Log: week 32 / 2021

Dave is a geeky guy who spends his free time in his underground laboratory, experimenting with coils and electricity. His life takes a different turn when he meets Balthazar, a decedent from Merlin who sees in Dave an ideal subject to become his successor. Dave isn't too sure about that, but how can he reject becoming a sorcerer?

I don't think Nicolas Cage was a very smart cast, the rest of the actors aren't much better. The comedy is lame, the soundtrack is horrendous, and the action isn't too impressive. A few scenes stand out, but mostly because of the budget. I think we can all be happy the no doubt planned sequel never got made.

Bound for the Fields is set in pre-WWII Japan. The country is starting to ready itself for the coming war, but the children in a small rural town don't understand what all the fuss is about. Two young bullies are forced to work together when the sister of one of them is about to be sold to a brothel.

Ôbayashi does what he does best. A light rural drama is mixes with quirky comedy and light fantasy elements. It's a fun, lively film that never bores despite it's rather long runtime. The lush black and white cinematography certainly plays a part in that (beware, there's also a color version), but it's really Ôbayashi's splendid direction that ties everything together. Very nice.

The film plays like a mini-anthology, focusing on four different stories in pre-revolution Cuba. The first about a woman prostitute, the second about a farmer losing his house, the third about students championing Castro and the final one about a family forced to leave their house when it is bombarded.

Performances are a little flaky, the film could've been shorter and the anthology setup doesn't really add that much. But man does it look beautiful again. Lovely contrasting black and white cinematography mixed with dynamic camera work and superb angles make this a true looker. Not quite as consistent as I'd hoped, but certainly worth a watch.

The US is keeping a lethal virus strain behind closed doors, hoping to weaponize it when the time is right. A monkey shipped from Africa to the US is about to mess up their plans. It carries the virus and infects the people of Cedar Creek. Within no time, the little village is a hotbed for the virus.

Hoffman is more than a little annoying, though part of that is just his character. The action scenes are too cheesy, the Hollywood bloat is considerable, and the second half is a bit of a disappointment. That said, the spread of the epidemic is well covered and COVID-19 still plaguing our planet does give this film an extra dimension. Not great, somewhat amusing.

Jim Stark has trouble fitting in, no matter where he goes. After moving to yet another town, he meets July. Jim vows to make a real effort this time, but trouble with his parents and some local gangs make it very hard to stay out of trouble. When a car race goes terribly wrong, Jim gets himself into a way bigger mess than he bargained for.

The rebellious side of the film isn't great, but it's at least somewhat entertaining, with the cliff scene being a clear standout. The dramatic side is pretty poor though. Performances are weak, characters are one-dimensional, and two hours is a bit much for a simple film like this. Far from good, but I guess its reputation is deserved.

Four women work the night shift, making lunch boxes day in day out. It's mentally tiring, especially when their home situation isn't all that great either. The youngest of the bunch cracks and kills her abusive husband. She calls in the help of the other three to help her with her predicament, but that just gets her further into trouble.

Performances are solid and seeing these rather dull housewives trying to handle an unfortunate murder is amusing. The cinematography is pretty grim and the score just a little too dramatic, the film also tilts a bit too much to the drama side, but Hirayama keeps it interesting throughout and the film never bored me. It just wasn't as edgy as I'd hoped.

Half an hour in, it became clear this wasn't really a documentary about fungi. Sure enough, they form the basis of the content, but the makers seem way more interested in their medicinal (and other) powers. After a short introduction (which was quite interesting), it quickly devolves into some wishy-washy pro-hallucinogens bullshit.

Ecstatic accounts of flaky subjects, ethereal background music and broad statements seem to underline the need for the health warning at the start. Ultimately, this was a very disappointing film. Apart from some pretty photography, there's really nothing of interest here. Guess I'll have to commit and watch The Creeping Garden now.

Martin Blank is a professional killer who has had it with his job. He executes one last kill and returns to his hometown to rekindle an old love. He stood up Debi on their prom night and still feels bad about the situation, an upcoming class reunion is the perfect excuse to right the wrongs of the past. Others won't just let Blank quit his job though.

I'm not a John Cusack fan, which may have something to do with my apathetic reaction to this film. He's annoying, has no charm, no chemistry with Driver either. The crime and action elements are bland and negligible, the romance is a complete dud and the comedy rarely hits the mark. As for the direction, Armitage is completely invisible. A pretty bad film.

Fenn is a has-been journalist who writes crappy stories about the supernatural. A trip to a small village in Massachusetts is turning out to be another bust, until Fenn nearly runs over a young girl. He follows her and finds her praying in front of a true. When he finds out the girl has been deaf and mute all her life, the town starts to believe they're witnessing a miracle.

The Unholy is a pretty simple religious horror film. Performances are decent, the visual effects are solid, and the technical qualities are on point. The film simply isn't very scary, tense or moody though. It's just a predictable narrative that lacks highs and lows, stand-out moments and memorable scenes. Basic but expensive filler.

Adonis Creed never knew his father, but he inherited his taste for boxing. Quitting a well-paid job and a cushy life, Adonis sets out to make it in the ring. He seeks out Rocky Balboa, hoping he will guide him to the top. Rocky isn't part of the boxing world anymore, but upon seeing Apollo's boy he's willing to give it another try.

Jordan is pretty decent, Stallone is passable (which is a big win). Other than that, there's really not much to say about this film. If you've seen one boxing film you've seen them all, and apart from a more hip-hop inspired soundtrack and a slightly blacker cast, Coogler does very little with the material. Creed is way too long, doesn't offer enough excitement and chokes on the more dramatic parts, but boxing fans should be happy that this contemporary update is on the same level as the original.

Kemp is trailing Vandergroat, a killer worth 5.000 dollars, all the way through the Rockies. Two more men join the hunt, though unaware of the price on Vandergroat's head. When they finally catch the man, he tries to save himself by trying to set up the bounty hunters against each other. That turns out to be a lot easier than expected.

Stewart is a terrible actor, he didn't magically get any better here. At least he fits in with the rest of the cast, who are equally disappointing. The soundtrack is terrible, the cinematography is bland and the plot is predictable. Add some cliché characters and a sluggish pace, and you have something that is hell to sit through. Unless you love westerns I guess.

Lisa is a girl on her way to the US. She saved up some money, but right before her plane ticket expires she hopes to make a quick buck in Harajuku. During a video shoot she is robbed by the Yakuza, leaving her stranded with just the ticket. Raku and Jonko, two regulars, decide to help Lisa out and call in some favors to earn Lisa's money back.

Harada proves himself a capable director. The film isn't as experimental as Anno's, but the overall quality is higher. The performances are strong, the camera work is vibrant, and the characters are an interesting bunch. Harada blends the culture exploration well with the narrative and delivers a warm, captivating, slight disturbing drama.

Enrico hasn't been living with his wife for ages, but out of the blue he invites her to come visit him in Venice. Enrico is terminally ill, even so he decides not to break the news to his wife just yet. They spend a couple of days in Venice, rekindling the past and reliving their romance, but Enrico's days are numbered.

The overbearing soundtrack is a real nuisance, the plot is basic, and the characters aren't very likeable. I really didn't feel for them, which is tough for a romance. On the upside, it's nice to see them traversing Venice, a lovely setting for a film like this. Other than that, not a very successful film.

Virginie is running a locust farm, hoping she can support her family with the proceeds. The locusts aren't really breeding though and selling them is tougher than expected. An unfortunate accident ends up becoming Virginie's savior, as she realizes that the locusts thrive on blood. Getting enough blood to support the farm is easier said than done.

The build-up is slow but deliberate, the shift from family drama to horror is subtle but noticeable and around halfway through the film's true intentions should be clear for all to see. Performances were solid, the mood was dark and uneasy, the finale pretty cool. An impressive horror film, but not for everybody.

Japan is in lockdown, people are bored. Actor Takumi Saitoh figures he should do his part to combat the virus and orders a "capsule kaiju", a small monster egg that's supposed to grow into a real kaiju and help humanity fight the virus. While tending to the egg, he checks in with friends for help and pointers.

It's a rather absurd premise, especially for people not familiar with Japan's kaiju history. Iwai's deadpan approach is delightful though and the DIY vibe works in favor of the film. There are some more arthouse-like moments (the modern dance sequences - beautifully realized) and the message at the end is a bit heavy-handed, but overall this was a very light, fun and inventive little film. Comes well recommended for fans of Iwai's work, but some familiarity with kaiju culture is necessary to enjoy this film to its fullest.

Richie is a poor college student. He's also a math wizard and hoping to make a buck with gambling. When he finds out the site he plays on is cheating him out of his money, he sets out to contact the owner, hoping he might put Richie's skills to good use. Everything goes according to plan, but Richie soon finds that nobody can be trusted.

The plot is pretty bland and the performances aren't strong enough to carry the film. Furman tries to add some glitz and cool, but it's all pretty superficial. The pacing is solid though and while the film is extremely predictable, it's not the worst way to spend 90 minutes of your time. Simple filler in other words.

When it rains outside, movie theaters are perfect getaways for people who want to get off the streets. Ana is tending to the theater as her father needs rest, what she doesn't know is that a killer has entered the premises and is hunting for people's eyeballs. Once he's inside, the body count goes up pretty fast.

The first half hour is a little stiff. The characters aren't that interesting and the extended introduction of the setting is rather pointless, since we've seen this thing so many times before. The killer is pretty cool though and the murders are pleasantly violent. Contenti knows what makes these films tick, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the finale is a blast. No masterpiece, but good stuff nonetheless.

Loretta is marrying Johnny, though it's clear her heart isn't really in it. Johnny is staying with his dying mom and asks Loretta to visit his brother Ronny to clear the bad blood between them. Loretta obliges, but after spending a little time with Ronny, they've fallen madly in love with each other. A tricky situation.

How schmaltzy drama and a cast of irritating Italian-American stereotypes are to combine into a fun romcom is beyond me, but that's what Jewison attempted here. The performances are terrible, the drama is overdone, and the soundtrack is simply grotesque. Either this is the thickest pastiche I've ever laid eyes on, or it's just plain crap. I'm betting on the latter.

When a plane crashes down in central London, a mysterious cargo falls next to a Storage 24 facility. The facility goes into lockdown, trapping a handful of people inside. While tensions between the group are already quite high, things are about to get a lot worse when they find out what escaped from the plane.

Roberts does a fairly decent job building up the tension. The creature effects/design are pretty crummy though, which makes it difficult to really get into the film. Performances are basic, and the plot is really thin, but the film does have a handful of decent moments. Not great, but not entirely worthless either.

Sartana helps out a gambler who has been wrongfully accused. He breaks him out of prison, and together they escape to Mansfield, chasing a lost treasure. The people in Mansfield aren't very friendly though and Sartana feels something isn't quite right, but the money calls to him.

For the most part, this is a pretty basic western, only everyone is speaking Italian. It's a bit odd at first, but I got used to it soon enough. The finale had some quirkier elements, not something I'd expected, but they certainly brightened up the film. Not enough to make it a truly enjoyable experience, but it certainly made it less boring than other westerns I've seen.

Four Chinese secret agents are sent on a mission to Manchukuo. When they arrive there, they discover there's a mole in their midst. Between completing their mission and trying to figure out who is selling them out, the four have a tough time staying alive, as everyone seems to be on their tail.

The cinematography is nice, though not up to Zhang's usual standard. The plot and acting are decent enough too, but the film's a bit slow. There's really no reason why this couldn't have been finished 30 minutes sooner, even so Zhang draws it out to hit the two-hour mark. If you love a good spy thriller though, this film has you covered.

A team of criminals is assembled to carry out a mission in Corto Maltese, a small island where a secret facility houses a terrifying weapon. Once there, it quickly transpires that their lives aren't worth all that much and that they haven't been given full security clearance. Even so, they have no other option than to carry out the mission.

Gunn's comedy is pleasantly blunt and stupid, which goes perfectly well with the comic book vibe. There are several stand-out scenes (Quinn's flower battle is amazing) and some very cool jokes, the action scenes are a tad dull though and there's a bit too much empty filler to keep it engaging all the way through. Still, I hope Gunn can have another go as this was so much better than the first one.

Brogan is a football player at the end of his career. He needs money, and decides to take on a job offered by Jake, one of his shadier friends. Brogan is tasked to find Jake's girlfriend, whose father owns the club where Brogan is employed. When he finds her, the two hit it off and decide to leave Jake behind.

Performances are rather poor, the soundtrack is beyond cheesy, the plot far too pedestrian. It's a pretty run-of-the-mill and unambitious film that overstays its welcome, but at least the pacing is somewhat decent. Hard to recommend and easy to skip, unless you're a fan of 80s American B-thrillers.