Log: week 50 / 2022
This was a pretty big mess. I'm not a big fan of these superhero flicks regardless, but I do wonder why it is so difficult for them to make something remotely entertaining. Black Adam is too cheesy, too tone-deaf, too boring, and way too occupied with serving diversity, making it impossible for me to even make the effort to invest in its world. There's not a single character here I cared for, the aesthetic of the film is ugly, the CG lacks creativity and the action is chaotic (and not in a good way). It's a very noisy film, and that's about all there is to it. DC should just lay its cinematic universe to rest, these films are becoming really painful to watch.Read all
Very few people manage grim drama like Kazuyoshi Kumakiri. Antenna is one of his earlier works, but it hasn't lost much of its original appeal. It's not the most explicit film, that said, it's not the easiest to watch either, and people looking for something more accessible should probably reconsider. The solid cinematography, strong performances, and risqué topics make this a treat for fans of dark Japanese dramas. I'm glad people like Kumakiri exist and are allowed to make films, even if he never really got the broader respect he deserves.
Park resurfaces with a new film. Not quite as flashy or edgy as some of his earlier ones, instead, you get a more stylish police procedural that slowly makes way for thriller and romance elements. I quite liked this side of Park, but like many South Korean films, it's just a tad too long. The cinematography is on point and the score is rather lovely. The plot is interesting enough too, it's just that the plot reboot halfway through takes away from the momentum and adds unnecessarily to the runtime. The film does recover rather quickly, I just wish it could've been a bit tighter. Still, good film and one of Park's better efforts.Read all
A slightly odd mix of crime and horror elements, with a religious finish and a sprinkle of (nu-)metal influences. If that sounds a bit random, well, it is, and that feeling never really went away while watching. There are some inspired moments here, but a tighter focus could have improved the film considerably. The drama is somewhat poor, the music choices a tad odd (it's a bit early for a nu-metal revival?) and the investigation holds up the film. But the horror bits in the final third are pretty nifty and there are some memorable moments there. Not an overall success, but not entirely without merit either.Read all
A title I've always wanted to see as a younger anime fan, I just never got around to it. I've been catching up with quite a few of these short OAVs lately, with good success too. I was a little less thrilled about MD Geist. While everything is there to be a superb piece of entertainment, the presentation is just a little too cheesy and lackluster. There's a bit of Fist of the North Star, some Gundam, and a whole range of other famous influences. The problem is that the animation is quite weak and that some of the artwork gets very cheesy, taking away from the cool factor these types of films depend upon. It's still pretty fun, but it's pure filler, nothing more, nothing less.Read all
Carl Franklin. It's the second film I see from the man, it's the second time the broader appeal of his film puzzles me. One False Move is an incredibly generic 90s crime/thriller, the kind that has lost almost all of its appeal since its release. It's bland, tasteless narrative cinema that leaves me completely cold. The performances aren't too bad, and that's about it for One False Move. The plot is plain and basic, the cinematography is offensively uninteresting, and the score is not even a thing. It might have been passable genre filler back when it was first released, but I have no clue why or where it got its praise from. Bleh.Read all
A very simple thriller. There's a little halfway twist in an attempt to spice things up, but I'm not sure if it actually made the film better or worse. Though the direction seems hellbent on convincing the audience they're watching a very tense and spirited film that is sure to push everyone to the edge of their seat. The story is rudimentary and the plot twist feels a little desperate, but it's the direction that lets the film down. The suspense is mostly absent and Hartley's often blunt choices don't work in favor of the film. The performances are a tad weak too, the killer in particular is thoroughly unimpressive. It's short and slick, but other than that, nothing much to see here.Read all
A tepid Vinterberg. I'm not at all sure what was particularly comedic about this film, apart from its somewhat silly premise maybe. As someone who likes a drop of alcohol but has never been drunk, it was pretty difficult to relate to any of the characters, but I never felt the movie made a decent effort to explain their actions either. It all left me quite cold. The performances are decent, but that's about all there is. Vinterberg's direction is a little bland, he has little interesting to say about the consumption of alcohol and the drama is pretty predictable (guess what, the experiment slowly runs out of hand). It's not a terrible film, just not in any way memorable or notable. Maybe I just dislike drunk people too much.Read all
A basic exorcism film with a little feminism thrown in for good measure. It had no impact on the film whatsoever, except that for once we get a female lead, abolishing demons. The rest of the film is pretty standard fare. It's not my favorite niche and Prey for the Devil didn't do much to change that, but I've seen a lot worse. The build-up is pretty decent, performances are solid and there are some proper horror moments. It's all very cookie-cutter though and it sticks a little too close to genre clichés. The ending lacks punch and nothing of worth is done with the concept of the female exorcist, making you wonder why they even bothered. Solid horror filler, nothing more.Read all
Encounter of the Spooky Kind II
A classic Ricky Lau flick. His mix of action, comedy, and supernatural horror is instantly recognizable, add Sammo Hung into the mix and you have a film that is sure to entertain. It's not one of his best films though, for that it is just a little too formulaic, with not enough scenes that stand out. But as oeuvre filler, it's very easy to recommend. Lau's usual perks are all here. The lighting is moody, the effects a little crummy but charming, the comedy is proper silly and the martial arts scenes are solid. There's nothing he didn't do better in his other films and if you're new to Ricky Lau it's maybe not the best way into his work, but fans of his films are sure to have a good time with this one.Read all
After watching Begos' Bliss, I didn't have too much hope for the rest of his work. But lo and behold, Christmas Bloody Christmas is an entirely different beast. Yes, it's dripping in neon (which isn't a bad thing, just a similarity to Bliss), but this crude, over-the-top robot-Santa slasher is all the right kinds of fun. The intro is a tad long, but once the killing starts it's just one big crescendo. And several more, as the robot turns out very hard to kill. The performances are decent, the lighting is great and the finale is absolutely mental. Short, extremely entertaining, and 100% seasonal. This has everything to become a future cult classic.Read all
Grappler Baki: The Ultimate Fighter
Another one of those infamous titles I never got around to watching when I was younger. Not that I missed out on an awful lot. Grappler Baki is solid entertainment, but it's also incredibly rudimentary. That's not necessarily a bad thing for a simple sports/action anime, as long as you manage to get your expectations straight. This OAV only has two fights and that's that. No padding, no additional drama, or lengthy motivations. With those limitations in mind, the film does a good job of building up the tension. The animation is pretty fun and over-the-top, the pacing is perfect and the finale is spectacular. Hardly a classic, but good fun if you can get into the silliness of it all.Read all
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
One of Kurosawa's earliest films, shot right after the war. The film is based on a Noh play and it kind of shows. The setting and plot are very limited, so it's good the runtime was kept short too. Even so, Kurosawa struggles to keep things interesting, and the addition of some almost slapstick-like comedy wasn't the solution. Enomoto's part is way over the top, the songs don't add much and even though the simple setup could've been fun, Kurosawa doesn't really do all that much with it. There are a few decent moments and it's a blessing the film doesn't cross the 60-minute mark, but it's mostly just for Kurosawa enthusiasts and completists.Read all
Better than Shimizu's previous "Village" films, though in the end, it suffers from similar defects. The investigation part takes up a tad too much time, which cranks up the runtime beyond the necessary. The horror bits are significantly better though and the production values are solid. Shimizu does well building up the tension, but once Kanon discovers what lies hidden in her past the film grinds to a halt and spends too much time on non-horror stuff. It picks up again in the end and the finale is pretty memorable, it just would've worked better as a more concise, 90-minute film.Read all