ebossert
Member: Rank 3
GO!
Highly Recommended
A Taxi Driver (2017) (Korean Drama/Thriller) – Set in 1980, a cabbie (Kang-ho Song) drives a German reporter into Gwangju. Like most of Korea, our protagonist has no idea that the military is applying violent force on the civilian population there. This is a well balanced movie that engages the viewer from start to finish, with great performances, strong character development, and thrilling suspense sequences. Production values are excellent. This is emotionally resonant stuff that handles an important historical event with respect and depth.
Scoop! (2016) (Japanese Drama) – A womanizing photographer (Masaharu Fukuyama) works as a freelance paparazzi for a magazine that chases after celebrity scandals. One night, a rookie reporter (Fumi Nikaido) is assigned to him, so he takes her under his wing and they explore a number of scandal targets. Both leads give fantastic performances, which is no surprise, but I also really enjoyed the story – which seemed to flow naturally. The pacing is surprisingly brisk. This is very stylishly shot and scored as well. Some critics had problems with the final act, but I think it’s consistent with the overall themes.
Blue (2002) (Japanese Drama/Romance) – An introverted schoolgirl falls in love with one of her female classmates. This stars two lookers who appeared in horror films during the mid 2000s (Mikako Ichikawa from “Ten Nights of Dreams” and Manami Konishi from “Retribution”). This is a very low-key, relaxing film. Glacially paced, but this has a very nice quality to it, with impressive performances and intimate discussions. I really like the way it was shot too. (Viewed without subtitles, but there are lengthy stretches with no dialogue.)
Recommended
The Sleep Curse (2017) (Chinese Horror/Drama) – Anthony Wong and Herman Yau reunite for this new CAT III entry. A neurologist performs intense research on the science behind sleep. One of his former lovers arrives and requests his help in finding a cure for her older brother’s extreme case of insomnia. This film is more nuanced than you might expect, with a multi-layered and well-developed backstory that explains the origin of this “curse” that is rooted in real-life history. There’s also an interesting lecture related to sleep early on. Some horror imagery is peppered in, but the big stuff is backloaded into the finale – a moderately lengthy feat of graphic violence.
Fate of the Furious (2017) (American Action) – When a mysterious woman seduces Dom into the world of terrorism and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew face trials that will test them as never before. This franchise is one of the best brainless action spectacles of contemporary Hollywood. There is some creativity here in terms of action, like how the motorcyclists control traffic during the opening drag race. I liked the action overall, and the lively cast certainly helps matters. Nathalie Emmanuel is insanely hot. As a crowd-pleasing blockbuster spectacle, this movie works. One thing I did not like was Charlize Theron’s performance, and that’s a rarity because I usually like her.
Shock Wave (2017) (Chinese Action) – When a terrorist who specializes in explosives takes hold of an underground tunnel, he threatens to kill hostages if his demands are not met. I must say, the bad guys here are completely ruthless. They kill plenty of cops and civilians without even batting an eyelash. Consequently, there are a few effectively intense moments here too, which I did not expect. Action has a bit of variety, with lots of scenes involving bombs as well as some shootouts peppered in along the way. Andy Lau is our hero, and he does a good job here.
Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017) (Japanese Anime Action/Horror) – Chris Redfield enlists the help of Leon S. Kennedy and Rebecca Chambers to stop a death merchant from spreading a deadly virus in New York. This is a bit on the slow side, with a plot and characters that are merely serviceable. However, there is some cool fight choreography, especially in regard to the gunplay against the zombies. (It’s similar to something you’d see in “John Wick.”) Plenty of horrific imagery too, with the highlight being the big nasty monster who is one tough son-of-a-gun. Animation quality is solid.
Kakuto (2002) (Japanese Drama) – A young man gets into trouble with gangsters when he loses a small box of drugs, which is supposed to be delivered. The opening 10 minutes are chaotic, with many characters introduced. You have to pay attention in order to keep track of the characters and their relationships. The main plot doesn’t kick in until near the 1-hour mar, but this is an interesting structure that helps to set everything up. There are a few fun moments too, like the footchase sequence.
Not Recommended
n/a
Bottom of the Barrel
Death Note (2017) (American Thriller) – The opening 10 minutes of this movie represents the worst 10 minutes of cinema I’ve seen all year. It’s incredibly rushed and doesn’t even bother to set anything up properly. Everything is contrived and artificial in this movie; nothing feels like a natural progression of the scene that came before it. There is zero character development; literally none. All of the acting is atrocious. None of these actors should find work ever again. The lead actor’s screaming during his first sighting of Ryuk is unintentionally hilarious. Every single character feels the need to be hip or obnoxious. Lots of unnecessary jump scares too. The gory deaths are also unintentionally funny, bringing to mind “The Happening” or “Final Destination.” Ryuk is nowhere near as entertaining or memorable as the Japanese live action films from 2006. Adam Wingard is one of the worst horror directors on the planet right now.
Highly Recommended
A Taxi Driver (2017) (Korean Drama/Thriller) – Set in 1980, a cabbie (Kang-ho Song) drives a German reporter into Gwangju. Like most of Korea, our protagonist has no idea that the military is applying violent force on the civilian population there. This is a well balanced movie that engages the viewer from start to finish, with great performances, strong character development, and thrilling suspense sequences. Production values are excellent. This is emotionally resonant stuff that handles an important historical event with respect and depth.
Scoop! (2016) (Japanese Drama) – A womanizing photographer (Masaharu Fukuyama) works as a freelance paparazzi for a magazine that chases after celebrity scandals. One night, a rookie reporter (Fumi Nikaido) is assigned to him, so he takes her under his wing and they explore a number of scandal targets. Both leads give fantastic performances, which is no surprise, but I also really enjoyed the story – which seemed to flow naturally. The pacing is surprisingly brisk. This is very stylishly shot and scored as well. Some critics had problems with the final act, but I think it’s consistent with the overall themes.
Blue (2002) (Japanese Drama/Romance) – An introverted schoolgirl falls in love with one of her female classmates. This stars two lookers who appeared in horror films during the mid 2000s (Mikako Ichikawa from “Ten Nights of Dreams” and Manami Konishi from “Retribution”). This is a very low-key, relaxing film. Glacially paced, but this has a very nice quality to it, with impressive performances and intimate discussions. I really like the way it was shot too. (Viewed without subtitles, but there are lengthy stretches with no dialogue.)
Recommended
The Sleep Curse (2017) (Chinese Horror/Drama) – Anthony Wong and Herman Yau reunite for this new CAT III entry. A neurologist performs intense research on the science behind sleep. One of his former lovers arrives and requests his help in finding a cure for her older brother’s extreme case of insomnia. This film is more nuanced than you might expect, with a multi-layered and well-developed backstory that explains the origin of this “curse” that is rooted in real-life history. There’s also an interesting lecture related to sleep early on. Some horror imagery is peppered in, but the big stuff is backloaded into the finale – a moderately lengthy feat of graphic violence.
Fate of the Furious (2017) (American Action) – When a mysterious woman seduces Dom into the world of terrorism and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew face trials that will test them as never before. This franchise is one of the best brainless action spectacles of contemporary Hollywood. There is some creativity here in terms of action, like how the motorcyclists control traffic during the opening drag race. I liked the action overall, and the lively cast certainly helps matters. Nathalie Emmanuel is insanely hot. As a crowd-pleasing blockbuster spectacle, this movie works. One thing I did not like was Charlize Theron’s performance, and that’s a rarity because I usually like her.
Shock Wave (2017) (Chinese Action) – When a terrorist who specializes in explosives takes hold of an underground tunnel, he threatens to kill hostages if his demands are not met. I must say, the bad guys here are completely ruthless. They kill plenty of cops and civilians without even batting an eyelash. Consequently, there are a few effectively intense moments here too, which I did not expect. Action has a bit of variety, with lots of scenes involving bombs as well as some shootouts peppered in along the way. Andy Lau is our hero, and he does a good job here.
Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017) (Japanese Anime Action/Horror) – Chris Redfield enlists the help of Leon S. Kennedy and Rebecca Chambers to stop a death merchant from spreading a deadly virus in New York. This is a bit on the slow side, with a plot and characters that are merely serviceable. However, there is some cool fight choreography, especially in regard to the gunplay against the zombies. (It’s similar to something you’d see in “John Wick.”) Plenty of horrific imagery too, with the highlight being the big nasty monster who is one tough son-of-a-gun. Animation quality is solid.
Kakuto (2002) (Japanese Drama) – A young man gets into trouble with gangsters when he loses a small box of drugs, which is supposed to be delivered. The opening 10 minutes are chaotic, with many characters introduced. You have to pay attention in order to keep track of the characters and their relationships. The main plot doesn’t kick in until near the 1-hour mar, but this is an interesting structure that helps to set everything up. There are a few fun moments too, like the footchase sequence.
Not Recommended
n/a
Bottom of the Barrel
Death Note (2017) (American Thriller) – The opening 10 minutes of this movie represents the worst 10 minutes of cinema I’ve seen all year. It’s incredibly rushed and doesn’t even bother to set anything up properly. Everything is contrived and artificial in this movie; nothing feels like a natural progression of the scene that came before it. There is zero character development; literally none. All of the acting is atrocious. None of these actors should find work ever again. The lead actor’s screaming during his first sighting of Ryuk is unintentionally hilarious. Every single character feels the need to be hip or obnoxious. Lots of unnecessary jump scares too. The gory deaths are also unintentionally funny, bringing to mind “The Happening” or “Final Destination.” Ryuk is nowhere near as entertaining or memorable as the Japanese live action films from 2006. Adam Wingard is one of the worst horror directors on the planet right now.
