nagan2020 Reviews

The Competition (1980)

This movie made me a classical music fan

[9/10 · 7 November 2021]

This movie is the reason why I became a classical music fan. I was only 13 years old when the movie came out and was just fascinated by Beethoven No.5 and Prokofiev No.3. I have been waiting for the DVD to come out in Japan and after more than 40 years, it finally did! The piano scenes were still amazing after all these years. But what impressed me this time the most was how good the actors were. The subtle emotions of pride and resignation displayed by Richard Dreyfuss, the innocents and passion of Amy Irving, and the sarcastic charm of simply wonderful Lee Remick... It may not be perfect and there are some flaws. But this movie is my gem.

The Omega Man (1971)

Seriousy?

[2/10 · 4 November 2021]

I usually like 70's sci-fi classics but this one is so bad it is like one big joke. The mutants with their faces painted in white are like a bunch of comedians. Many of the lines were so out of place that they made me cringe several times. And the music... All I could say is horrible. I cannot understand why Charlton Heston decided to be in a tacky film like this after Planet of the Apes.

Halloween Kills (2021)

For the fans of the original HALLOWEEN

[6/10 · 29 October 2021]

This film has lots of gore but somehow lacks suspense. I am not even sure if I liked this new mass hysteria approach to the series. But it tries to be different and was interesting in some ways. Also seeing many of the characters from the first Halloween, many of them played by the same actors after 43 years, was simply fun. This movie could be a treat for some fans of the original Halloween.

Point Blank (1967)

Seems like a ghost story

[7/10 · 27 October 2021]

I find many of John Boorman's films to be fascinating because of their strangeness. This one is no exception. Walker who tries to claim his stolen money seems like a dead man from the start. It is like a ghost story disguised as a crime drama.

The Last Duel (2021)

A woman fighting against the savagery of men

[8/10 · 25 October 2021]

I had expected this film to be more of an entertaining mystery told in a RASHOMON style. I wasn't wrong, but it was much more and certainly deeper than that. This movie is about the tragedy of a woman whose life is threatened by the arrogance and savagery of men. There are two leading male characters in this story but neither of them is a hero. One is a man of honor and the other is a man of love, but they both turned out to be nothing more than self-centered violent male chauvinists. I am sure those kinds of men were typical back in the medieval days. However, the female lead who stood against her predicament seemed different. She is like a woman of 21 century who doesn't hesitate to speak up and fight for her justice. This is a powerful period piece that is uniquely linked to the gender inequalities that still exist in the present day.

Tentacles (1977)

My Guilty Pleasure

[8/10 · 16 October 2021]

This movie is not a masterpiece. It is not even a great movie. However, it is not as bad as everyone here is saying. My parents took me to see TENTACLES when I was eight. Now that I have a blue-ray, I still watch it every year and enjoy it every time.

The plot is predictable, and many scenes and even some of the characters aren't needed. But the visuals are great, and especially the ocean sceneries without any CGI are soothing to my eyes. Although it may not be JAWS, I think the staff tried their best to keep the suspense going, and I actually sympathized with the character played by Bo Hopkins. But what I like the most about this film is its soundtrack. The music by Stelvio Cipriani somehow adds a sad nostalgic feeling to this B monster movie everyone seems to hate.

Maybe this film only deserves 6 stars at the most, but I'll give it 8 stars as my personal favorite. Tentacles and Grizzly will always be two of my top guilty pleasures.

Outland (1981)

Strange resemblance to ALIEN

[6/10 · 13 October 2021]

Just saw the movie for the first time in 40 years. Despite so many plot holes and all the villains being incredibly stupid, it was enjoyable due to the great presence of Sean Connery. But what surprised me the most was how this movie resembles ALIEN. Everything from music by Jerry Goldsmith to the set design, the spacesuit, even the opening title sequence reminded me of Ridley Scott's masterpiece, that is of course without the monster. It is quite strange so do check it out.

Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)

103 minutes of torture

[1/10 · 12 October 2021]

In recent years, I started to think Nicolas Cage's choice of films to be interesting. Somehow, I even started to enjoy a movie like Willy's Wonderland as my guilty pleasure. So despite the bad reviews, I went to see this with a mild expectation. But boy, it was bad! It was nothing like bad but enjoyable or cheesy but fun. It was just plain horrible. The movie was like a pretentious amateur play, and it was torture to sit through the whole 103 minutes. I never believed in giving one star to any films but I changed my mind. Definitely the worst movie of the year.

The Eagle Has Landed (1976)

I never thought this was a comedy!

[3/10 · 13 September 2021]

This movie came out in Japan when I was just nine years old and after 44 years I finally got to see it. Boy was I surprised! I never expected to see a comedy, and it wasn't even funny. It is so odd to see Michael Caine playing a German soldier with such a natural British accent. Larry Hagman's over-the-top character is so annoying and a girl played by Jenny Agutter is just silly. It's like watching a cheap TV movie with bad acting and a horrible plot. This movie is one big joke.

Willy's Wonderland (2021)

Recognized the effort

[5/10 · 15 July 2021]

This film really tries to be entertaining and I recognized its effort. Although some actors were amateurish and the editing was sloppy at times, it actually made me laugh a few times. I guess I enjoyed it enough for what it is. Also to my surprise, I've been getting used to the new cult status of Nicolas Cage, and I kinda like it.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (1983)

A special place in my heart

[10/10 · 15 July 2021]

This movie is a gem for many Japanese, especially those over 50. It was an enormous hit on its release in 1983, and the leading actress Tomoyo Harada, who was only 15 at the time, became a national heroine. This film is so much more than a cheesy sci-fi flick with outdated special effects. It captures a glittering and often bitter time of youth with such delicacy and subtleness. It is also a cruel tale of a girl who falls for the wrong guy. They share a love so supreme that after losing it, a void opens up in her life.

The whole movie is reminiscent of the Showa era with nostalgic sceneries of Onomichi (Tokyo Story by the great Yasujiro Ozu was also filmed in this historic town of Hiroshima). I still listen to the beautiful soundtrack which for me is a true classic.

For admirers of House, Obayashi's debut, which remains popular amongst western audiences, this film is worth watching. It might not work for everyone, but it is so redolent of my teenage memories that, like the rest of its avid Japanese fans, it will always have a special place in my heart.

The Adultress (1953)

Overall disappointing

[6/10 · 1 June 2021]

I couldn't feel sympathy for any of the characters in the film especially Therese who never makes up her mind. I also didn't care for the ending, which is rather cliched and predictable. The film was overall disappointing but the young Simone Signoret was beautiful and reminded me of Romy Schneider.

An Almost Ordinary Summer (2019)

Simply unconvincing

[3/10 · 16 May 2021]

This film is totally unconvincing. I didn't believe for a minute that those two men were gay, or actually in love with each other. It felt like the director came up with an interesting plot in his head and created a film without giving it much further thought. But c'mon! 50+ and 60+ men suddenly sexually attracted to each other after living decades as happy heterosexuals? It's great to live in a world where anyone can love anyone freely. But if you want to pull off an implausible storyline like that, you need to come up with a better script.

Hamburger Hill (1987)

Not in the same league with real classics

[6/10 · 23 April 2021]

This movie is worth seeing for the powerful and harrowing battle scenes. However, the character development of the soldiers was shallow and their lines were so cliched at times that they often made me cringe. It certainly is not in the same league with real classics like "Apocalypse Now" or "Full Metal Jacket".

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)

This is so fun!

[8/10 · 16 February 2021]

Wow, what a fun ride! This movie was like "Prince of Darkness" meets "Videodrome" with a little bit of "The Thing". It also reminded me of "Event Horizon" because of Sam Neill's face with crosses written all over it. Another great one from John Carpenter.

The Holiday (2006)

The stars shine in this movie

[7/10 · 9 February 2021]

The concept of two women swapping their houses for two weeks (one in LA, the other in the UK) just to get away from men troubles was interesting enough. Though there are no surprises and everything falls into place rather conveniently, it was fun to watch the two lead characters putting themselves into whole new environments and eventually finding ideal partners. As for the cast, Jack Black might not have been the best choice to play this ordinary good guy. But Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, and Jude Law all shined gorgeously with glittering star aura. Too sweet for my taste, nevertheless a well-made romantic comedy that you might enjoy on your holiday.

Blizzard of Souls (2019)

Hell on the battlegrounds

[8/10 · 8 February 2021]

This Latvian film depicts hell on the battlegrounds through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old boy named Arturs during World War l. In this period of time, I learned that the Latvians had been infringed and butchered by neighboring countries such as Germany and Russia. To gain freedom, even children had to fight with rifles in their hands and their innocent blood was spilt. Although the overall style of this film is rather subdued, it conveys the pain and the horror the boy experiences very intensely. Even the battle scenes aren't overly dramatic which makes the film more realistic. Very sad yet a powerful story to watch.

Mank (2020)

Must see "Citizen Kane" first

[7/10 · 5 February 2021]

Although this is another ambitious work by David Fincher, you will probably be at a loss, or even be bored, if you have no prior knowledge of the movie "Citizen Kane". If you had appreciated "Citizen Kane", you might like "Mank" because it not only reveals how the greatest film of all time (as so many think) was made, but it also mimics some of the cinematographic style of Citizen Kane which was considered groundbreaking at the time of its premier. You may enjoy it more if you knew about the historical figures that appear in the movie (I am not only talking about Orson Welles, William Randolph Hearst or Louis B. Mayer who play vital roles in this story, but also about supporting characters like Joseph L. Mankiewicz and John Houseman whom I didn't realize were portrayed in the movie upon my first viewing). Not for everyone, but it can be a fascinating movie experience for others.

Perfumes (2019)

A refreshing comedy

[7/10 · 3 February 2021]

The story of a friendship between a selfish fragrance designer who is one of the best in her field, and her chauffeur who needs to cling to his job so that he can live with his daughter. There are no surprises or twists in the film, and everything falls into place where you expect it to. Even so, the chemistry between the two lead actors is so great that these cliches seem acceptable. A refreshing French comedy with a few laughs.

Crash (1996)

Bizarre yet fascinating

[8/10 · 1 February 2021]

Just saw the 4K remaster version of "Crash" which is now playing in Japan. Seeing it for the second time in 24 years, it still was a bizarre and unique cinematic experience. This is a movie about people who are sexually aroused by car accidents. Although I wasn't totally comfortable with the disturbing subject, I found the characters to be interesting. These men and women feel a sense of liveliness through bodily tortures, yet their extreme pleasures will only take them to one place, that is death. As always, David Cronenberg explores the dark mysteries of human nature in a cold and horrifying way. A fascinating anatomy of carnal desires and fetishism that is worth seeing.

A Horrible Way to Die (2010)

Bad ending spoiled it all

[4/10 · 31 January 2021]

Although I had no high expectations for this one, I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere of the film, which in a way reminded me of the disturbing 1986 masterpiece "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer". The slow-pacing of the film didn't bother me. I even thought that often out of focus and shaky camera work(which everyone seems to hate) was effective for a story that takes place in a desolate small town. But the film's implausible ending, though intended to shock the viewers, really trashed it for me. Using this formula, which may had worked for Wes Craven's film, was such an obnoxious and cheesy way to end the film. What a let down.

Prison Circle (2020)

Importance of humane communication

[8/10 · 28 January 2021]

This is an important documentary focusing on a Japanese prison in Shimane prefecture located in the western part of Japan. This prison that takes in mostly first-time offenders in its program called Therapeutic Circle (TC) which originally started in mental institutes in the UK and was later adapted in the U.S. and European prisons.

In this program, forty of the chosen inmates participate in unique sessions such as group discussions and role-playing therapies. Through these sessions, each inmate confronts their past, hopefully figuring out the reasons that lead them to their crimes.

The film interviews mainly four inmates who are all in their twenties but imprisoned for reasons ranging from theft to manslaughter. What I had not expected in this documentary was that these inmates were all quite eloquent in telling their stories. One by one, they reveal the traumatic past of being abused by their parents or being bullied by their school mates.

Hearing their voices, I realized that they had no one in their lives to listen to their stories. The inner agony and conflicts were always kept within, and their despair and solitude eventually turned them into social dropouts. This documentary reminds us that humane communication not only plays a vital role in the rehabilitation of convicts, but the prevention of crimes. After all, no human is a born criminal.

Minari (2020)

Can't help loving this family

[9/10 · 28 January 2021]

Although I had high expectations for the film, I never imagined it was going to be this good. A story of a Korean family starting a farm in rural Arkansas during the Reagan era. Watching this family living in a trailer home, struggling to make a business out of Korean vegetables, was such an emotional experience for me. As an Asian man myself, I really wanted to go up to this family and hug them and just tell them everything will be ok. A miraculous film about the pursuit of happiness and the true bonding of a family. Also as a huge fan of Glenn in "The Walking Dead", it is nice to see Steven Yeun keeping up the great work. Definitely, one of the best movies of the year!

La Llorona (2019)

Not knowing the history of Guatemala...

[6/10 · 28 January 2021]

As everyone is saying, this ghost story is not a horror film. The eerie atmosphere kept me interested for the whole 97 minutes, however, nothing unexpected really happened. If I had known the dark history of Guatemala, my impression would have been different. But as a layman of South American history, overall impression was a little weak.

Law of Tehran (2019)

Disturbing and powerful

[8/10 · 19 January 2021]

I was simply overwhelmed by the fierce energy of this Iranian crime movie. The story is told from two opposite points of view: one from a detective who tries to nail a drug lord, and the other from the drug lord who tries to bribe the detective. They are both relentless and messed up in their own ways, which made it hard for me to decide which character I should take sides with. Also, some scenes(for example, prison packed with drug addicts) were so real that I often forgot this was a work of fiction. Everything I saw here was chaos : no true justice, no decent laws, no good guys. Very disturbing but a powerful piece of work.