Log: week 51 / 2019
Pure, unadulterated zombie fun. It's been a while since I watched a film like this, nowadays there aren't that many simple, straightforward, unpretentious horror flicks around. Yummy just goes for laughs and gore and delivers in spades. If you're in the mood for blood fountains, brain-eating humans and some obtuse but hilarious comedy, make this a priority.
An atmospheric and creative retelling of how Charles Dickens came to write A Christmas Carol, making this a welcome variation on a story done to death. 19th century London looks appropriately steamy, the actors do a good job and there are plenty of references to the original story, without having to go through all the familiar plot points again. Quite nice.
Pretty lame and boring comedy that spawned an immense amount of sequels and spin-offs. There are a few memorable moments, mostly because they somehow became cultural heritage, but apart from that this is a dull and forgettable affair. Unless you really love American teen comedies, there's not much here.
Japan isn't quite fit for big, epic, live action sci-fi space battle cinema, but they tried to make the best of it here. Some of the settings and effects look a bit dated and the drama is a little off, but there are some fun, adventurous moments and some good action scenes. It's not a great film, but it's pretty decent filler that could've ended up a lot worse.
Never watched a classic Zatoichi, even then it's obvious Kitano made this character and this franchise his own. Some very typical comical elements, a superb soundtrack, short bursts of stylized violence and Kitano taking up the lead. It's everything you'd expect from a Kitano film, only set in world of samurais and blind masseurs.
Formulaic film from Sang-il Lee. The plot is incredibly predictable, the drama is a little too sentimental, but stand-out performances and above average cinematography make this film stand out from its peers. Hula Girls may not be a great film, but it was actually better than expected. If unlikely sports/teams films are your thing, this is not a bad option.
A Santa gone mad. The premise here isn't the worst and Maggart is quite devious as a nutter Santa Claus, but the execution leaves something to be desired. While the crazy noisy soundtrack is an interesting oddity, the character motivations, acting and horror bits are all well below par. Barely passable filler, but only when you're in the mood for some holiday-themed horror.
This game-turned-anime isn't much to look at. A pretty boring plot, poor animation quality and dull characters. Probably slightly more interesting for fans of the games, although they didn't seem to appreciate the short running time and complete lack of depth. Fighting games and movies, it's not a very good combination.
A compilation of two slightly beefier Disney shorts, connected by short Jiminy Cricket interludes and some strange live action scenes. The Bongo one is decent but a little too long, the Jack and the Beanstalk one has been done so many times now that it really started to drag after a while. Not that great really, but short.
Classic ensemble film that has all the right ingredients for a big Christmas spectacle. Lots of familiar faces, a bundle of British charm, tons of Christmas songs and a couple of very similar storylines that all end with a smile. Not really my thing I must admit, but not all that terrible to sit through either.
A very special kind of terrible. While the cast features some familiar names, the film looks like an ordinary school play. Cheap costumes, terrible sets, horrible vocals and some casting choices that boggle the mind. You can't really blame this film for its TV roots, but you can blame it for being poorly realized on all levels.
Early Yuya Ishii. A bit cruder compared to his later films, but his trademark style is already present. Comedy through bitter drama, it's not the easiest and most accessible approach to drawing laughs, but it's certainly different. Well acted, funny and just a little depressing, Bare-assed Japan is a perfect introduction into the work of Ishii.
Moody and atmospheric martial arts film. One of Yuen Chor's later films, and it shows this came from a seasoned director who felt at ease making the kind of films he likes. Not the most original or surprising film in other words, but well executed and decent filler for people who can't get enough of the Shaw Bros library.
Sneaky and devious little black comedy that rest on the shoulders of a terrific cast and some funny plot twists. The cast is small, the setting limited, but Berk and Olsen make the best of the situation and even though this isn't the most original film in the genre, there are some very memorable scenes that make it stand out from its peers. Fun indeed.
A very classic, bombastic and overly sentimental thriller about a captain steering his airplane to safety. There are a few scenes that are effective in raising the tension, but they are few and far between. The rest is way too overdone and cheesy to make any kind of positive impression. A very disappointing Lau film, he can do so much better.
Very cheesy and badly acted western. The cast is a real eyesore, the plot is pretty boring, so is the action and the music is a complete mismatch. It's such a disaster that I actually had to chuckle a couple of times, though I'm sure that was not intended. Unless you're a real big western or 80s fan, it's probably best to just avoid this one.
Big and bold action spectacle that carries Bay's stamp from start to finish. Realism is thrown out of the window in favor of crazy stunts and bad-ass choreographies. Maybe it feels just a little lazy in places, with Bay sticking closely to what he knows best, but apart from that action fans have little to complain about. Good fun.