, with some delightfully gory scenes. I simply can't understand why a basic slasher like this had to be 140 minutes long. There's no good reason to draw out the plot and the finale in particular is stretched well beyond its breaking point. Films like these need to be 90 minutes max. The gore is fine though. Art is a mediocre villain, but he's pretty messy and the horror bits don't disappoint. The surrounding drama is not quite as convincing and the extended runtime is silly, completely messing up the pacing. Chop of 50 minutes or so and you could have a perfectly fine Halloween slasher, in its current incarnation it's a bit of a disappointment.Read all
The New Kids boys are going international, and they made sure it would be a memorable expedition. Krazy House is a mix of 90s US sitcoms, contrasted with their unique comedy and finished off with some Kevin Smith-style horror. It's a film that starts out funny (but a tad timid) and grows increasingly grotesque as it propels its way to a batshit bonkers finale. This was an absolute blast, with a great cast, insane jokes, and not a dull moment in sight. Haars and Van der Kuil nailed this one.
A quirky Turkish comedy. Most well-regarded Turkish films aren't my cup of tea, this was a welcome exception. The goofy characters, their silly plans, and the lighthearted take on what is a rather dark subject are fun and entertaining. It's not best in genre, but it easily passes the time. The performances are good, Engin Günaydin is lovely as the dimwitted husband who excels at messing up his life. The presentation is okay, the pacing is pleasant and the film's dark streak is worth a couple of chuckles. It's nice to see Turkish cinema has more to offer than dreary arthouse and local comedies.Read all
A big step up from the first film. Rather than relive the 70s and marry it to some antihero antics, Phillips turns Fleck into a truly tragic figure. One who becomes a little too bold and self-assured and in doing so digs his own grave. That's quite a rare take for a big Hollywood production, and one I appreciated a lot. The musical elements offer a cool counterbalance, I just wish they were a bit more all-out. Phoenix and Gaga were good, the pacing was fine and the drama of the plot came through perfectly. The public backlash against the film is possibly even more tragic, but I guess it just shows that audiences get what they deserve.Read all
The Profane Exhibit
An anthology that traveled festivals for a full decade and was tinkered with profoundly before it finally saw its domestic release a little while ago. It's not hard to see why this one took so long to materialize in full, but there are some very cool segments here, and true horror heads won't be disappointed. Boll's entry is a terrible low, but other than that most shorts are pretty interesting. What this anthology is lacking is some true standouts. Apart from Manna, by far the most visceral and mysterious short of the bunch, and to a lesser extent Nishimura's Hell Kitchen, there aren't any shorts that push the limits. But if you love a good horror anthology, be sure to give this one a shot.Read all
4:30 is a fine film, no doubt about it. But compared to Tan's first one, it's still a bit of a disappointment. 15: The Movie was a vibrant and unique drama, the type of film only a young, spirited director can make. 4:30 is a more traditional arthouse film, deliberately slow and subdued. As such, it has a harder time to set itself apart from its peers. The performances are good, the cinematography is very stylish and the score is appropriate. The pacing was a tad too slow for me though and compared to a film like The Fourth Portrait, 4:30 lacks that touch of genius that could've made it truly special. But if you're into arthouse and you're looking for something Asian, this is an easy recommendation.Read all
The premise sounded rather exciting, but the film is quite dry and subdued. There's murder and revenge alright, but the audience is mostly caught up in long-winded dialogues and French stiffness. Don't expect any genre pleasures from this one, but there was some stylistic appeal that made it somewhat bearable. Truffaut isn't my type of director, but I do appreciate that his films often follow a path of their own. Despite that it was quite dry, The Bride Wore Black isn't a very predictable or unimaginative film. Kudos for doing something different, I just wish I could appreciate his style more. Worth a try, especially for the fans of French cinema from the 60s.Read all
The US sure loves a dreary boxing flick. The 70s in particular seemed to be a perfect breeding ground. Fat City is a renowned, though somewhat forgotten film in the genre. It's a combo of generic boxing scenes and gritty 70s drama, not exactly my favorite combo. Add a grating soundtrack and I quickly understood this film wasn't going to be for me. The performances are drab, the cinematography is joyless and the music is horrid. The story about two boxers at different points in their career wasn't exactly riveting either. It's relatively short for a boxing flick, which is something, but when there's nothing to look forward to, even that's not very comforting.Read all
Expectations were low going in, but since this was helmed by Shozin Fukui it's a film I just had to see. It's not the most animated documentary, but therein lies its power. The premise is 90% of what this film has to offer, the remaining 10% is a little addendum where we learn a bit more about Koe. You get a quintet of manga artists using Koe as their canvas. Despite the "hentai" promise, the film is subdued and tranquil. It never feels exploitative, because Koe is visibly comfortable and the artists are professional. This turned out to be a pretty pleasant watch, just don't expect any deep insights or revelations.Read all
A drama about an intersex kid. It's a pleasant enough film, but it's equally clear that XXY got most of its attention due to its subject matter. Not that it's not a story worth telling, but I'd hoped for stronger cinematic qualities and a more unique take on the subject. What I got was a pretty basic international drama. The performances are solid and the drama is both subtle and unflinching. The cinematography is rather grim though and the pacing is a tad slow. It's not that I was bored while watching, but it's not exactly riveting cinema and I don't think it's a story that will stick with me for long. Worth a shot if you're interested in the subject though.Read all
A surprisingly cool horror flick that somehow never made it big in the West. It's not the cast, because Fujiwara, Kuriyama, Osugi, and Akaji Maro are well-regarded actors. It's also not the lack of style or the generic storyline, this isn't a film that aims to be the next "less is more" horror sensation from Japan. Maybe Persona was a little too different. The focus on the masks is cool, the fashion element is interesting and the mix of various scenes and settings kept me intrigued. The cinematography is also on point and the pacing is slick. I have no complaints about this one, if you're looking for an interesting Japanese horror film, look no further.Read all
A pleasant sequel. Much like the first film, Extraction II favors genre fun over other elements. There's a bit of drama, as well as some crime and thriller elements, but they're mostly functional. They propel the narrative forward, launching the audience into hectic, drawn-out action sequences that form the main course. Hemsworth is perfectly cast, the action sequences are thrilling and varied, and even though the film is two hours long, it doesn't feel like there's much padding. It's not quite over-the-top and maximalist enough to make it a personal favorite, but as action films go, this is the type of film I like to watch. Good fun.Read all