Pastoral: To Die in the Country

Den-En ni Shisu
1974 / 104m - Japan
Drama, Fantasy
3.0*/5.0*
Pastoral: To Die in the Country poster

My first Terayama and I have a feeling I'm going to like this guy. A unique take on cinema that has served as a clear inspiration for some of my own favorites. It's pretty weird, not very linear and at times quite absurd, but it's also very atmospheric and intruiging. A bit rough around the edges, but definitely worth a try if you're in the mood for something different.

Shanghai Fortress

Shanghai Bi Lei
2019 / 107m - China
Sci-fi, Action
2.5*/5.0*
Shanghai Fortress poster

It's nice that China is getting into sci-fi, but they'll have to do better than this. While it looks like the budget was there, the talent clearly wasn't. Terrible editing, poor CG skills, lifeless designs and a bland story don't do this film any favors. Luckily the action is okay and the alien invasion setup is fun enough, but that's not enough to turn this into a good film.

Jules and Jim

Jules et Jim
1962 / 105m - France
Drama, Romance
1.5*/5.0*
Jules and Jim poster

Faltering classic that revolves around a love triangle that fails to engage. Poor acting and failed stylistic experiments make it very difficult to get into the film, what remains are some less than intruiging characters struggling with their relationship. I've seen some fine Nouvelle Vague films, but sadly this wasn't one of them.

Falling Inn Love

2019 / 98m - New Zealand
Comedy, Romance
1.0*/5.0*
Falling Inn Love poster

Noticed the pun? Well, that's about as good as it gets for this film. Terrible actors, a cheesy and extremely predictable plot and no effort at all to add anything unique. Kumble merely goes through the motions and hopes that some poor eco-babble and a nice setting will be enough for his audience. For me it clearly wasn't.

Roar

1981 / 102m - USA
Comedy, Adventure
3.0*/5.0*
Roar poster

There's strange, there's absurd and then there's batshit crazy. The idea that Roar was filmed with untrained, untamed animals is completely insane, but there you have it. There's hardly a plot to speak of, but if you like watching a family of ill at ease, often downright scared people living amongst a bunch of big cats, this is a must-see.

The Axiom

2018 / 98m - USA
Horror
2.0*/5.0*
The Axiom poster

Another well-meaning horror flick that can't escape its no-budget roots. Poor acting and sloppy camera work stand in the way of this ever becoming something truly worthwhile. There are some decent ideas in here (though few original ones), sadly the result is another mediocre attempt by a director who just doesn't have the talent for making films.

Seto & Utsumi

Setoutsumi
2016 / 75m - Japan
Comedy, Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Seto & Utsumi poster

A manzai-based comedy with a manga background. It's definitely not a film with big international appeal and fans of Tatsushi Ohmori should expect something completely different from his other work, but the mix with drama is surprisingly effective and well executed. Short, sweet and loveable, but very niche.

De Patrick

2018 / 97m - Belgium
Comedy, Mystery
De Patrick poster

The weird blend of darkly grim and absurdly deadpan that seems quite typical for Belgian comedy. Add a dash of mystery and a confident director exploring his own unique directing style and you get a film that isn't meant to appeal to the big masses, but should find a warm place amongst the lovers of the strange and the peculiar.

Magellan

2017 / 103m - USA
Sci-fi
1.5*/5.0*
Magellan poster

A very basic sci-fi genre flick that lacks the budget and talent to turn it into something worthwhile. The camerawork is terrible, the sets look awfully cheap and the actors are low grade. The mystery keeps the first half of the film alive, but once that is cleared up there really wasn't anything left to keep me interested.

Tone-Deaf

2019 / 87m - USA
Comedy, Horror
3.5*/5.0*
Tone-Deaf poster

Wacky and mean-spirited horror/comedy that features a nasty battle between a prissy millennial and a grumpy baby boomer. Bates' sense of humor is not for everyone, but there's plenty of laughs here, mixed with some devious horror and a healthy dose of general weirdness. The execution is a little flaky in places, but apart from that this is another solid effort from Bates.

Rise Up

2009 / 84m - Japan
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
Rise Up poster

A sweet, genuine and slightly dramatized story about two boys and a girl starting a somewhat unlikely friendship. Nakajima is young director and uses this to his advantage, going for a more natural approach to bring some extra depth to the characters. While it lacks something to set it apart from its peers, it's a quality drama nonetheless.

The Telephone Box

La Cabina
1972 / 35m - Spain
Comedy, Mystery
2.0*/5.0*
The Telephone Box poster

While The Telephone Box has a solid concept and there are some nifty ideas here, there just isn't enough material to fill 30 minutes of film. The execution is also pretty poor, then again that's probably expected for a TV project. It's not a terrible way to pass 30 minutes and there are a couple of fun absurdities, but ultimately it just wasn't enough.

In Fabric

2018 / 118m - UK
Horror, Mystery
3.5*/5.0*
In Fabric poster

Strange and mysterious film that mixes in horror and comedy influences, but is most of all absurd in a pretty artsy way. Strickland no doubt had a lot of fun bringing this strange tale of a murdering dress to life. The soundtrack stands out, but it doesn't quite have the visual chops to be a true masterpiece. Jolly good fun though, if you can appreciate the weirdness.