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Reviews
Sankuchuari -seiiki- (2023)
Dirty, bloody, based on a trope but ultimately compelling
For those who can get past the violent, bloody, grimy scenes it's possible to forgive the sporting drama cliche of poorer/ outsider vs the establishment. It's possible to forgive the fact that many of the characters come across as unlikeable. It's also possible to forget you'll spend a good part of the show watching large, dirty, sweaty, sometimes bloody men slapping and throwing each other around.
The reason for this is that the show never forgets the basis that it is character driven. The characters have motivations (even simple ones for secondary characters) and the plot is driven around how they react to these. Many go on some form a journey and are changed by events.
This is ultimately what makes the show a compelling watch for me, though I suspect many people will not get past some of that.
Mute (2018)
Underrated, if slightly flawed movie that requires thought
I can appreciate why this one isn't everyone's cup of tea (I don't actually like tea). For myself though I did enjoy it. The best compliment I can pay it is that I want to watch it again to help me try to validate the dots I joined together.
The film is set in the future on the Earth as established in the Director, Duncan Jones, feature Moon. Where an Amish man, rendered mute as a child through an accident and his Mother's beliefs not allowing technology based cure, seeks to find the woman he loves in the underbelly of Berlin after she goes missing.
It isn't without its flaws such as why the main character goes back to using an old fashioned telephone book to work out and address when earlier he had seen a method to get it, albeit with some vocal assistance, from somewhere far more convenient (if it had been in the other order this would have been explainable due to his background).
So why did I like it? It isn't a standard popcorn Hollywood fare travelling from a to b while telling you what is happening and how to feel. In Mute's case you the viewer have to pay attention, think and fill in some of the gaps yourself. The film is mute as it does not tell you and much like our (anti)hero you have to read or interpret what is being said.
You might not realise it until late in the film but there is a parallel story going on around mother's/ parents and the impact they have on the children. While your parents will greatly influence your life you need to break free of the constraints and boundaries that you and they can construct, taking the best of what they give you but being your own person. Moon also had similar themes about finding yourself and setting your own direction despite the life forced on you (at least I think it did I could just be way out on this and misreading).
There are other things that I need to ponder as there are hints and tips but no obvious (to me) answers. Such as both this and Moon having the main characters as carpenters of sorts, while also going through life, death and rebirth so do we also have some Christ analogy type stuff on?
Watchmen (2019)
Who watches the Watchmen? People who liked the original comics
The original comic series The Watchmen broke the mould for comics at the time. Moore and Gibbons channeling literate ways of storytelling, with added social commentary, action, interesting characters and even a love story.
This new TV series is not a retelling of the comic series, instead being primarily set some 30 odd years later using some of the same characters. The highest compliment I can say is that this is the closest homage in TV, film, comic books and novels I've seen to the original. The story plays with structure but is coherent. The style, look and feel like Gibbons world. There is commentary on today's society, which given the amount of knicker wetting reviews on IMDB are clearly landing home to some very sensitive people. There is emotional connections with the characters and a credible love story at the centre.
If you liked the comic series then give this a go.