Log: week 49 / 2024
A rather novel sci-fi idea, mixing crime and sports elements into the plot. The film could've used a little extra polish and streamlining though, because it's a tad messy. Fewer side stories and a slightly more economic runtime could've turned this into prime genre filler, but it's still a fun ride. They could've gone for some near-future version of the plot, but luckily they weren't that lazy. The setting is futuristic enough, without being too alien. The sports angle is fun (and people worry about trans athletes), and the crime and action bits were effective. Performances are solid too, I just wish it was a bit more consistent.Read all
Spike Lee is a more than logical fit for a biopic on Malcolm X, but where Do the Right Thing was an energetic and sprawling take on racism (and the black communities in the USA), Malcolm X is very much a more traditional biopic. And as such, it is quite dull and way too long for its own good. Washington is good and Malcolm X is a figure worthy of a biopic, it's just that Lee's direction felt generic and uninspired. There's enough material here to warrant the long runtime, but the presentation is so bland that I wish the film had been half as long. Not one of Lee's better films.Read all
Welcome to the Game is a slick mystery/thriller that leans heavily on a lush presentation and some fun twists (not unlike Fincher's similarly titled 90s classic). It's a simple genre flick with limited ambitions, but the execution is near-perfect. The performances are solid, the villain is great, the cinematography is bliss and the finale is a blast. The final scene in particular is one of the best I've seen in a while. I doubt this film will have any international exposure, but if you have the chance to watch it, don't miss out.
Hugh Grant does horror. It's an easy enough selling point and the directors were eager to exploit it. That doesn't mean they neglected the rest of the film though. The premise is a fun one, the rest of the cast is more than solid and the presentation is moody, though somewhat predictable. Heretic is a simple enough film, one that slowly builds up tension through crafty dialogues and a well-paced reveal. Few people will be shocked or surprised by the finale, but the way there is an entertaining one. I had a lot of fun with this one, not the most original horror out there, but the premise was cool and the execution was on point.Read all
A mysterious little horror film. The premise is simple enough, people literate in horror cinema won't find too many surprises here, but the execution is on point and some tense and puzzling scenes keep the mystery alive for pretty much the entire runtime. That's not a given with these types of films. The performances are decent, the setting is fitting and the build-up is slow but deliberate. It's the moody soundtrack and the slightly woozy cinematography that help to set this film apart though. I wish the ending had been a bit more exciting, there's no real climax, other than that this was a first feature with promise.Read all
A typical Solondz production, but with an extra twist. The big thing about Palindromes is that the main character is played by a series of actresses. Initially, it's a little disorienting, but you get used to it quickly. That's not as great as it sounds, as it effectively means the whole setup isn't a big deal. There are plenty of awkward conversations, Solondz's dark comedy is back in full force and there are some memorable moments scattered throughout. But somewhere halfway through the film starts to flail a little and the quality isn't as consistent as I'd remembered. Still, if you like Solondz, you won't be too disappointed.Read all
Not the type of film I usually go for, but this was quite a bit better than expected. What could've been a rather dire and scruffy biopic turned out to be a slick and fairly amusing portrait of a man who (apparently) meant a lot to the world of US journalism. Some of the ideals certainly bear repeating nowadays. The film feels like a Clooney project. There's a certain charm, a slightly tongue-in-cheek vibe, and a stylish finish that all help to elevate what is otherwise a rather dry story. Strathairn is exceptional, the pacing is solid and the runtime is commendable. I wouldn't call it riveting cinema, but I wasn't bored for a second.Read all
Spike Lee's smart take on racism. It's been decades since I last watched Do the Right Thing, and while it's still a slick and poignant film, it isn't quite the masterpiece I once saw in it. That's mostly because of an evolving personal taste because I still had quite a bit of fun revisiting this one. The performances are great, Lee's rendition of the setting and the cultures are perfect (on point, but also with a wink) and the escalation of the violence is spot on. The film is quite long though and the middle part could've used a bit of trimming. Still, if you haven't seen it yet, it's definitely worth a shot.Read all
I'm not sure where this film came from, but the mix of arthouse and genre/cult is exactly what I love. It's a shame Yamada can't quite overcome his budgetary limitations (and that there's not a nice, cleaned-up copy available), but if you love weird Japanese films, this comes highly recommended. The plot is a little unhinged and the cinematography, while colorful and distinct, could've used that little bit of extra polish. But there are many fun and nifty details, the film kept me on my toes and it doesn't outstay its welcome. I'm a little surprised I never heard about it before, but these surprises are often the nicest.Read all
The premise is fun enough, the build-up was good, but the finale felt lacking. I've seen similar horror films and while this has an extra faux doc angle to make it stand out, the payoff simply wasn't big enough. Horror films these days have become a bit too soft, especially in the latter third. Dastmalchian is on point, the faux doc approach is pretty believable and there are some nice run-ups to the more serious work in the first half of the film. But the real haunts are tame and the film is over before it becomes truly horrific. I had expected a little more of this one, not really worth the hype.Read all
A simple blockbuster that does its best to be fun and silly, but despite the no doubt expensive efforts director Leitch and an enthusiastic cast can't quite make it work. I don't think Leitch has it in him to make something crazy enough within Hollywood's limitations, but clearly there's an audience for his work. Gosling and Blunt are fine, the constant action is somewhat amusing and the complete lack of a serious plot is a godsend. It's not all that easy to pinpoint what exactly didn't work for me, as all the elements for 2 hours of amusing nonsense seem present, but the bland sense of humor and the lack of (true) excess are just too offputting to make this a good blockbuster.Read all
After Life meets Haibane Renmei. Japan loves a good limbo story, Who Were We is the (almost) perfect arthouse execution of the setup. Matsuda and Komatsu are stellar, the cinematography is otherworldly and the soundtrack is stylish. There's not much in the way of a story, this is mostly a mood piece with some slice-of-life (pun intended) scenes scattered in between. I don't get the 4:3 aspect ratio, I feel I never will, but other than that this was a marvelous film.