Recently Seen, part 24 (January 2019)
- Thread starter Daniel Larusso
- Start date
The lead actor is completely insufferable for every single minute of the runtime. 
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
*facepalm* Just when you thought you've heard the BEST plotlines.
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
I need to get these two hollywood movies out of the way before I go the other route.
Apocalypse Now (1979)- *someone shield me from AN fanboys which is probably headed by zelena* I rewatched this to confirm if my impression from ages ago was correct and yes, I really can’t understand why this is so revered as one the best war films evarrrrrrrrrrr. With the exception of The Doors’ The End song, nothing really remarkable in the film.
The Fault in our Stars (2014)-You can’t fool me here. I didn’t cry. When you’ve embraced mortality and accepted that, all things being equal and ruling out accidents, that our life clocks tick faster than anyone else, you don’t cry in movies like these anymore. I can see why this officially became the Kleenex film of all time, though. (And probably if I watched this pre-cancer I may have cried buckets too). It was very romantic, trying to squeeze in whatever time you have left to create memories with someone you love. And Shailene Woodley has that raspy voice that fits her role of a level-headed woman. Augustus was convincing as a carefree dude. They have good on-screen chemistry, the dialogues are cute and something the masses will love. And Laura Dern was a stand-out, she deserves a spin-off of her own. And oh gad I REALLY hate that drama “I’m dying anyway so I’m not pursuing things with him”. Pffft. That’s my pet peeve in love stories like this. I literally roll my eyes whenever the inevitable drama of “I’ll let him go because I love him too much!” plays on the screen---just choke me already!!!!!!!! (Honestly that’s very touching to do and all that but I hate it for being too fictional—something you only see in the movies.) The moral of the story is that instead of wasting time and money building a damn wall, the superpowers should fund and deploy the best men out there to find the cure for cancer. Like….asap!
Despite my personal bias, I’d give this movie a 10. Definitely one of the best love stories I've seen.
==========================
I’ll watch Battle Royale next to cleanse my mind. And the one that should make in everyone's Best Movie Titles list. And yeah, Le Havre.
Edit: I just re-read my review and yeah, humanity will one day find the cure for cancer but I doubt there's a cure for my being a motormouth. Haha! I'll try writing more serious-sounding reviews next time if I can (spoiler alert: I can't).
Apocalypse Now (1979)- *someone shield me from AN fanboys which is probably headed by zelena* I rewatched this to confirm if my impression from ages ago was correct and yes, I really can’t understand why this is so revered as one the best war films evarrrrrrrrrrr. With the exception of The Doors’ The End song, nothing really remarkable in the film.
The Fault in our Stars (2014)-You can’t fool me here. I didn’t cry. When you’ve embraced mortality and accepted that, all things being equal and ruling out accidents, that our life clocks tick faster than anyone else, you don’t cry in movies like these anymore. I can see why this officially became the Kleenex film of all time, though. (And probably if I watched this pre-cancer I may have cried buckets too). It was very romantic, trying to squeeze in whatever time you have left to create memories with someone you love. And Shailene Woodley has that raspy voice that fits her role of a level-headed woman. Augustus was convincing as a carefree dude. They have good on-screen chemistry, the dialogues are cute and something the masses will love. And Laura Dern was a stand-out, she deserves a spin-off of her own. And oh gad I REALLY hate that drama “I’m dying anyway so I’m not pursuing things with him”. Pffft. That’s my pet peeve in love stories like this. I literally roll my eyes whenever the inevitable drama of “I’ll let him go because I love him too much!” plays on the screen---just choke me already!!!!!!!! (Honestly that’s very touching to do and all that but I hate it for being too fictional—something you only see in the movies.) The moral of the story is that instead of wasting time and money building a damn wall, the superpowers should fund and deploy the best men out there to find the cure for cancer. Like….asap!
Despite my personal bias, I’d give this movie a 10. Definitely one of the best love stories I've seen.
==========================
I’ll watch Battle Royale next to cleanse my mind. And the one that should make in everyone's Best Movie Titles list. And yeah, Le Havre.
Edit: I just re-read my review and yeah, humanity will one day find the cure for cancer but I doubt there's a cure for my being a motormouth. Haha! I'll try writing more serious-sounding reviews next time if I can (spoiler alert: I can't).
Last edited:
Daniel Larusso
Member: Rank 3
A movie that will help people to deal with the death of a loved one using a sexy combination of sound and image. So much energy it made me want to dance with the girl. Ken Ninomiya is a talent to follow.
8/10
ebossert
Member: Rank 3
I watched a bunch of “art-house” flicks recently, as well as some other stuff.
Highly Recommended
Life Show (2002) (Chinese Drama/Romance) (repeat viewing) – A woman operates a small restaurant on a market street while coping with a variety of family-related problems. You can feel the pressure that our protagonist is under, but it’s not overstated. It’s naturally communicated and she exhibits strength in natural ways as well, so it’s very easy to get on her side. Tao Hong is a great actress and dominates each and every scene, exhibiting a wide range of emotions and earning the viewer’s interest almost immediately. This film has quite a bit of atmosphere; the camerawork and score are nicely done. This is a great film.
Angels Wear White (2017) (Chinese Drama) – In a small seaside town, two schoolgirls are assaulted by a middle-aged man in a motel. Mia, a teenager who was working on reception that night, is the only witness. For fear of losing her job, she says nothing. This is more laid-back than you might expect, but it has a stifling, quiet intensity for sure. There are a few painful moments to endure, but that’s really the hallmark of a good film when it can hit you hard in quiet ways without the need for melodrama. Really good performance all-around, especially by the girls.
Molly’s Game (2017) (American Drama) – This is the story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. The script contributes some very well-written dialogue and performances that keep the pace moving and make it fun to watch. There are good dramatic scenes and even a few laugh-out-loud moments. However, this film was based on Bloom’s real-life memoirs and I must say that I’m not buying her portrayal as an honorable role model with some flaws, which is likely a huge stretch from reality.
Red To Kill (1994) (Hong Kong Thriller) (repeat viewing) – A sadistic murderer/rapist targets a mentally handicapped girl in this notorious CAT III shocker. In this type of film, the portrayal of the killer is of paramount importance, and Ben Ng plays a very convincing lunatic while at the same time avoiding a descent into silly annoyance. There are a few rape scenes here and there, as well as some disturbing moments of self-reflection by the lead protagonist. The final showdown is a true classic in terms of sheer violence. This is seriously depraved, but it’s also a well made, thilling experience.
The Limit of Sleeping Beauty (2017) (Japanese Drama/Romance) – Aki came to Tokyo ten years ago to become an actress. She is now 29-years-old and works as a magician’s assistant, but her partying lifestyle propels her on a hallucinogenic trip that blends her past, present and unreality. This is a very psychological art film that is interesting to watch because it is sufficiently disorienting yet still has an overall point to make regarding the protagonist. The ending is emotionally resonant too. Nicely shot and incorporates much music and dance.
Antiporno (2016) (Japanese Drama) (repeat viewing) – A female porno writer ponders art and sex while she abuses her assistant during the course of a long morning in this film by Sion Sono. This is an odd flick that takes place in a limited number of locations, but the sets frequently use bright colors (like yellow) that are visually striking. This is a very psychological, interesting film that throws some cool curve balls along the way. Some bits are funny too. Performances are solid. Only 76 minutes long. Part of the Nikkatsu Roman Porno Reboot Project.
Recommended
Roma (2018) (Mexican/American Drama) – A year in the life of a middle-class family's maid in Mexico City in the early 1970s. In terms of production values and technical apsects, this is very impressive stuff. Camerawork and direction are top notch (the riot scene and the ocean sequence are highlights). Shot nicely in black-and-white, with solid performances. It does feel a bit long at 135 minutes, with some scenes that drag out.
Blue Amber (2018) (Chinese Drama) – After her husband dies in a car accident, a widow has difficult coming to terms with the insurance pay-out. There is a lot that is referenced but not explained verbally, which means that this is a bit difficult to follow narratively during the opening half (it also jumps back and forth in time). This is very psychological stuff. The interesting angle is that the protagonist becomes obsessed with calculating the monetary value of life, which changes the dynamics between her and her wealthy employer. Glacially paced, but pretty interesting. Very nice lighting and a good score make it aesthetically pleasing.
Upgrade (2018) (American Sci Fi Thriller) – Set in the near-future, a man’s wife is murdered and he is paralyzed. He then seeks revenge with the help of an experimental computer chip implant. This is a cool flick. This takes its time to set everything up, but also moves at a nice pace. There is some dark black humor that is effective. The protagonist is vulnerable for sections of the film (as a quadriplegic) when his upgraded system is “off line.” The ending is actually quite good.
True Fiction (2018) (Korean Drama/Thriller/Comedy) – An aspiring senator is on the way to his wife’s cottage with his mistress, but an accident introduces them to a strange group of men who are intent on causing them problems. This has a light tone early on, but the humor fits naturally within the context of the film. A nice genre bender that maintains interest throughout, despite a mostly low-key feel. Eun-ji Jo is fun to watch as the mentally unhinged wife.
Take It or Leave It
No Man’s Land (2001) (Bosnian/Herzegovian Drama) – Set in 1993 at the time of the heaviest fighting between Bosnia and Herzegovina, two soldiers from opposing sides in the conflict, Nino and Ciki, become trapped in no man’s land, whilst a third soldier becomes a living booby trap. It’s a fairly contrived setup, but this is a pretty good flick overall. I like how it portrayed the U.N. as essentially useless. Still, “Joint Security Area” is a much better film with a similar premise.
The Barbarian Invasions (2003) (Canadian/French Drama/Comedy) – During his final days, a dying man is reunited with old friends, former lovers, his ex-wife, and his estranged son. This is a decent movie, but it’s nothing great. It actually seems like there’s not enough content for the main story, so they add in some sub-plots that don’t add much. Also, there’s a bit too much sex talk between all of these old farts. It’s watchable though.
Continues in next post.
Highly Recommended
Life Show (2002) (Chinese Drama/Romance) (repeat viewing) – A woman operates a small restaurant on a market street while coping with a variety of family-related problems. You can feel the pressure that our protagonist is under, but it’s not overstated. It’s naturally communicated and she exhibits strength in natural ways as well, so it’s very easy to get on her side. Tao Hong is a great actress and dominates each and every scene, exhibiting a wide range of emotions and earning the viewer’s interest almost immediately. This film has quite a bit of atmosphere; the camerawork and score are nicely done. This is a great film.
Angels Wear White (2017) (Chinese Drama) – In a small seaside town, two schoolgirls are assaulted by a middle-aged man in a motel. Mia, a teenager who was working on reception that night, is the only witness. For fear of losing her job, she says nothing. This is more laid-back than you might expect, but it has a stifling, quiet intensity for sure. There are a few painful moments to endure, but that’s really the hallmark of a good film when it can hit you hard in quiet ways without the need for melodrama. Really good performance all-around, especially by the girls.
Molly’s Game (2017) (American Drama) – This is the story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. The script contributes some very well-written dialogue and performances that keep the pace moving and make it fun to watch. There are good dramatic scenes and even a few laugh-out-loud moments. However, this film was based on Bloom’s real-life memoirs and I must say that I’m not buying her portrayal as an honorable role model with some flaws, which is likely a huge stretch from reality.
Red To Kill (1994) (Hong Kong Thriller) (repeat viewing) – A sadistic murderer/rapist targets a mentally handicapped girl in this notorious CAT III shocker. In this type of film, the portrayal of the killer is of paramount importance, and Ben Ng plays a very convincing lunatic while at the same time avoiding a descent into silly annoyance. There are a few rape scenes here and there, as well as some disturbing moments of self-reflection by the lead protagonist. The final showdown is a true classic in terms of sheer violence. This is seriously depraved, but it’s also a well made, thilling experience.
The Limit of Sleeping Beauty (2017) (Japanese Drama/Romance) – Aki came to Tokyo ten years ago to become an actress. She is now 29-years-old and works as a magician’s assistant, but her partying lifestyle propels her on a hallucinogenic trip that blends her past, present and unreality. This is a very psychological art film that is interesting to watch because it is sufficiently disorienting yet still has an overall point to make regarding the protagonist. The ending is emotionally resonant too. Nicely shot and incorporates much music and dance.
Antiporno (2016) (Japanese Drama) (repeat viewing) – A female porno writer ponders art and sex while she abuses her assistant during the course of a long morning in this film by Sion Sono. This is an odd flick that takes place in a limited number of locations, but the sets frequently use bright colors (like yellow) that are visually striking. This is a very psychological, interesting film that throws some cool curve balls along the way. Some bits are funny too. Performances are solid. Only 76 minutes long. Part of the Nikkatsu Roman Porno Reboot Project.
Recommended
Roma (2018) (Mexican/American Drama) – A year in the life of a middle-class family's maid in Mexico City in the early 1970s. In terms of production values and technical apsects, this is very impressive stuff. Camerawork and direction are top notch (the riot scene and the ocean sequence are highlights). Shot nicely in black-and-white, with solid performances. It does feel a bit long at 135 minutes, with some scenes that drag out.
Blue Amber (2018) (Chinese Drama) – After her husband dies in a car accident, a widow has difficult coming to terms with the insurance pay-out. There is a lot that is referenced but not explained verbally, which means that this is a bit difficult to follow narratively during the opening half (it also jumps back and forth in time). This is very psychological stuff. The interesting angle is that the protagonist becomes obsessed with calculating the monetary value of life, which changes the dynamics between her and her wealthy employer. Glacially paced, but pretty interesting. Very nice lighting and a good score make it aesthetically pleasing.
Upgrade (2018) (American Sci Fi Thriller) – Set in the near-future, a man’s wife is murdered and he is paralyzed. He then seeks revenge with the help of an experimental computer chip implant. This is a cool flick. This takes its time to set everything up, but also moves at a nice pace. There is some dark black humor that is effective. The protagonist is vulnerable for sections of the film (as a quadriplegic) when his upgraded system is “off line.” The ending is actually quite good.
True Fiction (2018) (Korean Drama/Thriller/Comedy) – An aspiring senator is on the way to his wife’s cottage with his mistress, but an accident introduces them to a strange group of men who are intent on causing them problems. This has a light tone early on, but the humor fits naturally within the context of the film. A nice genre bender that maintains interest throughout, despite a mostly low-key feel. Eun-ji Jo is fun to watch as the mentally unhinged wife.
Take It or Leave It
No Man’s Land (2001) (Bosnian/Herzegovian Drama) – Set in 1993 at the time of the heaviest fighting between Bosnia and Herzegovina, two soldiers from opposing sides in the conflict, Nino and Ciki, become trapped in no man’s land, whilst a third soldier becomes a living booby trap. It’s a fairly contrived setup, but this is a pretty good flick overall. I like how it portrayed the U.N. as essentially useless. Still, “Joint Security Area” is a much better film with a similar premise.
The Barbarian Invasions (2003) (Canadian/French Drama/Comedy) – During his final days, a dying man is reunited with old friends, former lovers, his ex-wife, and his estranged son. This is a decent movie, but it’s nothing great. It actually seems like there’s not enough content for the main story, so they add in some sub-plots that don’t add much. Also, there’s a bit too much sex talk between all of these old farts. It’s watchable though.
Continues in next post.
ebossert
Member: Rank 3
Continued from prior post.
Not Recommended
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) (American Sci Fi Drama/Thriller) – An electric lineman watches how his quiet and ordinary daily life turns upside down after a close encounter with a UFO. This isn’t a terrible movie or anything, but it’s nothing special. The story is so basic that anyone could have thought of it. It feels consistently overdramatic despite the simplicity of its drawn-out events. Virtually nothing interesting happens during its 134-minute runtime. There are a bunch of character reaction shots though.
The Great Beauty (2013) (Italian Drama) – Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty. This is interesting to look at, but feels unfocused and loses the viewer’s interest multiple times. Character interaction is not strong enough to drive a 141-minute runtime.
The Sea Inside (2004) (Spanish Drama) – The factual story of Spaniard Ramon Sampedro, who fought a thirty-year campaign in favor of euthanasia and his own right to die. This is well-acted, but the scriptwriting is so simplistic and predictable that any person off the street could have written it. The character interaction becomes monotonous rather quickly. Meh.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) (American Western Drama/Comedy Anthology) – Six tales of life and violence in the Old West, following a singing gunslinger, a bank robber, a traveling impresario, an elderly prospector, a wagon train, and a perverse pair of bounty hunters. This is another overrated Coen Brothers movie. These guys haven’t made a good film since “No Country for Old Men.” This one alternates between being annoying and boring.
Midnight Sun (2018) (American Romance) – This remake of the Japanese film of the same name gets off to a poor start, with tons of exposition in the form of narration and an extremely rushed setup. Dialogue is consistently bad throughout. Everything is explained in this movie thru dialogue, with nothing left to be communicated naturally. In terms of acting, Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger are truly inept and are at their very worst when they try to be charming. The only bright spot is Quinn Shephard as the spunky best friend, but she’s not on screen much. Oh, the music is crap too.
Go Away Mr. Tumor (2015) (Chinese Comedy/Drama) – A woman faces her cancer diagnosis by escaping into her own mind. The protagonist is a total klutz who is also annoying, right from the start. Actually, the lead actress really overacts to the point of being too cutesy and childish for her own good. It doesn’t help that the script is poorly written. This is especially true regarding her imaginary daydreams, which are either random (and pointless) or obvious (and shallow). Much of the film is set in the hospital, which is a bad choice by the scriptwriters because the film is already too boring before the monotony of its dreary setting really kicks in. The more serious moments are unearned. The humor is almost all low-hanging fruit.
Over Drive (2018) (Japanese Drama/Action) – This is about two brothers who are on a racing team. The younger brother is a wafer thin prick who is entirely unrelatable. As a drama, this is boring fluff. If that weren’t bad enough, the races are pathetic – i.e., a bunch of very crappy short clips with dodgy special effects. “The Love Bug” had far better races, and that movie was made 50 years ago! The film does come to life a bit near the end, but too little too late.
Not Recommended
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) (American Sci Fi Drama/Thriller) – An electric lineman watches how his quiet and ordinary daily life turns upside down after a close encounter with a UFO. This isn’t a terrible movie or anything, but it’s nothing special. The story is so basic that anyone could have thought of it. It feels consistently overdramatic despite the simplicity of its drawn-out events. Virtually nothing interesting happens during its 134-minute runtime. There are a bunch of character reaction shots though.
The Great Beauty (2013) (Italian Drama) – Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty. This is interesting to look at, but feels unfocused and loses the viewer’s interest multiple times. Character interaction is not strong enough to drive a 141-minute runtime.
The Sea Inside (2004) (Spanish Drama) – The factual story of Spaniard Ramon Sampedro, who fought a thirty-year campaign in favor of euthanasia and his own right to die. This is well-acted, but the scriptwriting is so simplistic and predictable that any person off the street could have written it. The character interaction becomes monotonous rather quickly. Meh.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) (American Western Drama/Comedy Anthology) – Six tales of life and violence in the Old West, following a singing gunslinger, a bank robber, a traveling impresario, an elderly prospector, a wagon train, and a perverse pair of bounty hunters. This is another overrated Coen Brothers movie. These guys haven’t made a good film since “No Country for Old Men.” This one alternates between being annoying and boring.
Midnight Sun (2018) (American Romance) – This remake of the Japanese film of the same name gets off to a poor start, with tons of exposition in the form of narration and an extremely rushed setup. Dialogue is consistently bad throughout. Everything is explained in this movie thru dialogue, with nothing left to be communicated naturally. In terms of acting, Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger are truly inept and are at their very worst when they try to be charming. The only bright spot is Quinn Shephard as the spunky best friend, but she’s not on screen much. Oh, the music is crap too.
Go Away Mr. Tumor (2015) (Chinese Comedy/Drama) – A woman faces her cancer diagnosis by escaping into her own mind. The protagonist is a total klutz who is also annoying, right from the start. Actually, the lead actress really overacts to the point of being too cutesy and childish for her own good. It doesn’t help that the script is poorly written. This is especially true regarding her imaginary daydreams, which are either random (and pointless) or obvious (and shallow). Much of the film is set in the hospital, which is a bad choice by the scriptwriters because the film is already too boring before the monotony of its dreary setting really kicks in. The more serious moments are unearned. The humor is almost all low-hanging fruit.
Over Drive (2018) (Japanese Drama/Action) – This is about two brothers who are on a racing team. The younger brother is a wafer thin prick who is entirely unrelatable. As a drama, this is boring fluff. If that weren’t bad enough, the races are pathetic – i.e., a bunch of very crappy short clips with dodgy special effects. “The Love Bug” had far better races, and that movie was made 50 years ago! The film does come to life a bit near the end, but too little too late.
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
I wholeheartedly concur.
clayton-12
Member: Rank 4
The other day, my garden retic didn’t switch on like it should. No worries, sometimes the pump needs priming – but this time, it seemed the problem was electrical, not mechanical. I did a quick masters degree at the University of Google, which qualified me to diagnose the fault as being a 3-phase DOL starter relay switch (whatever that means). So the next day I ring a local electrician, and arrange for him to meet me at home after work – figuring it’ll be a couple of hundred bucks parts and labour for a half hour job, if that. But when he gets there and does some tests, he’s telling me that there’s only two phases running to the switchboard – apparently it’s a problem with the supply of power to the property, so he’s going to have to ring the utility company. Anyway, the utility guy turns up, and says there’s nothing wrong from their end, so it must be a short in the underground cable between the street and the house, and he’s going to have a cut the power to the house and slap me with a rectification notice. Like, no electricity until they’re satisfied the fault is fixed.
So what’s that going to involve? Well, it’s against the law to put a join in a consumer mains line, so we’re going to need to lay a complete new underground cable between the street and the house (and run it up a wall cavity, and connect it to the switchboard, which will need to be rebuilt to get it up to 2019 regulation standards). I want to get the job done as soon as possible, so I offer to dig the trench myself if the sparky’s able to come back tomorrow. He’s ok with that – I’m figuring the trench will be around 8 metres long, and needs to be around 0.8 metre deep – how hard can that be?
For the evening, I scrounged around for as many extension cords as I could find, and plugged them into the an outside socket of a neighbour’s house, so at least we could keep the fridge running, and put the TV on. Not so bad after all … until I’m lying in bed, and thinking about stuff like “hmm, I’m going to have dig under the front wall, and under that concrete path” and “hmm, is that tree going to have to be removed, or will I be able to go around it” and “shit, I don’t even have any proper trenching shovels, how the #@&% am I going to able to this??”. At least I could console myself with the knowledge that it was going to be an unseasonably cool 32 degrees (Celsius, that is) – perfect digging weather!
Anyway, I got the job down, the power company reconnected us, and in honour of the experience, I thought it was time to catch up with …
Survival Family (Shinobu Yaguchi, 2016) opens with a an almost stereotypical, urban Japanese family getting by with the almost standard-issue dysfunction that middle-class families face – Dad is a workaholic who mentally switches off the minute he walks in the door, Mum an unappreciated housewife, and the son and daughter are glued to their devices and almost oblivious to the world outside their similarly self-absorbed peer groups. They’re suddenly put them in the predicament of facing a world without the convenience of electricity – not just the inconvenience of a power blackout, but a world where any form of battery operated device is rendered useless.
At first they try to carry on as well as they can, but as the days drag on, it becomes plain to everyone that living in a city where all the infrastructure that we take for granted – pumps to deliver water to our taps, for example – is simply not a viable option. And so a mass exodus to the country, in search of a land where electricity exists, begins. Of course, our protagonists are hopelessly ill equipped to fend for themselves in this brave new world, but little by little learn the value of human relationships in overcoming life’s obstacles.
There’s something very Japanese in the way that the doomsday scenario is handled, particularly in the first parts of the film – I kept expecting things to devolve into The Lord of the Flies, but the closest things came to that was a few scenes when people forgot their manners and didn’t form an orderly queue! The film itself isn’t nearly as funny or heart-warming as some of Yaguchi’s earlier films, but it’s an amiable entertainment
So what’s that going to involve? Well, it’s against the law to put a join in a consumer mains line, so we’re going to need to lay a complete new underground cable between the street and the house (and run it up a wall cavity, and connect it to the switchboard, which will need to be rebuilt to get it up to 2019 regulation standards). I want to get the job done as soon as possible, so I offer to dig the trench myself if the sparky’s able to come back tomorrow. He’s ok with that – I’m figuring the trench will be around 8 metres long, and needs to be around 0.8 metre deep – how hard can that be?
For the evening, I scrounged around for as many extension cords as I could find, and plugged them into the an outside socket of a neighbour’s house, so at least we could keep the fridge running, and put the TV on. Not so bad after all … until I’m lying in bed, and thinking about stuff like “hmm, I’m going to have dig under the front wall, and under that concrete path” and “hmm, is that tree going to have to be removed, or will I be able to go around it” and “shit, I don’t even have any proper trenching shovels, how the #@&% am I going to able to this??”. At least I could console myself with the knowledge that it was going to be an unseasonably cool 32 degrees (Celsius, that is) – perfect digging weather!
Anyway, I got the job down, the power company reconnected us, and in honour of the experience, I thought it was time to catch up with …
Survival Family (Shinobu Yaguchi, 2016) opens with a an almost stereotypical, urban Japanese family getting by with the almost standard-issue dysfunction that middle-class families face – Dad is a workaholic who mentally switches off the minute he walks in the door, Mum an unappreciated housewife, and the son and daughter are glued to their devices and almost oblivious to the world outside their similarly self-absorbed peer groups. They’re suddenly put them in the predicament of facing a world without the convenience of electricity – not just the inconvenience of a power blackout, but a world where any form of battery operated device is rendered useless.
At first they try to carry on as well as they can, but as the days drag on, it becomes plain to everyone that living in a city where all the infrastructure that we take for granted – pumps to deliver water to our taps, for example – is simply not a viable option. And so a mass exodus to the country, in search of a land where electricity exists, begins. Of course, our protagonists are hopelessly ill equipped to fend for themselves in this brave new world, but little by little learn the value of human relationships in overcoming life’s obstacles.
There’s something very Japanese in the way that the doomsday scenario is handled, particularly in the first parts of the film – I kept expecting things to devolve into The Lord of the Flies, but the closest things came to that was a few scenes when people forgot their manners and didn’t form an orderly queue! The film itself isn’t nearly as funny or heart-warming as some of Yaguchi’s earlier films, but it’s an amiable entertainment
sitenoise
Member: Rank 5
I've had this lying around forever, and I love me some mainland angsty shit back from back in the day. I think I'll watch it.
plsletitrain
Member: Rank 5
@clayton-12
So I was wondering where you were and turns out you were digging Earth! You should've filmed yourself and released it as a reboot of Survival Family. Hehe. Speaking of, reading your review makes me think I will like it. I will watch it next.
So I was wondering where you were and turns out you were digging Earth! You should've filmed yourself and released it as a reboot of Survival Family. Hehe. Speaking of, reading your review makes me think I will like it. I will watch it next.