Log: week 45 / 2018
Silly but amusing shark spectacle. The international cast is a real plus, the rollercoaster approach of director Jon Turteltaub essential to the entertainment value. The visual effects are fine, the pacing is okay and even though the film didn't make much sense, it's a hoot from start to finish. A worthy blockbuster.
A documentary on the life of Armistead Maupin, writer and public gay rights activist. Sadly his story isn't all that interesting and if you've seen or read thing about this subject before than it's all just very predictable. Unless you're really interested in the man himself, there's very little here to grab the attention.
Chinese romance is doing well these days. Us and Them is Rene Liu's debut hit, with Yibai Zhang overseeing the production. The result is a sweet film that lacks a little punch here and there, but uses its time well to get a feel for its two protagonists. An accessible film, especially for people not used to Chinese cinema.
Lately Yukisada's films have turned a little grittier. River's Edge has dark edges that I'm not used to seeing in his films. Yukisada handles it well, though the 90s setting (ugly 4:3 screen ratio included) feels completely superfluous. Good performance, good drama and some poignant moments, but it lacks that little extra.
Starts off well enough, but after half an hour the film gets a little too comfortable. The comedy slowly disappears and what's left is a pretty dull rise to fame story of a "rock" band that plays some of the most soulless, drab music ever known to man. At least it has Rainn Wilson, but even he can't save this wreck.
Ringo Lam's first feature film. Like many other Hong Kong directors, Lam started out as a somewhat generic cog in the machine. Esprit d'amour is a rather typical mix of horror, comedy and romance that never quite succeeds. The pacing is alright though and it's an easy watch, it's just not that memorable.
Amusing crime flick that doesn't take itself too seriously. At times it reminded me a little of early Coen brothers, only a bit livelier. Oblowitz isn't as good a director though, but the films looks nice, the actors do a decent job and the pacing is solid. Not the most memorable film in the world, but it's solid filler.
While I liked the idea of making a shorter, slicker, more genre-focused version of Jaws, the execution here is absolutely deplorable. The effects are trash, the acting is extremely poor and the setting is dull. Whatever attempts there are to build up tension fall flat, a film without any redeeming qualities. Just terrible.
One of the most stylish To films. The story is simple, but the cast is first class and every single scene is a little masterpiece in itself. Exiled is a string of iconic, vintage To moments that's even more impressive the second time around. An absolute must if you're a To fan, a good film to start with if you're not.
Ever so slightly better than the first film, though it's dealing with pretty much the same issues. Overly long, annoying characters and an extremely boring middle part drag this one down. There's a bit of fun to be had near the start and at the very end of the film, but the rest is pretty negligible. Not worth it.
A typical Robin Williams product. The titular character is an annoying creep, the story is borderline offensive in its stupidity. Some stand-alone scenes are passable, but they drown in a sea of sentimental garbage. In the end I sympathized with the people who were trying to stop Adams, I'm sure that wasn't the point.
One of Asato's better films. Maybe because it's not just a horror film, but also a pretty nifty mystery. Asato leaves the typical Japanese horror tropes behind her and delivers a film that's a little spooky, a little eerie, but mostly very mysterious. Well acted, nicely shot and interesting from start to finish.
An amusing doc about a young Malaysian film aficionado who decides to direct her own film, but sees it stolen right after all the footage was shot. As she retraces her steps 20 years later, she slowly learns what went wrong all those years ago. Well-structured, amusing and intriguing, this was a very pleasant watch.
A spy thriller that doesn't mind becoming an action from time to time. It's another 80s-styled film, but luckily it doesn't look like it was actually made in the 80s. Some decent performances, some visual bravado and fine pacing make this an entertaining watch. Nothing too out of the ordinary, just good fun.
While I respect the concept, the execution is quite poor. I'm not a fan of the music, which of course doesn't help things along, but it's the overly dramatic and often very literal footage that kills a lot of the potential. There are some interesting moments, but these are few and far between. Only watch if you like Pink Floyd.