Log: week 1 / 2022

Billy Tang is a pulpy director, but one who does lend his films a certain amount of flair. Invitation To Die (also known as Wild) is far from a Hong Kong classic, but for people who have already gone through all the big releases it's perfectly serviceable filler with some decent, memorable moments.

When a film does well you can expect a sequel, which is pretty much the only reason this film was made. The same characters return in a more ambitious plot, but the formula hasn't changed a bit. Pop music is given a small make-over, while the plot is a simple vehicle to sell Hollywood's questionable ethics.

Dead or Alive was the very first Miike film I watched, it was also the first real Yakuza film I watched. I was expecting something very different at the time, so I remember being quite disappointed. Apart from the beginning and ending, nothing really stood out for me. It's a good thing I revisited the film, so many years (and Miike films) later this was a lot easier to swallow.

An Army of the Dead spin-off that's a lot more fun than the original. It's a spin-off done right too. The story is set in the Army of the Dead universe, but the genre, style and characters are pretty different, so it's definitely not just more of the same. Not unlike how Cloverfield built its little universe.

A lesser Cheh Chang film. Maybe it's because he was getting a bit tired of making the same kind of film over and over again, or maybe it's just a small shift in balance that makes this a poorer film. A lot of these Shaw Bros films look alike and Disciples of Shaolin is no exception. The stronger focus on plot just makes it a bit harder to stomach.

A decent rape/revenge thriller. It's not as bold or outrageous as its more illustrious predecessors, and it probably won't be as memorable either, but it's a solid thriller with a fine central performance and a couple of pleasant revenge scenes. Perfectly adequate filler in other words.

Don't be fooled by the title, this isn't one of Tanaka's lighter films. Though the premise sounds perfect for a fun genre flick and the first third of the film leaves you guessing, the middle part and the finale hit pretty hard. Nagase is outstanding, the cinematography is stylish, the soundtrack is exemplary, the drama is captivating. Tanaka proves time and time again he's one of the most gifted and unique contemporary Japanese directors, which makes his somewhat lackluster international status that more frustrating.

The best Sjöström I've seen so far. The Wind is a typical late-20s film, one that isn't so much interested in telling an elaborate story, instead, it cares more about communicating a certain mood. I will say that I found a version with a pretty nice and fitting score, which makes these silent film a lot easier to watch.

A slow burn horror film that thrives on atmosphere. Don't expect any big thrills or easy scares, The Wasteland is a film that takes its time to build up tension (the first half is a pretty straight-forward drama) and only starts capitalizing on the built-up dread in its final third. Whether the pay-off is sufficient depends on how well the first half works for you.

China's quest to create the most efficient genre-producing film industry continues. And apart from some flaky CG and an obvious lack of star power, they're getting frighteningly close to producing a genuine masterpiece. Monster Hospital is one of the best films yet in this peculiar niche, and a clear recommend for those who loved the Hong Kong action/fantasy/comedy blends of the 90s.

I never quite knew what to expect from this film. Somehow I figured this was going to be a rather stylish arthouse-like drama, probably based on the poster plus Kidman's presence. Instead, I got a grossly overacted piece of kitsch and sentimentality, the epitome of bad Hollywood cinema.

False Positive certainly isn't the first film to exploit pregnancy for a good bout of horror. There are quite a few films out there that use looming parental fears and hormonal changes as a premise for paranoia and general nastiness, John Lee doesn't really add much to them, I'm afraid.

An old-fashioned romcom that loves to riff on the classic woman-man contradictions. Adam's Rib isn't particularly subtle about it (as if the title wasn't obvious enough) and it shouldn't be a big surprise that the situational comedy is pretty predictable. Then again, the film doesn't pretend to be anything more than basic genre work.

A nice, pleasant, though somewhat simplistic little drama. Life: Untitled would've made more of an impact if we hadn't seen a slew of similar films in recent years (Hiroki's Kabukichô Love Hotel being one of the more prominent), especially since Yamada struggles to find anything original to say.

Only in Japan. Gautaman feels like a close sibling to Hentai Kamen, the underwear-wearing superhero who fights crime with his almost-bare body. You'll find the same kind of absurdities in Gautaman, the biggest difference being that this series throws some random religious elements in the mix.

The first film was absolutely adorable. The sequel doesn't change too much, except that it tumbles into some all too obvious pitfalls. The setup is bigger, the adventure is bolder and the fantasy elements more pronounced. The problem with all of that is that simplicity was one of the primary strengths of the franchise.

The fourth part in the infamous Once Upon a Time in China series is the first one to introduce major changes in cast and crew. Hark Tsui was still around to help out with the story (hardly the most important part), Jet Li was replaced by Wenzhuo Zhao. Neither is a change for the better.

A couple of weeks ago I watched the first part of the Sun, Moon and Star duology. I didn't care much for it and didn't really feel like slotting in the second film soon after, but since this is a straightforward continuation of the story it wouldn't make sense to wait too long either. So I powered through.

A fine South-Korean thriller. I've seen it compared to Flanagan's Hush, which is not a bad point of reference. Except we're dealing with two mute characters here, who aren't confined to their home, but are running around town instead. It's a clever spin that makes the film a touch darker still.

A peculiar Belgian-Japanese co-production. Written and directed by Willemyns (50% of Arsenal - a local pop band), it's a film that challenges the abusive nature of the music industry, a topic no doubt close to his heart. I'm not entirely sure why Willemyns felt the need to move his story all the way to Japan, but the result is pretty interesting regardless.

I'm quite surprised by the critical acclaim this film received. While watching, it felt like a local production, made for a local audience. I wouldn't have been surprised if this had been a TV production. Winning a Golden Lion is no simple feat though, so some people clearly saw something more than I did.

McKay is slipping. The Big Short was an interesting film, but the more he tries to relive that success, the cringier his films seem to become. Don't Look Up is a satire that loves to make fun of the excesses and polarization of our society, but it never gives the impression that it understand the core reasons for these problems.