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Reviews
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Good cast, flat execution
Let me start this off with, I have not read the book, so I can't properly compare it.
The acting in the movie is stellar. I have no complaints there. Everyone provided a good performance, and it's the reason why I gave it at least four stars. Child actors are a hit or a miss, but the one playing the little girl was amazing and very convincing in her role. The couple and the people who came to the cabin also delivered a good performance. The acting is definitely a plus for the film, and why I couldn't rate it lower, because I feel everyone gave their all.
However, good actors don't save a film that felt like it had no payoff. I'm not a fan of M. Night Shyamalan in particular, but I tried to go in with no biases. I hoped for at least twists and turns, as I know he's known for, and found none of that. The first 30 minutes or so were a good start, but the last 80 or so felt tiring, like it needed something more. It felt painfully predictable, down to one of the final scenes with the girl and the radio.
I read after the movie that it was based on a book, and just based on the Wikipedia summary, the book ending would've been a lot more impactful than what Shyamalan delivered. This isn't factored into my scoring of the movie, but it really makes me wonder what this movie could've been if it had a better script.
Yôjû toshi (1987)
Not the worst, not the best
Wicked City is a film I was drawn into first and foremost by one thing-- the art style. I'd definitely say the art in the film is it's number one draw, and boy is it gorgeous. It's solid 80s anime artwork, and the detailing and characters are drawn in such a lovely way, I have nothing bad to say about it there. The scenes utilize really lovely color schemes and interesting shots.
The overall plot of the movie is definitely fair. Just going over the basic synopsis, it's fine, nothing spectacular. I can't compare it to things at the time, as I personally don't think I have the scope to, but it's decent enough with a twist I didn't expect.
However, the plot is also where it falls apart in my opinion. It's strange to see so many reviews praising its sex scenes when half are fine, the other half are just more on the bad exploitative scale for me. I don't personally enjoy rape scenes, and I feel they went on way too long. I compare it to something like Perfect Blue which had one, but that left an impact I think on the film and even though I wouldn't call it enjoyable by any means, it definitely didn't feel like a fetish-- which the ones in this did. Credit where credit is due, they didn't do any sex shaming in the movie, which was surprising because with all the misogynistic comments I expected it. Speaking of, I can sort of excuse some of the misogynistic comments in the sense of a lower rating of the movie, just because of the time it was made, but it still didn't add to the movie in a modern-day watch.
Overall, I think it's fine enough if you're looking for a movie with really nice art and you're fine with the content warnings and the dated nature of it. It's not one I'd revisit, but I'm at least not feeling at a loss for watching it either.
Scare Package (2019)
A fun, campy anthology
For me, anthologies are hit or a miss, with even the ones that hit usually having at least 1 uninteresting segment where you're just waiting for the next. However, even my least favorite segment gave me slight chuckles here and there, even though I personally thought it's story was the weakest.
I think all the segments are well done and don't drag on too long, and the segways between each story is done pretty seamlessly. The story that contains all of the stories is fun and keeps up a similar tone as the rest. Without going in too much detail, even the ending is a fun climax-- and to me, the hardest part to nail of a movie is a good ending.
The gore is campy and over the top, while still having a gross out factor to it. Obviously, if you're going in expecting serious horror with realistic gore, you're beyond mistaken and should turn back before hitting play. If you enjoy campy horror, I think you should at least give it a decent shot.
Blue (2002)
A suprisingly somber and beautifully shot film
I've had this movie on my radar for a while, only knowing the vague Wikipedia description (it gives a lot fewer details than on here as I write this) and seeing it on sapphic movie lists. I didn't know much about the plot, but thought it might make for a nice movie date with my girlfriend. To me surprise, this movie was a lot more solemn than I anticipated.
I think it does capture a certain yearning, especially when you're school aged, and for myself hit home. The movie as I stated, was a lot more somber, but I still think it hit a realism within it. The move itself was shot beautifully, the area was a perfect backdrop and from stills alone you can get the feel of the artistic lens powering it.
My only complaint is I do think certain scenes dragged on too long. I do realize they had a point though, and I'm sure my feeling that way is because of attention issues; but in that same note, the dragging had a realism and made you contemplate the scene more thoughtfully-- the composition, the nature, ect.
The slowness may deter people, and there isn't a ton of dialogue, but if you're willing to sit through a 2hr movie for more of a slow emotional piece with gorgeous scenery, then I'd recommend it. Maybe not for date night, however.
Pinokkio. Pravdivaya istoriya (2021)
10/10, 100/100, 5/5, 1/1
So here I am, sitting down and watching this movie with 5 other 20-somethings. We waited over a month to watch this movie together, since the "fathER WHEN CAN I LEAVE TO BE ON MY OWNNNNNN" made its rounds, we all wanted to see this.
Now, let me make this clear; I do not think this is some mind blowing cinema. The dubbing is really bad, the story is messy, the animation is okay (I believe the whole budget was spent on Bella's hair), and it's both funny and confusing how there's no continuity in accents for anyone.
Despite all of this, why do I give this a high rating? Because truly it's a fun film to experience, especially with friends. I was excited to watch it, and making jokes I felt engaged the whole movie. To me, movies are what you get out of them, and I got some good memories out of this one.
Would I maybe give this lower if I watched this by myself? Perhaps. But in the same note, I know this movie is going to stick with me, and that makes it worthwhile in my book.
Kawaki. (2014)
Interesting start... to a dragging conclusion
Starting with a positive here, because to me, the film starts off that way as well. The first hook of the movie is incredibly interesting, and I was actually excited to watch this by the time the opening credits hit. The base story line was interesting, "Absentee father goes looking for his daughter who it's obvious he and his ex wife don't look out for, there's a web of other things entangled in this mess."
As time and time goes on, it feels cartoonish, but not in a fun way, but in an annoying way. The scene with Kanako's middle school friends is a prime example. A lot of scenes, especially the violence, drag on way too long and just feel uncomfortable, but not in an exciting, "Oh god this is horrible what will they do?" sense, but a "Oh god this is horrible how much longer is this film?" sense.
By the last hour of the film, I was still hanging on, getting annoyed with some elements that just seemed far gratuitous to be enjoyable. By the last 30 minutes, even though it was the "big lead up", I just felt annoyed by everything else that I actually sped up the film; enough to read the subtitles, but also enough to get through the film quicker.(-- Which actually is a shame because the end twist, plot wise, was interesting. But I was too bored of the film and tired of the main guy by then to really care.)
I do think the cinematography of the movie is nice, and the acting isn't bad. I actually like the jump cuts back and forth between periods of time, slowly revealing the story. I think maybe this would be a more enjoyable story if it was cut down by 30-40 minutes. It's not the worst film I've seen, it was definitely engrossing at times, but it certainly didn't scratch an itch of watching a good film.
I was actually a bit surprised to read that this film was by the same guy who did one of my all-time favorites, "Kamikaze Girls". People compared this to a Tarantino film, which he's never been my cup of tea, but maybe if he was, you'd enjoy this.
Funhouse (2019)
The lack of thematic consistancy of the plot makes it an annoying watch
I'll give it credit-- It had a very interesting start. The first scene was an immediate pull-in and had a lot of intrigue. I watch a lot of reality TV, and I can definitely see the major influence and gave me a bit of a chuckle how much it reminded me of a twisted Big Brother, same with the Youtuber aspect they kept popping in. The characters were all distinct, if not annoying at times, but obviously they were supposed to be.
However, that's where praise of it begins and ends. The movie itself premise is interesting, but it falls incredibly flat in story and execution. Being a tech nerd, the second I heard 'Streaming on Tor' I groaned-- but hey, I'm willing to forgive that. Pray the audience doesn't understand you literally can't do that. (The whole logic with how they ~hid the Funhouse~ in general was just cringey, but again, I'm willing to forgive that.)
The main issue I have with the movie comes down to it's message, stylization of getting that message, and that horrible, horrible ending. I think the fact the 2 characters ended up shooting each other was a good twist, wasn't expecting that. However, how the one girl falls in love with the evil mastermind... It felt like some weird power fantasy from the director. While it's 'She knew all along!' it still was a weird choice and felt more like weird wish fulfillment fantasy for a nerdy guy than an actual "twist."
Now onto the message. Do I agree with 'Celebrity shouldn't come just because you know people/Did something outrageous'? Yeah, that's good and valid. However, I feel the message was all over the place-- Why did we get these preachy segments from the main guy over and over, then the Bachelorette lady going, "I just wanted to find love, is that so bad"? If it was supposed to show sympathy to the contestants, then it did a bad job story line wise with doing just that and still came across more "ooh social media, celebrities who don't deserve it in my eyes are bad!!!"
(To further dig into this-- The guy who married the singer is a perfect example. He was made a celebrity by the media, not his own choice. Is it so bad to continue on a career in a similar field, just to stay off the streets? Especially when you're hounded by the media already for being with someone? Even with the fighter guy, he had a line about living in his car or something... Is it so bad to want money to live some place? This goes back to the message being all over and non-consistent. Personally, it's a lot easier to be on the side of people who just want to live and find happiness, even if annoying, than some "smarter and richer than thou" sadistic tech guy-- which especially due to the ending, makes you feel the film wanted to frame him positively.)
Again also with more confusion from a plot/thematic perspective... It felt like they were villanizing the girl who kept showing her body and wanting to have sex to stay in, but at the last part, the girl who was masturbating on live stream is somehow is above that lens of critique? I personally have no issue with sexuality, my critique of this particular incident comes over how I felt we were supposed to feel towards each part as a viewer-- one was above critique, one was supposed to be "Oh, look at this vapid celebrity, that's the only virtue they have!!". Perhaps I'm reading too far into obvious T/A fanservice, but it still adds to the all over the place nature of the plot/'message' of the movie.
Also, smaller critique on the whole and more of a pet peeve, perhaps I should expect it in horror movies, but I'm constantly sick of the "We found the guy!!"; "Oh no, we're too late!! This tech genius who definitely has the means to do this, talking about all this stuff...no.... he's not the guy...".
All in all, it felt like a movie written by someone who thinks they're a lot smarter and a lot more clever than they actually are.
Shimotsuma monogatari (2004)
Let Me Grow Old In A BTSSB Dress
Kamikaze Girls was a movie I wanted to see for years before I saw it. It was always mentioned in online lolita/fashion communities, and when I finally got to see it, I was not disappointed.
In my opinion, rarely does a movie ever live up to the hype it receives. I went into Kamikaze Girls with 'Well, if it's good, it'll be good, if it's bad, hey, least I know i'll like the fashion.' as my attitude. However, this movie sticks with me and whenever I see it I smile.
While I wouldn't say 'Watch this movie if you want amazing hard hitting acting', It's campy, which I would definitely say works wonderfully with the stylization and the plot.
Which, now to talk about the plot itself, I personally love it. I think it's fun and original, it's a film that knows what it was going for and delivers on every aspect of it. The only part I didn't like was a very small section, but is pretty much retracted into a bigger plot point later.
The look of the movie, from the costuming to the aesthetics and the way it's shot is amazing to look at. It's fun while still looking nice. The characters are solidified and well defined, and personally I like the way that the main characters aren't per se 'likeable' in the traditional sense.
It's a movie that I think I'll always hold near and dear, and I hope my love for it inspires someone else to watch this fun and endearing movie too.
Peep 'TV' Show (2004)
A Strange Gem
It's been a couple of months since I last watched this movie, I've seen it twice now and it's definitely one that sticks with me.
Let me start off by saying, I'm fully aware this movie isn't for everyone. It's strange and I can't really compare it fully to another movie I've seen (There's the Kamikaze Girls comparison, but it starts and ends at the Lolita style.) I wouldn't say watch it and expect some grand story, but that doesn't mean it lacks a meaningful story either.
The actors feel immersive, and watching real stories of societal outsiders (for lack of a better term) from similar periods really reflect how well the actors themselves did to add to the tone of the movie. I felt a connection with them, and it also hit on a very nostalgic spot of my life, with the early internet days, but also adding a very strange feeling with the overarching sense of voyeurism that comes with it, while also feeling connected to other people. This is even more exemplified by the confessionals expressed through the movie.
In a conclusion of that, it feels very realistic to me. It's not a film full of glamorous people living glamorous lives where amazing things happen to them and they learn something, it's average people living their life and it feels incredibly personal.
A smaller delight in it, if you're a visual kei fan, you'll notice several references to that subculture in the early 00s. (I believe there's some Dir En Grey cosplayers in the background you can spot, and I believe one scene is on that one infamous bridge cosplayers liked to hang out on.)
I don't tend to rewatch movies often, but I've seen it twice within a 6 month span, and I would definitely credit it to one of my personal influences. I originally created this account because I realized this movie didn't have a parental guide, not planning to ever review it personally, but I really hope my review inspires at least one other person to see the value in this strange film.
El Topo (1970)
Well, that was certainly 2 hours
I watched this recently and let me start off this review with the positives. I think some of the visuals of the landscapes and sets in general were nicely shot. I also don't think the actors were bad. The scoring wasn't grating either (I've seen people complain about this, but it personally didn't bother me). It had some moments of interesting costuming as well. Now, to everything else...
I don't mind long films or art films, in fact, I like seeking out films that are deemed unusual as well. However, this hasn't scratched my itch for anything. The plot was very hard to follow-- which isn't necessarily bad to me either, especially if reading up on it later helped, but that wasn't even the case here. Despite the 'action-y' nature of it, everything felt like it dragged often and was paced very inconsistently and just not enjoyable. From about an hour in, I felt like it must've been close to done. In the last 20 minutes, I contemplated turning it off (which is something I absolutely hate doing, so I didn't).
Now to the part that everyone discusses about the film, the controversial bits. Controversy in films is a wide topic and could be discussed for years, but in this case, it didn't add anything-- and this is worsened by the actual animal death. It adds nothing, not to the art of the film nor to the appeal, and it feels like something added to try to be edgy or cause controversy, but its pathetic in my opinion. Same with the weird sexual assault rumor the director himself made up. I realize it wasn't real, but it just adds to the bad taste in my mouth. Even if that was all fake, thinking it was a way to bring attention to the film-- especially considering the statement-- is really just gross. (Again, I also realize he later regretted it. It doesn't take away my feelings to what he said.)
I try my best to see the value in film, and hey, maybe if I watched this twice, I would see more redeeming qualities. However, I already spent 2 hours of my life getting through this, and I'd prefer not to see more. Most of the film felt uncomfortable at worst and straight up boring at best. If you enjoyed this, well, I'm glad you can see merit in this movie.
Shinjuku Boys (1995)
An open and honest film
As stated in the summary of this film, it's one following three trans men who work at hosts in Shinjuku's New Marilyn Club. It's a very open and honest view into their lives, their feelings and just general life for them, talking about things such as their sexual lives to their families along with their view on relationships as a whole.
It's not presented as a "Oh, look at THESE people" type of film, which as an LGBT person myself I always shudder at encountering with older documentaries, but rather a journey into lives of normal people living their lives and their thoughts and feelings.
As someone who personally has a strange relationship to gender, a lot of the quotes from the movie hit home for me, despite the centuries and place of difference. I personally have not found any followup for this film in terms of where they are now, but this little journey makes you hope they're all doing well years later.