Log: week 5 / 2024

Lynn is 20 and facing her adult life. She is learning to become a stewardess, she is following English classes and she does her best to keep her boyfriend happy. Though she's already struggling, her life is about to become a lot more complex when she finds herself pregnant. A baby isn't part of her plans, but she decides to skip an abortion and give the child away at birth.

Fans of Jia will probably like the film, though it isn't quite as drenched in drama. The characters and settings are also a bit more contemporary and urban, and the cinematography is a little more polished, but there's still a strong dramatic and narrative base here. An okay film, but too long and a little too forgettable to stand out.

Mollie is having an affair with a married man who won't leave his wife. Things get more complicated when she gets pregnant and faces the future as a single mom. The only man in her life is the cab driver who drove her to the hospital when she was about to go into labor. He takes an interest in Mollie and her kid, while she keeps on looking for a fitting dad.

The idea that the baby/toddler is commenting on the situation used to be quite funny, it just isn't anymore. Since the entire film rests on that single gimmick, there's not much left to enjoy. Travolta and Alley are pretty bad, the jokes are tiresome and the plot is negligible. At least it stopped after 90 minutes.

A little inn in Kibune becomes the center of a strange phenomenon. The people there are stuck in a 2-minute time loop. They are aware of their situation, but they have no idea why it's only happening to them. With just two minutes before time resets, trying to figure out what's going on isn't easy.

The film's a bit more polished compared to Yamaguchi's earlier one, but the time loop setup isn't quite as original. It's still a nice mix of light comedy, mystery, and a tiny bit of sci-fi. The film is compact and there's plenty of charm here, but I do hope Yamaguchi can do more than repeat the same gimmick over and over.

The film follows eight women as they try to live ordinary lives in Iran. The oppressive laws and customs of the country make their lives hell. Three women have just escaped prison and are trying to keep out of the hands of the authorities, another is hoping to have an abortion, and even smoking a cigarette can get them into trouble.

The camera work is dire, the long takes are pretty dull as a result, and the performances aren't all that great either. The film does a decent job of highlighting the ails of these women, but I think plain documentaries are better suited to make that point. At least the film is relatively short and it changes focus quite often, but other than that, it wasn't for me.

Two investigators are trailing a criminal organization specialized in organ trafficking. They infiltrate the organization, but they aren't quite ready for what they find there. The operation goes horribly wrong and one of the cops is scarred for life. He wants revenge, but his condition is worse than he realizes.

The film isn't quite as intense as its more infamous peers, but if you like graphic horror, screaming people, and dark fantasy then Organ has you covered. It looks pretty good for a low-budget affair, the horror is visceral and there are some memorable moments, the kind that burn themselves into your retina. A good horror film, but not quite the marvel I remembered it to be.

Ramón is a mild-mannered psychopath. One day he kidnaps his doctor, ties her up in his basement, and shows her a video with a message that he will kill her. It's the start of a game of cat and mouse between Ramón and his doctor, who does her best to turn the situation in her favor.

It's a crafty thriller with tense scenes and solid performances. It's also one of those films where knowing the plot slightly lessens the experience. The styling is pleasant but nothing too out of the ordinary, the scenes with the cops are a little redundant, and even though the film is pretty short, a bit of tightening would've helped. Prime genre filler.

Hirayama is a simple man who enjoys his basic lifestyle. He has a quiet job, he loves his routines and he manages to enjoy the little things in life. Through a series of haphazard meetings, we learn about the drama in his past, and how he adapted his life to carve his own path.

The soundtrack is a selection of crappy pop classics (because our dearest Hirayama loves cassettes), the cinematography is lifeless, often downright ugly and Hirayama is an uninteresting character. Nor did I fully agree with the overarching message of this film. Apart from some solid performances, there's very little here. Disappointing.

The film tells the story of Sergius Karamzin, a crafty man who pretends to be a count. He's a conman who pretends to be well off while hunting for rich women who can't look beyond his superficial charm. One day he runs into Helen, the wife of a US ambassador, he isn't as easily swayed as the other women.

The cinematography is decent and there are a few memorable scenes, but 140 minutes with an overload of intertitles just isn't my idea of riveting cinema. The themes are risqué for their times, but hardly leave a big impression watching it back now. A decent silent classic, but only for those who love this type of thing.

Sosuke is the leader of a troupe that travels from village to village. Star of his ensemble is Reiko, but she is a free-spirited woman. Even though she's in a relationship with Sosuke, she keeps running away with other men. Sosuke trusts her enough to return, but Reiko wants more than Sosuke can offer her.

The rural/Hokkaido setting is lovely, the comedy is amusing and the pacing is relatively high. The plot and drama aren't too original though and the film runs a little long, but it never gets too dull or dire. Decent and amusing, not the most notable film I've seen, but the fact that Wakamatsu made it does add to the intrigue.

Harry Moseby is summoned by an old Hollywood actress. Her daughter ran away from home and Moseby is tasked with finding her and bringing her back home. What looks like a pretty straightforward job quickly becomes a complete mess. Moseby has a reputation to uphold though, so he powers through.

Hackman isn't too bad and the film is decently paced, but that's about the end of it. The cinematography and score are very bland, the plot is by the numbers and the finale is forgettable. Maybe if I cared more about detective (or 70s cinema in general) this could've been more fun, alas.

When Otto leaves his seat to a woman on the metro, he unknowingly signs her death warrant, as mere seconds later an accident leaves her lifeless in her seat. Otto is a statistician who just developed a new algorithm, which concludes that her death wasn't accidental after all. Otto believes the accident was part of a hit against a notorious biker gang member.

So a bunch of nerds and a war vet start their investigation into the accident. Of course, they're going to mess up along the way, but even though the plot gets quite silly, it never feels like a full-blown farce. The film is too smart for that. It's not quite distinct enough to be a true masterpiece, but if you're yearning for some amusing filler, look no further.