yellowtail_tuna Reviews

Das Boot (1981)

The crew's struggle against the reality of war

[10/10 · 23 October 2020]

The title card tells us the historical background, in which "40,000 German sailors served on U-boats during World War II. 30,000 never returned." At this point, we don't know whether this movie is about a U-boat that returned or a U-boat that did not.

After a frenzied party scene where the main characters are introduced, they launched in their U-96. After that most of the film is set inside the submarine. It is very cramped and quite filthy. The dozens of crew members are packed in it and share their lives. For each, the only private space is a tiny bunk. Most of them are young, cheerful but inexperienced.

I don't know much about the mechanisms of submarines, but they are interesting. They whisper when an enemy ship is close. I couldn't believe that the voice inside a sub could be heard by the other ship through the water, but from my quick search, some say it can happen. When the sub is bombed, the lightbulbs blast, which is another thing I wonder why (maybe just a dramatic effect). The depth is an important thriller element. They hold their breath while staring at the depth gauge because if it dives too deep, it will be crushed by the water pressure.

The campaign does not go well. They miss opportunities to get their enemies. The Captain is resentful of the headquarters' poor operation but keeps being responsible for the sub and the crew. The scenes they are attacked are tumultuous and very fearful because they have nowhere to escape. An impressive scene is where an engineer called Johann becomes unhinged because of the fear, which is very close to a horror film acting. A sub is a very long distant place from our ordinary life.

"Das Boot" is about the bond of the crew who share the same fate, and about the harsh reality of war that overwhelms them. The direction is convincing. The ending is shocking but I'll never forget. It is no doubt one of the best war films ever made.

(I watched the 208 minutes Director's Cut version.)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

How do you balance your career and parenting?

[10/10 · 21 October 2020]

This film is about divorce. At the very beginning of the film, Joanna, the wife, declares to leave and does. It happens suddenly to the husband Ted, but we later know it happens not suddenly to her. Being left with his son, workaholic Ted has to take care of his son by himself.

Dustin Hoffman plays Ted. Ted has been obsessed with his job as an advertising art director, and he is the type of man who believes his hard work alone makes his family happy. He even doesn't know what grade his son is in. He is clumsy when he deals with his son, which is comical, but he certainly loves his son.

The film goes in a very fast, brisk tempo, which reflects how busy Ted is. It also prevents the film from going too depressing. Most scenes have no music, which gives scenes tension and makes the acting stand out.

Justin Henry as Billy, their son, is another excellent actor. He is a very real seven-year-old boy. The interaction between Ted and Billy is funny and lovely. Billy sometimes becomes sullen because he misses his mom, but learns his demand for mom only makes dad worried.

In the latter half of the film goes on a legal battle between Ted and Joanna over custody of Billy. At the court, the former wife and husband express their emotions at each other which they never did when there were married. Meryl Streep as Joanna plays her dilemma between being a mother and being "a whole human being".

What lies there is a historical background. It was in the 70s, when roles of fathers and mothers, or more generally men and women, were changing drastically. How do you balance your career and parenting? This issue is thoughtfully examined in this film from both a man's and a woman's view.

Seven Samurai (1954)

Very entertaining Kurosawa's classic.

[10/10 · 18 October 2020]

In medieval Japan, a village has suffered from the routine robbery of the bandits. In desperate, they resort to hiring samurais to fight against them. At first, it seems hopeless since all they can offer to samurais is food, not money or position. Fortunately, they happen to meet Kambei, an experienced samurai, who sympathizes with them and agrees to help them.

Kambei figures out they need to hire seven samurais in total. This recruitment part is quite interesting, introducing each samurai's character. My favorite is Heihachi, who is not skillful as a samurai but is frank and friendly, "the type of man valuable in such a difficult time". Soon they succeed to recruit five, largely because of Kambei's respectable personality.

In a hurry, they give up the recruitment at only six and set off to the village. But a strange man Kikuchiyo, who claims to be a samurai but apparently not, tags along. He is vulgar and humorous and they gradually feel amused by him. They finally accept him as the seventh samurai.

Interestingly, Seven Samurai is not just about heroes protecting people from villains. While badly asking the samurais for help, the villagers show distrust of them. Here we see the class conflict between samurais and peasants. And this is where Kikuchiyo's role becomes significant when the would-be samurai is revealed to be born a peasant. The villagers naturally find him closer than the other samurais. They are gradually getting cooperative in the preparation and training, and finally, the bandits' attack begins.

As for the direction, what makes the film powerful is, as other Kurosawa films, the energetic movement. Characters walk and run swiftly, and the camera chases them. The scenes where the crowd frantically moves back and forth are especially impressive. The battle scenes are exciting. It is not a battle of well-organized armed forces but of the quickly assembled samurai team and peasants wielding bamboo spears and the unsophisticated bandits. Most of them are amateurs, and each person of the battle scenes feels his or her own fresh fear or excitement.

The screenplay is full of insight, wit, and humor. Characters are simple but charming. The plot is straightforward and compelling. It is a 207 minutes, black and white, and 50s classic film, but you don't have to be intimidated. Seven Samurai is so entertaining that you can easily understand why it is widely seen as one of the best films ever made.

Fight Club (1999)

Rebellion against modern consumerism

[8/10 · 17 October 2020]

Modern life sucks. You are obsessed with your condo, your furniture, your car, and your bank account. Consumerism is not about what you consume but it is you who are consumed by where you live, what you wear, and what you buy. Gradually you become nothing. How can you escape from it? Well, just start Fight Club.

The nameless protagonist, the Narrator, is mentally exhausted, suffers insomnia, on the verge of collapse. A remedy he happens to find is touring of support groups. Joining those groups feigning illness is already getting away from morality. Then one day, he meets Tyler.

Fight Club started when Tyler asked the Narrator to hit him "as hard as you can". The two are getting drawn to the aimless fighting. They find pain and bruises exhilarating. Soon after some other rough guys join them to share their fun. Tyler mocks gym-goers, saying "Self-improvement is masturbation. Now, self-destruction." And the enthusiasm of self-destruction grows into a cult.

Fincher shows things in a persistent first-person view. It feels like the camera focus is precisely on the Narrator's mind. He even sometimes talks to us viewers directly. I won't do any spoiler, but this is the type of film that will seem completely differently on rewatch.

I wouldn't say I love the film very much. It is full of frustration. The explosive energy seeks the outlet without success. It challenges conventional dramatic structure. If you are a person who is fully satisfied with your life as a good citizen, you might feel disgusted. And if all you want is a weekend refreshment, this film would be overkill.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

It turned out to be a real and serious anti-war film

[10/10 · 4 October 2020]

Before watching I thought it was an entertaining fantasy film (you would think so if you search on Google Images for the title), but it turned out that fantasy is only 30% and it is essentially a real and serious anti-war film.

The location is in a deep forest. Even though it has become an outpost for the soldiers to hunt the guerrilla rebels, it is still a place you can imagine that some spirits are living there. Ofelia and her pregnant mother arrive there to meet her stepfather Captain Vidal, who is the character who represents the madness of war. Under the atmosphere of anxiety and oppression, Ofelia starts to see mystical creatures.

Invited by a fairy, she walks into the center of the ancient stone labyrinth and meets The Faun. It is kind of funny that she shows no fear of him from the beginning. Maybe it is because he is quite humorous, at least compared with the cruel reality. He tells her that she is the princess of the underground kingdom, and to return there she has to go through three tasks.

As a fantasy film, the best creation of it would be the Pale Man. He is sitting still and naked at the medieval banquet table, with a face with two holes that you can't tell whether they are eye sockets or nostrils. He is scary and creepy, but still somewhat humorous.

Secret supporters of the rebels in the outpost are under the threat to be found out, including Mercedes who Ofelia has befriended. The violence of war deprives innocent people of their tiny happiness. In the ruthless situation, it seems that the Labyrinth becomes Ofelia's psychological refuge. A sad thought I cannot shake off is that everything might be just a figment of her imagination. Because from ancient times, fantasies have been created as consolation for the oppressed people.

Rear Window (1954)

A classic mystery, or a romantic comedy

[10/10 · 3 October 2020]

In usual movies, cameras are mysterious entities, invisible to the characters, floating anywhere the director wants to be. I sometimes wonder from whose view I am watching the scenes. In "Rear Window", Hitchcock abandons this freedom. The camera is restricted to the Jefferies's room so that whatever we are seeing is what he is seeing. This is surprisingly fun. In the windows of the apartment building across the courtyard, we can see each of the residents lives their unique love life, from a young girl exercising in underwear to a lonely woman talking to her imaginary lover. It is a pleasure of peeping, which is sometimes ethically questioned though.

Among them, there is a salesman. Jefferies notices his strange activities and starts to suspect that he has murdered his wife. Jefferies's allies are two women, a middle-aged nurse Stella and his young girlfriend Lisa. None of the three is a Sherlock Holmes. While watching the salesman's room, they discuss each other's theories which are quite amateurish. Occasionally joining them as a debate opponent is a police detective Doyle. The four main characters are excellent. Being sometimes humorous, witty, or tense, their reactions and exchanges are more interesting than the suspected murder case itself.

This film would not be so fantastic without Grace Kelly as Lisa. Seeing her beauty, it is understandable that Jefferies is unwilling to travel with her around the dirty and dangerous world. But when they need more evidence on the case, she volunteers for spy missions on behalf of Jefferies who is in the wheelchair, apparently as an attempt to prove she is qualified for his wife. In fact, the more active ane reckless she becomes, the more charming she is. Although IMDb gives the film genres of mystery and thriller, I would say this is more of a romantic comedy.

A Star Is Born (2018)

Gaga is fantastic

[8/10 · 30 September 2020]

A substantial part of the film consists of Lady Gaga's performance scenes. Unlike real synth-pop Lady Gaga, Ally is a country singer. She sings in the spotlights and the audience of thousands is mesmerized and whoop. These scenes are fantastic because Gaga is a real singer. Her voice is emotional and powerful. Gaga's acting is also pretty good. She plays the young singer who is talented but timid about her future.

As for the story, I felt kind of bored in the early part, because I thought I knew what would happen in the rest of the film (I didn't know that this is the third remake of the 1937 film of the same title). They would go out and she would achieve success. Then what? But in the middle, it is getting tragic. That is Jack's decline. Bradley Cooper plays the artist's vulnerability excellently. After watching, you will feel like you have seen how lives go, as you always feel when you watched a good film.

The Host (2006)

Korean film about a monster and the love of family

[9/10 · 26 September 2020]

Unlike many monster movies, the monster in "The Host" is introduced without being tantalizingly held back beforehand. A peaceful sunny afternoon in the riverside of Han, the monster suddenly appears and starts to attack the people who have been hanging around. The tranquil atmosphere has changed in a matter of seconds. After a girl is taken away by the monster, her family is in grief, but they soon realize she is alive.

Although the monster is visually prominent, I am not sure what genre this film belongs to, horror, action, comedy, drama, or satire. Maybe none of them, it is just a Korean film. You will see whatever you can never see in a Hollywood film.

The monster itself is not special. The design is unremarkable and the CGI quality is mediocre. What makes this film exciting is not the monster but the people who are reacting to it. They confront it being frantic, desperate, or courageous. I'm surprised at how many ideas there are in the action scenes, such as situations, devices, tools, choreography, and camerawork.

The government announces a prevention measure on the virus that the monster has spread. When the family wants to look for the girl, they soon face Kafkaesque bureaucracy. While they ask medical officers and police for help, they can't tell who they can trust. It is a satirical depiction of society.

It is a film about the love of family. And being in a unique quality of a Korean film, it is an emotional drama and silly comedy at the same time. The family members wander around in the nightmare, shouting each other's name, with faces smeared with rain and dirt. Whatever genre it belongs to, you will be excited by the overwhelming energy of the film.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

A masterpiece Western film you must watch at least once

[10/10 · 23 September 2020]

The situation in this film is simple. There is buried money. Three men pursue it. One man has power, and each of the other two has half of the information about where it is buried. The problem is all three are proud, arrogant, and the least cooperative in different ways.

Blondie is quiet, confident, and shrewd. Angel Eyes is sadistic, cold-blooded, and oppressive. The two men make a typical combination of a protagonist and an antagonist. What makes this film special is the third man Tuco.

Tuco is like comic relief. He quickly changes his attitude. When feeling threatened by someone, he pretends to be friendly and tries to appease him. Once the threat ends, all of a sudden he becomes aggressive and tries to take advantage. When he helps someone, we can't tell whether he is genuinely kind, or just tries to exploit the situation. Probably he can't tell himself either. He is the one who makes this at first glance simple plot unexpected.

It's partly a war film, set in the Civil War. Why Angel Eyes is the Bad is he is not just an outlaw, but he also covers his crimes under military authority as a sergeant. It is interesting that the fantastic Western film has realistic war scenes. When watching the battlefield, even Blondie blurts out "I've never seen so many men wasted so badly".

Every scene is not just explanatory but always compelling in some way. And the direction is excellent. Some scenes are only character's close-up shots combined with wonderful music, which is overwhelmingly powerful. Eastwood is of course a total badass. The ending is satisfactory. More than two hours and a half pass without a moment of boredom. It is definitely a masterpiece you must watch at least once even if you have no taste for Western films.

For a Few Dollars More (1965)

A mysterious film in the classic Western trilogy

[8/10 · 23 September 2020]

After the success of "A Fistful of Dollars", they must have realized that Clint Eastwood's character was too cool for just one film. In "For a Few Dollars More", at the peak of Eastwood's handsomeness, and being a more stoic character than the prequel, I (a straight man) am captivated by him every time he is in close-up.

"For a Few Dollars More" is a triangle. The protagonist played by Eastwood is a bounty hunter Monco, the antagonist is a bank robber Indio, and joining them is another bounty hunter Mortimer. What role is this Mortimer, an old man in a black tie and a frock coat, going to play? He is maybe a rival to Monco, or maybe an ally, but you can't tell. He is a mysterious man.

Indio is a very evil villain. He even seems to have a compulsion to kill people ruthlessly. We see his obsessive past when he gets hallucinated by smoking some narcotics.

Monco and Mortimer show off their marksmanship. But when two men confront, the more important thing is mental toughness. Each one will try to provoke the other, and the one who gets upset will lose. When Monco and Mortimer meet face to face for the first time is one of the best scenes, where there are in a mind game by shooting each other's hat.

Characters travel around in the Western desert. It is an exhilaration in Western films to watch outlaws riding horses around the vast arid landscape. "For a Few Dollars More" is maybe the weakest in the trilogy, in terms of plot and characters. But it is still an interesting one because of the mystery factor and the melancholic tone which the other two films don't have.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

Clint Eastwood as a Western icon

[8/10 · 15 September 2020]

When I think about Western, the first thing that occurs to me is the image of Clint Eastwood in Dollars Trilogy. In an early scene in A Fistful of Dollars, Eastwood, or the Stranger, with a beard, wearing a cowboy hat and a poncho, is standing in the dusty town road blown in the wind. It is a Western icon.

After having impressed his gun skills on the people, his strategy goes on a manipulation where he tries to pit the two gang groups against each other. Aside from gunfight, he is also good at spying. He sneaks somewhere, witnesses, and eavesdrops something. Through the camera that follows him, we can grasp the entire situation.

A dissatisfaction to me is the Stranger's character. He is visually cool, and I like to watch him doing something, but I don't really understand his personality. What does he want the most, money, adventure, or justice? Maybe I am being too harsh because I am comparing this film with the unofficial original film Yojimbo, where the protagonist played by Toshiro Mifune is much more attractive to me.

But still, I was compelled to the film to the ending. The location is almost limited to the small town, and many events happen indoor, or at night. That gives the film a suspenseful mood. As the Stranger is often sneaking or hiding, it is thrilling to watch if he is found or not. So I think half of this is a spy film. Set in Mexico, I am also attracted by the landscape of white walls. It is beautiful.

The Intouchables (2011)

A heartwarming film about the unique friendship

[9/10 · 14 September 2020]

At the job interview for the caregiver of Philippe, he is annoyed by the applicants whose answers are all stereotypical. I understand why he chose Driss among them. For the disability he suffers, the hardest challenge, more than pain or inconvenience, would be boredom.

Even though Philippe is a rich and important man, Driss doesn't care at all. Philippe seems to feel comfortable because Driss shows no pity that would embarrass him. In Philippe's slight smile, we see how he is amused by Driss's behavior. Driss is a brisk and responsive man. Philippe has fun with Driss's blunt remarks on things, like painting, opera, and classical music. They enjoy their witty exchange.

Being completely opposite at first glance, they in fact share some kind of recklessness. They feel they have nothing to lose because Philippe has lost her wife, and Driss is in low life. But their friendship gradually encourages each other to overcome that.

The tempo is well controlled. Emotional scenes are slow and comical scenes are quick. It is like a piece of pleasant music. The indoor and outdoor scenes make a good contrast. Philippe sometimes feels suffocated in his palace and wants Driss to take him outside for fresh air. The shot where the two men run on the wheelchair is very exhilarating.

You might expect the film to deal with social issues, like disability or race, but it does not really. The film is about friendship and how it helps you overcome difficulties in your life. And it is truly heartwarming.

Yojimbo (1961)

It is how Kurosawa entertains you

[10/10 · 13 September 2020]

A swordsman wanders to a small town. He gets interested in the situation when he finds two gang groups are confronting each other.

The film is entirely focused on entertainment. The center is of course the swordsman, played by Toshiro Mifune, later randomly naming himself 'Kuwabatake Sanjuro'. I love how he strolls the deserted street, drawing his hands into his kimono, blown in the wind. That's cool! The surrounding people are cautiously staring at him from a distance, wondering what he is going to do. He seems to even enjoy the limelight.

Sanjuro goes in a bar, where he learns the situation from the old owner Gonji, the almost only person who remains sensible in the town that is infested with violence. I'm impressed by how Sanjuro talks to Gonji as if he was an old friend of Gonji's. While being simple and blunt, I think Sanjuro's true nature is friendliness.

As one of the two groups, Seibei's family is desperate in an attempt to overcome the disadvantage, only to be easily manipulated by Sanjuro. On the other hand, my favorite among Ushitora's gang is Inokichi, the retard who likes fighting like a kid. He smiles goofily when flattered about his strength. Not only Inokichi, but all the gangs are mostly stupid, and no one compares with Sanjuro in cleverness. It seemed to be easy for Sanjuro to exploit them, but the mood changes when the psychopathic Unosuke returns.

The situation changes one after another as the plot goes on at a brisk tempo. Unexpected thing happens at every turn. All in the film is just a gang war, and there is nothing deep. But you will be compelled all along with the film, because of the characters and direction. Camera movement works as the director's eloquent language. Characters are arranged from near to far, fully utilizing the space, sometimes with the effective use of window fences. The percussion soundtrack makes scenes either thrilling or humorous.

Up (2009)

Animation film that involves interesting physics

[8/10 · 9 September 2020]

It is a very beautiful animation film where an exciting adventure is set in the sky. The old Mr. Fredricksen has his house floating by hanging from hundreds of balloons and set off to South America after depressed by the loss of his wife.

The first sequence that shows his earlier life is moving. From the first meeting with the neighbor tomboy to the marriage life in the house to the time when she is getting weak, we see his entire life with his wife and get totally in his shoes.

The main location is the jungle in South America where his wife had dreamed to visit. He happens to have three companions, a boy, a dog, and a snipe. The house also soon ceases to be accommodation and becomes a big floating companion itself, which he calls by his wife's name. The house's colorful balloons are very beautiful as if they show the house's emotion.

The mountainous geography is fully exploited for the 3-dimensional cliff-hanger action, which involves physics where they and the house pull each other by a rope. They have to deal with the balance between the buoyancy from the house and their weight. Characters' movement is briskly and comically choreographed. The materials are realistic, one of the best is the dogs' hair.

Honestly, I am not really into the story. Mr. Fredricksen's purpose is vague. And I'm not sure if the film really needs that evil villain. But at least I like the companion characters. Among them, the boy Russell has a soft and round body like a rubber ball. And just like his body, his nature is also sensitive and resilient. I can't help hoping he will become happy.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Schwarzenegger in a 90s classic blockbuster

[10/10 · 9 September 2020]

Unlike the prequel, this time the two who are sent from the future are both Terminators, and the one played by Arnold Schwarzenegger is our ally! There is no luckier thing than Schwarzenegger being your ally when you are targeted by an enemy. But according to him, or Model 101, the enemy T-1000 is even more advanced than he is.

T-1000 has a creepy cold blood face. You can see how weird it is if a man in a police uniform runs in a perfect sprinter form. The liquid metal body generated by CGI technology was amazing at the time. Because of this material, It is not just immune to damage, but it also has a shape-shifting ability. This sneaky characteristic makes a good contrast to Model 101's simple strength.

I think the best part of the film is Model 101's interaction with John Conner. This lonely boy is immediately attracted by the wonderful massive cyborg. He tries to make more human conversation, and Model 101's inhuman replies are almost comedy. Sarah Connor is as good as in the prequel, but I like this handsome, sensitive, and precocious boy more.

To be honest, I don't think the plot is perfectly satisfying, especially around the Dyson part (I mean, does he deserve this?). But the direction and acting are excellent. When you expect what will happen the next moment, it will show you something more. I spent very fast 150 minutes, with nonstop excitement. Being a 90s blockbuster, it is one of few films where you can talk with anyone about a scene or two.

The Terminator (1984)

Schwarzenegger as the 80s iconic unstoppable cyborg

[10/10 · 6 September 2020]

Arnold Schwarzenegger does look a cyborg from the moment it is teleported naked to the night street. The massive body and the perfectly chiseled face. Who else looks as superhuman as he does? It starts to stroll the streets. Its body movement looks kind of awkward as if the electronic brain is not used to human flesh.

While Schwarzenegger, later we learn the Terminator, is the obvious villain, Reese, another man from the future, seems on our side. Both look for the woman whose name is Sarah Connor, former to kill and latter to protect, because she has an important role in their apocalyptic future. I think this is one of the best stories from science fiction action films ever.

Sarah and Reese escape, but we are convinced the Terminator will find where they are. And once it finds out, it just advances and catches up with them, destroying whatever in the way. It has no reason to hesitate. So action scenes are always more catastrophic than you expect. It is exciting.

Sarah, played by Linda Hamilton, is at first just in a panic with enough reason to be so (of three Sarah Connors in the city, two have been killed). But her later character development is convincing. We see how she gradually accepts her fate, and we can naturally follow it.

Argo (2012)

Mendez's determination creates a team

[8/10 · 4 September 2020]

It is a film based on a true story that looks as if a film. The six U.S. diplomats who have slipped away from the embassy in the Iran hostage crisis in 1979 are in a more precarious situation than the hostages are. The plan that the CIA officer Tony Mendez has come up with to take them out from Iran is to disguise them as a film crew.

As a history film, what is surprising is how accurately they reproduce the visual of events. The real footage is sometimes inserted, and the film reproduction is equally realistic and powerful. Through these scenes, we can understand the historical situation, especially the Iranian people's hostility to the U.S. is important background.

The idea of a fake film crew, of course, at first sounds stupid to everyone. So Mendez persuades one by one. In Hollywood, they eventually build up a studio and even launch pre-production, which is amusing to watch.

After Mendez enters Iran, he has to convince the six diplomats to risk their lives. Ben Affleck plays Mendez as a man who struggles to suppress his fear and nervousness in such a tough situation. How the diplomats are moved by him and they become a team is the best part of the film.

What I feel kind of disappointed is that 'Argo' was never materialized. Judging by the storyboards and costumes, it would be a pretty charming space opera film...

The Warriors (1979)

Gang fight action in the late 70s fashion

[9/10 · 31 August 2020]

After a gathering of gang groups goes wrongs, a group called the Warriors has a hard time just to go back to their hometown because they are falsely accused of the murder of the leader of the most powerful group and chased by the gang groups.

This film has almost no meaning, but it's cool and fashionable. All we see is the Warriors just traveling midnight from the north end to the south end of New York City. In the way are the various types of gang groups. It kind of reminds me of action video games, where you are given the goal to go and fight various types of enemies on the way.

One of the best parts of the film is the costume design. Each group has a uniform. A group wears martial art uniforms, while another group is in Nazi-like leather jackets. Baseball uniforms with painted faces, or denim overalls with colored shirts. It's exciting to see the crowd of gangs in different uniforms run around in the midnight city.

I was impressed by every character in the film, Swan, other members of the Warriors, and Mercy. The main antagonist Luther, the true murderer in the gathering, persistently chases Warriors. He is psychopathic and always exhilarated in aggression.

It's also interesting that the most powerful authority is not the police but the largest gang group. They even rule the local radio station, and the DJ, with her elegant voice, announces the current situation to the gangs. The songs played by the DJ are part of the film's soundtrack. The songs are in the late 70s post-punk vibes, which make the film very exciting too.

Chasing Ice (2012)

The record of the disappearance of glaciers

[8/10 · 28 August 2020]

Photographer James Balog was just fascinated by the beauty of ice in his earlier career. Yes, it is certainly beautiful. But he started to sense that "this was a scouting mission for something much bigger and much longer-term that was about to unfold." That is the disappearance of glaciers because of global warming.

A glacier in the size of a mountain or an island seems as if to exist eternally. But when he compares photos that he took a glacier with an interval of six months, he was shocked that the glacier almost disappeared in the latter. So he started the project with his team to record the changes of glaciers by fixing cameras northern areas around the world.

The scenes of ice are so extremely vast that you sometimes lose a sense of scale until humans appear on the screen. They climb up and down on the dangerous ice cliffs. Balog even suffers from knee pain. I see they are so fascinated by ice to the point where they take that risks. They sometimes succeed to film calvings, gigantic icebergs ripping off from a glacier. When I saw the calvings, I was moved by the beauty of them and felt sad too, because they were just like a precious species was dying.

You will understand the true meaning of the title of the film when you see the time-lapse of the glaciers. They have to literally chase the glaciers because the glaciers retreat toward the inland in a matter of a few years.

Citizen Kane (1941)

A man's life shown with cinematography inventions

[8/10 · 26 August 2020]

It is difficult for me to enjoy a 40s classic like 'Citizen Kane' as smoothly as a Nolan's or a Tarantino's, even if it is the one that many critics cite as the best film in history. After I watched it, although I was certainly impressed as a whole, some parts remained incomprehensible. So I read some background and analysis and rewatched. As a result, although I would not say it's one of the best films for me, I can appreciate it as a masterpiece as its reputation.

It is a film where you get excited to see the creators get excited to create the film. In every scene, they display something that rivets you. Compositions are thoroughly planned, like where each character stands, left, right, or center, near, or far, implying their relationship. The lighting in a room is not uniform, some character is ominously dark in shadow. And they begin to move. Someone walks while someone sits down, lighting changes slowly, and the camera moves through to show a different aspect of the scene. And they did not learn these techniques from a textbook, but they devised everything by themselves, and later they became the textbook themselves.

An important element in the film is Kane's aging. I'm surprised how well Orson Welles, 26 at the time, acts Kane's mid-age and old-age, helped by the excellent make-up. Young Kane is bold and fearless, and it allows him to succeed in his newspaper business. And as you expect, the rise is followed by fall. Mid-age Kane has developed fat on his face, which symbolically shows his arrogance. He fails in his marriage and election and gradually becomes a lonely rich old man.

The structure is interesting too. We see first Kane's obituary, which is a kind of satirical summary of his life from the public point of view. And a kind of mystery element is introduced, which is about what 'rosebud' is. I think one of the best scenes is Kane's childhood. The snow, the mother, and the boy, everything in the scene is so impressive that it remains our mind throughout the film. And it's just like the scene remains Kane's memory throughout his life.

3 Idiots (2009)

An excellent comedy that deals with education issues

[8/10 · 19 August 2020]

Farhan and Raju become students in a prestigious engineering university. They feel pressure from their families and think about nothing but living up their expectations. And they meet Rancho. Unlike them, Rancho is outstanding. He always defies authority, questions convention, and invents his own way. He encourages Farhan and Raju to live their own life. The three become best friends.

I like every character in the film. Rancho, played by Aamir Khan, has piercing eyes that show his genius. But he is not arrogant and always loyal to his friends. Farhan and Raju each have their weakness, and later we see their strong development. The antagonists Virus and Chatur are not really antagonized. They are funny and I like them too.

The screenplay is sophisticated and every scene is cheerful. Plot devices are precisely arranged. Some objects, lines, and events reappear later to show a certain meaning. The current timeline is set in ten years later when Farhan, Raju, and Chatur travel looing for missing Rancho. This road trip part is very exhilarating in the beautiful rural landscape.

The dance scene, which is a fixture for a Bollywood film, is not of women wearing a sari in a palace. Instead, it is of college boys in the bathroom wielding colorful buckets under the shower. The 'Aal Izz Well' song is such an uplifting earworm.

As for the theme, it deals with issues in the education system. I don't know about the Indian situation, but it's not uncommon anywhere that education is so focused on competition that students lose their true interest and curiosity. You will see a lot of Rancho's good quotes about the issue, like "Pursue excellence, and success will follow".

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Traveling criminals in The Great Depression era

[9/10 · 15 August 2020]

Based on a true story, the film features the titular famous criminal couple. Traveling north from Texas, they repeatedly rob banks, murder people who are in their way, and finally die in a police ambush. It may sound simple, but as we go along with them, we see at every turn an unexpected event and unexpected people. Consequently, it shows a very broad range of human lives.

Bonnie and Clyde meet just by chance. When they started, they thought they have somewhere to go, but they gradually realize they don't. So they are just wandering. It's natural for us citizen audience to want them to get punished, and we don't have to wait for that until the ending. Every time they think of their future, they find nothing but despair. The other three accomplices are equally miserable.

Scenes where criminals with no future wandering beautiful prairie are somehow dreamingly beautiful. Indoor scenes are precisely controlled by light and camera movement. Bluegrass music is played in some runaway scenes, which sounds kind of ironic because we know it's fake cheerfulness.

As a history film, It's interesting to see the landscape of The Great Depression era. Bonnie and Clyde somewhat share a sentiment with people in poverty. An old man, whose house has been taken away by the bank, is amused when Clyde shoots the sign put by the bank. Later people in a homeless campsite kindly treat the injured couple knowing who they are. I would not say these things justify their crimes, but I think this film makes no sense without considering the background that they have emerged from.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Excellent characters and acting

[10/10 · 12 August 2020]

Mac is sent to the mental hospital after he committed some violent crimes. In the hospital, patients are obedient and allow themselves to be controlled by the nurse Ratched. The conflict between freedom vs control is represented by the two.

Aside from violence, Mac is just a nice guy. He cannot understand why the patients don't enjoy their lives. So he encourages them to have fun. Jack Nicholson plays the role with his impulsive body movement and his signature naughty smile.

On the other hand, Ratched has a formidable appearance with a tall body and a weird hairstyle like a crown. She shows an obvious desire to rule, not just obligation.

Another key character is Chief. You will somehow notice from the earlier that he hides intelligence, by seeing his calm eyes and delicate expressions. Unlike whimsical Mac, Chief's presence is growing throughout the film like subconscious determination.

I think the best part of this film is the acting of every other patient. Cheswick, Martini, Harding, and Taber, I can't forget everyone's face. As those who have mental disorders, they look weird at first. But actually, they are just like us, only lacking skills to hide emotions, which we are demanded from society. In their peculiar body motions and expressions, we see their raw emotions and we love them.

The best example is Billy, played by Brad Dourif. His stutter is somehow even pleasant to hear. He looks up and down frequently, showing that he goes back and forth between courage and fear. He is too innocent to realize he is a victim of oppression, if not abuse. And so are many other patients.

Get Out (I) (2017)

Compelling mystery that exploits our biases

[9/10 · 11 August 2020]

We have seen so many films about racism that we are trained to feel some tension even when we just see a couple of a black man and a white woman in a film. "Get Out" very cleverly takes advantage of this tension to make it a suspenseful thriller film.

The couple visits Armitage's house. Again we are trained to suspect there is something behind when we see a white family whose members are friendly to their daughter's black boyfriend. This suspicion is further encouraged by the excellent cinematography and music, makes it a very compelling mystery.

Pretentiously praising black people is sometimes as disgusting as outright racism, and that's what we see in the party scene. A guest even says "Black is in fashion." It is fascinating to see the rich and sophisticated old white people hiding some desire behind their friendly smile.

Although what's happening in the film is horrific and cruel, I like how it remains somewhat comedic. I think that is partly because of Daniel Kaluuya's acting, which is emotionally restrained and goes along with the film's cynical and humorous tone. Chris is a protagonist who observes things rather than a protagonist who reacts to things. Also, I like Rod as a clear comic relief, who keeps the film from becoming too serious.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

As amazing imagination for the future as the original film

[10/10 · 1 August 2020]

"Blader Runner" shook the world in 1982 with the amazing futuristic images, including the streets in blue light, pouring acid rain, vivid neon ads on the towering buildings, and vehicles flying among them. "2049" is no doubt qualified as the sequel, because it has done the same thing for the audience of 2017.

I was very overwhelmed by the creators' imagination all along with the film. Designs of devices, interiors, and landscapes are excellent. Wallace Corporation seems as if a very modern library and an ancient ruin at the same time. A newborn replicant drops out of a plastic bag just like a packaged food. The memory artist Ana creates a birthday party scene just like a game creator placing some NPCs.

The best thing among them is Joi, the pretty hologram AI girl. I find it interesting that a home devise advances to a mobile version, and Joi herself is very happy with that. I believe she has a sincere love for K, and it's sad to see her image break down with noise when disturbed by some failure.

The plot has a clear center: the unprecedented replicant child who was born from a mother 30 years ago. Joshi, Luv, and K, each seeks the child with slightly different reasons. It becomes further exciting when some clues suggest K himself is the child. We see then the mystery lead to the aftermath of the original film, the love of Decard and Racheal (So it is recommended to watch the original film first).

Like the original, the light, color, and misty effect work well. Basic colors are blue and orange, the former is mysterious and thoughtful while the latter makes you feel as if you are getting close to the end of the world.

As the only flaw, the tempo is unnecessarily slow. But the other good things easily offset it.