High and Low (1963)
This was a thrilling moral dilemma because you understand the motivations of everyone involved (aside from the criminal for the longest time). However, the film is very much on the chauffeur's side (people who have seen the film will understand what I mean by this). If I have a qualm with the film it is that Kurosawa gives fairly little empathy to the drug addicts on the streets wen he goes to great lengths to make you empathise with everyone else, from the rich guy to the police. Other than that, I enjoyed this suspenseful film and I cannot recall a similar story structure from another film in this genre.
8.5/10
Sanjuro (1962)
I think I prefer Sanjuro to Yojimbo, just because the character seems much more conflicted about killing by the end and I always enjoy great sword fighting and this film is filled with great fight choreography. The film makes you feel the desperation of the guys hanging out with our main character and the resolution of the film is quite lovely.
8/10
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
This is definitely the fun adventure film. While the two main characters are quite cowardly, craven and self-serving, they have fairly little impact on the story aside from creating problems for the important characters and accidentally providing them with a solution to their problem. The general and the princess are rather engaging characters. The princess spends a lot of time pretending to be mute but the acting choices with her face convey her thoughts to the audience anyway and the general is played by Toshiro Mifune, who, as a result of watching Kurosawa's films this week has become one of my favourite actors. I had heard about this film's influence on Star Wars but I think I prefer this film's tone and eye for detail more.
Doesnt quite live up to previous work like The Hunt but its one of the better films of the year. Mads shines and really is the glue. The direction is sharp. I do however find the last scene a bit jarring. Although I like what its trying to convey and I think some will love it.
For me it nears the line of being almost Bollywood. The direction in some shots is smooth and intimate but the wider shots of the dance number comes off a bit much.
also
fuck that life jacket scene. You see it coming but man it hurts
Run(2020)
Pretty good thriller this year like the new The Invisible Man. Maybe some logic holes but I can roll with it.
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)
I think I've had my fill of these mindless action movies. And there's apparently at least two more being made. Chapter 3 is just a filler episode (where less happens than 1 & 2) between the first two and what is to come.
Allied (2016)
An enjoyable romance/spy thriller/action triple threat from Zemeckis.
Legend (1985) (theatrical cut)
A candidate for the worst Ridley Scott movie ever made. A thankfully short running time and beautiful production design can't hide the turd of a movie underneath. I didn't even know this existed until recently, apparently for good reason. There's better 1980s fantasy movies out there...even Masters of the Universe was better and that wasn't good either.
The Company of Wolves (1984)
A horror/grim fairy tale reimaging of red riding hood. Directed by Neil Jordan, who has directed some other stuff I liked. This movie was just an all right movie though a bit all over the place. Unlike the next movie, this one isn't for kids.
Wolfwalkers (2020)
An animated fantasy adventure story. The unique 2D artstyle and clear story and characters carry it all the way through despite whatever issues I had with some of the characters' actions being brushed over a little too cleanly and wrapped up tightly.
Sound of Metal (2020)
Riz Ahmed plays a drummer character in a (terrible) metal band that goes deaf (this happens like right at the beginning) and this movie is about how he has to learn how to cope with that. Or does he? It was good.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) Mank (2020) Toni (1935) Spies (1928) Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) Defending Your Life (1991) The Devil All the Time (2020) The Comfort of Strangers (1990)
The Company of Wolves (1984)
A horror/grim fairy tale reimaging of red riding hood. Directed by Neil Jordan, who has directed some other stuff I liked. This movie was just an all right movie though a bit all over the place. Unlike the next movie, this one isn't for kids.
Wolfwalkers (2020)
An animated fantasy adventure story. The unique 2D artstyle and clear story and characters carry it all the way through despite whatever issues I had with some of the characters' actions being brushed over a little too cleanly and wrapped up tightly.
Alright, if you're gonna be so bold as to not worship every single frame of the utter perfection that is the dreamscape of The Company of Wolves, I'm gonna have to let the wolves out.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) Mank (2020) Toni (1935) Spies (1928) Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) Defending Your Life (1991) The Devil All the Time (2020) The Comfort of Strangers (1990)
Love Ghost Dog, Jim Jarmusch is one of my all-time favorites
Last edited by DUNKIRKIE on December 22nd, 2020, 6:12 am, edited 2 times in total.
Hackers (1995)
That was a really fun experience. The characters are what's most engaging about the film, as well as the music. I knew I liked this film when I realised that I was not bored by people sitting on front of screens the entire time because the film made that interesting. I was not even bothered by the 90s idea of what hackers are or what a computer does. Hack the planet, indeed.
8.5/10
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
Westerns usually take themselves too seriously trying to subvert what came before but this film has no such pretensions. It's not that deep, nor is it necessarily ridiculous either. I enjoyed Sharon Stone in the main role and Russel Crowe as the non-violent preacher but I wished these kinds of films wouldn't include that kind of character only to say that there is a right way to be violent when your cause is just enough because some people (like myself) don't believe that any kind of violence is justified. Gene Hackman plays scumbags well but we knew that already. It's also fun seeing young Leonardo di Caprio here as the Kid. Overall, the film was enjoyable enough.
8/10
Stoker (2013)
How do you even describe this film? The ending is ridiculous but, given what you've seen, its not surprising. The director cited Shadow of a Doubt as the main influence on the film. It is creepy in a way that makes you feel uneasy watching the story unfold but done in a way that has a great sense for visual metaphors that explore ideas like the loss of innocence and frightening inner change. The acting from Kidman and Mia Waskowska is terrific (though I was less sold on Matthew Goode's performance). Likely not a film for everyone because of the pacing, the extensive use of visual metaphors that might try your patience if you're not ready for it because the film will not explain itself to you in dialogue by the end of the film.
