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The Last Movie(s) You Watched... (quick one or two sentence reviews)

DigModiFicaTion

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Victor Frankenstein (2015)
Decent first act. Mediocre second act. Dismal third act.
Daniel Radcliffe's Igor was acted well. MacAvoy seemed to be in one of his split personalities the whole movie. I'm not much for monster movies and this movie hasn't changed that one bit. 4/10
 

mnkykungfu

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Gojira (1954)
I think people are mostly mistaken when the view this as a metaphor for the atomic bomb.  The ending speech is a bit misleading.  If you pay attention to the whole film, Godzilla is portrayed as like a traditional Japanese monster...and the most apt comparison is militaristic nationalism.  This then is an anti-war film, but not in the way Western audiences think.  Full review: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/godzilla/

Sanbiki no Samurai (1964)
Hideo Gosha burst onto the chanbara scene like a gangster, dropping this hot debut and deconstructing the genre.  I was surprised at how much I liked this, and I'd put it above some of Kurosawa's better-known films.  This one is underappreciated.  Full review: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/three-outlaw-samurai/
 

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I love the Godzilla movies. I was really excited for the huge Blu-ray set of the original films that came out last year, but it's not a good time for me to drop $200 on a frivolous purchase.
 

mnkykungfu

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^The first one definitely feels different to me.  There's so much time spent on this love story, and it feels more like a disaster movie...the disaster just happens to be a monster.  I feel like a lot of the later ones just leaned into the sci-fi and the fun of the monsters, but Godzilla is used sparingly in the first one (even though it's the best part of the film.)
 

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Couple of lesser-known Japanese classics:

Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition & Violence (1973)
A wild film from a wild Japanese sub-genre, this now plays as nearly equal parts goofy-bad and crazy-good.  I forgot to mention in my review (https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/female-yakuza-tale/) the very childish take on mental illness that contrasts horribly with the tragedy in that scene.  A movie that will not work well for some people, will be amazing for others.

Sword of the Beast (1965)
The second film from the director of Three Outlaw Samurai, and nearly as good.  It's a bit less pulpy and more meditative, particularly the second half.  Full review: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/sword-of-the-beast/
 

mnkykungfu

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A brief break from Japanese film to watch a couple fan-edits.  Here are general reviews though:

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Though I didn't like this as much as the others in the series, some people were so vocally hateful towards it that I initially found myself having to always defend the film.  This was my first rewatch, and I judged it more harshly this time: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull/

Jackass (The Movie - 2002)
Man, was this really 2002?  Part of me feels like Jackass just belonged to the '90s.  Maybe I just grew up.  Then again, I still get excited by Star Wars action figures.  Anyway, the movie is what it is, which is to say: not much of a movie.  Full review:https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/jackass-the-movie/
 

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Replying to your letterboxd:
 
mnkykungfu said:
When people complain that Temple of Doom is such a worse film than the other two in the earlier trilogy, I always ask why. And inevitably the film not being about Judeo-Christian traditions is a big issue.

I think ToD is objectively wretched, but that its focus on Indian culture is one of its biggest strengths. Yes, the raft descent sequence is much worse than the fridge nuke, and the Donkey Kong mine cart chase is just as bad. ToD is awful because Willie is a one-note, obnoxious character, Short Round is completely out of place in an Indiana Jones adventure based on his age alone, the pacing is all out of whack, and then there's the... regressive cultural elements.
 

mnkykungfu

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....and yet it all works.  lol  I get what you're saying though, but to be honest I think you could pick those nits to a greater extent with 95% of blockbuster films.  Especially ones from the 80s.  It's all about how they make it come together, and if you feel it's done in a callous way, or just errs too much into goofiness.  Case in point, film critics' rabid defense of a hero who callously abandons his wife and small children in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
 

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mnkykungfu said:
....and yet it all works.

Agree to disagree. I was trying to imagine yesterday what it might have taken to make ToD good. Ditch Willie and Short Round, of course. Remove the SNES video game levels of the magic raft and the mine carts. Add an Indian heroine/love interest. Maybe have a twist in which the local British commander is in league with the Indian baddies, for a spot of historical comeuppance. And maybe, as a subtle gag that befits a Raiders prequel, have one or two displays of genuine Indian magic, but Indy just misses witnessing them, thus preserving his skepticism in the first film.

So, you see, the movie isn't all terrible. It's just ~70% terrible. :p
 

mnkykungfu

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Sayonara Speed Tribes (2012)
A short doc about a low level Japanese gangster trying to get his life together and find a future in Japanese society.  Shows a lot more of his former motorcycle gang than his current criminal connections, but isn't long enough to go too deep into it.  What's here is good.  Free on Tubi.  Full thoughts: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/sayonara-speed-tribes/

Samurai Rebellion (1967)
Culturally dense political drama featuring Edo-era samurai.  Some quite solid performances anchor this, though I have a feeling a lot of the cultural subtleties will go over most people's heads.  Still good for fans of slow cinema though.  Full thoughts: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/samurai-rebellion/
 

mnkykungfu

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Another brief break from Japanese film:

Rocketman (2019)
I love when people criticise Bohemian Rhapsody for being a by-the-numbers wankfest that tells a very specific, limited version of the true events...and then praise Rocketman.  While the first 15 minutes of this film are the worst part, it really becomes clear how much of a puff-piece John and his hubby produced if you keep watching.  Actually made me like his music less.  Full thoughts: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/rocketman-2019/

The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
You ever tune in late to a basketball game, and the score is like 120 to 110, and then you watch the last 5 minutes and the team at 110 comes back to win? And you're thinking "Huh, I guess I could've just watched that last 5 minutes since I guess nothing before that really mattered,"? Yeah, that's the feeling they're apparently going for in this film. And really, only for Rey. More so than ever before, it's really only what Rey does that makes any difference to anything. I mean, insulting enough that they have brought all the old cast members back for a series of macguffin roles that only help the young cast accomplish things. As if all the movies you saw before and all the decades after that, none of them accomplished anything that lasted or mattered. But don't worry, Rey is here to pick up where they left off, simultaneously filling the roles of Han, Leia, Luke, and Vader/Anakin. Oh, and there are other characters who are all given something to do to keep busy while she saves the universe.
More of my epic rant on the wrap-up of the sequels: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker/
 

DigModiFicaTion

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Ad Astra (2019)
This movie was.....different. I almost feel like I watched something that was happening inside his head rather than actual events taking place. Characters are so disposable in this film and it's entirely his psyche that's on play. Beyond Sutherland's character, everyone else could simply be projections in his mind.
this would fit the lack of danger that is felt in almost every "action" scene
. This could honestly be an inception spin off in this regard. Did I like it? I don't know. Did I not like it? I don't know. I need to sit on this one for a bit.
 

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The Sky Crawlers (2008)
Firstly, poor title for this animated film.  Second, this is a tough one, tone wise.  It starts off with a blistering aerial dogfight, then settles in to nearly an hour of boredom with stilted dialogue and little to latch onto.  The final third of the film reveals you're watching something else entirely, but I feel like a creative fanedit could turn this into something closer to Perfect Blue.  Full thoughts: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/the-sky-crawlers/

The Return of Godzilla (1984)
Notably, the Japanese title for this is just Godzilla, and it is about half direct sequel/half remake.  The directing style grabbed me right away, and the special effects made me laugh right away.  For my money, it was probably the best Godzilla movie made since the '54 original, though the second half does turn more into a goofy kaiju film.  And man, those eyes are...unfortunate.  Full thoughts: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/the-return-of-godzilla/
maxresdefault.jpg
 

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mnkykungfu said:
The Sky Crawlers (2008)
Firstly, poor title for this animated film.  Second, this is a tough one, tone wise.  It starts off with a blistering aerial dogfight, then settles in to nearly an hour of boredom with stilted dialogue and little to latch onto.  The final third of the film reveals you're watching something else entirely, but I feel like a creative fanedit could turn this into something closer to Perfect Blue.

Oh man that film is all over the place. So disjointed, it was sumptuous to look at especially for its time but yeah no major snooze fest in the middle as you say.
 

mnkykungfu

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^Yeah, as I said in the linked review, I think what the director was going for was to make the audience feel the repetition and pointlessness of their existence, but I think it could've been communicated better in other ways.  (I'm not much of a fan of so-called "slow cinema" though.)
 

The Scribbling Man

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mnkykungfu said:
The Sky Crawlers (2008)

I quite liked Sky Crawlers when I first saw it, but on second watch I found it very dull. Classic Oshi from what I remember, in that it's littered with greatness, but bogged down by too much emphasis on concept over character/story. I don't think he'll ever deliver another GITS. Of course that is high concept, but it's also much more entertaining and visually enthralling.
 

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Hitokiri - Tenchu! (1969) 
I couldn't find any good translations of this title...it's something like 'Heaven's justice', but I think to really capture the meaning it should be more like "The Wrath of God".  The story drops you into the middle of a complex web of true historical intrigue but tells it all from a very isolated, simple POV.  I think you need a whole nother movie setting up everything that goes on in this film.  I couldn't get into it.  Full thoughts: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/tenchu/

Samurai Fiction (1998)
Too comedic and not OTT enough for me, but anime fans may dig it.  A whole lotta Tomoyasu Hotei, if you're a J-rock fan.  Full thoughts: https://letterboxd.com/nottheacademy/film/samurai-fiction/
 

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21 Bridges: Watched on Amazon Prime
A pretty solid heist movie set over one night but the central point of closing the bridges doesn't really factor into the plot. Great performance by the late Chadwick Boseman

IT part 1: Watched on Netflix
Equally parts Stranger Things and The Goonies the goofy horror film is cartoonish fun with a stellar performance from Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Dancing Clown

IT part 2: Watched on Amazon Prime
A great continuation of the IT saga if a little bloated in the final act.

Sputnik: Watched on Amazon Prime
Superb Russian horror that gets under your skin. Watch it.

Cohesion: Watched on Amazon Prime
Budget sci fi set in one potentially infinite room. It really left an impression on me. Highly recommended.

TENET: Watched at the cinema
I was bored for large sections of this time bending blockbuster. It posed some intriguing questions but it felt soulless to me. I didn't care for any characters and left not knowing anyone's name. I low key want my time back.

Interstellar: Watched on Now TV
Better than TENET but rather bloated and silly. Love the visual aesthetic and the time dilation but I found the characters to be unlikable and largely stupid in their choices.

The Town: Watched on Netflix
Really solid heist film if a little plodding at times.
 

DigModiFicaTion

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Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
I'd never watched this film until now......wow......this makes Mission Impossible 2 look like a good movie....ugh this was just terrible. Shallow characters, convenient plot points, tired writing, over the top action scenes that are pointless, etc.....getting strong buyer's remorse with this one..... 4/10
 

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Malthus said:
21 Bridges: Watched on Amazon Prime
A pretty solid heist movie set over one night but the central point of closing the bridges doesn't really factor into the plot. Great performance by the late Chadwick Boseman

IT part 1: Watched on Netflix
Equally parts Stranger Things and The Goonies the goofy horror film is cartoonish fun with a stellar performance from Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Dancing Clown

IT part 2: Watched on Amazon Prime
A great continuation of the IT saga if a little bloated in the final act.

Sputnik: Watched on Amazon Prime
Superb Russian horror that gets under your skin. Watch it.

Cohesion: Watched on Amazon Prime
Budget sci fi set in one potentially infinite room. It really left an impression on me. Highly recommended.

TENET: Watched at the cinema
I was bored for large sections of this time bending blockbuster. It posed done intriguing questions but it felt soulless to me. I didn't care for any characters and left not knowing anyone's name. I low key want my time back.

Interstellar: Watched on Now TV
Better than TENET but rather bloated and silly. Love the visual aesthetic and the time dilation but I found the characters to be unlikable and largely stupid in their choices.

The Town: Watched on Netflix
Really solid heist film if a little plodding at times.

Interesting take on Tenet; I have been wanting to see this but I am not sure if I want to pay yet to be confused and/or unclear on the film's events. Did you find it confusing at all?
 
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