Log: week 3 / 2023
Reportedly Ninagawa had wanted to adapt the xxxHolic manga for a long time, it's not difficult to see why. The setting and subject matter are perfect for Ninagawa's signature style, and she really made the best of it. This is maximalist entertainment pur sang, a true explosion of color and style. The sets and cinematography are insane, but that's what I've come to expect from Ninagawa. The score is pretty cool too, the performances are solid and the plot is interesting, though possibly a little too muddy for those expecting a simple fantasy flick. Ninagawa delivers yet again and is well on her way to establishing herself as one of my favorite directors of all time.
A fun but somewhat pedestrian Woody Allen flick. I'm close to having seen 30 of his films, and it's a director with a very recognizable signature. So much in fact that after a while some of his films start to blend together. That's not necessarily a bad thing if you are able to appreciate his style. The setting is lush, the cinematography romantic, and Colin Firth and Emma Stone make a nice on-screen couple. The film is pretty predictable though and the secondary characters aren't quite as charming, but the jolly dialogue and light-hearted romance make up for that. Pleasant, though somewhat forgettable.Read all
Johnnie To shows Hong Kong how to do drama properly. If the Hong Kong film industry has one obvious weakness, it's that it is not very proficient in making good dramas (though that has changed a bit in the last decade or so). This probably explains why I was well impressed the first time I watched Flying Butterfly. Fifteen years later it's still a good film, but the cracks are starting to show. The drama is a little slow to start and the performances aren't quite strong enough. Better leads could've made the difference here, but they're just a little too poppy. The presentation is nice (but not exceptional), and the finale does hit home, but on the whole, I wasn't as impressed as the first time I watched this. It's still a good film though, and To shows he's capable of more than just good old genre cinema.Read all
Amirpour's latest is another fun genre blender. After a somewhat hesitant start, Amirpour is getting more confident with each new film she directs. Small things keep me from rating her work even higher, but the promise of getting something that isn't quite like other films out there is a powerful selling point. It's a fun concept, Amirpour commits to the fantastical elements, the performances are solid and the presentation is colorful (both the cinematography and the soundtrack are pretty interesting). The film did get a bit more conventional in the second half, which is what kept me from a higher rating, but that's just some minor nitpicking. Good film.Read all
Yamamura is best known for directing shorts, this is his first longer film. It's probably easiest to describe it as an arthouse version of Cat Soup, a surreal road movie that is more a succession of random scenes than it is a logical narrative. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I definitely appreciated the artistry and creativity on display here. The animation style feels more European than Japanese, but the drawings are intricate and imaginative. I was less impressed with the score, which is very classical in nature, and was distracting more than once. Still, Yamamura serves an intriguing, surreal journey that was well worth undertaking, I like this format better than his shorts.Read all
Testament of Orpheus
Jean Cocteau's final film. I'm not the man's biggest fan, but I appreciate the fact that his films have a strong point of view. Cocteau is probably a bit too infatuated with classical art, which is something I have no affinity with whatsoever, but the surreal and fantastical elements in his films make it a bit more bearable. The idea is pretty cool, and so are the sets and some of the surreal imagery, but I didn't care much for the themes and characters. The film is pretty short, but still a bit too long for something I wasn't entirely invested in. Classic arthouse fans should do well to seek this one out though because Cocteau is not your average director.Read all
Children in horror films, it's always a gamble. Kids can be pretty damn creepy, but when they're not, things get silly real fast. And that's exactly where There's Something Wrong with the Children falters. Benjamin tries really hard to make a scary film, but she never really gets to that point. The performances (including the parents) are pretty weak and the kids don't pose a plausible threat. The setting is underused, and so are the fantastical elements, but at least the presentation made an effort to add some dread to the film. Overall it's a bit underwhelming though, Shankland's The Children did it a lot better.Read all
A classic 'seedy underbelly of a city' vignette. Junk Food serves an alternate view of Tokyo, far removed from the flashy glitz and glamour that is usually associated with Japan's capital. It's not a very original take of course, films like these are a staple of every nation's cinema, but Yamamoto's attempt is appropriately gritty and raw, so it didn't disappoint. The plot feels a little unhinged, but this is mostly a mood piece anyway. Yamamoto plays around with both narrative and form and delivers a pretty neat and condensed little crime/drama. It may lack the punch of some of the better films in the genre and I'm not sure how memorable Junk Food will prove to be, but it was an easy watch with enough quality to please a wide array of film fans.Read all
It's been quite a while since I last watched a Capra/Stewart collaboration. I'd forgotten how indifferent I was to their films, this turned out to be a good reminder. I can't really stand Stewart, and I find Capra's style to be utterly bland and forgettable. The runtime is the final nail in the coffin. The romance is dry, the families are pure caricatures, the comedy is cheesy and whatever drama there was fell completely flat. And all of that is stretched to pass the 2-hour mark. The light tone keeps it somewhat watchable, but that's of little comfort. A perfect Oscar winner I guess.Read all
A film I nearly loved. It's the slightly lazy take on lo-fi that kept me from being fully immersed. I get that it is a very conscious stylistic choice, but at times I felt it was more of an excuse to skimp on the execution of the fantastical elements. It's a minor critique though, if you like weird and absurd cinema, this is an easy recommendation. Somewhat shoddy visual effects aside, the film is one huge explosion of mood and creativity. It's impossible to get a grip on the film, the plot shoots off in a different direction every five minutes and the lore has to be explored and pieced together as you go along. Audley and Birney delivered a pretty spectacular film, a little extra budget might push them into personal favorites territory.Read all
The umpteenth adaptation of the Painted Skin legend. We're dealing with another short straight-to-streamer film, so you should know what to expect. The thing that sets this one apart is that the CG is slightly above par, with even some successful attempts to be a bit more artistic and creative with digital technology. I didn't see that one coming. The plot is a bit too familiar by now, but these films are short, well-paced, and focus more on the delivery. The sets and costumes look cool, there's some solid action and the lead performances are decent. Some of the CG is still a little shoddy, but there are some cell-shaded in-painting scenes that looked surprisingly stylish. Better than I expected.Read all
There is something obnoxious about artists discussing art, F for Fake is no exception. What almost saves this documentary is the rather pleasant presentation. In the end, it can't hide the fact that Welles is handling the same themes that always tend to pop up in films like these, but it did make it a bit easier to sit through. I just didn't care too much for the message, also because other films have done a much better job since. The flashy editing and more experimental presentation did keep me interested, I'm sure that if Welles had gone with a more basic presentation I would've absolutely hated the film. Now, it was passable, but far from great.Read all
An extremely simple but amusing slasher. Three people in a remote cottage, a masked killer stalking them, the rest of the film just writes itself. Don't expect anything fancy, any big twists or new takes on the genre. Sick isn't that kind of film. Instead, you get a proper slasher flick, without any cruft. The two leads or solid, Hyams does a decent job building up the tension and the reveal, while not exactly great, is sufficient. It's difficult to be excited about any of it since it's really not that different from a million other slasher flicks out there, but the execution is pleasant enough, and that's worth something. Good horror filler.Read all
Psycho Diver: Soul Siren
A pretty fun OAV, held back by subpar animation and a somewhat messy plot. There's a little too much here to handle in a mere 45 minutes, which makes it feel like you're watching a best-of of anime cliches. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you're looking for a meatier or more elaborate anime, you won't find it here. The art style is pretty intricate and there are some cool sci-fi elements on display, the animation is pretty limited though. The plot really tries to do too much (detective, sci-fi, fantasy, action, and whatnot), but that also means it never gets dull. Psycho Diver is pretty decent anime filler, with some memorable moments, it's just not balanced enough.Read all
Stamboel sticking to his guns. Ivanna is a pretty standard Indonesian horror flick, the kind Stamboel has been involved with since the very beginning of his career. While there are some interesting moments and memorable details (especially for people with a Dutch background), it was maybe a bit too expected to make a real impact. The build-up is a little slow and the scares aren't all that original. If you've seen a few of these Indonesian horror films, you probably know what to expect. The horror bits are properly executed though, and once the haunt starts things do pick up. Not Stamboel's best, but a pleasant horror film nonetheless.Read all
Forget all the fuss and nonsense you heard about the production of this film, just watch it for what it is: a very pleasant mystery with strong thriller elements and a mild sci-fi injection. It's not the most original concept, but Olivia Wilde's direction deserves credit and makes a positive difference. The performances are solid, the cinematography is lush and the soundtrack deserves a special mention, kudos for doing something special with it. The plot feels familiar and the twist isn't all that original, but I care more about the atmosphere and that's where Don't Worry Darling shines. A big step up from Booksmart, Wilde should push further in this direction.Read all
A weird little experiment. Director Maragkos took The Langoliers mini-series (based on a Stephen King novel), condensed it, threw some visual effects on top, messed with the score and editing, then called it a day. It's a genuine remix, not something very common in the world of cinema, this film didn't convince me it should be. I like the idea of a remixed film, in principle. It's just that I found the execution to be incredibly poor and lazy. The effects look cheap, they are incredibly repetitive and they aren't transformative enough. I wasn't a big fan of the mini-series, but this film did nothing to improve on it, except limit the runtime. I'd call it a failed experiment, but I'd love to see other (more skilled) directors have a go at it.Read all
It's been a while since I watched a bona fide Chaplin film (i.e. one featuring his Tramp character). The Circus was a nice reminder of why I try to avoid his films as much as possible. If you don't care for (or in my case, can't stand) Chaplin's Tramp, then his films are hell to sit through. Chaplin's slapstick comedy is infamous, but I just don't think it's funny anymore. And since the film is just one big string of comedy skits (with a bland backup story to tie things together), it quickly becomes a slog. Maybe I should prioritize Chaplin's more recent work, at least I can find something to appreciate there.Read all