[Philimon]

Just finished Beat Takeshi's Outrage trilogy - 9/10.

Outrage (2010) Amazon HD rental $3.99 (also on kanopy library streaming but I couldn't get it to work)

Beyond Outrage (2012), Amazon Prime

Outrage Coda (2017) Amazon Prime

Outrage (3/4) 2010
Its a movie about a japanese gangster. Though old he has not moved high up the totem pole, yet remains tragically loyal and underappreciated. While a hard worker he lacks the iq for grand scheming which keeps him at foot soldier level. Unfortunately his traditional honorable strengths rub against the grain of the newer generation of bosses where money rules all.

I remember reading about this flick previously: the main actor is also director. His stoic acting is lent a tool by way of having had a stroke(?) irl paralyzing half his face which looks intimidating in this role.

Beyond Outrage (2/4)
Unoriginal, forced. First film felt more raw like you were glimpsing into a certain life. Second film more like average crime drama.

Outrage Coda
Did not know there was a third... Not interested.

 

[Spareribs]

The Founder (Currently streaming on Netflix)

Not a bad movie and worth a look. The message in the movie states that they key to success in life is persistence as the main reason.

Its true that Ray Kroc, the man who pushed McDonald’s nationally as a chain restaurant in the 1950s is not the most admirable business man with his ethics as questionable. However I do agree with his message of a key to success in life.

The man failed many times in life and with persistence he finally became successful- for better or for worse. Michael Keaton is really good in this film.

 

[tdl2024]

Finally got around to watching 2 I've heard recommended yesterday:

12 Years a Slave - 8.5/10. Was just a rough watch. Even though I'm usually able to watch films without much emotional investment this was the rare exception. It was just non-stop dread just knowing that something else bad was going to happen to this guy. Amazingly directed, good story, amazing performance by Ejiofor (one of my fave current actors the last 8 or so years), and solid to great performances from the supporting cast.

The Irishman - 8/10. Not my favorite Scorsese film, but it's par for the course. Great direction, great soundtrack, amazing cast as always. It's long but it doesn't feel that way, in fact when I finished it at 2am I kinda wished there was more as I was really interested in the story of these people. No one does Crime-Dramas better than Scorsese so if that's your thing and you haven't seen it I'd recommend. Only complaint is the de-aging, while I didn't think it was that bad (at least not as bad as the internet made it seem) was really working...like doing the math, Pacino/Hoffa would've been like 30-something during one event, but he looks like a 60y/o (instead of 80). Same with what I assume was early 30's DeNiro, also looking at best 50 even with the de-aging. Great performances nonetheless, but it did take me out of the story a couple times with the age discrepancies.

 

[keepitsimple]

jezzzz ben k is a god in this 7/10=sexy beast
i care a lot-half way through and stopped coz it was bloody great-will watch the whole lot with the wife today.
enemy-i love weird stuff and enjoyed this 6.5/10

 

[Spareribs]

A Japanese Story

This is actually an Australian movie filmed in the desert in Western Australia. It’s a slow and mellow art film but in my opinion, it’s a masterpiece that touches the soul.

I recommend that you don’t read anything about this movie because it will have spoilers. Just watch it.

Its currently streaming for free on Amazon if you’re an Amazon Prime member. (not sure if it’s free streaming outside the USA)

If you like mellow movies that build up slowly to a powerful moving emotion, this is for you.

 

[SilverEars]

Summar Wars - (7.5/10)

J Anime movie with what I found to be an odd plot. It's about internet being hacked by an AI, but it's not what I expected for choice in the types of characters and environment for such plot. I guess it's different. I don't understand Japanese culture.

I thought the animation was unique in the sense that there was much detailed paid attention to as there many objections/characters moving while the central focus characters moving as well. I commonly see the central focused characters moving only, and not the others in the environment. There's a lot going on in the background during the animations scenes basically. This is not what I commonly see with animations.

 

[tdockweiler]

I Care a Lot - 4/10 (newest Netflix movie)

This could some have been some sort of weird masterpiece, but by the last 25% it fell off a cliff and the entire movie is ruined.
It's as if they couldn't come up with a good way to end the movie and that is all came up with.
It's just so unbelievably bad. Maybe the producers made them change the ending? Who knows.

The acting is very very good mostly. I really liked Peter Dinklage in his role here.
Rosamund Pike did a good job of playing possibly one of the most unlikable movie characters i've seen in years.
Almost everything about her just managed to annoy the heck out of me.

There's also a lot of changes in tone in the movie, which is not all that common these days.
It's labeled as a comedy, but really it's not funny. I don't remember ever laughing at any scene.
I think I would have liked it more if they actually made it even more funny. Yes, really.

Some of this reminded me of a really good older movie called "99 Homes". Watch that instead!
That's a really good one that not many people have probably seen.

I guess the biggest positive of this is that it's somewhat original.
I don't think i've seen many other movies quite like it.
Overall it seems pretty well made.

 

[SilverEars]

Patlabor: The Movie - (8/10)

Directed by Mamoru Oshii, the same director of Ghost in the Shell movies. Although one of the earlier movies in his career, you can see similar styles of scene shots used, atmosphere, mood, and the music you'd expect from Oshii. He just didn't have as high production budget as animation quality is lacking in this one. I like Oshii's movie direction, they are visually well executed, and the stories are well expressed with the screenplays. I also like his choices in stories. I actually liked the narration of this movie. It doesn't have weirdness that some Japanes anime has that has me scratching my head. The narration in this one was pretty straight forward, and it kept me engaged due to being more of a detective film. The plot involves characters investigating a mystery, and they unfold the mystery throughout the movie, little by little, and this always works to get the audience engaged.

I found this type of storyline from a 1989 J anime film to be progressive for it's time. Akira did come out 1 year prior to this movie, the late 80's to early 90's was a real progressive period for anime movies it seems. It's easy to tell the animation for this film didn't have high of a production or budget, especially if you compare with Akira that came out 1 year prior. I would up the score even higher if the animation had quality on the level of Patlabor 2 or Ghost in the Shell. I think when I first saw it, the animation quality was what discourage me from keep watching the film. It's probably not fair to bring up Akira for animation quality since Akira is one of the best looking anime of all time. Patlabor 2 on the other hand is absolutely gorgeous, and this level of animation production carried over to Ghost in the Shell.

I think this series has good character development, and Oshii does a good job of characterization of them. When I was young, when I first saw Patlabor, I found it a bit boring due to not enough action like Gundam or Macross for a mecha anime, and now that I'm more mature, I see that the series identity isn't about being a mecha anime for the sake of being a mecha anime, but developing story that's closer to practical reality. Gundam or Macross I feel is more fantasy, and Patlabor is grounded closer to practical realism with a real detective storyline.

So, I got to say I am a fan of Mamoru Oshii. I do like his story telling style.



Kenji Kawai does soundtrack for Mamoru Oshii, and same for this film. No wonder the mood feels recognizable. It's the guy behind this brilliant soundtrack.

 

[rays12]

'Slow West' (2015) - starring Kodi Smit-McPhee. Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelsohn and Caren Pistorius. Available on https://torrentsites.com/

An enjoyable dark, original and ever so slightly comic Western about a naive young Scot (Smit-McPhee) who teams up with a wily mercenary (Fassbender) to pursue the girl of his dreams across the post-Civil War West...She is on the run with her father due to the accidental murder of Smit-McPhee's rich uncle in Scotland and the pair are tracked across America pursued by bounty hunters and a love-struck but clueless Smit-McPhee chaperoned by Fassbender. Filmed in Scotland and New Zealand it doesn't quite have an authentic Western look about it but it's beautifully shot with some stunning vistas and Coen-esque scenes. Quite a short film but it gets the job done. 8/10.

 

[SilverEars]

Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise - (7/10)

This is a classic 90's anime for alot of us, and back in the days, there was much hype with this anime. Now, looking back, it doesn't seem to be anything all that special. It feels a bit like a pretentious attempt to be something like Ghibli films. A bit similar in vain. Presented with another world human exhibit, but not earth. Personally, I find these worlds with just a variation of stuff we are familiar with on earth uncreative, and bland. I don't find tweaking the look of an aircraft or spaceship to look different in a different world all that interesting.

The story of this movie becomes dull and uneventful if we strip off the look of the movie being of an alternative earth. I do like simplicity of Japanese films, but this one is simplicity done incredibly plain manner. I just don't find the payoff of the movie worthwhile, or the story all that eventful. Long ago, I recall I couldn't finish the movie, and I really can't blame myself for being bored of it back then as today.

The animation doesn't look quite as good as I recall. I think the animation could have been more fluid with more frames. Akira had much more fluid animation in 1988. Ghost in the Shell came out in same year, and it blows this movie away in animation quality.

 

[tdockweiler]

Headhunters - 8.5/10

Hidden gem from 2011 directed by Morten Tyldum who also directed The Imitation Gem and Passengers.
Currently free on Amazon Prime.

It's a suspense-thriller I guess, but be sure to NOT watch the trailer first.
The first half hour is just average and kind of slow, but then it starts to get really good.
Some scenes reminded me of a better film called "Breakdown" (which is a 10/10 movie for me).

PS the more I watch "Passengers" the more I like it.
People get so mad over the choices the main character makes in that movie and blame the writers.
I think it's something unforgivable really to do to a person.
Don't know what I'm talking about? Go watch it and tell me what you think.

That movie has so many good ideas and I could have been entertained by a 10 hour version of it or a TV series.
I think I gave it a 7/10 after I saw it in the theater. Now maybe an 8 or 8.5.

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

NomadLand - Drama/Indie film ‧ 1h 50m - steaming on Hulu

I found this film to be a good look at the people/families marginalized by recent economic downturns and the rapid disruption of blue collar jobs. A woman Fern, is displaced, having once lived in Empire, Nevada, a small town based around a single industry. When the plant closed due to lack of demand, there went all the jobs. To add to the complexity, Fern’s husband died, leaving her completely alone and without a house. She takes to the roads in a van in search of work and meets some interesting people along the way.

The movie itself isn't fast moving and won't put a smile on your face, but it tells a story that needs to be told. In the U.S., where large tightknit communities are rarely found, and where unskilled laborers aren't able to effectively save for retirement, there is a lack of a safety net for many people. NomadLand explores what that looks like in the modern day.

7.5/10

 

[Simmons]

Recently I watched the drama Life in a Year, a very cool film, sometimes goosebumps, I think the musical accompaniment played an important role, each melody is really matched to the theme!
I will leave a link to the soundtracks, maybe someone need it https://www.blankcityfilm.com/movies/2020/life-in-a-year

 

[Spareribs]

Somewhere (Directed by Sofia Coppola)

This movie kind of reminds me of the Pink Floyd the Wall movie where it’s about a lonely celebrity. I don’t think many people will like this movie because it is really really slow and drags on.

However, I am a huge fan of Sofia Coppolas style and character development and I really liked it. Especially after the next day when thinking about it. There is also the theme of father and daughter relationship which I thought was emotional. And I think many people will feel that emotion even if you don’t have kids. There is no drama or plot in this movie but it just floats in a similar way how the Lost in Translation movie moves along.

 

[Spareribs]

Okja (Netflix movie)

This movie is very very original and extremely entertaining. It’s about a girl and an experimental laboratory pig.

i think this movie is a crowd pleaser and most people will really like it.

It’s a weird movie but in a fun way.