OK, this is the final catch up post! Once again, check out the first and second part if you wanna see my thoughts on some of the films I have been catching up on recently as I put my Top 50 list together. Not much else to add here, so let’s go!
Raging Fire
I’ve been eager to see this for a while, and I’m glad I finally got the chance! Shoutout to WellGo USA for the Blu-ray they sent me! For those who don’t know, Raging Fire is the final film from Hong Kong filmmaker Benny Chan, who died during post-production in August 2020. It’s one of, if not the, strongest action pictures of 2021, and feels like a bittersweet send-off to the kind of films we likely won’t see from Hong Kong anymore, a true end of an era. Donnie Yen is fantastic, Nicolas Tse is even better. If you love Hong Kong action cinema, this is a must.
The Tender Bar
I know George Clooney tends to be hit-and-miss with his directorial efforts, but I seem to like them more than most. I liked last 2020’s The Midnight Sky, and I liked his new film, The Tender Bar, which I think plays more to his strengths as a filmmaker. Grounded story, meaty material for the actors, chill vibe. It’s a solid period coming-of-age film, following Tye Sheridan’s JR, and going under the wing of his Uncle Charlie, played wonderfully by Ben Affleck. There’s not a lot here that’s new, but there’s plenty of charm here, and I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to anyone.
Bad Luck Banging Or Loony Porn
I’ve only seen two films from Romanian filmmaker, Radu Jude, but from what I can gather with this film and his last picture, I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians, he is deeply unafraid of provoking people and touching on controversial subject matter, especially if it offends the bigger systems and power/social structures that are informing Romanian society. Not sure if all his films are like that, but given how great both these films are, I am feeling inclined to check his previous work out. The only thing about this one is that it starts and ends strongly, but the middle diverts into a whole shtick that I can understand on a thematic level, but it doesn’t make for a compelling turn, you’ll know when you see it. The rest of it is great though, really funny, biting, provocative, and it ends on one hell of a freeze frame.
Red Rocket
Simon Rex gives one of my favorite performances as a porn star who reluctantly returns to his small hometown in Texas after losing pretty much everything. He’s a bit of a scumbag, kind of an asshole, a total scheemer, selfish, an all around bad hombre, but man, is he magnetic for every second he’s on screen. This is the latest from Sean Baker, and while I’m not sure if – on a script level – this is his best, I think it’s his best as a director. From the lush colors, to the eccentric camera moves, the film grain, it’s all just so stunning to behold. He has a way of showcasing the lives of the kind of folks you almost never see in movies, the outsiders, the ones living on the fringe, the weirdos, etc., and he does it without veering into exploitation. I had a blast with this, and if you get the chance, I would highly recommend it.
Nine Days
I’m usually pretty skeptical of films that are “about life” in a super vague way, especially American films that explore that space. More often than not, I feel most films with that interest try to reach profundity through hackneyed plotting and clichés that don’t go nearly as deep as the filmmakers think it is, usually making audiences fill in blanks that the film leaves open due to a lack of imagination. Nine Days is definitely a cut above the usual films like this, but I still didn’t love it. What helps is that the performances are terrific across the board, and Edson Oda has some solid instincts as a filmmaker. It’s not my cup of tea, but it’s not bad.