Log: week 25 / 2025
A film that borrows quite heavily from its Hong Kong counterparts, but thanks to its Macanese roots, it has a flavor of its own. It's certainly my first crime flick to feature drama between competing sauna businesses. In the end, the formula is pretty standard, but you still get a novel twist.
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The cinematography is stylish, the score is very present but atmospheric and refined. The performances are the weakest point here, but it's not so bad that it becomes a big hindrance. If you're looking for a fun Chinese crime flick and you have a thing for Johnnie To's work, give this one a shot.
Danny Boyle returns with a new zombie flick. The time gap gave writer Alex Garland some leeway to try something new, but the result is half-arsed. The plot isn't that interesting and stands in the way of the zombie action. Meanwhile, the film's aesthetic tries to stay true to something that was very much a necessity 20 years ago.
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It's not that 28 Years Later is a bad film, but it's a very unnecessary one. The novel ideas feel random and pointless, the pacing is off, and there's no jump forward in quality, despite the two decades in between. The film has its moments, and there are a few memorable scenes, but it can't compare to the original, and the prospect of two more sequels is pretty dire.
A fun pastiche. Ozon serves a delightful murder mystery, with the crème de la crème of French actresses dolled up in bright, colorful clothing and dishing out the odd song between trying to figure out who killed the man of the house. It's a film that breathes joy and delight, though it still misses the mark ever so slightly.
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Not to say it's a bad film, on the contrary. But I think the presentation could've been a bit more polished (he's competing against the likes of Wes Anderson nowadays), and the songs could've had a bit more winks and nudges in them. Other than that, it was a pleasant revisit, just shy of a personal favorite.
My second Troma film, and I don't think I'll ever be a big fan. The concept is pretty basic (let's turn Shakespeare into a cult exploitation flick with some horror influences), the execution is poor and lacking. Yes, there are a few giggles here and there, but it's hardly enough to warrant the 2-hour runtime.
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The performances are horrible, the cinematography is next-level cheap, and the horror elements are wildly unimpressive. The way Shakespeare's original story is mangled is pretty excessive, which makes it somewhat watchable. It might've been a bit more shocking when it was first released, but this felt pretty tame and uninspired overall.
A film with a weird premise that starts slow and understated, before it begins to spiral. I liked how normalized everything was in the first half, even though it was clear that something was not right. This creates a fun contrast and tension that slowly evaporates as the story becomes clear.
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The performances are pitch-perfect, the presentation is stylish, and the pacing is on point. On the one hand, I would've preferred a slightly more extravagant finale, then again, that final shot is absolutely hilarious. A fun and quirky little discovery, though probably a little too niche to become a cult favorite.
No doubt one of the most random films that ended up in my list of all-time favorites. Expectations were rather low watching this again, and I guess that was justified. The comedy is rather bleak and has its moments, but the rest of the film is barebones, and has little to offer beyond its initial appeal.
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The performances are decent but nothing too extraordinary, and the presentation is bland. It fits the faux-doc setup, but even then it's quite unappealing. And yes, the two leads are enjoyable losers who would've been great side characters in a Solondz film, but it's never crazy or funny enough to make this a true gem. It is a solid film, and an underappreciated/underseen one, but that's about how far it goes.
A Statham vehicle. Yes, the film could've been a little shorter, and people who don't care for Statham should avoid this at all costs. But I'm not one of them. I'm not his biggest fan, but I appreciate his stoic British style and I usually find his films quite amusing, no matter how formulaic they may be.
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Ayer is also a suitable director, the cinematography is slightly better than usual, and even though the runtime is excessive, the pacing is decent. It's simple action fare, I'm a bit surprised the film made it into movie theaters over here, but if you're looking for some simple entertainment, it won't disappoint.
The first Young and Dangerous spin-off, by far the most notorious and popular Triad series the Hong Kong movie industry produced. It features the origin story of Ugly Kwan, played by Francis Ng. Ng is an old favorite of mine and with this film, he is able to show a bit more range than usually the case.
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The film will feel familiar, especially if you've seen some of the Y&D entries already. There's a strong focus on the younger years, how Kwan was recruited, and how he was groomed and trained to become a criminal. Expect some action, neon nightlife, and a little drama on the side. Fun, but not too special.