Log: week 18 / 2021

It's sad to see Scorsese reigning in Cruise here. He's only a shadow of his usual flamboyant self. The soundtrack is pretty bland, performances are unremarkable, and the plot is stretched way too thin. It's not Scorsese's worst film and at "just" 120 minutes, not his longest either, but I doubt there's anything here that will stick with me.

The setup is pretty creepy, Jill Larson puts in an impressive performance, there are a couple of truly tense scenes during the second half and the finale, though predictable, is effective. There's not quite enough here to distinguish is from other films in the genre, but if you're looking for some solid horror and you can stand the faux doc approach, be sure to give this one a shot.

I found McDormand's performance to be pretty one-note, the nomad existence isn't something I'm naturally drawn to and the presentation is extremely expected, mixing slightly pimped documentary-style footage with a meandering score and a minimum of narrative. Not the worst in its genre, but not very noteworthy either.

Matsuda's character is a hoot. A calm, calculated and sneaky oddball who uses his philosophy learnings to trick people into getting what he wants. The rest of the cast is on point too, the cinematography is bright and colorful, the comedy has just the tiniest mean streak and there's a little drama to pad out the narrative. Prime filler.

Some snappy editing and a jazzy soundtrack give the film a more modern flair, but the stark camera work combined with black and white cinematography and the stern performances make it more rigid than needed. There are some fun stylistic touches here and there, but the focus of the film lies on the characters and I simply didn't care much for them.

When you're getting Jigsaw (Saw) and Gabrielle (Xena) as doctors in a mental ward, it's immediately clear you're not dealing with a very serious film. The kills are pretty gruesome and effective, the rest is lame and derivative. Seeing as this is a core horror flick and the kills are plentiful, that's not such a bad trade-off.

What makes Samurai Fiction fun are its anachronistic elements. Pops op color in the black and white cinematography, a more contemporary score and self-conscious performances make this a pretty amusing film. Nakano doesn't quite push it enough though, which is probably why it feels somewhat less distinctive now. A fun film, just a little less great the second time around.

What stands out the most is the art style here. I'll readily admit that not everything works and some parts look really cheap, even so the mix of different animation styles and live action is intriguing and gives this film a unique vibe. There's quite a lot happening in the short runtime and if you're looking for a fun but cheesy diversion, this short spin-off has you covered. Just don't expect anything grand.

The soundtrack is a bit overbearing and cheesy, the performances aren't always on point and the film has some pacing issues, but you'll hardly notice if you keep your eyes open. The cinematography is rich and lush, bursting with bold colors and beautiful frames. The fantasy/horror elements are pretty nice too, giving the film a moody and mysterious vibe. I really liked this one a lot, well recommended.

Ne Zha is fantasy-based martial arts, clearly not Chang's strong point. The dragons look iffy, the effects in general aren't all that great and the cinematography can't quite cover it up. The rest of the film is pretty fun though. Decently paced, some nice fights and a handful of memorable scenes, the early Eric Tsang cameo is just the icing on the cake. Amusing Shaw Bros production, but far from Chang's best work.

The nice thing about Paradise Now is that it doesn't feel sensationalized. The presentation is decent but nothing spectacular, performances are solid, the pacing is fine. The ending is pretty predictable (both the conclusion and the execution) and the film does get a little talkative in places, on top of that the message feels a little light and obvious. Not a bad film, it just didn't really move me.

While the idea of a musical is fun, the Polish language isn't exactly elegant. Director Smoczynska also seems unable to fully commit to the musical part of her film, more explicit routines and a little extra kitsch would've pushed this film further over the top. Other than that, The Lure delivers. It's a weird mix of elements that's difficult to compare with anything else out there and is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Odenkirk is a lazy casting. Sure enough, he fits the character at the start of the film, but his transformation is pretty miserable. More damning are the action scenes, which are quite dull and by the numbers. There's not much left of the hyper energetic camera work of Naishuller's former film, the soundtrack too is little more than a bunch of old, poppy tunes. It's not an overly terrible film, but coming from a man who made one of the most crazy action films of the past decade, it's more than a little disappointing.

The performances are terrible, the soundtrack is absolutely atrocious, the films looks dirt cheap and the action is bland (though it's still the best part of the film). I'm not quite sure what drove Wakamatsu to make this, it's just a poor mix of crime, thriller and action elements that doesn't even make sense as cheap shelf filler.

Whoever believed Akerman would make a good Stallone should be fired, Thorne isn't very convincing either as the mean chick/bad guy. Secondary parts are there for the comedy, but none of them make a big impression. At least the camera work is somewhat fun and the tone of the film is light, other than that this was a pretty dull comedy.

The plot isn't too exciting, Okamoto's directorial interventions are. The way he plays with different styles and influences, alternates between different forms of comedy and keeps on reinventing his own film is simply wonderful. I didn't really care for the bland black and white cinematography, Yûnosuke Itô is a bit much and not everything works equally well, but Oh Bomb is definitely worth seeking out if you love a director who dares to take a risk.

Lady Snowblood is a film with two faces. The action scenes are lovely and the cinematography is awesome, with strong colors and nifty camera work. The plot structure on the other hand is disappointing (way too many flashbacks) and much time is wasted on inconsequential plot points. It's a shame, as at its best this film is really something. It's just not very consistent.

I'm not entirely sure if the alternations between color and sepia made much sense here, but at least the cinematography was pretty impressive. Performances are fine, the energy of the film is great and there are a few memorable moments, the soundtracks pretty cheesy though and the film does have some pacing issues. But if you love Obayashi's work, it's definitely worth checking out.

The setting looks dreary enough and the budget allowed for some A-grade actors, other than that this was just bad on all accounts. The twists are laughable, the tension is never there, even the grotesque ending didn't manage to impress. This was a pretty big dud, money can't fix everything.

Some simple songs, a simple plot and simplified animation. It doesn't look too bad though for a Disney sequel and the pacing is somewhat decent, but there's so little here that even the short runtime felt like a stretch. If, like me, you're not a fan of Disney's prime output, these sequels really won't cut it.