Log: week 22 / 2022
That film that came out after Jungle Cruise. It's difficult not to compare both films and conclude this one is the lesser of the two. The result is still a somewhat amusing, albeit daft and silly comedy adventure with some famous faces and plenty of money to burn, but that's about it really. Pitt is pretty funny, Tatum is okay, Bullock is out of her element. It's a shame then that she's the lead character and that Pitt isn't around for very long. The film could've been shorter, the comedy a bit snappier and the adventure a little more exciting. It's not terrible, just very basic entertainment.Read all
Popular action flick, though it's a bit difficult to see why exactly this stood out 20 years ago. The action isn't that spectacular, the drama is pretty bland and the intrigue is almost low-key for a blockbuster film. It's not a terrible film either, just that it's nothing particularly memorable. There's quite a bit of action, though director Johnson isn't particularly gifted in that regard. The actors are familiar faces and there are some big set pieces to help things along, still, it feels like the film is simply going through the motion. Big, expensive genre filler in other words. Not bad, not great.Read all
Rob Savage returns without another screen-based horror film. It's quite a step up from Host, which ended up being a bit boring and too suggestive. In Dashcam, he makes he turns things around and delivers a manic, constantly thrilling and over-the-top horror flick that should put you on the edge of your seat. If you can stomach found footage that is. The lead character is absolutely dreadful, but that is clearly by design. The intro is a tad slow too and some of the footage is probably a bit too fuzzy. Once the horror starts though, it doesn't let up and the complete lack of lore adds greatly to the intrigue. I had a lot of fun with this one.Read all
A decent but somewhat middle of the road crime/action film. It's not quite as punchy and dynamic as its Hong Kong neighbors, not as elaborate and gritty as its Japanese neighbors, not as overly expensive as its Hollywood neighbors. It's perfectly pleasant filler though, but I was expecting something a bit better. The cinematography isn't that great, the characters are a little dull and the action isn't all that spectacular., even though some attempts are made to make it stand out. The film goes through the motions and the pacing is decent, but Yaksha never rises above the level of simple genre filler.Read all
A different kind of vampire film. I watched it when I was a lot younger, but it didn't do much for me then. It's not really a film that has improved with age either. The premise is rather interesting, but the safe and Hollywood-appropriate handling of the material makes it somewhat of a bore. Interview with the Vampire is a bit more lavish compared to other Hollywood productions, almost twenty years later it's hardly impressive to look at. The performances are mediocre, the runtime excessive and the horror elements underdeveloped. It's not terrible, just plain and unexciting.Read all
I'm not surprised this film is considered by name to be the mother of popular Bollywood cinema. I'm not an expert, not on the films nor the timeline, but I've seen a few modern ones and this film seems a pretty clear template for the later successes of popular Indian cinema. It's really what you expect from a Bollywood film, but older. Which means, not quite as lush, somewhat slower and possibly even more melodramatic. And long, very long. It's not really the kind of cinema I like to begin with, to just get a more classical version of that made it quite the burden to sit through. I don't doubt the film's status, but it wasn't a very pleasant watch for me.Read all
Watanabe's latest film is more limited in scope and ambition, but his core qualities are still there. In a small seaside town, Nikuko and her daughter Kikuko are trying to get by. Nikuko is quite the character, but a happy and caring mother, Kikuko is hitting puberty and is starting to deal with the weight of adulthood. The beautiful animation, the lovely setting and pleasant soundtrack all add to the sweet and wholesome atmosphere that make this film an easy favorite. It's a pretty safe film for Studio 4°C, but one of the better ones in its genre.
A revisit of the noir genre that doesn't add much, apart from some racial intrigue. For a 90s film it isn't particularly well-made either, it felt like a low-budget, low-effort, low-on-atmosphere TV film that only made the minimum effort to catch that 40s/noir mood many cinephiles love so much. Washington isn't bad, Cheadle is solid too, but the plot is a downright bore, the cinematography is dead poor and the pacing is sluggish. Big noir fans will probably find more to like here, but this is really just a retake is the basic genre fair that was released five decades prior. Not good.Read all
Ireland claims vampire origins. Stoker is portrayed as a common thief in this film, someone who visited the pleasant town of Six Mile Hill, heard the bloodsucking demon folklore and returned home to write a book about it. A good premise for a film, certainly when it contains a slice of dry Irish comedy. The low-key humor is a blessing, the slow build-up works well, and the finale actually delivers. Bounty from County Hell offers a fresh new take on the vampire lore, though as a horror film it's not exactly original. Good genre work though, with perfect pacing, a short runtime and plenty of genre fun along the way.Read all
Rise of the Machine Girls
Some 15 years ago, Iguchi's Machine Girl kicked off the whole Sushi Typhoon craze. It's not a film that needed a sequel and Rise of the Machine Girls is mostly one in name only, but since Japanese splatter comedy releases are few and far between these days, I can't say I really mind. This new one isn't up there with the best of them, but it's well entertaining. The biggest problem I have with this film is that very little has changed since the first one. Yes, the ideas are weird and insane, there is plenty to laugh, and this niche truly is one of a kind. But the performances are still pretty crap, so is the CG. You'd think they'd put a bit more effort into the execution to try and up their game, but alas. Great fun though.Read all
Salles' breakthrough film. I was familiar with the title, but that was about it. That's not too uncommon for arthouse cinema, it's not my number one priority, though there are plenty of films that have enough appeal to warrant my attention. I can't say I was completely won over by this one, but don't let that hold you back from giving it a go. The cinematography is very pleasant and gives the film lots of extra flair, the drama on the other hand feels a bit simple and I never really cared enough about either of the leads to make this a success. The pacing is good though, and there are some memorable moments here, so it certainly wasn't a waste of time.Read all
A pretty interesting film. What could've been a rather basic and familiar coming of age drama, is turned upside down by a kooky premise. This adds a lot of comedy (and goodwill), making the more dramatic second half that much easier to stomach. Though I was slightly bummed the comedy is almost completely gone towards the finale. The actors do a solid job, the premise is explored beautifully, and the score is surprisingly stylish. The cinematography could've used a little extra work and the drama felt a tiny bit pedestrian in comparison, but the romance works well, and I left the film feeling like I'd seen something unique. Good stuff.Read all
A decent sci-fi, that lacks an interesting premise to make it stand out from its peers. I think we're probably past the point where it suffices to do a story about an out of control A.I. At least, the more serious explorations of the subject. Though the presentation is fine here, the setup and plot are so chewed out that it gets a bit hard to appreciate. It's a pretty bland Black Mirror-like premise, director Ness doesn't take it any interesting places either. The presentation is decent, with some pleasant paranoia-driven styling, but it's nothing you haven't seen before. Dark Clouds is just a run-of-the-mill sci-fi, copying most of the films that came before, without adding anything substantial of its own.Read all
Cheh Chang directed a good 6 films back in 1969, so it's not too surprising he found some room for experimentation. I say experimentation, but what I really mean is "non-martial arts films", as Dead End is a pretty bog-standard movie, apart from being directed by a martial arts legend. My expectations going in were low, sadly, there were also met. Chang isn't very good at anything but martial arts, and Dead End is no exception. The romance doesn't really work, the pacing is too slow, and the action feels out of place. There are some good moments, but they're too few and far between.Read all
A nice, original take on a famous horror niche. I'm not going to spoil which one, that would be ruining some of the fun, though pay a little attention, and you should be able to guess soon enough. It's Sheridan's stylish direction that makes the difference here, and turns this into a pointed and beautiful little horror film. The setting is lovely, the cinematography strong, the score very atmospheric and the mix of horror and drama just right. Rose is a pretty simple film and the way this particular horror niche is being reimagined isn't all that novel, but it does feel pretty fresh and everything works as it should. A pleasant surprise.Read all
A pleasant but rather basic arthouse drama. Taipei Suicide Story is a mid-length feature that hinges on a single conceptual idea. The film is nicely executed and effective, it's also very predictable, and it doesn't really take its premise to exciting places. The result is certainly nice enough, especially for people who like subdued drama, but the potential was there to do more. The cinematography is nice but not too remarkable, the same goes for the score. The premise is interesting but somewhat poorly developed, it's really the superb performances that make this film work. The finale is a little tough, not in the least because it is very predictable, but overall a nice and short film. I think it's time for the director to try a full-length feature next. Read all
Cheh Chang treading on Yuen Chor territory. I don't think Chang is the best man to handle martial arts/fantasy crossovers, but The Weird Man delivers what the title promises. The fantastical elements are goofy, there's a level of oddness that is pleasant and there sure are some memorable moments. The soundtrack is goofy, the material is slightly more fantastical than usual and there's a bit more comedy tucked away. The fights are decent, the pacing is solid and even though I've seen plenty of similar films already, I wasn't bored. It's a perfectly fine Cheh Chang film, but not amongst his best work.Read all
A Martin/Lewis collaboration that had somehow escaped me until now. While I'm not a hardcore fan of their work, they are a pretty fun duo and this circus-based film is a pretty good (albeit logical and easy) fit for the duo. Though a bit too long, there are some fun moments that illustrate why they became so famous together. Jerry Lewis as Jerrico the clown and Dean Martin as the women-hungry Pete, no doubt these roles weren't very hard to write. The duo is in good form and there are enough laughs scattered throughout the film, though it wouldn't have hurt to cut 15 minutes, and the ending is quite sudden and extremely convenient. Decent.Read all
More tomb raiding fun, though this time we're going even more fantastical, with even some minor sci-fi elements thrown in. And a Lara Croft lookalike, so you won't be mistaken where this film got its inspiration from. The result is pretty amusing, though, as is often the case with these films, let down by some pretty poor CG. It's nice to see a bit more variation in plot and genre elements, but in the end their impact is rather minimal. The film feels a bit too fluffy for a bona fide adventure, and the CG can really get below acceptable quality levels. Still, thanks to the solid pacing and short runtimes, films like these are hardly ever boring. I just wish they paid a little more attention to the details.Read all
Allen's second film is a full-on comedy, stacked with absurd and cheesy gags. It's probably a bit of a surprise for those only familiar with his later films, but his earlier work was a lot more straight-forward in that sense. No endless monologues or artsy references, just laugh after laugh. The pseudo-documentary style is perfect, Allen fits the lead like a glove, most of the jokes hit and there's practically no downtime at all. Add the frantic pacing and a short runtime, and you have a fun and entertaining comedy. Most importantly, it never tries to add drama, which is the biggest win of all. Good stuff.Read all
I'm still looking for that first quintessential German film I absolutely adore, but they seem hard to find. Sleep is a film that looked pretty good on paper, it also has everything to make a superb genre flick, but somehow the execution isn't really there, and it ends up feeling too generic. The mystery is pretty decent, though the film reveals things a bit too soon. Director Venus also tries to add some audiovisual flair, but those attempts are quite haphazard and the rest of the film looks pretty poor in comparison. The potential was there to be a kick-ass genre flick, it just never really materialized.Read all
The new Zeze is pretty much what I expected from it. He's been doing these gritty thrillers with strong dramatic foundations for a while now, and In The Wake perfectly fits in with his more recent efforts. Combining the aftermath of the tsunami with a police investigation, it's another worthy addition to Zeze's oeuvre. The performances are very solid, Zeze has the gritty look down and the police procedural elements flow well with the drama. Of course there's a little social commentary too (this time focusing on Japan's poor welfare system), but that's just par for the course. Nothing too exceptional, but good, quality film making from one of Japan's more interesting directors.Read all
A somewhat lesser Obayashi, also the second newspaper drama I've seen in two days. Purely coincidental, as I don't really read any plot info up front. What I'm missing here is Obayashi's quirkier and more overtly stylistic elements. There are flashes of that, but not enough to make it a recognizable film. Obayashi does make the film a bit more dynamic than the genre requires, and the performances are pretty solid. The plot's a bit all over the place and the theme isn't that exciting, at least not a good three decades later. It's not a bad film, but looking at Obayashi's other work, it could've used a little extra spice.Read all
Just last week I watched Lang's first Nibelungen, the contrast couldn't be any bigger. Instead of an imaginative, visual spectacle, The Woman in the Window is a very typical noir, including a crummy murder scene, simplistic characters and lots (and I mean, LOTS) of dialogue. What a waste of talent. The performances are pretty weak, the story is just a copy/paste job from a million other noirs, the film is way too long for what is just a very basic plot. No doubt noir fans will find a lot to love here, as the film doesn't really deviate from the genre norm, but I think I could probably do with a little noir timeout right about now.Read all
I feel for Matt Reeves. The man made a pretty solid film. The atmosphere is cool, the film looks stylish, the pacing is a bit slow but fits the overall mood. There are only three elements ruining his film: Batman, Catwoman and The Riddler. Because no matter how hard Reeves tries, these superheroes are super silly, and they don't fit a super serious film. Reeves' rendition of Gotham is one of the best I've seen so far. The plot is a pretty simple police procedural, and three hours is truly too long for a simple film like this, but the mood is thick and the cinematography on point. If Reeves could do a club scene, that would've been even better, but it's the superhero angle that really kills this film. Disappointing.Read all