Log: week 5 / 2025
The second one in the series can't quite live up to the hype of the first. It's not uncommon for the second parts of trilogies to be the weakest, as their universe is already revealed in the first film and the finale is kept somewhat restrained so it can be topped in the third and final part. And that's exactly what Demon Force feels like. There are still some very impressive scenes, Nashi is a real find and the plot is fun, but there are also some lulls (especially the bridge between the first and second part of the story) and overall it's just not as impressive as the first film. Still looking forward to part 3, but Wuershan has his work cut out for him.Read all
Motherhood's a bitch. Heller's comedic take on the subject is certainly original, but there are a lot of tonal shifts and the film feels a bit uneven. On the one hand, I feel Heller didn't quite push things far enough, on the other hand, a slightly more consistent approach would've made for a better film. Adams is nice and the premise is certainly interesting, but the horror and mystery elements are underplayed, the drama is somewhat underdeveloped and the ending is a tad whiny. An extra portion of smirks and nudges would've left me with a better feeling about this film, but I wasn't bored or disappointed. It's certainly unique.Read all
There's something about 80s cinema and teaming up some of the worst possible characters. Woods plays a real scumbag, but whoever thought that wasn't enough and added Belushi to the mix should think about what he did. While the film itself isn't too bad, the combo of these two was a constant annoyance. Stone is a decent director and the atrocities of war were captured with the proper impact, but other than that it's a rather standard war flick, with two lead characters who aren't very fun to be around. Unless you're into war flicks and/or you like these types of bitchy 80s characters, there's not a whole lot here.Read all
Don't expect a full-blown horror film from Ochiai, instead, he comes with a TV mystery that sports an interesting premise but does very little to build on that. I'm certain that a more cinematic rendition of this story could've been fun, but that ambition wasn't even present and that's a bit of a bummer. Matsuzaka's character is a real hoot and the initial mystery is an interesting one. The cinematography is bland though and the score is feeble. There are several twists and revelations that aim to keep the film engaging, but most of them aren't very effective. A lot more could've been done with this one.Read all
It's a good thing they added an extra layer of comedy, otherwise, this mix of sci-fi, thriller, and horror elements would've been a tad underwhelming. It's a lot more fun when handled with a wink and a chuckle, the story itself is rather tried and tested and the twists aren't strong enough to carry the film. The performances are alright, the presentation is a little simple though. It's a good thing the runtime was kept below the 100-minute mark and the pacing is solid, it's just that the film lacks something that could truly set it apart. It wasn't bad, perfect if you're looking for an entertaining genre-bender, but hardly a future classic.Read all
Props to the cinematographers. They did their best to save this film, they nearly pulled it off too, but the rest is just too dim and flakey. The plot makes no sense at all, the performances are bad across the board and even though the film is short, there are a few too many lulls. Still, some of it does look nice. The plot is pretty nonsensical, but until the twist was revealed I had some hopes it would lead to something interesting. It did not. The actors are second-rate and the direction is uneven. It feels like Rossi did have a clear vision of what this film was supposed to be, but he simply didn't know how to execute it.Read all
Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society
Solid State Society was an interesting thing. It turned two of the most beloved anime movies into a TV series, back when Production I.G was still an industry leader. Watching this movie back now, it's obvious that the style has aged quite a bit. The plot and setting are still cool, but that's not enough to make this a true classic. It's unfair to compare the visual quality to the movies (it is a TV spawn after all), then again, the difference is so big that it would be strange to completely dismiss it. The score is nice but not up to par with Kawai's work either. The cyberpunk elements are cool though and the mix of hard sci-fi, crime, and political elements is sorely missed nowadays. I still enjoyed it quite a bit, but not enough to forget about the stylistic limitations.Read all
A pleasant but somewhat inconspicuous Obayashi. The story is based on a popular song, but that's just a footnote really. The plot is pretty standard, with a man returning to his hometown after a long time in the city. It's a pretty common setup for Japanese dramas, that follow standard themes and plot structures. The Last Snow isn't an exception. Obayashi paints a pretty picture and the melancholy coupled with the rural setting does its work. The performances are nice, the story is sweet and the drama is effective. But there's not enough here to set it apart from similar films, and looking at Obayashi's oeuvre it's far from his most memorable work. Pleasant filler though.Read all
One of the more quotable films of the 90s. The wacky finale is the reason why I used to love this film. The scene still delivers, but this time around I didn't find it quite good enough to boost the film in its entirety. I still had a fun rewatch, but the first 90 minutes simply weren't up to par. Reeves and Pacino are good, Pacino setting up his trap is fun to watch and the payoff is proper. The middle part could've been snappier though and the runtime's a bit excessive. It's cool that Hackford took some chances and the ending is timeless, but all in all, just a few too lulls to be a personal favorite.Read all
Yes, this is just a silly action flick, but the blunt take on communists invading the US to start WWIII is still a little awkward. On the one hand, this film is too dumb to be considered proper propaganda, on the other hand ... propaganda is rarely very smart. Regardless, the film itself isn't all that great to begin with. Cheesy music, poor performances, and mediocre action scenes. The runtime's also a bit excessive, 90 minutes is more than enough for a simple action flick like this. It's somewhat entertaining though and there aren't many big lulls, but I wouldn't say this is a film that aged very well. It's probably best to let it rest and wither.Read all
Flower of Shanidar is a (literally) hidden gem in Gakuryu Ishii's oeuvre. It's from Ishii's less punk-inspired era, so I'm assuming that's why it hasn't found any proper distribution. Ishii fans are well aware by now that the man has much more to offer than just punk antics though. This was a stylish sci-fi thriller, meticulously shot, aptly scored, properly cast, and offering something you just can't find anywhere else. I'm happy international audiences finally have an option to watch this, but it's difficult not to feel disappointed in the film industry. These types of films need to be championed, not buried.