3 ms·

Mann likes to savor the cultural and visual environments his movies take place in. That makes them (later ones like Collateral, and especially Miami Vice and B

Mann likes to savor the cultural and visual environments his movies take place in. That makes them (later ones like Collateral, and especially Miami Vice and Blackhat) too slow for a mass audience. There was an essay I can't find about how non-US, European audiences appreciate that kind of thing much more. Mann's movies don't have endless thrills and they end on a slightly positive to neutral note, not like romances or action movies where the end is supremely positive. Instead, some problem has been averted, but nobody's saved the world. Any positive elements (couple living happily ever after, wounded cop surviving) are tempered by a strong sense of malaise that nothing's keeping the same thing from happening again tomorrow.

remarkEon 4y ago
Tokyo Vice is worth watching in the sense you describe. It's pure 90s through and through.
- sph 4y ago
  I enjoyed it supremely for two reasons: I've seen my share of crime media, from Western to Italian-American and the Yakuza angle is something I only ever seen in video games and I loved seeing serious Western TV about Japanese crime. It felt like "Yakuza Zero: the spin-off TV show". They also have their version of Kazuma Kiryu in the making. And also because I'm done with the stereotype spread by countless weekend tourists that Japan is perfect, everyone is nice and nothing bad ever happens. The representation of the casual racism gaijin experience without making it a political movie was masterful in my opinion. Also, the corruption, the dysfunctional police, the seedy hostess clubs and having the courage of making it a bilingual show. Underrated and recommended.
  - remarkEon 4y ago
    >...and having the courage of making it a bilingual show. Exactly this. That was my hope when I saw trailers for the show and it added so much more depth and realism, having the actors speak Japanese.
kybernetikos 4y ago
> non-US, European audiences appreciate that kind of thing much more. That was one of the things I liked about Pour Elle. It took the time to show you emotions on peoples faces and the spaces they were in.

remarkEon 4y ago

Tokyo Vice is worth watching in the sense you describe. It's pure 90s through and through.

sph 4y ago
I enjoyed it supremely for two reasons: I've seen my share of crime media, from Western to Italian-American and the Yakuza angle is something I only ever seen in video games and I loved seeing serious Western TV about Japanese crime. It felt like "Yakuza Zero: the spin-off TV show". They also have their version of Kazuma Kiryu in the making. And also because I'm done with the stereotype spread by countless weekend tourists that Japan is perfect, everyone is nice and nothing bad ever happens. The representation of the casual racism gaijin experience without making it a political movie was masterful in my opinion. Also, the corruption, the dysfunctional police, the seedy hostess clubs and having the courage of making it a bilingual show. Underrated and recommended.
- remarkEon 4y ago
  >...and having the courage of making it a bilingual show. Exactly this. That was my hope when I saw trailers for the show and it added so much more depth and realism, having the actors speak Japanese.

kybernetikos 4y ago

> non-US, European audiences appreciate that kind of thing much more. That was one of the things I liked about Pour Elle. It took the time to show you emotions on peoples faces and the spaces they were in.