Log: week 23 / 2024
Fukuda's second feature film is a solid mix of drama and romance elements, far removed from the oddball comedy she served in her first film. Once again she displays a unique signature though. The film is a typical Japanese slice-of-live/coming-of-age affair, but Fukuda adds some nice touches that help elevate the film above its peers. The cinematography is stylish, the performances solid, and some neat plot twists give the film its peculiar rhythm. It's not a film that will convert people to Japanese cinema, but fans will undoubtedly appreciate what Fukuda did here.
A decent Soviet classic that thrives on stylish cinematography. The plot is quite simple and the contrast between the urban and rural settings is pretty dull, but because the film is quite nice to look at and features some decent performances, it's all a little easier to stomach. The actors do a good job and the clean black-and-white cinematography elevates the film. The dialogue is quite heavy-handed though, in contrast, the plot is a bit too simplistic. It's a good thing that the movie is quite short and stops well before the 90-minute mark. it's not too bad, but it's not a film I'll fondly remember.Read all
Sci-fi on the cheap, but not by turning it into a near-future story. The trick is that we're spending time on a very misty planet, so there are never any big alien vistas that require extensive CG. It's a small and condensed genre film, banking on its less-is-more approach, and doing a pretty good job at it. The setup is extremely minimal, but director Woollard makes excellent use of the situation to build up the tension. The sci-fi elements look the part, the danger that lurks in the mist is effective, and the score adds plenty to the atmosphere. I think Woollard could've pushed things even further, but it's one of the better core sci-fi efforts I've seen in some time.Read all
Some movies feel like playing a video game, this movie about a video game had me questioning if the writers ever one. This is clearly a film for a younger audience, which is still a bit weird considering Robert Rodriguez directed it, but I feel more could've been done with it to up the quality a little. The CG is horrendous, the game mechanics make no sense and the performances are pretty crummy too. But the sense of adventure is present and the film is properly paced and doesn't overstay its welcome. I don't think I would've been a big fan of this when I was younger, but it's also not the worst of its kind.Read all
Not what I think of when I imagine an Iranian film. The setting is still predominantly rural, but Gabbeh is colorful and contains some outspoken fantastical elements. The styling is a little kitsch and the soundtrack doesn't match the visuals all that well, but it still turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The story isn't that interesting, the performances aren't great, and the rural setting wasn't entirely my thing, but I did appreciate the colorful costumes and the beautiful nature shots. It also helps that the film is short and doesn't overstay its welcome. I'm not a huge fan, but still much better than most of the Iranian films I've seen so far.Read all
The prospect of Miike releasing straight to Netflix is quite appealing, but it's been a while since he released a "true" Miike film. Lumberjack the Monster is a decent, proper slasher, but it's a film that could've been made by a number of other directors, and in Miike's case, that's a waste of potential. The production is slick, there are some bloody scenes and a handful of memorable moments. But the film is too long and there's a bit too much talking. The mystery elements aren't all that interesting and the film lacks anything that sets it apart from similar works. A solid, but ultimately forgettable Miike.Read all
A fine Taiwanese drama about a young mother raising a kid with ADHD. As is the norm with Taiwanese films, the presentation is slick and the performances are on point. It's just that the drama felt a little overdone. I would've preferred a slightly more subdued approach, the second half in particular felt a bit heavyhanded. The cinematography is beautiful, the actors do a good job and the film gives a strong impression of what it is to live with a kid like that. There's just a bit too much outside drama in the latter half of the film, which detracts from the core. Still a worthy film, but not quite up there with the best the country has on offer.Read all
Ching-Po Wong's first feature is quite something else. It's a shame it's still not available in any decent format (even the original DVD release looks like a bad VHS transfer), though I assume it may be for lack of a decent source. The film's indie roots are apparent, don't go in expecting a typical Hong Kong movie. The styling is ruined by the poor transfer, but the soundtrack still shines and the cinematography is interesting, to say the least. The plot is a little meandering but things do get better in the second half. It's a great start to Wong's career, but it's not up there with the rest of my personal favorites anymore.Read all
I know Satyajit Ray as a more arthouse-oriented director, the Indian representative of the neo-realist style. The Chess Players promised to be a very different kind of film though, closer to the Bollywood style that dominates their industry now. I was intrigued by the idea, but the result turned out to be terrible. The performances are horrible, the presentation is iffy (costumes and cinematography are subpar) and the soundtrack is just irritating. I didn't really care much for the plot either, so the film started to drag pretty quickly, which ain't great knowing you're stuck with it for two full hours. Ray missed the mark here.Read all
A documentary that hones in on a nightclub in Chengdu that is on the verge of disappearing. Director Mullinkosson took three years to follow his friends who he met in this club, after which he compiled this film. While a documentary, it did often feel like certain scenes were staged, though that may be because of the closeness to his subjects. It's a look into Chinese underground youth culture, not the most common and/or popular topic (no poor farmers here!). The cinematography is excellent, the soundtrack feels current and relevant and the characters are pretty interesting, though they all have rather basic issues. Stylish, which is not a word I often use for documentaries.Read all
Right after WWII, this French noir was released. Compared to its US contemporaries the film is a tad more stylish (which was to be expected), but that's pretty much where the positives end. The plot is very pedestrian and the performances are mediocre, which is a bummer for a film that is very reliant on dialogue. The cinematography is a step up from the norm, but not good enough to carry the film. The rest is pretty much what I expect from a noir at this point. I don't care that much for the plots, not the performances or the atmosphere of the genre. Not the worst noir I've seen, but not a very memorable one either.Read all
Well, that was thrilling alright. This film is an insane mix of several fantasy influences, moving about at a breakneck speed. At its core, it's a standard fantasy martial arts epic, but there's some Snow White and some Godzilla mixed in for good measure. The result is an absolute blast, as long as you can look past its cheap exterior. Make no mistake, the special effects are horrid, but the film moves at such an insane speed and throws so many different things at you that it hardly matters. The costumes are fun, the plot is wacky and the commitment to the fantasy elements is incredible. Intensely entertaining, but the technical elements are poor.Read all
A drearier version of Kikujiro, set in Italy. It's an unfair comparison because Stolen Children never aims for comedy, but there are some obvious parallels between the two films. While the drama works its magic in the final third, overall it just wasn't interesting enough to warrant the two-hour runtime. The pacing is pretty slow and the cinematography is very plain. The performances aren't too great either, but the bond that develops between the three main actors is quite nice. The film gets progressively better, but it takes too long before it comes close to being decent. Not great, but the film has some nice moments.Read all
Detective Dee and the Skeleton General
Tsui Hark popularized the Detective Dee character with a couple of blockbusters, now we're getting the streamer spin-offs. He's the perfect character, as you can keep building new films around him, which is ideal for the current Chinese market. And it must be said, the result isn't all that bad. Despite the Dee branding, it's a rather ordinary streamer film, the only difference is that there are some relatively minor detective elements worked into the plot. The styling is pretty lush, the fights are fun and the pacing is slick. It's entertaining and compact genre fun, exactly what I want from a film like this.Read all
This is a shorter/smaller Dupieux project, but even those turn out to be top-notch. The premise is simple and Dupieux makes sure not to stretch it beyond its limits. He goes for the laughs and adds a bit of reflection to it, and one hour later it feels like you've watched something truly unique and distinct, the kind of thing only Dupieux could bring to a good end. The performances are strong, the setup is powerful and the execution is spot on. It's not his best or most memorable work, but it fits well in his oeuvre and it offers exactly what you expect from a Dupieux film without feeling derivative. Good stuff.