Log: week 11 / 2021

The intro is a bit too long, but once disaster hits the tension doesn't let off. Performances are variable (Williams is solid, Dreymon is questionable) and you'll need a fair bit of suspension of disbelief, but the pacing is slick, it never gets boring and there are some pretty exciting moments. Good fun.

The intermezzos of the city (Shanxi) are by far the most interesting. They show that Jia has a knack for documentaries, as long as he doesn't focus too much on people and their (benign) stories. But I'm sure there's an audience for this, so if you want to hear Chinese writers reminisce, this documentary should be well worth your time.

China's most familiar actors (Bo Huang, You Ge, Baoqiang Wang, ...) are all present, the cinematography is nice and colorful and there are some quirky stories, but there's not enough variation, there's no grit and all the film offer the same self-boasting fuzzy feelgood nonsense. I hope this will be the end of it, but since these films are doing pretty well at the box office I doubt it very much.

It's nice to see something different from the usual coming out stories, sadly there's a bit too much back and forth between Kyoichi and various partners, which puts a little strain on the second half. The performances are decent but not exceptional, the cinematography and score are polished but expected. It's a very solid drama, but having seen so much of Yukisada already it's not a film that stands out from his other work.

The nicest scenes are when Melville takes a little break from the plot. Sights of a city, set to moody music, characters staring. It's not unlike some of my favorite Oshii moments. Didn't care much for the cinematography though, the soundtrack was a bit too classic the performances weren't great either and the runtime is problematic. Not a great film, but Melville does show moments of greatness.

Performances are decent and the tone is light, but the plot is pretty bland, the film is never really all that funny and even though it's quite short, Trouble in Paradise so predictable that the pacing still feels a little off. It's not a complete disaster, it's just not all the remarkable or even entertaining.

Sean Harris is the star of the film and delivers a standout performance. The puppet design is another highlight, so is the soundtrack. Sadly the cinematography is just a little too plain, which kept the film from truly crawling underneath my skin. But it's clear that Holness has talent. If you like your horror weird and eerie, make sure to give Possum a chance.

Cool art styles, slick editing and CG experimentation are the main ingredients here. The first short felt a bit like Dead Leaves light, the third one was definitely more inspired by Morimoto's work, while the fourth one stumbles in its attempts to go full CG. The tampered live action footage of the second film wasn't entirely successful either. Still, there are moments of genius here, just don't expect another Genius Party or Memories.

It could've been a good premise for a little naughty chaos, but we're getting ice cream breakfasts, water balloon fights and one of the most dire-looking festivals ever instead. The kids are annoying, the comedy is lame and the finale is disappointing. This could and should've been so much better.

The cast is pretty stellar (Andy Lau, Anita Mui, Sammo Hung, Eric Tsang are all present), the comedy is silly but amusing and the pacing is perfect. Add a few solid martial arts scenes and some lovely randomness (the play at the end is comedy gold) and you have a pretty likeable comedy. A nice little surprise.

The scope is rather small, which it creates a certain intimacy that you don't often find in documentaries. It offers a very different angle than the one you'd get from following the more traditional media, reducing this pandemic to what it actually is for most people: an unpleasant reality they've learned to deal with. Recommended.

DeVito and Midler are letting this film down. Rather than being funny, they're just loud and obnoxious. The rest isn't all that much better, but at least they're not actively irritating. With a better cast I'm certain this could've been a fun film, now it's just a decently paced comedy with a solid premise, suffering from poor execution.

The performances are decent but nothing special. Both characters are a bit too dependent on their little quirks, which gets tired real quick. The direction is also pretty bland, with less-than-stellar cinematography and a mediocre soundtrack. It's not a bad film, there are some funny moments, but overall it's not enough to set itself apart from its peers.

Performances are decent, except the dub of the doll, which is pretty awkward. The cinematography is rather plain though and while the film has quite an original premise, it never feels like you're watching something remarkable. It didn't bore me, nor was it badly made, just a bit too inconspicuous.

Performances aren't all that great, the plot is basic and the hauntings aren't that scary. But the soundtrack is pretty solid and once the film nears the finale it ramps up the pacing and it becomes a pretty decent horror flick, though probably not one you'll remember for long afterwards. Just solid, short filler.

The challenges mister Kruse faces are quite interesting though and it's difficult to imagine a job like this still existing today. I assume traveling the Outback became quite a bit easier since this was filmed. The documentary is a tad long maybe, especially since most of the trip is rather uneventful, but it was an interesting enough watch.

The stark black and white cinematography is a definite plus though and the soundtrack combined with the repetitiveness of the imagery does make for an interesting watch. It's a bit long for my taste, also a little too documentary-like, but if you love yourself some experimental/off-kilter cinema then it's definitely worth a shot.

Nispel relies on mean-looking costumes and heavy post-production color grading to give the film some extra flair, and he's pretty successful at it too. The action relies a little too much on CG and the performances are mediocre, but the action scenes are cool and the pacing is perfect. Fun filler.

Lush sets and costumes are the main appeal of Fox in Fuso. While the film focuses on fantasy and romance, there's also a little action and comedy to make it a more rounded film. Some mediocre CG and unstable performances keep it from being truly great, but these films are definitely started to come through as prime filler options.

The drama is painful to watch, the training sessions aren't much fun either (mostly because Stallone is pretty down) and the pacing is a little off. The boxing matches are pretty decent, but that's just two scenes really. All the rest is padding of questionable repute. It's really hard to see why this series ever became so popular.

The camera work's a bit flashier, the cast is quite a bit younger and the soundtrack is a little thumpier. Just little things that give the film a more contemporary feel. It's clear that Hong Kong is struggling to find its groove though, The Infernal Walker is pretty entertaining, but it's hardly the future of Hong Kong cinema. For that it's too rooted in its own past.