Crocodile (1996)

Not to be confused with 2000 'horror' film, this is Kim Ki-duk's debut feature and what we get overall is a decent outing. It's a little inconsistent but manages to deliver with interesting characters and events and Kim Ki-duk already showing his willingness to take on daring subject matter.
Not exactly a wholly pleasant watch but still an enjoyable one.
***

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Solid sequel here that is on par if maybe a little better than the first one. The one thing that I enjoyed more than usual was the story it had some nice links to the first and never felt overwrought. It's got some good action sequences in it too, though it does suffer from them being done in a fast, choppy shaky style which always annoys me but some of it was bearable here.
Visual effects were pretty good and choreography was fine.
All in all, it's another solid Marvel film that still retains it's sense of fun and manages to deliver what you expect.
***1/2

The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen (1988)

A solid 80's Fantasy adventure, with the usual Gilliam strangeness and some fun practical effects. Also has a good cast including a young Uma Thurman and small role played by Oliver Reed (who you can never go wrong with). It may be a little messy but despite the apparent troubled production this film had. it still managed to provide a fun watch.
***1/2

Martyrs (2008)

What a movie, eh?. A tense, completely unrelenting and utterly disturbing film and a great one at that.
It's a truly effective horror that twists in different directions, leaving you uncertain of what will happen next. It also seems to have more to it than most films in the extreme horror genre(a genre I'm not particularly keen on)  and is one of the few films that manages to keep you on edge throughout without having to cheat.
It's definitely not an easy watch and although I really liked it, I don't think I could ever watch it again, though, I'm sure many of its images will stay etched in my mind for a while.
A must see for fans of extreme horror, but even if you're not, it could still be worth checking out, just approach with much caution.
****

Under The Skin (2014)

Now here's a film that can stand on its own. A unique and absolutely fascinating film that is just great. Minimal in dialogue and narrative but constantly compelling, I can't help but highly appreciate it. It has a fantastic soundscape and many great and haunting moments laced throughout. It keeps a feel of isolation and alienation throughout which actually had an effect on me afterwards on my way home.
It's definitely gonna split people(a few women sat behind me in the cinema seemed to hate it) but I found it remarkable.. Great stuff.
****1/2

Starred Up (2014)

Fucking gritty British Drama init. So here we have a solid British film with good performances involving a young prisoner who on 1 or 2 occasions reminded me of Bronson but without the eccentricity. It's that very gritty, rough kind of British film executed well complete with realistic mumbly dialogue that at times can be hard to hear properly (good luck non-british audiences). All in all, it's a well layered, interesting film that also serves up a small comment on the current British prison system.
***1/2

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

While this may not be as good as its 2011 predecessor, Muppets Most Wanted is still a barrel of Muppet fun. For me it was worth it just for a specific film gag that happens during the beginning of the movie, but you have your usual Muppet tropes here, amusing songs, an abundance of cameos and well placed jokes, all leading to a very enjoyable watch. I loved The Muppets as a kid and I'm glad that they still manage to entertain me now.
***1/2

Samaritan Girl (2004)

So this is the 8th film from Kim Ki-duk that I have now seen and I must say, he has really shown himself to be a consistent director thus far, as this is another solid film.
It has the tonal shifts, interesting characters and unconventional narrative that all make it an intriguing watch. Overall, it's a good movie.
***1/2

Kisses (1957)

So this is Yasuzo Masumura's debut film and what we get is a very decent drama. Performances are fine and nothing really stands out on the technical side, but it all works. Just short, sweet and solid.
***

Under The Flag Of The Rising Sun (1972)

Kinju Fukasaku presents this superb War film, exploring and critiquing some of the facets and effects of WWII in Japan. It's definitely an effective film, with some very interesting stylistic choices and good use of actual WWII photos. Though some could argue that certain points are over-stylised and that the whole thing's a little too heavy handed, but I think that is all fine here and just adds to it's effectiveness. It also has some really good performances and it's just a great movie in general.
****1/2

Titan A.E (2000)

This was a film I really liked as kid and it's still real good. Just a very solid sc-fi animaed film.
It's very imaginative and though some of the CG elements look a little dated, it's still animated pretty well. There's also a few quite dark moments here and there, including a character dreaming of getting killed and an Alien getting his neck snapped. It seemed like it wanted to be more like an edgier Japanese anime that was popular at the time, which is cool by me. My main gripe would be the awful alt rock songs that are interspersed here and there, other than that, it's a lot of fun.
***1/2

Time (2006)

A solid outing here from Kim Ki-duk. Again, he presents a interesting concept and story that never goes the way you'd expect it to. As usual in his films, you question certain character's motives (of course this can sometimes be a good thing) but it definitely explores plastic surgery and the idea of actually changing yourself for someone you love in an intriguing way. All in all good stuff.
***1/2

The Legend Of Suram Fortress (1984)

So this was a kind of a interesting. Got a slight Jodorowsky vibe from it, but the film does stand on its own two feet. There are points of intrigue throughout, but overall I wasn't all that into it. However, I do appreciate a film that does it's own thing and I commend it for its uniqueness. In the end, it's one of those hit and miss surreal type films that ends up being ok for what it is.
***

Need For Speed (2014)

Carsploitation Bitch!. This movie is exactly what it is and that is Need For Speed the movie. Not a good video game movie by any means but one of the most accurate adaptations for sure. It is literally just cars, cars, cars mixed with cliche story elements. It also doesn't help that its very hard to care for any of the characters as they basically put innocent lives in danger as they race for their enjoyment. I do appreciate though, that all the stunts and driving are real and there are a few interesting shots here and there, including driver POVs.
I also wasn't particularly bored at any time, it has its odd funny moment, and Michael Keaton is alot of fun. Overall though, if you're not into cars or Need For Speed games, you're probably not gonna find much to enjoy here unless you just love Aaron Paul or Imogen Poots, of course. So yeah, just a whole bunch of meh.
**

The Zero Theorem (2013)

The best film Terry Gilliam has done in years, Gilliam still manages to show his creativity, crafting a unique dystopian style world with great set design and camerawork mainly done with wide angle lenses (yes!). Also includes a fine performance from Christopher Waltz. It's far from perfect but serves a nice commentary on Modern technology as well as dealing with existence itself. All in all, a wonderful film.
****

Kikoku AKA Yakuza Demon (2003)

Another solid Yakuza flick from Takashi Miike. Reminded me of Deadly Outlaw Rekka with the whole hot headed Yakuza being played by Riki Takeuchi, who is his usual bad ass self,
Though this movie seem a bit more grounded than that Rekka.
It's executed well with some intriguing camerawork and the usual familiar faces you see in Miike and yakuza films. And though it brings nothing new to the table, it's still a very enjoyable watch.
There's also an the alternate ending which was basically an hilarious allusion to the Dead Or Alive ending, which I loved.
***1/2

Boomerang Family (2013)

The latest release from Third Window Films and as usua,l it was real good. It's not wholly unique, but it does the dysfunctional family thing really well, with good performances all around. It's got a nice mix of dramatic and funny moments with a few director gags thrown in too, which you can never go wrong with. All in all, a good solid Korean film.
****

The Boss Of It All (2006)

A great comedy from Lars Von Trier. A much simpler and more restrained film for him, but one that still works on many levels. Very funny and very enjoyable. Those that expect more from him, probably won't like it much (something he sort of comments on himself at the end of the movie) but I really did.
****

Blues Harp (1998)

Another exceedingly solid movie by Miike. Just a simple crime drama executed really well. Good performances, interesting stylistic choices and just all around enjoyable.
***1/2

Note: The DVD cover above is a terrible representation of this movie.

City Of Lost Souls (2000)

I've always found this to be one of Miike's weaker films, though my appreciation for it has grown since last viewing. It has many intriguing moments dispersed throughout that help give it a certain uniqueness and charm which provides a fun watch. Not Miike's best but not bad either.
***

Manji (1964)

I was expecting this to be a Pink film, but man was I wrong. Instead it was a drama about manipulation and deceitm with the main characters always having an enthusiastic willingness to die. The whole thing was kind of a strange in it's own way and was partly interesting, but overall, nothing really stoodout and there wasn't much that I actually enjoyed.
**

Shogun Assassin (1980)

Had I have known, that this film was just cut together from parts of the first two films in the Lone Wolf and Cub Series, I probably would not have watched it (though admittedly I've never seen any of the Lone Wolf and Cub films anyway). But still I watched it and despite the awful English dubbing (complete with monotonous child narration and an hilarious villain inner monologue) and a subpar transfer, I still rather enjoyed this. It's basically just chock full of sword action and great gore effects, with lots of blood spurting everywhere.
Nothing really that unique about the story and there's a mix of interesting shots and shots where the framing just seems off. But all in all this was a fun watch that made me want to check out the original Wolf & Cub movies.
***

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

 

The Grand Budapest Hotel is another wonderful film in the oeuvre of  Wes Anderson. Fantastic set design and cinematography(you can never go wrong with a good tracking or wide shot) combined with a perfect performance by Ralph Fiennes and a great supporting cast makes for a funny, witty and all around lovely film. Anderson has crafted together a unique and wholly enjoyable film.

****

300: Rise Of An Empire (2014)

A film like this knows exactly what it is and doesn't give a fuck. An over the top sword and sandals bloodbath that many people will regard as one of the worst movies ever.
I myself found this movie a lot of fun, it does exactly what it says on the tin and in a way that it is very enjoyable. This is greatly helped by Eva Green, whose gonzo performance keep this movie together. Also there's an hilarious sex scene(kind of).
In the end, if you like seeing people sliced up with swords, then this is the film for you. Those who want something more from a movie, just avoid and reserve your hate for something else.
***

And it Begins...

So here I write my first words on a blog site where I shall share my thoughts for every film that I watch from now on. It could range from one-liners to full reviews, it's all down to what's going down in my brain.

I'm not sure how well I'll keep up with it, but for now, let's just have a good time.