Not at the level of the Raid movies but that is a very high bar. It does remind me also of the chaos of his Gangs of London series. The gun fights are gory and pretty spectacular my only real problem is that the triad henchmen feel a bit too much like fodder to just work through. Still enjoyed it and will revisit again.
Smart and fun story. Strides above similar stories with great character work. Action and violence is limited and that also works very well.
It’s if it’s time and I loved it. I know there was probably a script but the whole movie feels like Caan and Arkin were told to just improvise and screw around with each other, the supporting characters and even the whole city. A total blast that is really insane. I’m not sure if it is but it might be the first buddy cop parody.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/freebie-and-the-bean/
Haven’t seen this since it first came out and I did not remember a thing about it and I think there is a reason behind why I couldn’t remember it. Has a cool look and style like all of Mann’s films but the story is pretty generic.
A lot of fun that mixes western, comedy, action, and tragedy. It does suffer from a bit of pacing issues. The dance on glass scene is amazing and I never expected to see a fight like the last fight.
Still a brilliant deconstruction of the western gunslinger mythic. Watching it tonight reminded me I still have never seen the Ken Wanatabe version.
Something about this rewatch made my mind wander a bit. I don’t feel my 4 star rating today does the movie justice but more my mood while watching.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/ghost-in-the-shell/
Has a couple of good moments but it doesn’t know how to nail the tone. It wants moments to be funny and other moments to be meaningful but just couldn’t be either. It’s a shame as the concept is great and could have been a lot of fun.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/death-of-a-unicorn/
Another movie, like last night’s watch of Fight or Flight that unfortunately follows better movie. It really should not be in the discussion along with Everything Everywhere at Once as they are very different movies but I see a bunch of reviews where people mention it.
I loved the Raven & Ashley story and even got a kick out of other hitmen pair and their characters. The Marvin & Rose story is okay. The action is fun enough but not outstanding. Overall an okay fun watch.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/love-hurts-2025/
Dumb bloody fun. It’s too bad we already had movies like Bullet Train and Kill. Still worth watching and enjoying.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/fight-or-flight-2024/
Convoluted but also a bunch of fun with witches, hopping vampires, lethal poisonings, nudity, and fun fights. It feels like it was influenced by Evil Dead but it also came out in 1981. There are a bunch of widely known and seen Shaw a Brothers films and the. There are the lesser known ones that are a blast to discover. If you can track this down it’s a fun watch.
Suffers when compared to Del Toro’s films but most films do. I really dug the contained story, villains, as well as the setting. Basically, it was better than expected and worth a watch.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/hellboy-the-crooked-man/
Beautifully shot. Somehow manages to feel like the same world but also totally different at the same time. Doesn’t connect with me the same way that the original does but also still pushes a bunch of interesting buttons about identity and loneliness.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/blade-runner-2049/
Still love the art style and the movie still holds up on a rewatch with its amazing story. It’s powerful, thrilling and fun. I love how meta the series is. Of all the superhero movies and series this is the top. I can’t wait until the end. I wish it wasn’t going to be another year or more.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse/
A little bit long but I loved the first hour as the story was being unveiled. Really beautiful movie. Also loved the shifting of who is the hero and the main character of the movie and also the role of women. I don’t know enough about Buddhism but I can definitely feel its importance in the story.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/a-touch-of-zen/
Lots of stuff that doesn’t really make sense and my low expectations going in helped to make it a bit more enjoyable. Don’t regret watching and finishing off the series.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/venom-the-last-dance/
Wasn’t campy enough and also wasn’t serious enough. Still had some good twists and turns but didn’t fully nail it for me.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/revelations-2025-1/
First revisit since theatrical and this time was the director’s cut. Been long enough that I don’t remember what is different other than adding the chapters. It flies at 3 hours and it still gave me goosebumps when the music hits with the return to the Overlook. Rose the Hat is an amazing villain.
Sure the movie is of its time with Caine’s and Hill’s characters but this one is one I have a total soft spot for. The getaway scene is amazing in how it feels fast paced even though it’s not really that fast paced and it has so many cool for the sake of being cool shots. I love the ending and Caine singing the theme is a total blast.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-italian-job/1/
Was talking a friend at the movie theatre and somehow I brought up the ending of The Italian Job and how it relates to either Sorcerer or Wages of Fear and I couldn’t remember which. I now know it was Wages of Fear.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-wages-of-fear/
Rewatch of one my favourites on the brand new 4K release. Still holds up as a wicked fun western action blockbuster that combines elements of Mad Max, Indiana Jones and Sergio Leone’s westerns. If you haven’t seen it you should.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-good-the-bad-the-weird/
A bit too convoluted for its own good but it’s got a spider that shoots lightning, magic staves that shoot fireballs, electric webs, smoke machines all over the place and an overly dramatic story which all makes it fun.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-web-of-death/
Feels like Bong Joon-ho’s take on a Terry Gilliam film. Not as quirky and playful with the camera but lots to fun characters and quirky playful things happening. I don’t feel it’s a classic like some of his other films but it is a lot of fun and pushes all right buttons.
Fun men (and a woman) on a mission kung fu flick. Fighting isn’t up to par with the better Shaw Bros. films but it manages to shine with a fun ending of the boss fight and some twists and turns.
Good but short and ends very abruptly but also in a good way. I do feel there will be better ZATOICHI movies in the series and I’m going to round up my rating to a four but I do feel this is more of a 3.75. Solid and expands the world of Zatoichi nicely.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-tale-of-zatoichi-continues/
Even more grounded than some of the other Connery Bond, I feel FRWL gets overlooked. It’s got a great carefree Bond, a great villainess in Number 3, and the Istanbul and Orient Express is a terrific setting.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/from-russia-with-love/
I need to watch it again. I get the general gist but there is a lot of pieces that I am totally perplexed about and that is a good thing. Glad that my first time watch ever was theatrical.
Like many of Lynch’s films it is beautiful, grotesque, and so melodramatic. I love how it really brings to the forefront Laura Palmer and how the world revolves around her. Can’t wait to finally dive in The Return finally.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/twin-peaks-fire-walk-with-me/
Really wanted Bill Pullman to hit a deer at the end while driving.
Everything else I said before still stands.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/lost-highway/1/
Damn, so good sentimental, touching, sad, and also a celebration.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-straight-story/
Not bad but it just didn’t click fully with me. I also prefer my Giallo films to be more of the glove wearing killer chasing after the heroine.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/all-the-colors-of-the-dark/
Been meaning to watch the Zatoichi movies ever since I saw the 2003 Beat Takeshi version which I loved. This was much more sentimental and grim than I expected. Thinking I’ll have to work through all 26 movies.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-tale-of-zatoichi/
I should like THE MONKEY way more than I do. It is crazy with weird characters and lots of gory goopy deaths, but the humour of the deaths didn’t click with me fully. I smirked lots but the humour didn’t connect.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-monkey-2025/
Popcorn fun but I wanted a bit more actual mystery in the story. Did make me want to rewatch the 1st of Hark’s Detective Dee movies in addition to the third.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/young-detective-dee-rise-of-the-sea-dragon/
A hidden gem for me from the Shaw Brothers. A bit of mystery thrown in with a lot of great classic over the top martial arts action.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/shaolin-intruders/
The more I think about it, the more I love it. It does suffer from a few moments of the bad kid humour that the first one also suffers from but the spectacle, action and the overall story is great. It really builds through the whole movie and the end battle is wicked. I also loved the look and feel of the animation.
Can’t wait for part 3 which is sure to happen since this may already be the highest grossing world wide film to date by now.
Lose the kiddish silly humour and this would be an excellent animated myth telling. The silly humour isn’t enough to make me dislike it as there is so much to love with a great story, action and look. I am hoping the sequel drops some of the humour.
I can watch most bond movies over and over and over. In addition to the terrific introduction to James Bond, I love the 3 blind mice as well as the rest of the music. Only downside is the dragon. I don’t mind the vehicle I just dislike how some of the characters believe it’s a real monster. The rest is pure gold.
Such a 90s movie. Sexy and horny, colourful, and campy.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/bram-stokers-dracula/2/
Lovely beautiful quirky film that is both sad and happy.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/eternal-sunshine-of-the-spotless-mind/
Been on my list to watch for over a decade. It was less horror and more thriller than I expected. Lots of twists and turns and overall a solid fun thriller.
Really dug this one. A great showing of contrasting styles between the Japanese and Chinese martial arts with lots of humour. It’s a hidden gem for me from the Shaw Brothers that I somehow had never really noticed before last week.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/heroes-of-the-east/
Loved it for its look, music, and feel but found the rules of the martial arts society confusing and this lead to being confused on the motivation and actions of some of the characters.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/100-yards-2023/
Lots of fun. I love why it takes Blanc so long to figure out who the killer is.
Starting a rewatch after more than 30 years. Just watched the first episode. Planning on hitting up to season 2 then will watch FIRE WALK WITH ME when it plays at the Broadway in February. Then I’ll finally watch the return which I have not seen.
First episode is still amazing with its off kilter feeling and overall world building.
What started out as a good but standard crime redemption story takes a turn half way through and becomes something cooler. All I’ll say is that this isn’t your standard action thriller and it’s worth checking out. I do kinda wish we had 1/4 stars as I feel it fits more of a 3.75 instead of a 4 out of 5.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-pig-the-snake-and-the-pigeon/
Looking at my previous 4.5 out of 5 for this makes me wonder if I just wasn’t feeling it as much tonight in the double bill with Murnau’s because I was a bit tired.
It is making me question my feeling of ranking all 3 from top to lowest as Eggers, Herzog, and then Murnau. I may need to do a triple bill sometime to really figure the ranking out.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/nosferatu-the-vampyre/1/
First time seeing it in the big screen. Double bill with Herzog’s version.
Just didn’t click with me like most Japanese Godzilla movies do. I think it felt a bit too American for my tastes. Not sure if this feeling is as causes by the little monsters and the soldiers fighting them or the alien aspect of the monsters. Still worth seeing but one of my less favourites.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/godzilla-vs-destoroyah/
Not sure how Godzilla survived being such a clutz.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/mothra-vs-godzilla/
Yeah it’s dumb but it’s fun.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/fast-furious-presents-hobbs-shaw/
Still love the music in addition to the movie.
Great Shakespeare adaptation. I really want to know how they filmed the arrows scene.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/throne-of-blood/
I really don’t have a problem with characters and their actions as being problematic especially when it comes from a different generation. I’m not for movies that promote hatred or other bad things but I don’t feel that THE SEARCHERS promotes the problematic nature of Wayne’s character or that it is promoting the violence. His character is meant to be disliked but still shows some compassion.
So taking away the whole discussion of it being problematic then I enjoy THE SEARCHERS as it is a beautiful movie. It has some humour that works and the action is done really well. I will also say that my tastes for westerns aligns much more with the spaghetti westerns and the other grittier stories.
Still enjoyed seeing it up on the big screen and it is a movie you must watch if you are into westerns.
Much more a black comedy than I realized from having seen the remake. Alec Cawthorne really steals the show. Don’t want to say much more with all the twists and turns. It is lots of fun.
Formulaic but fun with good chemistry between the characters.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves/
Really dig the story of Ming losing himself in wanting to be the good guy but the plotting is a bit all over the place. It was nice to have both Leung and Lau back to close out the series and as a whole it is still up in my favourites due to how strong the first two movies are.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/infernal-affairs-iii/
Love seeing the history and expansion of the world but it’s also not as compelling as INFERNAL AFFAIRS. Still highly recommend it though for the world building and the twists and turns.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/infernal-affairs-ii/
Been about a decade since I watched all three movies in the series in one night. It became one of my favourites right then. Watching it now, the first still stands up. I love the in your face nature of THE DEPARTED but I am a bigger fan of the cat and mouse game in INFERNAL AFFAIRS and how it feels much more subtle.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/infernal-affairs/
Enjoyed it but it didn’t really come together fully for me. Some of the motivations were lost on me for this first watch. I will give it another go in the future. Still worth watching if you’re a fan of Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
Don’t know if its as crazy as THRILLING BLOODY SWORD (my number one pick for krazy martial arts flick) but it sure is crazy and a lot of fun.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/zu-warriors-from-the-magic-mountain/
The world needs more Scott Adkins’s Ninja movies. I love how the fight scenes don’t rely on cuts but on actual good fighting.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/ninja-shadow-of-a-tear/
Doesn’t really take the world to new places and feels like it could be any generic fantasy world. It’s not terrible but just doesn’t achieve much either.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim/
Saskatoon Fantastic screening
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/it-doesnt-get-any-better-than-this/
Very solid drama with good performances and thriller overtones but doesn’t really go deep into thriller territory.
Enjoyed it a fair amount. First half felt a bit clinical to me for some reason. I would like to have a bit more time character moments in the first half. Really dug everything once it got to the city. I do need to revisit both Herzog’s and Murnau’s versions.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/nosferatu-2024/
I’m still not sure that at the end of the movie Tom Cruise has learned much but I also think that is the point.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/eyes-wide-shut/
First rewatch since seeing it years and years ago. It’s been a weekend of watching some quirky and weird movies and I totally dig how much paper work sucks the life out of you.
I need to revisit The Adventures of Baron Munchasen and Time Bandits to see if I still prefer them over this.
Great experience watching it again in the theatre with kids around giggling at all the scary parts.
Finally decided to watch this. I knew going in that it likely wouldn’t be for me. It gets points for totally going in a different direction with the black comedy but I was right. This isn’t for me. A lot of the humour doesn’t connect with my tastes.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-texas-chainsaw-massacre-2/
The perfect christmas special.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/how-the-grinch-stole-christmas/
Seriously, what the hell did I just watch.
Forgot how good this actually is. The acid trip spectacle of it all is amazing.
Following up with a watch after DJANGO UNCHAINED, HATEFUL EIGHT feels very slow paced. Lots of good tension and fun characters but it takes time too much time moving forward at some points. I agree this is Tarantino’s weakest film but it still a good movie but just not as good as his others.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-hateful-eight/
YouTube has been showing me clips of DJANGO UNCHAINED for the past little while so it was finally time for the first rewatch since seeing it in the theatre. I know Tarantino riffs on so many classic films but that doesn’t impact my enjoyment at all. I loved the rewatch and I am going to have to revisit HATEFUL EIGHT also. I am torn on how I feel about it being written and directed by Tarantino. I have nothing against him but this wasn’t his story to tell.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/django-unchained/
I had heard a few good things so I decided why not and the werewolf suits/effects and the gore effects are done really well. But the rest of the movie is dumb and generic plus what the hell is with all lens flares. At least it stopped with the strobing lights. I have seen way worse movies but this one is dumb with some of the plot points made me groan in pain.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/werewolves-2024/
Perfect tension building all the while feeling mundane. I’ve loved and will continue to love everything Kiyoshi Kurosawa does.
Even though it is still a bit gimmicky in its concept and the clasping weapons this Is more of a heroes journey and rebuilding of oneself than a straight up fun Kung-fu flick when compared to a bunch of other Shaw Brothers flicks. I prefer the fight scenes in many of the others more but I really enjoyed how this felt different.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-one-armed-swordsman/
Much more mature than FRITZ THE CAT while still being graphic and offensive. Loved the visual style of merging real life with animation. The story also felt less all over the place.
Really dug the art style and the satire of the oblivious lead wandering through experiences. Does feel a bit too disjointed for my tastes.
A satisfying conclusion to the series. The entire series is much less about who wins at the end and who has the power but much more about how honour has real place in a society based on crime and violence but purports to be honourable.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/battles-without-honor-and-humanity-final-episode/
Solid adaptation of the end of Homer’s Odyssey with a focus on regret and violence. Very much grounded without any real mention of the gods and what kept Odysseus from returning home. I very much appreciate the more realistic tone but would also love a good mythical version.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-return-2024/
Pretty much the entire running time is the war amongst the Yakuza and the downfall of the leaders from the first three movies. It’s solid and compelling but not as twisting as the first three movies as the war plays out to a logical conclusion once the Police get involved.
It also focuses and spells it out more plainly on the benefits of being a leader and how the society preys on the yakuza who do not have power plus also how they dealt with leaders who were in it for themselves.
On a side note it took me until the 3rd movie to realize the series is from the eventual Director of BATTLE ROYALE.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/battles-without-honor-and-humanity-police-tactics/
Totally invested to see if Hirono survives and eventually becomes the boss. This one took a very interesting turn in who he ends up allying with. It feels like the next movie should wrap everything up so I am very curious to see how it plays out over two movies.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/battles-without-honor-and-humanity-proxy-war/
Haven’t seen this one since it came out on home video. I saw the original in the movie theatre. I only remembered the general plot going in. Comparing it to the first it’s much more over the top and it is actually a bit more fun, but it feels less like a movie about ninjas and even more of a cheesy James Bond knock off with 80s action martial arts (ie. low key silly fun fights). I would love to see this and the first remade with more modern style fighting.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/american-ninja-2-the-confrontation/
One of the coolest hitman stories I’ve ever seen with a tonne of low key style. Loved the simple story and the generally grey palette. I can feel the French new wave influences but it feels very much like its own thing. Has taken me way too long to get around to seeing this.
Fun Shaw Brothers flick with some crazy killers. I also think it’s the first Shaw Brothers movie I’ve ever seen with nudity. Bonus points for Devil Grandma.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/the-magic-blade/
Good gunfights, fun idea with the caves, and great atmosphere with the oncoming storm. Can feel the horror touches. Lost me a bit with the melodrama acting of the son and father but overall a fun spaghetti western.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/and-god-said-to-cain/
It’s hard to imagine the amount of money at the time that Hollywood put behind the making of this. Way more gorier and way more hornier the original. Still suffers from stupid dialogue and it drags a bit in the middle but damn it sure is a bit of a horny gory spectacle.
I wonder how I would feel about this, if I had watched it in the 90s. Watching it now for the first time it feels like a pretty generic sci-fi, action, horror with a good cast but some bad dialogue. I am curious about the sequel as I’ve heard it’s kinda crazy so I will give it a chance also.
Like the first movie, I feel this will continue to grow on me with rewatches. Love the main driving story plus there is so much going on with all the characters and how they tie together.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/battles-without-honor-and-humanity-deadly-fight-in-hiroshima/
Sleazy soft core porn with a so so Giallo story. Spoiled itself about 2/3 of the way through but I still enjoyed the bizarre twists and turns.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/arabella-black-angel/
Great start to the series and what a wicked ending. Looking forward to diving into all the movies over the next bit. I am also going to guess that the star rating for this one will go up upon rewatch as I can dive deeper into the world and have a better feeling for all the characters that come and go.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/battles-without-honor-and-humanity/
Fun and crazy but I do prefer movies like THRILLING BLOODY SWORD and MAGIC OF SPELL. This one didn’t flow as well for me but if you want some crazy magic and kung it is more than worth checking out.
Lots of style and love the score but it gets a bit repetitive as she goes through her vengeance.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/she-killed-in-ecstasy/
Goes a bit longer than it should but love the concept of high school seven samurai where the samurai are girls. Is both silly fun and nasty violent.
source https://letterboxd.com/jballison/film/go-for-broke-1985/
Pretty cheesy and fun in its own quirky way but also pretty bad. Most important question is why does Hercules throw things into space after winning a fight.
