Two drag queens and a transwoman tour across the Australian outback encountering various people as they go. Priscilla refer to the name of their touring van. As they travel they encounter some accepting of them and some not. This was one of the first Australian films to get international attention as well as raise LGBT issues. At times very funny and at others sad this comedy-drama is recommended watching rated 4/5.
For Christmas Eve a Christmas story. Watched this on a plane trip back home a few years back. Set on Christmas Eve, Finland, an archaeological dig out Santa Claus. They soon discover that it is the elves which are the trouble as they search for Santa. A monster hunt eschews, and the local children hope they're not on the naughty list. A strange mix of fantasy and horror that sticks in your head. 3/5.
A hilarious surreal film in which a woman's life falls apart and refreshes. Meanwhile her mother has an accident whilst kappa fishing - a kappa being a mystical water creature. She meets a punk rocker electrician called Gas. Searches for an occupation and her father. Had me laughing out loud (unusual for me). Felt a little preachy towards the end though so a 4/5.
Not a truly freaky horror film but an interesting one and a bit creepy. A man lacking the urge to take responsibility in life finds himself in the woods without transportation. Found by a young girl he stays the night at her family's isolated house in the wood. Things then get gradually stranger as he finds he can't get out of the woods, and that something is very wrong in the house he is staying in. A very pretty looking film with interesting cinematic fell. It is a good watch, with twists you may not see coming, but not very scary in my opinion. 4/5.
These are two Japanese films of this title(ish one has Time Traveller also in the title). Both based on the same book with the same title. Or rather are spin offs of that book (the live action film is also a sequel of a direct film of the book). Both can be enjoyed without reading the book thankfully - as I'm not sure it has been translated into English.
The general concept is simple - one day a girl finds herself for some reason able to leap through time (i.e. time travel). Both girls have a relation the the original school girl Kazuko from the book who fell in love with a time travelling boy from the future. The live action film has the school girl being Akari - daughter of Kazuko, the anime has the main character as Makoto - Kazuko's niece. The films don't seem to exist together though but as different 'what if' imaginings of the continuation of the novel.
Both films have their sad points as both continue the book's theme of partings. Both films also strangely enough have the same actress for the main female lead! I'll give both films 4/5 and recommend watching.
It is pretty amazing - found both trailers with subtitles!
Warning - this film made me cry and leaves you on a cliff hanger...
This was a good film, starting when a young man - a boy really, steals a car not realising there was a baby in it. Soon Tsotsi as he is called is struggling to keep up his usual survival illegal activities whilst learning to look after a baby. At the same time we learn more about Tsotsi's personal history. At the end things ultimately come to a head when everyone is looking for the missing baby. Rated 4/5.
This will seem like a theme but this film also features a blind woman who is handy with a sword. This time from Japan a chambara meaning historical sword fighting/samurai film. The titular character is called Ichi (and her mentor was Zatoichi making this a spin off of those films). Ichi encounters a samurai who is unable to draw his sword and together they take get entangled with a local dispute between Yakuza and mercenaries. Watchable but nothing to really write home about. 2/5
A wuxia film - that is a historical Chinese martial art film this film was put forward for an Oscar for best cinematography though it didn't win. A very pretty film with interesting colour use.
The story starts as police officers look for Robin Hood style rebels (the titular House of Flying Daggers) and try to locate their leader through his suspected daughter a blind dancer. Things become complicated when one of the officers fall in love with her. Soon loyalties to respective groups become shaky and twists and turns reveal. Pretty and interesting I give it a 4/5.
The Fox Family is a rather strange black comedy based on old Korean mythology where mystical foxes can become human if they live 1000 years. In the film this included the need to eat a human liver. Cue the black comedy as this rather creepy family set out to find some humans to eat by the deadline. Meanwhile the eldest daughter is falling in love and the police are looking at them with suspicion when people start dying. Found it amusing but strange, was not so much a fan of the musical interludes - 4/5.
Couldn't find English sub version of the trailer - sorry!
Saw this at the cinema this is a thriller Iranian film. At least I was under the misconception it was a drama thriller when I went to see it - having heard a description of it from I don't know where and not seeing the poster. Look at the poster and guess the genre!
I'm glad I didn't know it was a horror film before going in to see it for two reasons. One - if I knew it was a horror film, because I get freaked out so easily, I wouldn't have gone to see it which would have been a shame. I will be sleeping with the lights on for some time now I think though. Two because it made the growing insidious horror seamlessly blend into the film from it's drama start.
Don't fear if you know nothing of 1980s Iran and the war with Iraq or the Cultural Revolution on 1979, what you need to know is included. The war and the bombings give a heavy background to a building tension in Shideh's life as slowly supernatural happenings add to her troubles. Shideh is dealing with mother/daughter issues both as a mother and a daughter. Meanwhile something is trying to turn her daughter against her. As her husband is drafted and she is home alone the camera work of the film really show the growing blur between dream and reality.
Though not what I would call a feminist film it does give a female perspective on Iran at that time which is interesting and for me uncomfortable. If you run out of your home terrified with your child in your arms, obviously without even time to put on your shoes, would the police stop you and instead of offering help arrest you. Arrest you for immodest dress and threaten to whip you.
Highly recommend it. 5/5. Had me jumping at a toaster popping.
Studio Ghibli is a Japanese company that has produced 20 feature films of which I've seen 16. Then there is also the film made by the same people before they officially formed as a studio - Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. I love these films because for the main part women are actually characters in them with their own thoughts, motives and actions rather than objects for men in a film which unfortunately occurs quite frequently in film (at this point I will mention the Bechdale test - feel free to look it up).
Most of these are heart warming, some of these sad. One of them is a must watch but be prepared for crying and scarring for life - which is "Grave of the Fireflies". Seriously rumours say they had to release it with another Ghibli film to get it out. Others are also must watch including "My neighbour Totoro", "Princess Mononoke", and "Spirited Away". These were all written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki who is as much as an institution as the studio itself in Japan. Their latest "When Marnie Was There" I also highly recommend. Overall with a few exceptions (ahem Tales of Earthsea) I would recommend watching anything with Studio Ghibli written on it.
Halloween Special - a classic - Nosferatu. I saw it at the cinema with live music. I understand the music was more jazzy then usual. To the modern horror movie watcher it isn't scary but it is interesting. Despite my difficulties in the past with black and white (let alone silent) films this held my interest. I finally saw all those famous images of it in context as well!
The original film was actually destroyed due to copyright issues - Nosferatu is Romanian for vampire and the film is a thinly disguised rip off of Dracula. This film is one of the more recent piercing together of remaining records in archives.
Two films in one today. Based on the fantasy novels with some changes is the Night Watch and Day Watch films. Together they form an overarching story fantastical/political/action film about a supernatural underworld where you choose whether you follow the light or darkness who are currently in a truce. The Night Watch comprises of those who have chosen light who watch those who have chosen darkness. The Day Watch are those who have chosen darkness who police those who choose the light. Together these two agencies battle whilst strangely enough keeping a peace of sorts to prevent outright war. Nothing is quite as it seems and the films are rather twisty and confusing if you have not read the books. I'd give it a 2/5 if you haven't read the books and 4/5 if you have.
I couldn't find a trailer again so you get a short review with some clips which to be honest explains the film plot better than me.
Another film I started and got interrupted on. Ended up buying the DVD for and never regretted it.
This is a Japanese comedy about a small town girl, Momoko, who doesn't fit in. Momoko loves lolita fashion and her family is a mess. One day she meets another outcast - Ichigo. Ichigo is in a biker gang and she interrupts Momoko's life and eventually becomes her best (and only) friend. Recommended watching 4/5.
Went to watch this on my birthday with my mother - then got very embarrassed when lesbian sex started. With that out of the way let me get started on the film...
This is a historical drama about a reforming unmarried Swedish Queen alone on the throne at the time of religious upheaval between Protestants and Catholics. This sounds a lot like Elizabeth 1st but with an addition - hence my embarrassment because I didn't know that. The addition being in reality Queen Christina was suspected to be a lesbian, in the film they make this explicit. For some reason even though English was a second language for the actors they mainly spoke English some intonation was off a bit which was off-putting. Loved the outfits though. Overall I'd rate the film a 3/5.
This is the Bollywood musical version of Powder. Had some changes to the original. It was ok but not earth shattering. Have the feeling perhaps I should try a different Indian film at some point? Rated 2/5.
Kind of a trailer and doesn't have any subs - sorry.
A man tidies the very messy flat of an aunt he knew nothing about after her sudden death. During the process he learns a lot about this mysterious woman that was Matsuko and the circumstances, ups, downs and events of her life. In the process he also starts to get some ideas as to what lead to her death and gets some life to himself. Interesting and heart-warming it is also unfortunately far too long. 3/5.
No subs and an annoying partly blocked screen I'm afraid but all I could find!
Written by and starring Jackie Chan this Chinese film is another action-comedy flick about the two soldiers left standing at the end of a battle from opposing sides. One a rather cowardly peasant soldier played by Jackie Chan, the other a rather prideful warrior prince played by Leehom Wang - a new to me actor. When Chan's character attempts to kidnap the prince for his bounty the two end up as unlikely allies as things go to pot. I enjoyed it and it was a bargain at 75p at CEX. I'll give it a 3/5 because sometimes fight scenes can just be too long.
Also I couldn't find the trailer for this so you get Jackie Chan singing the theme song to clips from the film instead.
This is rather a cult film I expect you may have heard of already. Have to say I did enjoy watching it and seeing how little things changed the time line each time. If you haven't heard of the film before the basic summary is Lola's drug dealing boyfriend has lost a lot of money on the train and is in line to be killed by his boss if he doesn't get it in time. Lola then runs against the clock trying to get the money and get it to her boyfriend in time. This rewinds and happens again and again with different consequences as Lola struggles against the clock. Recommended watching 4/5.
Fan made trailer for the film as I can't find the official one.
A horror film that was more psychological freaky that jumping freaky. Oskar is a lonely bullied boy who late one night meets a girl in the playground outside his apartment strangely immune to the cold and having a strange relationship with her "father". Meanwhile the bodies in the area are piling up mysteriously missing blood. The police are searching for suspects whilst the bullying of Oskar is getting worse. Things all come to a head in a shocking climax I did not expect. Recommended watching 4/5.
Couldn't find a trailer so here is a home made music video to film clips.
I specify that this is Taxi (1998) because the Americans did remake it in 2004. Therefore this film (unlike the ones before I'm guessing) you may have actually heard of! An action-comedy the plot is as follows...
Daniel, ex pizza delivery boy now starts a new career as a taxi driver with racer tendencies in the extreme. Daniel decides to break the road laws when a rather incompetent police officer called Emilien was his fare. With Emilien failing in a rather high profile case involving some fast moving robbers he decides to blackmail Daniel into assisting him to catch them. High speed chases and comedy eschews. I give it a 4/5.
Tried to supply a trailer again and failed to find one with English subtitles...
Another comedy, this time of the Canadian variety. A black humour crime comedy where a French speaking Quebec cop and an English speaking Ontario cop with very different views of the world end of working together on a puzzling case when a body ends up on the dividing sign between their provinces.
I don't want to spoil the twists and turns here, just want to say I found myself laughing out loud frequently. I don't know where I found the trailer but after I felt I must find a copy and I'm glad I did. I recommend to everyone. 5/5.
Couldn't find a English subtitled trailer I'm afraid but you can get the gist.
This film I started watching on a Korean Air flight when I visited Seoul. The flight ended before the film did hence I ended up buying a copy for which I ended up very happy to have.
Another comedy (I promise I do watch things other than comedies). You
wouldn't think it was a comedy though from the opening as a man is
attempting to commit suicide. This is a comedy with ultimate life
lessons and heart-warming at the end. Again I'll try to be spoiler free. Let me just sum up the film as a suicidal man starts seeing ghosts who
start demanding he fulfil their wishes before moving on. In the process of fulfilling these requests he comes out of his shell and starts interacting with the world again.
Afraid I couldn't find the trailer with English subtitles...
When you think of New Zealand and films you probably think of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Sweeping New Zealand landscapes as a backdrop of a fantastical story. What We Do In The Shadows is fantasy without the sweeping backdrops of mountains. This is a fake documentary about vampires sharing a house in Wellington, where they go out around town (not the hills) dressed about 100 years out of fashion trying to get bouncers to invite them into clubs.
This comedy starts with four vampires in a house ranging from 183 to 8000+ on the lead up to the annual Undead Masquerade for the zombies, witches and vampires of Wellington - no werewolves invited! As a comedy it made me slightly cringe but a good way. It was interesting to watch but I'll make it sound as dull as dishwater. In fact the opening 10 minutes is just about the complete lack of washing up as the chore rota is ever a house sharing problem - especially for vampires as the blood starts congealing. These vampire men deal with their relationship issues whilst evading the law as stupidity, their loud hunting, a sunlight accident starting a fire and a body in the basement makes things difficult.
To sum it up I wasn't sure about this film but overall it is very watchable. It seems to have good reviews but perhaps it just wasn't my kind of comedy? Which was a shame since Flight of the Conchords was involved and I've loved what I've seen of their work. 3/5 Stars.
I'm having a film night and I'm finding that so much of what I watch is mass produced and from the U.S.A. Disney - check! Generic action film - check! and so on and so on. So, I've decided to watch films from at least 30 different countries by the time I'm 30. So, to motivate myself I'm writing this blog - yes yet another blog flung out onto the internet that probably no one will read. Never mind.
Here I'll record some of the interesting films I've come across from around the world. This will exclude U.S. films for reasons explained above. British films will occasionally feature but since I'm British I feel it is slightly cheating...
So - sit back and look forward to being introduced to a strange comedy vampire documentary from New Zealand, super freaky Korean horror and comedy, heart-warming Japanese films with feminist touches, Chinese action, German thriller, French "WTF just happened" and a historic apparently lesbian Swedish Queen buried in the Vatican. This is what I've just seen so far but I've promised myself to watch films from at least 30 different countries by 30 that gives me two and a bit years, so who knows what else I might find!
If by some chance someone ever decides to read this blog feel free to fling suggestions my way.
