Category: Reviews

‘Tokyo Vice’ Season 1 Review

Posted on by randomgerm101 in Reviews

A potential Yakuza based noir that devolves into a relationship-centric mess

Courtesy of James Lisle/HBO Max

Let me preface this by saying that I don’t hate HBO’s original series Tokyo Vice.  In fact, I find it quite entertaining and I like the overall theme and look of it. J.T. Rogers has created an amazing visual that shows the dirty underworld that exists under Tokyo’s neon lights. But (there’s always a but), this show had so much potential to be more than what was made.  All the pieces were there…an American who becomes the first “Gaijin” journalist for a major Japanese paper, Yakuza-centric story with crimes including blackmail & murder, and a crooked cop drama with an underlying plot of life-insurance fraud over pressured suicides. 

Ansel Elgort plays Jake Adelstein, an American and the first foreigner journalist to be hired at Japan’s largest newspaper.  Thrown on the police beat, we see him struggle to find his place as well as finding a story.  He ultimately ends up in the middle of a Yakuza territorial spat between the Chihara-Kai and the Tozawa Clan.  But, in-between all this, we see him form relationships with multiple individuals, the most notable being Samantha Porter (played by Rachel Keller) an American working in a hostess club, Jin Miyamoto (Hideaki Ito) a Vice Squad cop who teeters on the line of good and corrupt, Akiro Sato (Sho Kasamatsu) a young Yakuza member quickly rising in the ranks of the Chihara-kai, and Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe) an incorruptible senior detective. HBO went the extra mile to create such a stacked cast who all perform admirably throughout the series.

At the start of the show Jake’s police beat takes him to what appears to be a Yakuza based stabbing and during that same time period he finds himself at the scene of the suicide by a man who pours gasoline on himself and lights himself on fire. This latter incident turns into an interesting premise where people are hounded over their debt and pressured into suicide.  The show follows this somewhat and we are shown Yakuza culture and the crimes that occur within Tokyo, helping to keep interest in the overarching narrative being displayed.  However, at some point the storytelling veers away from following the crimes committed by the Yakuza and more towards the relationship triangle that Is Jake, Samantha, and Sato. Though we get more background as it concerns Samantha, and what brought her to Tokyo, the hard-nosed journalism and noir vibes become a part of the background as focus is turned to her falling in and out of love with Sato and teasing a possible romantic relationship with Jake, while seemingly manipulating both to get what she needs or wants (to the point where she even convinces Jake to smoke crystal meth to get information out of a strung-out writer for a Yakuza fan mag). The characters Miyamoto and Katagiri ultimately become the more interesting members of the story, but unfortunately have way less screen time than the three lovebirds.

I personally love the look and feel of this show, but the pivot to what relationship status our main characters have ultimately takes me out of it.  The Yakuza culture is beautifully shown, specifically their tattoos, their structure, and how they operate within Tokyo; guaranteed to keep me watching through future seasons.  But, for the success of this show, I hope they look towards being more noir and less of “The Bachelorette”; 6.5/10 – Brad aka YoungYoda

‘Bookie’ Season 1 Review

Posted on by randomgerm101 in Reviews

A Max Original Comedy that pays off.

Courtesy of seat42f.com

There are many shows that fly under the radar and never get their flowers until after they are off the air and far gone until a random search or algorithm dredge them up from the depths. Champaign ILL and How to Make It in America are two that come to mind. I feel Ted may have met the same fate if not for the expert marketing that flooded YouTube Shorts and TikTok (also the machine that is Seth MacFarlane). And I’ll be honest, Bookie, just from the Max description doesn’t look all that enticing. My figuring was that it was a watered down version of Ballers which was basically a watered down version of Entourage (honestly, Ballers isn’t half bad…The Idol is more like the watered down and replaced with gasoline then lit on fire version of Entourage).  I’m glad that I was wrong. 

Instead of the dramatic and serious tones that Entourage and Ballers can pivot towards when the comedy gets stale, Bookie is a straight-up buddy comedy show. Sebastian Maniscalco (Danny…the “Bookie”) and Omar Dorsey (Ray…his right hand man) chemistry is there from the beginning where Ray complains about Danny’s choice of music on the car’s radio and Danny has his face rearranged by a recently transitioned client.  From there it continues to go downhill for the two number runners from having a whole episode dedicated to finding Charlie Sheen (yes, that Charlie Sheen) to a scene where an attacker with a knife hilariously somehow ends up with the weapon in their own chest as Danny and Ray make a hasty escape.  The supporting cast, including Jorge Garcia (Hector) from Lost fame, perform well enough, but it truly is the relationship between Danny and Ray that pull the viewer in.  Nick Bakay and Chuck Lorre’s writing flows well in this show and the mess of situations, we see our protagonists in, help to move the pacing along. It becomes fun being the audience who follow the characters making their rounds and dealing with difficult clients, from porn stars to an accountant (hiding in his kids’ tree house), who owe them money. Like most comedic shows, some jokes don’t always hit, but there’s enough here to make you either chuckle or full-on whole-body laugh. Also, in the next season, I would like to learn more about the supporting characters who seem to get lost in the shuffle.

Me personally, I’m staying away from gambling, but I would put money on a second season being in the works. 7.5/10 – Brad aka YoungYoda

‘The Boy and the Heron’ Review

Posted on by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Reviews

The Boy and the Heron is another crowning achievement from the returning Japanese auteur, Hayao Miyazaki.

Courtesy of GKIDS

9/10

It’s the tale as old as time, critically acclaimed artist “retires” and comes back with new work years later. It happens in almost every aspect of art but not everyone is Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki is one of the greatest storytellers of all time, especially in the medium of animated filmmaking. I was young when I watched my first Hayao Miyazaki movie. I remember it like it happened yesterday. It all goes back to the Toonami days of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Spirited Away played on Toonami from 2006 to 2007. I remember watching the film on one of those specific broadcasts. Spirited Away affected me in a way that I still can’t explain too much and I still recall it as a core memory in my cinema journey. I fell in love with Hayao Miyazaki’s world inside of his stunningly animated masterpiece filled with scrumptious food, compelling characters, and beautiful music. Now, I’m a 26 year old man who watched one of Miyazaki’s best films and celebrated the return of probably the greatest director to grace the medium of animation.

The Boy and the Heron marks the feature film return of writer and director, Hayao Miyazaki, after his 2013 film, The Wind Rises. Soma Santoki/Luca Padovan voice Mahito Maki a child who has lost their mother that moves out to rural Japan after his father (Takuya Kimura/Christian Bale) marries his late wife’s sister, Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura/Gemma Chan). After a pregnant Natsuko goes missing, Mahito embarks on a journey with a Grey Heron (Masaki Suda/Robert Pattinson) to bring Natsuko home. This journey is filled with twists and turns embraced by the exemplary Studio Ghibli animation that promotes every ounce of Miyazaki’s style throughout the whole film. Hayao Miyazaki’s thirteenth feature film is another charming entry into the legendary career of the Japanese auteur who reflects on his childhood and the world’s he has created along the way.

At this point, it may be the devastating loss of my mother that has made me look at films like The Boy and the Heron differently. I felt this film in the deepest corners of myself that made me grow a greater appreciation for Miyazaki. It’s so easy to say that Miyazaki is only discussing his childhood but beyond the surface of this compelling piece is a man seeking for the truths in the world’s he’s made. Someone must inherit these thirteen “blocks” that The Wizard asks Mahito to build a better world with. I think this is Miyazaki discussing that he’s not quite ready to let go of his career yet. The Boy and the Heron definitely feels like a swan song but it’s so hopeful about the future embracing those who have loved the work of Miyazaki and those close to him in his life. The film is expertly animated and paired with one of Joe Hisaishi’s best scores he’s ever made. The voice cast is spectacular but it’s Robert Pattinson as The Grey Heron who really blew me away with his dedicated and masterful performance.

This year both Martin Scorsese and Hayao Miyazaki released some of the best films they’ve made. Both directors discuss the world that they inhabit and reflect on the mediums they are creating in. We are lucky to be able to watch more films from such legendary directors. May this comeback bring more success to the late career of Miyazaki. Hayao Miyazaki does not end the film without turning the mirror back to the audience themselves. He asks us a simple question that Mahito answers throughout his journey. How do you live?

HCAF23: ‘Mami Wata’ Review

Posted on by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Festival Coverage, Reviews

C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi’s Mami Wata is a gorgeously stylized and pensive retelling of the West African folklore story of the titular deity.

Courtesy of Dekanalog

8/10

This year I’ve tried my best to expand my knowledge of some regions that go a bit underseen in world cinema. I can say confidently that I found myself watching more films from Asia this year as I watched films from directors like Satyajit Ray, Jafar Panahi, Chen Kaige, and more. Yet, the grand continent of Africa is one of those regions where I have only logged four films from there on my Letterboxd. I am really interested in the cinematic language and style of African cinema but lack of distribution to the United States kills any chances for me to watch these films. Thanks to the Houston Cinema Arts Festival I was able to watch Nigeria’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at next year’s Oscars, Mami Wata. I found this to be an enriching experience and loved this film that highlights African folklore with a modern approach.

Mami Wata is written and directed by C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi (O-Town, Ojuju) as he brings the story of the mermaid African deity of the same name to life within a modern story filled with warlords, relationships, and family. The film is shot expertly in high contrast black and white cinematography by director photography, Lilis Soares. The film stars Evelyne Ily (Soloum), Uzoamaka Anuinoh (Diiche), Emeka Amakeze (Icheke Oku), Rita Edochie (Love Eternal), and Kelechi Udegbe (Collision). The film is nominated for the Best International Film at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. It made its premiere at this year’s edition of the Sundance Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury Prize and World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Lilis Soares’ cinematography. Tunde Jugede who worked in the music department for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever composes its rich score.

Every frame of Mami Wata drew me more and more into the atmosphere of this film. Its textured and beautiful high contrast cinematography highlights every detail within the frames of the film. I loved especially any time we were near or on the beach. The way that the black and white captures that is gorgeous to replay in my head. Evelyne Ily is downright jaw dropping in her performance as the deity. Every second we spent with her I grew a multitude of appreciation for the intricacies of her character. I loved the music as well as it really sets the mood up against the cinematography to really create this authentic West African landscape in Mami Wata.

Obasi’s Mami Wata sadly did not make The Academy’s shortlist for the Best International Feature Film but i wish it all the luck at the Spirit Awards. Mami Wata is unlike anything I’ve ever seen and one of the best films of the year. I can’t wait to watch whatever C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi has in store for his career. I am eagerly and patiently waiting to see this very impressive filmmaker continue to tell his stories. Make sure to watch Mami Wata when it makes its way to a screen near you.

HCAF23: ‘Q’ Review

Posted on by Raúl Alejandro Mendoza in Festival Coverage, Reviews

Jude Chehab’s Q is a breathtakingly complex documentary that looks at the intricacies of a matriarchal religious order in the lives of three generations of women.

Courtesy of Chehab Films

8/10

Documentaries are an essential part of any film festival I have covered whether it was films like A House Made of Splinters, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, or Clean Slate. These are some of the best documentaries I’ve had the pleasure of watching at festivals like Nashville Film Festival, Sundance, and of course, Houston Cinema Arts Festival. I love watching documentaries because they provide a different outlook than narrative filmmaking. Now, there are some that are not as impactful as others but I think it is truly special when a documentary can blend narrative and documentary to create something truly remarkable. That’s what films like The Eternal Memory did for me this year and I am proud to say that Q does that and more.

Q is directed by Jude Chehab in her documentary feature film debut. Jude Chehab centers the film around the effects this matriarchal religious organization had on her mother, grandmother, and of course herself. It’s an examination of these three generations of women and what especially the head of the organization meant for them. Now, I need to be completely honest here because I feel like this is a very important thing to bring up before I continue on with my review. I do not mean to single out Q at all with this because I genuinely do think this is an incredible film that everyone should watch. As many of you know, I am visually impaired which hinders my ability to be able to read subtitles but I don’t let this ruin how many films I watch. I love international films but most of the time, I have to consume these films at home as it’s easier to read subtitles when they’re right in front of your face. I’ve long noticed this problem surrounding accessibility and it is not in any way exclusive to Q. At this point, I am begging filmmakers and distributors to please make your subtitles more accessible. I could not see a good amount of these subtitles because the white font with no stroke/border around it would blend in with colors and lighting in the film. This affected the way I experienced this film especially when it came to understanding what is happening in the film. I had the pleasure of exchanging some messages with Jude Chehab and she assured me that she would be changing this in the next DCP file, so thank you so much to Jude Chehab for listening to my concerns. Disabled moviegoers have long been ignored by the industry and I want to make sure everyone is able to consume the films they watch.

Nonetheless, Q is an incredible documentary and I fell completely in love with various aspects of the film. I loved the visual language that made the film feel very nostalgic. Every frame is crafted with so much consideration. Chehab uses a lot of archival footage of her childhood which helped me understand more of what the organization was like. Everyone is given the same amount of time to discuss the topic at hand. Of course, I was very drawn to the mother’s point of view but also including the father’s opinions presented an interesting outlook. Jude Chehab’s Q asks many questions that are worth noting. What does it mean to be devoted to your faith? How does unrequited love make us feel? I’m not sure we will ever have the answers to these questions but Q reminds us that we have to find them together as a community. I am interested to see what Chehab makes next. Q is one of the best films of the year and easily one of my favorite documentaries of this year. Make sure to watch this film whenever it makes its way to a screen near you.