rgbj-24597 Reviews

Slalom (2020)

A story of ambition and exploitation

[8/10 · 29 December 2021]

Do you want to be a coach or an Olympic medalist or simply live a normal life with your family? This is a movie of isolation, ambition, and dependence on the help of strangers. The lead actress carries the movie away and supported by a well rounded cast. The movie is told in her eyes of a 15 year old navigator through the world of adults, alone and without anyone who truly knows her. Her isolation is her greatest enemy as events unfold around her as she seeks to be a great athlete. The acting is great. The cinematography enchants the eyes. The subject matter is rough, but trusts the viewers to understand the lead through an empathetic and worried lense. This is not an easy film, but certainly rewarding for those that stick through it.

AWOL (2016)

This is Joey's film

[6/10 · 9 December 2020]

Joey shines. I wanted more from her and to a certain level, it performed. The rest of it was rather predictable. This movie should have been named Joey. She carries the film. Everything else is rather predictable in lesbian movies. Her main love interest is stuck in a loveless marriage and etc. What I do like is that it takes the extra effort to affirm a lesbian relationship in the early 2000s in the USA and Joey is here for it (for better or worse). I'm here for Joey, she is the star and the reason to watch this film.

Life Is Peachy (2010)

An honest attempt at a Korean style lesbian film.

[7/10 · 6 October 2020]

Korean films in general are noted on how they blend genres (ie a horror film might have a family drama/comedy in it). This film does blend genres. You have lesbian romance, crime, existential dread, comedy, etc. It does suffer from pacing and could be 20-30 minutes shorter. This is more of an afternoon movie. It is low budget, but knows how to spend it's money for the most part. People looking for a straight forward lesbian movie should be ready to lean into Korean style filmmaking. How the film is marketed is all wrong, which probably led to many bad reviews. I would suggest The Handmaiden (2016) before this one. But this isn't a bad choice if you are familiar with Korean cinema If you are looking for a solid normal lesbian film, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.

Meili (2018)

It's hard being a working class lesbian in China.

[7/10 · 1 August 2020]

First off, there is no sexual violence in this movie. Meili is about a Chinese working class lesbian trying to make a better life for herself, but things keep getting in the way. She wants to move to Shanghai to try bigger city life. She works from job to job and things are hard. It's a very slow real to life movie. Reminds me some of Jim Jarmusch's work but a little faster than most. It's a 90 minute look into working class China and if you ever had to work for minimum wage or close to, you will relate to this and maybe see a coworker in the main character. The lead actress is great and brings the whole thing together. The plot is predictable, but the movie feels very grounded that you really feel for Meili's struggles. The camera work is a little jarring in it's movements at times, like they couldn't afford to take too many takes or weren't filming with permits. But the actors pull it off. If you enjoy indie films, give this a watch. If you're looking for a budget or something more fast pace and a little Hollywood, then this might not be for you.

Darlin' (2019)

Dumb but entertaining

[5/10 · 27 November 2019]

There is an odd charm to this movie that kept me intrigued. I enjoyed the performances of both feral ladies and there was something compelling about the younger one. Movie logic is required as many things don't add up. If you don't take it too seriously, you may enjoy yourself. Action is sparse, but fun with quick and not excessive gore for 2019. If you are a fan of the director's acting work, then give it a shot. Maybe enjoy it with your favorite beer or wine or whatever. There is plenty of better shlock to watch, but I still found charm with this one.

The Yard (2018–2019)

Turkish Wentworth

[6/10 · 24 October 2019]

It follows many of the same plot points as season 1 of Wentworth in the first season, but it is not an exact copy.

Pros: +Turkish culture flavor. Great music and interesting minor cultural details. +Lead actress sells it. Decent acting all around considering the script given.

Cons -surface level emotions. Lots of tears and anger, but not much psychological depth compared to Wentworth. -conservative political influence, which seems to hinder sexual themes. -Very predictable even if you aren't familiar with Wentworth.

Overall, if you want a digestible Turkish show, go with this one. Expect easy viewing compared to most prison dramas. Nothing too special here, but the Turkish flavor and decent acting make this an easy mindless watch.