Log: week 41 / 2024
Aja's latest film has an interesting enough premise, but it quickly devolves into an "is it real or not" type of story. Those can be good when the execution is tense and gripping, sadly, that just isn't the case here. The "evil" is too bland and unimaginative, which hinders the narrative part of this film. It's a shame because the setting is lovely and Aja builds up a nice mood. The performances aren't too great though and the horror elements could've been more outspoken. It's not a terrible film, it's nice to see something new from Aja, but this is hardly up there with his best work. Just decent horror filler.Read all
Two very different people go on a road trip together. Both are rather broad and simple stereotypes, the film doesn't have that much interesting to say, but at least the mood is rather light and the lush settings make for easy watching. That is if you can stand the Italian chattiness of the characters. Though not the longest film, it could've been a bit shorter, as there's not really happening all that much, besides characters trying to have a good time in sunny Italy. The ending feels rather tacked on and inappropriate, but it wasn't too surprising. There wasn't much for me here, but it's not the worst Italian classic I've seen.Read all
This Taiwanese horror series isn't too bad, but there's not enough to set it apart from its peers. It's still relying on oldskool scares and clichés (even though it tries to subvert them from time to time), which keeps it from making a bigger impact. The execution is pretty solid though, so it's perfect if you're looking for some pre-Halloween filler. The plot is simple and the scares are familiar. The performances aren't too great either, but there are some fun game scenes and some nice camera tricks to make the film more immersive. It doesn't try too hard to be anything but solid horror fodder, so as long as you know what you're getting yourself into, this isn't too bad.Read all
Tim Burton revisits one of older films and delivers a vintage Burton experience that blends the old and the new. I wasn't a big fan of the original Beetlejuice, this sequel is a lot more fun. It's clear that Burton wanted to do another signature film and he received the freedom and means to make it happen. Ortega fits in perfectly, Dafoe is hilarious. There are quirky details everywhere, there's a layer of light comedy that keeps things from getting too heavy and the presentation is spotless. The film is a bit too kid-friendly for my taste, but this is the kind of fantasy I appreciate. It's nice to see Burton still has it in him.Read all
A fun sci-fi classic, though a little dated, resulting in pacing and runtime issues. The film is actually at its best when it isn't trying to show off. The quiet, scientific-driven segments are nice and they build up the tension well enough. It's the action and explicit sci-fi moments that feel silly by modern standards. The plot is basic and nothing too special, but the presentation is mysterious enough and the urgency is tangible. Some scenes do feel too elaborate though, whereas the ending is rushed and somewhat silly. It was a lot better than I expected though, I just wish it had been 30 minutes shorter.Read all
Yip used to be one of the more interesting directors working in Hong Kong, but ever since he made the move to China his output has become quite a bit iffier. Snow Dance is an unfiltered sports flick, a genre that's naturally cheesy and sentimental, but this film went overboard. The worst thing is that the snowboard scenes were terrible, mixing bad camera work with flakey CG. Any pro with a GoPro could've done a better job. The drama and the performances aren't any good either, and that's all there is to it. I wish Yip went back to Hong Kong to make something a little edgier, or just quit while he's ahead.Read all
Kitsch to the nth degree. This is the kind of Hollywood cinema that gets on my nerves, it's no surprise that this got an Academy nomination back in the day. Everything about this film feels overdone and lacks conviction. It's stage drama of the worst kind, filmed in the worst possible way. The performances are grotesque, the colors are ugly and the drama comes with an overdose of sentimentality. I also didn't care for the classic US rural setting. The second half of the film is a bit more animated, but by then I was mostly waiting for the film to finish. At nearly two hours long, that moment comes way too late.Read all
The latest entry in the VHS series is pretty decent, mostly thanks to the first couple of shorts. Jordan Downey's Stork is the highlight of the anthology, but it's a shame the film uses it as an opener. The intro is a little dull and the zombies don't inspire much trust, but the first-person views are awesome and the finale is insane. Live and Let Dive and Dream Girl have some cool moments too. Fur Babies is a little disappointing, Justin Long tries to recreate Tusk but fails to do so convincingly. Stowaway is probably the poorest of the bunch and the wraparound segment isn't that great either, though the finale ramps things up one final time. Good horror fun, though a little too uneven.Read all
Xun Zhou is probably the face of China's big cinema metamorphosis during the 00s. When directors tried to move away from the rural dramas, moving their characters to more urban and contemporary urban settings, they found in her the perfect lead. Where Have All the Flowers Gone is one of those films. The story offers a simple love triangle, but the presentation is slick, the narrative structure is disjointed, and the film thrives on atmosphere rather than plot. There are moments of pure beauty here, but it's also a little dated in places. It's a shame there hasn't been an HD reissue of the film, it would benefit from a proper cleanup, but don't let that stop you. A very sweet film.Read all
A noir with light western influences. It's my two least favorite genres combined, but it's not as terrible as I'd feared. Not that this was any good, the performances were very dim, the pacing was too slow and the plot was cookie-cutter, but at least the mix of genres brought something new. The film's a bit longer than most noirs, which works against it, but the build-up to the finale isn't the worst and the fact that the lead isn't dealing with hard-boiled city gangsters made things a bit more interesting. But it's all minor compared to the boredom I was experiencing throughout the film.Read all
A fine ensemble film that casts a different light on racism. It's a pre-woke film, which is probably how it won its Oscar, but that doesn't mean it is completely void of valid points. Haggis goes a little overboard and he could've toned it down just a little, but we all know Hollywood doesn't do subtlety very well. Apart from the interesting thematic angle, it's also nice to see Haggis spent a lot of time on the presentation. The soundtrack in particular isn't afraid to take center stage. The performances are good, most of the stories add to the overall picture and while a bit too sentimental in places, most of the emotions felt earned. One of the better Academy winners out there.Read all
A simple spoof of films like Lethal Weapon (but any other buddy cop movie works too). The comedy is daft and there are quite a few misses, but that's a given with films like these. It's the dedication to the genre and the relentlessness that makes this a very easy watch, even if there are better ones out there. Some of the references are a bit too on the nose and Estevez isn't the best man for the job, but there's hardly any time to get annoyed as the jokes keep on coming. Not quite as good as Hot Shots or The Naked Gun, but for fans of the genre this is a welcome addition. I sure had fun with it.Read all
The premise is interesting enough, and there clearly was enough money to get some A-listers on board (Weaving is one of the horror icons of this generation), but the execution felt lazy. Rapture or not, this was just people in the woods being haunted by rather lame-looking creatures. The fact that the cult swore to silence does eliminate a lot of useless dialogue and Weaving has some nice action moments, but the setting was dull, the kill felt uninspired and the balance between action and horror was off. It's decent entertainment on the road to Halloween, but they could've done a lot more.Read all
I've been following Yuya Ishii for a long time now, and while an exemplary director, I didn't expect to get a masterpiece from him. He's capable enough, but his films never went the extra mile, and he never seemed to have that bit of edge in him to produce something challenging enough. The Moon certainly meets these criteria, though beware when you decide to give it a go. This isn't an easy film, there are a lot of uncomfortable and confronting moments here. Dark drama is back and The Moon doesn't pull any punches. This will no doubt end up becoming a divisive film, but I was impressed all the way through.
Despite the setting, this film does not have much dancing and showbiz action. Instead, Stage Door focuses more on the actresses and the behind-the-scenes drama. Hepburn and Rogers make a fun pairing, especially the ever-bratty and bubbly Rogers is quite a sight. But that's not enough to make this a great film. The dialogues are rather dull and there isn't much else to see here. It's just women rambling on for 90 minutes straight. The cinematography is boring, some of the secondary characters are annoying and there's hardly any plot to speak of. But it's certainly not the worst of its kind.Read all
It's a bit late to do a '85 episode of the V/H/S anthology if you ask me, but I guess it made sense since they never actually handled the 80s explicitly. This certainly wasn't the best of the series, but I figured I'd give it a go as there's already a new one out. Keeping up with horror films is a bit harder these days. There are some decent segments, but the old V/H/S look is a bit overdone and I'm not a fan of the 80s aesthetic at all. I liked the wrap-around segment best, and the Mexican one was interesting too. The rest felt obsolete and derivative. There's still some decent fun to be had for hardcore horror fans, but this series needs a quality injection if it wants to keep on going.Read all