Log: week 28 / 2020

Ford isn't really suited to play Jack Ryan and these 90s action/thrillers haven't aged very well either. The action lacks adrenaline, the thriller elements aren't all that exciting and the only thing more over the top than the cheesy patriotism is the runtime of the film. They could've at least cut an hour without losing anything substantial.

At least the finale is slightly better than the rest, but you have to wait more than two hours to get there. The secondary cast is pretty poor too and Noyce's direction feels completely uninspired. A very forgettable and poorly executed film, let's hope time will bury this kind of nonsense, so future generations will be spared.

The premise is promising enough, but the film doesn't really deliver. It's supposed to be a comedy and the situations offer plenty of potential for gags or snark, but Maeda makes poor use of them. The characters themselves aren't very likeable either, making the more dramatic second half moot.

Visually the film looks a bit drab, performances are a bit disappointing too and the soundtrack doesn't really add much either. There are some decent moments and at least it was interesting to see how the film panned out, but this wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. I don't think I'll be giving Maeda's other films priority.

There's a tighter focus on comedy (and a little romance) rather than on mystery, which was probably a smart decision as most people know how these types of films pan out by now. Samberg is doing his usual shtick, Milioti and Simmons are really fun additions to the cast and help to brighten things up.

The film looks nice enough, there are some memorable moments and the pacing is perfect. It may feel a little rushed if you've never seen one of these time loops before, but it's nice to see a film that doesn't spend too much time on concepts and ideas that have been done to death already. An entertaining, fun and cheery feature.

The Magnificent Ruffians is a somewhat inconspicuous entry in Chang's oeuvre. It plays like a sort of blueprint of Chang's work, sporting a rather basic setup, followed by a bunch of training scenes and pre-finale brawls that lead up to a long and excessive showdown at the end of the film.

Performances are a little weaker than usually the case, the variety in fight choreographies makes up for that though. At 105 minutes, the film is a bit too long (these Shaw Bros films work best when they stay within the 90-minute limit), but overall this is another fun and entertaining film that is sure to appeal to any Shaw Bros fans out there.

As a sci-fi/thriller, this film was pretty damn interesting. Some very cool visuals, a moody soundtrack and a somewhat basic but solid set-up kept me interested. The lair of the bad guys is awesome, the main character is ruthless and intriguing. Whenever this film turns dark, it's a real treat to watch.

But that's just half of the film. The other half is some sappy, cheesy romance that felt anything but sincere. The frequent switches between both parts were jarring, and they never really seemed to make sense together. It's a daring choice and if it would've worked this could've been a masterpiece, for now it's just a lot of potential squandered by poor choices and flawed execution.

Even though the film doesn't look cheap, it's clear that they still had to cut some corners. The sci-fi elements are well executed, but not very consistent. When needed for world-building and effect they are given the necessary time in the spotlight, at the other times the film looks surprisingly mundane and contemporary.

The actors are decent enough, the reveal halfway through is interesting and the finale is explosive. There are moments when the film goes above and beyond mere genre expectations, but they are few and far between. The ending isn't entirely satisfactory either, but I'll be there for the sequel regardless.

He does get the basics right though. The performances are decent, even though it's mostly the younger actors who leave an impression. Visually it's decent but nothing too spectacular, the same goes for the soundtrack, though kudos for including some actual, normal rave music for the party scene, even when it's some 25 year old classic.

The middle part was too uneventful and predictable to hold my attention, luckily the ending does have a few surprises in store. Not the actual plot twists, but the way they are delivered does deserve some recognition. It isn't enough to fully redeem the film, but at least it gives the impression that Mortelmans can do better when given time to grow.

The structure is really basic, as it simply follows the chronological events in Björk's career. Her rise from small, budding artist to fashion icon, performance artist and singer/producer is properly documented, but it's hardly unique or noteworthy. There are a select few people who comment on Björk's work as an artist, but most of those interviews offer little value.

It's still nice to get a concise overview of Björk's career, the documentary doesn't drag things out and offers a nice peak into the phenomenon that is this little Icelandic artist. But unless you've never heard of her before (or you're an immense fanboy that simply has to watch everything related to her), it's not a must-see.

The titular promised land is a small community in rural Japan. A sunny village hidden between the mountains that does look like an idyllic place, at least from afar. Of course these communities hide a lot of toxicity too and when a young girl goes missing a long feud begins, one that will make its fair share of victims.

Performances are solid, the film looks pretty nice and the mix of drama and thriller elements works very well. There's little wrong with this film, but it also doesn't really set itself apart from many others. It's a solid, memorable and at times impressive drama that further underlines Zeze's talent, but never quite dazzles.

The film follows a theater group that is preparing for their very first show. Then comes the news that nobody is buying any tickets and that their production has been cancelled. But the film deliberately blurs the lines between reality and play and it's hard to know what's real and what is staged.

The fact that it's a single take film and even switches between different locations only adds to the confusion, but it also increases the appeal. While it's a film that left me with more questions than answers, it's also a film that leaves a strong impression and won't be easily forgotten. Matsui deserves credit for his bravery and vision, the execution could've been a little tighter though.

There's also a small layer of horror underneath it all, but that's just there for the plot. The film never gets tense, creepy or gory, everything here is done with one single goal in mind: to make you smile, giggle and smirk. It's a good thing then the film is pretty good at it too, if dry comedy is your thing at least.

Higgins and Ward are pretty great, Forte and O'Doherty are good too, but in a more exaggerated way. Visually it's quite dry, though clearly a conscious decision, as there are a few moments that betray the broader skill of both directors. This was a very welcome surprise, just a little more polish and Ahern + Loughman are ready to deliver their masterpiece.

Part three in the series is so lazy they hardly bothered to conceal the fact it's just a cash cow for them. The plot is completely nonsensical and ill-fitting, but kids love a good bounty hunt, so that's what we're getting here. Throw in some terrible pop songs in true chipmunk style and that's basically it.

The comedy is painfully unfunny, the characters are rehashed once again (there's only 1 new addition, and she's terrible too) and the music is just insulting. I'm clearly not the target audience for this franchise, even then one can expect a basic level of quality. Wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be an experiment just to see how blunt they could be without turning away people from the franchise. As there's also a fourth part, I think we haven't hit rock bottom just yet.

The film is centered around the Japanese occupation of Malaysia, but highlights the unique relationship between a Japanese gardener and a young woman looking for her missing sister. It's a pretty classic and recognizable setup, not in the least because the story is told through a series of flashbacks.

With Hiroshi Abe and Jessica Lee on board, Lin had the proper acting talent secured. It's a bit of a bummer most of their dialogue happens in English, but that was to be expected. The cinematography is nice and polished, but not too challenging, while the soundtrack hinges between moody and sappy. Overall this was a fine film, but Lin's signature style doesn't really come through enough, which makes it his "worst" film to date.

Parts of the film are shot in color, others are monochrome. The editing is frantic, with jump cuts, repetitions, stop-motion and fast intertitles, happily referencing the era of silent film. There's lots of voice-over narration too though, some in English, some in Japanese. The film feels like a baffling fever dream, something I can definitely appreciate.

At just under 40 minutes, it's also not too long. The plot is really rather vague and the execution is quite crude, so 90 minutes of this would've been a bit much. At its current length though, Emotion is a fun, quirky, creative and appealing film that is sure to please those seeking out something different. A must for fans of Obayashi's work, a good starting point for all the rest.

The problem is that post-apocalyptic sci-fi isn't the easiest genre to do on a budget. It's no surprise then that it's all played for laughs, but the film isn't really funny enough to make that work. A lot of time and effort was spent on creating a futuristic world, but it never felt genuine or anything more than a Sunday afternoon project.

The dance scenes are incredibly lame, the actors are bland and the plot isn't very interesting. 80s references galore, but we've seen that done before too. What remains is genuine effort and enthusiasm. And in some ways it works too, but it's simply not enough to turn this into an enjoyable film.

While a fine thriller, don't expect too much from this one. It's one of those films that comes with a relatively ingenious setup, but gets a bit overconfident and can't quite deliver on its promise. When everything starts fitting together a little too well and the plan ends up being a bit too convenient, a lot of tension goes right out of the window.

Performances are good but not spectacular, the script is fine but a little expected. The cinematography and soundtrack are polished, but hardly eye/ear popping. It's a film that doesn't have any overt flaws, but fails to excel at anything in particular. Solid genre filler in other words. Not bad, but it didn't leave a big impression.

The problem is that I don't really care about artists using their platform for politics. I'm fine with music, I'm fine with politics, but very few people are experts in both. It's no doubt admirable that she wants to make our world a better place, but there are people better suited and positioned to do that.

The doc itself is pretty standard. We get some footage of the time she wasn't famous yet, we get to see her rise as a star and the way the media reacts to her political statements. There's also some parts that explore Matangi's roots and the political situation of her home country, but it all fails to make an impression.

The film is based on a true story and there are some remarkable details that make the story stand out. But these footnotes never add much to the emotional weight of the film and the structure remains all too familiar. Two people meet, fall in love, but society won't have none of it and persecution follows.

The cast is decent but nothing more. The soundtrack is pretty standard arthouse fare too. A piano here, some string work there, but never truly present. And even though the film looks absolutely stunning, there is also some very cliché imagery (like the close-ups of flowers in the rain) that could've been left out. It's definitely not a bad film, but it's a little too expected and familiar.

I say "might", because the execution is pretty flaky too. Performances are dire and the film looks very cheap. Not much time was spent on the cinematography and I wouldn't be surprised if the soundtrack was made up from leftovers. If you're in the mood for something cinematic, don't watch this.

The only redeeming quality of Crime Hunter are the actual action scenes. Not that they're genre stand-outs, but they do deliver. Some heavy firepower, lots of loud noise and a few thrilling moments make this film semi-watchable. I wouldn't actively recommend the film, but if you're in the mood for something short, light and action-packed, there are worse options.

The cast is solid, but not perfect. Neither are the visuals, which is probably the main reason why I didn't rate this even higher. While it looks decent enough, it lacks the polish and detail to be a true stand-out. The score on the other hand was impressive. Not the most subtle, but very leading and instrumental in dictating the atmosphere.

Not everything works, but for a film that tries to bring something new to the table that's easily forgiven. The first half hour is the weakest, after that everything slowly falls into place and the finale is pretty spot on. A fresh, entertaining, intruiging and pretty twisted horror flick. Liked this one a lot.

Not that it's a bad film, but it feels like a film that should've been made a decade earlier. And even then, Danny Pang's films used to be better than Delusion. What you get is three short ghost stories, marginally connected to each other, with (by now) very predictable scares and plot twists.

Performances are a bit doubty too, but nothing too off-putting. The film looks nice, Danny is a good editor and the fact that you get three films for the price of one helps with the pacing, it's just a shame that I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd all seen it before, from the same director, only better. Delusion is good filler, but a little disappointing nonetheless.

Hung plays a loser who turns to gambling to make it big. He's not very successful though and quickly squanders the little money he has. His grandfather, a deceased master gambler, takes pity on him and returns as a ghost to help his grandson. While things runs smoothly for a while, it doesn't take long before their little scheme is uncovered.

Hong Kong comedy is loud and zany and Ko's films are no exception. The soundtrack is pretty bad and the direction quite sloppy, but the story is goofy enough and there are some decent jokes scattered throughout. The ending is also a bit more action-packed, which suits Hung better. Not a great film, but okay filler.

Steve Carell plays a political advisor who finds an unlikely candidate for the Democratic Party in Wisconsin, one of the swing states. Certain he can make an example of him and turn the entire state again, he travels there to meet the guy and help him become mayor of his small hometown. Of course the Republicans find out and decide to give the Democratic campaign a run for its money.

The comedy is decent but a little dry and not quite sharp enough. The film is also extremely targeted at American politics, even though Stewart makes a broader point. It's all a bit on the nose (that final speech was not okay), but overall it was a pretty funny, if somewhat inconspicuous film.

The film starts off quite promising. A ninja assassination (hah) that is rather bloody and ruthless. Heads fly, bloods spurts and iron flies through the air. But then the plot starts and things start to slip real fast. The performances are weak, the characters are drab and the drama is pretty lame.

The entire middle part of the film is pretty much negligible. It just runs through the motions and spends a lot of time setting up the finale. Luckily it ends with some fine action scenes. The editing and camera work may not be up to par, but at least it's graphic and over-the-top. Decent, but not great.