Log: week 48 / 2023
Quirky, genuine, and heartfelt, but also possibly offensive. Momoko Fukuda's My Father, the Bride is an odd little film, sporting some larger-than-life characters and a pretty bonkers setup. Fukuda isn't afraid to draw comedy from it too, but it's never malicious and in the end, I think the film has a strong and valuable message that warrants its approach. It all depends on whether you can stomach the film's overstated sense of humor. Also props for some strong performances and stylish cinematography, bonus point for the lovely setting. A neat surprise, this one.
An early crime flick with some revue/entertainment elements thrown in. Even though the runtime runs well past 90 minutes, the film still feels rushed, trying to cover the entire prohibition (starting with some war scenes) and adding in a bunch of personal drama to make things even more bloated. Cagney is better than Bogart, but he often plays the same kind of role. There's quite a bit too much script to go through, so the production feels a bit rushed, and pulling the focus away from the crime elements at times felt like the wrong option. Not a memorable film in any way.Read all
The weirdest thing about this film is that it isn't about the Williams sisters (two of the greatest tennis icons), but about their dad. While the two sisters play a vital part in the film (obviously), their career (the start in particular) is framed from their father's point of view. Now, I'm sure the man had an important part to play, but huh? The performances aren't too bad and there are a few memorable moments, but other than that it's a typical Hollywood sports drama. It never feels genuine, it never comes off as very realistic. The film feels scripted, too melodramatic, and too polished. It's not the most terrible film, but it's far from a good one.Read all
Early Summer is a pleasant Ozu. A gentle and slightly meandering film about a family living in the countryside, a fine setup for an enjoyable Japanese drama. The only thing that truly bothered me was the black-and-white cinematography, which completely crushes that Japanese summer mood. The performances are solid and understated, especially compared to other films of that time. The drama is relatively slow but subtle and light-hearted. The only thing missing is the bright, overwhelming greens of the Japanese countryside, which is now shown in a dulled grey. It doesn't really breathe summer, which is something you'd expect from a film with this title.Read all
Not a great comedy, but at least it's a full-blown comedy. You don't see many of those around anymore, I guess a film like this could mean there's light at the end of the tunnel again. It's a pretty straightforward, often raunchy affair, the only problem is that it leans too much on common clichés. I appreciated the dedication to the comedy, the film is silly from start to finish, but the jokes were pretty simple and predictable, and I've grown tired of that typical US school culture (the jocks vs the nerds and all that). Not the worst way to spend 90 minutes, but I'd hoped for something a bit funnier.Read all
A fierce action flick that combines the strengths of Hong Kong and Chinese action cinema. If it had been a tad shorter and more focused, it might've been a personal favorite, but it was just a little too messy in certain parts. That said, if you're looking for some moody action, this film has you covered. It's cool to see people like Simon Yam, Wah Yuen, and Andy On once more. Those guys used to be everywhere, but now that Hong Kong cinema has caved you'd almost forget they're still around. The action is flashy, the cinematography moody and colorful, and the plot maybe a bit too predictable, but sporting enough twists and turns to keep things interesting. Good stuff.Read all
With the rise of interest in true crime material, it's no surprise there has been a considerable uptick in movies featuring mass murderers. Nitram doesn't really stand out among the crowd, but its approach to paint a more humane and empathic picture of the killer is definitely appreciated. The lead performance is very strong, the build-up is proper and Kurzel takes his time to frame Martin's background. Even though I was completely unaware of the tragedy, it's clear from the start where this film is going, which is probably its only real weakness. Other than that, this is a solid drama, but nothing too memorable.Read all
When a director makes a movie about the movie industry, there's a big chance the result is going to be a little icky. And The Player is a great example. Even when this little microcosmos is presented as a sleazy and backhanded industry, it ends up feeling like an attempt to make it more interesting than it truly is. The tone is light, but the comedy feels unearned. There's a love for classic cinema here that I don't share, there are a whole lot of B-actors with questionable performances and the plot didn't really interest me. I know cinephilia just loves films like these, but they rarely seem to work for me.Read all
A spiritual successor to Tokyo.sora, only not quite as effective. The black-and-white cinematography is striking and the focus on several young women in Tokyo felt familiar, but even though the setup is clear enough, the film lacks a bit of cohesion, failing to bring all these stories together. The visuals are impeccable, though the choice for black-and-white did feel a bit easy (and maybe also unnecessary). Performances are solid and the drama is fine, but I didn't think the film had anything really important to tell. It's maybe a bit too short and its focus a little too shattered across different characters. Still, it's a fine drama, just nowhere as great as its older sibling.Read all
A very singular film, that sticks to its premise quite vehemently, but fails to make a strong point. I respect the idea of the film, and it is executed with the proper skill and flair, but after 72 minutes I wasn't quite sure what I was supposed to take away from it. At least it didn't leave me entirely cold. The performances are strong, especially for such young kids. The camera keeps a tight focus on Nora and never leaves the school grounds, which makes for a claustrophobic watch. Other than that, the story about school bullying felt a little underdeveloped and it comes with some very predictable (and gender-conforming) twists. Not bad, but I liked the idea better than I liked the film.Read all
This would've been Ki-duk's final film if not for one more released post-mortem. It's a film made in Kazakhstan, no doubt due to the allegations he faced in South Korea. It's a bit of a culture shock for longtime Ki-duk fans, but even in a different country, the man's signature style is impossible to miss. The performances are solid and the premise is interesting. There are some odd time jumps and like most Ki-duk films, suspension of disbelief can be a tad fickle, but the build-up of the drama is fitting and the finale was pretty strong. Not up there with his best film, but quite a bit better than I'd expected.Read all
A rather peculiar film that starts off strong enough, but loses itself in endless conversations. It's a typical noir defect, but instead of your usual crime/thriller elements, The Seventh Victim adds a more supernatural spin to its story. A purely narrative-related matter though, as the film never dares to cross over into horror territory. It's a fun enough setup and the beginning of the film is quite mysterious, but it's a pretty cheap film that feels too much like a stage play. Plot progression is dialogue-driven and though the cult could've added some extra spice, it's all quite safe and dull. At least it's short and decently paced, but this deserved a better second half.Read all
David Fincher's latest is a pretty standard thriller, following a serial killer who operates by a very strict set of rules. The film is properly executed and sports some interesting and tense moments, but it fails to delight or surprise. It's the kind of film a director may want to make at the start of his career, not sure what prompted Fincher to take on this project. There isn't too much action, instead, Fincher understates the kills and focuses more on the boredom and routine that come with the job. The performances are solid, the styling is polished and the setup is fun enough. The second half of the film is a bit repetitive though and without a proper finale, it kind of fizzles out. Not Fincher's worst film in recent years though.Read all
A pretty odd sequel. Don't expect a simple retread of the themes of the first film, instead, this is a more Pinku-inspired film that delivers a somewhat similar feeling of unease but does so with different puzzle pieces. It took me a while to get on board and I don't think it compares favorably to the first one, but it's not a terrible film. The introduction is a bit too long and even though the characters are interesting, the first half hour is a bit too meandering, especially for a film that only lasts 80 minutes. The second half is more interesting, as the tension ramps up, but because the film never settled on a primary genre, it felt a little unfinished.Read all
A pretty horrible Hollywood romance. Katharine Hepburn plays a woman who isn't content sitting at home, servicing her husband. If that's enough to make you giddy then this could be a film for you, I just saw a film that buried itself in terrible clichés and was brought down by a terrible performance by Hepburn. It's a romance that doesn't sparkle, and whatever dramatic or comedic elements there are fall completely flat. Hepburn annoyed me, Tracy wasn't any better, and with a runtime of nearly 2 hours, this turned out to be quite the ordeal. It's a film that has aged terribly, but I say that about most Hollywood classics.Read all
Though Yau is one of the final holdouts in Hong Kong, he also crosses over to China from time to time. Raid on the Lethal Zone is a pretty typical Chinese actioner, full of heroic characters who are there to underline the Chinese spirit and their undying patriotism, but it's also just a very tense action flick. The setup is pretty standard and there have been quite a few similar films, even in recent years. It's the constant rain that adds an extra dimension and makes the film a lot more tense and nervous. Not one of Yau's absolute best, but if you're looking for a nerve-wrecking action/crime flick, it's an absolute blast.Read all