LV-F Reviews

Machikado no Meruhen (1984 Video)

Simple, but enjoyable.

[7/10 · 24 March 2024]

Although not featuring a captivating storyline or deep exploration, this animated medium length-film strives to charm with its serene and sweet narrative, enhanced by its charming hand-drawn visuals that harmonise perfectly with the music, creating the sensation of tuning into a city radio. It is enjoyable from start to finish, and although the visual aesthetic may seem simple, it enriches the work with its surreal and fantastical nuances that bring the city to life in these scenes.

The protagonist, Yamamoto Hiroshi, is fortunate to encounter not just once, but two and three times, the same girl during his hurried runs. It is on their third encounter where they finally engage in a proper conversation, sparked by a notebook that the boy drops and the girl finds during their second encounter. In this notebook, the boy recounts a fairy tale about the city, suggesting that, although everything is artificial, true spring can be found within it. Although the girl, named Yuko, may not entirely agree or comprehend this viewpoint, they continue to meet as they explore the city, and the protagonist shares his vision at each encounter.

I delved into this short film without knowing what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is a work to be enjoyed purely, where the music and fantastic visuals take centre stage at every moment, turning urban landscapes into a real delight. As for the story, it is beautiful and straightforward, without major plot twists but equally charming.

Texhnolyze (2003)

It's like watching a mafia story in a dystopian world, with much hidden to unravel.

[6/10 · 31 January 2024]

I value animes that seek to provoke reflection and thought rather than simply entertain. Nowadays, most productions focus more on providing instant entertainment than exploring deep concepts, life lessons, or moralities.

Texhnolyze, with its dark and monotonous aesthetic, doesn't stand out for beautiful and captivating visuals. However, it focuses on showing rather than telling a relatively simple but thought-provoking story, although its 22-episode runtime can seem long and tedious to follow.

The visual appearance of the anime faithfully reflects events, sometimes charming despite the lack of colourful images or flashy animations that characterise contemporary animes. This choice, however, contributes to the overall concept of the anime.

Regarding the music, although I haven't paid much attention to the ambient music, I must highlight that the opening song seems very fitting, and the ending song is the best thing I'll take away from the anime; I loved it.

As my final detail, in a world marked by dilemmas addressing violence, cyberpunk issues, and the destiny of humanity, Texhnolyze presents interesting directions that provoke reflections on current and future themes, some of which have already been lived. What will be the human fate in the future? Will it be consumed by the desire for immortality through «texhnolization»? These are fascinating analyses, even in a dystopian setting distant from our own.

However, there are important warnings. The anime's pace is slow, and its 22-episode duration can become tedious. Characters come and go, experience joys and sorrows, without making a significant impact. Although it presents shocking events, it fails to fully deliver, and because of this, the anime doesn't feel worthy of another look. Texhnolyze, while having a well-constructed and fluid story, a gloomy appearance, and interesting themes, lacks the ability to captivate and entertain, which, though not essential, is important. Ultimately, it's a decent anime but one that could easily be forgotten.

Lake Mungo (2008)

The fact that it is made as a documentary is the best thing about the film.

[8/10 · 12 April 2023]

I'm writing this review shortly after watching the film, as I want to share my fresh impressions and memories of it. The movie is constructed in a documentary style, which is rarely used to create tension and terror, so I congratulate the creators for having achieved to evoke this style so convincingly that at no time did it seem to me that I was watching actors acting, but rather an authentic recording about a peculiar case of ghostly apparitions.

Since my childhood, I have felt a great interest in ghosts and their aura of strangeness. Currently, my opinion is that ghosts do not exist as real entities but rather as concepts that evoke mystery and uncertainty in the human mind. Throughout history, humanity has tried to understand the origin of these beings, events, and entities, seeking to give them explanations that allow us to understand them. However, many of these events remain a mystery, although it is possible that in some cases they can be explained in some way. Ultimately, the force of doubt is what makes us fear what we do not understand. This is a strong point of the movie.

Overall, the movie fails to keep the viewer attentive and interested throughout its duration. However, I must acknowledge that the plot managed to involve me so much that, at a certain point, I forgot that I was watching a horror movie. It was thanks to the work of the creators that when I remembered that I was watching a film, it was already too late, and I was startled. Personally, I value the ability of a horror movie to scare me, and in this case, it succeeded (even though it was only a single unexpected scare). If the movie had not been able to generate that feeling in me, I would not consider it an outstanding example of the genre, and I would probably have given it a lower rating.

I recommend this movie to those interested in paranormal events, especially those who enjoy stories about ghosts told in a documentary format. The technique used in the movie is remarkable, and the performances seem realistic; I even forgot that I was watching a movie and not a documentary, but I'm not sure if the acting is really that good; it can be debatable. While the movie fails to keep the viewer in constant tension, it does manage to maintain interest until the end, just like in documentaries. Overall, I consider it a quality film, and although my rating is higher than usual for me, I believe it has earned it fairly.

Cure (1997)

A Psychological Thriller of Intrigue and Mystery.

[7/10 · 7 April 2023]

Interesting film due to the subject matter it addresses, focusing on unusual crimes and murders that leave behind a feeling of uncertainty. Furthermore, it should be noted that the photographic aesthetic used in it evokes the distinctive characteristics of Japanese and Asian films in general, belonging to the final decades of the 20th century and the early 21st century, which are extremely captivating for those who contemplate them.

Initially, the series of curious cases in which the killer is unaware of the reasons that lead him to end the lives of his victims is extremely striking for the viewer, generating great interest and keeping the observer captivated throughout the entire development of the film. The plot is gradually but effectively constructed as we follow the steps of Detective Takabe, who must not only face the strange cases themselves but also the complexity of his own personal situation with his mentally ill wife, the enigmatic and irritating character of Mamiya, and his own internal conflicts.

In my personal opinion, the concept of the psychologist-hypnotist killer is extremely interesting. However, I believe it would have been even more enriching if some additional philosophical and psychological themes had been addressed, although I recognise that the work is excellent in and of itself without them.

I want to highlight the excellent work of the director, actors, and screenwriters in maintaining a good course in the plot, achieving good visual correspondence with the narrative elements of the film, and creating all the scenes that make up this cinematic work.

Finally, I would like to emphasize once again the Japanese aesthetic that is appreciated in the photography of the period in which the film is set, which is undoubtedly a great added value for this work of suspense, mystery, and crime. Those who enjoy this type of theme will undoubtedly appreciate and enjoy this film quite a lot. Therefore, I highly recommend its viewing.

Possession (1981)

A classic horror film of its time and "only" of its time.

[6/10 · 29 March 2023]

"Possession" was recommended to me due to the works of Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch. I can perceive similarities with these authors; however, it's important to mention that this classic and cult horror film was created in a different historical context than the present, suggesting that its value as a film may have been greater in its time. The plot of the movie is interesting, as it begins as a romantic drama in which a husband returns home to discover that his wife has been unfaithful and no longer feels the same way about him. However, the plot takes an unexpected turn when elements soon emerge that do not fit with what one would expect in this type of drama. The viewer begins to perceive a strange and different atmosphere, the nature of which is not immediately evident but is later revealed clearly and forcefully.

As for the technical aspect of the film, the camera work did not live up to expectations. At times, it even seemed comical to imagine the cameraman running around everywhere and trying to avoid colliding with the actors. Because of this, I cannot praise the director for their work on this film. When searching for positive aspects in the overall film, I highlight the excellent acting, especially that of the talented Isabelle Adjani. However, I must admit that I became bored halfway through the plot, probably because I am not a fan of dramas. Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, the camera work did not live up to expectations, which also affected my experience as a viewer. Therefore, my final rating for the film is a 6, although it could have been a 7 under other circumstances.

In summary, I consider that this film has relative value, as it could have had a greater impact in its time, but nowadays I perceive it as an amateurish movie with excellent performances and a bizarre plot, which nevertheless I could recommend without any problem.

Portrait of God (2022)

Darkness and faith; an excellent combination.

[7/10 · 28 March 2023]

Excellent horror short film, unique and terrifying, that manages to capture the viewer's attention through the use of curiosity and morbidity, while playing with the faith and hope of a religious person. It is admirable how the director has used the presence of the creature and the ambiguous power of darkness to create an atmosphere of tension and fear, without resorting to sudden or unnecessary scares. Instead, he has skillfully handled darkness and uncertainty to keep the audience on edge. The setting and atmosphere generated by the scarcity of lighting, excessive darkness, and eerie tone, along with the presence of the terrifying creature, contribute significantly to the creation of such a spine-chilling work. My congratulations to the director for such an impressive work.

Serial Experiments Lain (1998)

A cult work: a philosophical and psychological complexity behind the world of the internet and computers.

[9/10 · 28 March 2023]

This anime series is remarkably intriguing by virtue of its perspectives on a historical context in which the rise and spread of computers and the internet took place. Although I personally was not fortunate enough to live through that era, it is possible for me to conceive of the nature of those times. It was extremely foolish to ignore the potential of a different, alternative world that was housed in the realms of computers and the internet, and to deprive oneself of talking about, experiencing or even fantasising about such technology. Hence I find this anime interesting, which, although it may seem complex at first, becomes fascinating as we analyse the evolution of the protagonist, Lain.

It is true that its complexity, confusion and possible slowness could discourage some viewers, but its value lies precisely in its philosophical, psychological, materialistic and spiritualistic potential, which has made it a cult work for a certain audience. Through the series, the audience is invited to reflect and contemplate on a world, reality or context that is present in our daily lives today. However, I can't help but think that this work will go unnoticed or even forgotten. I feel that it does not stand out enough, but, even so, it deserves to be seen for its unique style.