arlosanchezofficial Reviews

Love on Delivery (1994)

A Non-Stop Laugh Riot

[10/10 · 22 June 2020]

My first introduction to Stephen Chow was when I saw Kung Fu Hustle opening day when I was eight years old. I loved every second of the movie thanks to its visual comedy and slapstick, as well as its Abbott & Costello-esque banter between characters. Pretty much every movie that Chow has made and starred in has had similar elements throughout their runtimes, but no other film of his that I've seen has made me laugh harder than Love On Delivery.

Good lord, this is one of the funniest films I've ever seen. This could be described as a "laugh-a-minute" film, but where movies that have that same description might lose the comedic energy they had at the start, this film never once falters in its pacing or its laughs; I don't think there's a single joke that doesn't work, whether it be visual or spoken.

Focusing on a love-struck but cowardly delivery boy who has to fight a karate master to win the heart of a beautiful martial arts student who's searching for a hero, the movie introduces you to a variety of wacky characters that feel like they're ripped straight out of a cartoon, with action sequences that will have you impressed with their choreography as you're doubled over wheezing with laughter.

There are even lots of impressive practical effects on display here, most of them had me scratching my head wondering how the crew managed to pull them off. The film also has an unbelievable amount of heart and charm; the characters are just so genuinely lovable and fun that you can't help but happily go along for the ride and see how all these crazy events that happen turn out.

I seriously can't recommend this movie enough. It's currently on Netflix and I implore you to watch it so it stays on there and hopefully finds a bigger audience. There are so many jokes that'll have you laughing after the film ends and you're going to want to show it to everyone you know. Let's hope this gets a Blu-Ray release someday!

First Love (2019)

Expected a Little More

[6/10 · 1 October 2019]

Takashi Miike's filmography is one of the most impressive out there; he's directed over 100 films, with many of them being cult classics like 'Audition' and 'Ichi the Killer.' He's a filmmaker that's constantly pushing boundaries, exploring new horizons and delivering memorable spectacles that you want to see again and again.

So why does 'First Love,' a film about a boxer and a call girl in the crosshairs of a violent war between Yakuza members and various killers searching for a bag of drugs, feel so average?

Masa Nakamura, a previous Miike collaborator, wrote the admittedly very detailed screenplay for the film and manages to introduce multiple characters and subplots that believably converge into one climactic showdown, yet there are certain characters that are built up to be forces not to reckon with and end up not contributing much to the film, or living up to their "legend." The central relationship between the main characters, Leo and Monica (which turns out to be a moniker), feels underdeveloped and turns out to be not as important as one would expect. Even a reoccurring character she hallucinates from the film doesn't provide much development for her character and ends up being a red herring of sorts. I previously read rave reviews for the film and many critics called the film "hilarious," but there's really only one character who provides some chuckle-worthy lines; everything else feels serious and dark, especially the outlandish shootout in the climax, which could have gone absolutely balls-to-the-wall in its execution, but plays it rather safe.

Visually, the movie looks great. The actors all perform extremely well and I was definitely invested enough to wonder what would happen to each character as the film went along. It's not a bad movie by any means, but from a director who's made some insane movies, I had expected around the same level for this one. It is still worth a watch, but go in expecting "chilled out" Miike.

Climax (I) (2018)

A Beautiful and Brutal Experience

[10/10 · 21 March 2019]

Wow.

I've been a massive Gaspar Noe fan since I first watched 'Irreversible' at age 11 (I sure regretted that experience), and was crazy excited to hear he was working on a new movie. A group of dancers drinking sangria laced with potent LSD? And their slow descent into madness is shown through their dance moves? Sign me up!

Then I watched it. And there was honestly nothing that could have fully prepared me for the ride this took me on. I haven't been so disturbed by a movie since 'Hereditary,' and honestly, this is kind of on the same level as that movie (for me, at least).

From a technical standpoint alone, this movie is a masterpiece. The camerawork is inventive and often hypnotic, and even the sound design and subtle CGI elevate the moods and frenetic energy of the dancers. Speaking of, the dancers all do an amazing job; their dialogue is almost entirely improvised, which makes their conversations feel so natural and real. The soundtrack, of course, is the main star of the film and will entertain you at first, then utterly disturb you when you see how the characters act (particularly the Giorgio Moroder song near the end).

Any emotions Noe wanted to convey, he succeeded in doing so. While not every character gets as much screen time as the next, they are all interesting and add something to the film. Every time a character takes a sip of sangria, you get a bigger pit in your stomach. When everyone realizes what's going on, everything goes off the rails and we're subjected to an absolutely horrific and chill-inducing experience unlike any other. This movie blew my mind, I really don't know what to say. I've seen a lot of negative reviews for this movie, and I kind of understand why. This is 100% not a movie for everyone. The dialogue gets graphic at times, there are a few scenes of really shocking violence that some might not be able to handle and there are no moments that alleviate the constant tension once the going gets good. But for those familiar with Noe's works and those who are willing to take a wild ride, Climax is one of the best films you'll ever experience.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

What Movie Did You Guys Watch?

[3/10 · 23 November 2018]

I have loved the Coen Brothers since I was thirteen years old and have appreciated and admired their craft and style. Every film they make is wildly different from the other, while maintaining that same Coen Brothers feel. When I saw their last outing, 'Hail Caesar,' I felt a pit in my stomach. After so many years of making wholly original and engaging films, have they lost their luster? After watching 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,' I feel like I'm witnessing a slow but steady descent for the Coens.

This movie had my full interest with its first story; the unpredictability of the Buster Scruggs character had me wondering what he was going to do next. I expected him to be a recurring character that tied the stories together, but no such luck. Then came James Franco's story, which had a promising setup, a hilarious bank telling side character, and an abrupt ending that brought the story nowhere. Okay, I'm still interested. Then I was subjected to four horrifically boring segments that all went absolutely nowhere with no satisfying payoffs or memorable moments. I would have described the rest, but I struggle to remember anything about them.

I don't know what the Coen Brothers are doing anymore. What was the point of this movie? Was it to relay that all stories of the Wild West don't have satisfactory payoffs or actual endings? Was this movie a metaphor for greed? I mean, a majority of the characters get into their predicaments over greediness, but again, there's no payoff. The movie doesn't even end on a high note; the final story is just confusing, uneventful and yet presents itself like a revelatory thing. To see this movie get such high praise is baffling. There is no way anyone who enjoys an actual cinematic experience can claim they were interested the entire time. In fact, I'm sure the Coens dumped this film on Netflix because they knew people could fast forward the slower scenes, the sometimes overbearing dialogue and the many, many musical numbers that drag on for much too long and bear little importance to the stories being told. Take off your blinders and chill out-- This is not one of the Coens' best films, and it's most certainly not even close to being one of the best movies of the year.

I hope their next film is a good one.

Evolution (2015)

Exactly the Same as Lucile's "Innocence."

[3/10 · 8 November 2018]

I remember seeing the trailer for this and being very interested in seeing it; the cinematography looked gorgeous and hypnotic, and the mystery that's presented was very intriguing.

Then I watched the movie on Netflix and realized it was a remake of director Lucile Hadzihalilovic's previous film "Innocence."

While not a shot for shot remake or having it being the same thing in every single way, the film follows the exact same structure as "Innocence." Both movies have a child in a strange environment that's hidden away from the rest of the world. In "Innocence," it's a young girl in a building filled only with young girls. In "Evolution," it's a boy in a small town full of other young boys. Both films also have females overseeing everything that happens to the boys/girls, and the females also have ulterior motives beneath what they do. The kids essentially wander aimlessly until some mysterious happenings go down and you slowly start to realize the disturbing truth of why they're located where they are and what they're being used for. At the end of both films, the main characters are introduced to society and the films abruptly end with no concrete conclusion.

While this film is a bit more disturbing in its content (boys giving birth to alien babies will always be weird), there's not much to differentiate it from "Innocence." I couldn't recommend which one to watch instead of the other because sadly, both films are pretty dull and move at a tortoise's pace. I'm a fan of slow burn films, but these films don't go anywhere interesting and leave you feeling empty and robbed of your precious time.

I commend Ms. Hadzihalilovic for her efforts and appreciate her obvious upgrade in filmmaking skills, but this one was a beautiful looking dud.

Thoroughbreds (2017)

Thoroughly Unpleasant

[2/10 · 6 September 2018]

I had seen and heard many critics singing their praises for this movie and its talented cast, and with its fun and well-edited trailer, I finally took this out of the library and watched it in full. And boy, do I want my money back.

I have no idea what movie those critics were watching, because for me, this was a showcase of great actors playing irritating and unlikeable characters (which was probably the point, but you have to care at least a little bit about the characters to be invested) in a ridiculous story about two girls that are polar opposites in personality that conspire to kill the emotional girl's stepdad because he's sometimes rude to her. One critic blurb described this as "a mix between 'Heathers' and 'American Psycho,'" which are two movies that have fleshed out characters and well thought out progressions of events, which are two things this movie doesn't have.

The dialogue is bland, and worse, it's blandly delivered. The two main characters have no personalities whatsoever, despite the film struggling to give them personalities. One girl has emotions and the other one doesn't, which leads to almost constant bickering and insults between them and eventually you start to think to yourself "Alright, I get it. The emotionless one is a psycho and the other one cries a lot. Can we get this movie rolling, please?" And for some strange reason, there's almost constant talk about horses and I dunno if the director meant for it to be a motif or have it be symbolism of something deeper, but it instead comes off as amateurish, pointless and just plain weird.

I appreciate the director's efforts, seeing as this is his debut film. But given how much I personally disliked this movie, I'm sure whatever he makes next will undoubtedly be better than this.