Ah I see, I think that's a good idea, since I think the second film is better but it's not too differently formally, tonally, or anything. It just gives us more of what we love (or hate) from the first film in just about every way possible. But the thing is that if you don't watch both films, you really haven't completed the story. Anyway, I think that's a good idea.
movies What's the last film you watched? And rate it!
- Thread starter GerryLovesU
- Start date
Ah I see, I think that's a good idea, since I think the second film is better but it's not too differently formally, tonally, or anything. It just gives us more of what we love (or hate) from the first film in just about every way possible. But the thing is that if you don't watch both films, you really haven't completed the story. Anyway, I think that's a good idea.
St. Elmo's Fire directed by Joel Schumacher - 4/10
This is one of the worst of the 80's coming of age films, which really gives this film no excuse because I feel like the 80's was a good decade for this kind of film. The film gives us characters and situations that can potentially be interesting but ultimately the characters are so self-absorbed that it's hard to relate to them or to care about them in any way. Also, Schumacher just tries too hard to make this a serious film so it completely loses the youthful spirit that makes better films like The Breakfast Club and Fast Times At Ridgemont High. Most of the emotions in the film also feel forced due to the music and the exaggerated situations. Here I feel like Schumacher hit all of the worst notes of melodrama, coming of age stories, and stories about regular people in general. He tries to do all of them while referencing Woody Allen a million times and fails at everything. St. Elmo's Fire was made at a time when great coming of age films were coming out and it starred a lot of the Brat Pack which was integral to these films, so it has no excuse for being as bad a film as it is, it is a real disappointment.
This is one of the worst of the 80's coming of age films, which really gives this film no excuse because I feel like the 80's was a good decade for this kind of film. The film gives us characters and situations that can potentially be interesting but ultimately the characters are so self-absorbed that it's hard to relate to them or to care about them in any way. Also, Schumacher just tries too hard to make this a serious film so it completely loses the youthful spirit that makes better films like The Breakfast Club and Fast Times At Ridgemont High. Most of the emotions in the film also feel forced due to the music and the exaggerated situations. Here I feel like Schumacher hit all of the worst notes of melodrama, coming of age stories, and stories about regular people in general. He tries to do all of them while referencing Woody Allen a million times and fails at everything. St. Elmo's Fire was made at a time when great coming of age films were coming out and it starred a lot of the Brat Pack which was integral to these films, so it has no excuse for being as bad a film as it is, it is a real disappointment.
The Moon Has Risen directed by Kinuyo Tanaka; written by Yasujiro Ozu - 6/10
This is an interesting family drama that very few people know about. I was hoping it would be a little bit better but it doesn't reach its potential. The film has three sisters that all get involved in relationships with men to make an interwoven family drama romantic comedy. The film really starts out focusing on one of them, Ayako and her relationship with an old friend. This part of the film is very funny and entertaining in its drama, but then the film gives us a twist that is interesting and would be better in a better script with better direction but it really just makes the film lose focus as it introduces a new romance. I just feel like most of the characters aren't drawn out well, especially the very minor role that Chishu Ryu has. The ending is pure Ozu, the overall film feels like Ozu-lite in the hands of a less rigorous director, but I think the film could have been an 8/10 with a better second half, or at least a 7/10 if it were just a shorter film, as it is, I think the film is an interesting curiosity for Ozu fans and for fans of classic Japanese cinema (especially those interested in watching a film directed by a woman) but it's no masterpiece or great work. Entertaining and promising, but ultimately kind of disappointing.
This is an interesting family drama that very few people know about. I was hoping it would be a little bit better but it doesn't reach its potential. The film has three sisters that all get involved in relationships with men to make an interwoven family drama romantic comedy. The film really starts out focusing on one of them, Ayako and her relationship with an old friend. This part of the film is very funny and entertaining in its drama, but then the film gives us a twist that is interesting and would be better in a better script with better direction but it really just makes the film lose focus as it introduces a new romance. I just feel like most of the characters aren't drawn out well, especially the very minor role that Chishu Ryu has. The ending is pure Ozu, the overall film feels like Ozu-lite in the hands of a less rigorous director, but I think the film could have been an 8/10 with a better second half, or at least a 7/10 if it were just a shorter film, as it is, I think the film is an interesting curiosity for Ozu fans and for fans of classic Japanese cinema (especially those interested in watching a film directed by a woman) but it's no masterpiece or great work. Entertaining and promising, but ultimately kind of disappointing.
First Blood directed by Ted Kotcheff; starring Sylvester Stallone - 8/10
As awful as many of his films are, I'll always defend the early work of Sylvester Stallone. The first film in the Rambo series actually isn't a mindless action film, it's a great action-thriller with psychological elements and some pretty interesting themes. It is also one of the greatest films that is essentially a chase from beginning to end. A lot of the acting is great and the film has a more realist tone than other action films of the period. The overall filmmaking is good although nothing really special. For action film fans, this is definitely a must watch classic.
Empire directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul - 6/10
Like with most Apichatpong Weerasethakul short films I have seen, I like the distinct aesthetic and especially the camerawork but I find the film hard to connect with. At under 2 minutes though, this is some pretty beautiful work even though it isn't particularly great.
Troubled Waters directed by Tadashi Imai - 8/10
Troubled Waters is a huge step up from Until We Meet Again as it is just a more engaging film from beginning to end, but I still think the film is flawed enough to make me keep the opinion that Imai's work does not equal that of the Japanese masters. The film is interesting as it basically has three short films with different unrelated stories only connected by a common theme of the suffering of common women. The first short film feels incredibly slow, but it somehow just engaged me very much with beautiful imagery, good characters, and a nice set-up but I feel like this short film ends right when it's getting really good. It's just too short, instead of providing us with a real good story it just sets up a really good story and leaves us with just a situation. The second film is the best in my opinion, because it is longer and it gives us a more fleshed out story. It also makes use of more expressive directing which I would like to see more of in Imai's work because it is that jolt of expressive filmmaking (with visuals and sound) that sets him apart from other filmmakers of the period, it sucks that he doesn't employ it more often than he does in his films. The third film is the longest, deepest, and most complex of the three films but I think that it is a little too long which makes the film uneven. One interesting aspect of this film is that it has a flashback that is done basically as a silent film with no dialogue, I find that to be an interesting and expressive way to make cinematic flashbacks. I feel like if the first film were a little longer and the third film a little shorter, then this could have been a 9/10 or even a 10/10 and really be a masterwork, but as it is, it is a very promising film that doesn't fully live up to the level of the greatest Japanese postwar cinema. Right now I don't think Imai will really click with me as Ozu, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Naruse, Yamanaka, and Ichikawa do but I'll still watch his other films in hopes of discovering a masterpiece.
As awful as many of his films are, I'll always defend the early work of Sylvester Stallone. The first film in the Rambo series actually isn't a mindless action film, it's a great action-thriller with psychological elements and some pretty interesting themes. It is also one of the greatest films that is essentially a chase from beginning to end. A lot of the acting is great and the film has a more realist tone than other action films of the period. The overall filmmaking is good although nothing really special. For action film fans, this is definitely a must watch classic.
Empire directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul - 6/10
Like with most Apichatpong Weerasethakul short films I have seen, I like the distinct aesthetic and especially the camerawork but I find the film hard to connect with. At under 2 minutes though, this is some pretty beautiful work even though it isn't particularly great.
Troubled Waters directed by Tadashi Imai - 8/10
Troubled Waters is a huge step up from Until We Meet Again as it is just a more engaging film from beginning to end, but I still think the film is flawed enough to make me keep the opinion that Imai's work does not equal that of the Japanese masters. The film is interesting as it basically has three short films with different unrelated stories only connected by a common theme of the suffering of common women. The first short film feels incredibly slow, but it somehow just engaged me very much with beautiful imagery, good characters, and a nice set-up but I feel like this short film ends right when it's getting really good. It's just too short, instead of providing us with a real good story it just sets up a really good story and leaves us with just a situation. The second film is the best in my opinion, because it is longer and it gives us a more fleshed out story. It also makes use of more expressive directing which I would like to see more of in Imai's work because it is that jolt of expressive filmmaking (with visuals and sound) that sets him apart from other filmmakers of the period, it sucks that he doesn't employ it more often than he does in his films. The third film is the longest, deepest, and most complex of the three films but I think that it is a little too long which makes the film uneven. One interesting aspect of this film is that it has a flashback that is done basically as a silent film with no dialogue, I find that to be an interesting and expressive way to make cinematic flashbacks. I feel like if the first film were a little longer and the third film a little shorter, then this could have been a 9/10 or even a 10/10 and really be a masterwork, but as it is, it is a very promising film that doesn't fully live up to the level of the greatest Japanese postwar cinema. Right now I don't think Imai will really click with me as Ozu, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Naruse, Yamanaka, and Ichikawa do but I'll still watch his other films in hopes of discovering a masterpiece.
Island Of Fire directed by Chu Yen-ping - 6/10
This is a decent martial arts comedy film starring Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Andy Lau. It has the typical episodic narrative structure of most Hong Kong films and it mixes broad comedy with martial arts to appeal to its audience. I think this is decent for the type of film it is, but it is extremely disappointing considering the awesome cast. One notable aspect of the film is the heroic bloodshed inspired ending which features the four major stars in John Woo style gunplay even with male bonding and everything, I think that scene alone makes this film worth watching, although there are other good scene as well.
This is a decent martial arts comedy film starring Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Andy Lau. It has the typical episodic narrative structure of most Hong Kong films and it mixes broad comedy with martial arts to appeal to its audience. I think this is decent for the type of film it is, but it is extremely disappointing considering the awesome cast. One notable aspect of the film is the heroic bloodshed inspired ending which features the four major stars in John Woo style gunplay even with male bonding and everything, I think that scene alone makes this film worth watching, although there are other good scene as well.
RECENTLY:
The Book Thief: 3/10, obviously something that's aimed at the oscars. But it clearly thinks it's a lot better than it is. Not awful, pretty average.
Guardians of the Galaxy: 4/10, one of the better recent marvel movies of late, I enjoyed it.
A Good Day to Die Hard: 1/10, I'm not a die hard fan, but I can't deny that they're good action flicks. Except for this, which is absolute drovel.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: 2/10, George Lazenby (splling) was never a good choice for James Bond.
Eyes Wide Shut: 5/10, not my favourite Kubrick film, but it was good. I feel like this rating might go up after repeat viewings.
Strangers on a Train: 6/10, Still working my way through the filmography of Hitchcock, I really liked this one
Breaking Bad season two: 7/10, not a movie, but better than most. Season two was really terrific, took what I liked about the first season and really fleshed it out.
It Might Get Loud: 5/10, pretty good music doc starring Jack White (White Stripes), Jimmie Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2).
The Book Thief: 3/10, obviously something that's aimed at the oscars. But it clearly thinks it's a lot better than it is. Not awful, pretty average.
Guardians of the Galaxy: 4/10, one of the better recent marvel movies of late, I enjoyed it.
A Good Day to Die Hard: 1/10, I'm not a die hard fan, but I can't deny that they're good action flicks. Except for this, which is absolute drovel.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: 2/10, George Lazenby (splling) was never a good choice for James Bond.
Eyes Wide Shut: 5/10, not my favourite Kubrick film, but it was good. I feel like this rating might go up after repeat viewings.
Strangers on a Train: 6/10, Still working my way through the filmography of Hitchcock, I really liked this one
Breaking Bad season two: 7/10, not a movie, but better than most. Season two was really terrific, took what I liked about the first season and really fleshed it out.
It Might Get Loud: 5/10, pretty good music doc starring Jack White (White Stripes), Jimmie Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2).
The Story Of A Discharged Prisoner directed by Patrick Lung Kong - 8/10
This is the film that inspired John Woo's A Better Tomorrow (which is a loose remake of this film) and was one of Lung Kong's many achievements in Cantonese cinema. Today the film holds up as an entertaining socially conscious crime drama that was really ahead of its time. The film has some early development of the Hong Kong aesthetic, yet it has a stronger traditional narrative structure that wouldn't be found in most later popular Hong Kong films. The film has an interesting story that shows the difficulties of trying to escape the criminal world and reform. Unfortunately, I don't think the film is quite the masterpiece I expected it to be. It has some great scenes and I think the story is great, but the film feels a bit underdeveloped in the way that it handled its characters. I did like how it really was a prototype for many later Hong Kong films in the way that it handled its story and the variety of scenes (that range from awesome action scenes to really poignant sad moments to reflective moments and to the crazy funny broad humor scenes). It's a shame that Patrick Lung Kong is really a forgotten figure of cinema as he is a really talented director that I would call the Father of Cantonese Cinema.
Teddy Girls directed by Patrick Lung Kong - 9/10
I saw this film at the Museum of the Moving Image as a part of a retrospective on Lung Kong's work and the later films that were influenced by his work with Patrick Lung Kong and film critic Sam Ho there for an introduction and Q&A session. The film was a great improvement over The Story Of A Discharged Prisoner as it maintains the great socially conscious perspective of that film while developing a different kind of aesthetic that does a better job at mixing the message with the entertainment (not to mention, it has some incredibly strong female characters). The film starts off as a kind of youth film that has rebels in a reformatory school, and we witness the difficulties of the protagonist trying to simply survive through all of the bullying. This part of the film feels like a very entertaining if standard Hong Kong film with lots of humor and good scenes (and a slightly more episodic structure than Discharged Prisoner), but Lung Kong does this just to lure us into something completely different. As the film progresses, more details of the protagonist's circumstances that caused her to become a rebellious 'teddy girl' are revealed through a particularly inventive use of flashback. Also, the protagonist starts to make friends and
From then on the film becomes a really strange revenge film that has a lot more depths than Tarantino's and Bruce Lee's explorations of the theme as it adds psychological depth and the social realities that caused these problems to the mix. The protagonist and two of her friends all have revenge plans and then the film becomes very shocking and innovative. This completely different mix of tones in a commercial film reminds me very much of Patrick Tam's work (particularly in his film Nomad), however, I feel like Lung Kong did a much better job at mixing the two tones to create a really powerful film that makes its message clear, yet its message is always open as Lung Kong chooses only to humbly raise questions instead of providing false clear answers. Teddy Girls is a very strong film that shows that Patrick Lung Kong is one of the world's most underrated directors and one of the very best message film directors. His form of subverting genre conventions to explore social realism is simply brilliant, and while his films are not formally complex, they are always satisfying as not one of his similar in aesthetic or subject matter, what brings coherence to his work is a strong social outlook and a very humane perspective that has inspired many Hong Kong filmmakers, and hopefully more people will rediscover his work.
A Better Tomorrow directed by John Woo; produced by Tsui Hark - 10/10
This is my second viewing of this film and I saw it on the big screen for Lung Kong's retrospective as well (with Lung Kong and Tsui Hark there live along with a video message from John Woo!). This time I saw the film from a new lens, that of a loose remake inspired by Lung Kong's The Story Of A Discharged Prisoner. I noticed that Woo reworked several elements of the original film but played them down in favor of themes that are more important to him such as brotherhood, loyalty, and honor. The film was still a very powerful action melodrama for me with some of the most beautiful action sequences I have seen. It was fun to watch the film with an audience because they seemed to all love HK cinema and this film in particular so they applauded a lot during the intros, during the cameos, and after some of the most badass moments. I was surprised to not see much of Chow Yun-fat in the film since in my memory he plays a larger role, but the thing is that he just steals the show with his scenes that he becomes the most memorable part of the film. I was also surprised to see that this film has a lot more melodrama than action, and I think that is awesome. I also noticed how Woo's films are like Lung Kong's in that they have a more traditional narrative structure rather than the HK episodic style, and they also don't experiment as much with staging (except for the action scenes of course). One thing I loved though was how Woo used lighting and composition to create humor sometimes (as in the scene when Leslie Cheung's character pretends not to remember his girlfriend's birthday). But yeah, this film held up on second viewing and I still see it as one of the best action films of all-time with an incredible cast, a great story, strong characters, and amazing John Woo action sequences.
Days Of Youth directed by Yasujiro Ozu - 4/10
Even masters have to start somewhere. This is the first Ozu film that I didn't like, and it was also the first Ozu film that I actually disliked. The film is a light silent comedy that starts off pretty well but loses steam after about the first 25 minutes or so. The film is unfocused, lacks the rigorous artistry of Ozu's later films, lacks memorable characters and scenes, and seems to only have value as a historical piece that shows how Ozu developed as a filmmaker (notice how he introduces a primitive form of his trademark transitional 'pillow shots' as POV shots in this film). But overall, this film didn't keep me engaged for very long and is one of the worst Japanese silent films I've seen (Ozu made better silent films, so did Mizoguchi, Kinugasa, and Naruse). I think that the film's length also really hurt it, it would have been tighter at 60 minutes.
Spring Breakers directed by Harmony Korine - 6/10
Beautiful cinematography, and Korine tries to show us things that we need to see to 'wake up.' I really just think that Korine lacks the sensitivity to make a film with a strong human message. He clearly has talent as a filmmaker and he is really bold, but actually right now I can contrast him with Lung Kong. Lung Kong really tried to understand his characters which were always looked down upon (criminals, young delinquents, people of different races, etc.). On the other hand, Korine seems to be happy to just show debauchery and not give us any plausibility, any understanding of why or how these problems occur, and while he maintains a 'objective' point of view, his films always give me the feeling that he judges what is happening on screen and he calls us to think about the problems. Korine does a good job at making an engaging film (the cinematography is great, the writing is mostly good, the repetitive structure is interesting, his editing decisions were brilliant, and his casting decision was brilliant) but he never gives us understanding or any reason even to care (we kind of have to bring our own experiences to even really care). I particularly have issues with Selena Gomez's character Faith, I think that she is completely an implausible character, and the fact that she is dealt with so much but then abandoned halfway through shows that the film is very flawed. I attended a Christian school for over four years and I know these kinds of people, and none of them would act like Faith did without thought and with such abrupt transitions. This is one of the many problems I have with the film so I'll just give it an above average score for being pretty enjoyable and interesting but it really lacks maturity in handling its themes and characters (I really think it doesn't even treat them as humans). That being said, I really like how Korine tricked many younger audiences into watching a film that is critical of the very acts that they wanted to see glorified on the big screen, that is a really great act!
This is the film that inspired John Woo's A Better Tomorrow (which is a loose remake of this film) and was one of Lung Kong's many achievements in Cantonese cinema. Today the film holds up as an entertaining socially conscious crime drama that was really ahead of its time. The film has some early development of the Hong Kong aesthetic, yet it has a stronger traditional narrative structure that wouldn't be found in most later popular Hong Kong films. The film has an interesting story that shows the difficulties of trying to escape the criminal world and reform. Unfortunately, I don't think the film is quite the masterpiece I expected it to be. It has some great scenes and I think the story is great, but the film feels a bit underdeveloped in the way that it handled its characters. I did like how it really was a prototype for many later Hong Kong films in the way that it handled its story and the variety of scenes (that range from awesome action scenes to really poignant sad moments to reflective moments and to the crazy funny broad humor scenes). It's a shame that Patrick Lung Kong is really a forgotten figure of cinema as he is a really talented director that I would call the Father of Cantonese Cinema.
Teddy Girls directed by Patrick Lung Kong - 9/10
I saw this film at the Museum of the Moving Image as a part of a retrospective on Lung Kong's work and the later films that were influenced by his work with Patrick Lung Kong and film critic Sam Ho there for an introduction and Q&A session. The film was a great improvement over The Story Of A Discharged Prisoner as it maintains the great socially conscious perspective of that film while developing a different kind of aesthetic that does a better job at mixing the message with the entertainment (not to mention, it has some incredibly strong female characters). The film starts off as a kind of youth film that has rebels in a reformatory school, and we witness the difficulties of the protagonist trying to simply survive through all of the bullying. This part of the film feels like a very entertaining if standard Hong Kong film with lots of humor and good scenes (and a slightly more episodic structure than Discharged Prisoner), but Lung Kong does this just to lure us into something completely different. As the film progresses, more details of the protagonist's circumstances that caused her to become a rebellious 'teddy girl' are revealed through a particularly inventive use of flashback. Also, the protagonist starts to make friends and
after her mother dies, she plans to escape the reformatory school to enact revenge on her mother's boyfriend whom she considers to have indirectly caused her death.
A Better Tomorrow directed by John Woo; produced by Tsui Hark - 10/10
This is my second viewing of this film and I saw it on the big screen for Lung Kong's retrospective as well (with Lung Kong and Tsui Hark there live along with a video message from John Woo!). This time I saw the film from a new lens, that of a loose remake inspired by Lung Kong's The Story Of A Discharged Prisoner. I noticed that Woo reworked several elements of the original film but played them down in favor of themes that are more important to him such as brotherhood, loyalty, and honor. The film was still a very powerful action melodrama for me with some of the most beautiful action sequences I have seen. It was fun to watch the film with an audience because they seemed to all love HK cinema and this film in particular so they applauded a lot during the intros, during the cameos, and after some of the most badass moments. I was surprised to not see much of Chow Yun-fat in the film since in my memory he plays a larger role, but the thing is that he just steals the show with his scenes that he becomes the most memorable part of the film. I was also surprised to see that this film has a lot more melodrama than action, and I think that is awesome. I also noticed how Woo's films are like Lung Kong's in that they have a more traditional narrative structure rather than the HK episodic style, and they also don't experiment as much with staging (except for the action scenes of course). One thing I loved though was how Woo used lighting and composition to create humor sometimes (as in the scene when Leslie Cheung's character pretends not to remember his girlfriend's birthday). But yeah, this film held up on second viewing and I still see it as one of the best action films of all-time with an incredible cast, a great story, strong characters, and amazing John Woo action sequences.
Days Of Youth directed by Yasujiro Ozu - 4/10
Even masters have to start somewhere. This is the first Ozu film that I didn't like, and it was also the first Ozu film that I actually disliked. The film is a light silent comedy that starts off pretty well but loses steam after about the first 25 minutes or so. The film is unfocused, lacks the rigorous artistry of Ozu's later films, lacks memorable characters and scenes, and seems to only have value as a historical piece that shows how Ozu developed as a filmmaker (notice how he introduces a primitive form of his trademark transitional 'pillow shots' as POV shots in this film). But overall, this film didn't keep me engaged for very long and is one of the worst Japanese silent films I've seen (Ozu made better silent films, so did Mizoguchi, Kinugasa, and Naruse). I think that the film's length also really hurt it, it would have been tighter at 60 minutes.
Spring Breakers directed by Harmony Korine - 6/10
Beautiful cinematography, and Korine tries to show us things that we need to see to 'wake up.' I really just think that Korine lacks the sensitivity to make a film with a strong human message. He clearly has talent as a filmmaker and he is really bold, but actually right now I can contrast him with Lung Kong. Lung Kong really tried to understand his characters which were always looked down upon (criminals, young delinquents, people of different races, etc.). On the other hand, Korine seems to be happy to just show debauchery and not give us any plausibility, any understanding of why or how these problems occur, and while he maintains a 'objective' point of view, his films always give me the feeling that he judges what is happening on screen and he calls us to think about the problems. Korine does a good job at making an engaging film (the cinematography is great, the writing is mostly good, the repetitive structure is interesting, his editing decisions were brilliant, and his casting decision was brilliant) but he never gives us understanding or any reason even to care (we kind of have to bring our own experiences to even really care). I particularly have issues with Selena Gomez's character Faith, I think that she is completely an implausible character, and the fact that she is dealt with so much but then abandoned halfway through shows that the film is very flawed. I attended a Christian school for over four years and I know these kinds of people, and none of them would act like Faith did without thought and with such abrupt transitions. This is one of the many problems I have with the film so I'll just give it an above average score for being pretty enjoyable and interesting but it really lacks maturity in handling its themes and characters (I really think it doesn't even treat them as humans). That being said, I really like how Korine tricked many younger audiences into watching a film that is critical of the very acts that they wanted to see glorified on the big screen, that is a really great act!
The Bling Ring
6/10, although Emma Watson really nailed the character of Alexis Niers. The movie was a little dull and repetitive at times though.
6/10, although Emma Watson really nailed the character of Alexis Niers. The movie was a little dull and repetitive at times though.
Golden Boy - 8/10 - The film has a brutality not generally present within American cinema in the 30's/40's, especially evident in it's shocking ending. There are plenty of clichés and unrealistic moments, but the characters are so colorful and the pacing of these interactions are so well timed that the many flaws are forgivable. There is some incredibly blatant sexism and racism, which was sometimes so absurd or culturally archaic that it was actually funny. But despite the film not aging incredibly well, it has a certain human aspect to it that lures you into the situations. Within these situations, a certain greyness looms in the background and continually makes itself more present. The movie refuses to have perfect protagonists, and perfectly evil antagonists. Villains and heroes actually alternate places, one minute a character is the person we route for, the next minute, we despise them. Overall, it's a great film filled with amazing relationships and interactions that triumph over the many noticeable flaws.
Tokyo Godfathers directed by Satoshi Kon - 9/10
Leave it to Satoshi Kon to make a really crazy Christmas film with quirky characters, a crazy plot filled with twists, and an incredible visual/editing/narrative style that leaves behind most popular postmodern directors. I've always praised Kon as being an anime director that is better than most live-action directors of his generation, here he makes a funner lighter film than Perfect Blue and especially Millennium Actress, but it's just the same, you can see Satoshi Kon's brilliance and how he was such a huge loss not only to anime but to contemporary cinema with his early passing.
Kansas City Confidential directed by Phil Karlson - 8/10
A good noir film, not a masterpiece of the genre but it has a good plot, it's fun to watch, and it has a surprisingly great female character that isn't a femme fatale.
Enter The Dragon directed by Robert Clouse - 8/10
Definitely Bruce Lee's best film, though I still wouldn't consider it to be a great film in the action or martial arts genre. This one is really flawed like Lee's other movies, but it's less flawed, it has better production values, it has a surprisingly adaptability between two national cinemas (Hong Kong and the USA), and it feels like a Bruce Lee James Bond film for a while. But the real reason I give this film an 8 instead of a 7 is that amazing ending mirror fight, its only flaw is that it should have been longer.
The Killing directed by Stanley Kubrick - 7/10
Eh, this is one of those times when a film that is considered to be great doesn't click with me. I was a bit tired while watching it, so that may have affected my experience, but I still don't think this can reach the best noir. Hopefully it'll be one of those films like Out Of The Past which didn't click with me at first but then I discovered was a masterpiece. The beginning and end were brilliant for me, the rest was just good but not masterful. I've got to say that I also came with super high expectations, I was hoping this would be as good as Out Of The Past or The Big Sleep or The Maltese Falcon, I don't think it's even close.
Gun Crazy directed by Joseph H. Lewis - 8/10
This film confirms Joseph H. Lewis is a master B-noir director for me. I think it's even better than The Big Combo and it manages to be interesting all of the time even though I don't think its script is nearly as great as the best noir films. The film doesn't fully give me what I want from a fleshed out story with deeper characters and themes but it does manage to entertain from beginning to end, and it is just brilliant in its low-budget techniques. I saw this and The Killing together as a double feature at the Film Forum, and I've got to say, even though The Killing is considered to be a masterpiece, I enjoyed this one more.
Leave it to Satoshi Kon to make a really crazy Christmas film with quirky characters, a crazy plot filled with twists, and an incredible visual/editing/narrative style that leaves behind most popular postmodern directors. I've always praised Kon as being an anime director that is better than most live-action directors of his generation, here he makes a funner lighter film than Perfect Blue and especially Millennium Actress, but it's just the same, you can see Satoshi Kon's brilliance and how he was such a huge loss not only to anime but to contemporary cinema with his early passing.
Kansas City Confidential directed by Phil Karlson - 8/10
A good noir film, not a masterpiece of the genre but it has a good plot, it's fun to watch, and it has a surprisingly great female character that isn't a femme fatale.
Enter The Dragon directed by Robert Clouse - 8/10
Definitely Bruce Lee's best film, though I still wouldn't consider it to be a great film in the action or martial arts genre. This one is really flawed like Lee's other movies, but it's less flawed, it has better production values, it has a surprisingly adaptability between two national cinemas (Hong Kong and the USA), and it feels like a Bruce Lee James Bond film for a while. But the real reason I give this film an 8 instead of a 7 is that amazing ending mirror fight, its only flaw is that it should have been longer.
The Killing directed by Stanley Kubrick - 7/10
Eh, this is one of those times when a film that is considered to be great doesn't click with me. I was a bit tired while watching it, so that may have affected my experience, but I still don't think this can reach the best noir. Hopefully it'll be one of those films like Out Of The Past which didn't click with me at first but then I discovered was a masterpiece. The beginning and end were brilliant for me, the rest was just good but not masterful. I've got to say that I also came with super high expectations, I was hoping this would be as good as Out Of The Past or The Big Sleep or The Maltese Falcon, I don't think it's even close.
Gun Crazy directed by Joseph H. Lewis - 8/10
This film confirms Joseph H. Lewis is a master B-noir director for me. I think it's even better than The Big Combo and it manages to be interesting all of the time even though I don't think its script is nearly as great as the best noir films. The film doesn't fully give me what I want from a fleshed out story with deeper characters and themes but it does manage to entertain from beginning to end, and it is just brilliant in its low-budget techniques. I saw this and The Killing together as a double feature at the Film Forum, and I've got to say, even though The Killing is considered to be a masterpiece, I enjoyed this one more.
Finally saw The Grand Budapest Hotel. Very nice. Beautiful, gorgeous production.
Though I did like the characters and was happy to spend time with them*, the film ultimately did not affect me so much on an emotional level as, for instance, The Darjeeling Limited did. But I think I do get how very difficult, and how much of a crapshoot, really, it probably is to achieve that in any form of storytelling.
I'm also not a big fan of using fake countries, fake Nazis, or fake history (it depends
), either.
But oh well.
Ralph Fiennes is brilliant as usual. Tilda Swinton delivers the goods for her small but big role. F. Murray Abraham is great; he should be in more films. And so's the rest of the cast.
* Don't know if Wes follows the Snyder Template, but there's definitely what one could describe as a very obvious "save the cat" moment for the hero near the beginning of the film. â€
†Though I did want to bless Wes Anderson for proving once again to be a filmmaker that can give us something outside the conventional Hollywood mold.
Though I did like the characters and was happy to spend time with them*, the film ultimately did not affect me so much on an emotional level as, for instance, The Darjeeling Limited did. But I think I do get how very difficult, and how much of a crapshoot, really, it probably is to achieve that in any form of storytelling.
I'm also not a big fan of using fake countries, fake Nazis, or fake history (it depends
), either. But oh well.
Ralph Fiennes is brilliant as usual. Tilda Swinton delivers the goods for her small but big role. F. Murray Abraham is great; he should be in more films. And so's the rest of the cast.
* Don't know if Wes follows the Snyder Template, but there's definitely what one could describe as a very obvious "save the cat" moment for the hero near the beginning of the film. â€
†Though I did want to bless Wes Anderson for proving once again to be a filmmaker that can give us something outside the conventional Hollywood mold.
Yeah, I didn't love it either. Visually, it was terrific, but it lacked something (for me at least)
Game Of Death directed by Robert Clouse, Bruce Lee (uncredited), and Sammo Hung (uncredited) - 2/10
This is easily the worst martial arts film I've ever seen and one of the worst films in general I've seen in my life. The only good parts are the 15 or so minutes of Bruce Lee fighting. I never thought Lee's films were masterpieces or even great films but at least they were always engaging and mostly entertaining, but this film shows just how awful cinema can be with cinematography, storytelling, acting, all of it is horrendous. I can see the need for this film in the pre-home video days but today I just feel like, just add the cool fight scenes as DVD extras to a Bruce Lee film collection.
This is easily the worst martial arts film I've ever seen and one of the worst films in general I've seen in my life. The only good parts are the 15 or so minutes of Bruce Lee fighting. I never thought Lee's films were masterpieces or even great films but at least they were always engaging and mostly entertaining, but this film shows just how awful cinema can be with cinematography, storytelling, acting, all of it is horrendous. I can see the need for this film in the pre-home video days but today I just feel like, just add the cool fight scenes as DVD extras to a Bruce Lee film collection.
Paprika directed by Satoshi Kon - 9/10
I finally finished watching Satoshi Kon's filmography (of feature films) and I have to say this one left me very confused. On one hand, it is one of the greatest sensory experiences I've had with any feature film, but on the other, I didn't feel like I really "got" the characters and the story. Where Tokyo Godfathers definitely felt like a lighter film, I don't feel like this is a lighter or even a lesser film than Perfect Blue or Millennium Actress, but it is a different kind of film. I'm thinking that if I re-watch this film, I'll consider it to be a masterpiece since it does so much with its visuals, sound, and editing to create a really unique experience that actually does develop Satoshi Kon's primary themes and concerns even though its plot is very hard to grasp. For now, I'll rank it as the least of Kon's films even though I still think it is a very great film. This is definitely a better dream-themed film than Inception which seems extremely pedestrian when you compare it to this film (I mean, they say Inception is about dreams and stuff, but where is real dream imagery like the one found in this film!). This film had dreams that merged with reality, dreams that merged with other dreams, dreams that connected with different characters' backstories, and it just was really a unique experience that deserves to be watched even if it confuses the viewer.
I finally finished watching Satoshi Kon's filmography (of feature films) and I have to say this one left me very confused. On one hand, it is one of the greatest sensory experiences I've had with any feature film, but on the other, I didn't feel like I really "got" the characters and the story. Where Tokyo Godfathers definitely felt like a lighter film, I don't feel like this is a lighter or even a lesser film than Perfect Blue or Millennium Actress, but it is a different kind of film. I'm thinking that if I re-watch this film, I'll consider it to be a masterpiece since it does so much with its visuals, sound, and editing to create a really unique experience that actually does develop Satoshi Kon's primary themes and concerns even though its plot is very hard to grasp. For now, I'll rank it as the least of Kon's films even though I still think it is a very great film. This is definitely a better dream-themed film than Inception which seems extremely pedestrian when you compare it to this film (I mean, they say Inception is about dreams and stuff, but where is real dream imagery like the one found in this film!). This film had dreams that merged with reality, dreams that merged with other dreams, dreams that connected with different characters' backstories, and it just was really a unique experience that deserves to be watched even if it confuses the viewer.
Ani*Kuri15 directed by various anime directors - 6/10
This is a short that's roughly fifteen minutes as it includes fifteen different anime shorts by fifteen of the most prominent anime directors (it also has an intro and a concluding video), each short is one minute long. There is nothing outstanding here, but my favorites were by Satoshi Kon and Makoto Shinkai and those were better than the others. Seeing these shorts just shows me how the one minute form can be interesting but it is really hard to come up with something good with those limitations.
Other Worlds directed by Makoto Shinkai - 6/10
A fine short anime film that has a nice mood created by the minimalist visuals and the use of Erik Satie's Gymnopedies. Nothing too special but definitely enjoyable.
She And Her Cat: Their Standing Points directed by Makoto Shinkai - 8/10
This is a really good short anime film that shows the special relationship between a cat and his owner. I love the genuine emotion in the film, the structure which adds to the film's tone, and the overall combination of visuals and sound. I can't wait to start watching Makoto Shinkai's other films!
Z-Kai: Cross Road directed by Makoto Shinkai - 6.5/10
A very inspiring beautiful short anime film, I kind of wish this were a feature!
Fighting Friends: Japanese Style directed by Yasujiro Ozu - 6/10
The surviving footage of this Ozu film is much more entertaining than his earliest surviving film, Days Of Youth. I feel like the cinematography is much stronger, and while the film isn't laugh out loud funny, it is somewhat amusing and always entertaining. I wish that this one survived from beginning to end.
Vive L'Amour directed by Tsai Ming-liang - 9/10
Tsai Ming-liang is one of the most incredible directors for me, because like Antonioni he makes films that seem to be about nothing but are really deep, well made, and I think quite entertaining (although in a different way from different kind of films). This film is much more minimal than Rebels Of The Neon God (Tsai's excellent debut film) with very little dialogue (essentially being a "silent" film) and with no real plot. Tsai does a great job at showing us the meaninglessness of life and how difficult loneliness and alienation can be. Yet Tsai also finds the humor in it all with absurd situations. Like with all the Tsai films I've seen, it takes a while for me to get into a completely different kind of cinematic experience but once I'm on his wavelength, I never want the film to end. And yet this film has such a brilliant uncompromisingly ending filled with pure emotion, I'm not entirely sure if it was perfect, but at least Tsai had the balls to try something no one would ever dare try. This film may be a masterpiece, but something was missing for me to give it a 10. I think this is like Paprika, I have to watch it again before I fully evaluate the film.
This is a short that's roughly fifteen minutes as it includes fifteen different anime shorts by fifteen of the most prominent anime directors (it also has an intro and a concluding video), each short is one minute long. There is nothing outstanding here, but my favorites were by Satoshi Kon and Makoto Shinkai and those were better than the others. Seeing these shorts just shows me how the one minute form can be interesting but it is really hard to come up with something good with those limitations.
Other Worlds directed by Makoto Shinkai - 6/10
A fine short anime film that has a nice mood created by the minimalist visuals and the use of Erik Satie's Gymnopedies. Nothing too special but definitely enjoyable.
She And Her Cat: Their Standing Points directed by Makoto Shinkai - 8/10
This is a really good short anime film that shows the special relationship between a cat and his owner. I love the genuine emotion in the film, the structure which adds to the film's tone, and the overall combination of visuals and sound. I can't wait to start watching Makoto Shinkai's other films!
Z-Kai: Cross Road directed by Makoto Shinkai - 6.5/10
A very inspiring beautiful short anime film, I kind of wish this were a feature!
Fighting Friends: Japanese Style directed by Yasujiro Ozu - 6/10
The surviving footage of this Ozu film is much more entertaining than his earliest surviving film, Days Of Youth. I feel like the cinematography is much stronger, and while the film isn't laugh out loud funny, it is somewhat amusing and always entertaining. I wish that this one survived from beginning to end.
Vive L'Amour directed by Tsai Ming-liang - 9/10
Tsai Ming-liang is one of the most incredible directors for me, because like Antonioni he makes films that seem to be about nothing but are really deep, well made, and I think quite entertaining (although in a different way from different kind of films). This film is much more minimal than Rebels Of The Neon God (Tsai's excellent debut film) with very little dialogue (essentially being a "silent" film) and with no real plot. Tsai does a great job at showing us the meaninglessness of life and how difficult loneliness and alienation can be. Yet Tsai also finds the humor in it all with absurd situations. Like with all the Tsai films I've seen, it takes a while for me to get into a completely different kind of cinematic experience but once I'm on his wavelength, I never want the film to end. And yet this film has such a brilliant uncompromisingly ending filled with pure emotion, I'm not entirely sure if it was perfect, but at least Tsai had the balls to try something no one would ever dare try. This film may be a masterpiece, but something was missing for me to give it a 10. I think this is like Paprika, I have to watch it again before I fully evaluate the film.
Paranoia Agent. Watch it now. You'll love it. I like Paprika a lot, but I didn't find it as out there or weird as most people seemed to. Probably says more about me than about the film. But even in the light of all of Kon's features (which are amazing, every one), I think Paranoia Agent is him distilled to perfection.
And if you dig that, I can give you a few more anime series recommendations; I watch a lot!
Thanks, yeah I have to get more into anime. I know Miyazaki, Takahata, Kon, Mamoru Hosoda, the Akira film, and now Makoto Shinkai but there is so much from anime!
I saw a few episodes of Paranoia Agent and I loved them, I just didn't finish watching it because I got kinda busy at the time, but now I'm planning on watching the whole series!
I prefer anime film recommendations or short series since I'm not much of a series kinda guy, like I really wouldn't be able to get into something like Naruto, no way, it's just too many episodes!
I Graduated, But... directed by Yasujiro Ozu - 7/10
A very entertaining surviving fragment of a lost Ozu film, it is really good and I think it possibly could have been a masterpiece as it has great cinematography and an interesting simple story.
A Straightforward Boy directed by Yasujiro Ozu - 6/10
Another lost Ozu that only has surviving fragments, it's good light entertainment but it lacks the technical/artistic virtuosity of Ozu's best work in silent films.
My Heart Is That Eternal Rose directed by Patrick Tam - 9/10
Patrick Tam is one of those HK directors that people need to rediscover, it still amazes me that even while Hong Kong is one of the most popular cinemas and has been extensively studied by guys like David Bordwell, there are still truly hidden gems. This particular film suffers from only existing on VHS since the original print has been destroyed. The film is characteristic of Patrick Tam's work, he was the flashiest of the early Hong Kong New Wavers (Tsui Hark, John Woo, and Ann Hui) in the way that he uses more consciously artistic cinematography and editing. He also plays with genre conventions, this time it's his take on the heroic bloodshed genre popularized by John Woo. Rather than focusing on the themes of honor, loyalty, and brotherhood this film adds romance to the mix with a nice love triangle that is much more romantic than the one found in Woo's The Killer. The film has a great cast with Tony Leung in an early mature role providing the noble heart of the film. The film's cinematography by Christopher Doyle is a precursor to Wong Kar-Wai's style as he plays with color and light in ways that would be even more pronounced in Wong's work. What makes the film special for me is how Tam experiments with the genre, with cinematography, and with the editing to tell a good story while pushing his national cinema forward. The biggest problem I have with the film is that it isn't longer so it doesn't get to develop the characters as much as I would have wanted it too, and while the action sequences are amazing, I wish there were one or two more in the film. The final action sequences in particular is as good as anything John Woo has done, I hope more people discover this film and the amazing work that Patrick Tam has done (consider Tam to be the bridge between John Woo/Tsui Hark and Wong Kar-Wai in developing a distinctive art cinema in Hong Kong).
A very entertaining surviving fragment of a lost Ozu film, it is really good and I think it possibly could have been a masterpiece as it has great cinematography and an interesting simple story.
A Straightforward Boy directed by Yasujiro Ozu - 6/10
Another lost Ozu that only has surviving fragments, it's good light entertainment but it lacks the technical/artistic virtuosity of Ozu's best work in silent films.
My Heart Is That Eternal Rose directed by Patrick Tam - 9/10
Patrick Tam is one of those HK directors that people need to rediscover, it still amazes me that even while Hong Kong is one of the most popular cinemas and has been extensively studied by guys like David Bordwell, there are still truly hidden gems. This particular film suffers from only existing on VHS since the original print has been destroyed. The film is characteristic of Patrick Tam's work, he was the flashiest of the early Hong Kong New Wavers (Tsui Hark, John Woo, and Ann Hui) in the way that he uses more consciously artistic cinematography and editing. He also plays with genre conventions, this time it's his take on the heroic bloodshed genre popularized by John Woo. Rather than focusing on the themes of honor, loyalty, and brotherhood this film adds romance to the mix with a nice love triangle that is much more romantic than the one found in Woo's The Killer. The film has a great cast with Tony Leung in an early mature role providing the noble heart of the film. The film's cinematography by Christopher Doyle is a precursor to Wong Kar-Wai's style as he plays with color and light in ways that would be even more pronounced in Wong's work. What makes the film special for me is how Tam experiments with the genre, with cinematography, and with the editing to tell a good story while pushing his national cinema forward. The biggest problem I have with the film is that it isn't longer so it doesn't get to develop the characters as much as I would have wanted it too, and while the action sequences are amazing, I wish there were one or two more in the film. The final action sequences in particular is as good as anything John Woo has done, I hope more people discover this film and the amazing work that Patrick Tam has done (consider Tam to be the bridge between John Woo/Tsui Hark and Wong Kar-Wai in developing a distinctive art cinema in Hong Kong).