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Reviews
Yat gor fuk jaap gu si (2013)
Thoroughly unconvincing
The premise is ok, the pacing is ok, the acting is passable, but it's all kind of uninspiring, except that... the main thing, the real problem....
...is that Yazi, our protagonist, who is meant to have captured the interest/hearts/curiosity or something, of several of the other characters is a completely uncompelling, selfish brat who makes some pretty distasteful decisions.
Having such characters in a story is not the problem in itself. It's that in this case the audience is being asked to believe that anyone else would like them. There is no reason to. There is one long scene attempting I suppose to convey an angelic innocence, but scene is a real clash of style and tone with the rest of the film, and includes some pretty odd and creepy behaviour from a character who is very different in all other scenes. The attempt fails horribly by the way.
I could not find a way in which any character would be drawn to her, and so when they are, it is just not convincing.
Don't know how I watched it all.
Stray (2019)
Pretty good if you treat it like a short story
So... it's slow-ish, and there's not much action. But it does set a mood, even although it does it with a perhaps over-familiar gloomy and low-lit look.
There is some time spent on the emotional struggle/relationships of our lead detective, and while not original, it was handled in a reserved way (instead of uncontrolled emotional outbursts a lot of younger viewers seem exposed/accustomed to nowadays). The exposition later is also not original, but the content of it was uncommon. Our orphan has a somewhat clichéd setup with a mysterious history, but again there's not a lot of contrived complication to it.
One thing about the ending, it has the majority of the exposition, but while it starts unconvincingly, I actually warmed to the simplicity of it.
While I don't think there's anything new here, the almost minimalist filming (maybe just due to budget) and low-key story was kinda nice. Perhaps if you think of it a a short story it might help, as a lot of the other comments seems to imagine it 'should' have been a very different film from what it was.
Reframe Theater Experience with You (2020)
A great visual show
Firstly, I won't say the music was really my style, some was, but it seemed kinda light electronic J-Pop with one or two minimal house tracks.
As this was a retrospective, there were some projected collage sequences of the history the band, and some 'speeches' at the end, which i guess would be great if you were a fan.
But what a show! It's mostly only the 3 singers on an empty stage, but with really excellent projections on a huge rear screen.
Some song sets do have a few static platforms, and others with moving robotic 'pillar' screens that move about the stage and add some variety.
But the main projections are bold, 'technological' and still futuristic, even if a refined version.
I gave and 8 because the show is worth it.
The House (2022)
Not a comedy
Without wanting to give too much away, the topics are much darker, more twisted and more difficult. Luckily for 'happy ending' people the third is almost nice compared to the first two :)
The animation and voice acting are good.
Also, the episodes are basically separate stories. It's a real stretch to say they are linked.
Ukssi Namjeonggi (2016)
Fun but with plenty of workplace commentary
At the time of writing the other two reviews seem spot on. A 'cock-a-doodle-do' was particularly brilliantly placed :D
But the thing I did not expect was the commentary on the workplace. It was pretty explicit, but I think they managed to bring up the topics without them overwhelming the general lightness of the show (though at least one bit might trouble you as it did me). Topics like temporary workers, sexual harrassment, bribery, cronyism and the basic need for work.
The fun bits are fun though, and it's great to root for the goodies :)
Aquaman (2018)
So they told James Wan it was a comic. He hears 'comical'
First, everything that is OK about this film happened underwater...
The CGI seemed pretty good, nice style. Good world-building. Most of the acting was decent enough (better from the more seasoned actors). Comedic moments sit a little awkwardly and were pretty flat for me, but are probably not too bad. The story was pretty simple, but that's fine, especially when executed by decent acting.
The rest though.. everything out of the water.. it's like someone completely different was in charge. And it's not good.
There's a long scene that looks like it came out of the old Power Rangers TV show, with the same cheap look, and a clunky villain who had suddenly become a technological genius... just pathetic.
The soundtrack was mostly unnoticeable which I find is usually good, except for horrible double use of the 'signature' refrain during the first appearance, but much worse, two crude scene transitions into overbearing songs, one of which starts a laughable scene that looks like the start of a Disney fairytale musical number.
The CGI is bad, including a scene on a boat that looks like they borrowed a backdrop from a film from the 1950s, along with a camera stuck on maximum zoom for some reason.
There are other bits too; when Mera makes a 'speech', all moving about for no reason but to clash with the tone of the moment, or the wildly variable displays of Aquaman's strength, or one underwater bit that was so silly, ill-fitting and cheesy that our audience laughed out loud *at* it.
Overall the good bits are pretty decent, but good grief, I just don't get it, you're watching then the next scene and you're wondering if they swapped the reels to another film.
This is not good film-making.
Negative (2017)
If you can cut the premise a little slack, you might find a nice little film.
Have to write to defend this... it's a perfectly decent film.
Katia Winter (Natalie) is good, captivating even, and everyone else is fine where, except for the photographer, they perform calm, minimalist characters. It fits with the mood of the film, some nice contemplative scenes, and dialog that, while others have said is weak, is also fine. Bits of mundane, predictable conversation isn't so far from real life I suspect, and I think it adds to the film, to keep it 'small'.
Not sure I know what cinematography really is, nor directing for that matter, but it seems relatively well put together.
I would agree that the weakness is the story logic, It almost worked that there was no time spent showing how the pursuers were tracking our leads, but not quite. Even a scene or two of them just asking a shop employee or two would have been enough (there was a nice moment where the male pursuer chats to a little boy tho). But ultimately, never saying how Natalie found our photographer or why it would matter so much to our pursuers kind of gnawed at me.
Extraction (2015)
A waste of Carano's presence
This is not a great film, you'll be very glad for the few moments when you can relax to any minute of passable film-making. The dialogue is hammy with lots of over-exposition. The plot is just sloppy. Some of the story is based on the ignored professionalism of the lead, which he then proceeds to demonstrate none of. And everyone has guns but punches their way everywhere. Strangely tho, the end does have a decent twist. Sadly not enough by a long shot to save it.
Unfortunately the lead is without charisma which colours all his interactions, and gives zero chemistry to the relationships. While Carano still might be finding her acting feet, I think she has a real screen presence, but it is horribly wasted here. Willis essentially makes a cameo, and while he sleepwalks thru it, is dependable. Generally the supporting cast are embarrassing except for a really good performance by Lydia Hull (even if the direction left the tone misplaced).
Stalker (1979)
A pompous, interminable bore
Expect hours of endless philosophical and sociological rambling. Things like out of nowhere a character starts blethering 'why do we enjoy music? do we really need it?'... Except for a young teenager encountering this for the very first time (to whom I intend no disrespect), many of us will have passed this kind of talk years ago, and is not anything profound, but supremely trite. Repeat ad nauseum.
The idea of 'Zones' is a good one, but their unusualness is not displayed. And while there are a couple of lines about people having suffered because of, and in, the Zone, none of that fear is conveyed well. Characters staring past the camera for minutes is not the same as building suspense, tension or fear.
Aside from a rather flat confessional from the 'stalker' at one point, the film's characters do not seem to have any substantial reason to enter the Zone. Nor is there any wider context, of the Zones, the town, other townsfolk, etc, anything that might help you care at all why 3 guys go into a dangerous, restricted area.
This film is pointless (and a sad waste of good source material in the book). Basically three guys you won't care about enter a Zone, stare blankly a lot, pontificate insufferably, then the film ends. At last.
Ricky Gervais: Live IV - Science (2010)
Slower, meaner and too similar to Animals. Watch that instead.
Comparing this to Animals (his first stand-up) there are perhaps the same number of segments but the number of lines, particularly throwaway, seem far fewer. It makes the pace seem slower, the build-up longer, and now the similarly sized punchlines unable to match. Most disappointingly tho, there is a more aggressive, mean-spirited edge to the first half of the show which doesn't really work. I think Gervais' portrayal of a certain innocence makes so much of his stuff, particularly his religious deconstructions, work so well that the nasty edge doesn't really play for me. The themes of homosexuality, fatness and religion are present in both Animals and this in such a way that this seem repetitive. All in all, watch Animals and forget about this one.
Nin nin yau gam yat (1994)
something sweet despite it all
It basically starts out that because of some bad weather, a man and woman end up staying in a room overnight in a hotel on an island outside of town. Depsite both having lives that preclude any relationship, they decide to meet again the next year.
As the years pass there are some side stories that are badly integrated and I found a few moments of the passing of time hard to follow. But there is also some rather charming chronicling of Hong Kong's history. Some of the acting is actually quite gentle, but some involves the over-the-top farcical style often seen in Hong Kong movies. In all I'd say that the acting is never great and the premise of the story, while always a winner for me, is not represented fully or fluidly.
But I do think the film has some sort of 50's charm and the HK history is wonderful (but then I am from HK so...). If you have some spare time while cooking or ironing or something, then give it a go.
Quicksand (2002)
better than it should've been
Unsurprisingly low budget, the sets consist of the same 3 buildings or so and the cast are led by straight to video regular michael dudikoff but not in an action hero role (tho dan hedaya is the biggest name, albeit in a small part). The main 'action' scene, a car chase, is full of consistency errors, but the low budget lends a feeling of authenticity (keeping away from the 80/90's folly of blowing up everything). All this is to be expected but the main thing is the story; it is relatively small and neat, they have kept it simple so that it seems to fit well with the scale of the film. I leave the synopsis to give you some of the story, but all in all I wouldn't say rent this (I gave it a 4) but it is surprisingly ok and I actually wanted to watch the whole film to see how it all turned out in the end.
The Last Seduction (1994)
immoral imm-shmoral
Just had to even things out ..
The film I found reasonable, a 6, but I can see why it scored quite highly. It seems quite close to the bone, the clarity and purpose with which Fiorentino's character operates is, if not to everyone's taste, refreshing. It seemed at times that the plot was a little unbelievable, but partly because characters quite obviously trying to get the better of each other by any means were actually talking to each other.
Worth a watch whether the ending clear or not. Sometimes that's a good thing.
L.I.N.X. (2000)
Stay well clear.
Keep away from this one. The worst thing is the appalling story. There seems to be an intent to convey some subtle spiritual/love/friendship message but it is so pathetically devoid of any substance you can't help but cringe. In addition, the majority of screen time is a far below standard story of thieves, criminals and our hero(es) dealing with some alien time travel artifacts. I know you are asking for trouble when dealing with time but the story is more full of holes than usual. Also you have: cheap sets, bad acting and some of the worst music arrangements in the history of the moving picture, overpowering, cheap, abrupt and disjointed. All I can say is "Man alive ! This film is bad !"
You Can't Escape Forever (1942)
it's an episode
The entire film uses that hectic non-stop dialogue style that was far more frequent in the black and white days. It makes it kind of difficult to feel involved, more like you are watching a comedy show than a film. And the means with which the main story is introduced, in the same blase fashion, doesn't lend it any gravity. In the end you feel you have watched a long episode of an old sit-com.
Mission: Impossible II (2000)
so many things wrong ..
There are so many things wrong with this film I don't know where to begin. But begin I will. John Woo is stuck in the 80's, when will people see this. When cars bump into each other they explode and somersault. The good guys are excellent marksmen but the baddies can't hit a thing. The good guys can take a bullet in the fuel tank and keep on truckin' but guess what ? the bad guys find their car exploding, etc. etc. etc. I won't list other ridiculous, cliched moments, but I'm sure you'll recognize most of them from the A-team. That's probably where the writers found the plot too. It's so insulting.
All of John Woo's films also turn into a single goodie against a single baddie, the rest of the cast turn into ornaments. Why bother have an MI team ? and the female lead .. ?!#$% I agree with jzgirl that she is reduced to a damsel in distress. You won't see a weaker criminal.
Given John Woo's Hollywood track record and being from Hong Kong I've seen plenty of his local films as well, I can't believe the fault lies at anyone else's feet but his. Luckily I like Tom Cruise but if I didn't I'd have given this film a 2 instead of a generous 4.
From an excellent first film, John Woo's pathetic 80's direction of a plotless script is a long, long way to fall.
The Last Man on Planet Earth (1999)
yeah right !
The makers ask for a huge suspension of disbelief, you grant them it in the hope that given a little time they'll convince you it's possible. Alas, with TV movies it seems as though they specifically set out to make cheap Cosmo questionnaire films. With a small budget and big claims you should spend every penny on the details to convince the audience. Not here though. The film gets a few points for the good performance the two leading ladies give against the odds, but unfortunately it's not enough to save the day. oh, and the less said about the ending the better. Happy Film-Viewing Everyone !