Log: week 11 / 2023

I didn't really get the buzz surrounding Three Billboards, so my expectations were pretty low going in. That turned out to be a good thing, as the hype that The Banshees of Inisherin generated is quite overblown. It's a film that has its moments, but I don't think it will linger for very long.

A stylish blend of genre and arthouse. Ishikawa finds a lovely balance between the two, serving a heartfelt drama without compromising on the genre elements. The cinematography is extremely polished, the score feels tailored to the film, the performances are refined and the plot is interesting. Some of the stylistic choices didn't entirely vibe with me (the black-and-white cinematography is lush, but not quite as good as the color segments), but that's just a little nitpicking. I was pleasantly surprised by Arc, it's a shame the film didn't generate more hype, but what else is new?

Oh this was bad. I don't mind a little ecchi nonsense, as long as it is done with the proper glee and cheese. Nozoki Ana takes itself way too seriously though, without anything of real substance to back it up. The result is a complete drag, making that 50-something minutes feel like a three-hour film. Some people hate labels and such, but proper tagging could've at least prevented me from watching this crap.

A proper restoration made this film a bit more watchable. The colors do pop and add some visual appeal, but the slow pacing, endless dialogue, and somewhat barren plot didn't really hold the attention. The emotional core of the film just didn't work for me, and that's not good for a drama.

A bit of a misfire, this one. The premise is pretty damn ridiculous, but nobody seemed to have informed the crew and director. Witch Hunt is a pretty serious film, even mixing in some societal critique, but none of it hits the mark. This would've worked a lot better if everybody involved would've just embraced the camp.

Anime defaults. 30 minutes isn't a whole lot, it's certainly not enough to cover a demon invasion of our Earthly realm. Demon Hunter doesn't care though. It just condenses everything as much as possible, sticks to cliches to fill in the gaps, and tries to get to the good parts as quickly as feasible. And so you get a film thaw it's just 30 minutes, but covers as much as some other OAVs.

A decent but somewhat basic and predictable horror flick. The setting is a small convent on the Scottish shores, the story pretty much writes itself after that. There's certainly nothing blatantly wrong with Consecration, it's just that Christopher Smith used to deliver more notable horror films, so it's hard not to feel just a little disappointed.

Detective Dee, the Chinese answer to Sherlock Holmes, was popularised by Tsui Hark with three sprawling blockbusters. Nowadays he's featured mostly in simpler streamer fare. Dragon Hidden Lair isn't on par with Hark's work, but it is short and pretty amusing regardless, which are qualities too. I've come to expect a little more of films like this in recent times though.

It's a bit weird, but there's such a dearth of easy comedies these days that even simple filler like this feels like a breath of fresh air. The Donor Party isn't anything special, it's not even all that funny, but there's just no drama or other secondary nonsense to break up the comedy. And that in itself is worth something.

A pretty bland and generic anime, that still manages to score some points by neatly checking off all the genre boxes. Vampire Wars is a forgettable film, but it is short, pretty lively, and mixes quite a few different genres. Chances are you won't be bored watching this one, you probably just won't remember it all that fondly.

A slight disappointment. With a title and poster like that, it's hard not to expect something a little crazier and wilder. But The Cars That Ate Paris is a pretty subdued film considering its pretty outlandish premise. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's not really what I wanted from a silly film like this.

A simple but stylish horror film. The premise couldn't be more basic, and apart from purposefully hiding the perpetrator during the first half, the directors don't attempt anything special. This is one of those films that puts everything on execution and is all the better for it. One for the core horror fans in other words.

The Way of the Househusband was already a popular anime and live-action TV show, so I'm not surprised they turned out a movie version too. It's pretty much what you'd expect from a live-action anime adaptation, funny and over-the-top, but a bit low on cinematic qualities and a bit too generic to make a lasting impression.

Vintage found footage horror. The Outwaters does nothing new (though it prides itself on not using any special effects whatsoever), so you should have a good idea of what you're getting yourself into. After a rather long introduction, things get crazy and cameras start swinging. The scary part is not knowing exactly what is happening.

Aronofsky keeps it small, but his hand is clearly visible still. The Whale is a condensed drama about a man who let himself go physically and is trying to right some wrongs in the final days of his life. It is set in a single house (and a very small porch), and the drama takes center stage.