Sisters

2015 / 118m - USA
Comedy
3.0*/5.0*
Sisters poster

A pretty typical "middle-aged people throw one last party" flick. Fey and Poehler are very nice together though and there are some solid jokes there, even though not everything works. Rudolph and Barinholtz are respectable in secondary parts. Not the greatest comedy ever, but pretty decent comedy filler nonetheless.

Armageddon: The Great Battle with Genma

by Rintaro
Harmagedon: Genma Taisen
1983 / 135m - Japan
Action, Adventure - Animation
3.5*/5.0*
Armageddon: The Great Battle with Genma poster

Very bombastic and completely over the top. It felt like a mix of Dragon Ball Z and Akira, rightfully considered an anime classic though a little overlooked in recent years. The animation looks nice, the plot is insane and the action is loud and bold. Not quite consistent throughout, but definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it already.

The Death of Dick Long

2019 / 100m - USA
Comedy, Crime
3.0*/5.0*
The Death of Dick Long poster

Scheinert goes solo. Not sure if it's that or if he just wanted to try something different this time around, but the low-key dark humour and the lack of absurd elements makes for a way less spectacular film. It's not bad, decently acted and dark enough for a couple of grim grins, but in the end it's just not all that memorable.

Jojo Rabbit

2019 / 108m - New Zealand
Comedy, War
3.5*/5.0*
Jojo Rabbit poster

Fun, amusing and Andersonesque WWII comedy. Waititi clearly had a lot of fun playing Hitler, the rest of the cast was visibly enjoying themselves too. The jokes are funny, the drama is decent, the setup feels original. Somehow I got the feeling the film didn't use its full potential, but it's definitely a recommended watch.

Uncut Gems

2019 / 135m - USA
Thriller, Crime
2.0*/5.0*
Uncut Gems poster

I'm not quite sure where the hype for this one came from. It's a rather basic crime flick that fails to stand out at all. Think Ritchie's Snatch in New York, with worse characters, duller direction and an overrated central performance. It's not the most terrible film, but it's not one I'm going to remember for a long time to come. Too plain.

The Cold-Blooded Trap

1998 / 99m - Japan
Thriller, Crime
3.0*/5.0*
The Cold-Blooded Trap poster

On paper a pretty basic serial killer film, but both Aikawa and Nishijima are on a roll and Zeze's subdued direction helps a lot to make this film stand out from the crowd. It's not a true classic, for that it's still too much of a typical genre exercise, but it's very solid filler that underlines Zeze's talent as a director.

Make the Last Wish

2009 / 109m - Japan
Mystery, Thriller
2.5*/5.0*
Make the Last Wish poster

A strange mix of supernatural, thriller and documentary elements. Sono crashes an Avril Lavigne fan contest and weaves his own story through it. The result is a little messy and the film doesn't feel very polished, but it's an intriguing mess that did keep me engaged from start to finish. Far from Sono's best, but decent filler nonetheless.

My House

2012 / 93m - Japan
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
My House poster

Surprisingly small and understated black and white drama by Tsutsumi. After a bunch of high-profile blockbusters he probably needed to do this, the biggest surprise is that he actually managed to pull it off. This is a sweet, endearing and well-directed film that lingers well beyond its end credits.

The Mermaid: Lake of the Dead

Rusalka: Ozero Myortvykh
2018 / 90m - Russia
Fantasy, Horror
3.5*/5.0*
The Mermaid: Lake of the Dead poster

Fun and capable horror film. Definitely not the most original of films, but the lore is interesting enough and the direction is well above average. Decent acting, fine camerawork and moody settings make this perfect horror filler material. Whatever you do though, don't watch the English dub because that's a complete abomination.

Fires Were Started

1943 / 63m - UK
Drama, War
1.5*/5.0*
Fires Were Started poster

The first half hour feels incredibly staged (which it was) and fake (which clearly wasn't the goal). The second part introduces some much-needed dramatic tension and is a bit more demanding, but overall this is a pretty dull feature that does little justice to the work and the many sacrifices these people had to make.

Heaven and Hell

Wong Jorn Pid
2012 / 105m - Thailand
Horror
3.0*/5.0*
Heaven and Hell poster

A trio of horror shorts linked together by their use of cam footage. The first short is pretty interesting, featuring no audible dialogue and monochrome images. The second (and longest) short is rather plain though and the last one is simply ridiculous. Not a terrible anthology, but Sippapak and Moeithaisong have made better films together.

Lupin III: Legend of the Gold of Babylon

Rupan Sansei: Babiron no Ogon Densetsu
1985 / 100m - Japan
Comedy, Adventure - Animation
3.0*/5.0*
Lupin III: Legend of the Gold of Babylon poster

A typical Lupin adventure, made slightly more interesting by Seijun Suzuki's involvement and a very strong 70s vibe that runs through the film. It doesn't change too much about the core of Lupin though. Silly, over-the top action, a charming set of characters and one-dimensional bad guys. A fun diversion, but nothing more.

Flaming Creatures

1963 / 45m - USA
Experimental
0.5*/5.0*
Flaming Creatures poster

Experimental 60s film, notorious for being banned (obscenity cited as the main reason). That's about its only claim to glory, because it has completely lost its shock value since then, the image quality is absolutely atrocious and the soundtrack is a terrible drag. Might have been a real hoot in its time, but it's utterly lame by modern standards.

The Aeronauts

2019 / 100m - UK
Adventure
3.5*/5.0*
The Aeronauts poster

Clearly the budget wasn't there to do justice to this story, but the film does feel quite adventurous and both Jones and Redmayne put in very solid performances. It takes a while to get going, but the second half had me pretty captivated. A pretty decent and agreeable Amazon Original, but it would've benefited from the full blockbuster treatment.

The Saviour

Jiu Shi Zhe
1980 / 80m - Hong Kong
Thriller, Crime
1.5*/5.0*
The Saviour poster

A pretty lackluster start to Ronny Yu's solo career. This is a rather dull police thriller, with a serial killer on the hunt for prostitutes. The action scenes are dim, the murders are boring and the investigation feels mandatory. It's not uncommon for Hong Kong directors to start their careers on low-end productions to learn the tricks of the trade, this is one of those film.

The Samurai Master

Samurai Sensei
2018 / 93m - Japan
Comedy
3.0*/5.0*
The Samurai Master poster

Cute but somewhat derivative comedy about a samurai who wakes up in modern times. The film is very lighthearted, the actors do a decent job and there are some solid jokes, but this has been done many times before, often a lot better too (think the Termae Romae series). It's sweet and unobtrusive filler, but not all that memorable.

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? - Arrow of the Orion

Gekijouban Danjon Ni Deai O Motomeru No Wa Machigatteiru Daro Ka: Orion No Ya
2019 / 82m - Japan
Fantasy, Adventure - Animation
2.5*/5.0*
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? - Arrow of the Orion poster

The animation is solid and the art style is nice, but the characters feel rather flat and the mix of fantasy, comedy and action isn't all that original. In the end this was just a very average anime with an above-average budget. Unless you're new to the genre there are no surprises here, but at least it's short and pretty to look at.

Wavelength

1967 / 45m - Canada
Experimental
0.5*/5.0*
Wavelength poster

Like many experimental films, a very singular concept stretched endlessly. A 45-minute long (edited) zoom with a single tone growing louder and louder. It might've been grating and daring in the 60s, it's incredibly dull and lifeless by modern standards. Hard to sit through not because of its experimental nature, but because its faded impact.

Away We Go

2009 / 98m - USA
Comedy, Drama
3.0*/5.0*
Away We Go poster

A fine blend of comedy and drama, revolving around a couple of soon to be parents looking for a place to settle. The road movie-like structure fits the topic and Krasinski and Rudolph are both perfect, but the film is a bit on the safe side and feels rather inconsequential, while Mendes was clearly aiming for something deeper. Still, not a bad watch.