Log: week 24 / 2021

A cast of amateur actors does a decent enough job, but I simply don't care for the life of 19th century farmers. It's all very expected, characters are caricatures, their living conditions are dire and the lack of any real drama makes it a real chore to watch. The runtime just makes it twice as bad. Terrible.

The film is split between lengthy (and uninteresting) dialogues and epic battles, but neither managed to pique my interest. The performances are weak, the direction is uninspired and there are some serious pacing issues, which make the runtime an even bigger hurdle. Even if you're a dedicated Muslim, there must be much better sources to learn about Islam.

The setting is pretty nice and calming, so are the fishing trip in the second half of the film, but that's about it for the good news. The performances are weak, the dialogues are terrible, the drama is really cheesy. I didn't really care for any of it, it's a good thing the runtime didn't cross the 120-minute mark, or my rating would've gone down even further. American kitsch.

Smith and Robbie are clearly having a lot of fun here. The cinematography is nice, the pacing is fine, the plot has more than its share of twists and turns and though somewhat predictable, the ending is appropriate. It's a fun and entertaining film, but it's not really ballsy enough to go against the grain. Simple but solid fun.

As someone who doesn't really like social drama because of its lack of subtlety, the extremely expressive acting only add insult to injury. The music is way too present, the plot is basic, and the characters are simplistic caricatures. Even though the film is quite short, it was almost impossible to get through.

It's a very interesting premise and the settings lends the film a very pensive, calming atmosphere. Kiarostami doesn't rush things, but the discussions the lead has with the passersby are quite bland, and the ending wasn't quite as thought-provoking as it was obviously intended to be. Fewer dialogues, more tracking shots is what would've made this a better film, but alas.

The performances are spirited, the visuals are aggressive (with confusing split screens and blinding strobes), the soundtrack is dark and menacing. Still, the short runtime takes away from the oppressive style and the focus on film production is generally one I don't really appreciate. It's a solid Noé, but far from his best work.

The film looks pretty lush, though the green screen usage can still be a bit too apparent. Performances are decent and the mix of romance and fantasy is certainly a lot of fun, though I never felt like both genres reinforced each other. Entertaining blockbuster material from China though, well worth a try.

Songbird is a pretty simple film, blending action, sci-fi and thriller elements with a topical setting. The cast is decent, the pacing is solid, the plot offers enough tension. Mason fails to really make it anything more than a simple genre film though, entertaining enough, but hardly a must-see.

It Came from the Desert is one of those films that is clearly made by a horror fan, someone a little too eager to share his knowledge of the genre, while lacking the talent to make a genuinely good film. The comedy is bland, the performances are poor, and the gore is mostly absent and/or extremely cheap. Not great.

Mothra is probably one of Honda's cuter creatures, looking more like a cuddly teddy bear than a fearsome monster. It appears slightly more menacing in its caterpillar state, but it never measures up to Godzilla's angrier adversaries. The start is pretty slow and 100 minutes it's a bit long for a film like this, but once Mothra finally take center stage there's enough Honda magic for faithful fans. Not bad, but I prefer Honda's crazier films.

Tati plays with pacing, sound, adds many visuals gag and, doesn't fear a little slapstick, but none of it really works. The comedy feels predictable, flat, outdated and, regardless Tati's attempts to diversify, one-note. The soundtrack in particular is grating and the runtime makes it truly unbearable at times. A brave attempt by Tati, but it's not for me.

The plot isn't too interesting, the film also takes a little too long to get going. The martial arts is decent, but not the best Chang has put on screen. But he compensates with plenty of martial arts scenes in the second half of the film. It gets a lot better from there on out, though I still wouldn't recommend this film unless you're dedicated to completing Chang's entire oeuvre.

Ben Foster's performance is amazing, Elle Fanning is a bit too over-the-top, especially in the emotional moments. The plot is basic, but the atmosphere is solid and some surprising twists (not so much the plot itself, but certain choices Laurent makes) add spice to the film. It's a shame the finale is so superfluous and Fanning isn't up to the task, otherwise it would've been a very nice film. Now it's just good.

The plot really isn't all that interesting, the jazzy soundtrack feels a bit too familiar, the actors are decent but nothing spectacular. The black and white cinematography knows a couple of remarkable spikes, especially the rich contrast and the camera work stand out. Not quite enough to save the film, but noir fans will find quite a bit to like here.

The biggest problem here is the casting. McCarthy and Moss are totally unfit for their parts, Haddish really struggles and barely hits the mark. It also would've been better if the film had leaned in a little more on its simple setup, making more room for stylistic frivolities instead of dire plot points, but it certainly could've been a lot worse. Decent filler.

Though this isn't a typical horror film, people with an affinity for misanthropy will have no trouble recognizing the terror on display. Noisy crowds, crude people, inhuman behavior, all with a healthy dash of absurdity. It's a fun concept, not perfectly realized, but amusing and pretty effective.

The pacing is pretty decent, the runtime is short, but the film itself is pretty dim. The plot is very basic, performances are well exaggerated and stylistically there is very little there (except maybe one dream sequence). Fun if you're a noir fan and you care about the genre's origins, sadly I'm not and I don't.