Log: week 29 / 2024
Mononoke Movie: Paper Umbrella
A formidable explosion of color and movement. I never watched the series but based on this film I'm almost tempted to do so. The base style is superb, but once the 3D element is added, it becomes a full-on sensory experience. The plot's a little tricky to follow (plenty of specific cultural references), but the sublime editing, the wondrous score, and the lush visuals make up for it. I had a blast watching this on the big screen, so the news that a second film is in the works makes me very happy.
A film that holds the middle between Japanese dystopian cyberpunk and Švankmajer. That sounds amazing, except that I didn't fully dig the lo-fi execution. There's a bit too much old film stock, a few too many fake-grainy scenes, and the camerawork's too static for it to completely envelop me. The plot is a bit DIY, though I'm sure the director has a firmer idea of what's going on. What we're seeing is a man living in a distant dystopia, looking for trinkets and exchanging them with a hand in a wall. He hopes to reach the sea one day, but his chances seem slim in this barren city. There's a lot of repetition, a lot of atmosphere-based scenes (like grainy black-and-white shots of the sea), some abstract rituals, and very little action. That's not a problem, but then the styling has to be impeccable, and I didn't find it overwhelming enough. It's definitely worth checking out, it's a wholly unique film, but not quite a personal favorite.Read all
A genuine exploration of the Japanese (underground) nightlife. Many of the characters have roots in the scenes they portray, as does director McKie. It's rare to see a foreign director fare well in Japan, but he nailed the culture and the people by committing to enlisting proper talent rather than idols wanting to turn actors. The cinematography is colorful, the performances are great, the dance routines are stunning (especially in combination with the editing) and Yume's journey is a wild and wonderful one. Bonus points for avoiding many pitfalls of the genre and cooking up and ending that isn't all that cheesy. A superb film.Read all
I cannot look at this film without pondering how Casanova got it off the ground. The characters, sets, and events are so outlandish that I'd figure nobody would want to invest money in a film like this, but here we are. Sometimes art wins out, and the result is a sprawling mix of comedy and drama with an excess of wtf moments. The characters in Skins are outrageous and Casanova isn't afraid to put their deformities and/or perversities in the spotlight, but there's always a layer of humanity present. The presentation is slick (prep yourself for lots of pink and purple), the performances are good, and I couldn't keep count of times I was staring at the screen, gobsmacked. Great cinema.Read all
White Snake 2: Green Snake
What a way to follow up White Snake. Gone is the traditional Chinese fantasy, instead we get an urban fantasy remake with sci-fi elements. It's a big departure from the oldskool legend, but it still has all the typical elements present and it's presented with an excessive amount of flair. The animation is superb, the action scenes are grand and the fantasy elements are impressive. The human character designs were a tad flimsy, especially compared to the fantastical creatures, but that's just a bit of nitpicking. Chinese animation is making rapid progress, and this film delivers from start to finish.Read all
Smith's Tusk is a cult classic in the making. The structure of the film's a little odd, but it's all in function of its crazy reveal and the characters are so tongue-in-cheek that it's hard not to fall for the film's charms (if you like your horror weird and infused with a bit of comedy, that is). It's also pretty rewatchable, especially with people who haven't seen the film. Long is the perfect victim, and annoying jerk who doesn't exactly deserve what's coming to him, but you won't feel too bad about his ill-fated adventure either. The rest of the cast is equally great, the reveal is a blast and the finale is the cherry on the cake. Thank God for Smith reinventing himself.Read all
The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity
A big, hefty Chinese blockbuster fantasy film from Jinming Guo, one of the young talents. It's good to see they can deliver a film like this with proper CG, even though the quality isn't quite as consistent as you'd like. But if you want epic, Guo has you covered, as the film keeps piling up drama and fantasy. It's not quite up there with the best in the genre, the story is a bit convoluted and the drama gets a tad too heavy-handed (slowing the film down), but there's so much beauty to look at and there are so many big, epic battles that the good outweighed the bad by a big margin. I wonder where the sequels are though, I thought this was supposed to be the first in a series of films.Read all
Paco Plaza continues to explore the horror genre, this time turning his attention to the religious horror that is having a bit of a revival. He certainly isn't reinventing the wheel with Sister Death, and the film isn't up there with his best, but if you're looking for a quality entry in this niche, Plaza has you covered. Narcisa is a young woman who joins a convent. As a girl she had a spiritual encounter, which is why the sisters are happy to have her. She becomes a teacher, but the kids there speak of a mysterious ghost who roams the premise. Narcisa is sceptical, until she notices strange things happening around her. There's a slow build-up towards a more animated finale, but the film never goes into overdrive. Sister Death is more about refined horror and atmosphere than all-out chills. Solid performances, a few memorable moments and a pleasant conclusion make this a worthy entry in Plaza's oeuvre, as long as you keep your expectations in check.Read all
It was a blast revisiting this film. Even though not nearly as punk as the manga, the cyberpunk aesthetic is unmatched, and the shimmers it shows of Nihei's expansive universe are still miles ahead of most other sci-fi/cyberpunk movies. It's a shame they stopped after this first one, as there was so much more to tell. I'm still in love with the concept of Blame, including the ridiculous scale of its universe. The character designs are magnificent, the setting is mindblowing and the animation is top-notch, doing everything to bring Nihei's universe to life on the big screen. It could've been way more punk for me, but I don't think that would've matched the film's big-budget setup. Other than that, I have nothing to complain about.Read all
A typical Hollywood art heist production (also the kind Hong Kong liked to make), set in Europe. This is basic blockbuster fodder, built around Kevin Hart's persona. It's not a great film, but it has some larger-than-life action scenes and it is relatively short, so it doesn't outstay its welcome. Cyrus is head of a team of art thieves who steal from the rich and operate under a strict moral code. When they are snatched by Interpol, they are forced into a mission that has them steal the gold of a nefarious criminal. It's their biggest and most dangerous gig to date. If you dislike Hart you're not going to appreciate this film, because he is very present. The performances are forgettable and the plot is silly, but the action is decent and the heist is pretty insane. It's not a great film, but not the worst way to pass 100 minutes either.Read all
Gens made a shark film, set in Paris. It sounds like one of those lame C-horrors, and sure enough, there's plenty of cheese and suspension of disbelief needed to get to the end, but there's also some fun to be had, especially during the latter half of the film. Sophie is the sole survivor of a shark attack in the middle of the ocean. She led a team of shark experts, but bumped into an evolved species that didn't behave like the other sharks. Three years after the trauma, the shark that killed her team turns up in the middle of Paris, and she isn't alone. Don't expect any realism, this isn't that kind of film. Instead, Gens has some fun with genre tropes and bumping up the kill count. The start of the film is a little slow, but once it gets up to steam it's a decent enough genre flick, with a hilarious finale. Far from his best, but good genre fun nonetheless.Read all