Pigs and Battleships (1961) -
At first glance this is a simple rehash of this classical 30s Hollywood gangster tale, but it has way more to it than you may intially think. The sharp criticism hits both the Japanese and Americans and creates a strong feeling of misery in a world full of suffering. A girl terribly exploited by her own family and a two-bit Yakuza underdog are a part of this world. They find a light of hope in each other, and start the struggle. The film keeps you in suspense to the very end indefinitely drawing out the finale! The ending is both happy and sad. It's depressing, but it also gives hope. It's heartbreaking, but unavoidable. I have to watch more Imamura ASAP, because out of 5 of his I've seen 3 are masterpieces, and I still have to see some of his most acclaimed ones (Black Rain!).
Giants and Toys (1958) -
Masumura's best right after Red Angel! More frightening than most psychological horrors, more disgusting than most body horrors. A fierce satire on consumerism and sharp criticism of the world in which in order to succeed you have to be merciless to your opponents, and (ab)use love only to gain advantage in business. Originality and naturalness are quickly turned into yet another PRODUCT. People are turned into machines - either frantic workaholics, or distressed starlets. They do things only to succeed professionally. No room for sentiments, real feelings. And there is no stopping it - either you comply, or you lose. For satire's sake the film is obviously exaggerated, but also damn recent and still applies to contemporary world. The ending is spectacularly shocking - selling your life and soul for caramels. But, hey, let's smile. The public wants it. The public demands it, and to quote the most jarring line from the film: "The public are worse than babies. Worse than dogs. Because they don't think. They work like slaves, and get drunk at night. TV, radio, movies, games. They have no time to think. That's where we come in. We'll fill their empty heads with our message: "Delicious caramel, World Caramel! World! World!". This is the Japanese Ace in the Hole. A masterpiece of satire! EDIT: Now that I think about it, it's much more like A Face in the Crowd!
In the Shadow of the Blue Rascal (1986) -
Clementi's weakest from what I've seen. I think the prolix narration really drags it down. The sheer power of Clementi's visuals is undeniable, but its weakened by only half-successful attempts at creating a story. Necrocity is a nasty place to live, and the film indeed shows these dilapidated rooms and damaged people with a certain dose of authenticity (even though it's a quasi-sci-fi film), and it's all good, but where the film really shines is when Clemeneti just lets it go in this euphoric end credits sequence. His other flicks are like this all the time, and this is what makes them great. This one is good.
How to Be Loved (1963) -
Welcome back Polish cinema. It's been a while. A very good film from one of the most prominent Polish film auteurs Wojciech Jerzy Has. A woman reminisces about her past during the Second World War, and about her unrequited love. How to be loved? How to deal with it if you have sacrificed everything for that person, but then see that person is slowly descending into the nihil. Are cynicism and indifference indications of desensitization, or ways of fighting with unbearable memories of the past? Chris Marker says in Sans soleil that sometimes he thinks that memories exist only to hurt us. With time the lost person simply disappears, and all that's left is a wound. Disembodied.
Color of Pomegranates (1969) (Parajanov Cut) [REWATCH] -
Finally watched the infamous Blu-ray Criterion restoration. The only version of the film that had been available before was the Yutkevich Cut. This time I watched the Parajanov Cut, which apparently is closer to auteur's original vision. I wish I hadn't watched it. I was tired and had already watched two other films during that weekday (which means all of this after 8 hours of work as well), so I had a hard time focusing on the movie. Of course, visuals were absolutely fantastic, but I couldn't get into the atmosphere. I feel like this is one of the best films ever made, but I just don't understand it yet.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014) -
That feel when several hundred years old vampires are more outgoing than 20-something you. I had put off watching it for way too long based solely on the fact the director made a Marvel movie. The reality show formula worked really well, and the gags were genuinely funny. Stu.
Profound Desires of the Gods (1968) -
Just like I said, moar Imamura. Very good cinema, but I wasn't blown away. I guess its themes were a little bit lost on me. Man is an animal no matter the surroundings sounds quite trite. I can't wait for Black Rain next.
First Reformed (2017) -
The only true problem with this otherwise fantastic film is that it takes way too much from others. It's basically a mix of Bresson's Diary of a Country Priest, Bergman's Winter Light, and Scorsese's Taxi Driver. But well, it's not easy to be a good epigone, so kudos to Schrader for handling it so well. I love how the film gradually becomes darker, heavier, and more distressing up to the harrowing ending. Great character study. Great deliberately slow pace. Great performances. Wonderfully utilized 4:3 aspect ratio with nice blocking and lighting. Some frames i.e. of the choir singing have this wonderful Bressonian simplicity to them. Haunting dark ambient soundtrack by Lustmord. Also, I watched it in English with no subtitles. I have to start watching all English-language films that way.
In Praise of Love (2001) -
My 55th Godard film (including shorts and every part of Histories of Cinema separately)! Again a very intellectually stimulating essay film that is not only about love, since "You can only think about something if you think of something else.". Sharp DV black and white nights of Paris are combined with oversaturated colors that mimick paintings that create something truly beautiful. When a picture starts to move, a painting turns into cinema. When cinema depicts our true inner selves, it turns into life. So when I'm asked which of the following I choose: a play, a film, a novel or an opera, my answer is life. I choose life.
Erotic Ghost Story II (1991) -
So much worse than the first one! Just when I thought The Heroic Trio was the cringiest Anthony Wong performance... !!! What I got was the cringiest film I've ever seen! Be warned, watch it only if you're desperate for boobies, an Anthony Wong completist, or feel like extremely cringy HK craziness. For all of you who won't see it (let's be honest, all of you) here follows the sneak peek:
- it starts with a synopsis of the previous film along with a changed ending to fit this film's "plot" (!)
- apart from the synopsis that uses footage from the previous part only Amy Yip is left from the original cast, but she dies in the first 5 minutes
- the new girls are fine, though
- Anthony Wong f*cks two girls at once using his penis and his tail (!!!)
- a man f*cking a pig is seen for a couple of seconds (random af)
- uncensored vagina is seen for a split second (tribute to part 1?)
- a girl on girl action is followed by a threesome - quite clumsy
- sex scenes contain licking of random body parts like buttocks, arms or back
- another sex scene has Anthony Wong pouring red hot wax on a girl's body (she did it to herself earlier in the film, too)
- the goofy "haha, we're making a sex film" or corny sax solo music ruins any attempts at atmosphere-building
- not that any of the atmosphere of the first Erotic Ghost Story nor Chinese Ghost Story is ever present
- a midget turns into a fireball and attacks Anthony Wong
- a girl pretends to be a cat to hypnotize Anthony and then they have underwater sex
- another girl uses the heat of her body to melt down the ice cube her lover is inside.
Change Nothing (2009) -
A disappointment from Pedro Costa! It drags, but doesn't drift.
The Magic Blade (1976) -
Yet another (great) Shaw Brothers film. Devil Grandma was vile!!! Fights and twists were enjoyable as hell! The humane scene was really unexpected and touching!
Through and Through (1973) -
My first Królikiewicz. An experimental Polish film. Cold, but hits where it needs.
Cat’s Play (1974) -
The stream of consciousness of Hungarian grandmas is so beautiful, moving, rad. I can't believe it! I really have to rewatch this director's Love.
Dead Landscape (1972) -
An extraordinary ordinary film! Director's, István Gaál's, other film I saw Current gave me similar feels, but it was so outstanding visually it was hard to believe. This film has wonderful cinematography, too, but it's also so modest, It's expertly crafted. Everything seems to be at its place, everything set just right, but it's also so natural. It doesn't bring attention to itself. It just goes. Things just happen, and in the end the only question I'm left with is: Should I give it a ?
At first glance this is a simple rehash of this classical 30s Hollywood gangster tale, but it has way more to it than you may intially think. The sharp criticism hits both the Japanese and Americans and creates a strong feeling of misery in a world full of suffering. A girl terribly exploited by her own family and a two-bit Yakuza underdog are a part of this world. They find a light of hope in each other, and start the struggle. The film keeps you in suspense to the very end indefinitely drawing out the finale! The ending is both happy and sad. It's depressing, but it also gives hope. It's heartbreaking, but unavoidable. I have to watch more Imamura ASAP, because out of 5 of his I've seen 3 are masterpieces, and I still have to see some of his most acclaimed ones (Black Rain!).
Giants and Toys (1958) -
Masumura's best right after Red Angel! More frightening than most psychological horrors, more disgusting than most body horrors. A fierce satire on consumerism and sharp criticism of the world in which in order to succeed you have to be merciless to your opponents, and (ab)use love only to gain advantage in business. Originality and naturalness are quickly turned into yet another PRODUCT. People are turned into machines - either frantic workaholics, or distressed starlets. They do things only to succeed professionally. No room for sentiments, real feelings. And there is no stopping it - either you comply, or you lose. For satire's sake the film is obviously exaggerated, but also damn recent and still applies to contemporary world. The ending is spectacularly shocking - selling your life and soul for caramels. But, hey, let's smile. The public wants it. The public demands it, and to quote the most jarring line from the film: "The public are worse than babies. Worse than dogs. Because they don't think. They work like slaves, and get drunk at night. TV, radio, movies, games. They have no time to think. That's where we come in. We'll fill their empty heads with our message: "Delicious caramel, World Caramel! World! World!". This is the Japanese Ace in the Hole. A masterpiece of satire! EDIT: Now that I think about it, it's much more like A Face in the Crowd!
In the Shadow of the Blue Rascal (1986) -
Clementi's weakest from what I've seen. I think the prolix narration really drags it down. The sheer power of Clementi's visuals is undeniable, but its weakened by only half-successful attempts at creating a story. Necrocity is a nasty place to live, and the film indeed shows these dilapidated rooms and damaged people with a certain dose of authenticity (even though it's a quasi-sci-fi film), and it's all good, but where the film really shines is when Clemeneti just lets it go in this euphoric end credits sequence. His other flicks are like this all the time, and this is what makes them great. This one is good.
How to Be Loved (1963) -
Welcome back Polish cinema. It's been a while. A very good film from one of the most prominent Polish film auteurs Wojciech Jerzy Has. A woman reminisces about her past during the Second World War, and about her unrequited love. How to be loved? How to deal with it if you have sacrificed everything for that person, but then see that person is slowly descending into the nihil. Are cynicism and indifference indications of desensitization, or ways of fighting with unbearable memories of the past? Chris Marker says in Sans soleil that sometimes he thinks that memories exist only to hurt us. With time the lost person simply disappears, and all that's left is a wound. Disembodied.
Color of Pomegranates (1969) (Parajanov Cut) [REWATCH] -
Finally watched the infamous Blu-ray Criterion restoration. The only version of the film that had been available before was the Yutkevich Cut. This time I watched the Parajanov Cut, which apparently is closer to auteur's original vision. I wish I hadn't watched it. I was tired and had already watched two other films during that weekday (which means all of this after 8 hours of work as well), so I had a hard time focusing on the movie. Of course, visuals were absolutely fantastic, but I couldn't get into the atmosphere. I feel like this is one of the best films ever made, but I just don't understand it yet.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014) -
That feel when several hundred years old vampires are more outgoing than 20-something you. I had put off watching it for way too long based solely on the fact the director made a Marvel movie. The reality show formula worked really well, and the gags were genuinely funny. Stu.
Profound Desires of the Gods (1968) -
Just like I said, moar Imamura. Very good cinema, but I wasn't blown away. I guess its themes were a little bit lost on me. Man is an animal no matter the surroundings sounds quite trite. I can't wait for Black Rain next.
First Reformed (2017) -
The only true problem with this otherwise fantastic film is that it takes way too much from others. It's basically a mix of Bresson's Diary of a Country Priest, Bergman's Winter Light, and Scorsese's Taxi Driver. But well, it's not easy to be a good epigone, so kudos to Schrader for handling it so well. I love how the film gradually becomes darker, heavier, and more distressing up to the harrowing ending. Great character study. Great deliberately slow pace. Great performances. Wonderfully utilized 4:3 aspect ratio with nice blocking and lighting. Some frames i.e. of the choir singing have this wonderful Bressonian simplicity to them. Haunting dark ambient soundtrack by Lustmord. Also, I watched it in English with no subtitles. I have to start watching all English-language films that way.
In Praise of Love (2001) -
My 55th Godard film (including shorts and every part of Histories of Cinema separately)! Again a very intellectually stimulating essay film that is not only about love, since "You can only think about something if you think of something else.". Sharp DV black and white nights of Paris are combined with oversaturated colors that mimick paintings that create something truly beautiful. When a picture starts to move, a painting turns into cinema. When cinema depicts our true inner selves, it turns into life. So when I'm asked which of the following I choose: a play, a film, a novel or an opera, my answer is life. I choose life.
Erotic Ghost Story II (1991) -
So much worse than the first one! Just when I thought The Heroic Trio was the cringiest Anthony Wong performance... !!! What I got was the cringiest film I've ever seen! Be warned, watch it only if you're desperate for boobies, an Anthony Wong completist, or feel like extremely cringy HK craziness. For all of you who won't see it (let's be honest, all of you) here follows the sneak peek:
- it starts with a synopsis of the previous film along with a changed ending to fit this film's "plot" (!)
- apart from the synopsis that uses footage from the previous part only Amy Yip is left from the original cast, but she dies in the first 5 minutes
- the new girls are fine, though
- Anthony Wong f*cks two girls at once using his penis and his tail (!!!)
- a man f*cking a pig is seen for a couple of seconds (random af)
- uncensored vagina is seen for a split second (tribute to part 1?)
- a girl on girl action is followed by a threesome - quite clumsy
- sex scenes contain licking of random body parts like buttocks, arms or back
- another sex scene has Anthony Wong pouring red hot wax on a girl's body (she did it to herself earlier in the film, too)
- the goofy "haha, we're making a sex film" or corny sax solo music ruins any attempts at atmosphere-building
- not that any of the atmosphere of the first Erotic Ghost Story nor Chinese Ghost Story is ever present
- a midget turns into a fireball and attacks Anthony Wong
- a girl pretends to be a cat to hypnotize Anthony and then they have underwater sex
- another girl uses the heat of her body to melt down the ice cube her lover is inside.
Change Nothing (2009) -
A disappointment from Pedro Costa! It drags, but doesn't drift.
The Magic Blade (1976) -
Yet another (great) Shaw Brothers film. Devil Grandma was vile!!! Fights and twists were enjoyable as hell! The humane scene was really unexpected and touching!
Through and Through (1973) -
My first Królikiewicz. An experimental Polish film. Cold, but hits where it needs.
Cat’s Play (1974) -
The stream of consciousness of Hungarian grandmas is so beautiful, moving, rad. I can't believe it! I really have to rewatch this director's Love.
Dead Landscape (1972) -
An extraordinary ordinary film! Director's, István Gaál's, other film I saw Current gave me similar feels, but it was so outstanding visually it was hard to believe. This film has wonderful cinematography, too, but it's also so modest, It's expertly crafted. Everything seems to be at its place, everything set just right, but it's also so natural. It doesn't bring attention to itself. It just goes. Things just happen, and in the end the only question I'm left with is: Should I give it a ?
__________________
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.
Last edited by Mr Minio; 09-13-18 at 02:21 PM.