Kissing Candice

2017 / 108m - Ireland
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Kissing Candice poster

It is my firm belief that films are all about execution, not so much about script and/or writing. Film is after all an audio-visual medium, not a literary one. Watching Kissing Candice, that belief only got stronger. On paper this looked liked the umpteenth British (alas Irish) social drama, featuring a young girl growing up in a small town, dealing with a dire family situation and a boyfriend who hangs out with a local gang, all boys on their way to a criminal future. Cue a grim setting, functional styling and some dark, dramatic twists and turns. While these films definitely have their appeal when properly directed, it's a rather established niche that harbours few surprises.

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Aoife McArdle wastes no time at all getting rid of these preconceptions. The first scene is exemplary for what will follow. A dominant and brooding soundtrack dictates the atmosphere, heavy greens and reds give the shots a mysterious vibe and the camera work is stark and precise, all signs of a director with a clear vision. From that very first scene it is obvious this isn't just a film that hopes to impress with a sad story, tormented characters and unfair drama, but is willing to go all out in order to deliver an emotional experience. And that it does.

Visually this is a pretty great film, with lush colors, vibrant and agile camera work and some slick editing to top things off. You'll find remnants of grittier and more functional styling here and there, but merely as a way to sketch the setting. It's the soundtrack that impressed me the most though. The film was scored by Jon Clarke, who created a strong selection of dark, brooding yet also dreamy and ethereal tracks. Supplemented with some electronic hits and classics (Jon Hopkins and Joey Beltram are in there) it makes for a stellar soundtrack that takes the film by its hands and leads the way.

So what's holding this back from becoming a true masterpiece? Despite all the effort McArdle put into the styling of the film, the drama and the characters never really came to life for me. It's not the actors, as they did a bang up job, it's not the emotional cues either, they definitely worked wonders. Maybe it's because I've seen this story one too many times before, maybe because there are too many different dramatic diversions, or just maybe the thriller elements near the end of the film were a bit unnecessary. Whatever it was, it wasn't something big or glaring, just a lingering feeling of "not quite".

The film was constantly on the edge of greatness, but ultimately never managed to cross that line. There were definitely scenes that I'd consider masterpiece material though, but that level was never maintained for a long enough time. Even so, Kissing Candice shows immense potential and I really hope McArdle will get the opportunity to work on a second film. If you're looking for a not so traditionally executed drama, you should definitely give one a try. It's not the most accessible film, but if you like your cinema bold and expressive, you're sure to find things to love here.

The Sunshine Makers

2015 / 101m - UK
Documentary
1.0*/5.0*
The Sunshine Makers poster

Dry and lifeless documentary describing the advent of LSD. There are a lot of interviews, sadly the people being interviewed were pretty silly and obnoxious. It's really just their story, the doc fails to provide a broader context and watching them go on about LSD really isn't that much fun.

Yellow River Fighter

Huang He Da Xia
1988 / 93m - China
Drama, Action
3.0*/5.0*
Yellow River Fighter poster

A pretty fun and spectacular martial arts film. It's nice to see a change of scenery, apart from that though it's a pretty standard martial arts affair. A goofy apprentice, a reclusive master and a bad guy that deserves a good ass-kicking. Fast-paced, fun and action-packed, but nothing too memorable here.

Seven Sisters

What Happened to Monday
2017 / 123m - UK
Sci-fi, Action, Mystery
3.0*/5.0*
Seven Sisters poster

Wirkola isn't the man to do serious sci-fi. This could've been a very amusing genre film, but Wirkola takes the film a bit too serious, which only draws attention to its flaws. The concept is interesting enough and Rapace is good times seven, but the film fails to make a lasting impression and feels way too flimsy.

Avengers: Infinity War

2018 / 149m - USA
Sci-fi, Fantasy, Action
1.0*/5.0*
Avengers: Infinity War poster

Incredibly messy film that left me completely cold. It's an action spectacle from start to finish, but it still manages to be boring as hell. A dumb (purple) bad guy, extremely lazy writing and terrible pacing all add insult to injury. I've never been a very big Marvel (franchise) fan, but this is a pretty big low, even for them.

The Mad King of Taipei

Xicheng Tonghua
2017 / 108m - Taiwan
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
The Mad King of Taipei poster

Sweet and romantic drama with fantastical touches. The story between a store owner and a drifter doesn't look too exciting on paper, but the execution is colorful, amusing and creative. Lacks some truly standout moments, but the quality is overall high and I'm sure Yeh has the potential to do even better.

Tyke Elephant Outlaw

2015 / 78m - Australia
Documentary
2.5*/5.0*
Tyke Elephant Outlaw poster

Doc that details the life of Tyke, an elephant working for a circus that escapes and is shot down. It's nice that we get to hear different sides of the story, but the event itself isn't all that interesting and the doc never manages to place the events in a broader context. Kudos for trying to avoid being too one-sided though.

The Angels' Share

2012 / 101m - UK
Comedy, Drama, Crime
3.0*/5.0*
The Angels' Share poster

Starts off as a social drama with comedy touches, but switches around halfway through to become a lighter and more uplifting film. It's doesn't make all that much sense really, but the characters are fun and fans of whisky are sure to appreciate the setting. It's a pretty basic drama, but it's not a bad watch.

Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings

Di Renjie Zhi Sidatianwang
2018 / 132m - China
Fantasy, Action, Adventure
3.5*/5.0*
Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings poster

Tsui is back for the third part of the Detective Dee series and that's a good thing. The quality remains high and even though it never attempts to be anything beyond solid entertainment, that's fine with me. Four Heavenly Kings is another lush, fun and amusing action mystery that entertains from start to finish.

Snuff Bottle Connection

Shen Tui Tie Shan Gong
1977 / 91m - Taiwan
Action
2.5*/5.0*
Snuff Bottle Connection poster

Basic martial arts flick. If you're familiar with 70s martial arts, chances are you'll get the feeling you've seen it all before. There's a lot of fighting here though, but the choreographies just aren't that exciting. The film lacks memorable moments, that said it's still quite amusing, if you're a fan of martial arts that is.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

2018 / 135m - USA
Sci-fi, Fantasy, Adventure
2.0*/5.0*
Solo: A Star Wars Story poster

Better than the current batch of Star Wars films, but that's not saying much. Because the story is more straight-forward, the sci-fi get a little extra room to breathe. The comic relief is terrible, action scenes are poor and the fanboy pandering annoying, but at least there are some good moments to balance it out.

Sky on Fire

Chongtian Huo
2016 / 99m - China
Action, Thriller, Crime
3.0*/5.0*
Sky on Fire poster

Ringo Lam trying to relive his former glory days. A rather typical film from an oldskool director who isn't quite with the times anymore. There are some decent action scenes and the drama is above average for a Hong Kong action film, but overall it lacks panache and it fails to stand out from the rest. Not bad, not great.

Tony Takitani

Toni Takitani
2004 / 76m - Japan
Drama
Tony Takitani poster

Solemn, meticulous and stylish drama about a man walking through life just by himself. His American-sounding name alienated him from the rest, the death of his mom and the absence of his dad forced him to fend for himself. Probably a little slow for some, but Ichikawa aced this Haruki Murakami adaptation.

2.5*/5.0*
Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel poster

Sequel that wants to be bigger and more complex, but on the same shoestring budget. The result is a cast that's decidedly worse and some badly executed extras. The found footage haunted house bits are still fine, there's just less of them now and that makes the film worse off. Not terrible, but I preferred the first one.

Zoe

2018 / 104m - USA
Sci-fi, Romance
Zoe poster

Romance and sci-fi are rarely a good combination, but Drake Doremus is clearly gifted, and he succeeds where many have failed before. Zoe is above all a wonderful romantic drama, but with some thoughtful sci-fi themes embedded and presented with the proper flair. Both smart and touching, a rarity indeed.

Hell House LLC

2015 / 93m - USA
Horror, Mystery, Thriller
3.0*/5.0*
Hell House LLC poster

Old meets new. The haunts niche is doing quite well with a steady influx of fresh films every year, the found footage presentation may be past its prime but is a perfect match for this niche. The premise is very simple, the execution is on point. Pretty good filler, especially with October right around the corner.

Every Thing Will Be Fine

2015 / 118m - Germany
Drama
2.5*/5.0*
Every Thing Will Be Fine poster

Didn't even know Wenders was still making films. He surrounded himself with a good cast, made sure the styling was classy (Benoͮt Debie, need I say more), yet he trips over the somewhat overbearing drama. The fragmented structure doesn't really help either. The potential is here, but the execution is lacking.

Troublesome Night 2

Yin Yeung Lo 2: Ngo Joi Nei Joh Yau
1997 / 96m - Hong Kong
Comedy, Horror, Thriller - Anthology
2.5*/5.0*
Troublesome Night 2 poster

Herman Yau took over as director and turned this into one of Hong Kong's swiftest horror franchises. This second film keeps to the same formula, three loosely linked short films that combine horror and comedy, with the same perks and caveats as the other (early) entries. Not great but passable fun.

To Be or Not to Be

1942 / 99m - USA
Comedy, War
1.0*/5.0*
To Be or Not to Be poster

Farcical comedy that stands out because it was filmed during WOII and makes fun of Hitler. It sounds very bold an edgy, but the comedy itself is pretty tame and predictable. The first 15 minutes are pretty smooth still, but it gets staler and slower with the minute after that. Wasn't very impressed with this one.

Marauders

2016 / 107m - USA
Action, Crime
2.0*/5.0*
Marauders poster

Starts off pretty promising, but quickly devolves into boring police stuff. The plot is too basic, the conspiracies are tame and Miller isn't talented enough to add something interesting to the premise. It's just a very simple action film with mediocre thriller elements and a lack of memorable moments.

New Kids Turbo

2010 / 84m - The Netherlands
Comedy, Action
3.5*/5.0*
New Kids Turbo poster

Wacky, crude and absurd comedy based on a popular web series. Not sure how well the comedy travels as the characters and caricatures are extremely rooted in Dutch culture, but there's plenty to laugh at beyond the people's silly looks and juicy accents. Clearly not for everyone, but I had a lot of fun with this one.