Words Bubble up Like Soda Pop – Film Review

Posted on July 24, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Kyohei Ishiguro

Starring: Somegorô Ichikawa, Hana Suisaki, Yuichiro Umehara and Kôichi Yamadera

Rating: 4/5

Kyohei Ishiguro makes his film directorial debut with Words Bubble up Like Soda Pop, a sweet and nostalgic look at growing up and how music can take you back to youth. Having previously directed TV shows, such as Psycho Pass and Your Lie in April, Ishiguro brings a fresh and warm approach to the coming of age genre.

Words Bubble up Like Soda Pop, which is being distributed worldwide by Netflix, captures the magic of summer and coming of age. The story is about two teenagers who struggle to communicate. Cherry wears headphones all the time so people won’t speak to him and expresses himself on social media by writing haiku about the world around him. Smile, worries that people will mock her for having buckteeth and braces, and wears a mask at all times, and streams her life online through the same social media platform.

Through a chance encounter, the two are bumped into each other and end up dropping and picking up the wrong phones. They then start to connect and fall for each other. There is an older man, who spends his time searching the mall for a lost vinyl record. Cherry and Smile work together to uncover the mystery of the record.

Words Bubble up Like Soda Pop is a beautiful, relaxing and engaging film. It’s very simple in its premise, and there isn’t really any conflict to move the plot along. Instead the pace is slow, but never boring or unengaging, it gives you more time to appreciate the beautiful animation and characters. In an almost Studio Ghibli fashion, this film captures summer in the lives of people on the edge of adulthood and shows them finding someone to connect with.

There is a melancholic tone throughout, with the mirroring of Cherry and Smile’s blossoming relationship with the old man who they pledge to help. He expresses himself through the record shop that he owns, but is growing to old to manage it, and is going to have to close down. It’s a truly heart-warming and emotional story. The two teenagers at first don’t understand the significance of the record and what hearing it once more would mean to him.

Even for an animated film, every colour is bright and vivid. Each colour pops off the screen, making you feel the heat from summer. Its use of bright colour brings out a unique feel and striking visuals. In the background are Cherry’s haikus, which his friend has spray painted over walls and signs across the town. The music, especially from the fabled vinyl, is well used and the soundtrack is something that is going to be on repeat for a while after watching the film.

Bubble up Like Soda Pop is a very slow story with gripping and engaging characters. At first it may feel that this is an ensemble comedy with a group of teenagers spending too much time at the mall, but as the story unfolds it reveals a captivating tale of first love, growing up and feeling like outcasts. It may be these that have been explored many times before, but they are presented masterfully here.   

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Jolt – Film Review

Posted on July 23, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Tanya Wexler

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Bobby Cannavale, Jai Courtney, Laverne Cox, Stanley Tucci and David Bradley

Rating: ★★

Jolt focuses around Lindy (Beckinsale, Underworld) who has no impulse control. Ever since she was a child she has acted out violently to anyone who as much as annoys her. To help her control her anger, a doctor tries and experimental treatment, setting up shock pads on her with a switch that she can shock herself to restrain her anger.

Jolt is part John Wick, part Crank, without the good bits. Lindy’s condition has left her as a loner, not being able to connect with anyone as she tries to keep in control of herself. Every time she sees someone acting in a way that grates her, she imagines hurting them in some way and then has to shock herself to stop it from happening. It’s because of this that she wants to skip out on a date, and eventually leaves earlier, with Justin (Courtney, Suicide Squad).

The only person Lindy is close to is her doctor (Tucci, Supernova). She visits him at his office often, although it closer resembles a rundown drug-den with incredibly dirty walls and floors. It’s at his pushing that she gives Justin another chance and starts to connect with him. It’s after their second date that she receives news that Justin was murdered. She then sets out on a journey to find who’s responsible and get justice.

One of the best things about Jolt is its brevity. Without the credits it runs at 82 minutes and keeps a brisk pace throughout. This is not an excellent film; you’ve seen most of it before but it’s watchable mainly due to its length. The action isn’t anything to write home about. There’s a car chase scene where it genuinely looks like the cars are driving slowly. As this is new on Amazon Prime, this is a good film to put on either in the background when doing something else, a lazy Sunday afternoon or just before bed.

While Lindy is following the trail, there are two police-officers who consider her the prime suspect. They chase her for most of the film, talking to each other almost exclusively through jokes. Some land, some don’t. Jolt is trying really hard to be an action-comedy, but there just isn’t enough here that brings genuine laughs to consider it that. It’s also not unique enough to be a memorable action film.

The twist towards the end of the film is obvious from the beginning, mainly because we all know that if the main character is told about something that’s crucial to the plot, but happens off screen, then it didn’t happen. I hope that isn’t a spoiler, but if you can figure it out from this, then you can figure it out pretty early in the film itself.

Jolt is missing the frantic comedy of Crank and the stylish action of John Wick. What’s left is a very by the numbers and bland action film. It passes the time but doesn’t do much more than that. The performances are okay, the dialogue is fine, the the story is adequate. To be honest it’s a shame that the last 2 minutes sets up a sequel, that will and should never happen, it could have been 2 minutes shorter without it.  

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My Top 50 Films Part 3

Posted on July 23, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Back again with the next instalment of my favourite films. If you haven’t seen the first two parts catch up here: PART 1 & PART 2

Just to repeat myself, these aren’t in any order, until we get to the last 2 weeks. My top 50 changes too often to list them. Let me know in the comments if you’ve seen any of the films I mention, love them, hate them? Let me know.

Hugo

When Hugo came out in 2011 I watched it simply because it was Martin Scorsese. I’d seen a lot of his films through my dad and enjoyed them and then also thoroughly enjoyed Shutter Island from 2010. Hugo is a love letter to early cinema, especially the work of George Méliès. It’s a beautiful film that takes a true story and adds fantastical elements to make it mesmerizing. When I first watched this, I recommended it to everyone, and they all turned their noses up as it’s a kid’s film. It may look that way but it is so much more. This is the best Scorsese film. It’s wonderfully made, tells an emotional story and made so interesting in early cinema that I went on to research further. I may have grown up with films, but this one really fuelled my love for the history of cinema.

Jurassic Park

The moment where Sam Neill and Laura Dern first see the dinosaurs when they enter the park, with the score by John Williams in the background, is one of the best moments ever in film history. It’s a breath-taking scene. The effects are outstanding and still hold up today. Jurassic Park is also a genuinely scary film in places, with that kitchen scene being one of the tensest moments ever. It’s funny, memorable, and brilliant in every way. Forget the seemingly endless sequels, the first Jurassic Park is a brilliant film.

Badlands

My first Terrance Malick film was The Tree of Life, which I have stated over and over as the worst film I’ve ever seen. I ordered Badlands because Martin Sheen was going to a film convention, and I wanted to see more of his stuff before going. When it arrived and I saw Malick’s name on the cover I groaned. This is a fantastic film. It’s a character study of a young couple who grapple with the world, growing up and staying on the right side of the law. This is in the tradition of Bonnie and Clyde from 1967 and would inspire True Romance from 1993. Everything about this is amazing from the music to Sissy Spacek’s narration. It’s a powerful film. Whenever people say to me that I’m too harsh on films being too long, I think Badlands did everything it did in 90 minutes.

Eraserhead

I love David Lynch. Twin Peaks is my favourite TV show of all time. His films are strange, often hard to comprehend and full of an odd humour. Eraserhead is his first film, and my favourite. It’s scary, disturbing and full of striking images. When I first watched this, I’d borrowed it from my granddad. I ended up watching it at around 5 or 6 in the morning, to make sure it was ready to return. This film genuinely scared me. My heart was racing. Watching this in the dark, alone in a sleeping house, is the best way to see this. Over the years I’d made entire sequences up, doubling the length of the film, and adding horrific moments that don’t exist. When I rewatched it recently, I was taken aback by how much I could have swore was in it, wasn’t. Still this film is hypnotic to watch and overwhelming. It’s the fear of parenthood and in Lynch’s own words, his most spiritual film.

Grand Budapest Hotel

Anyone who’s followed this blog knows that I’m a big Wes Anderson fan. That being said, I only recently got round to watching Grand Budapest Hotel this year. I don’t know why it took me so long, but I wish I had watched it a hell of a lot sooner. This film is Anderson at his best. It’s quirky, funny, moving and makes full use of everything unique to film. This is a treat to watch and gorgeous from start to finish.  Every detail is painstakingly precise. Anderson’s long time cinematographer Robert Yeoman deserves a lot of praise for how this film looks. Every shot is wonderful. From the first moment I knew this was going to be something I loved and I was right.

That’s the next 5 done. 7 more weeks to go. I hope you are enjoying this so far, if you have any opinions on the above let me know. If you have a recommendation based on what I’ve listed, please send them my way.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

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Turner and Hooch – Film Review

Posted on July 22, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Director: Roger Spottiswoode

Starring: Tom Hanks, Mare Winningham, Craig T. Nelson and Beasley the Dog

Rating: ★★½

There’s nothing wrong with a good buddy-cop film. It’s a classic set up that’s been done time and time again. There was a strange period where in desperate search for originality the twist was the cop would be paired with an animal, specifically a dog. In 1989 along side Turner and Hooch there was also K-9 and then Top Dog in 1995. It’s strange that there is more than one occasion that enough people thought this was a good idea. With the Disney Plus series Turner and Hooch it’s a good time to re-visit the original.

Tom Hanks (Big, Toy Story, Forest Gump) stars as Scott Turner, a neat freak police investigator who is due to move to a big city. On one his final days on the small town police-force one of Turner’s old friends is murdered. The only witness to the crime is his dog, Hooch. Turner ends up being the one who has to look after him, after the local vet says he would make a good companion. It’s not long before Hooch clashes with Turner’s neat and tidy life.

Turner and Hooch is a strange film. It has its funny moments, and it has some very dark moments. There are too many jokes about shooting Hooch, and it’s not clear that the characters are joking. Turner actually loads his gun; he was going to kill the dog because he made a mess. It’s an odd mix, and it doesn’t always work. There are quite a few genuine laughs throughout, like when he tries to get Hooch in the car or where Hooch spots the murderer through the window and drags the table around. For each funny moment there is some awkward moments. Tom Hanks however, as always, is brilliant. He carries the entire film and elevates the comedy to make this enjoyable.

The biggest and most awkward bit of the film is the relationship between Turner and the veterinarian, Dr Emily Carson played by Mare Winningham (American Horror Story, St. Elmo’s Fire). It feels like it’s there to tick a box. Their dialogue, especially in the beach scene, is cringy at best. They have a moment making an omelette which is genuinely uncomfortable. The relationship is forced and doesn’t feel natural at all.

The majority of Turner and Hooch is about the two getting along. Once the murder takes place, the crime is placed on the back-burner while Turner re-adjusts his life to fit in his new companion. It’s easy to forget that there is even a crime to solve, and when it becomes the focus the film moves at a brisk pace. The plot may be clichéd and typical of buddy-cop films, but it still has some good laughs a long the way.

Turner and Hooch may not be a modern classic, but it’s not a bad film. It’s funny enough and not a bad way to pass the time. Apart from the dark ending, this would be a great family film to enjoy together. It’s dated now, but still a decent Tom Hanks film.

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John Wick – Franchise Catch Up

Posted on July 22, 2021 by ashleymanningwriter

Before this week, the fact that I hadn’t seen John Wick is always something that surprised people when I told them. It just didn’t appeal to me. It sounded like a middle age fantasy about being a killer. Not something I avoided, but just never got round to it. To be honest I’ve had the DVD since it came out. Well now’s the time.

For those that are new, Franchise Catch Up is where I take a series of films (of at least 3) that I’ve never seen before and binge watch them, writing an initial thoughts for each one shortly after watching it. Whether you haven’t seen the John Wick series and are curious, or you love the franchise and want to see what a newbie thinks, I hope you enjoy.

John Wick

The only thing I knew about this film was the beginning. Everything I knew about the plot happens in the first five minutes. I thought it would take longer to get going, but it just hits the ground running. This is a thrill-ride of a film. It’s Rambo for the 21st Century. It’s unintentionally funny with some awkward dialogue and intentionally funny with some of the insane action. I really enjoyed this for about an hour and then I was hoping the end would come a little quicker. For me it really ran out of steam by the end of the nightclub sequence. That would have been too short for a film, but I don’t think the action got better than that. It was a decent film, and I was honestly really enjoying it up to that point. Maybe it’s the heat. I watched this on the 18th July with a fan on me the whole time. It’s really hot, and that could play into it. Hopefully the sequels are as good as the first half of this one.

John Wick: Chapter Two

John Wick is back and this time the dog survives. Set straight after the first one, John Wick hunts down his precious car, destroys it and then heads home. He is met by an old friend who calls upon a favour John owes him. At first John refuses and then the friend burns his house to the ground so John accepts. The man wants him to kill his sister, which he does and then the friend puts a hit out on John to keep up appearances. This film’s set up and plot is stupid and not in a good way. I didn’t like this one. It’s way too long, the action isn’t as good as the first one. It’s just shoot everyone in the head. John is invincible. Even when he gets hurt he seems to shrug it off until the plot needs it.

It looks stylish as hell and each scene is well shot. Reeves does a good job and the action looks good, but I just found myself getting bored. I don’t have a problem with big dumb action films, but I just don’t get this one. It’s too long to be entertaining. It’s near enough 2 hours of Reeves shooting people in the head. There is one assassin who hunts him down, but doesn’t shoot him at subway station, and they instead just look at each other and then shimmy closer in the train. Why?

I like the world building and how it’s slowly being presented to us, but the ending in this one is stupid. The world is after Wick. Is literally everyone an assassin? I hope the third one is better. I kind of liked the first one, but this was just boring.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

Here we are with the latest release in the series so far. Again this film is really way too long. It could be half an hour shorter easily. This one starts off strong where he uses a horse to kick his enemies, slapping them to trigger their back legs to kick enemies in the face. That made me laugh out loud and he does it twice. The film then quickly goes downhill, just being 2 more hours of headshots, main characters surviving everything. There’s some very nice action sequences but it does drag on. The lore is also getting annoying in this one. It may just be me, but the whole underground world of assassin’s and their oaths, rules and contracts is just too much. I thought it was cool at first, but it seems to almost be a parody of itself at this point. Also everyone surviving everything. How does Wick survive so much, all 3 films take place in a week. I understand that it’s just a film and it’s action, not supposed to be taken seriously, but it feels too forced, especially at the end of this one.

Final Thoughts

I haven’t avoided the John Wick films, I just never got around to seeing them. Now that I have, I wasn’t really missing much. They are OK. Not spectacular, not bad. For the most part they are enjoyable but the defining trait of the series for me is that they go on too long. Action films with no plot, other than shooting everyone in the head and a lead character who is as paper thin as Keanu Reeve’s voice acting in Cyberpunk 2077, should be at max 90 minutes. They are essentially Rambo for the 21st century. It’s a wish-fulfilment fantasy for middle aged men who want to kill people. The action is really good and well shot, the cinematography is fantastic with the whole series looking stylish and polished. It’s just every film gets boring and repetitive. The first one is the best one, being the strongest of the lot and the series high is the horse kicking in the third one. I wouldn’t call myself a fan, but they are what they are.

To be fair I do also think the heat has played a part in it. It’s been so hot in my house, the rooms are stuffy and I think that’s made the films feel longer. I don’t think these would be classics without this problem though. I would re-watch the first one quite happily, but that’s it. I will go and see the 4th one when it eventually comes out. I’m sure on the big screen this would be a great night out.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley

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