Log: week 18 / 2025
An interesting mystery that loses a lot of goodwill thanks to some lazy and dumb twists. The Verity character is interesting, but the reason why she is able to manipulate the reality around her is a lot less so. It's a pitfall that has tripped up many of the Black Mirror episodes, and Haynes didn't find a way to direct himself out of it. The performances are okay, the setup of the mystery is fun, and the midway point builds up the intrigue well enough. The presentation is a little flat, but considering Haynes' background, that was to be expected. It's not the worst of the series, but it's not exactly a memorable piece of cinema either.Read all
The title says it all. This is a pretty basic film, which isn't ideal for something that is 140 minutes long. But disaster movies like these need time to build up the tension, which means you're getting a rather slow intro and elongated scenes that lead to several action highlights scattered throughout. The film isn't bad, but it is quite plain. Standard characters, expected plot twists, and functional cinematography try to take as little away from the narration as possible. It's somewhat effective, and I did get to the end without feeling too bored or disengaged, but it's not a film I'll be remembering for long.Read all
Think of this as the Chinese version of Kikujiro. It's a bit slicker, it doesn't have the Kitano charm, but it's a very sweet, polished drama that more often than not finds the right balance between being cute, funny, and emotional. It's also just over 90 minutes, which is a big plus for Chinese dramas nowadays. The cinematography is colorful, but not too simplistic or overly functional. The performances are strong, the road trip is fun, and the film has its heart in the right place. It does get a little too soppy in places, and because it's so close to Kikujir,o it suffers from direct comparisons, but overall, this was a very dear and fun film.Read all
One of the finest samurai films I've seen in a long time, so stylish in fact that I felt a bit for not being all that invested in the story. I'm not the biggest fan of the genre, and unless the film goes out of its way to add a unique twist, I struggle to see them as personal favorites. If you do love samurai epics though, make sure not to skip this one. Kazuya Shiraishi is a very capable director, no matter what genre. The presentation is stylish, the pacing is deliberately slow, and there are some incredibly moody scenes scattered throughout. The plot was a bit pedestrian, and the setting just didn't do it for me. But other than that, a lovely film.Read all
I've seen very few classic movies this year, and the detox hasn't made it any easier. This tepid, long, and very talkative French classic probably wasn't the best choice to jump back in, but it's a respected film, and Louis Malle certainly isn't the worst of the bunch. This one didn't do it for me though. The performances are stiff and uninviting, the presentation is dull and stale, and the themes aren't all that interesting either. The Fire Within lacks the energy and freedom of the Nouvelle Vague films of that era, but most of all, it lacks the titular fire. While still under two hours, the film did feel a lot longer.Read all
The first scene contains a blood-red moon and a wolf reference, so it won't take long to figure out what direction this film is going in. The mystery isn't the main point though, this is a full-on mood exercise with a little bonus twist at the end. A little unnecessary, for sure, but nothing too harmful either. The presentation is lovely. Moody camera work, great sound design, snappy editing, and a superb environment for this type of film. The pacing is perfect, the effects are nice, and the runtime is exactly right. There's nothing much wrong with The Beast Within, except that it's maybe a little too familiar. Other than that, good stuff.Read all
Not your average Japanese ghost story. The film isn't too reliant on less-is-more tension and elaborate scares. Instead, there's a feeling of unease that gradually grows, until things get pretty wacky during an impressive finale. It's one of the better horror endings I've seen in a while, elevating the entire film. The performances are decent, the desaturated look is effective, but a little depressing. The setup is proper, and the pacing is fine, though there is a tiny lull in the middle of the film. Things pick up towards the end, and there are some memorable moments there. Not an ultimate classic, but a tasty treat for fans of Japanese horror cinema.Read all
A cute little romantic fantasy, but I struggle to see why I liked it so much the first time around. Maybe because I didn't expect anything of it, and the commitment to the fantasy elements is surprisingly thorough. But other than that, the plot is a little too basic and the clichés too overbearing to make this into a true favorite. Ricci and McAvoy are nice, the premise is fun, and the first half hour is cute and quirky. These reversed Beauty & the Beast stories are rare, so kudos for adding in the twist. The film pivots too fast to a more generic romance setup, and the remainder of the film gets too mushy for my taste. But there's some fun to be had with this one.Read all
A basic but enjoyable horror film. There's not even an attempt to bring anything original to the table here. An evil spirit has taken hold of a girl, a medium needs to dig into her past to find out what's happening to her. Cue some jump scares and creepy-looking creatures, and there you have it. The build-up of the tension is proper, the budget was there, and there are some solid horror moments, but the film loses steam in the second half. Almost inevitably, I would say. Luckily, the film is short enough and the pacing is proper, so horror fans will still have a decent time with It Feeds.Read all
I'm not Dutch, but as a neighbor, I'm well aware of all the stereotypes and cultural aspects of the Netherlands, and this thing was just weird. Yeah, there are some Dutch songs, and tulips and windmills, but why? No doubt it gives the film an original twist, but it never felt like the makers had any sort of affinity with these references. It felt completely random. The film itself is a bit basic. The setup of the mystery is decent, and the first half is entertaining, but the more that was revealed, the less interesting it turned out to be. The performances are mediocre, and the presentation is a little bland, but it's not the worst film. Worth watching for the novelty value, but the appeal is only skin-deep.Read all
Say what you will about this film, but the timing of its release couldn't have been better. That's also the best thing about Conclave, as the rest of the film is a mix of too cheesy and too commercial. It wants to be a stylish thriller, but it doesn't have the flair or the guts to be one, which is a shame. There are too many familiar faces who look out of place in this setting, and the plot's a bit too silly for its own good (the attack in particular is just nonsensical, and the finale is bland). The presentation is decent enough, but also not very surprising or out of the ordinary. Not a terrible film, but a little lazy.Read all
A pleasant enough comedy, but after all these years, it's a bit more difficult to see why I thought this was such a special film. Sure enough, the cynical leads are comfy, and there is some dark and dry comedy scattered throughout, but it's all quite tame and within the realm of the expected. The performances are nice enough, the presentation's a little dim though. The soundtrack isn't all that, and the cinematography is mostly functional. The drama is also rather basic, but there are some genuinely touching moments. It's a solid film, worth revisiting, but it isn't quite up there with the best.Read all
One of the better Black Mirror episodes. Slade does his best to give his film a little extra visual polish, in which he succeeded (though it still can't compete with proper cinema). The plot is decent and the premise is cute, but the story doesn't go anywhere interesting, and the finale is a bummer. The performances are okay, the buildup of the story is nice enough, but then the ending is quite rubbish. It probably needed a longer runtime to expand on its premise or a more original finale. At least Slade made the best of what he was handed. Black Mirror is far from my favorite anthology series, but this was solid.Read all
Indian melodrama. Classic Bollywood really isn't my niche, and the fact that most of these films are overbearingly long doesn't help them either. Pure One is colorful, I'll give it that, but that's about the only positive thing I have to say about it. And even that part isn't all that impressive. The musical numbers are terrible, the story is drab, and the performances are mediocre at best. The pacing is glacial too, though that's probably because I didn't care for any of it. Fans of Bollywood cinema will no doubt find something to love here, as the foundations of current Indian cinema are already present here, but this simply isn't for me.Read all
A simple but ultra-effective sci-fi horror. The premise is intriguing, the mix of sci-fi and horror is pleasant, but it's the luscious styling that's the true cherry on the cake. Every shot is doused in moody colors, the editing is razor sharp, the sci-fi designs are lovely, the score and sound design are impeccable, and the visual effects are top-notch. It's the kind of genre cinema I adore, but looking at the tepid audience response, the time isn't right for these types of films. It's a shame, the director is extremely talented, and I'd love to see more atmosphere-based films like Ash.