Review Recently Seen, Part 1 (Feb 2017)
- Thread starter sitenoise
- Start date
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
just to make sure I'm not being misquoted, there were the words "it isn't a" before all those adjectives
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
Yes, sorry for that. I just highlighted the parts which made me want to question my writing skills because I have never come up with that description of a movie ever.
BuX
Member: Rank 1
Yes its me!
BuX
Member: Rank 1
I've recently seen:
The Story of Yonosuke
I really liked this film, although at 160 minutes it was a tad long, but still held together a great story and cast. Yonosuke is a shy boy, who finds socialising abit difficult, but trys his best to mix with his University class mates, but its this insight to his personality that I found to be charming and interesting. Strongly recommend.
Behind The Camera
Behind The Camera, from the director of Dasepo Naughty Girls, E J-yong, is a very strange film that doesnt play out like a normal film. It is in fact a bunch of Korean actors acting for a short promo, for a new smartphone directed by E J-yong called, How To Fall In Love In Ten Minutes. The only snag for the actors, who are huge stars in Korea, was that E J-yong directed via webcam and by mobile phone while in the USA. What the actors dont know is that they are being filmed for the film Behind the Camera. The film is made up of parts of the promo film and behind the scenes, retakes, make-up, tea breaks, and rehearsals. This allows the film to have a natural feel, as there isnt a script, its just a bunch of actors chatting about themselves, their other films, the hate for E J-yong and the frustration of having to have retakes of their scenes. This film is funny, very funny and clever. At times its confusing, but the whole nature of the film, the making of is aswell. I do strongly recommend watching this as its so different to anything else ive seen.
Uzumasa Limelight
At first Uzumasa Limelight looks like a normal Samurai film buts its not, its set in the modern era. It follows the lives of people who work at Uzumasa, a film studio in Kyoto that specalises in jidaigeki (period dramas with sword fighting) The main focus of the film is on a group of 'kirareyaku' actors of which their job is to be killed by the main star. With old style films falling out of fashion, these men struggle to adapt to change and a new way of film making, but trying to keep their craft intact for future generations.
I was quite surprised by this film, wasnt too sure I would like it, but the characters grew on me and I felt more connected. At the end I really enjoyed it and stayed with me at the end. Strongly recommend.
Socialphobia
In modern day Korea, high use of chat rooms and social media is rife, with PC bars all over Seoul. A young girl is found hanged by a group of boys who targeted her online who are then blamed for her death. The boys dont think she killed herself, and suggest she was murdered. The film then takes on a crime/detective story with the boys trying to piece movements of people using social media and their online videos to find the murderer. The film which explores the backgrounds of certain characters, also explores social media and its addiction and the modern day youth of Korea. I liked this film, I like alot of Korean films about youths, this wasnt up their with the best, but it was enjoyable, with plenty of twists and turns. As a first film by the director, I think he did a really good job, an interesting story to tackle and he pulled it off. Although not the best youth film from Korea, its worth watching.
Tears of The Black Tiger
One of my favorite films, its wacky, colourful and funny and the only film like it. With pastel colours and fake film sets the director has linked it to the old days of Thai cinema and theater. Dum is a young peasant boy who falls in love with the police cheif's daughter Rumpoey. Ten years later Dum is part of a gang who rule the countryside on horse back and routinely kill people who get in the way. Dum learns Rumpoey is to marry the local police officer, who's duty it is to caputure the gang, including Dum. The film with its wacky sets, then becomes a western film with shootouts with the gang and the police cheifs home and Dum warns Rumpoey of the danger she is in, only to come face to face with Kumjorn the police officer who is to marry Rumpoey.
I really do love this film, and the directors other film Citizen Dog, which also features the crazy colours. There really isnt anything like it and for something completely different I would strongly recommend these two films.
The Story of Yonosuke
I really liked this film, although at 160 minutes it was a tad long, but still held together a great story and cast. Yonosuke is a shy boy, who finds socialising abit difficult, but trys his best to mix with his University class mates, but its this insight to his personality that I found to be charming and interesting. Strongly recommend.
Behind The Camera
Behind The Camera, from the director of Dasepo Naughty Girls, E J-yong, is a very strange film that doesnt play out like a normal film. It is in fact a bunch of Korean actors acting for a short promo, for a new smartphone directed by E J-yong called, How To Fall In Love In Ten Minutes. The only snag for the actors, who are huge stars in Korea, was that E J-yong directed via webcam and by mobile phone while in the USA. What the actors dont know is that they are being filmed for the film Behind the Camera. The film is made up of parts of the promo film and behind the scenes, retakes, make-up, tea breaks, and rehearsals. This allows the film to have a natural feel, as there isnt a script, its just a bunch of actors chatting about themselves, their other films, the hate for E J-yong and the frustration of having to have retakes of their scenes. This film is funny, very funny and clever. At times its confusing, but the whole nature of the film, the making of is aswell. I do strongly recommend watching this as its so different to anything else ive seen.
Uzumasa Limelight
At first Uzumasa Limelight looks like a normal Samurai film buts its not, its set in the modern era. It follows the lives of people who work at Uzumasa, a film studio in Kyoto that specalises in jidaigeki (period dramas with sword fighting) The main focus of the film is on a group of 'kirareyaku' actors of which their job is to be killed by the main star. With old style films falling out of fashion, these men struggle to adapt to change and a new way of film making, but trying to keep their craft intact for future generations.
I was quite surprised by this film, wasnt too sure I would like it, but the characters grew on me and I felt more connected. At the end I really enjoyed it and stayed with me at the end. Strongly recommend.
Socialphobia
In modern day Korea, high use of chat rooms and social media is rife, with PC bars all over Seoul. A young girl is found hanged by a group of boys who targeted her online who are then blamed for her death. The boys dont think she killed herself, and suggest she was murdered. The film then takes on a crime/detective story with the boys trying to piece movements of people using social media and their online videos to find the murderer. The film which explores the backgrounds of certain characters, also explores social media and its addiction and the modern day youth of Korea. I liked this film, I like alot of Korean films about youths, this wasnt up their with the best, but it was enjoyable, with plenty of twists and turns. As a first film by the director, I think he did a really good job, an interesting story to tackle and he pulled it off. Although not the best youth film from Korea, its worth watching.
Tears of The Black Tiger
One of my favorite films, its wacky, colourful and funny and the only film like it. With pastel colours and fake film sets the director has linked it to the old days of Thai cinema and theater. Dum is a young peasant boy who falls in love with the police cheif's daughter Rumpoey. Ten years later Dum is part of a gang who rule the countryside on horse back and routinely kill people who get in the way. Dum learns Rumpoey is to marry the local police officer, who's duty it is to caputure the gang, including Dum. The film with its wacky sets, then becomes a western film with shootouts with the gang and the police cheifs home and Dum warns Rumpoey of the danger she is in, only to come face to face with Kumjorn the police officer who is to marry Rumpoey.
I really do love this film, and the directors other film Citizen Dog, which also features the crazy colours. There really isnt anything like it and for something completely different I would strongly recommend these two films.
Zelena
Member: Rank 2
Lowlife Love (2015, Japan)
I knew this film was going to be awful, and it didn't disappoint.. er, that is, it did disappoint.
If The Workhorse and the Bigmouth was sitenoise's anti-La La Land, this was my anti-Workhorse. Similar theme where it's about filmmakers, but without the sincerity, likability, or hopefulness. Lowlife seems designed for a Cynicism Film Festival. You literally couldn't design a more appallingly cynical film. It's all based on the childish and hackneyed premise that "we're all whores in this business, but gosh darn it, we love it."
There was a strong whiff of hipsterism here, but with the usual problem that hipsters have: they are not actually hip, which is what makes them hipsters. It's loaded with dumb references that mostly went over my head (the protagonist, a washed-up indie wunderkind, talks to a photograph of John Cassavetes: "John, what would you do?") I feel like this lead actor has been in every Japanese movie I hate, but he's actually only been in a couple that I've watched. The trailer and the loglines can tell you everything you need to know about this film that I'm too lazy to repeat. Lowlife Love is so incredibly self-referential, it is symptomatic of a mentality of someone who has zero interest in anything outside of himself. Not a healthy place to spend two hours.
I know that sitenoise would hate this film, but I kind of wish he had burned up two hours of his life watching it because I think he would at least get it, and all its Japanesiness, better than I did, and could review it more entertainingly. It had a couple of mild surprises and almost halfway intelligent comments, but that's about it. There are a couple faintly clever moments where actors are playing people who are actors playing people... but then again this is not a new gag. Where have I seen that recently...? Oh yeah! La La Land!
If I could have these two hours back, I would spend them re-watching just about anything I have ever seen rated seven and up. This one gets a 4.9 because technically, there are a lot of films I hated more, on ideological grounds or because of excessive violence. I should have watched the cat movie.
I knew this film was going to be awful, and it didn't disappoint.. er, that is, it did disappoint.
If The Workhorse and the Bigmouth was sitenoise's anti-La La Land, this was my anti-Workhorse. Similar theme where it's about filmmakers, but without the sincerity, likability, or hopefulness. Lowlife seems designed for a Cynicism Film Festival. You literally couldn't design a more appallingly cynical film. It's all based on the childish and hackneyed premise that "we're all whores in this business, but gosh darn it, we love it."
There was a strong whiff of hipsterism here, but with the usual problem that hipsters have: they are not actually hip, which is what makes them hipsters. It's loaded with dumb references that mostly went over my head (the protagonist, a washed-up indie wunderkind, talks to a photograph of John Cassavetes: "John, what would you do?") I feel like this lead actor has been in every Japanese movie I hate, but he's actually only been in a couple that I've watched. The trailer and the loglines can tell you everything you need to know about this film that I'm too lazy to repeat. Lowlife Love is so incredibly self-referential, it is symptomatic of a mentality of someone who has zero interest in anything outside of himself. Not a healthy place to spend two hours.
I know that sitenoise would hate this film, but I kind of wish he had burned up two hours of his life watching it because I think he would at least get it, and all its Japanesiness, better than I did, and could review it more entertainingly. It had a couple of mild surprises and almost halfway intelligent comments, but that's about it. There are a couple faintly clever moments where actors are playing people who are actors playing people... but then again this is not a new gag. Where have I seen that recently...? Oh yeah! La La Land!
If I could have these two hours back, I would spend them re-watching just about anything I have ever seen rated seven and up. This one gets a 4.9 because technically, there are a lot of films I hated more, on ideological grounds or because of excessive violence. I should have watched the cat movie.
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Daniel Larusso
Member: Rank 3
Il Mare (2000)
Okay fantasy/romance film which was later remade as The Lake House. The story is nice.
6/10
Clue (1985)
Based on the board game. I liked the characters and the different endings but not much else.
5/10
Tampopo (1985)
It's not that fun for someone like me who doesn't enjoy anything related to cooking and eating sounds. But I guess I understand the huge following that this film have.
5/10
divemaster13
Member: Rank 4
Based on a couple of recent comments:
I wondered if my take on 2046 would be the same as 12 years ago, or if I would have a different perspective now.
I easily conclude that my rating should be at least a 4.5. Every shot of this film is amazing. The color, the music, the lighting, the sultry gazes, the juxtaposition between the 1960s era life of the writer and his imagined story of "2046"...it all adds up to a top-notch movie. I do get how some people find the movie "boring" and opaque. Like I said, some other WKW films leave me thinking the same way, and I'm not a huge fan. But 2046 is in a class all by itself. Tony Leung (as Chow) is just perfect in every way, and the various ladies he encounters or imagines just smoke up the screen. When the movie was over I didn't want it to end! I could have easily watched 2 more hours of Chow's like and relationships and musings about "2046." I wanted more, goddammit! More! Believe me, I would not have felt that way if the movie were in any way boring (regardless of how beautifully it is shot).
...I decided to re-watch 2046 last night. I knew that I had liked it, and checking my files, I see that I had given it a 4/5 star rating. But my one viewing was back in May 2005. That's a pretty good rating for me for a Kar-wai Wong film, as I'm not terribly enamored with his "Script? I don't need no stinkin' script!" style of filmmaking.
I wondered if my take on 2046 would be the same as 12 years ago, or if I would have a different perspective now.
I easily conclude that my rating should be at least a 4.5. Every shot of this film is amazing. The color, the music, the lighting, the sultry gazes, the juxtaposition between the 1960s era life of the writer and his imagined story of "2046"...it all adds up to a top-notch movie. I do get how some people find the movie "boring" and opaque. Like I said, some other WKW films leave me thinking the same way, and I'm not a huge fan. But 2046 is in a class all by itself. Tony Leung (as Chow) is just perfect in every way, and the various ladies he encounters or imagines just smoke up the screen. When the movie was over I didn't want it to end! I could have easily watched 2 more hours of Chow's like and relationships and musings about "2046." I wanted more, goddammit! More! Believe me, I would not have felt that way if the movie were in any way boring (regardless of how beautifully it is shot).
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
The definition of hell
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
Ahh, was confusing this with that other flippy floppy behind the scenes movie Actresses.
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
This is that film put together by the guys from Third Window, right? That's too bad. I was having respect for those guys and what they've been doing in terms of distributing Japanese indie films. Typical instance of being a critic, both positive and negative, versus putting your money where your mouth is, I suppose. Thanks for taking one for the team!
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
That was my response the last time I watched it. I could've just hung out all day in that world. A few slowish moments, maybe, but the only thing I remember not liking about it was Zhang Ziyi's eye-liner.
BuX
Member: Rank 1
My favorite film from Wong Kar Wai is Happy Together, and in my view his best.
BuX
Member: Rank 1
Haven't seen Actresses but Behind the Camera is a good film released by Third Window Films.
Zelena
Member: Rank 2
Bravo, yes that's how I felt about it. A really deep, rich film that you can return to many times. It not only has overlapping, time-warped layers, but also overlaps with In The Mood For Love, which puts it in its own universe. Personally, I do like the no-script approach, when it's in the hands of a great director (see also: Apocalypse Now). Most films I feel are too scripted. If the director never shoots a single frame that is not in the script, it shows that he's only interested in part of the process of filmmaking, and doesn't understand that things emerge from process.
Correct.
Actually I very strongly approve of Zhang Ziyi's eyeliner. And her voice.
They distribute some good films, and a lot of bad ones, I guess. This one was a total c***-up.
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
I think their hit to miss ratio in terms of distribution is weighted strongly on the hit side. My understanding of LLL is that the distributer guy actually produced it.
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
What’s in the Darkness (Hei chu you shen me) [2015] • China
Director: Yichun Wang
5.7-6.93/10
This is one of those Chinese rural life movies where you can't be sure if it's done with good actors acting like it's done with real villagers or if it's done with real villagers trying to act. A young girl's coming of age/sexual awakening against a backdrop of grisly rape murders. The girl approaches both with a fearless inquisitiveness. Hmm. Generational differences and changing morals are also explored. "Don't sit on the back of a bike with your legs open. It's not a good look."
Director: Yichun Wang
5.7-6.93/10
This is one of those Chinese rural life movies where you can't be sure if it's done with good actors acting like it's done with real villagers or if it's done with real villagers trying to act. A young girl's coming of age/sexual awakening against a backdrop of grisly rape murders. The girl approaches both with a fearless inquisitiveness. Hmm. Generational differences and changing morals are also explored. "Don't sit on the back of a bike with your legs open. It's not a good look."
Daniel Larusso
Member: Rank 3
Doctor Strange (2016)
Meh, just your average marvel film. This film had some pretty visual effects, especially when they changed gravity, but the action sequences are a bit weak. I was focusing too hard on trying to understand what was happening in most of them. I wish Mads Mikkelsen had more screen time too.
5/10
Lion (2016)
A five-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.
This is one of the films nominated to the oscar for best picture. The scenes filmed in India are powerful and you can feel all the poverty there. Nicole Kidman plays the foster mother and she's really good in this film, but the scenes in Australia aren't that interesting. The ending is nice but overall this is not my favourite type of film.
6/10
Prophecy (2015)
So cringey... and some of the worst cops ever.
4/10
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Zelena
Member: Rank 2
Your Name (Japan 2016)
I liked this one more than plsletitrain did, but not as much as his prior ones. But I'm a confirmed fan of Mr. Shinkai -- probably the only anime director I like. First impression; this one had animated people that looked more like traditional anime -- sort of cartoonish. Perhaps this was deliberate, to broaden the appeal somewhat, while retaining the signature hyper-realistic animated style of the landscapes and cityscapes that Shinkai is famous for. Btw I watched the terrible bootleg copy going around, because I was just too impatient -- I recommend waiting.
This film was almost a re-make of his earlier "Five Centimeters Per Second." In a way it's charming how he has certain signature motifs he likes to 'paint' -- sliding doors, trains (lots of trains!), celestial events, hands drawing, crossroads, PA systems, etc etc. They say that great filmmakers often just keep making the same film over and over again, and trying to do it right. There's nothing wrong with that. The plot was a little bit thin in the middle here, though. Not much going on for the middle 70%, and then a strong ending, which is characteristic of the director. What can I say -- if you like Shinkai's films, you'll like this one. If you don't, you won't. He's an experience guy, not a story guy. A solid 8.1 or so.
All About My Wife (Korea 2012)
Rewatch: This is one of my favorite, somewhat overlooked krom-koms -- a remake of a 2008 Argentine rom-com. It's just a fine example of Korean humor and genre-mashing. A sort of divorce-caper plays out -- almost like a 1950s American thing, a Korean "Seven Year Itch" -- and in parallel, a type of "buddy" movie between our hero, the 'whipped husband, and a small-town Don Juan he hires to seduce his wife in order to get a divorce and escape her.
Soo-jung Lim from I'm a Cyborg and Tale of Two Sisters does a wonderful job as the wife, who is really a deep character. She's cute, but after some years of marriage she has become annoying, clingy, and the worst Asian sin of all: she constantly makes a scene in public and embarrasses her husband. The director seems to be having a lot of fun with having her scratch her ass and keep her husband company while he's trying to take a dump. She's not typecast as a bitch or a terrible person; as the film goes along she is more and more sympathetic and everybody gets it that her complaining and frankness has a place.
Just a great, enjoyable film (not a "great" one) with the wonderful chemistry between the bros, and all the subtle, low-key, 70s style sexcapade jokes. The sex jokes are funny without being too crass or lame. Date night at the movies is so much more fun in Korea; instead of Ryan Gosling pouting and Anna Kendrick going "ta-da!" you get really fun, intelligent romantic humor. There's even a reference to Days of Being Wild. A good 8.21.
I liked this one more than plsletitrain did, but not as much as his prior ones. But I'm a confirmed fan of Mr. Shinkai -- probably the only anime director I like. First impression; this one had animated people that looked more like traditional anime -- sort of cartoonish. Perhaps this was deliberate, to broaden the appeal somewhat, while retaining the signature hyper-realistic animated style of the landscapes and cityscapes that Shinkai is famous for. Btw I watched the terrible bootleg copy going around, because I was just too impatient -- I recommend waiting.
This film was almost a re-make of his earlier "Five Centimeters Per Second." In a way it's charming how he has certain signature motifs he likes to 'paint' -- sliding doors, trains (lots of trains!), celestial events, hands drawing, crossroads, PA systems, etc etc. They say that great filmmakers often just keep making the same film over and over again, and trying to do it right. There's nothing wrong with that. The plot was a little bit thin in the middle here, though. Not much going on for the middle 70%, and then a strong ending, which is characteristic of the director. What can I say -- if you like Shinkai's films, you'll like this one. If you don't, you won't. He's an experience guy, not a story guy. A solid 8.1 or so.
All About My Wife (Korea 2012)
Rewatch: This is one of my favorite, somewhat overlooked krom-koms -- a remake of a 2008 Argentine rom-com. It's just a fine example of Korean humor and genre-mashing. A sort of divorce-caper plays out -- almost like a 1950s American thing, a Korean "Seven Year Itch" -- and in parallel, a type of "buddy" movie between our hero, the 'whipped husband, and a small-town Don Juan he hires to seduce his wife in order to get a divorce and escape her.
Soo-jung Lim from I'm a Cyborg and Tale of Two Sisters does a wonderful job as the wife, who is really a deep character. She's cute, but after some years of marriage she has become annoying, clingy, and the worst Asian sin of all: she constantly makes a scene in public and embarrasses her husband. The director seems to be having a lot of fun with having her scratch her ass and keep her husband company while he's trying to take a dump. She's not typecast as a bitch or a terrible person; as the film goes along she is more and more sympathetic and everybody gets it that her complaining and frankness has a place.
Just a great, enjoyable film (not a "great" one) with the wonderful chemistry between the bros, and all the subtle, low-key, 70s style sexcapade jokes. The sex jokes are funny without being too crass or lame. Date night at the movies is so much more fun in Korea; instead of Ryan Gosling pouting and Anna Kendrick going "ta-da!" you get really fun, intelligent romantic humor. There's even a reference to Days of Being Wild. A good 8.21.