Lovely, Dark, and Deep

2023 / 87m - Portugal
Horror
3.0*/5.0*
Lovely, Dark, and Deep poster

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.

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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.

Palindromes

2004 / 100m - USA
Comedy, Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Palindromes poster

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.

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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.

Good Night, and Good Luck.

2005 / 93m - USA
Drama
3.0*/5.0*
Good Night, and Good Luck. poster

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.

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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.

Do the Right Thing

1989 / 120m - USA
Comedy, Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Do the Right Thing poster

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.

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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.

The Soul Odyssey

Jôhatsu Tabinikki
2003 / 85m - Japan
Romance, Mystery
3.5*/5.0*
The Soul Odyssey poster

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.

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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.

Late Night with the Devil

2023 / 93m - Australia
Horror
2.5*/5.0*
Late Night with the Devil poster

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.

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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.

The Fall Guy

2024 / 126m - USA
Comedy, Action
2.0*/5.0*
The Fall Guy poster

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.

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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.

Who Were We

Watakushidomo Wa
2024 / 101m - Japan
Drama, Mystery
4.5*/5.0*
Who Were We poster

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.