Highly Recommended
1987: When the Day Comes (2017) (Korean Thriller/Drama) – In 1987 Korea, under an oppressive military regime, the unlawful interrogation and death of a college student ignite ordinary citizens to fight for the truth and bring about justice. This is a solid dramatic film that expertly utilizes a variety of characters who are affected by the political events at hand. Some very thrilling sequences and stifling tension as well.
Jailbreak (2017) (Cambodian Action) – A special task force gets trapped in the prison and have to fight their way out for survival, while also protecting a key witness. The characters have very limited access to guns, which means that everyone is forced to use their fists and nearby objects to defend themselves. Martial arts choreography is precise and exciting. The actors are talented and the direction/camerawork is impressive. The opening 30 or so minutes are used to set-up the plot, characters, and scenario – but the rest of the film is filled to the brim with balls-to-the-wall smackdowns. In terms of flaws, the dialogue and acting are rather stiff. There is also a bit of cheesiness here and there. Fun movie though.
Ajin: Demi Human (2017) (Japanese Action) – A young man (Takeru Satoh) discovers that he is an “Ajin”, a demi-human being who can regenerate after death by using a “ghost” that co-exists within his own body. He crosses paths with another Ajin (Go Ayano) who is terrorizing the city of Tokyo. Unlike most Japanese blockbusters, this film is a legitimately crowd-pleasing, high octane thrill ride. The action is plentiful and exciting to watch, mostly because the mix of shootouts and hand-to-hand combat is surprisingly well-choreographed, grounded and violent. The “ghosts” are CGI, but they work fairly well because their character design makes them smoky and etherial. The character development is weak, but Go Ayano is a great villain regardless; he’s a badass who practically gets more screentime than the protagonist. Directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro.
Recommended
Chasing the Dragon (2017) (Chinese Crime Action/Drama) – In an attempt to save his acquaintances who constantly get in trouble, Donnie Yen gets roped into the triad underworld. The script is weak, the protagonists are simplistic, the British villains are entirely one-dimensional, and the more melodramatic moments don’t work (especially the music, which is awful) . . . but there is plenty of conflict and people getting violently beaten and sliced! The fights are very scrappy and avoid martial arts completely, but they are still entertaining. Best scene in the movie is when Andy Lau gets screwed over and has to run for his life thru a network of alleyways. The finale is good too. This is surprisingly fun and briskly paced despite its crappy script.
The Magnificent Seven (1960) (American Western Action/Drama) – An oppressed Mexican peasant village hires seven gunfighters to help defend their homes. This remake of “Seven Samurai” (1954) has a fantastic cast (Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn, Eli Wallach, etc.). It’s one of the more popular remakes of Japanese movies, and one can see why. It sets things up nicely, the dialogue is good, and the action is effective, albeit unexceptional. It does meander a bit, and Eli Wallach disappears for too long a time, but this is good.
Eight Below (2006) (American Drama) – This is a remake of the fantastic Japanese film “Antarctica”, where an Antarctic guide helps a scientist reach a destination in a snowstorm. Brutal cold forces them to leave their team of sled dogs behind as they fend for their survival. Paul Walker is good in this, even though he essentially plays himself (he is convincing in his portrayal of a character who knows how to maneuver the icy terrain). Some of the humor seems forced at times, and Jason Biggs is kinda annoying. The Japanese film felt like a documentary, but this always feels like a theatrical film because the filmmakers are too scared to spend too much time with the dogs when they’re by themselves in the wilderness (instead opting to give Paul Walker almost all of the screentime). There’s also an odd action scene involving a gigantic CGI seal. Scoring is also rather generic and a bit too happy in tone. Good movie though.
Leviathon (2014) (Russian Drama) – In a Russian coastal town, Kolya is forced to fight the corrupt mayor when he is told that his house will be demolished. He recruits a lawyer friend to help, but the man's arrival brings further misfortune for Kolya and his family. This has very good performances that feel natural and real. This has a basic story early on, but morphs into something a bit more interesting during the latter half. The helplessness of the protagonist is portrayed well. However, it is a bit long at 141 minutes and also has some dry spots.
Not Recommended
The Disaster Artist (2017) (American Comedy/Drama) – When Greg Sestero, an aspiring film actor, meets the weird and mysterious Tommy Wiseau in an acting class, they form a unique friendship and travel to Hollywood to make their dreams come true. The opening half hour is the same situation replayed over and over and over again – Tommy goes to acting auditions and people laugh at him. James Franco does a good job mimicking Tommy’s accent and mannerisms, but the film itself is weak and fails to give any insight into the man (or the production of the film) that the viewer wouldn’t already know or assume from simply watching “The Room.” This is incredibly shallow and surprisingly dull. The most amazing thing is that “The Room” had such a boring real-life backstory. I did like the ending though.
To Walk Beside You (2009) (Japanese Drama/Comedy) – A 17-year-old country boy begins dating his 34-year-old teacher, who convinces him that he should move to Tokyo with her and become a lawyer on her dime. Starting rather abruptly, this film is immediately awkward and never really recovers. Scoring is goofy and makes the movie feel low-grade, but the biggest problem is the main character (the young man), who is very boring. Practically no fluidity to the story, making most scenes feel detached from one another (i.e., the script is weak). On the positive side, there are a few good moments here and there. The lead actress is good too.
Jump (2003) (Japanese Drama) – The story is about an ordinary salary man who searches for his missing lover, while suffering at work due to his negligence. Performances are good, but this is very boring to watch. The ultimate reason for her disappearance is the least interesting thing you could possibly imagine.
Outrage Coda (aka Outrage Final) (2017) (Japanese Crime Drama/Action) – Takeshi Kitano directs and stars in the third film of this franchise. Unfortunately, there are too many boring conversations between uninteresting characters. There’s no dramatic build-up or development of conflicts at all; people just sit around and talk about the characters that are not in the room. Rinse and repeat. Shootouts are very short, generic, and repetitive. The ending is stupid.
