Log: week 25 / 2020

The plot is nothing special. A righteous martial art students vows to stop a criminal organization from taking over the martial schools in Korea, but before he can make a real difference he needs to be humbled first. If you've seen a couple of these oldskool martial arts flick, you've probably seen this plot a thousand times before.

The actors are mediocre and the fight choreographies are tame, especially when you compare them to Shaw Bros films from that time. The drama is very poor and the first half doesn't nearly have enough fight scenes to overcome that. Luckily the ending is quite action-packed, but it's not good enough to save this film.

Two homeless punks get themselves into trouble when they get a hold of a gun and get mixed up in criminal affairs. It doesn't take long before both the police and a local crime syndicate are on their tail, all they can do is run and hope they'll survive their ordeal. It's a pretty barren plot, then again plot has rarely been Ishii's main concern.

The camera work and editing are energetic, though they're nothing compared to later Japanese (cyber)punk films. The actors are mediocre and the soundtrack isn't quite as demanding yet. Ishii's style clearly had some ways to go, but fans will no doubt appreciate the first, tentative steps to what would be the prelude to the comeback of Japanese cinema.

But things quickly become awkward, especially when her new boyfriend comes over to visit. A nosy detective makes things more tense and a meddling family further complicates matters. It's a solid setup for an entertaining farce, but the presentation is rather stoic and the film never truly comes to life.

Performances are good though and The Laughing Frog is never dull of boring, it just would've been better if Hirayama had opted for a more lively approach. Visually it's a bit grim, the soundtrack is not exactly memorable and the pacing just a tad slow for this type of film. It's decent filler, but nothing too special.

Greenaway also pays homage to Eisenstein's visual style, with many unique cuts and lots of visual trickery. It's a shame though he doesn't keep it up for the entire film. Still, there is plenty to admire here. Split screens, sharp editing, cool camera work and fun fades add a lot of extra flavor to the film.

Eisenstein is portrayed as a very colorful character and Greenaway has a lot of fun with him. Not sure how historically correct it all is, but at least it makes for a better film. There's not quite enough here for a 90-minute feature and the second half doesn't feel quite as fresh, but this was surprisingly fun and creative.

Casting a martial arts icon in a dramatic role is always a risk, but it's David Chiang's love interest who really messes things up. Not only is Agnes Chan a pretty bad actress, she's also a terrible singer. And this films features quite a few English pop songs covered by Chan. To call it grating is actually an understatement.

The plot about a forbidden (or at least frowned upon) love isn't very interesting either, especially not without any good performances to support it. The titular generation gap is never properly explored and the few action scenes that are here only underline the complete incompetence of this film. For completists only.

The premise at least was pretty interesting. Three friends/colleagues are trying to save a man who slipped into a depression after his daughter died. They do that by hiring a trio of actors to play love, death and time, the three abstract concepts that form the cornerstone of his take on life. But bringing him back to the real world turns out to be more difficult than expected.

Performances are decent, though Smith, Knightley, Peña and Winslet all struggle to make a real impression. Frankel's heavy-handed and garish direction doesn't make it any easier for them. The drama never really hits home and the execution of the premise lacks creativity and vision. Somewhat disappointing.

The film works on three levels. First of all, it is a pretty straightforward but effective parody of the pop documentary genre (think Justin Bieber's). Then there's the comedy of the songs themselves, which features some very nice stabs at the randomness and shallowness of pop music. But what really sets this apart is the fact that the songs are actual, bona fide, catchy pop songs. That's different from acts like "Weird Al" Yankovic or Flight of the Conchords, who get a bit doubty when the comedy element is stripped away.

Taccone, Schaffer and Samberg are great, the supporting cast is ace too and many of the cameos are priceless, not in the least because many of them are not afraid to make fools of themselves. The only thing that keeps me from giving is a higher mark is that the second half doesn't feel quite as sharp, but that's just a minor glitch in an otherwise great film.

But it's not just cheese, the cinematography is pretty great for an 80s film, the score is very atmospheric and the effects look pretty nice still, though it's clear that the budget was quite limited. The monster is never full on screen and the finale looks a bit too cut up, but overall the quality is surprisingly high.

Also props for the crazy Australian hillbillies, who give the film some extra spice. This was a pretty nice mix of comedy and horror in other words. I'm suprised I'd never heard about this film before, it really deserves to be a bigger cult hit than it currently is. If you want a fun little horror and haven't seen this one yet, this comes well recommended.

It's still very loud and obnoxious though. Almost every character seems to be suffering from ADD. Even though these films are short in general, they still manage to tire me out really quickly. It also doesn't help that the jokes are tiresome and most of the action feels copied from other, better films.

I'm sure Open Season is okay for its target audience, the fact that it spawned several sequels indicates it was at least a financial success. I just wish they'd go for a different type of comedy, slow things down a little (as they do a couple of times, to good effect) and deliver a film that aspires to do more than rile up kids at a birthday party.

While this all sounds rather violent, Date is a kind soul and quickly develops a strong bond with the kid. There are some Kikujiro-like moments and whatever violence there is, is mostly played for laughs. The film is a tad too long maybe, but at least the ending isn't quite as cheesy as I expected it to be.

Takahashi and Hayashi have good chemistry and Hayashi in particular does a great job. Kid actors are always a liability, but he is clearly one of the stars of the film. Shô Aikawa is also great to have around, but that is no surprise. While Accidental Kidnapper isn't the greatest Japanese comedy ever, it's a fun little diversion and solid filler than is sure to put a smile on your face.

Like many of his films, Violent Virgin is not an easy watch. It's a sort of prelude to the American rape/revenge films of the 70s (think I Spit On Your Grave or The Last House on the Left) that would give the horror genre a serious boost, only Wakamatsu's films are more skillfully and artfully executed.

Lush, high contrast black and white cinematography, perverse games, amoral behavior, rape, murder, it's all here. There isn't much in the way of plot, then again it's a pretty short film so there's really no time for it to get boring. Probably not the easiest introduction to Wakamatsu's work, but definitely one of the better films I've seen from him.

With four black veterans returning to Vietnam to honor their fallen friend, the film has a perfect setup to revisit the Vietnam War and tell it from a black perspective. Throw in some gold hunting plot for a little adventure and suspense, and you have all the ingredients for a great film. Why then did it feel like a bad comedy, something that holds the middle between a bad Apocalypse Now rip-off and a subpar jungle-set JCVD action flick.

Performances are poor, the action scenes are drab, the dramatic moments are laughable and the political inserts are completely overshadowed by the incompetence surrounding them. The entire film is such a big mess that it is actually quite amusing to watch (at least to see where it is going), but in the end if feels like Lee overreached tremendously and couldn't stop himself from falling flat on his face. This wasn't any good.

The problem with Right Here Right Now is that it isn't quite as cool as it aims to be. Lass does his best to play with structure, throws some slightly edgier dance and rock on the soundtrack, goes wild with the cinematography and is generous with the editing, resulting in lots of jump cuts.

But the soundtrack feels a little tame, there isn't enough visual creativity and the characters are quite dull too. There are moments when everything comes together wonderfully and the film really shines in these moments, but it's not constant enough to turn this into a real masterpiece. It's a fine attempt though, I had a lot of fun with this one.

A lot of classic references here, mostly to the big names of the 50s and 60s. If you like yourself some Godard, Visconti, Truffaut or you love to cite the lengths of famous tracking shots to your film buddies, then you might be the target audience of the film. It's not really what I'm looking for in good cinema though.

Luckily there is some solid drama running underneath all the film stuff. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but a fine cast and some poignant scenes (especially near the end of film) keep the intrigue alive. It's enough to make this a pretty decent watch, but it's hardly a highlight in the Japanese drama genre.

Chan and Ku aren't the best actors for the job, Qi and Lee are better equipped to handle this type of work, but have trouble connecting with their partners. The cheesy soundtrack and rather pedestrian cinematography don't really add to the atmosphere either. It's all just a little too functional to be truly effective.

That said, it's not the worst film either. The characters are quite interesting and there are a few scenes where things move in the right direction, it's just that it never materializes into something bigger. This is passable filler, just don't go in expecting a typical Lam action flick, as you're bound to end up sorely disappointed.

That means much of the weight rests on Lulu Wilson's shoulders, sadly she can't quite deliver. At no point in the film did I believe she was actually besting a couple of cruel killers, the traps she builds also give Becky too much of a Home Alone vibe. It comes off a bit childish, which clearly wasn't what the directors were going for.

Because believe it or not, the film is actually quite gory. When people die, the camera isn't shy, even eager to register all the bloody bits. As a horror film, this was quite a success, but the meager drama, lacking characters and a couple of horrid twists take a lot away from the edginess Murnion and Milott were chasing. Not bad, but should've been better.

Powell makes good use of the beautiful setting and the film contains a couple of decent action scenes, that's pretty much the appeal of Outcast. The plot is very basic, the drama in between is forgettable and the additional elements (like a spineless romance and some failed comedy) really don't help to make the film any better.

The cinematography is solid, the fight choreography passable (but not really noteworthy), the pacing acceptable and the runtime nice and short. If you like a bit of action, Outcast has enough to keep you entertained, as long as you don't expect anything too exceptional. Decent filler, nothing more, nothing less.

The plot/set-up is quite predictable for a police series. When people start dying in the Bayside area, the SAT steps in and goes over the heads of the local police force. They won't have any of it, and a spirited detective takes it upon himself to solve the case. I've seen this play out countless times before, this film adds little to it.

There is some intrigue that works and even though the film is quite long, it never really starts to drag. The problem is that there are hardly any real highlights either. The film just meanders from start to finish, offering the bare minimum amount of entertainment to stay engaged, but nothing more. Decent filler in other words.

There is too much focus on the drama, especially for a film where the performances are poor and the plot is derivative. Touch and Go is a run-of-the-mill action flick, what's the point on spending so much time on characters that never come to life anyway. A lighter tone and a couple more action scenes would've gone a long way to make this better.

It's not the first time that I felt this way about one of Lam's films, so people who are fan of his work are almost guaranteed to get something out of it. The few action scenes that are present are pretty solid, sporting some impressive practical stunt work, but it just wasn't enough to save the film for me.

The film is aimed at a younger audience, though many of its popular references (David Bowie, Foreigner) seem to be reserved for the parents accompanying their kids. Regardless of the film's target audience though, Shaw gives a cringeworthy performance, the fantasy designs are lazy and the plot is messy.

I'm sure this film was meant the first part of a franchise, but the way things are going I wouldn't expect any sequels anytime soon. Artemis Fowl turned out to be a pretty expensive flop, with few redeeming elements and no clear path forward. Let's just hope Disney pulls the plug, so we don't need to sit through any follow-ups.

The animation isn't all that great either, which is a bummer because technical excellence is usually the only thing to look forward to with these films. The characters are pretty dumb, the comedy is so predictable that it has no chance of becoming funny and the voice actors do a pretty poor job all.

At least the film is short and moves about at a pretty brisk pace, otherwise it would've been true hell to sit through. It is quite devastating to see how poor these American CG animations are across the board, they all look alike, and they're all pretty much horrible. It's a shame they keep on making so much money.

Etsushi Toyokawa and Ryo Ishibashi make a fun duo here, Haruka Igawa's part felt less confident. The story, about a dog turned human who ends up with his former owner is a tad cheesy though, the soundtrack borders on the verge of kitsch and the runtime is a bit long for a film of this caliber.

Luckily Zeze knows to balance this with some solid drama, the kind that is quite typical for those early millennial Japanese films. Important events are almost shown like static manga panels, focusing more on the aftermath than on certain faithful events. It's a bit dry, but it helps to contrast the sappier bits elsewhere. Overall a pretty solid film in other words, but not a real highlight.

Afterwards, it's hard to distill any kind of tangible topics or themes. The photographer appears to be overthinking his job, the models on the other hand feel lost and uncertain of what is expected of them. But these are very pedestrian problems and observations, nothing I felt should warrant an 80-minute documentary.

I'm sure this sounded way more interesting when Kawase thought up the idea, people who are interested in everyday slices of life might get something out of it, but it didn't do very little for me. The awkward and and stilted conversations held a smidgen of appeal, beyond that it's completely forgettable.