Log: week 10 / 2024

The plot combines two popular action film premises. On the one hand, you have the story of a mole, infiltrating a drug gang and getting chummy with his new friends. On the other a more dramatic story about people trying to survive in the Golden Triangle. Hence the longish runtime.

There are many familiar Hong Kong faces here, and Dante Lam is still pretty competent when it comes to setting up an action scene. The film's a bit too long though and there's nothing here that you haven't seen before (if you're familiar with HK action cinema that is). With so few Hong Kong films being released nowadays, a film like this is pretty cool, but it has lost some of its edge.

Matt and Lisa meet each other at a concert in the UK. They immediately fall for each other and they start hanging out together. Their little fling evolves into an actual relationship, but with time, the first cracks form. Not everything remains as innocent as their first days together, which is the real test of any relationship.

The film alternates between gigs and intimate scenes between the couple, two ways to illustrate how their relationship is evolving. The big shocker at the time was the fact that the sex scenes between the two leads were real, but people hoping to find anything pornographic here should temper their expectations. It's a novel way to dissect a relationship and Winterbottom plus his leads do a great job, but it's not quite enough to turn this into a real masterpiece.

When George is finally released from prison, he has trouble finding a job. He becomes the driver of a local call girl, but he has trouble maintaining a professional relationship. He commits to saving a friend of the girl, but by doing so he has to cross a local criminal, who isn't too happy with George's meddling.

The cast is on point, the story builds up nicely and there are some memorable moments, even though the film sticks to what is known to work. I'm not sure if it's a film that will leave a strong impression, but it didn't bore me while watching, which is more than I can say of most of its peers. Solid.

A family of ducks has been staying in its pond for what feels like forever. Everyone is in dire need of a real vacation, except for dad, who has become a fearful specimen. But a little scolding from his wife is enough to get his ass back into gear, and with his family, he goes off to visit Jamaica.

It's a typical road movie, so the story is pretty fragmented. None of the little adventures are any fun though. Everything is extremely predictable, the animation is ugly, the jokes are tired and the voice acting is tepid. Migration feels like a relic of worse times, , I for one can't wait for this type of animation to die down completely.

The film follows two families over a period of 40 years. One is an upper-class family, and the other is working class, but their fates are intertwined even though they come from different backgrounds. They live through some of last century's biggest historical events, but in the end, it's their personal relationships that matter.

The setup isn't even all that bad, but the presentation is dire. The performances are bland, the cinematography is dull and the premise is milked dry for sentimental drivel. It doesn't help that the film is almost two hours long, but those who don't mind a bit of oldskool drama may find something here.

Qianhe is a respected Taoist master, but while traveling by train bandits seize control and leave Qianhe stranded seven days away from his destination. He decides to continue his travels by foot, on his way there, he'll pass by several places where people are in dire need of his help.

Qianhe has to take on the usual demons (foxes and snakes are popular these days) and does so with the help of his Taoist skills (read magic). The CG isn't up to par, but the sets, costumes, and color work make up for that. It's just a shame that the ending is a bit too long and sappy, otherwise this would've been prime filler. Still fun though.

When Sing arrives in Hong Kong, he feels lost in the big city. His uncle is there to show him around, but he's a massive gambler and doesn't really care about Sing. It turns out his nephew is quite the lucky/smart fella though, and soon enough the two form a strong team. They even enter a gambling competition.

There's a fine mix of comedy and action here. The combo of Stephen Chow and Man-Tat Ng always equals wacky comedy nonsense, Corey Yuen on the other hand was one of the best action directors in Hong Kong. But as a parody, the film doesn't deviate enough from the original concept (which is bonkers already). Good fun, but not the exceptional film I thought it to be.

Giovanni is a psychoanalyst who listens to other people's problems all day. At home, he finds peace with his family. When he has to cancel a run with his son to deal with a patient, his son goes scuba diving instead. When Giovanni returns, terrible news is awaiting him and his family.

The film deals with the grief of the family and does so in a rather subdued manner. The performances aren't that great though, the cinematography is dull and the soundtrack is very plain. It almost feels like a TV film, only the subject matter is handled with a bit more class. Not impressed.

Three girls are on their way home. A little detour takes them to an abandoned apartment building. Weird stories circulate about the place, and these stories seem to have some truth to them. There's a strange presence roaming around, and the building itself turns out to be a portal to another dimension.

The setup is relatively basic, then again this is a horror anime. It's all about the creature designs, and they don't disappoint in the slightest. The animation isn't superfluid, but the horror scenes are twisted enough and there's some nice lore to explore. The pacing and runtime are also just perfect, making this prime horror filler.

Norma Rae works in a textile factory. It's the only industry in the US that isn't unionized yet, but the workers don't want to ruffle any feathers as the companies are their primary source of income. Reuben is a man of the union, and he convinces Norma that she has to stand up for herself unless she wants to be exploited for the rest of her life.

The performances weren't great, the presentation was dire and the plot is little more than a billboard sign that unions are great. It's one of those films that probably bears some national importance, but it's hard to see why anyone outside the US should care about this film. Certainly not because of its cinematic qualities.

The personnel of an arms company are traveling through Europe, as a thank you they're getting a weekend off in a luxury retreat. The retreat turns out to be a dump and the team is forced to make the best of it. What they don't know is that the woods are swarming with angry victims of their employer.

Smith has a jolly sense of humor, with some absurdities thrown in (the bear is pretty memorable), and the horror is quite graphic and to the point, but the rest of the film is a little too flimsy to leave a strong impression. The 00s were a good era for horror and Severance doesn't disappoint, but a masterpiece it is not.

When Richard Bone witnesses a murder by chance, the police suspect he might be the killer. The fact that Bone can't properly describe the man he saw makes him even more suspicious. Cutter, Bone's pal, wants to dig into the case to clear his friend's name, which leads them to a wealthy local businessman.

The film leans on the performances of Bridges and Heard, portraying a man who shuns confrontation and a washed-out Vietnam veteran. I didn't care for either character, but their somewhat haphazard quest to find the killer wasn't a complete bore. There just wasn't a lot here that caught my attention.

Henry Ching is a dreamer, and 70s Hong Kong is a place where dreams come true, especially for those who dare to take risks. Ching eyes the stock market, but making money there requires you to be crafty. It doesn't take long before the police are on his tail, getting him arrested won't be so easy though.

Tony Leung, Andy Lau, Simon Yam, and that's just the start of it. They all do a solid job, but this isn't the type of film where you can truly excel as an actor. The cinematography is polished, and the pacing decent enough, but the rise and fall story is basic and the ending is predictable. Solid filler, but nothing more.

Paul joins the Fremen and struggles with his destiny. The Fremen see him as their prophet, but Paul fears he might lead them into a war they cannot win. His mother on the other hand commits to her destiny and becomes an oracle. She travels South to convert the fundamentalists, whereas Paul remains up North to fight the Harkonnen.

The film's biggest problem is that the lore is incredibly cheesy and silly, but Villeneuve does everything in his power to make it look epic and significant. Which it is not, ever. Instead of a fun blockbuster, Dune feels more like a political thriller, but with giant worms, guitar-playing mercenaries, and mind-altering drugs. And I guess a third part is pretty much inevitable. Pfff.

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid know each other from way back, but when Billy escapes hanging by killing two deputies, the two are pitched against each other. Garrett is hired to catch Billy and bring him to justice. Patt finds himself a posse and starts his journey to track down his old pall.

That's pretty much it. Two guys chasing each other in the old West. I don't care for the setting, didn't care for the characters, or the chase, and I certainly didn't appreciate the slow pacing and longer runtime. There's just nothing here for me, but no doubt fans of westerns and gritty 70s cinema will find plenty to like.