Log: week 36 / 2022
One of the earliest gangster films. I will say that genres had smaller impacts back in the days of silent cinema. It's more about the narratives and characters than it is about typical cinematic elements, which makes it less interesting. But Walsh's film has something to offer for fans of crime cinema. There are some decent action scenes and the cinematography has its moments. The plot is very basic though and the characters are extremely one-dimensional. Luckily the film is pretty short and the pacing is solid, so it never gets too boring, but don't expect the world from this film.Read all
A pointless "live-action" remake of Disney's Pinocchio. Most of the film is CG though, even when you have some human actors running across the screen from time to time. Zemeckis remained close to Disney's original cartoon, which means it's a very safe take on the story, with some familiar songs thrown in for good measure. In the end, this felt like a very lazy remake. Zemeckis doesn't even make an effort to create something unique or special. The accents were horrible, the actors did poor jobs, the CG was lackluster and the music was bland. At least we have del Toro's take on Pinocchio to look forward to, no doubt it'll be at least twice as interesting as this one.Read all
One of the films that solidified the Safdie brothers' reputation. I'm not the biggest fan of their work, nor am I too impressed with the whole A24 hype, but their influence is hard to ignore, and they rarely make terrible films. Good Time fits in well with their catalogue in other words. My biggest problem with the Safdie brothers is that their sense of anxiety doesn't really translate for me. The cinematography is decent, the score not too bad, and the plot amusing (but predictable), it's just not enough to get me on the edge of my seat. Good Time is okay, but also pretty forgettable.Read all
A rather dry and singular look at the entertainment industry. I hadn't really heard of the film before, but after seeing it, it was clear where The Assistant got its reputation from. In the wake of the first #metoo wave, and with the revelations of Harvey Weinstein fresh in people's minds, a film like this was always going to do well. It could've been better though. The dry presentation is okay and works well for the most part, but it isn't quite as polished as it could've been. The performances are good and the pacing didn't bother me either, it's just that the message felt a bit simple and poorly presented. A slight disconnect with the main character left me pondering why she put up with the terrible working conditions. Solid, but somewhat forgettable.Read all
The atrocities of war. The Bridge is a German take on WWII, sadly it offers little beyond a rather static and predictable anti-war message, spread thin over the course of the film. Unless you're someone who somehow glorifies war, it's difficult to imagine this film being an eye-opener. And then it just comes down to the styling. The stark black and white cinematography feels dead and empty, the performances are not very natural and the message of the film isn't exactly subtle. If you like minimalist classics with straightforward morality then this could very well be a film for you, I can't say it managed to grab me at any point.Read all
Álex de la Iglesia's latest. It's a bit surprising to see him move shop to Italy, but Venice is the perfect location for one of his slightly surreal, maximalist horror films. The premise and structure of the film are relatively simple and don't offer anything particularly new, but de la Iglesia's signature is definitely present. The settings and costumes are superb, the performances are decent and the villains are pretty badass. The pacing is also on point, but there are few surprises here and even though the film is topical, it's not quite as original as I'd hoped. Veneciafrenia is a good horror flick and a fine addition to de la Iglesia's oeuvre, but not one of his best.Read all
Kitamura's entry in the Duel project. Aragami is a tricky film since it isn't inherently suited to the parameters of the project. A lot more weight rests on the shoulders of Kitamura, but that's no doubt what he was gunning for. A project to challenge himself. The build-up is meticulous, the setting kicks ass, and the ending is hilarious, even though it is somewhat of an in-joke. After revisiting both films, I'm still not really sure which one I prefer, but they're both equally strong examples of how to make a great film while working with strict limitations.
So while most of the world is moving on from 80s to 90s nostalgia, Paul Thomas Anderson comes with his ode to the 70s. As someone with little interest in nostalgia, even less so in the 70s, I figured this wasn't really going to be a film for me. What I didn't expect was such a flat and lifeless film. The 70s vibe is on point, seeing as how I didn't like it all. I also didn't care much for the romance between Gary and Alana, and with that, it became painfully clear that this film has very little to offer. PTA's playfulness is completely absent, the cinematography and score are utterly boring, the plot meandering and stretched thin. One of his worst.Read all
A fine premise, but the execution is a bit mediocre. I didn't have the highest expectations for this film, but I had hoped for something a tad more exciting. I understand the whole slacker/apathy angle, and the comedy that should come from it, but even that aspect wasn't entirely convincing. The action scenes are merely decent, most of the film is spent on banter between the two girls, contrasted with their crazy "jobs". It's just not extreme or pure enough to make much of an impact. It's a bit too jolly for a true slacker comedy, a bit too tame from a crazy action flick. Still fun, but should've been better.Read all
Decent, but somewhat tepid and simple revenge flick. Blue Ruin is very much a film of its time, bringing a slight indie/arthouse aesthetic to an otherwise straightforward genre premise. Sometimes this juxtaposition of styles can strengthen each other, most of the time they just cause unnecessary friction. The latter seems to be the case here. Conversation is slight and the film is more show than tell. That's usually a good thing, but the presentation felt a little too bland and sloppy to pull that off effectively. There are some decent twists and the performances aren't bad either, there just wasn't quite enough here to turn this into a riveting, gritty yet grounded revenge flick, which was clearly the goal.Read all
A somewhat lighter, jollier noir film. If that sounds a little nonsensical, it's because it is. The film seems a little unsure of what direction to take, and ends up a mess of two conflicting halves that never quite come together. In a way, it's a nice diversion on my journey of stereotypical noirs, but it doesn't really make for a better film. The plot and cinematography are typical noir elements, the soundtrack and performances give it a softer, almost comedic edge. It's still extremely dialogue-heavy though, and the simple plot and sluggish pacing don't do the film any favors. Noir fans probably won't mind, I just don't really care for it.Read all
A fun, little horror/comedy, that delivers its punchlines with a pleasant smirk. The Passenger isn't doing anything new, but it is aware of its limitations and it exploits little details to make the film more distinct. It's a very smart solution to make a core genre film that doesn't immediately blend in with all the others. The Spanish folk soundtrack, Blasco's bullfighter background, the slightly larger-than-life characters and the violent alien all add some spice to the mix. The effects can appear a little cheap and the comedy can't always mask that, but the pacing is solid, there's plenty of fun to be had and there are some pleasantly gory moments. Good fun.Read all
An extremely simple relationship drama. I kind of get why this might have been considered an important film at the time, as it's a big shift from the cinema China was known for (the Sixth Generation). Then again, there are older, slicker, and more influential films much better fitted to stand the test of time. This one just doesn't have a whole lot going for it. The cinematic qualities here are few and far between. Static and sloppy shots dictate the visual language, the soundtrack is completely absent, and the drama is just too primitive and dull to actively care about. The performances are decent though, which is something. Just not enough to give this film the dramatic impact it needed.Read all
A basic thriller with minor horror elements. The biggest problem with True Fiction is that it fails to enthrall in any way. The premise is decent enough, but writer/director Croft never takes it anywhere interesting. The lead performances are pretty dim and the mystery is simply too predictable. The mind games between the writer and Avery are a little simplistic, neither of the characters comes off very cunning, nor are they menacing when they need to be. And Croft's direction feels rather tepid and uninspired. It's decent enough filler, but it's a film that either lacks ambition or talent to make it stand out.Read all
The Chinese streamer films are slowly but surely getting longer, edging closer to the 90-minute mark. In a way that might give them a bit more validity, on the other hand, they are losing some of their biggest perks. What used to feel very trimmed and to the point, now gets padding that doesn't really add much to the overall quality of the film. The extra comedy bits (mostly at the beginning of the film) are pretty terrible, the added drama isn't all that great either. The fantasy and action scenes on the other hand are on point. The CG too is pretty solid, especially considering the limited means these films are made with. I'm not a fan of the added runtime, but that was always going to be a matter of time. Other than that, amusing filler.Read all
A pretty solid Australian rom-com. There are some offkey dramatic moments that felt a little out of place, but for the most part, the film is pretty funny, without having to resort to overly simplistic gags and obvious plot twists. That's not to say the film is wildly original, but it's certainly above-average genre fare. Toni Collette was surprisingly funny, the supporting cast is pretty solid too, the plot isn't too conventional and the pacing was on point. It's not an incredibly memorable film and I'm sure it'll feel like you've seen it all before, but as rom-coms go, it's one of the more palatable ones. Read all
Classic Powell & Pressburger. So far I haven't really cared for their films (even though they seem to be universally praised), I Know Where I'm Going didn't do much to change my mind. It's classic drama/romance cinema, meaning it's about as subtle as a sledgehammer. At least it was rather short. The performances are overstated, the romance is predictable (and not exactly smoldering), and the British atmosphere is mostly just static and clunky. Towards the end, there were some decent shots, but otherwise, this was a dull and predictable classic, much like the other films I've seen from them.Read all
The fifth in the series, and it's obvious that we've come to a point where it's just cranking out 90 minutes of cinema with familiar characters. The story is ever so slim, the new characters don't really add much to the whole, and the old characters are just repeating their little gimmicks. -The comedy is really childish (the crooks, in particular, are indefensible), the actors look a little bored and the plot is just plain terrible. The most surprising thing about part 5 is that they still managed to make two more films after this, meaning back then there was an audience eagerly looking out for new Police Academy films. Not good.Read all
Kumakiri's take on the Japanese brawler genre. He's a pretty good fit, placing his film somewhere between franchises like Crows Zero and more traditional gangster films. The visuals are pretty dark and gritty, the characters are slightly over-the-top yet remain grounded, and the drama is pleasant, without overpowering the crime and action elements. The start of the film is a little hectic, but once Kumakiri settles into his groove, there's a lot to love.