Log: week 9 / 2024

Michi works for a small computer firm. One of her colleagues goes silent, when Michi pays him a visit she finds him hanging from the ceiling. Nobody understands why he committed suicide, but a mysterious image found on his hard drive seems to have a similar effect on Michi's coworkers.

There's some real thought behind the premise, and there are some creepy, haunting scenes. The grim cinematography and subdued performances help with the mood, but Kurosawa drags certain parts out too long. The pacing issues make it harder than necessary to get fully immersed, which is a shame for this type of film. Slightly better than I remembered it to be though.

Nora and Hae Sung grew up together in South Korea. They spent a lot of time together as kids, but Nora moved to the US, whereas Hae Sung remains where he was born. They lose track of each other until Hae Sung decides to go to the US to visit Nora, who has gotten married in the meantime.

The performances are decent and the premise is suited for the type of stilted Asian romance that can work well when executed with the proper flair. Song's direction feels rather flaccid though, relying on stale stereotypes and worn-down themes. It's an okay film, but it doesn't deserve all the accolades.

Magnifico is a man who founded his own kingdom, inviting good-natured people to join him far removed from society. He has the power to grant people's wishes and does so once a month. He's looking for an apprentice, and Asha feels like she's the perfect fit. But during her interview, she learns the true nature of Magnifico.

It's nice that they tried something different with the art style, but it doesn't look all that great. The voice acting is poor, the musical elements are distracting and the plot is dull. I understand a film like this is aimed at a younger audience, but that doesn't mean you can't make a slight effort. Bleh.

Redl is a young Ukrainian boy of poor descent. He works hard to rise through the ranks of the Austrian army, and because he speaks multiple languages he becomes an important pawn in international politics. Redl is gay though, a side of his he has hidden successfully from those who needn't know. Such a thing can't stay secret forever.

Attention was given to the cinematography, which I appreciate, but I found the colors, lighting, and mise en scene pretty ugly. The story was dull, the soundtrack somewhat annoying and 140 minutes was excessive. This just isn't the kind of cinema I like, and Colonel Redl couldn't convince me otherwise.

Three young British girls are going on a vacation to Greece. Their only goal is to party as hard as they can. One of the three girls is still a virgin, and she wants to get rid of that status. She hooks up with a guy, but he's a little shady and pushy, and she isn't quite sure that she likes him to be her first.

No is no, but what if there is no clear no? A little peer pressure, the uncertainty of a young girl, a setting that encourages drugs and booze intake, and a bunch of guys hoping to get laid. It's a poisonous mix, and Walker serves it with plenty of flair. Solid performances, a polished presentation, and a strong finale make this a worthy drama.

Leizhenzi is a formidable fighter, but he lacks a weapon. And so his master sends him to a nearby cave, where a mythical rod is hidden, guarded by a strong demon. Leizhenzi gets the rod and also takes a butterfly home with him. The butterfly transforms into a girl, and together they are tasked to save the humans from a demon invasion.

The plot is extremely basic, then again these films always play around with the same settings and lore. It's a bit more disappointing to see CG this bad in 2024, and though I love a starkly paced film, 60 minutes is a bit too short to do justice to the story. There's still some fun to be had, but it's a serious step back from similar films.

Yoko has lived an isolated life. But when her father dies, her sister forces her to come back home. An incident at a rest stop leaves Yoko stranded. She's far away from home and she lacks the social skills to ask for help. But when she's at her wit's end, a few helpful people will restore her faith in life.

Rinko Kikuchi is a good actress, but she didn't seem to be entirely comfortable with her character. The cinematography was nice, but a bit predictable, as was the road movie structure. It's a film without any real weaknesses, the only real problem is that I've seen this type of thing done better. Good, but not one of Kumakiri's best.

Bob is a charming guy, who likes both men and women. He is in a relationship with one of each, and while his parents are aware of the setup, they aren't that keen on sharing Bob with the other. Both are unwilling to go against him though, fearing they might lose him if they limit his freedom.

The performances are decent and the story is quite easygoing, especially for a film that is more than half a century old. The direction is pretty bland though and the drama isn't all that notable by modern standards. It didn't bore me, but I don't think I'll remember much of it in a week or so.

Oshii is moving away from anime and film, focusing on a musical theater play instead. He picks Tetsujin 28, an anime sporting a giant robot, and he promises the world that he'll do his best to make it an entertaining film. The cast and crew are a bunch of oddballs though, and Oshii himself is losing his sense of reality.

Part faux documentary, part sci-fi mystery, The Delusional Giant is a film that reminded me a bit of Talking Head, but less cinematic. The final 15 minutes are completely bonkers and there's a hilarious sequence with big-name directors making fun of Oshii and his fictional play. The first hour is a little bare-bones though. Fun, but a bit too much like a real documentary. Oshii fans will have a field day with this one(so many references), others may think twice before delving in.

Sandra's relationship with her husband is troubled, so when he is found dead one day, with a nasty head wound, she becomes the prime suspect. The fact that she lied about some details isn't helping her case, luckily she has a proper lawyer willing to defend her against a pretty ruthless public prosecutor.

The performances are solid and the film takes its time, with each new revelation getting enough attention, but that's about it. The direction felt underwhelming, the runtime was excessive, and the drama was textbook, as was the finale. It didn't really bore me, at the same time it could barely hold my attention. Not that great.

Murakami, a cab driver, is looking for his wife Mayumi, who has gone missing. During his search, he bumps into a colleague of his wife, who tells Murakami she heard that his wife took off to the north. Together they go on a trip to find Mayumi, but Murakami isn't entirely sure he can trust his passenger.

The film is quite moody and slow, apart from the nudie scenes which needed to appear in between. Zeze shows he has a way with dark and relentless drama and builds up the story quite well, but it remains difficult to take this entirely seriously when you know the inner workings behind films like these. And it's not exactly Wakamatsu either. Not bad though, just very forced.

Lucien is a cop in a small village in Senegal. His wife talks down on him, the villagers have no respect for his authority, and even his mistress only hangs around him to better herself. Even though Lucien has a pretty comfy life, he is fed up with being disrespected, and he figures it is time to throw his life around.

It's a film that should probably sport some trigger warnings, but if you can see it in its time it's not hard to spot the (crude) comedy. Noiret is delightfully passive, the rest of the cast is on point too, and the presentation, while not too memorable, benefits from a nice digital cleanup. A bit long, but enjoyable.

A vigilante killer is on the loose. After striking ten years earlier and immediately going into hiding, the killer has returned. He sends little notes to people listing the date of their death. The police can't let him go about his business, especially since he's also targeting the police force.

There are minor Saw-like elements present, but Yau never ventures into true horror territory. Instead, he mixes thriller, crime, action, and mystery elements to create a true HK police flick. He even found several familiar faces (Simon Yam and Francis Ng are there) to pump up the nostalgia. Good fun.