Log: week 46 / 2023

Akira Suei had a rather traumatic youth, but he got his life back on track after meeting his first girlfriend. He trained himself to become a graphic artist, a career choice that would steer him to the world of erotic magazines. Later on, Akira would become the chief editor of one of Japan's most infamous erotic publications.

The film's a little slow to get going, but the performances are quite strong and Suei's origin story is interesting. His life story is just that though, and there are better films handling Japan's adult industry. It's all a little too by the numbers, but if you're looking for decent filler drama, it's not the worst choice.

When an architect is close to bankruptcy, he moves back to his hometown, where he tries to reconnect with his estranged brother. He once left for Tokyo to make a better life for himself, his brother stayed behind to run the family bathhouse. He tries to convince his brother to sell the place, but he isn't willing to budge.

The outcome of the plot is pretty predictable, the performances are a little fluffy and the nostalgia was a bit hit-and-miss. The characters are cute though, and Japan's bathhouse culture is interesting. For a better film, I recommend Thermae Romae, but Yudo is decent enough filler.

The first short is about a barber who scouts and scalps women who need a late-night haircut. The second short follows a cat rescuer who gets herself into some serious trouble. And finally, the third short is about a woman who wants to take revenge on her dentist, as he harassed her.

Each short brings something different to the table. The presentation is nice, the performances are decent and the horror elements are properly executed (read, there's none of that wonky Hong Kong comedy to detract from the film). It's a solid anthology, nothing too spectacular, but easy filler for horror fans.

An eccentric banker can't remember much of his life before 1927. He hires a young American reporter and tasks him with the investigation of his mysterious past. The reporter starts his work but soon notices that the people he interrogates end up dead soon after he visits them.

Like most noirs, there's a lot of conversation to wade through, and most of it isn't all that interesting. The performances are poor and feel forced, the pacing is relatively slow and this certainly isn't Welles' most attractive-looking film. There wasn't a lot here I cared for, which seems to be the case for most classic noirs I've watched these past months.

Matko is a hustler, even though he isn't cut out to be one. When he combines forces with a notorious criminal, he gets scammed and has to give away his only son Zare in marriage to the criminal's sister. Zare is in love with another woman, luckily his grandfather is there to help him out.

Kusturica is fun as long as you don't expect a relaxing film. The characters are noisy, the music is ever-present and everything is well over-the-top. The comedy is borderline slapstick. Not always very refined, but there's a bit more to it than barebones physical comedy. A great way to waste two hours, if you have the energy for it.

When Yusuf's friend falls ill, the adults at a remote boarding school seem unable to put the boy's priorities first. Instead, they start a little investigation into what happened exactly and who is to blame for their current predicament. Meanwhile, Yusuf can only hope that his best friend survives.

The kids do a pretty solid job, but the miserable location, the bland camera work, and the blatant moralizing made for an unappealing film. There's a little twist at the end that felt tacked on, and it simply wasn't enough to make me care about anything that came before. Not for me.

A small, secluded school only takes on troubled students. There's a study group that tackles the Grand Guignol novel, and soon enough the school is facing a similar murder case. A masked demon is haunting the students and killing them in cold blood, The problem is that almost everyone is a suspect.

It's not often you see clear slasher influences in a Japanese horror. Add to that the overt violence, LGBTQ characters, and a pretty cool killer, and you have a film that is more than just another generic horror rip-off. Fans of (Japanese) horror cinema would do well to give this one a shot. Not for the faint of heart though.

Hedwig was born Hansel in East Berlin. He fell in love with an American soldier but was only able to leave the country after he changed genders. Once in the US, things don't go quite as planned and Hedwig starts touring the country with her rock band. Then she meets Tommy, a young pop star.

Mitchell's performance is captivating, the direction is interesting and the film is vibrant from start to finish. I didn't care much for the music, but it was still a lot better than I'd expected from a rock musical. People who love queer themes, a bit of experimentation, and/or musicals should give this one a go.