Log: week 43 / 2023

I'm not a big fan of gritty 70s cinema, and Peckinpah's Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is a good reminder of what I don't like about these films. Poorly acted, ugly colors, and a dreary setting left me wanting. The second half is a bit more action-oriented, but nothing that got the adrenaline flowing.

A rather disappointing rewatch. I remembered this film as a bit more stylized, and sporting more outspoken sci-fi elements. Instead, the dystopian future looks rather cheap and evasive. It's still a very particular and unique film, but it's not what you'd want from an Enki Bilal adaptation.

A rather pedestrian mountain climbing adventure. The dramatized genre enjoyed a short boost of success, after which the documentaries became more in vogue. I'm not a big fan of either and Vertical Limit isn't the type of film that will change anybody's opinion. It's simple blockbuster fodder.

A pretty fun, but basic Spanish slasher. Considering all the meta elements, it's a film that lies closer to the 90s-era slasher than its 80s relative, but as the 90s revival is in full force these days that's to be expected. It's certainly not the most original film, but with Halloween right around the corner, it's the perfect horror filler.

An interesting little thriller. It reminded me of other freshman efforts. Not any film in particular, but movies like Pi, Following, Stereo, or THX1183. Films that are somewhat different, coming from young directors who clearly had a vision and managed to bring that vision to life. It's not quite up there with the ones I've mentioned, but it's still a cool film.

A somewhat dry and cold rendition of a crime planned by a complete amateur. The story isn't all that interesting and doesn't really go anywhere original, but the stylistic choices do help to set this film apart from similar films. It doesn't make the film more accessible, but seasoned film fans won't have too much of a problem with it.

Biopic about the famous country singer Loretta Lynn. Or so, that's what the film says. I have zero interest in and zero knowledge of country music, and Coal Miner's Daughter did nothing that proved me wrong. It's two hours of full-on US kitsch, sporting one of the worst soundtracks I've heard.

From the director of Birdboy comes another dark, wacky animation. Vázquez has a unique vision and delivers dark fantasy like no one else. I can't say everything worked equally well for me, but there are moments of sheer brilliance here, and with a little more fine-tuning I could see him making a true gem.

A peculiar Wakamatsu film. It felt more like a mid to late-90s crime flick (think Kurosawa or serious Miike), made by someone who was merely getting started in the industry. Not that the film makes any rookie mistakes, it's just that Wakamatsu has such a distinct and unique style, that it's quite hard to believe he could even direct a more straightforward genre film like this.

A mysterious and unsettling film about a young girl who is taken advantage of by an old crone who happens to be her landlord. It's a film that makes the best of its locations, loves to visualize the mental instability of its main character, and comes with a modern touch, even though it's already 2 decades old. It's a typical mindfuck that wasn't too uncommon in the early 00s but has been sorely missed in recent years. A different kind of Brazilian cinema, but one of the best films the country has brought forth if you ask me. You may want to wait until it gets a nice HD polish though.

African fantasy film, that comes off pretty bland and uninspired. The mix of local folklore and fantasy sounded promising enough, but we're talking film here and the presentation is absolutely subpar. Holding the camera still and horizontal is about as far as this production managed to take things.