Log: week 13 / 2022

I've never seen Greece look so uninviting. The cinematography is stark and sluggish, the soundtrack isn't very atmospheric and the performances are poor. The film lost me pretty early on, which made the runtime an even bigger obstacle. I think I'm going to wait a bit before trying another one of Angelopoulos' films.

Scott clearly things he's making great cinema, but the bland plot, the horrible casting choices and the old-fashioned cinematic language make this is a film of the past. It's pretty obvious why this film got such a lukewarm response at the box office. Looking at The Last Duel and House of Gucci, I think it's time for Scott to consider retirement.

Pacino is decent, though I prefer him when he was a bit older. The plot isn't all that interesting and the extra characterization feels flat and uninspired. I'm not a big fan of that grayish (read dull) 70s cinematography either, the score was also pretty tame. That said, I've seen worse and at just over two hours long, it's not impossible to get through.

I'm sure it's all a bit easier to follow if you're already familiar with Eve's career/persona. I can't say I was a big fan of the J-Pop/Rock-like music though, it's also a bummer that there's quite a lot of footage of Eve performing. There's potential here, the animation is exciting, and I love the concept of these album films, but I've seen better.

Cassavetes' film offers a nice peek into the beat scene of that time. Sadly, some performances are pretty weak and the music didn't really appeal to me either. The film is rather short, and it does feel less constricted and less fake than many of its contemporaries, but it wasn't a roaring success for me.

The soundtrack is pretty damn cute (even though a tad too soft still), the performances are solid, and the climax is solid. The drama felt a little tried and tested though. It's nice they're finally starting to highlight some 90s niche music scenes, but that's not enough to turn this into a masterpiece.

The dialogs are pretty witty, the cinematography is polished, and the characters are daft but amusing. It's fast-paced from start to finish and there are fun details scattered throughout the film, it's just that there have been similar films since that have improved on the formula. It's still a good film, just not a personal favorite anymore.

The art style is decidedly 80s, but the level of detail is well above par. The film gets quite horrific at times, but the action dominates. The plot and characters are pretty basic, 45 minutes also is a short time to do much in that regard, but ultimately that's not why I seek out films like this. Lots of fun, a nice recommend for people who love themselves some gory animated action.

As she leaves the exhibition she finds herself in the middle of nature, looking content. That's exactly how I felt after watching Wandering. Tsai delivers some fine shots and the soundtrack is nice, but it's good to see him bring this project to an end. This is for a very niche audience of which I'm not truly a part of. I do appreciate bits and pieces of it, but only to a certain point. Not the strongest, but also not the weakest in the series.

There's a bat motive, medical experiments gone wrong and good guys battling bad guys. Oh, and a pointless love interest. Yet another origin story for a forgettable character that will be slotted into a bigger whole at some point in time. Espinosa's direction isn't too bad though and the darker setting is pretty fun, but it's wasted on an inferior character.

Certain aspects of his career (his involvement in Magnetic Rose) and work (the tremendous importance of the soundtracks in his films) are completely neglected, the strong difference between Japanese and Western interviewees didn't sit too well with me either. It's certainly nice to fly through Kon's career a decade after his passing, but the man deserves a better remembrance than this doc hoped to give him.

Martin is saltless, the script and comedy are bland and none of the characters deserves sympathy. It's never too grating though and the pacing is pretty decent. The runtime isn't too excessive either, so getting to the end isn't that big of an ordeal. It's just a shame that there's nothing really remarkable going on.

The performances are more than solid and the horror elements are decently executed, but the build-up is relatively slow, and the film doesn't stand out enough. A predictable score and meek drama work against the atmosphere, though the base quality of the film does remain pretty consistent throughout. Solid filler, just nothing too memorable.

Sai has a lot of fun with the punk elements. The sets look surprisingly accomplished, Asuka comes off as a female Akira, and the film is teeming with peculiar characters. It's nothing you haven't seen before and the true anarchic punk spirit is missing from this film, instead Sai offers lots of genre fun in a neat little package. A lovely find.

The horror elements are negligible, everything is played for laughs. Most of the comedy is dialogue-based, and I assume that people who love the 30s/40s-style quips will have a good time with it, but that just isn't for me. The physical comedy is equally dire, which leaves pretty much nothing, except a relatively short runtime and some very cheesy costumes.

Gary Green is tremendous as Barry, the cinematography is flashy, and the sound design is superb. The soundtrack is cool too, much cooler than most other films I know, but because it approaches the music I usually listen to it actually falls flat. If Kruger had taken it up a notch or two, this would've been an instant personal favorite, but whenever things are about to get really freaky he dials back the intensity. In the end, the film's a little too meandering and not quite bonkers enough to be a masterpiece. But Kruger deserves another chance. Or two. Because the potential and talent are clearly present.

Don't expect too much straight-up horror, instead Aoyama shoots for a disturbing and alienating atmosphere. It's all rather expected and the police case isn't quite as exciting as intended, but there are some memorable moments that are sure to stick in your brain. Not one of Aoyama's most remarkable films, but a solid addition to his oeuvre.

The performances are plain, the story is as predictable as they come, and the runtime is a bit excessive, though mostly because there are few twists and turns. This is one of those obvious Hollywood chest-thumpers, maybe it was more impressive in its time (though I doubt it), it's just not for me.

There are some great set pieces and the action scenes do get pretty tense. The characters are pretty drab though and there is way too much dialogue. The moral dilemmas aren't that interesting either, they just drag out the film even further. A slimmed down version would've been preferable, as it is now there were too many dead moments.