Log: week 28 / 2021

Lee Marvin is a terrible cast and annoys from start to finish, the other actors aren't that much better. Boorman's playfulness is nice in theory, but the execution isn't very impressive and as a result, the pacing is way too slow. As a simple genre film, it's still relatively amusing, but certainly not the film Boorman wanted it to be.

Bautista is a solid cast, the rest of the actors are a lot flakier. Especially since there's quite a bit of drama to plow through, which none of them are equipped to do. There isn't enough zombie action, the kills feel rushed, the lore is a cheesy take on other post-apocalyptic films. And then there's that insane runtime. Snyder really needs to go back to his roots.

Outbreak/pandemic films tend to be quite samey, Zeze doesn't challenge that and simply made a Japanese version. Performances are decent, the drama a little overdone, but the tension is solid and the quest for a cure pretty interesting. Maybe not the right time for some people to watch this one, but I had quite a bit of fun with it.

The sets look lush, actors are really settled into their characters, and the action scenes are impressive. I'm not sure how faithful this adaptation is to the manga/anime, but I honestly don't care too much about all of that. For non-Kenshin adepts, this is a fun and entertaining series, with The Legend Ends being a perfect finale.

Bennent's performance is truly excellent, his character is also very intriguing. A mix of innocence and cunning that challenges the viewer. The direction is pleasant, with slightly absurd and exaggerated moments that keep you on your toes. The WWII setting feels a bit redundant though and the runtime is a bit too long, other than that this turned out to be a nice discovery.

The cinematography is interesting, and the effects are neat. The structure makes that the film remains intriguing, that said, 7 segments may have been a bit much. There's quite a bit of repetition and while the presentation is nice enough, the second half did start to feel a little redundant. That said, a solid effort for its time.

After watching the tree films, it still baffles me how they managed to stretch such a thin story into a trilogy. At least the first two films handled it with grace, this third part on the other hand spends way too much time trying to wrap everything up, as if the plot was really all that interesting. The horror is almost completely absent, performances are weak, the pacing is sluggish. I'm afraid this was a pretty bad way to end the series.

The performances are decent, but that's about it. Characters are sullen and somewhat boring, there's an excess of drama and the comedy feels too predictable. It's really just a simple drama like there are so many already, with not enough differentiating qualities to stand out from its peers.

A Classic Horror Story is self-aware and witty, but not without neglecting the actual horror. The camera is just a little afraid to show any actual gore, but the cinematography is great, and the soundtrack is atmospheric. The finale is fun, but not exactly earth-shattering (though props for that final scene). Still, if you're looking for some prime horror filler, this film has you covered.

The film's pulpy origins are abundantly clear, but Jissoji's excellent direction makes this a real hoot. The camera work is great, the effects are impressive, and the fantastical designs look cool. The pacing is solid too, and even though the story isn't all that demanding, it contains all the ingredients to make this an entertaining spectacle.

The comedy is pretty crude and based on broad clichés, but it's exactly that crudeness that makes it fun to watch. The romcom elements are basic, the pacing is conflicted, and the performances are rather weak. But all in all it's a relatively entertaining film, not very memorable, but decent enough filler.

Wilder doesn't do overacting very well, the jokes are moldy and the film well outstays its welcome. I have to say that the cinematographer did a solid job making it look like a vintage horror classic, but it's a style that doesn't do much for me. It's as much a remake as it is a homage, making this film pretty redundant. Not good.

Performances are quite poor, the soundtrack is cheesy instead of atmospheric, the cinematography is pretty dull and the horror looks incredibly cheap. I'm not a big fan of classic Italian horror cinema, so your mileage may definitely vary, but even the often lauded ending failed to impress. A poor showing.

The practical effects and (creature) designs look great, the exaggerated sound effects and moody soundtrack are a big asset, and the performances are on point. It's a shame the film focuses just a little too much on human friction and doesn't dare to go in overdrive during the finale, but it's a superbly dark trip that makes the most of its fantastical premise.

It's nice to see Ninomiya at least stayed true to the club setting, but don't expect anything too realistic here. The DJ stuff feels incredibly staged, the atmosphere is pretty light and mellow, stylistically the film is on the safe side. It's still a decent enough comedy, with some fun moments and a pleasant vibe, it's just not on the level of his previous work. Let's hope this was just a little filler project for Ninomiya.

If you're hoping for hardened criminals and exciting heists or chases, this won't be for you. Ray skips most of the classic film noir elements and instead aims his camera at the two leads. Their performances are too basic to support the drama and Ray's styling falls short, making this a pretty dull and uneventful drama. Not a good start.

Fox isn't the greatest actress, but she pulls off the grit and determination that her character is built on with ease. The rest of the cast is pretty decent too. The cinematography is well above par and Dale does a solid job building up the tension. If you take the genre clichés (read stupid decisions the characters make) for granted, there's a lot of fun to be had with this one.

With guys like Jordan Chan and Lam Suet, you have some real veterans. The cinematography is also pretty slick, even the soundtrack has some stand-out moments. But when putting everything together, it never quite gels. Something in the editing throws off the pacing of the action and makes it look cheaper than it should. It's certainly not a bad attempt, but not the return to form I hoped this would be.

Like most of these films, there just way (way!) too much boring dialogue. The effects are crap and the story is extremely basic, so apparently all that's left are some mediocre actors who have to talk for most of the film's runtime. This one is only 1 hour long, but even then it fails to be interesting for 2-3 minutes at the most. Cheap.

The horror is decent but expected, performances are solid, and the finale works well enough, but there's just too much drama in between, which hampers the pacing of the film. The film ends up with a runtime just under two hours, where 90 minutes would've been more than enough. Decent horror filler.

The horror is pretty basic, the camp slasher clichés are a bit dull, and the performances of the kids are pretty basic. Also, just like the first film, director Janiak has trouble capturing the 70s atmosphere, which makes you wonder why they even bothered. Hopefully the third and final part can redeem the first two mediocre entries.