Log: week 48 / 2022

An interesting mix of du Welz's Adoration (though this one predates it) and Les Amants Criminels. At its best, it's a really powerful and atmospheric film, it's just a little too inconsistent to be a true masterpiece. A bit more attention to the cinematography and the soundtrack could've pushed it over the edge.

A famous Tarkovsky classic. The man can shoot a pretty picture, but when the focus shifts to dialogue and drama, he loses me completely. The characters are often vessels for Tarkovsky's own inner voice, his last film is no exception. I'm afraid that's just not my kind of cinema.

A neat little drama that reveals some nifty crime elements throughout. The balance of genres is delicate but well-executed and the film has some proper highlights, but it does lose a little steam during the second half. I was intrigued by what Katayama showed us here though, so I'm eager to see what he does next.

Hiroki's latest drama harks back to his early days, back when the subjects for his films were riskier and more taboo. It's good to see that he hasn't forgotten about his past, at the same time I'm not sure if the blend of old and new is really the best way to handle films like these. While a fine drama, I did miss the edge that made his early work stand out.

Quite a bit better than the first two films. It's been a while since I watched those, so it's not easy to compare them directly, but I was a lot more invested in this third part. The cinematography was way more impressive, the drama worked a lot better and there seemed to be a stronger focus on the atmosphere.

A decent horror film, that lacks a bit of punch to truly excel. The COVID/lockdown scenes felt a little preachy, the tension during the nightmares wasn't really there and the creature simply wasn't as menacing as it should've been. It's not all bad, it's just those finishing touches that were missing.

Another fox spirit tale. It seems Asian folklore is littered with them, and the Chinese streamers are happy enough to adapt them to the screen. These are pretty simple stories with enough potential to work in all the necessary genre elements to make entertaining filler, so it's obvious why they are so popular. There's a solid fantasy foundation, rounded out with a little romance, action, and comedy.

A decent but somewhat simple and predictable comedy. The lone, awkward loser who threw away his youth makes a fool of himself trying to reclaim his younger self, and we as an audience follow him along, so we can laugh at his expense. It can work, but then the film has to be a little smarter and wittier.

A funny, quirky and charming little film. I was a bit surprised to discover a mid-00s Japanese film headlined by Tadanobu Asano I hadn't seen yet, but apparently, this one is pretty obscure. It's probably due to its short length (and possibly because of the b&w cinematography), but that's no reason to avoid Capricious Robot as it is quite delightful.

A classic 80s thriller. It's an update of an age-old narrative that rarely appeals to me, in part because it has been done to death in various media. The film isn't the worst of its kind, but overall it's a pretty forgettable affair and little more than a relic of its time. I'd hoped to get a bit more out of it.

A pretty straightforward sequel to A Few Best Men. Craig likes a good wedding story it seems, but here we're dealing with the aftermath, which is a tad weirder and outrageous than his usual stuff. Not the greatest comedy around, but there are enough laughs to make it an easy recommendation for people craving some comedy filler.

The final Benny Chan film I still had to see. And it's not a surprise this was the last one on my list. Happy Hour is anything but happy, it's a dreary Hong Kong courtroom drama that doesn't treat its subject with the proper respect. Unless you're a dedicated completist like I am, this is the type of film you'd want to skip to not damage your trust in a certain director.

A pleasant rom-com. Dean Craig had already proven himself a capable writer, as a director he has a bit more control over the comedy, which results in a slightly funnier film. He likes to stick to proven formulas though, and so you have to look past the usual rom-com clichés to fully enjoy this one.

I've seen better lately. Ghost Story offers a pretty basic kitsune tale, mixing fantasy, romance, and action elements in a typical Chinese blend. It's not a bad film and it's a perfectly serviceable filler, but there's not enough here to set it apart from similar films, and there have been a lot lately. The bar for this type of streamer filler is simply higher nowadays.

My least favorite Ophuls so far. The Earrings of Madame De ... is a very straightforward costume drama draped with some romance. It's quite stuffy and oldskool, the setting and direction fully mimic that. I'm certain there's an audience for films like these, but I'm pretty certain I'm not it.

A solid comedy. The Estate isn't the most original film, and once the setup is clear there aren't too many surprises left. Except maybe the lack of comedy-ruining drama in the second half of the film. Craig keeps a strong focus on the comedy, which makes a big difference overall.

A fun little oddity, but not recommended for completists. Mighty Space Miners was projected to be a 6-part OAV, only two episodes were made, and the series stops mid-plot. I'm not sure why this was discontinued as there is plenty to like here (the whiney lead character might have had something to do with it), but it's clear by now we'll never know how this story would've ended.

Koji Morimoto's masterpiece. And that's high praise for a man who has consistently pushed the boundaries, making some of the most impressive, innovative animated films from Japan. Noiseman Sound Insect is indescribable, sporting a highly imaginative world, insane animation that still stands proudly today, beautiful character design and wildly creative settings, a perfectly tailored score, and a plot like none you've ever seen. Every single second of its 15-minute runtime is polished and meaningful, a trip like no other.

One of the pivotal Asian horror films of the early 21st century. It was a landmark film for the Pangs, whose career got a big boost after releasing The Eye. I loved the film when I first watched it, but a lot has changed since, and the niche's repetitiveness somewhat devaluated its earlier highlights.