arlosanchezofficial

My first introduction to Stephen Chow was when I saw Kung Fu Hustle opening day when I was eight years old. I loved every second of the movie thanks to its visual comedy and slapstick, as well as its Abbott & Costello-esque banter between characters. Pretty much every movie that Chow has made and starred in has had similar elements throughout their runtimes, but no other film of his that I've seen has made me laugh harder than Love On Delivery.

Good lord, this is one of the funniest films I've ever seen. This could be described as a "laugh-a-minute" film, but where movies that have that same description might lose the comedic energy they had at the start, this film never once falters in its pacing or its laughs; I don't think there's a single joke that doesn't work, whether it be visual or spoken.

Focusing on a love-struck but cowardly delivery boy who has to fight a karate master to win the heart of a beautiful martial arts student who's searching for a hero, the movie introduces you to a variety of wacky characters that feel like they're ripped straight out of a cartoon, with action sequences that will have you impressed with their choreography as you're doubled over wheezing with laughter.

There are even lots of impressive practical effects on display here, most of them had me scratching my head wondering how the crew managed to pull them off. The film also has an unbelievable amount of heart and charm; the characters are just so genuinely lovable and fun that you can't help but happily go along for the ride and see how all these crazy events that happen turn out.

I seriously can't recommend this movie enough. It's currently on Netflix and I implore you to watch it so it stays on there and hopefully finds a bigger audience. There are so many jokes that'll have you laughing after the film ends and you're going to want to show it to everyone you know. Let's hope this gets a Blu-Ray release someday!

Takashi Miike's filmography is one of the most impressive out there; he's directed over 100 films, with many of them being cult classics like 'Audition' and 'Ichi the Killer.' He's a filmmaker that's constantly pushing boundaries, exploring new horizons and delivering memorable spectacles that you want to see again and again.

So why does 'First Love,' a film about a boxer and a call girl in the crosshairs of a violent war between Yakuza members and various killers searching for a bag of drugs, feel so average?

Masa Nakamura, a previous Miike collaborator, wrote the admittedly very detailed screenplay for the film and manages to introduce multiple characters and subplots that believably converge into one climactic showdown, yet there are certain characters that are built up to be forces not to reckon with and end up not contributing much to the film, or living up to their "legend." The central relationship between the main characters, Leo and Monica (which turns out to be a moniker), feels underdeveloped and turns out to be not as important as one would expect. Even a reoccurring character she hallucinates from the film doesn't provide much development for her character and ends up being a red herring of sorts. I previously read rave reviews for the film and many critics called the film "hilarious," but there's really only one character who provides some chuckle-worthy lines; everything else feels serious and dark, especially the outlandish shootout in the climax, which could have gone absolutely balls-to-the-wall in its execution, but plays it rather safe.

Visually, the movie looks great. The actors all perform extremely well and I was definitely invested enough to wonder what would happen to each character as the film went along. It's not a bad movie by any means, but from a director who's made some insane movies, I had expected around the same level for this one. It is still worth a watch, but go in expecting "chilled out" Miike.

Wow.

I've been a massive Gaspar Noe fan since I first watched 'Irreversible' at age 11 (I sure regretted that experience), and was crazy excited to hear he was working on a new movie. A group of dancers drinking sangria laced with potent LSD? And their slow descent into madness is shown through their dance moves? Sign me up!

Then I watched it. And there was honestly nothing that could have fully prepared me for the ride this took me on. I haven't been so disturbed by a movie since 'Hereditary,' and honestly, this is kind of on the same level as that movie (for me, at least).

From a technical standpoint alone, this movie is a masterpiece. The camerawork is inventive and often hypnotic, and even the sound design and subtle CGI elevate the moods and frenetic energy of the dancers. Speaking of, the dancers all do an amazing job; their dialogue is almost entirely improvised, which makes their conversations feel so natural and real. The soundtrack, of course, is the main star of the film and will entertain you at first, then utterly disturb you when you see how the characters act (particularly the Giorgio Moroder song near the end).

Any emotions Noe wanted to convey, he succeeded in doing so. While not every character gets as much screen time as the next, they are all interesting and add something to the film. Every time a character takes a sip of sangria, you get a bigger pit in your stomach. When everyone realizes what's going on, everything goes off the rails and we're subjected to an absolutely horrific and chill-inducing experience unlike any other. This movie blew my mind, I really don't know what to say. I've seen a lot of negative reviews for this movie, and I kind of understand why. This is 100% not a movie for everyone. The dialogue gets graphic at times, there are a few scenes of really shocking violence that some might not be able to handle and there are no moments that alleviate the constant tension once the going gets good. But for those familiar with Noe's works and those who are willing to take a wild ride, Climax is one of the best films you'll ever experience.