Netflix Customer Reviews

Thirst

Since Chan-wook Park's Oldboy made it onto my favorite films of all time list the first time I watched it, I had very high expectations of Thirst. Possibly too high since very few directors can repeat that level of excellence. That being said, Thirst was nearly everything I hoped it would be. It is funny, sad, violent, twisted and just plain awesome. Although it's not quite as good, it's the best Park film since Oldboy. The story is original, the direction is great, the acting is excellent, especially by Ok-vin Kim who makes a remarkable transformation from a meek and subservient woman to a take-no-prisoners badass. I have a few minor issues with the plot, but nothing all that serious. With Thirst, Chan-wook Park has shifted from the director of one of my favorite films to one of my favorite directors. 4.5 stars.

In the Mood for Love

Nobody can make an ethereal film like Wong Kar Wai and Christopher Doyle, his cinematographer. They make it look easy. In the Mood For Love floats along effortlessly like a cloud. The story here is simple; everything else is not. Perfectly filmed, scene after scene with music to match; you'd be hard-pressed to find a flaw. In the Mood For Love will leave a permanent impression etched into your mind. Music, story, visuals, acting; everything is above par. This film is one of the reason why I consider Wong to be one of my favorite Chinese directors. I could go on and on, but I'll just say, watch it.

Arang

This film is partially based on a Korean folk legend where a girl named Arang was brutally raped and murdered. She haunted each successive magistrate until her murder was avenged. The film doesn't quite tell the same story as the legend, but the spirit is similar. Arang is better than a lot of ghost-seeking-vengeance films that I've seen, although it doesn't particularly add much by way of new or original to the horror genre. The synopsis calls it a spooky thriller, but it is much more than that. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a traditional horror film; it's more of a murder mystery wrapped in a horror package, but I wouldn't recommend it for those who are merely looking for a thriller. While Arang is not the most original, suspenseful or even most frightening horror film I've seen, it's certainly above average. 3.5 stars.

Brother

Perhaps I've watched too many violent movies about hitmen, but this film didn't seem all that vicious, brutal or shocking to me. For a film about Russian contract killers in the post-Soviet era described as "in the shocking style of Quentin Tarantino and Lars von Trier", it seemed rather tame. I suppose I was expecting more from this film than what I received. I'm willing to cut it some slack since, at the time, this was cutting edge stuff for Russian cinema, but watching it now, it seems uninspired and even dated. Although I found Brother to be mildly disappointing, it is definitely watchable and it's still was better, or at least different, than your average Hollywood schlock in the same vein. 3.5 stars.

One Wonderful Sunday

First of all, this film is part of the Eclipse Post-War Kurosawa set so there are no longer worries about bad transfers or subtitles. As to the film, it is post-war through and through. It is a bleak tale about the lack of prospects for the younger generation as WW2 is at an end. Inflation is rampant and, even though the protagonists are both employed, they don't make enough to even buy a proper cup of tea, let alone build a life together in a home of their own. There is a lot of subtle commentary in this film of both the American occupation and Japan's failure in the war. It constantly shifts in viewpoint from heartbreaking to hopeful. Both the fear of the future and the regret for the past are palpable. While it's not the best post-war Kurosawa film, it is worth watching for Kurosawa completists and for a unique post-war Japanese outlook.

Madadayo

Madadayo is entirely fitting as Kurosawa's final film since it is about as autobiographical as you can get. It is the tale of a well-respected professor growing old, and coming to terms with age and the fruits of his life. Kurosawa's own fears and misgivings are apparent in the telling of the professor's story, especially his views on the war. Kurosawa never attempted to hide his disgust for the American occupation and Japan's involvement in WW2 and it shines through here as well. While there is not much plot movement, what little there is, is heart-rending. You come to like and feel for the snarky professor just as all of his former students do. I happened to watch this back to back with One Wonderful Sunday, one of his early post-war efforts. It's remarkable how similar the themes are, but one is from an uncertain, youthful perspective and the other is from an older, wiser point of view. Madadayo is an appropriate end to a long and prolific career.

Giants & Toys

Giants & Toys reminds me of a Japanese version of Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, which was released the year before. Still, this film was ahead of its time. It foretells of Japan's post-war consumerism craze. The theme is as relevant today as it was then. Half lighthearted and half deathly-serious, Giants and Toys is all satire. It is overflowing with social commentary about Japanese corporate culture and capitalism. Full of subterfuge, double-crosses, and people overcome by greed, ambition and fear of failure, Giants & Toys has a serious message delivered in an entertaining way. Masamura's aptitude for the absurd is evident with interesting use of colors, angles and frames, and it even has a musical number about cannibalism. While it's not the best post-war film, it has a unique viewpoint on post-war Japanese consumer culture.

The Long Goodbye

I don't know why I keep torturing myself with film adaptations of books I've just read. I keep hoping that somewhere there is a film version of Chandler that does justice to the book, but I'm not sure it exists. The only issue I have with this film is the story, but it's a BIG issue - enough to drop a star off my rating. Chandler wrote a book full of wry humor, clever dialogue and opaque motivations, but the film bears little resemblance to the book. The screenwriter, Leigh Brackett, turned Marlowe into a babbling idiot who constantly mumbles to himself and his cat (Marlowe has a cat??). He does little to no detecting other than hiding in bushes and peeking in windows. By completely changing the story, it loses all the momentum and character motivations, and it drops all of the good parts. That being said, Altman's direction is superb with fluid camera work and interesting shots. The cast is excellent, particularly Gould as the bumbling detective just floating his way through the story like driftwood. If this was just a no-name detective yarn and you removed the name Marlowe, it would be a good film, but as a Chandler adaptation, it fails. If you've read the book, I would not recommend seeing this film. If you haven't, it's worth a watch. 3.5 stars.

Samurai School

If you've seen some of Tak Sakaguchi's films, you should already have a pretty good idea of what to expect with Samurai School; lots of fighting, posturing, displays of manliness, a little comedy and a farcical plot. Sakaguchi adapted the screenplay from the manga, directed and starred in Samurai School. It fits nicely alongside Death Trance or Versus, but with less seriousness, a little more comedy and a lot more satire. Samurai School pokes fun at Japanese male machismo by presenting plenty of its own. In fact, the literal title is 'Be a Man!! Samurai School' and the character of the drill instructor seemed like a caricature of Toshiro Mifune. The plot is silly, but it never takes itself too seriously. The fact that it was filmed in two weeks with an ultra low-budget shows, but all in all, it's not an entirely unpleasant way to spend 110 minutes.

A Tale of Sorrow

Considering how many films Seijun Suzuki made in his career, it's not surprising that there would be some abject failures along the way. Disappointing, but not surprising. This movie is about golf. Yes, golf. But it's not even really about golf, it's about golf spies and subterfuge, as if there is such a thing. It's the story of taking a rising female golf star and turning her into a star so that they can make bank on merchandising contracts. Along the way, she gets lost. Boo hoo. It's like a Japanese version of Rocky, only with golf and no redemption. Even Yoshio Harada (although he is the best part of the film) and Suzuki can't save this one. It's bloody awful.

Public Enemy

Public enemy is a surprisingly entertaining cop versus criminal flick. It throws in some dark humor, some violence and even some poignancy along the way. It has a relatively staid plot, most of which we've seen before elsewhere, yet it still manages to throw in some wholly original elements. It's the story of a cop who no longer cares and nobody believes up against an evil criminal. The only issue I have with Public Enemy is that the run time is a little long for what it is, but it is never boring and keeps you on your toes most of the time. The Koreans are producing some great crime stories and Public Enemy holds its own among them.

Kabei: Our Mother

It takes a big emotional impact to make me shed even a tear by watching a film and Kabei did just that. It is a memoir of the experiences of a child and her family from the lead up to WW2 through to modern times. Kabei is a sentimental and heartfelt story of one family wading through historical context. Japan's ambitions to rule the world and average citizens opinions thereof are at the core of the narrative. Even though it is a tearjerker, Kabei never once seems contrived. The emotions are genuine and tempered with just the right amount of levity. Yoji Yamada just keeps getting better and better. I highly recommend this film, but be forewarned that it is likely to make you feel something. 4.5 stars.

Dodes'ka-Den

First of all, thanks to The Criterion Collection who, once again, releases a film we wouldn't be able to see elsewhere. I saw the previous release of Dodes'ka-Den and it was unwatchable. As to the film, it is brutal and heartfelt. It shares themes with other Kurosawa films; morality, social commentary, class structure, and his take on humanity. Visually and story-wise, it is lush and compelling. It's obvious that this was Kurosawa's first color film; the use of color is not intrinsic. Dodes'ka-Den is visually reminiscent of Seijun Suzuki's Gate of Flesh with its post-war degradation, each family represented by a different color, and the fact that most of it is shot on a sound stage. The story is similar to Kurosawa's own The Lower Depths. It is the rich tale of several intertwined families with their ghetto of a neighborhood as the common thread. The people are all just trying to get by and each has their own set of issues. It is a must-see for any Kurosawa fan. Dodes'ka-Den will break your heart. 4.5 stars.

Sky High

It was truly a struggle to make it all the way through Sky High without fast-forwarding. Ryuhei Kitamura is usually spot on with his action sequences, but this one was lackluster at best, devastatingly boring at worst. Added to the amateurish fighting, you've also got a far-fetched plot made even more unbelievable by the lack of commitment on the part of its principal actors. If these people are responsible for saving the world, we're all in trouble. There's really nothing much to like about it at all and, very soon, I will have completely forgotten I ever saw it. Sky High gets my positively mediocre rating of 2.5 stars. I recommend watching Aragami, Azumi or Versus instead.

The Human Condition

At nearly 10 hours, not including the 4th special features disc, The Human Condition Trilogy is a big commitment and I wouldn't recommend it for casual viewers of Japanese cinema. That being said, this trilogy is spectacular. It's beautifully shot and incredibly heartfelt. It is a tad melodramatic at times, but if you put it in context (it was made when Japan was just coming out of the post-war era), it's completely understandable. The films definitely have an anti-war slant, particularly anti-Japanese military, and they put a rather harsh light on Japan's involvement in WW2. Strangely, the Soviets end up looking mildly better than the Japanese, but no one is spared the impact of its message. These films were not made for western audiences in the sense that the statement is directed at Japanese viewers, yet there's enough universal human appeal to make it worthwhile viewing. Set in Manchuria, The Human Condition Trilogy presents a poignant viewpoint on a little known Japanese battlefield in WW2. It is masterfully filmed, well-acted and Tatsuya Nakadai can do no wrong. 4.5 stars.

Bleach: The Movie 2: The Diamond Dust Rebellion

The second Bleach movie is better than the first, but it's still not as good as the show. This one has more of a plot than Memories of Nobody and makes use of some of the minor characters better, focusing mainly on Hitsugaya with a little of his background story revealed. Some of the animation is surprisingly beautiful and detailed making the best use of the big screen on which it was originally shown with some great action sequences thrown in. If you're a fan of Bleach, it's a must see. It makes a nice addition to one of the best long-running, ongoing anime series.

The Inbetweeners: Season 1

While American television is producing mainly reality and remakes, or remakes of reality, British television is coming up with some great comedy shows. The Inbetweeners is yet another example of the deficit between American and British television. Honestly, something like The Inbetweeners would have a tough time finding its way onto American network television since it is raunchy, surprisingly naughty and funny as all hell. It is most comparable to Freaks And Geeks if you subtract the freaks, add some British humor and replace half the drama with even more comedy. There are two completed seasons and they're working on a third. If you like Spaced or the English version of The Office, I'd highly recommend queueing this if and when it becomes available.

A Colt Is My Passport

The most recent film in the Nikkatsu Noir set is a solid addition to the series. A Colt Is My Passport is nicely filmed with a little bit of shaky cam, lots of wide-angle shots and deep-contrast shadows. Joe Shishido plays man in the middle as the gang boss who contracts him turns against him in an effort to make peace with rival clans. Both Shishido's character and the story line in A Colt Is My Passport bear a mild resemblance to Suzuki's Branded To Kill which was made the same year and also stars Shishido. A Colt Is My Passport makes good use of a wealth of influences to turn out a finely-crafted, hard-boiled crime story.

Cruel Gun Story

Cruel Gun Story is the story of a heist gone wrong followed by deceit, betrayal and mixed allegiances. Jo Shishido at his swaggering machismo best with his omnipresent sunglasses (day or night) stars as a criminal recently sprung from prison in order to head an armored car robbery. With twists and turns, and more double-crosses than you can count, Cruel Gun Story does a fairly good job of keeping suspense through most of the film. Unfortunately, towards the end, it starts to fall apart since I saw the ending a mile away. Even so, there's still enough to like about it (like knife fights and shootouts) if you're into classic Japanese films. 3.5 stars.

I Am Waiting

I Am Waiting is a well-executed and acted crime story which still leaves a little to be desired. The most notable parts of I Am Waiting are its nicely filmed, black and white cinematography and Yujiro Ishihara as a man caught in the middle of a struggle between a girl and her gangster employer. There's a bit of a mystery here involving the main character's brother, but overall, the film is very sparse with both action and plot development. The two, nearly disparate halves of the story lumber along at a relatively slow pace and barely connect. I Am Waiting is worth watching as part of the Nikkatsu Noir set, but it's not my favorite of the series. 3.5 stars.

Rusty Knife

Rusty Knife is one of the best of the Nikkatsu Noir series. Not only is it visually interesting, but the story line is intriguing with its multiple double-crosses; gangsters working for the cops and cops working for gangsters. The plot is a well-written, complex tale of an evil yakuza boss pitted against two angsty former-gangsters turned good guys who are being pressured to narc on the boss for an incident 5 years prior. Jo Shishido has a small part, but the stars are really Yujiro Ishihara as one of the former gangster and Naoki Sugiura as the gang boss. Rusty Knife is a great little story full of murder, mayhem and mystery.

Take Aim at the Police Van

Take Aim At The Police Van is typical Suzuki; gorgeously shot in black and white with plenty of violence. The reason why Suzuki is one of my favorite Japanese directors is his ability to take a standard exploitation-type plot and turn it into a visual masterpiece with a turnaround time that would make your head spin. Most of his Nikkatsu movies were shot in a week with a month for completion. What's different here is that the story is actually a fairly involved little murder mystery. In this film, we not only have the benefit of his intricate cinematography, but a plot that seems to match. If you are a fan of Suzuki, Take Aim At The Police Van is well worth the watch.

Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs

Zero Woman is standard fare for a 70's Japanese exploitation film; gushing blood, rape, violence, half-naked women in bondage and a pretty conventional plot. The female lead is supposed to be a badass cop turned con who is sent undercover to foil a kidnapping in order to gain her freedom from prison. Yet, rather than actually acting on her task, she spends most of the time not doing much of anything other than brooding. When she does actually do something, the scenes, while interesting and even fairly original, aren't quite enough to counterbalance all of the sitting around. There are much more action-packed female lead exploitation films out there from this same time period. 3.5 stars.

Bugmaster

First of all, the title translation here is all wrong. While mushi is the Japanese word for bug, the bugs to which they refer in the film are not insects in the traditional sense. Our intrepid protagonist is not an exterminator. Mushi are actually simplistic supernatural lifeforms which are invisible to the naked eye to most humans. I make this point because not once are they called bugs in the subtitles. They are referred to, correctly, only as mushi. Secondly, as far as the film, Mushishi is probably another case where, if you've seen the anime series, you will most likely prefer it to the film. If you haven't seen the anime, the film is likely to leave you confused since summing up an anime series in just over 2 hours is a difficult task. Especially when the subject involves Japanese folklore not likely to be understood by your average American viewer since we don't have anything like this concept in our own mythology. But, if you take it at face value, it's a beautifully filmed fantasy tale. 3.5 stars.

Ballad of a Soldier

Ballad Of A Soldier is a gorgeous piece of cinema. The cinematography in this movie is something to behold. Unlike NF, I wouldn't say that you have to be a film student to appreciate it; it's right out there in the open. If you are though, it would be high on my list of must-see films. Ballad Of A Soldier was one of the first independent films to come out of Russia after WWII. Its lack of ties to state-sponsored media is apparent in the way it portrays the Soviet military as a somewhat inefficient bureaucracy while making the soldiers themselves seem fallible and definitely human. Even though it is set during WWII, I would not call it a war movie per se. It's more a humanist tale about the effects of warfare. Ballad Of A Soldier has a lot of heart. It is only one of 30 million tragic stories of Russians during WWII.

Puzzle

Puzzle is not a bad little heist/whodunnit film, even if we've already seen most of the elements that comprise it in everything from Melville's Le Cercle Rouge to Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. Still, Puzzle adds an element of surprise. Very slowly it reveals layer after layer of truth until you're left with a muddled view of everyone in the movie, but it settles itself down in the end to reveal a most unexpected outcome. It's not action packed; it's more of a psychological thriller and providing thrills is not necessarily high on its list of priorities. It is nicely shot, well acted and could almost seem like a watered-down Johnnie To film if you didn't know any better. If you like any of the filmmakers I've mentioned in this review, you'll probably appreciate this film as long as you keep your expectations to a minimum. 3.5 stars.

Versus: Director's Cut

If there's one thing Ryuhei Kitamura knows, it's fight sequences. Versus has epic battle scenes full of wire stunts and preternatural moves. His films usually have a supernatural element to them so you can completely smash the limits of what is possible in the real world, doing away with that pesky suspension of disbelief altogether. Versus has zombies, alternate dimensions, immortal creatures, a fairly good plot with a little comic relief, sword-play, gun fights, and tons of violence and blood. The only issue I have with Versus is the cinematography. Its use of shaky cam can be overwhelming at times to the point that it's hard to perceive the action, but it could just be an attempt at camouflaging some of the less effective special effects. It's a small price to pay for what you get in return which is a fun and violent foray into an interesting universe that doesn't actually exist.

Harakiri

Harakiri is a masterpiece of the samurai genre and quite possibly the best film Shochiku ever produced. Not only is its setting historically accurate, but the story that is told here is nothing short of badass. The tragic tale takes place during a time of peace when the noble warrior class of samurai was becoming extinct. It is yet another stellar role for Tatsuya Nakadai, cementing him as one of the greatest samurai actors of all time. There's just so much that's right about this film that it doesn't bear going into other than to say that Harakiri stands along with Sword of Doom and Seven Samurai as essential, must-see samurai film recommendations.

Big Man Japan

A tongue-in-cheek mockumentary poking much fun at the kaiju (strange beast) genre. Big Man Japan is nothing if not original which is difficult to accomplish in this long-standing genre. The story sneaks up very slowly so that when our rundown protagonist does go to work, it gives it that much more emphasis. CGI is slightly overused, but it does make for excellent contrast to the surreal conclusion. If you are looking for an action-packed monster movie, this is not it. Instead, you'll find a sad and funny satirical commentary that shreds its predecessors. Big Man Japan is fun and goofy ride only for those looking for something different and entirely not serious.

The Insect Woman

If I didn't know any better, I'd say The Insect Woman seems more like a Kenji Mizoguchi film with its hard hit female cast. Like the females in Mizoguchi's Fallen Women Series, the women in this film just cannot catch a break. One struggle after another makes up their existence with some terrible choices made along the way. It subtly comments on society in both pre- and post-war Japan, not just of women, but of traditional ways of living. Overall, The Insect Woman is a thought provoking slice of life drama which is unsympathetic and unyielding in its storytelling.

Pigs and Battleships

One of Shohei Imamura's finest early efforts and my favorite of the Pigs, Pimps & Prostitutes series. At just under two hours, Pigs and Battleships is one of Imamura's shortest films as well. It is essentially the story of a bumbling wannabe yakuza peppered with a little bit of drama and comedy. However, Pigs and Battleships is far more than a simple yakuza tale. With a definite post-war slant, it is full of social commentary and critique of the American occupation of Japan and its involvement in the Korean War. Typical of Imamura, this film is visually interesting, but it has a deeper plot and more of a message than the other films in the series. If you are interested in Imamura's films or post-war Japanese cinema, Pigs and Battleships should be on your list of films to see.

The Suicide Song

The Suicide Song had the potential to be really good, unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to it. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to watch it in two sittings. During the first part of the movie, I was satisfied with where it was heading. It left just enough to the imagination to be ultra creepy. I wish I had left it at that, because I just happened to stop watching it right before the little CGI goblins or demons or whatever they were made an appearance. CGI plus ghost story equals fail. I've never seen a CGI anything that could rival the power of imagination. While I didn't dislike The Suicide Song, I was hoping that it would be more than it was. 3.5 stars.

The Bushido Blade

Let me preface this by saying that the only reason to watch this film is for Sonny Chiba and Toshiro Mifune. And I do mean ONLY. As far as I know, there are no other films that have an American perspective on Commodore Perry's black ship expeditions to Japan and the interaction therein. So, I thought maybe, just maybe, this might be an interesting watch. Not only is it historically inaccurate, but it turns out that the premise is merely backdrop for this made-for-television-esque melodrama surrounding the retrieval of a missing sword. Mifune's part is very small and Chiba, as usual, upstages everyone with some alright sword fighting sequences even though swordplay is not his strong suit. The rest of the movie follows arrogant Americans seducing natives and acting a fool. I'd have a hard time recommending this to anyone since it was a struggle to make it all the way through. 2.5 stars.

Tokyo!

I wasn't expecting all that much with this trio of vignettes so I was pleasantly surprised by what I received. Each of the three stories is a far-fetched fable, beautifully filmed and acted with more than a little surreality and fantasy infused. Three different directors telling three tales with the only common threads being Tokyo, and the complete isolation and ostracism it can create. All of the main characters are outsiders, either by choice or circumstance, much like the directors themselves. Even though they all have differing perspectives and plots, all three short films fit nicely together into a total package that is definitely worth watching.

Triad Election

Even though it doesn't mention it anywhere, Triad Election is actually the sequel to Johnnie To's Election (2005) which is also available here. The Hong Kong title of this film is actually Triad Election 2. So, if you haven't seen Election, go watch that first. Now that that's settled, Triad Election is both a continuation of the story in Election and a stand-alone film. The second film picks up 2 years after the first. This is a pretty brutal film chock full o' violence, gunfights, backstabbing (literal and figurative) and betrayal. Only the fittest will survive and reach the top. It's a relatively standard plot for a gangster film and for a To film, but it does have a few surprises. While it's not quite as good as the first film, it does have merit on its own. 3.5 stars.

Brotherhood: Season 1

Holy crap, talk about a time sink. I was hooked on this show from the very first episode. 900 hours later, I've finished seasons one and two, and I am impatiently awaiting season three's release. I'm not sure if it's the violence, the tragedy, the underhanded politics and back-stabbery, but whatever it is, this is probably the best sleeper show since The Wire. To be perfectly honest, I've not been much impressed by what Showtime previously had to offer. It always seemed like HBO's kid brother, trying desperately to keep up. But with Brotherhood, they manage to hold their own. Here's hoping they don't decide to cancel it for some ridiculous reason.

Kwaidan

I do love a good ghost story. Especially the folkloric Japanese variety that are less scary than they are portending woe as a result of human foibles. They don't necessarily preach morality, but they make it very clear as to what the spirit world is willing to forgive and what it is not. The four stories in this film all share the same theme of mending your ways before it's too late. There is a price to be paid for vanity, greed and excess. This movie is easily one of the more beautiful classic Japanese films around. Right up there with Mizoguchi's Ugetsu, it is beautifully composed and a necessary watch for any Japanese cinephile.

The Negotiator

A fairly straight-forward detective yarn about a robbery turned hostage situation. The plot does a decent job at not being entirely transparent. The Negotiator manages to stave off the important clues until near the end. I only figured out the entirety of who, why and how just slightly before they revealed it. If you're looking for one of Miike's more controversial gangster films or blood-gushers, you should look elsewhere. But if you like low-key mystery stories that reveal a little at a time, The Negotiator delivers. 3.5 stars.

Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2: She-Cat Gambler

Typical of sequels, the second installment of the Wandering Ginza Butterfly films isn't quite as good as the first, but it makes up for it somewhat by adding the always charming Sonny Chiba to the fray. This time around, our cool-as-ice heroine accidentally intertwines with characters that lead her to a face to face encounter with the man who killed her father. There are a few characters in this film whose sole purpose seems to be bumbling and unnecessary comic relief. But, no matter, there are some very bad, bad guys, sword-fighting, violence and everything else you can expect in a Toei Studio's film from this era. Wandering Ginza 2 is not as good as the original, but still entirely worth a watch.

Wandering Ginza Butterfly

A fairly standard Japanese exploitation story of an aimless ronin-type character seeking vengeance. What sets Wandering Ginza Butterfly apart from the pack is its female lead. While there have been other female leads - Lady Snowblood, Scorpion, Zero Woman, Okatsu - some even played by Meiko Kaji, her performance in this was a nice surprise. Kaji's semi-tragic character, Nami, is as good with cards as she is with a sword, but there is an underlying, indefinable sadness and vulnerability to her that makes her sympathetic to the viewer. As one would expect in this genre, there's a bit of sword-fighting, a lot of card-sharking, some gushing blood, back-handed smacks to the head and a little half-nudity. While Wandering Ginza is not as good as some, unexpectedly, I quite liked it. For what it is, this is a 4 star film.

Intentions of Murder

Intentions of Murder is very much a movie of its era and culture. I hope so anyway seeing as, otherwise, there's no explanation for its sheer lunacy. Without going into too much detail for the sake of spoilers, the character motivations are so ludicrous as to be almost entirely unbelievable. During the exceedingly long duration of this film (typical of Imamura; editing was not his strong suit), I kept wondering why most of it was even happening. Our downtrodden housewife's actions are completely antithetical to the way I would handle the same situation. In my opinion, Imamura's films are hit or miss, but the direction and cinematography are always above par. Intentions of Murder is more of a miss than a hit, but mainly because the story did not resonate with me at all. I'm hoping the other films in the newly released Pigs, Pimps & Prostitutes series are better than this one. 3.5 stars.

Unlucky Monkey

A well-conducted symphony of errors, coincidences and the unexpected form this oddly satisfying caper/gangster film. Setting the tone with a foreshadowing diatribe of doom, the story takes us through a seemingly unceasing, snowball effect of chance occurrences. Our unlucky monkey is like a pinball spinning out of control from one random danger to another in an almost noir-like manner. With some sadness, a lot of emotional turmoil, a sardonic, far-fetched plot, some excellent performances, especially by Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, and an ending which is left open to interpretation, Unlucky Monkey was an unexpected and welcome find.

Vibrator

Vibrator is my favorite Ryuichi Hiroki film available here. It is a quirky tale about emotional insulation and battling personal demons. Gorgeously shot on the roads of rural Japan, Vibrator is an off-beat story about two damaged people helping to heal each other. This film is very sparse in both dialog and plot, so it won't appeal to everyone. Most of the dialog is internal from the female character's point of view and what's left unsaid speaks volumes over what is said. There is very little action, so if that's what you are looking for, look elsewhere. But if you like low-key Japanese dramas rife with inner turmoil and redemption, it is definitely worth a watch.

Tokyo Trash Baby

Tokyo Trash Baby is a pretty unique take on emotional isolation mingled with total obsession. Parts of it are so uncomfortable that I found myself cringing. This film is low-budget and looks it, yet, that gives it a strangely voyeuristic quality that only adds to your sympathy for this strange and troubled character. You see Miyuki's frantic desperation build and want to stop her from doing the things she's doing and as she falls deeper into a hole she has dug for herself. Its slow pace may keep some viewers at bay, but realistically, Tokyo Trash Baby is not for mass consumption anyway. 3.5 stars.

Stuck

Watching Stuck is very much like craning your neck to look at the shattered glass and mangled husks of vehicles in a traffic accident as you drive by; you don't really want to look, but something compels you to do so. That same rubber-necking instinct is what made me watch this mess of a film. What saves it is the fact that it's based on a true story. I remember reading about it when it happened. However, the real-life story is far more gruesome than this horrific adaptation for there was no Hollywood ending. The acting is fair to terrible, even by the normally tolerable Mena Suvari and Stephen Rea, and other than the obvious, there is not much action. Really, the only thing that Stuck has going for it is the ability to make you feel terribly wrong for watching it.

Full Metal Yakuza

Like Miike himself, I was drawn to Full Metal Yakuza by the title, but the end result is a straight-to-video film of mediocre quality. Full Metal Yakuza was made when video rental sales were in full swing. Distributors were clambering to fill empty shelves on video store walls. Most of Miike's films made during this period are of questionable quality. Miike, being of questionable quality himself, cashed in on market demand with film after slapdash film. It's a wonder that Miike survived this era and still is able to make films today. I, for one, keep wading through Miike's back catalog since there are, in fact, some hidden gems. Full Metal Yakuza may or may not be one of them depending on your standards and expectations. If you're looking for a not-so-serious, low-budget fantasy film full of violence, half-assed special effects, some brief half-nudity, a little bit of bondage, and lots and lots of gushing blood, this is for you. There are some highlights and the story is nothing if not original, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to anyone who isn't a Miike completist.

Detective Story

Detective Story seems more like a made-for-TV movie than a feature film which would actually account for the strangely blurred-out gore and peculiar editing in some sequences. It's not a bad story, even though I saw the ending coming a mile away, but there was a little too much cheese factor. The comic relief throughout makes the serious parts seem awkward. It seems like Detective Story couldn't decide if it wanted to be a horror film, a comedy or just a straight detective drama. The main character, Kazuya Nakayama, is goofy and bumbling, but also rather believable as the titular detective. Everyone else is just along for the ride. It's called a "shocking thriller" in the synopsis above. As far as shocks and thrills go, Miike has much more available elsewhere. Detective Story would not be one of my highest recommendations. 3.5 stars.

Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell Bastards

Usually, with Suzuki's films, you can expect a standard type plot balanced with more than enough graphic visuals to overcome it, and in some cases, make it really interesting. That's not really the case with Detective Bureau 2-3. There is a little bit of Suzuki-style cinematography (severe angles, cool use of shadows, etc.), but there wasn't enough visual interest here to keep me entertained overall. It did have lots and lots of gun-fighting (not a single person ever ran out of bullets and nobody ever really got hit), a bizarre love triangle, a little bit of kung-fu cinema-esque comic relief (i.e. not really comical), some bad disguises, go-go dancing, and even a Jo Shishido musical number. After all is said and done, this movie was a bit of a let down. It is not one of Suzuki's best. Still, considering that it was probably filmed in a week like most of Suzuki's other Nikkatsu films, it's not bad.

Another Lonely Hitman

Why is it that some Asian films from the mid-90's actually look like they're from the mid-80's? Another Lonely Hitman is a prime example of this bizarre phenomenon. A fresh-out-of-jail hitman bucks the peace between Yakuza clans that has been forged during his 10-year incarceration. Actually, the bulk of the story is about his love affair with a hooker junkie. Ryo Ishibashi is about the best thing in this mediocre and uninspired yakuza flick. While it's not the worst yakuza film I've seen, there's really nothing going on here that would make me recommend it.

Le Samourai

It just doesn't get much cooler than Alain Delon, the poster boy for French antiheros. And when you pair him with the ultimate French gangster film director, Jean-Pierre Melville, you end up with a stylish and sophisticated gangster classic. Typical of Melville, the main characters are laconic men who are masculine without machismo. While the technology in this film is dated, the story still holds up and actually does parallel that of a samurai; keeping your word and doing what you have to do in the name of honor, regardless of the consequences. Realistically, Melville's samurai is more of a ronin - a samurai without permanent employment - think Lone Wolf And Cub or Yojimbo. Le Samorai is the perfect blend of French, existential, gangster angst and lone-wolf, samurai honor. With sparse dialog and taught suspense, Le Samorai is a slick and understated classic.

Lone Wolf and Cub: TV Series: Vol. 1

The Lone Wolf And Cub TV Series has one thing going for it over the Lone Wolf And Cub films; there's more of it. There are episodes of the TV show that aren't covered in the films and it follows the original manga more closely. Initially, I thought there was absolutely no way that Kinnosuke Nakamura could top Shintaro Katsu from the films, but after a few episodes, I fully accepted Nakamura as our noble hero and have even come to enjoy him as Ogami Itto. While the films are faster-paced and have more plentiful action sequences than the TV show, it is still nearly as good. If you are new to Lone Wolf and Cub, I would recommend watching the films first. But, if you are on a Lone Wolf and Cub kick and the Shintaro Katsu films just aren't enough to sate you, the TV show is every bit as worth watching as the films.

I Am an S&M Writer

I Am An S&M Writer sounds intriguing, but the result is not nearly as titillating as the synopsis. Aiming for pure pinku, it narrowly misses the mark. Maybe it's because pinku, like Film Noir, encapsulates a time and place, and this is not it. I Am An S&M Writer does have its share of bondage, (non-graphic) sex and various other assorted sexcapades, but really, considering the premise, it still somehow manages to be fairly boring. There is a fair bit of psychology in this film which is rather interesting, but I would recommend watching Ryuichi Hiroki's other films instead.

Dead Man's Shoes

Finally, someone did an amazing job with the traditional, out for vengeance storyline. Director Shane Meadows co-wrote this near masterpiece with Paddy Considine who is wholeheartedly believable and even quite unnerving as the older brother seeking revenge. Dead Man's Shoes would have been just fine without a surprise twist at the end, but the fact that it has one just makes it all the better. Great casting, great dialog, a little bit of dark comedy, a whole lot of violence and a unique take on a tried and true story, Dead Man's Shoes was a surprisingly great find. 4.5 stars.

Tokyo Rampage

This movie is listed under both Tokyo Rampage and Tokyo Psycho. As far as I can tell, it's the same film, just two separate listings. The Japanese title translates to Pornostar which makes even less sense than Tokyo Rampage or Psycho. There are no stars of the adult variety and there's really not all that much rampaging going on here either; the violence that is there is more in fits and starts. Although there is a particularly brutal (and pretty cool) scene of a multiple stabbing, most of the violence is haphazardly scattered throughout the film and is quite random. Relatively slow, with odd characters and even stranger character motivations, this film is not quite as good as Toyoda's other films, but it has some interesting scenes that make it worth watching if you like his other films. I would also recommend 9 Souls or Blue Spring.

Tokyo Eyes

Tokyo Eyes was not as good as I would have hoped, but I still liked it for some unknown reason. It could be because there's a little bit of Fight Club-ish mischief in here which is always appreciated. It has some plot holes and it was entirely too "love story" for me to really get into, but its interesting premise saved it from being merely another overly dramatic romance. With a strange and tiny cameo from Takeshi Kitano, and solid performances from the lead actors, there's not too much to complain about with this film which is why it gets 3.5 stars, but I wouldn't strongly recommend it.

Bruce Lee: Fist of Unicorn

Even though the box has Bruce Lee's name and picture all over it, and even the special features are all about Bruce Lee, he's not the star of this film. Those clever marketing people took the liberty of plastering his name and image all over Fist of Unicorn simply because he did some of the choreography as a favor to his protege, Unicorn Chan. Even the tagline is a lie - The most exciting kung fu picture ever directed by Bruce Lee. So, if you're looking for a film starring Mr. Lee, look elsewhere. As to the film itself, it's your standard martial arts fare; down-and-out good guy struggling against his master's directive not to fight takes on multiple bad guys and, well, you know the rest. Even with Lee's choreography, it's not the best 70's kung fu movie out there, but it's not the worst either. At least this one has the option of subtitles.

My Gun Is Quick

Using very similar plot devices as the more renown Kiss Me Deadly, My Gun Is Quick is pretty standard fare for a Mike Hammer film. Chock full of misogyny, a few racial slurs, violence, strangely incomplete subplots and general smartassery, My Gun Is Quick fits quite nicely alongside some of its more famous brethren in the gumshoe genre. Robert Bray is actually a better Mike Hammer than Mickey Spillane himself in The Girl Hunters. Visually, this film depicts a snapshot of an era of Los Angeles quite different from its predecessors. In it you can see the seeds of what LA has become today. I still think Kiss Me Deadly is the best Hammer movie, but this one is worth a watch.

Le Doulos

Trickery, betrayal and mystery abound in Melville's treacherous tale. Le Doulos is French slang for an informant and there seems to be one amongst Maurice Faugel's relations. The story centers on finding out who it is before it's too late. With its unique view of Paris in the 60's filmed in rich black and white with deep contrast shadows everywhere, Le Doulos is visually appealing. The only weak spot is the female cast who seem to have no other purpose than to blindly set about making sandwiches and handing over letters when ordered to do so. No matter, the focal point is the interactions between the men and the breakdown of trust therein. With an ending you don't see coming, this homage to gangster classics has become one in its own right.

Kiss of Death

If you mixed Peter Lorre and Joe Pesci together, and made an even more psychotic gangster, you might end up with something like Richard Widmark's character, Tommy Udo, in Kiss of Death. Widmark is hardly recognizable with his sh*t-eating grin and nasally voice. Even though there is a cartoonish quality to Udo, there is a wildly uncontrollable and dangerous undercurrent to him as well. Unfortunately, Widmark's comparatively small role is the most notable part of this relatively staid gangster-turned-stoolie yarn. For the time though, predating the Witness Protection Program, this was cutting edge stuff. Also, at the time, women in wheelchairs weren't typically thrown willy-nilly down flights of stairs and gangsters didn't usually turn out to be good, family material. Although not spectacular or even especially suspenseful, this film is worth seeing if only to watch Widmark's often-imitated, Oscar-nominated, debut performance.

The Buddhist Fist

You'd be hard-pressed to find better martial arts choreography than The Buddhist Fist. Some of the fight sequences are so intricate that they're almost hard to follow. Choreographed by the masterful Yuen Woo-ping, who also did the fight choreography for The Matrix and Kill Bill, The Buddhist Fist has more than enough action to almost overcome the hokey story and the ridiculous characters. It is a 70's martial arts film after all. I think it was required by law that they have at least one hunchback and one character with a really hairy mole and buck teeth. Regardless of the abundance of trite as concerns the story, The Buddhist Fist is one of the most astounding, jaw-dropping classic martial arts films around. If only it was subtitled...

Le Cercle Rouge

A stylish and slick film about a battle of wits between cop and con featuring heists, murder and level-headed criminals. Most notably, Alain Delon as a recently release prisoner, and Yves Montand as a sniper battling with insanity make this film. There is no more dialog than entirely necessary and, fortunately, there are very few female characters; it mainly deals with the interactions of men, Melville's strong suit. The story is rather simple, possibly overly-simple by today's standards, but it's the four main characters that keep Le Cercle Rouge relevant. Its slow pace seems intentional, yet not plodding as every detail eventually fits into the story. Le Cercle Rouge is a classic of French cinema and certainly one of Melville's better films.

Karaoke Terror: The Complete Japanese Showa Songbook

Karaoke Terror was surprisingly better than I thought it would be. Perhaps because I really wasn't expecting much at all. Regardless, it managed to entertain me. It is a very oddball story of dueling murders. Half light-heated, half deathly-serious, it mixes human drama, a little bit of humor, some silliness and some of the oddest Karaoke performances by people who can't really sing into an amusing mishmash of a film. Based on a novel by Ryu Rurakami who also wrote Audition and Tokyo Decadence, Karaoke Terror is just as twisted, but not quite as serious. If you are a fan of that bizarre Japanese humor, you might enjoy this one too.

Neighbor No. 13: Special Edition

Neighbor 13 is not for everyone, not even necessarily for people who are Miike fans. It does have some graphic violence, disconcerting scenes and the like, but it's far from a simple bloodbath. Neighbor No. 13 is a rather sophisticated story of retribution and sense of self. It's a slow-paced story of the ruination of a young boy at the hands of schoolmate torturers. The boy creates an alter-ego, in the effectively disturbing form of Minoru Matsumoto, who is capable of not only vengeance, but of straight murder with ease while the main personality limply watches. None of the characters in this film are all that sympathetic and their actions make them less so as the story progresses. With a little bit of suspense, creepiness, a lot of surrealism and ending that leaves it to your own imagination, Neighbor No. 13 is another outstanding Miike film.

World Sinks Except Japan

Fascinating concept, very low-budget, B-movie execution; World Sinks Except Japan is almost entertaining. Almost. Spoof is the key word here. It pokes fun at almost every country on Earth, especially the US, while aggrandizing Nippon even with little musical interludes. It does have some entertaining moments, but it's mostly unexceptional. Some Gojira movies have better production values, and with the exception of the Japanese cast, the acting is just bad, bad, bad. Especially the "Americans" who are actually mainly European. If you're in the mood for a bad movie that is sometimes almost good, this is the film for you. I might add that not being 100% sober could possibly aid in your enjoyment.

Star of David: Hunting for Beautiful Girls

Usually, when I see "rape, incest, necrophilia and other horrific phenomena" in a synopsis, I assume that the description is more salacious than the actual movie. But here, that description is basically correct. There is a ton of nudity, bondage, torture, sex and violence in this film, and even a scene with a dog. However, it is all implied and not explicit. Still, this film leaves you feeling naughty for having watched it. Star of David is notable since it was the first film Suzuki made for Nikkatsu Studios and it stars Miss Japan, Hiromi Namino, in her film debut. It was quite the shocker at the time since she, like all the other women in this movie, is half-naked. Star of David is everything a pinku film should be; titillating subject matter full of sex, violence and action, and nobody does it better than Norifumi Suzuki. In this particular genre, this is easily a 4 star film.

Osaka Tough Guys

Seeing what Miike is capable of now, it is often a little difficult for me to truly appreciate his older films. Such is the case here. There is quite a bit of seemingly intentional humor in this film which, unfortunately, isn't all that funny. Perhaps it's just a matter of fondness for that type of juvenile antics or perhaps Osaka Tough Guys is just a true reflection of the manga on which this film is based. In any case, Osaka Tough Guys was a mild disappointment. I didn't dislike it (Actually, I can't think of a single Miike film that I do dislike) but, boy, does he have better films. Even from this same time period, I would recommend watching The Way To Fight instead. But, if you are a hardcore Miike fan, Osaka Tough Guys is worth watching. Maybe you'll have better luck finding the funny than I did. If you like Cromartie High School, you might like this film too.

The Widow of St. Pierre

The term "widow" is a double entendre referring to both the black-clad Juliette Binoche as shown in the opening shot and as a casual term for the guillotine. The cast is excellent including the first-time actor Emir Kusturica, better known as a director himself. My only issue with this film is the cinematography featuring a little shaky cam and either really close close-ups or wide shots. It seems as if there are hardly any mid-range shots at all. Overall, The Widow of St. Pierre is a well-acted, historical tearjerker about the cruelty and inflexibility of bureaucracy, and the unexpected course that lives can take.

The Way to Fight

The precursor to Miike's other high school gangland films like Young Thugs and Crows: Episode Zero, The Way To Fight is a clever film rife with societal commentary and unexpected emotional depth. Basically, it has a little bit of everything. The Way To Fight is one of my favorite early Miike movies because of its roller-coaster ride of emotional complexity from sadness one minute to funny in the next. Considering the title, there is actually much less fighting than one would expect. This is not one of Miike's extreme bloodbaths. Essentially, The Way To Fight is a coming of age tale spattered with sadness, humor, violence, the confusion of adolescence and every other emotion that makes up human life.

Crows: Episode Zero

Miike returns to his high school gangland warfare type of films like Fudoh and The Way To Fight, but with even more fighting, special effects and sheer badassery. Crows seems more like a fighting tournament than a straight-up school delinquent story. Each class is led by the best fighter vying to take control of the whole school. Based on a manga, this story seems like a perfect fit for Miike and he handles it admirably without succumbing to silliness or melodrama. Visually, this film is very slick and polished. It looks a lot more big-budget than most of his films and he makes use of it without going over the top (with the possible exception of a certain bowling scene). The acting is good and all of the characters are rather likable. My only complaint is that the music seems below par, but that could just be a matter of taste. Overall, Crows is another really entertaining genre film from Miike. 4.5 stars.

Late Bloomer

Here's something you don't see every day; a film staring a disabled person turned killer. Late Bloomer gets an extra star from me for originality. Unfortunately, the execution of it is a little too film school-ish and edgy where it doesn't need to be. The visuals are a bit too Tetsuo: The Iron Man to tell this particular story. Late Bloomer walks a fine line between exploitation and illumination, but it seems as if the director's intentions were well-meaning and the star seems to be enjoying himself. Late Bloomer is likely to leave you with a mixed bag of emotions and, for me, it is a difficult film to rate and an even harder one to recommend. If I could give half stars, this would be 3.5 star film.

Timecrimes

I'm always a little reticent with time travel stories since they have a tendency to be silly and confusing just by their very nature, but Timecrimes manages to pull it off fairly admirably. It gets an extra star for originality and the fact that its circular storyline isn't nearly as confusing as it should or could have been. Just the sheer number of characters (all the same people, mind you, just at different points in time) twist your brain around a little bit, but it all comes together in the end. For an obviously low budget film, Timecrimes manages pretty good execution of an interesting concept.

The Yakuza Papers

The Yakuza Papers consists of 5 complete films that tell the supposedly true tale of the gangland battle for Hiroshima and its surrounding areas. Set right after the end of WW2, the Yakuza capitalizes on the chaos from Japan's economic and social collapse in the tumultuous post-nuclear era. Each successive film builds on the previous story with many of the same characters throughout. As their underground crime syndicate grows, so do the rivalries, internal struggles and underhanded deals. Because of the large ensemble cast, the complexity of the plot and the span of time that it covers, it may be a little difficult for the casual viewer to keep it all straight, but a little bit of rewinding never hurt anyone. The Yakuza Papers is a time-honored story about loyalty and brotherhood, and the lack thereof, with an excellent cast, great direction, a fine score, tons of brutal violence and gushing blood. If you are a fan of Yakuza flicks or Kinji Fukasaku, it is must-see viewing.

Aragami: The Raging God of Battle

Part of the Duel Project, Kitamura was given two principal actors, one room and only one week to film Aragami. The result is an astoundingly beautiful film, both visually and viscerally, and a film that looks like it took considerably longer to make. The plot is simple good vs. evil fare told almost like folk story with its powerful demons and immortality. When you consider the amount of time it took to make, there is hardly anything to complain about with this film. It has nearly perfect lighting, casting, action, score and some awesomely heavy-handed sound effects make you almost feel every hit. Aragami is a showcase for Kitamura's skill as a director. I'd also recommend watching Yukihiko Tsutsumi's 2LDK, the other half of The Duel Project.

Black Belt

This is not your typical karate movie; there are no wire stunts, preternatural moves, mystical weapons or fights in treetops. Black Belt is straight-up karate like you would find at an exhibition or championship. It is bare-bones fighting between obvious masters. It was a pleasure to see the traditional art of Karate showcased in a more believable way. Unfortunately, there's not much else to praise. The story is formulaic, the acting is fair to terrible, the direction is nice even though it shifts to black and white for no real reason, and there are, not one, but two scenes of a symbolic red balloon flying into the ether. Whatever, it is a karate movie after all. If you're looking for a high-flying, blue-screen action film, you may want to look elsewhere. But if you'd like to see actual karate performed by actual black belts, Black Belt is worth watching.

Odd One Dies

Viewed in context as part of a new wave of 90's Hong Kong films, Odd One Dies is visually original and unique. 10 plus years later, however, it seems cliched, trite and even a little confused. What saves this film from abject failure is the ultra-lovable Takeshi Kaneshiro in his usual nonplussed underachiever role; a type in which he truly excels. But even Kaneshiro cannot stop the steamroll of unnecessary plot points and nonsensical goings-on. Odd One Dies is, by no means, Kaneshiro's finest hour, but there are some truly excellent moments hidden within a sum total of mediocrity. If you're a fan, it's worth a watch, but only with expectations in check.

Ashes of Time Redux

Though many feel this is his best work, Ashes Of Time has never been one of my favorite Wong Kar-Wai films. But he is my favorite Chinese director so, a least favorite film by him trumps many. Not all that much is different; Redux still has the integrity of the original. Unfortunately, the film quality still looks as grainy as ever. The most notable change is a nice, new soundtrack that really seems to add to the epic scale of this film. I've always thought that Ashes of Time is his least accessible film. It certainly is his most ambitious. In fact, during the long, arduous process of making this grueling film in the middle of nowhere China, Wong took a break to make Chungking Express. Only by taking a step back from Ashes of Time could he see it with fresh eyes and finish it the way he wanted. Ashes of Time was the beginning of a productive partnership with his long-time cinematographer, Christopher Doyle. I would also recommend watching the interview with Wong Kar-Wai in the special features. A word of warning for those unfamiliar with the original film who are only interested in a butt-kicking martial arts extravaganza, you may want to look elsewhere.

Pale Flower

Pale Flower is a cynical, nihilistic and existential view of the Yakuza culture and its planetary offshoots; drugs, gambling, violence and murder. It is just about the prettiest film you're likely to see in this genre. Every frame is filled with stark, architectural, black and white compositions, like a photography exhibit. So much so that I tended to be more fascinated with the visuals than with the story. Maybe it's for the best since the story does leave something to be desired. Our hero, the typical level-headed, cool as ice Yakuza-type, meets a girl in a gambling den who is utterly bored with life and keeps testing the limits. He is drawn into her orbit and begins to question his own life, ultimately finding that the Yakuza code is too stringent and ingrained to overcome. If you put this film in context, you can see why it was banned in Japan at the time. However, watching it today, there's not much to get your panties in a twist about. There are much racier films out there from this same era. Pale Flower has little to no nudity and there's not that much violence. The violence that is there is carefully thought out to the point of being almost theatrical. If you are a fan of Yakuza films, it is worth seeing, just don't expect your standard shoot-em-up fare.

Shogun's Samurai

Shogun's Samurai is not the best historical drama out there. In fact, Toei rarely produced the best of anything, but that's fine. Toei films have their place. Shogun's Samurai, a.k.a. Yagyu Clan Conspiracy, is an historical saga set in 17th century Japan full of intrigue, double-crosses and a whole bunch of morally-gray characters. It is as entertaining a film as you will find in the chanbara (samurai action) genre. With a spectacular, star-studded supporting cast including Sonny Chiba, Toshiro Mifune, Yoshio Harada and Etsuko Shihomi, and directed by none other than Kinji Fukasaku, you can't do much better. The ethical incertitude of the story and its characters leaves you unsure as to whom to root for. The only certainty is that Chiba takes his comparatively small part in this film and runs with it. If it weren't for his brooding, tough guy character making an appearance now and then, Shogun's Samurai wouldn't be half as enjoyable. For another movie where Chiba plays Jubei Yagyu, also directed by Fukasaku, watch Makai Tensho: Samurai Reincarnation. And for the record, this film is from 1978, not 1990.

Love & Pop

Considering the title and the cutesy cover art, Love and Pop was a lot rougher than I expected. It's a pretty emotionally hardcore story about high school girls trying to make money through subsidized dating which is basically being a call girl without a pimp. The story consists of psycho pedophiles calling our under-aged heroines to meet their lascivious needs for money. Each successive client increases the level of skeeziness, ramping up to Tadanobu Asano as the most deranged one of them all. Most of the film is shot from the first person point of view using mini spy-cams, giving the whole film a voyeuristic quality and adding to the overall feeling of degradation and helplessness. I am not entirely sure to whom I would recommend this film, but everything from the subject matter to the performances to the cinematography is certainly memorable.

The Great Yokai War

It seems as if Peter Pan met The NeverEnding Story somewhere in Takashi Miike's brain and we ended up with The Great Yokai War. Actually, this film is Miike's take on the Yokai Monsters series from the 60's (also available here). It is a story about a child, but not necessarily a children's story as there are some pretty dark moments. The fantastical plot seems easier to follow if you have at least a cursory knowledge of Japanese folklore. Yokai are supernatural beings that range from good to evil in Japanese mythology. Some are animals, some used to be human and others are inanimate objects that come to life on their one-hundredth birthday which is why you will see such Yokai as a wall, an umbrella or a jar of sake. Visually, parts of this film are devastatingly beautiful, while other parts seem lackluster in comparison. Because of its fairy-tale nature, The Great Yokai War is made up mostly of special effects, but without the big Hollywood budget giving it an almost cartoonish quality. All things considered, it is yet another intriguing film from Miike which showcases his boundless imagination.

Karate for Life

The third film in the Masutatsu Oyama trilogy is, strangely, the most cogent of the three, even though it contains Sonny versus masked wrestlers, a rambling gang of homeless kids, electrocution and assorted other karate escapades. Apparently, all bad guys in the 70's had hidden rooms containing nothing but mirrors since Karate for Life's final battle is pretty much a straight rip-off of the mirrored room in Enter The Dragon. And it seems as though tripods were hard to come by as well because the whole film looks like it was shot with a shaky hand-held camera. Nevertheless, for a Sonny Chiba karate movie, it ain't half bad. Oyama seems to have grown a conscience in this one too; he gives the impression of caring for at least 3 people! There are no bears or bulls assassinated with karate in this one, but a whole lot of people are. Make sure you catch the first films in the trilogy: Karate Bullfighter a.k.a. Champion of Death and Karate Bearfighter.

The Midnight Meat Train

I really wanted to like The Midnight Meat Train, and for a while there, I did. There are some spectacular slow-motion gore scenes and the violence in this movie is just awe inspiring. It's not surprising coming from Ryuhei Kitamura. And when you add Vinnie Jones, it's just got to be good, right? Well, not so much. Part of the problem is that I hated the main character, Leon. He and his insipid girlfriend inspired zero sympathy from me. I could have forgiven that if not for the atrocious resolution. I haven't read the story on which this movie is based, and after seeing the movie, I have absolutely no desire to do so. For most of the film, I was asking why is this happening? I would have been better off not knowing since, once they finally revealed it, I thought it was just about the dumbest thing I've ever seen. I'm giving MMT 3 stars because of the nicely done gore and Vinnie Jones, but really, that is way more than it deserves.

Seven Swords

If not for the slipshod editing, I probably would have given this one 4 stars. Seven Swords has some quality fight sequences, a pretty good cast and, overall, it's visually engaging. The story is essentially the same as Seven Samurai, The Magnificent Seven and about a hundred other films with a little bit of mysticism thrown in for good measure. If someone reworked this film, it could be really good, but as it is, it is an untidy mess of superfluous side plots, inconsistencies and general confusion. I had to rewind a few times to figure out what what happening. As it turns out, that was an exercise in futility since, once I did, rarely did it make much sense anyway. If you care not for plots and are just looking for a mindless martial arts movie, Seven Swords is worth a watch.

The Legend of Red Dragon

Don't let the slick cover art fool you. This movie is indeed pretty terrible. Take one part masked avenger, one part Yakuza flick, one part killing for vengeance, and one part superfluous and unbelievable love story, mix them all together in a big jumble of a mess, and you've got The Legend of Red Dragon. How this film is classified as Martial Arts is beyond me, unless you consider substandard swordfighting an art. I also find it very hard to believe that this movie was made in 2006 since it almost looks like it could be an 80's B-movie. I'm being very generous with a three star rating on this one just because I didn't straight-up hate it.

The Geisha

If not for its enormous length and soap opera-esque quality, I probably would have given The Geisha 4 stars. Ken Ogata is brilliant as well as the rest of the cast, especially Atsuko Asano (Tamako) who was renowned for her roles in romantic comedies at the time. Her part in this film would be equivalent to whichever Disney princess is popular at the moment playing a prostitute and getting into a knock-down, drag-out catfight. I won't go into detail for the sake of spoilers, but the character motivations in this film are more than a little hard to follow. It seems that nearly every character in The Geisha does a few 180's on the subjects of good vs. evil, right vs. wrong or love vs. hate. If you're a Hideo Gosha fan, it is worth seeing. It is definitely a Gosha film with his skill and vision infused. But I would not recommend The Geisha for your average viewer. I would suggest Sword of the Beast or Goyokin instead. And, while we're at it, I'd like to thank Animeigo for producing yet another fine quality dvd with excellent subtitles and historical information.

A Forest with No Name

In the same way that several directors co-opted Kurosawa's Yojimbo character, A Forest With No Name has nearly the same character played by Nagase in Kaizo Hayashi's Maiku Hama trilogy. While the trilogy is a nod to Hollywood private eyes past, this one is rather strange and actually fairly boring. Even the wonderful Masatoshi Nagase and Yoshio Harada in a small part cannot save this one. If you liked the Maiku Hama trilogy and are looking for more of the same, don't bother with this one as it pales in comparison. If you haven't seen the original films, they are all available here: The Most Terrible Time In My Life, The Stairway To The Distant Past and The Trap.

Blood and Bones

Normally, a life's story of a father as told by his son offers up some warm and fuzzies; a story or courage, sacrifice, redemption or some other noble quality. Not so with Blood and Bones. Instead, we find the patriarch of a family as an emotional vampire; sucking the life, love and good out of everyone around him, especially his own family. While everyone else needlessly suffers, this evil, sociopathic jackass revels with abandon at his misdeeds. And, the one time you're hoping that he might use his evil powers for justified retribution on his son-in-law, it doesn't quite work out that way. This is a pretty emotionally difficult film to watch with no upside and no happily ever after. But, it is a nicely filmed period piece with a beautiful score and an interesting, albeit painful, plot. If you want to see what all the fuss is about with Takeshi Kitano, he puts on an excellent performance in Blood And Bones.

Gutterballs

If I could, I would give 5 stars to Gutterballs just for a valiant attempt at reviving the slasher genre. But, all things considered, it left me underwhelmed. If Ryan Nicholson was going for a straight-up 80's slasher film homage including bad acting, a mediocre plot and even worse costumes, hair and makeup, then Gutterballs NAILED it. Personally, if I want an exact carbon copy of an 80's slasher film, I'll watch an 80's slasher film. To be fair, there is some rather creative and spectacular gore, and the action isn't half as bad as it could have been. Some of the murder scenes were most excellent indeed. It's just too bad that there weren't more of them. Strangely, the special effects may just be the most realistic thing about Gutterballs, but even that is a stretch. Even though it didn't completely meet my expectations, I didn't dislike this film at all. I would recommend watching it if you love 80's slasher films.

Karate Bullfighter

Karate Bullfighter (a.k.a. Champion of Death) is the first film in a trilogy based on a manga which is supposedly based on the real life of martial arts legend Masutatsu Oyama. How true to life this story could actually be is questionable. Animal lovers may want to pass since Sonny karate chops the horns off a bull. That in itself is pretty durn ridiculous, but wait, then there's the ludicrous love story. I know if a man raped me, I'd follow him around the country like a love-sick puppy yelling "Oyama" from moutaintops as he turned me down once again in favor of karate. Then there's the long "Sonny on the farm" interlude before he takes on about a hundred opponents at once. Well, anyway, it's Sonny Chiba, it's the 70's and it's karate. We're not talking about brain surgery. If you like Sonny Chiba martial arts flicks, this one's good for a rainy Sunday afternoon and a laugh. Also check out the other two films in the trilogy, Karate Bearfighter and Karate For Life.

Karate Bearfighter

It's a shame that the first movie of the Masutatsu Oyama trilogy, Karate Bullfighter (a.k.a. Champion of Death), is not available here. But, no matter, you can watch the films individually. If you haven't seen the first film, it gives the backstory of a poor and humble karate fledgling struggling to become a master and literally karate chopping the horns off a rampaging bull to save some dumbfounded villagers. In Karate Bearfighter, our man Oyama is already a legend with word of his heroic deed spreading like wildfire. While Karate Bullfighter is more of a folkloric tale of bravery, in Karate Bearfighter, Oyama takes on a bear for sport rather than heroics. Even though the first film has a rather gruesome and bloody scene involving a bull, fear not animal lovers, there is no actual bear here; it's more of a man in a bear suit. Or maybe it's actually a bear in a bear suit... Anyway, Karate Bearfighter is every bit as ridiculous and the first and third films of the series, probably even more so. But, if you like Chiba films, it's worth a watch. Make sure to queue up Karate For Life too.

Repo! The Genetic Opera

Twisted Pictures should pack up the script, sets, costumes and, hell, even Sarah Brightman, and ship it off to Asia. Then, maybe, just maybe, they could take it and turn it into something I might enjoy watching. Nobody can make a wacky movie like this better than the Japanese. Had they infused a little bit of humor here and there, cut back on the singing by about 70% and not taken themselves so damn seriously, this might have been worth watching. As it is, Repo! is trying so hard that it fails on all counts. So, my rating is as follows; +1 star for Sarah Brightman, +1 for Alexa Vega, +1 for story, +1 for sets and +1 for visuals. -1 star for the rest of the cast, a separate -1 for putting that overworked hack, Paris Hilton, on film, and -1 for pretty much singing the entire film. Even The Rocky Horror Picture Show has lines of dialogue scattered throughout. Repo!, you disappoint me.

Speed Grapher

Aside from the awkwardly strange, nearly pedophiliac relationship between the two main characters, I really liked this series. Because I have been burned by the endings of so many other series which either make no sense, or worse, they don't have an ending at all, I was half expecting Speed Grapher to end with a song and dance number or random puppydogs shooting lasers out of their eyes. Fortunately, there was none of that. The ending is intelligible and altogether fitting. While it's not the best series I've ever seen, Speed Grapher's comparably short length makes it approachable and kept me entertained all the way through.

Blue Spring

Realistically, this movie shouldn't get a 4 star rating. It has basically been done before. Take any movie where a bunch of delinquents rule the school and run rampant beating people with baseball bats, and you have Blue Spring. But, there is something about this movie that caught me. Whether it be the stylistic visuals, the offbeat characters, an excellent soundtrack or a touch of low-key humor, Blue Spring suckered me in. This is not a realistic look at high school in any way. This is not your typical school and these are not your typical students. Blue Spring is more of a twisted coming of age tale where violence and posturing are king. When it was over, it left me wanting more.

Beau Travail

If you want to see an hour and a half of nicely built, sweaty men doing testosterone-driven exercises that almost look like some sort of ballet, this is the movie for you. It seems that Claire Denis is a big fan of the buttocks and I can't say as I blame her. There are some nice ones on display in this film. For eye candy, you can't do much better than Beau Travail. As for substance, action, interesting characters or anything resembling a plot, there's not much of it here. If you're looking for something that's more like a movie than a workout video, you may want to look elsewhere.

Father of the Kamikaze

Someone needs to show the Japanese how to make an effective war action film. I'm starting to think that perhaps it really does take a big, Hollywood-style budget to make decent dogfighting scenes after all. When you can see the wires from which the planes are hanging, you need some help in the special effects department. The flying scenes are made up of either actual aerial footage or of props that look like they were leftover from Gojira. Father of the Kamikaze also has far too much historical information scrolling across the screen and it is on the wrong side of long. Aside from that, its historical context is spot on, it has a great cast, including the wonderful Koji Tsuruta as the father of the kamikaze himself, and it is a powerful film overall. If you are at all curious about how the Japanese came up with the concept of suicide missions and put them into practice, this is your movie.

Gilgamesh

I read the reviews saying that Gilgamesh is good until the end. Well, always the pragmatist, I had to see for myself. Yup, they're right. I had previously rated Gilgamesh 4 stars. And, had I not seen the last episode, it might have remained as such. This series may win a prize for the dumbest way to end a series I've ever seen. The "revelation" as to what Tear is is just absolute crap and it only gets worse from there. So, if you want to watch this series, I would recommend watching episodes 1 through 25. When it comes to episode 26, just make up your own ending. Believe me, whatever ending you can imagine is going to be 10 times better and less infuriating than what exists.

The Wages of Fear

A fabulous critique of humanity as viewed through testosterone-colored glasses. In a remote and desolate region of South America, when an American oil well erupts in flame, the company hires four penniless and stranded men to drive several tons of nitroglycerin to arrest the fire. None of the four are courageous; they are all in it for the money and the freedom it will provide from this poor and hopeless town in which they find themselves trapped. Yet, they become heroic by way of their desperation. The story itself seems rather farcical yet, Clouzot manages to infuse every inch of it with social commentary and tension. From the endless boredom of their days before the fire to the vivid depiction of sheer agony as the plucky drivers slowly inch towards their goal. Don't let Wages of Fear's austere and sluggish beginning fool you. Once it gets going, there's no stopping it, much like the trucks themselves.

Nightmare Detective

I was mildly disappointed by Nightmare Detective. I am a fan of Shinya Tsukamoto because you never really know what to expect from him besides really awesome visuals. But this one just wasn't scary at all. In fact, it was sort of goofy. I'll still give it 3 stars for execution of concept in the sense that, for what it is, it is tolerably written and, visually, it's still pretty cool. But overall, it was a let down. A vaguely interesting premise, tons of gushing blood and the adorable Ryuhei Matsuda as the Nightmare Detective couldn't really save this one. If you're a Tsukamoto fan, you might want to watch it just because. But, realistically, he has much better films in his oeuvre and I'd have a really hard time recommending this one.

Ninjitsu / Ninja Hunt / Purple Hood Ninja / Purple Hood Ninja 2

First, to clear up some wrong information, these films were not made in 2008, none of them were directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, nor do they star Toshiro Mifune. There is another film loosely called Ninjitsu (Yagyu Bugeicho) directed by Inagaki with Mifune that was released in the same year. So, if you, like me, are queueing this hoping to see an Inagaki film starring Mifune, good luck finding it because this is not it. As for the films that are here, there are 4 films on this 2-sided disc, all subtitled with surprisingly decent picture quality. Purple Hood Ninja 2 (1982) is not so much a sequel to Purple Hood Ninja (1958) as it is a remake. If I had to recommend a version to watch, it would be the first one since the 1982 version seems like a made for tv movie. If Robin Hood were a ninja, you might end up with something similar to the Purple Hood films. On the flip side of the disc are Ninjutsu gozen-jiai (1957) and Ninja Hunt (1964). Ninjitsu seems every bit like those 1950's Saturday morning matinee movies that parents would shuffle their kids off to see. It features ridiculous special effects and an ultra-heroic ninja superhero fighting evildoers. As for Ninja Hunt, it is by far the best of the four films and I wish it hadn't been lumped in with the other three. It is a darkly tense thriller full of violence, treachery and an historic backdrop. This set is worth getting if only to watch Ninja Hunt alone.

Tokyo Gore Police

Had I not seen The Machine Girl first, I would have thought this was the best thing since sliced bread. But, since I did, Tokyo Gore Police seems like another attempt by Nikkatsu Studios to cash in on buckets and buckets of gore. And that is precisely what this movie has, along with a fairly original backstory, dubious special effects, a barely capable female heroine, some Robo-Cop style commercials scattered throughout and one amazingly cool swordfighting scene towards the end. Plus, gore, gore, gallons of gushing blood and some more gore. Obviously, if you liked The Machine Girl, you'll probably like this film too. Just don't expect it to surpass it.

Battle of Okinawa

Battle of Okinawa, why are you so long? Had this film been shorter, it would have been a brutally naturalistic glimpse at what went on inside those hollowed out caves on Okinawa. But as it is, it's just too much. And I don't mean that the editing was shoddy. I mean that there are too much guts, trauma and visceral emotion thrown at the screen for that period of time. And when you add in actual newsreel footage, it takes the atrocities to a whole different level. Anyone watching this already knows how it's going to end, so, the tension that is there is all the more painful to watch. If you are curious to see the Japanese perspective on this WW2 Pacific theater battle, there is no better exemplar than Battle of Okinawa, but be prepared for a poignant viewing experience.

Afraid to Die

A rather disjointed Yakuza film with several convoluted and flimsy story lines all intersecting like a fishing net caught in a propeller. Every character seems to have murky motives and displays behavior ranging from decent to downright dastardly. The direction is outstanding and the acting is fair, although it is painfully obvious that Yukio Mishima had never done any acting before. The most interesting thing about the film is the back story. Yasuzo Masumura and Yukio Mishima having gone to the same law school and meeting again later as actor and director, Mishima's hotheaded, unstable, violent style of acting as a prelude his ritualistic suicide 10 years later... There are many interesting tidbits about this film, some of which are contained in the special features. Afraid To Die is an entertaining Yakuza film, but Yasuzo Masumura has done much finer films in his prolific career. If you're curious about Yukio Mishima's strange and short life, watch Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters by Paul Schrader.

Princess Raccoon

A bizarre, visual feast of a musical about a love affair between a man and a tanuki, which is really more of a mischievous woodland spirit than an actual raccoon in the mammal sense of the word. But lack of bestiality doesn't deter this film from its course into full-on surreality. Princess Raccoon is the last of Seijun Suzuki's films available on NF and the only one I hadn't seen. I put this one off for a while because, quite honestly, it sounded ridiculous. But, as soon as it started playing, I fell under its spell. Princess Raccoon is like a children's story or a fable come to life with a good cast, interesting costumes, absolutely mind-blowing sets and, as with all Suzuki films, it is gorgeously shot. Even the song and dance numbers didn't bother me. The visuals and direction are so theatrical in nature that it almost looks like three dimensional animation at times. This film is not for everyone. But if you are a Suzuki fan or like strange and beautiful Japanese films, Princess Raccoon is worth watching.

Adrenaline Drive

I'm surprised the overall rating for this film is so low. Cute, clever, engaging and pretty funny, Adrenaline Drive is an entertaining oddball Japanese film. You have to be a fan of that quirky, understated Japanese humor to really enjoy this movie though so maybe that's why. There are a couple of minor plot holes but nothing that threw me off track enough to make it an issue. Adrenaline Drive reminds me a lot of Katsuhito Ishii's Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl. I mean that in a good way. In fact, after watching this film, I threw in my copy of Shark Skin Man and would recommend watching them as a double feature.

Sabu

Just when you think you have Miike all figured out, you watch something like Sabu; a straight-forward and conventional historical drama about friendship. There is nothing shocking or disturbing about this film in the traditional Miike sense. There is hardly any gushing blood and very little violence. In a subdued and deft manner, Sabu explores the themes of honor and loyalty through the trials and tribulations of two life-long friends. Though not a samurai film per se, Sabu actually reminds me a bit of Yoji Yamada's samurai trilogy with its unique view of the Japanese caste system. If you like Sabu, I'd also recommend The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honor.

Scrap Heaven

Nicely composed with an interesting story, compelling characters and a bit of dark humor, Scrap Heaven is a perfect little gem of a movie. Run-down and scared, when Shingo finds himself unable to act in a life-threatening hostage situation, he begins to question everything. Aided by another audacious survivor of the incident, he changes himself from the inside out. But, when his well-intended actions begin to impact the world around him, he has to come to terms with the unintended consequences. Part Fight Club, part American Beauty, but still wholly Japanese, Scrap Heaven is one of the best character studies ruminating on the meaning of life that I've run across in quite a while. The synopsis up top barely scratches the surface.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

Unlike most other reviewers, I didn't dislike I'll Sleep When I'm Dead. In fact, I rather liked it. Yes, the pacing is slow. Yes, there is a lot of build up and character development. But these things are necessary to properly tell the story and engage the viewer. Alright, maybe some of you weren't engaged, but I was. I tend to love anti-heros and man versus world themes. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead has both. Malcolm McDowell just makes every movie a little bit better and Clive Owen is excellent as he slowly turns from a peaceful loner in the woods of northern England into a one-man urban attack force. If you're looking for a shoot-em-up gangster action flick, go elsewhere. But, if you like your revenge served cold, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead is worth a watch.

Shinobi: Heart Under Blade

Gushing blood, wire stunts, pretty good special effects, an historical backdrop, over the top everything and a doomed romance as an added bonus. Unlike the synopsis would lead you to believe, Shinobi is not predominantly about a love affair. There is little to no inbred hate snuffing out forbidden love. It is actually about the clash of two ancient ninja clans with the Tokugawa government. Shinobi walks the line of campy but still somehow manages to remain sincere. Based on the anime series Basilisk, it's reminiscent of Azumi and maybe even The Machine Girl with its surreal fantastical quality but with ninjas instead of chainsaws. For what it is, it is a really entertaining movie. Suspend your disbelief at the door and don't take it all that seriously and you should enjoy Shinobi as I did.

Hancock

Is there a single Will Smith movie in existence that doesn't have gaping plot holes? If there is, I haven't seen it. Granted, if at all possible, I try to avoid his movies altogether, so what I have seen is limited. Hancock has surpassed Independence Day in my book for most glaring plot inconsistencies. I didn't think that was possible. Did the writers just not think things through at all before they went willy-nilly adding completely nonsensical plot points? Or did they just think nobody would notice? Well, I noticed. I won't go into what's wrong with this movie for the sake of spoilers and the fact that it would take up far too much room, but never again will I bash my head against the wall that is Will Smith movies. Lesson learned.

Dersu Uzala

I didn't dislike this film, but I didn't like it either. It is very Kurosawa in the human connection sense, but there's just as much that isn't. Had I stumbled across it without knowing who directed it, there's a good chance I wouldn't have surmised that it was Kurosawa at all. Dersu Uzala is basically a long, drawn out story with very little action and very little forward movement to the plot. That being said, it does have moments of that are absolutely touching and heartfelt. As a character, Dersu is a rather likable chap, but he does seem like an amalgamation of every indigenous, Native American type character in the old Hollywood westerns. I wouldn't necessarily recommend Dersu Uzala to anyone who isn't a Kurosawa completist. But, if you are, it's worth watching if only to mark it off the list.

Time

One of the things I like about Ki-duk Kim is that you never quite know what to expect when you watch his films. All you're pretty much assured of is amazing cinematography and a quirky story about emotional isolation of some variety. While the premise is more than a little unbelievable, the emotional impact of this movie cannot be denied. Time is like 3-Iron (in fact, the main character is editing scenes from 3-Iron) in the sense that it's a rather odd love story, but it deals more with insecurity and self-doubt. Though the plot is not especially complicated, it is quite profound. Moments of levity and a real sense of humanity soften this heartbreaking and strange tale of obsession.

Tokko

Tokko is positively great except for the ending. As is the case with a lot of anime series, it sucked me in only to have it peter out and go nowhere in the end. But I have hope that, someday, maybe they'll release more. If they do, I will be first in line. Tokko is a great blend of human drama mixed with a little horror, tons of gushing blood and dismembered limbs, and even a dash of romance. Original story, great characters and nicely produced artwork will leave you wanting more.

Sway

Why has hardly anyone seen this movie? Talk about hidden gems. A human drama in the guise of a murder mystery, Sway is beautifully shot, emotionally intense and thought provoking. Jo Odagiri is fabulous as the black sheep of the family who reluctantly returns home when his mother dies. When an unforeseeable accident occurs, he is dragged back into the life he had left behind. Sway is not action-packed. In fact, the pacing is rather slow. But the twists and turns that do happen keep you guessing to the very end. The recounting of events is mildly reminiscent of Kurosawa's Rashomon with differing outcomes of the story shown from each perspective. Sway is an example of great contemporary Japanese film-making.

The Bow

If it weren't for the ending, The Bow would have easily earned 4, maybe even 5 stars from me. But, as it is, its confusing, surreal and slapdash conclusion just sort of ruined it. In usual Ki-duk Kim fashion, he explores isolation and the frailty of human emotional connection with a story of a young girl and the old man who took her in as a child. The entire film takes place on a desolate fishing boat which makes up the entirety of her universe. As is typical with Kim, this film is beautifully shot and has very little dialog. The Bow conveys more with expressions and body language than most movies do with words. In my opinion, this film is not the best of Kim, but it is worth watching if only to see the full range of his films.

Kagemusha

Epic is a word that comes to mind. Epic in scope, timeline, scenery, costumes, cinematography and certainly in length, Kagemusha is a must-see for fans of historical(ish) Japanese dramas. Because of its grand scale, Toho Studios ran out of money to fund it. So, George Lucas and Francis Ford Copolla stepped in to arrange financing which is why you'll see their names incongruously appear in the credits. While the Takeda/Kagemusha plotline is fiction, the backdrop of pre-Tokugawa era Japan is nearly perfectly historic. Typical of Kurosawa, Kagemusha, while telling a tale of intrigue and warfare, is also a philosophical treatise on Japan's class system and traditional way of life. If you aren't a Tatsuya Nakadai fan to begin with, you will be after seeing Kagemusha.

Nobody Knows

I wasn't expecting Nobody Knows to be quite as evocative as it was. The fact that it's based on a true story just adds to its poignancy. There is nothing sentimental about this film. If anything, the voyeuristic quality of the camera-work makes you feel as if you're not part of the story at all, but merely helplessly watching it unfold. The sense of hopelessness Akira experiences as he is responsible for feeding his family yet incapable of earning a way to do so is really difficult to bear at times. It sucker punches you with its gradual downward spiral. Nobody Knows is an emotionally difficult movie to watch, yet, the circumstances in the movie are even less miserable than the events on which it was based.

The Trap

The third and final film in the Maiku Hama Private Investigator Trilogy is the strangest of them all. The Trap borders on silly. Where the first two are homages to private eyes of Hollywood past, the third is more of a Scooby-Doo Mystery mixed with a stylish comic book ethos. With its complicated plot involving creepy serial killers, anonymous poetical notes sent by fax, lethal perfume and Maiku being framed for the crime and going on the lam, it does bend the boundaries of reality a little more than the first two films. The Trap is my least favorite of the three films but still a worthy addition to the series. All in all, it is a neat, yet open-ended, wrap up to the trilogy. After watching all three films, it leaves me wanting more.

Street of Shame

The final film in Mizoguchi's Fallen Women series shares the same theme as the others; women in precarious predicaments trying to survive by any means necessary. Street of Shame centers around one particular brothel just as a fight over the legality of prostitution is happening in post-war Japan. The battle as to whether prostitution empowers women or degrades them wages on. Several prostitutes and their individual stories are showcased with heartbreaking frankness. Street of Shame is just as tragic and brutal as the other films in this series and, just like the preceding films, it is not the best of Mizoguchi. But they are all worth watching for a pre- and post-war peek into morality in Japan.

Black Tight Killers

Visually, Black Tight Killers is reminiscent of Seijun Suzuki films. Day-glo sets, extreme camera angles and good and interesting cinematography overall. But the difference lies in the end result. While Suzuki would have taken this same story and turned it into a low-budget masterpiece, Yasuharu Hasebe barely managed to produce a so-so exploitation film. There's really nothing special about it. Nearly everything in this film can be seen in any other film from this same era. Black Tight Killers is basically a little bit of go-go dancing and a whole lot of meh. If you're looking for great Japanese films from the 60's, don't watch a Suzuki-imitator, watch the original instead.

Women of the Night

The third film in Mizoguchi's Fallen Women series is very similar to the first two. Nearly identical themes of women in peril doing what they feel they have to do in order to survive. Plus, trickery, betrayal and even more evil men whose seemingly sole purpose is to extort women. Women of the Night obviously has a post-war slant lacking in the first two films in the series. Complete with bombed-out buildings and the social degradation that the lower classes succumbed to in a post-war world. Women of the Night actually reminds me a bit of Seijun Suzuki's Gate of Flesh with its war-tattered sets and female on female violence. Even though, in my opinion, the heavy-handed ending hits you over the head with morality, for what it is, Women of the Night is just as good a story of ruination and redemption as the other films in this series.

The Stairway to the Distant Past

The second film in the Maiku Hama Private Investigator Trilogy is also a tribute to detective movies of the Hollywood era just like the first. While The Most Terrible Time In My Life is more setup than substance, The Stairway to the Distant Past picks up where the first film left off with a darker, more complicated story shot in color. When Maiku reluctantly agrees to take a case, he comes face to face with his past. If you've seen The Most Terrible Time In My Life, you should check back in with the characters in this film. As far as sequels go, Stairway To A Distant Past does the first film justice by bringing more depth to its already likable characters. Shot on location in Taiwan, The Stairway to the Distant Past is a great neo-noir detective story.

Zero Focus

An unusual Japanese film for the era, Zero Focus is as tense a murder mystery as any. It is an old-fashioned Whodunnit in the spirit of Sam Spade or Mike Hammer except the tenacious investigator isn't a detective at all, but rather a newlywed bride. Married for only a week when her husband disappears, Teiko goes on a quest to find out what happened to him and what she discovers is a web of deceit. Shot in lush black and white looking every bit like a film noir, Zero Focus is a tense psychological exploration of how little we actually know about those closest to us. If you like murder mysteries, film noir or Hitchcock, Zero Focus will not disappoint.

Osaka Elegy

Osaka Elegy is considered Kenji Mizoguchi's first masterwork eventually leading to his reputation as one of Japan's most revered directors. For 1936, it contains some pretty provocative themes including adultery and prostitution. This incisive melodrama tells the story of an average girl forced into some precarious circumstances which spiral out of control and, eventually, cast her out of her world. Full of lecherous old men, an ungrateful family and very few choices, Ayako's future is grim, at best. Osaka Elegy doesn't quite have the mesmerizing imagery of Mizogushi's later films like Ugetsu but its sparse black and white seems more fitting to tell this harsh story.

Sisters of the Gion

As with most of Mizoguchi�s films, women are at the forefront of this narrative. Sisters of Gion is about two sisters, both geisha, trying to get out of dire financial straights. While the older sister is preoccupied with love, the younger sister is a wholly manipulative character whose world begins to crumble because of her actions. Neither sister is particularly sympathetic and, for that matter, neither are any of the men surrounding them. This is a bitter film which will leave you questioning. Shot in the same deep-contrast black and white as Osaka Elegy, if you are a fan of Mizoguchi, it's worth seeing, just don't expect a Cinderella story.

Shadows in Paradise

The first film in Aki Kaurismaki's Proletariat Trilogy finds our down and out protagonist in uncharted waters as his life is turned upside-down. Matti Pellonpaa is the very definition of every-man. He's not exceptionally smart, good-looking, motivated or outgoing in any way. Like Hitchcock, Kaurismaki uses average people in this trilogy and Nikander is, by all definitions, as average as it gets. With that incredibly wry Finnish humor that will fly right over your head if you're not paying attention, Shadows in Paradise is really a hope against hope love story. There aren't that many Finnish films on NF so, your choices are limited. But, if you'd like to explore this underrated Scandinavian country's films, I'd highly recommend watching Kaurismaki. The Proletariat Trilogy continues with Ariel and The Match Factory Girl.

Ariel

The protagonist in this, the second film in Kaurismaki's Proletariat Trilogy, finds his life going from bad to worse in the blink of an eye. In a snowball effect, Turo Pajala loses his job, his father, his money and his home practically overnight. Proving that there is humor to be found in everything, through this bleak tale of troubles, Ariel manages to be incredibly witty and entertaining in an underhanded way. Matti Pellonpaa, the protagonist from the first film, is also in Ariel in a much different role as a career criminal. Kaurismaki's films are not for everyone. But if you appreciate droll humor in the darkest of circumstances and situations very reminiscent of film noir, Ariel is worth watching. If you like this film, watch the other two films in the trilogy; Shadows in Paradise and The Match Factory Girl.

Death Note

I'm really not sure why this film was even necessary nor why I felt the need to watch it. For what it is, it is a relatively faithful live-action adaptation of the manga and anime, but you might as well just watch the animated series. The only difference between the series and this film, other than the obvious, is that this is a condensed version of the story. It covers more ground in just over two hours than the first few series discs combined. So, if you are looking for a CliffsNotes version of the anime or manga, this is the film for you. Like most fans of Death Note, I've been impatiently waiting for more of the animated series. I really just want to know how this thing is going to end. But, if you're looking for a resolution to the story, you will not find it here. It is quite evident that there is a live-action part 2 coming down the pike. Personally, I think I'll be skipping that in favor of the anime.

Saiyuki Reload: Gunlock

I have now sat through Saiyuki, Saiyuki Reload and Saiyuki Reload: Gunlock and, other than geographically, our intrepid heroes are no closer to quelling the demon problem than they were in the first series. All three series are jam-packed full of subplots; most of them entertaining, some of them seem like they've been done before, even in Saiyuki. What keeps me bashing my head against the same Saiyuki wall are the characters. I've grown to really like these guys and want to see them succeed. After half a lifetime of watching the gang head west, I was hoping for a little progress on the main plot in the third series. So far, that hasn't really happened. Well, there's always the movie....

Stalker

A crazy, post-apocalyptic film with an unusual storyline, gorgeous cinematography, a little bit of creepiness, and a dash of suspense and action. Stalker sucks you into Tarkovsky's world whether you really want to go there or not. The only real issue I have with Stalker is that, like a lot of Tarkovsky films, every shot is at least 5 to 30 seconds longer than entirely necessary. There's a tracking shot along the water-covered floor of an abandoned building that, while beautiful and even interesting, takes up what seems like at least a half an hour. If you go into Stalker knowing that it is a movie to which you need to give your full attention and almost 3 hours, it is most definitely worth watching. I originally rated Stalker 3 stars. A week or more after watching it, I was still thinking about it, so I upgraded it to 4. Any movie that can make me think about it long after I've seen it deserves a rating upgrade.

The Most Terrible Time in My Life

This Japanese take on Mike Hammer is obviously an homage to all the great private eyes of Hollywood past. Filmed entirely in black and white, it even looks like a noir. It succeeds in taking the best from the past and mixing it with contemporary Japan. With a taut story full of twist and turns, suspense, some very subdued humor and Masatoshi Nagase as the thread-worn gumshoe, The Most Terrible Time in My Life is definitely worth watching if you are a fan of detective movies or neo-noir. If you like this film, there are two others in the series; The Stairway to the Distant Past and The Trap.

The Return

A visually gorgeous portrayal of some really messed up father/son relationships. The Return has some emotionally intense scenes so, if that's not your thing, give it a pass. That being said, this highly-charged emotional drama should not be missed. Everything from the story to the acting in The Return is above average and the cinematography is nothing short of brilliant. I don't want to gush too much about the visuals since they are only part of what makes this film great, but The Return is so well constructed that the scenery becomes another integral character and it takes a while to fully disengage from this world once it's over. The Return is one of those films that you will think about long after you've seen it. My esteem for this film was increased two-fold when I discovered that this was Andrei Zvyagintsev's first film. From now on, I will pay close attention to anything by this director.

Tycoon: A New Russian

Tycoon is a well-executed Russian gangster tale brimming with betrayal and subterfuge. Its circular storyline tells the tale of Platon Makovski's rise and fall in the new world of Russian capitalism following the fall of the Soviet Union. While not strictly a political or sociological film, Tycoon does have some elements of historical context, but first and foremost, it's intended to be an entertaining crime drama. On that count, it succeeds.

Twenty-Four Eyes

Some viewers will think that this movie is an overly dramatic tearjerker. And, seeing it now, over 50 years after its initial release in a country in which the filmmaker never intended it to be seen, they may be right. But, if you put Twenty-Four Eyes in context, it is a reminder of all the hardships and sacrifices made by those who lived and survived through the tough times of the pre-war and WW2 eras. If you can somehow infuse the Japanese mentality of never surrender and everything for the country to your own post-war American ideals, you'll understand why it is such an important and beloved film in Japan, even to this day. Twenty-Four Eyes is the heart-tugging story of an ultimate mother figure and her ill-fated students. It is a tearjerker and makes no pretenses about it. For a little bit of insight into the lower classes of Japan during and before the war, you can't do much better than Twenty-Four Eyes.

The Eel

What a quirky film this is. With a some dark humor, drama, intrigue and even romance, The Eel is an entertaining investigation of the frailty of the human condition in all its forms. Co-written and beautifully shot by Imamura, The Eel is essentially a character study, at times, showing flashes of genius and, at others, trudging through a parade of somewhat related characters and subplots. Initially, some of the characters seem like stereotypical cardboard cutouts, but by the end, I found myself genuinely caring what happens to all of them. If you like offbeat Japanese films, you will probably enjoy The Eel just as I did.

The Wolves

Tatsuya Nakadai, Noboro Ando, gang wars, trickery, betrayal, violence, female assassins, swordplay, gushing blood, doomed love affairs, tattoos, sex, traditional Japanese drumming and even a puppy; Yay! The Wolves has it all. Every contrived and cliched yakuza and samurai theme is used in this movie, and yet, it all works beautifully. Tatsuya Nakadai with his brooding, sad eyes and Noboro Ando, who really was yakuza before becoming an actor, square off magnificently as the 2nd lieutenants of two corrupt gang bosses who have come to a temporary peace. Each gang is vying for total control and, ultimately, they will screw anyone in their way to the top with disastrous results. If you are a fan of the samurai and/or yakuza genres, you will find sheer entertainment in all its trite glory with The Wolves.

Samurai Gun

Unlike everyone else who reviewed this series, I didn't hate it. It kept me interested enough to rent all 4 discs. I'm a huge fan of the samurai genre, although, Samurai Gun is certainly not historically accurate in any way. I also tend to be more permissive of anime than live-action for some reason. Now that my excuses are made, I will say that there are some rather likable antihero characters in this series and the action, although there isn't a ton of it, is done better than some other series I've seen. Even the story line is fairly original with a blend of the historical and the fantastical mixed to form a rather dark and complex drama. Samurai Gun is NOT chock full of comedy, action or meticulous historical context, so, if that's what you're looking for, go elsewhere. But, if you're into anime for adults that is more than what it seems, it's worth checking out, just don't expect a finite ending.

Vengeance Is Mine

Great story of a remorseless, emotionless, motiveless killer on a spree. Our chameleon protagonist uses charm, fake names and professions to get people to trust him so that he can either steal their money, kill them or both. With sex, violence and even some humor (I loved the haiku about the can opener), Vengeance is Mine is an excellent exploitation film. Imamura shows his directing ability in this film with many cool shots, but they are so subtle that, for the most part, you don't notice them unless you really pay attention. My only complaint with Vengeance is Mine is that it is a bit long. Because of the length, the pacing isn't quite as brisk as it could have been.

Synesthesia

Let's see. Where to begin? The synopsis here has Synesthesia listed as a disease. It is not. Synesthesia is not a disease, a virus, a disorder or a syndrome. It's more akin to a neurological phenomenon and up to 1 in 23 people in the world experience it. It is no more harmful or uncommon than being color-blind. For those of you unfamiliar with Synesthesia, it's when two of your senses (smell, touch, sight, sound and taste) work in collusion to form a new sensory outlook. For instance, tasting words or seeing music. But being familiar with Synesthesia may actually do more harm than good when it comes to understanding this movie. They might as well have come up with an entirely new or different neurological condition for the movie since Synesthesia is not really what they ended up with. Whoever researched this film should be fired. If you're curious about Synesthesia, I would recommend any number of other sources of information just a click away as this film really isn't worth your time.

Young Thugs: Nostalgia

Young Thugs: Nostalgia is a prequel to Young Thugs: Innocent Blood. While Innocent Blood explores their teenage years, Nostalgia goes back to Riichi and the gang's childhood. In an entertaining and offbeat way, Nostalgia explains how our protagonists became who they are. There are some really entertaining scenes in this movie - anyone who remembers their childhood should be able to relate - but there are just as many hardships and sorrows. Nostalgia brings that sense of hopelessness of being tied and dependent upon your parents to the forefront. Trapped in a situation you can't control but with imagination enough to escape it, Nostalgia is a pretty realistic snapshot of some less than perfect childhoods.

Young Thugs: Innocent Blood

Young Thugs: Innocent Blood follows our antihero protagonist, Riichi, as he destroys his relationships and gets into fight after fight to protect his turf. Based on the autobiographical novel by Riichi Nakaba, Innocent Blood is one of Miike's best character studies. It is full of heartbreak, drama, violence and comedy. Riichi is an incredibly imperfect character who makes some pretty big mistakes and has to learn live with them. The depth of feeling and understanding for Innocent Blood's characters is augmented by watching Young Thugs: Nostalgia. So, after you watch this film, make sure you watch its prequel too.

The Bodyguard

If you're looking for a Tony Jaa martial arts movie, look elsewhere. Don't be fooled by Jaa's top billing since he is only in one scene. The Bodyguard is a mildly entertaining action comedy with scenes that are trying to be funny, and sometimes succeed, surrounded by some satisfactory but not extraordinary stunts. Instead of Jaa, the star of the show is his sidekick from The Protector, Petchtai Wongkamlao, who also co-directed. For what it is, it's not a bad little film. A bit predictable maybe... It's like a cross between Cinderella and any other movie with the bodyguard as a title. It's not fabulous but I don't feel like an idiot for having spent time watching it.

Descendants of Darkness

Descendants of Darkness is a nice little series with seamless animation and a story with a good mix of supernatural mystery, drama and a little comic relief thrown in. Our protagonists, a pair of fearless dead guys, are agents for the Summons Section of Death. They ensure that those who are dead get where they are supposed to go. In the process, they stumble upon some clues leading them to uncover truths about themselves. There is a bit of very mild homosexual innuendo which I actually found refreshing compared to the usual boy/girl routine. If you're looking for something slightly unconventional, Descendants of Darkness is a short but satisfying series.

Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo

Gankutsuou is a reimagined version of Alexandre Dumas' book set over 3000 years in the future with spaceships and moon colonization yet, strangely, they still have horse-drawn carriages and dress in the era of the book. I haven't read the book in a long time, but I don't remember the character in book being quite as gullible as Albert is in this series. Aside from the unusual (and seemingly lazy) animation where the fabrics and hair are simply filled with patterns that never move, I thought this was a reasonably entertaining series. It doesn't have any unnecessary side plots and maintains its pacing throughout with a nice windup of the story.

Air Gear

I was really surprised by how much I got sucked into this series. Great characters, lots of humor, epic battles and a unique story. It is fairly adult series as it does have its fair share of T & A shots and adult language. Air Gear might have even earned a 5 star animation rating from me but for the last 5 or so episodes. It just seems to fizzle out and go nowhere. Air Gear does have an ending, albeit, an anticlimactic one. I hope there is more to this series forthcoming and maybe this is just a Season 1 kind of thing. If not, I'll be disappointed.

Fall Guy

Fall Guy is a bizarre little movie. And I don't mean bizarre as in intentionally trippy or artistic. More like bizarre as in do real people actually behave this way and why? Fall Guy is a movie based on a book, based on a play, based on a true story of a stunt man who fell down some stairs. Set up as a movie within a movie, it centers around three people who are all incredibly self-destructive; the egotistical actor, his pregnant lover and the man he pawns her off on. Fall Guy does share some similar elements with other Fukasaku films such as focusing on the bottom-dwelling lackey struggling and striving to make it to the top, and the fact that none of the characters are pure good or evil but a mixture of both. Fall Guy isn't a bad movie. It has decent performances and even some humor, but I would only recommend this film to hardcore fans of Fukasaku.

Without Love

One of the few, if not only, Hepburn and Tracy collaborations that doesn't quite make the grade. Besides the fact that both stars are incredibly talented in their own right, one of the things that makes this pairing so wonderful to watch is their innate and unmistakable on-screen chemistry. The premise of Without Love requires them to repress it since they are supposed to be in a platonic relationship. While it does have moments of sparkle, sizzle and even humor, it's just not quite as good as the rest of their films together. While I didn't dislike Without Love, I would recommend watching pretty much any other film with Hepburn and Tracy instead.

CJ7

CJ7 is a children's film and I am neither a child nor do I have any children. I watched it simply because I will watch anything with Stephen Chow. For what it is, I was not disappointed. There is enough multi-level entertainment value here to not feel foolish watching it as an adult. But most of Chow's films are that way. It's just this one was specifically designed with children as the predominant audience. If you have kids, I would recommend it. However, it's in subtitled Mandarin without an English dub track so I'm not sure how well that would fly. Overall, CJ7 is a sweet, funny and surprisingly heartfelt family-friendly movie.

Sweet Movie

I was bullied into watching Sweet Movie by a friend who asked me if I could make any more sense of the symbolism than he had. While there are some political allegories including collages of fallen revolutionaries, the music and even a newsreel montage, it's hard to tell if there is an overarching message to be derived from it. It seems like yet another strange film concocted and brought to the screen by a zealous director wanting to capture his surreal, dream-like, sometimes nightmarish, vision on film. Sweet Movie is most assuredly not for the squeamish. There is a ton of nudity, violence, sexual suggestion and even some scat scenes. I still have no idea what it really was all about but it is one of those movies that I don't think I'll be forgetting any time soon.

I Live in Fear: Record of a Living Being

Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura and Akira Kurosawa team up again to bring you this tale of a paranoid man whose family thinks is losing his mind. Kurosawa's story goes deeper than the synopsis would lead you to believe. On the surface, it is the story of a family headed by an old man (played by Toshiro in old man makeup - that's him on the cover) who wants to move them away from the threat of A bombs and H bombs. But, really, I Live In Fear is a cynical exploration of the effects that WW2 had on Japanese citizens and the niggling fear that it might happen again. Nobody can really grasp this fear to its fullest other than the WW2-era Japanese. Imagine surviving and living on after two major cities in your country were wiped off the face of the planet by the biggest bombs ever used in warfare. If you can, even a little bit, you might have a better understanding of this film. I Live In Fear is worth watching if only because it makes you confront these issues. By the way, this is the new Eclipse release which has excellent subtitles and good picture quality unlike the previous versions available here.

The Pornographers

A strange and exceedingly long film about sexual obsession. A man who makes his living through pornography becomes bored with sexual conquest. To remedy his disinterest, he dives even further into the realm of orgies and adult videos. All of this, most of the film actually, is merely exposition which very slowly leads up to his epiphany of building his own sexbot. Unfortunately, the film's premise is far more interesting than the movie itself. If they had canned at least a half an hour of the preamble and focused more on the sexbot part of the story, this movie could have been brilliant. As it is, it has some really cool shots, some humor and some interesting concepts that just get lost in the mix of subplots leading to nowhere.

Junk Food

Junk Food is a slice of life drama broken into three visually distinctive chunks. The first part is like a home video, the second is regular film stock and the third is pseudo-documentary. It's not as if the three visual styles elucidate the story at all. In fact, they just sort of confuse the process and muddle it up. And, speaking of stories, there really isn't one. Junk Food follows several unconnected people throughout the business of their day which ranges from ordinary to murderous. The common element is that all of the characters are outsiders in their respective worlds either through nationality, crime, drug habits or blindness. The sum of its parts equals a very disjointed ensemble story where none of the pieces fit together all that well. I didn't dislike Junk Food but, odds are pretty good that, sooner rather than later, I won't remember anything about it. It's just that forgettable.

Ley Lines

Ley Lines is the last, but not least, film in the Black Society Trilogy. Like Rainy Dog, this film is much more character-driven than you'd expect from Miike. Don't get me wrong, it still has plenty of typical Miike in it including violence and prostitution, but it's really more of a coming of age tale than a hardcore gangster flick. As with the other films in the trilogy, Ley Lines deals with the influx of foreigners into Japan. Its characters are outsiders in a world that doesn't want them. Ley Lines and Rainy Dog are my favorites of this trilogy and I would recommend watching either of them.

Shinjuku Triad Society

The first entry in Miike's Black Society trilogy is my least favorite of the three. But, of the three films, it is the most recognizably Miike with elements like rape, violence, brutal beatings, arterial spray and a little homosexuality thrown in for good measure. In an attempt to keep his younger brother from entering a life of crime, a cop gets mixed up in a battle between the Japanese Yakuza and the Taiwanese Triad all centered in the seedy Shinjuku district of Tokyo. Both he and his brother are really just trying to fit into a jingoistic society where they are outsiders of mixed racial heritage. Shinjuku is not the best of Miike but it certainly is very much his film. If you like this movie, also watch the other two films in the trilogy, Rainy Dog and Ley Lines.

Rainy Dog

The worst father in the world is saddled with a mute child who may or may not be his son in the second film in Miike's Black Society Trilogy. Unlike the first movie, Shinjuku Triad Society, which is mostly violence and action, Rainy Dog is more of a character study. Yes, it has plenty of violence, the main character is an assassin after all, but it also has a lot of heart. All of the movies in the trilogy are individual, stand-alone films. The only relation they have to each other is the gangster underworld and the fact that the main characters are foreigners. This trilogy is really about fitting into a society that views you as an outsider. If you like Rainy Dog, I also recommend seeing the third film, Ley Lines.

Pterodactyl

Out of respect for my extinct brothers and sisters, when this steaming pile of cinema found its way into my cable lineup, I felt compelled to watch. Or rather, to have it on in the background as it is too painful to watch. As usual, humanity shows its ignorance, intolerance and superior fire-power in the face of the unknown. All my ptero brethren wanted was a tasty meal of human flesh. Instead, they get hunted by some of the worst actors in film history. And, once again, the extinct flying reptile is on the losing side of history. This narrow-minded, anti-pterosaur bigotry will not be tolerated. Why can't we all just get along?

Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior

First things first, Tony Jaa is amazing. Acrobatic, strong, smooth and everything else one could hope for in a martial arts master. My only real issue with Ong-Bak is the continual use of slow-motion replays. Yes, the stunts are bloody amazing. And, yes, it's nice to see them in slow motion so you can stare slack-jawed at your TV saying how did he do that? However, is it really necessary to show 3 or 4 replays of every single feat from different camera angles all in slow-motion? Probably not. The chase scene through the streets is the most blatant offender of this overworked device. But, aside from that, Ong-Bak is a great vehicle to display Jaa's obviously superior fighting ability. For what it is, Ong-Bak is at the top of the list of modern martial arts masterpieces that I would recommend seeing.

The Tattooed Hit Man

Maybe it's the fact that the Instant Watch version is dubbed, and badly at that, or maybe it's just that I've seen so many of these types of Yakuza films that it felt like I had seen this movie before. Either way, The Tattooed Hit Man is barely worth mentioning. I will say in its defense that, if it is ever released on DVD in Japanese with subtitles, it might be a pretty good film. Bunta Sugawara is excellent as a hit man on the edge and there's even a tiny cameo from Takashi Shimura. Until such time as this movie is released with subtitles, I would recommend watching Street Mobster with Bunta Sugawara in a similar role instead.

Real Fiction

Visually, Real Fiction is unlike Ki-Duk Kim's other films. It is missing the surreal and serene natural settings, and grandeur of scale that most of his other films have. Real Fiction was shot in real time with multiple cameras and no retakes. The result is a film that looks very low budget. Visuals aside, Real Fiction is simply badass. I would only recommend it to viewers who appreciate adult-oriented films containing graphic violence and twisted head games. It certainly has its share of sex, random brutality and gushing blood. After seeing this film, Ki-Duk Kim earned a place as one of my favorite Korean directors. If you like Real Fiction, I highly recommend Bad Guy and The Isle both of which are also twisted beyond belief.

Bad Guy

I wasn't sure what to expect from this film and it blew my preconceptions away. Bad Guy is one of the most disturbing films I've seen. It is painfully uncomfortable to watch at times and there are certain scenes that will positively make you squirm. Bad Guy is like a twisted, bizarro universe film noir in the sense that an ordinary girl is swept up in circumstances beyond her control. And, boy, what circumstances they are. I'm not going to go into the story because it's really one that you should let unfold for yourself. I will say that it is entirely graphic with rape, violence, obsession, brutality, gushing blood and almost every other thing a family-oriented film is not. Be prepared for an emotional ride and watch at your own risk.

The Isle

A twisted tale of obsession and beauty combined to form this eerie love tale. It is a story of people on the edge who are bound together in a silent and strange floating world of isolation. The Isle is not quite as disturbing as Bad Guy, at least not in the same way, but it has moments of violence, creepiness and some rather shocking scenes involving fish hooks and fish. If you are vehemently against animal cruelty if film, you'll probably want to take a pass. This film is a beautifully shot, both above and below water, and its female lead gives an outstanding performance without saying a single word. Recommended for people who enjoy unusual, surreal and beautiful films. If you like Miike's Audition, you'll probably like this film too.

Scandal

The recently released Post-War Kurosawa set includes several films that are not available on dvd elsewhere. Scandal is one of them. It stars a very young Toshiro Mifune, who had already perfected his bewildered head scratch, and the wonderful Takashi Shimura as his run-down lawyer. The story leaves a bit to be desired, but it still has plenty of Kurosawa's typical philosophical dialogue and themes like the scene in the bar when everyone starts singing and wishing for a better life. I wouldn't emphatically recommend Scandal, but as a Kurosawa and Mifune fan, it is essential viewing. If you haven't taken advantage of it, I would recommend watching all of the films in the Post-War Kurosawa Box Set (No Regrets for Our Youth, One Wonderful Sunday, The Idiot, I Live in Fear).

Yumeji

The third and final movie in the Taisho trilogy is my least favorite of the three. Suzuki's beautiful imagery is about the only thing I can gush about with Yumeji. Like the other two films, the pace is rather slow but almost painfully so with this one. The story is rather succinct at first but then it veers off the path into the area of the absurd. Other than the era in which the movies are set, they are not connected and can stand alone as individual pieces. If you've made it this far into the Taisho trilogy, Yumeji is worth watching but do so at your own risk. If you're going to watch any film in the trilogy, I would recommend Kagero-Za.

Samurai Spy

Based, in part, on truth, Samurai Spy embellishes on historical fact by creating a new character, Sasuke Sarutobi, a spy for the fundamentally neutral Sasada Clan in the peacetime power struggle between the Takeda and Toyotomi Clans. Samurai Spy is more of a complicated, political espionage film than a traditional samurai movie. Sasuke and the other heads of the opposing spy networks are more ninja in their actions than samurai. The historical setting and plot are pretty complex and, unless you have a good knowledge of Japanese history from the early 1600's, it's likely to leave you a little confused at first. Basically, all you need to know is that Sasuke is reluctantly dragged into a battle between the clans for a rogue spy, Koriyama Tatewaki, who defected from the Takeda Clan. Everything else will become clear as the film moves along. If you like espionage or suspense films, Samurai Spy will not disappoint.

The Orphanage

I made the mistake of watching The Orphanage by myself late at night. By the end, my heart was racing like I just ran a marathon. This film is one of the spookiest, skin-crawly, pulse-pounding ghost stories I've seen in quite a long time. Guillermo del Toro (producer) and Juan Antonio Bayona have made a brilliant film full of heartbreak, revenge, mystery and sheer creepiness. The acting, score, cinematography and an ending you don't see coming elevate this film above the typical horror flick. If you like excellent ghost stories, The Orphanage delivers on every level.

My Blueberry Nights

I was a little fearful that my favorite Chinese director would get swallowed up by the Hollywood system upon making his first film in the US. I should have known that Wong Kar Wai could never be squeezed into one of Hollywood's cubby holes. This film is every bit as much a Wong Kar Wai film as any of his others, even if it is shot in the US with Hollywood actors. The wide-open spaces of America seem to strangely fit with his inherent style of filmmaking. While, My Blueberry Nights is no Chungking Express, it has all the sentimentality, philosophy and beautiful imagery that any Wong Kar Wai fan can appreciate, even though Christopher Doyle, his long-time cinematographer, is nowhere to be found. My Blueberry Nights is a fervent tale about heartbreak, loss and letting go wrapped with a love story bow.

Hana

Hana is surprisingly funny, quirky, touching and entertaining. It is not a samurai film in the traditional hack and slash sense. In fact, there's really no sword play in it at all. Hana centers more on the traditional samurai Bushido code of honor and the pointlessness of it in a world of peace. Soza, a low ranking samurai of questionable swordfighting abilities, is reluctantly charged with the task of finding his father's killer and thus gaining honor and money through vengeance. He moves to Edo (now Tokyo) and establishes himself in a slum of row houses reminiscent of Kurosawa's The Lower Depths. The setting has that same sense of degradation and community. Over the course of three years, he comes to understand and care for his neighbors and begins to question the code of honor by which he is supposed to live. Even though Hana is a period piece, aspects of it mirror modern day Japan. Through the dying world of the traditional samurai, Hana reflects the loss of traditional values in modern Japan.

Saiyuki

I've had a few discs from this series in my saved section for what seems like years. The good news is that, at least for the time being, it is available on instant watch. The bad news is, it's dubbed. But, if you want to see it at all, it's really the only option since it doesn't look like they'll be getting the missing discs any time soon. As for the series itself, Saiyuki is a lot of fun. Thankfully, it is a lot more adult-oriented than I was expecting with adult language and themes. Four disparate characters set out on a journey to save the world. As is typical with this type of anime, the characters have different abilities and temperaments, and, of course, end up arguing most of the time. The plot and even the characters are reminiscent of a lot of other anime but I happen to really like these types of series. If you like quest anime, you can't go wrong with Saiyuki. The series continues with Saiyuki Reload, Saiyuki Reload: Gunlock and Saiyuki: The Movie: Requiem, none of which are missing discs at the present.

The American Nightmare

The American Nightmare is certainly not the most exciting documentary on horror I've ever seen. In fact, the soundtrack (by Godspeed You Black Emperor) is one of the most interesting things about it. But, if you've been living in a cave for the last 40 years and have no idea where to start with the fundamentals of horror, this would be a good place to get some ideas. It briefly covers Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Halloween, The Last House on the Left, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Shivers including interviews with each director. While it's not as insightful as I had hoped, I suppose it is worth watching if you are a die-hard fan of these films.

Kagero-za

Part two of Suzuki's Taisho Trilogy is also set in the mid 1920's with plenty of loose morals and more ghosts than its predecessor. As always with Suzuki, this film is beautifully shot with certain scenes that will positively blow your mind. Admittedly, the story is bewildering, to the point that I'm not entirely sure I understand the statement Suzuki is trying to make. And, unfortunately, there's no interview in the special features like there usually is with this outspoken director. Watching Kagero-za is like strapping yourself in for a strange ride through someone else's dream. With the ineffable Yoshio Harada as comic relief and Yusaku Matsuda in a brilliant performance as the male lead, Kagero-za is a nice follow up to Zigeunerweisen.

If You Were Young: Rage

With If You Were Young, you can see the roots that eventually led to Battle Royale. Both stories feature young people trying to overcome a system that is oppressive and hopeless. This film is about a group of under-educated 20 somethings who concoct a plan to buy their own dump-truck. By doing so, they can gain independence and free themselves from the petty crimes and terrible jobs that make up their irredeemable lives. The premise is alright but the over-acting and overly-dramatic way in which it was filmed prove the inexperience of its filmmaker. If You Were Young is not Fukasaku's best early work. But, if you're curious to see the progression on a topic by a filmmaker from his early days until one of his last films, this film would make a nice preamble to Battle Royale.

Tokyo Zombie

The hairstyles of its stars, Tadanobu Asano with a gigantic afro and Sho Aikawa with a shiny bald head, pretty much sum up what you can expect from this film; over the top silliness. Full of almost intentionally bad special effects and more zombies than you can count, Tokyo Zombie is a spectacular addition to the zombie spoof genre. If you are expecting a gory horror film, you will be disappointed. It is much more of an offbeat comedy. Starting with the all too familiar zombie epidemic scenario, Tokyo Zombie adds some of its own really creative and wholly original ingredients to the mix, i.e. how electricity is produced in a post-apocalyptic world. If you liked Shaun of the Dead, you should also enjoy Tokyo Zombie. Just thinking about this film puts a smile on my face.

Bukowski: Born into This

I was hesitant to watch a documentary on my favorite contemporary American author for fear that it might destroy my appreciation of his work. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. Born into This is a glimpse into the life of Charles Bukowski over the course of 7 years. It reveals his dedication to his craft and his sheer determination, his heartache and tragedy, his loves, losses and his foul temper. A realistic picture of a destructive, albeit lovable, artist emerges from it all. The Bukowski in this film is simply an animate version of what you get in his books. If you are a fan of Charles Bukowski, this documentary is essential viewing. If you're not familiar with the subject matter, I would recommend picking up one of his books. It doesn't really matter which one; they're all worth reading.

Last Exile

Sometimes, when watching anime, the thought strikes me that I'm a fully-grown adult watching cartoons. That's usually when I know that a series isn't up to snuff. With Last Exile, I was so swept up in the story that I didn't even notice. The plot has the essential elements of a quest anime; an unwitting main character, a very evil and all-powerful villain, and a world that needs saving. Last Exile has pretty good all-around character development so you get to know almost everyone in the series. It also has its fair share of both comedy and tragedy. Overall, I thought it was a very addictive, really satisfying series. Not to mention that the animation is simply beautiful.

Zigeunerweisen

Part horror film, part art film and part folkloric tale of love and conscience, Zigeunerweisen has a little bit of everything. The first film in the Taisho trilogy stars Yoshio Harada as an irresponsible ronin-type savage who wreaks chaos, destruction and unrequited love everywhere he goes. The only stable part of his life is his henpecked best friend, Toyojiro Aochi, played by film director Toshiya Fujita in his first starring role. Zigeunerweisen is packed with Suzuki's signature visual aesthetic. The only downside to this film is that it does move rather slowly. Part of that is due to that fact that a lot of the film is conspicuously missing any sort of score. Set in the Taisho period from the 1910's through the mid 1920's, even the costumes display this clash of old and new as some characters are clad in traditional Japanese garb and some in modern dress. The Taisho era is called Japan's roaring 20's and was instrumental in the makeup of modern Japan. Coincidentally, this was the era in which Seijun Suzuki was born. Zigeunerweisen is not going to be understood or liked by the masses. But if you are a Suzuki or Yoshio Harada fan, it's definitely worth viewing.

The Machine Girl

Nikkatsu Studios has a long and storied history of bringing violence, torture and gallons of gushing blood to the big screen. It's nice to see that the tradition lives on with The Machine Girl. Not for the timid, this film is all about chainsaw campiness and decapitated limbs. With its flashy cinematography, some not so subtle special effects and a fairly standard, killing for vengeance plot, it fits nicely alongside any of the goriest horror flicks. The Machine Girl isn't about terror. It's more of an homage to the best of gore and over the top splatter is what it delivers to the highest degree. If you like your gore with a side of camp, The Machine Girl is a fun little ride.

Black Rose Mansion

The synopsis for this film is basically correct except there is nothing film noir about it. Black Rose Mansion is a melodrama through and through. The beguiling vixen who seduces all of the men in this film is actually played by a man and not very convincingly at that. I kept hoping that there would be some sort of explanation for this odd casting choice worked into the film. Alas, no. Everyone goes about their business of hopelessly falling in love with her while playing deaf, dumb and blind to her gender. The key to the mystery is that Black Rose Mansion was intended as a follow up to Black Lizard which also stars Akihiko Maruyama in drag. Black Lizard actually is a noirish film based on a story by Rampo Edogawa and starring our friend Maruyama in a much more intelligible role. Sadly, that film is not available here, yet this one is. Black Rose Mansion is only worth watching if you are a die-hard Fukasaku fan as he co-wrote and directed this regrettably unfulfilling film. I hovered between 2 and 3 stars but, even if they had cast a woman to play the part of the woman, I probably still would not have liked this film.

Portrait of Hell

The Japanese love working their superstitions involving ghosts and karmic retribution into films as often as possible. Portrait of Hell is another folkloric Japanese story brought to life with some pretty unconvincing special effects and a plot that requires total suspension of disbelief. Personally, I love this superstitious quality of the Japanese culture. I find it fascinating that an advanced society could really believe the things they do. Portrait of Hell is not the best of these types of films but, it's story is almost interesting enough to overcome the visuals. In my opinion, with Tatsuya Nakadai as the lead, you really can't go entirely wrong. If this film had had a lesser star at the helm, I wouldn't have liked it at all.

In the Realm of the Senses

Watch as two people meet and fall into some sort of self-propelling, codependent relationship, burning with the indescribable passion of a thousand suns. Watch as they slowly tear each other to pieces and wreck like a head-on train collision, shattering into a million pieces. In the Realm of the Senses is so very much not for everyone. It is entirely graphic with loads and loads of full-frontal nudity as the least of its pervy offenses. I've seen actual hardcore porn that seems tame in comparison to this film. I think it achieved most of its notoriety for its sex scenes rather than for its substance. Still, In The Realm of the Senses is emotionally powerful. Perhaps it is a little too resonant for my liking; it was almost painful to watch. While it's not as good as I had hoped, it was an interesting, albeit vaguely disturbing, take on the destructive capability of something resembling love.

Party 7

Packed full of Japanese humor, Party 7 is delightfully wacky. It's not nearly as nonsensical and utterly bizarre as Ishii's Funky Forest but, then again, what is? It falls more on the Shark Skin Man side of his films. Party 7 has the Katsuhito Ishii brand of subtle humor, interesting sets, strange characters and costume design, and a simply unusual story line. With the great Yoshio Harada as Captain Banana and Tadanobu Asano as a twerpy misfit malcontent, Party 7 tosses some of Japan's best contemporary actors into roles and circumstances you would never dream they'd agree to. From the opening credits, this movie is silly and fun but you have to be a fan of that typically Japanese offbeat humor to get this movie and find the funny. If you like this movie, I also recommend Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl also by Katsuhito Ishii.

Blackmail Is My Life

Blackmail is My Life is yet another skillful anti-hero film from Kinji Fukasaku. In post-war Japan, four people unable to survive on legitimate work stumble upon a way to earn a living through blackmail. Like most of Fukasaku's work, this film is a compelling take on shades of morality. The protagonists are neither good nor bad but are merely exploiting people who are more corrupt than they are themselves. Beautifully composed with a nod to Seijun Suzuki (the characters repeatedly whistle the theme from Tokyo Drifter), Blackmail is My Life is not the best of Fukasaku's early films but it is still well worth watching if you are a fan of 60's Japanese crime dramas.

Kanto Wanderer

While Kanto Wanderer isn't as visually distinctive as some of Seijun Suzuki's films, his style is apparent. Typical of the films he made for Nikkatsu Studios, he was given a relatively flavorless script full of thematic bits and pieces. As usual, Suzuki took those well-traveled 1960's Yakuza scenarios and made a beautiful film with sublime cinematography and excellent performances. However, the story itself does leave something to be desired. In the end, it makes you wish the film focussed more on the main plot instead of several incongruous sub-plots which are never fully resolved anyway. While I really liked Kanto Wanderer, I wouldn't recommend it as a starting place for moviegoers interested in Seijun Suzuki or the Yakuza genre in general. Suzuki made much better films even this early in his career. I would recommend Youth of the Beast or Gate of Flesh from the same time period.

Cops vs. Thugs

This story may seem a little familiar; two friends, a yakuza gang boss and a cop, try to maintain their friendship while being true to their professions. They are at odds with a corrupt system of politicians, police and gangsters while remaining loyal to each other. No matter how much they try to insulate themselves from the outside world, in the end, they are still on different sides. Neither the cop nor the thug, the politicians nor the police are uncontaminated by corruption. While the plot may not be altogether original, the performances lift Cops vs. Thugs above the typical genre film. Kinji Fukasaku is the undisputed master of 70's yakuza films.

Pistol Opera

Like all Seijun Suzuki films, Pistol Opera is visually engaging to the point of being beautiful but, it is too complicated and convoluted for a film. This probably would have worked better as a play in a little independent theater where people who appreciate elaborate sets and costumes go to watch an art form rather than to be entertained. While Pistol Opera does have a story with some incredibly cool moments and even a few rather lyrical monologues, it just isn't enough to carry the film. The bulk of it leaves you wondering where it's going, if anywhere. I'll still give it 3 stars because of its dazzling imagery and Suzuki's uncanny ability to put together the most perfect shot possible but, unless you are in film school, I'd recommend watching pretty much any other Suzuki film instead.

Slaughter in the Snow

The third and final film in the Mikogami series should find Jokoichi seeking vengeance from the third yakuza boss who killed his family. It starts off that way but, soon gets sidetracked. Kunisada Chuji, the boss that Jokichi is looking for, sends a hired killer after him instead. There, the plot gets hijacked from the story of first two movies and focuses on the character of the assassin, his story and his eventual relationship with Jokichi. While the plot in this film is not entirely in keeping with the other two films, it does contain just as much swordplay, gushing blood and half-naked ladies. It even throws in some knife throwing for good measure. With its scene swipes that consist of swirling treetops and groovy music, Slaughter in the Snow seems much more 70's than the other two films if that's possible. Although it's not the finite ending Mikogami fans might hope for, I'm content to rank Slaughter in the Snow alongside the other two films. Kazuo Ikehiro directed all three movies even though his directing credit is conspicuously missing on this page.

The Fearless Avenger

The second film in the Mikogami trilogy finds Jokichi hunting for one of the two remaining yakuza bosses responsible for killing his wife and child. Always hot tempered and quick to act, Jokichi rushes into a meeting of the 8 district rulers alone and woefully unprepared. Not surprisingly, the attack is unsuccessful. He then gets sucked into yet another trap perpetrated by his enemies. Regardless of the lack of foresight and planning by our fearless protagonist, these films are jam packed with action, sword-fighting and even a little martial arts. Without having to spend as much time on exposition, the second film clips along at a faster pace than its predecessor. Although, the story leaves a lot to be desired, The Fearless Avenger is a great supplement to The Trail of Blood. If you made it this far, be sure to watch the third film, Slaughter in the Snow.

The Trail of Blood

The first film in a trilogy finds Yoshio Harada as a drifting samurai, Jokichi Mikogami, who finds kinship with a prostitute he helps save from a yakuza boss vying for her attention. For three years, he quits the gangster life and finds happiness as a family man and a craftsman only to be reluctantly drawn in again. When his bucolic family life is destroyed, he learns the names of the three vengeful and jealous yakuza bosses who are responsible. Jokichi will stop at nothing to exact his revenge. The story is pretty formulaic for a samurai film but, Yoshio Harada breathes new life into the wandering samurai seeking revenge character. The fact that the story is spread out over three films gives the viewer the luxury of back story and allows an emotional investment in the characters and their circumstances. If you like Trail of Blood, make sure to watch the other two films in the trilogy, The Fearless Avenger and Slaughter in the Snow.

Johnny Belinda

Of the multiple awards for which this film was nominated, the only one actually given was to Jane Wyman for best actress. She gives an inspired performance as a deaf mute. Her world is broadened when a kindly doctor played by Lou Ayres takes an interest and, for the first time in her life, she is able to communicate. At the time this movie was made, Wyman herself was in a dissolving marriage with Ronald Reagan due to the strain on their relationship from having just lost a child. Her personal circumstances are apparent in the film. When you think about Wyman's ability to impart emotion and depth of feeling for a character without saying a single word, it is truly amazing.

Since You Went Away

There were basically two kinds of films produced during WW2; those that made viewers forget the harshness of daily life with frivolity and laughter, and those that reinforced the sacrifices made by every American during the war. Since You Went Away is definitely in the latter category. It is a simple story of the family left behind by a man who serves his country. This wartime melodrama is full of propagandizing American patriotism and pride. With a superb cast including Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, a blustery Monty Woolley and a teenage Shirley Temple, Since You Went Away will tug at your heartstrings. Watching it over 60 years later, it does seem to drip with sentimentality. But, if you are looking for a film that really gives a sense of the home lives and attitudes of average Americans during WW2, there are few better examples in cinema than Since You Went Away.

Sergeant York

If this story wasn't based on actual events, one might be inclined to believe that it is overly stereotypical and contrived. But, the fact that it was based on the real life of one of the most celebrated soldiers in WWI, adds another dimension of complexity and heart to the story. Gary Cooper is utterly fantastic as the backwoods, naive farmer reluctantly conscripted into a war half a world away. York starts off the war as a conscientious objector and ends as a decorated war hero. Sergeant York is not a war film per se. There are scenes that take place on the battlefields of WWI but, most of the story is set in the hills of Tennessee. Really, it is a story about one man who was made remarkable by the circumstances of his life.

I Remember Mama

I Remember Mama is a heartfelt movie about a quirky family of Norwegian immigrants to San Francisco in the early 1800's. Irene Dunne gives an excellent performance as the warm, buzzing center of the familial hive. Told in flashbacks from the perspective of the eldest daughter, it is essentially a coming of age tale. The story touches on financial difficulties, birth and death, but mostly, on the support system and interaction of the family. The part of Mama was originally offered to Greta Garbo because she actually was a Scandinavian immigrant but she had long since retired. So, the part was offered to Irene Dunne who would accept only if one of the directors on a short list she provided was given the job. As one of the pinnacle roles of her tremendous career, I Remember Mama is essential viewing for any fan of Irene Dunne.

School Rumble: Season 1

Really cute little series full of gags and goofs. Set in the tumultuous high school years with more unrequited love triangles than you can count, School Rumble is relatable to anyone who ever went to high school anywhere at any time. Main plots surrounded by secondary plots fill this series out nicely. School Rumble will definitely leave you wanting more. Fortunately, they just released more. So, after watching the first season, head on over to Season 2.

Goyokin

Goyokin is a near-perfect samurai film. Tatsuya Nakadai plays Magobei Wakizaka, a samurai who leaves his clan, including his wife, because he disagrees with the corruption spearheaded by his best friend and brother in law. In order to spare himself from killing his friend and destroying his clan in the process, Magobei chooses to exile himself. But the accord is broken and he returns to his clan in the name of honor. This is a dream part for Tatsuya Nakadai. Nobody could have done it better. I suppose it's only natural to compare Goyokin with Sword of Doom and, while there are similarities, the character Nakadai plays in Goyokin is more nuanced and has much more depth. Both the story and the execution of it are gripping, suspenseful and hauntingly beautiful. I debated whether to give Goyokin 4 or 5 stars but, honestly, I can't think of any reason why it doesn't deserve 5.

Kill!

Kill! is a parody of the samurai genre. Don't worry, it was intended as such. Kill! incorporates all of the most commonly used devices in samurai films. It has down and out ronin, trickery, betrayal, corruption of power and, of course, swordplay. Tatsuya Nakadai and Etsushi Takahashi are brilliant as they bounce back and forth off of each other. I found myself laughing out loud at the subtle humor, clever dialog and physicality of Nakadai in this film. It's quite a switch from his typically brutal, brooding type of role. If you haven't seen a samurai film before, Kill! would not be the place to start. It takes a base-level knowledge of the genre to be in on the joke. But, if you are a fan of samurai movies, I highly recommend this film. Just don't take it too seriously.

Ronin Gai

Towards the end of the Tokugawa era, the merchant was king and earning a living as a proper samurai was nearly impossible. The noble samurai class, prohibited from earn a living through trade, was basically useless. Ronin Gai tells the story of four ronin whose lives end up briefly intertwined. The plot centers around a brothel whose prostitutes are being murdered right and left. There's not much swordplay in this film; it's much more character-driven. Most of the fighting takes place at the end in a very haphazard manner. Ronin Gai is really an exploration of the depravity of the era. It is peppered with subtle humor and Shintaro Katsu and Yoshio Harada give wild, blustery performances. If you are a fan of samurai films, it's worth watching.

Time Slip

G.I. Samurai a.k.a. Time Slip might have been a good movie but for the preposterous premise and the shocking lack of martial arts on the part of Chiba. Complete with bad 70's effects, a squad of peacetime soldiers is mysteriously thrown back in time to the warring clans era. They soon formulate a plan to start a war of their own in order to shock the gods of history so much that they will send them back to their own time. Honestly, I'm not making this up. It also has an overwhelmingly loud and goofy soundtrack that flares up at the most inconvenient times just to remind you how terrible this movie really is. But, in its defense, it does have some spectacular action sequences with lots and lots of gushing blood that occasionally distract you from the plot. It also has excellent picture quality and good English subtitles. Unfortunately, time travel movies have a tendency to be just plain silly and Time Slip is no exception.

Street Mobster

Before the opening credits are over, you will know whether you're going to like Street Mobster or not. It is a pretty brutal account of Japanese thugs featuring gushing blood, rape and plenty of violence. Bunta Sugawara plays an exceedingly hotheaded street punk who just got out of jail after 5 years and is looking to carve out a piece of the Yakuza territory for himself. He will stop at nothing to get it and bow to no one. The basic premise of the movie reminds me a lot of Sympathy For The Underdog which was also co-written and directed by Kinji Fukasaku the year before Street Mobster was released. Noboro Ando who plays the boss that takes Sugawara under his wing was an actual Yakuza gang boss before becoming an actor and the scar on his cheek is real. If you like ultra-violent 70's Japanese films, Street Mobster is among the best of the era.

Fighting Elegy

Set in 1930, Fighting Elegy has elements of satire regarding the militaristic and conformist attitude of young Japanese men but, essentially, it is a coming of age tale. With tons of fighting, humor and plenty of masturbation references, Fighting Elegy is a really entertaining story of one boy's clumsy teenage years. The awkwardness of Kiroku as he's trying to figure out who he wants to be as a person and come to terms with his emerging sexuality while trying to stay in line with authoritative doctrine makes this movie all the more painfully realistic. Anyone who's ever gone through adolescence should be able to relate. To tamp down his desire, Kiroku's only outlet is violence. He winds up entangled with some fringe gangs only to fall out of favor with them. In an effort to elude trouble, he moves to the country where he eventually wreaks even more havoc. The only issue I have with this film is the rushed and unresolved ending since the events in the film only cover the first half of the novel on which it was based.

Soul of Bruce Lee

Based on the fact that this is a new release, I was hoping that the transfer would be pretty clean and the audio wouldn't sound like it was recorded in a barrel. Alas, my expectations may have been too high. Soul of Bruce Lee also has some choppy editing sequences as if they are missing some frames here and there. Regarding the film itself, a young Sonny Chiba is out to get his former brother for killing their master in order to take over the master's underground drug trade. Chiba hooks up with a narcotics officer whose long-lost brother is also a drug mule from Hong Kong. Admittedly, the plot is a little bewildering. Meanwhile, Chiba has fixed himself up a self-electrocution outfit (it's on the cover of the dvd) to try to make himself a stronger martial arts master. Full of wire stunts, slow motion fighting sequences, a cast rounded out by Etsuko Shihomi, the enormous Bolo Yeung and even some fighters who take on the spirit of the monkey, Soul of Bruce Lee at least has some good martial arts. Despite the fuzzy print, poor sound quality and incomprehensible title, Soul of Bruce Lee is an unintentionally entertaining piece of kung fu cinema history.

Samurai Assassin

Set at the end of the Edo period, while Japan's shores were already threatened with foreigners like Commodore Perry's American Black Ships, Samurai Assassin is a fairly historically accurate tale of a small set of events that contributed to the end of almost 300 years of Tokugawa rule. Certainly, the events of Samurai Assassin were only a small part of the Tokugawa downfall. Really, the end of the peaceful, xenophobic Edo Period was inevitable. Samurai Assassin's story is one of deceit and a vicious circle of Shakespearian magnitude. Toshiro Mifune plays a down and out ronin looking to become a full-fledged samurai by killing an important lord. What he doesn't realize is that, by killing the daimyo, he is setting off a chain reaction leading to a new government wherein the samurai class is completely obsolete. There's another, even more brutal twist regarding Mifune killing the lord but you'll have to see that for yourself. If you are a fan of samurai films or Japanese history, Samurai Assassin is well worth your time.

Samurai Rebellion

The Japanese do love their tragedies. Samurai Rebellion is an epic drama full of heartbreak and conspiracy. Based in part on truth, the story highlights the cruelty and absolute power of the Daimyo ruling class where even people were considered property. Samurai Rebellion is more like Japanese folklore rather than factual historical record. Toshiro Mifune is wonderful as the henpecked husband turned outspoken leader of the Sasahara family when he is moved by the love of his son and the wife who is forced upon them. Once again, Mifune is pitted against Tatsuya Nakadai in a battle to the finish. I hadn't seen this film in a while. Watching it again and seeing the full range of emotion, history and context presented in this film, I upgraded it to a 5-star rating.

Funky Forest: The First Contact

A rambling assortment of basically unconnected vignettes that swirl around together in their own unusual little universe. Complete with bizarre musical aliens, dance and musical numbers, some butt jokes and lots of phallic symbols, Funky Forrest is absolutely hypnotic. There are parts of it that are hilarious and other parts that make you wonder what they were thinking when they made them and what point they are trying to make. In fact, I'm not entirely sure there is a point other than to put some really interesting visuals and concepts on the big screen tied together with a wonderful soundtrack, several different forms of animation and some of Japan's best contemporary actors. If you are a fan of oddball Japanese movies, this is the film for you. Just don't strain your brain trying to figure out what it all means.

The Reivers

A movie starring Steve McQueen and written by William Faulkner? Too good to resist. Unfortunately, neither McQueen nor Faulkner are at the top of their game in the Reivers. Faulkner wrote this coming of age tale based on his own experiences. Granted, I haven't read the book but, I would surmise that it is a lot better than the movie. McQueen plays the irresponsible charge of a rich Southern gentleman who takes his only grandson on an unsanctioned trip to Atlanta to learn him a few things about life. In the process, they stay at a brothel, have the family automobile traded for a racehorse and wind up in jail thanks to McQueen's even more irresponsible childhood friend. There are some warmhearted and even funny moments in this film but, overall, it doesn't quite measure up to my expectations. If you are a fan of Faulkner or McQueen, it's worth a watch but there are much more worthwhile coming of age tales out there.

Sympathy for the Underdog

After serving 10 years in prison, Gunji finds his Yakuza clan has fallen apart and his territory has gone to a large syndicate from Tokyo. Koji Tsuruta is perfectly cast as Gunji, the aging, outlawed yakuza. Gunji is cool as ice with courage to spare as he and only six of his former brothers set out to conquer the Okinawan underworld. Set in the years following WW2, this film scrutinizes the chaos of Japanese society under American occupation. Sympathy For The Underdog is aptly named as, in the end, you do find yourself hoping that this band of hardened anti-heros attains their goal. This was the last Fukasaku film with the highly popular Japanese actor Koji Tsuruta and, sadly, the only one available here.

Gate of Flesh

Set in the years immediately following WW2, this film is a scathing attack on the American occupation and the decline of Japanese culture cause by it. With plenty of sex, violence, bondage and torture, Gate of Flesh tells the tale of 5 prostitutes and a man who ends up briefly enmeshed in their lives. Strangely, the most brutal violence is actually woman on woman. The surreal, theatrical soundstage set made up of burned out buildings adds another dimension of degradation to the film. It would be an entirely different film without it. Filmed with classic Suzuki cinematography, including severe camera angles and color washes (each girl has her own color), Gate Of Flesh is a miraculous film given that it was completed in less than a month.

Love with the Proper Stranger

I don't know how I missed this gem but I'm glad I happened to catch it. I'm really not a fan of romantic movies but I was drawn by McQueen and Wood. Love With A Proper Stranger is definitely a movie of its era. Although it does cover some topics that are still relevant in certain segments of society to this day such as abortion and unwed mothers. It's fairly formulaic in the sense that you know how it will end. But, considering when it was made, it is definitely a unique take on the romantic comedy. Love With A Proper Stranger is heartwarming, heartbreaking, quirky and funny. McQueen and Wood positively sizzle.

Quicksand

Mickey Rooney as a successful ladies man capable of committing crimes? At first, it's a stretch. At least the smarmy, skirt-chaser part of it. But, the way that Quicksand ramps up the crimes committed makes it realistically believable. It's as if this particular set of circumstances could happen to anyone, like setting off a chain of dominos. That every-man quality is what makes this film a successful noir. Quicksand wouldn't necessarily be one of my highest film noir recommendations but, it fits perfectly into the genre.

The Hitch-Hiker

William Talman is absolutely perfectly cast as the lazy-eyed, sociopathic killer Emmet Myers. He will kill anyone who gets in his way including Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy who happen to give him a ride. Myers takes them on a wild ride into Mexico in a bid to secure his freedom. Every second of their captivity, you're hoping that they will find a way to escape. What makes this film great is that it is a realistic depiction of what would probably happen to two average people given the circumstances. Their desperation at being held prisoner at gunpoint in a desolate foreign land is almost tangible. Directed by the great Ida Lupino, The Hitch-Hiker plays into every driver's nightmare.

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

Barbara Stanwyck is among the best film noir leading ladies. Her role in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is the type of part in which she shines. Vulnerable yet, tough as nails, Stanwyck gives a tour de force performance as the sheltered heir to a vast fortune. Martha Ivers has found a way to effortlessly manipulate everyone around her. That is, until Van Heflin unintentionally wanders back into her life. Rounding out the cast are a very young Kirk Douglas and the Bacall-esque, Lizabeth Scott. The Strange Love of Martha Ivers is full of good performances, a generous amount of tension, imperfect characters and all the other things that make film noir excellent viewing even to this day.

Death Note

I really didn't think I'd like this series. And, indeed, after the first few episodes, I nearly gave up. But what kept my interest was the fact that the protagonist, a seemingly normal high-school boy, is really an anti-hero. It's not until a few episodes in that his challenger, L, the real protagonist, even makes an appearance. Death Note has your typical good guy/bad guy battle of wits which, honestly, seems a little forced. It's as if they thought of the end result of the episode first and then added how they got there as an after thought. All in all, it's not the best series I've seen but, it has definitely piqued my interest enough to queue up the next disc whenever that become available.

Sword of the Beast

Sword of the Beast has your typical ronin protagonist with his own set of values that differ from his clan. Although, highly moral, Gennosuke, the ronin still plays by his own rules. He has no qualms about shedding honor and going on the run when it comes to dying for his deeds yet, he's still a very honorable character. He saves the wife of another samurai when that samurai was willing to let her die and kills the attackers of the woman who was hunting him in the name of vengeance. Most films in this genre never explain how a protagonist became a ronin but leave the viewer to take it at face value. The interesting thing about this film is that it gives the back story as to how and why Gennosuke transitioned from the position of retainer to hunted ronin. Although often overlooked in favor of more familiar films, Sword of the Beast has its place in 60's samurai cinema.

Time Machine: The True Story of the Bridge on the River Kwai

A horrifyingly realistic glimpse into the actual events that spawned a glossy Hollywood movie. I had always liked the movie Bridge on the River Kwai but, like most people, I had no idea just how inaccurate it really was. First of all, there was more than one bridge along the 250 mile long prisoner-built railroad and, the bridge in question, didn't even span the main river but, a tributary. Replete with interviews with actual survivors of the Japanese railroad construction, this documentary is a heartbreaking look at at the very real circumstances hundreds of thousands of POWs had to endure, the bridge being just a small part of the overall horror. If you like the Hollywood movie, this documentary should be required viewing.

Gaslight

A very trusting Ingrid Bergman puts on an overly dramatic performance as a housewife bullied into thinking she's going crazy by her husband, Charles Boyer. It takes a persistent Joseph Cotten, who's more of a stalker than a detective, to prove that she's not losing her mind. Gaslight is a remake of an English production made 4 years earlier without such notable stars as Bergman and Boyer (also available here). This is not Bergman's best performance. She's a little heavy-handed with the "woe is me" attitude. But, broadly speaking, Gaslight fits nicely into the melodramatic, made during WW2 drama category.

Look Back in Anger

Richard Burton and all of the people surrounding him bring life to this former stage play. Like Burton himself, his character cannot shine alone but needs people to reflect his tirades. His wife, his friends all taking what he has to give like moths to a flame. Each of them irrevocably changed by coming into contact with this bullheaded, selfish and yet, still somehow human and very fallible character of Burton's. The vulnerability and insecurity shines through his rough and impenetrable defenses. Look Back In Anger is an intense psychological exploration of relationships wrapped in a 1950's Rebel Without A Cause package.

The Sword of Doom

Tatsuya Nakadai is one of the great actors of 60's samurai cinema. You get a preview of his capabilities in Yojimbo. But his heartless character in that film has got nothing on Ryunosuke Tsukue in The Sword of Doom. Nakadai plays the most sociopathic samurai ever. Squaring off against the great Toshiro Mifune amongst others, Ryunosuke manages to destroy the lives of all those around him. The Sword of Doom has seemingly disparate characters that all become intertwined as the film progresses. Even though Mifune's role isn't all that beefy, he has some great fighting sequences. Particularly one where he takes on multiple opponents in the snow as Ryunosuke looks on in amazement. The only problem with this film is the precipitous ending due to the fact that Sword of Doom was intended to be the first film in a trilogy which, sadly, never came to fruition.

Back to Bataan

Typical of movies made during WW2, Back to Bataan is chock-full of guts and glory. It is positively dripping with patriotic sentiment complete with several scenes of real American POWs like a newsreel. Wayne is his usual embodiment of the walking, talking American hero. Anthony Quinn plays yet another nationality as the head of the Filipino rebellion and grandson of a great Filipino patriot. Taken in context, it's not surprising that this film not only bolsters America's fighting spirit but, the helpfulness of the Filipinos and their yearning to gain independence. Out of context, some 60 plus years after its propagandizing mission is over, Back To Bataan seems very time-worn and overly aggrandizing. But, if you're curious to see how America represented the fight in the Philippines during WW2, this is your movie.

Blind Woman's Curse

Blind Woman's Curse is an interesting combination of Japanese folklore and superstition, Yakuza culture and B-rated horror movie. Ostensibly, it's a Yakuza film but, for seemingly no reason, although not entirely unwelcome, it throws in a macabre carnival and some horror scenes including black cats licking excised skin. It also has its share of gushing blood, reincarnation, bizarre comedic interludes and sword fighting sequences. I don't think Teruo Ishii's mind was entirely on making this film. It seems rather disjointed. It is not the best nor worst of his films. For what it is, Blind Woman's Curse is entertaining.

The Professional: GOLGO 13

In addition to the horrible smooth jazz soundtrack, The Professional: GOLGO 13 has some of the most dated 80's computer graphics ever. The opener is all CGI and there's a part in the middle where they add in a CGI helicopter scene for no real reason other than the fact that it was new technology and they wanted to show off. Aside from that, the story actually holds up really well. Even better than the live-action Sonny Chiba version. But that is primarily because they worked directly off of the original manga and the Chiba movie did not. Golgo 13 has some animated sex scenes (at least 3 that come to mind), plenty of violence, explosions and action. Until another version of the anime becomes available, watch the Chiba live-action version and Queen Bee.

Ichi the Killer: Episode Zero

Interesting concept but, the live-action movie is still better. This is intended to be the prequel to the movie explaining how Ichi became the way he is. Unfortunately though, there's nothing really new here. A lot of the material used is actually covered in the movie. But, if watching the movie for the 500th time just isn't enough, Ichi The Killer: Episode Zero is a nice, little, 46 minute compliment. If you haven't seen the live-action movie or didn't think it was the best thing since sliced bread, don't bother watching the anime.

Underworld Beauty

The visuals alone make Underworld Beauty a worthwhile film. Shot in black and white, it has the striking appearance of a Film Noir. The deep contrast between light and dark makes you sit up and take notice of the cinematography even if you normally don't pay attention to such things. Typical of Nikkatsu Studios and Seijun Suzuki, the story is exceedingly simple yet never completely transparent. There are some plot holes on which I won't elaborate for the sake of spoilers. The most interesting thing about Underworld Beauty is the inherent goodness of Miyamoto and his ability to avoid the greed to which nearly everyone around him succumbs. It always amazes me what Suzuki was able to produce with so little time and money.

The Quiet Family

The Quiet Family is a superbly original black comedy. The cast is excellent with stand-out performances from Min-Sik Choi and Kang-ho Song. South Korea isn't exactly known for producing black comedies but this one has some really funny moments, even with the language barrier. It does get a little gory which is not unusual considering the subject matter but, no more than your average American film. The only downside is that it does tend to lag in parts but, overall, it is a funny and original movie. If you like The Quiet Family, you should also see Takashi Miike's whimsical remake, The Happiness of the Katakuris (also available here).

Tattooed Life

Tattooed Life is not Seijun Suzuki's best work but it is still an interesting film with one of the coolest samurai-type fighting sequences ever. Typical of Suzuki films, it has plenty of curious camera angles, stylized color washes, day-glo sets and a relatively simple plot. Like Toyko Drifter, Suzuki's sense of design and proportion is apparent. His aesthetic is effortlessly integrated into the movie as a whole. The performances are great even if the younger brother is so ridiculous at times that you really just want to smack him upside the head. Overall, Tattooed Life is another valiant effort by Suzuki to turn a B-rated Yakuza movie into a beautiful piece of cinema.

Hanzo the Razor: The Snare

If you made it to the second film in the Hanzo the Razor trilogy, you should already have a general idea of what's in store for your viewing pleasure. The second film finds Hanzo once again trying to get himself out of trouble for his justified lack of respect for his superiors. Hanzo takes on another corrupt government official involved in currency devaluation, prostitution, gambling, theft and extortion. The Snare also deals handily with class inequality, poverty and abortion with the requisite amount of bondage and torture. Hanzo is like a warped and twisted Robin Hood fighting for the poor. With with his not-so-trusty sidekicks, Devil-fire and Viper, Hanzo saves the day again leaving a trail of dead bodies and love-sick women in his wake.

Hanzo the Razor: Who's Got the Gold?

The third and final chapter in the Hanzo series has just as much action, gushing blood and half-naked ladies as its predecessors. Hanzo's up to his usual tricks of torturing females and himself while not tolerating any guff from his superiors. Taking a page from Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress and The Scooby-Doo Show, this time, Hanzo is after stolen treasury gold. Who's Got The Gold? covers the tricky subjects of embezzlement, loan-sharking, modern warfare, royal orgies, bribery and vengeance. Can Hanzo and his cowardly companions, Viper and Devil-fire, sort out the mystery of the lady ghost at the lake? Zoinks! They would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for that meddling Hanzo.

Sister Street Fighter

Everyone knows karate in Sister Street Fighter, even the ballerinas. An evil mastermind who smuggles heroin-soaked wigs into the country is keeping a Shorinji Kempo master hostage. Meanwhile, his sister, Sister Street Fighter herself, is hell-bent on rescuing him. But the drug lord keeps a stable of martial arts masters like a stamp collection, including Hammerhead with his gaggle of bucket-headed goons, a blowgun-wielding madman complete with mohawk, cape and shield, and the female Thai boxing group, Amazon Seven. With the help of the house of Shorinji, including Sonny Chiba, can Sister Street Fighter rescue her brother in time? The plot is just as silly on film as it sounds on paper, if not sillier. The whole film plays out like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life, only with a lot more gushing blood and exposed entrails courtesy of Chiba. Off-kilter camera angles, pulsating lights and groovy music add to the heavy 1970's atmosphere. I just wish it wasn't dubbed.

Alien 3: Collector's Edition

I know I'm in the minority on this but, after Alien, this is my favorite of the trilogy (I don't count Resurrection). Alien 3 has got all the suspense, tragedy and dripping, vengeful aliens we've come to know and love. Once again, Sigourney Weaver is woefully unarmed as she and a band of rag-tag criminals are in a fight to the death with their nemesis, the H. R. Giger-designed alien. Ripley is to Alien 3 as Sarah Connor is to Terminator 2; sheer badass. With her shaved head and commanding presence, you can see why she's the only one to survive alien attacks time and time again. Lance Henriksen makes a far too brief appearance as the Bishop II robot who has definitely seen better days. Directed by David Fincher, his style of filmmaking is apparent. Dark, gritty and suspenseful, Alien 3 is not as good as the original but, it is definitely entertaining.

Cape Fear

If you like the remake, you should see the original. This version of Cape Fear features two of the best actors of all time, Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. The way that Max Cady (Mitchum) stalks Sam Bowden (Peck) and his family by working his way around and within the law is enough to break even the strongest individual. You can actually feel the frustration of Peck's character trying to stay calm and strong for his family. Mitchum's portrayal of the maniacal stalker is so nuanced that it is completely believable. Cape Fear is every bit as tense and suspenseful as any of the best Hitchcock films from that era. You may find yourself screaming words of warning at your television.

Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice

Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice is a one of a kind Japanese exploitation film. I've never seen anything like it except maybe the other two films in the trilogy. Each by a different director, all with shocking scenes. Sword of Justice tackles some pretty serious subjects including assisted suicide, rape, torture and government corruption in a not so serious way. Hanzo strengthens his resolve with self-inflicted torture, particularly on the most sensitive part of his anatomy. This film is for adults only. Even at that, only a small segment of the adult population will find humor in it. If you have children under the age of 30 or so, make sure they aren't in the same house, let alone the same room when you pop this bad boy into your dvd player. Hanzo uses an interrogation technique on his lady prisoners that wasn't meant for little eyes and might result in some really awkward questions.

Big Bang Love, Juvenile A

Beautiful and haunting, Big Bang Love is unlike a lot of Miike films. Miike keeps surprising me with his depth of both vision and story. There aren't too many filmmakers today whose range of credits include gory horror films like Ichi The Killer and heartfelt dramas like The Bird People In China. Big Bang Love falls somewhere in the middle. Creating a universe of its own, its absolutely stunning visuals and out of sequence plot may cause some confusion at first. The story is more like a philosophical folk tale than a simple recounting of events. Big Bang Love is definitely a film that will stick with you.

Samurai Reincarnation: Makai Tensho

For an 80's chambara film, Samurai Reincarnation is among the best. It features two of Japan's greatest historical figures, Jubei Yagyu and Musashi Miyamoto, with plenty of historical inaccuracies and a supernatural plot. The film was based on the novel Makai Tensho (Resurrection From Hell) which is fiction based on fact. Directed by the great Kinji Fukasaku and starring the incomparable Sonny Chiba, Samurai Reincarnation has lots of action, a great cast and some goofy special effects to top it all off. If you're expecting a Kurosawa-grade film, watch Kurosawa. This film is by no means a factual historical drama or jidaigeki. But, if you like Japanese exploitation films, Samurai Reincarnation is pure entertainment. For another film where Chiba plays Yagyu, watch Shogun's Samurai also directed by Fukasaku.

Sansho the Bailiff

Like Ugetsu, Sansho The Bailiff is a Japanese folk tale come to life. The original story for this film was passed on through Japanese oral history for generations. It is a timeless story of justice and compassion in a world of slavery and class inequality. Expressive camera work, haunting visuals, excellent performances and a heartbreaking story all lend this film a sense of grand scale and immortality. It's as if the story you are watching is not just an actor's representation but, is actually a peek inside the world of ancient Japan. Sansho The Bailiff explains why Kenji Mizoguchi is considered one of the most respected directors in Japanese cinema. I highly recommend Ugetsu as well.

The Killer

As one of Yun-Fat Chow and John Woo's best Hong Kong films, it's a tragedy that this film is not available. The Killer tells the tale of a morally responsible killer (Chow) and his understanding, yet dogged adversary, a police detective (Danny Lee). Examining Woo's habitual themes of loyalty and brotherhood, the cop and the killer have a symbiotic, almost homoerotic, cat and mouse relationship. Full of Woo's trademarked slow-motion, double-fisted shooting scenes, this film is non-stop action with unexpected emotional complexity. The Killer is Woo and Chow on top of their game.

Story of a Prostitute

Seijun Suzuki took a cookie-cutter script and turned it into amazing film with depth, style and stunning beauty. Story of a Prostitute is more of an anti-military movie than anti-war. It plunges into the depths that the Japanese army were willing to take to save face in a world where real honor mattered very little. Based on an original story by Taijiro Tamura, it is the story of one woman's horrid existence as a result of war and at the hands of men. I'm always amazed with what Suzuki got away with in his films. Violence, brutality, nudity; it's all there. I suppose because this film was considered a B-movie, it was given more latitude. With brilliant cinematography, acting, directing, editing and the ever-present Japanese wind, Story of a Prostitute is a masterpiece.

The Memory of a Killer

The Memory of a Killer is essentially Christopher Nolan's Memento and John Woo's The Killer rolled into one. A contract killer who is literally losing his mind is pitted between powerful and corrupt politicians, and a detective who respects him as much as he reviles him. It is a psychological exploration of good versus evil and the gray areas in-between. Surprisingly tense with many twists and turns, The Memory of a Killer's intricate plot is rarely transparent. It does not disappoint. Although originally based on a novel, the remake rights have been acquired by Focus Features (Universal Pictures) so I'm sure there is yet another watered-down Hollywood version of a great foreign film in the making. Do yourself a favor and watch the original before it is turned into a forgettable Hollywood blockbuster.

Pecker

John Waters is the consummate example of rebellious auteur. The fact that he's managed to find success to the point that Hairspray was remade Hollywood-style is nothing short of amazing. His later works have certainly been toned down but, they still have that legendary Waters' underbelly. Full of double entendres and covered with layer upon layer of subtle and not so subtle humor, Pecker is one of my favorites. It covers the gamut of social commentary with a talking virgin Mary, homeless fashion and a big poke in the eye of New York's artist culture. It is essentially a tale of an artist overcoming the corruption of his vision by success and the influence of others. It is definitely a personal topic for Waters and he explores it with style. Uber-fans of Waters' early works may not appreciate this movie and your typical average American filmgoer is going to find nothing but offensive jokes and sick humor. But, if you can put all of that aside, Pecker is a delightful take on human nature. If you like this film, I'd also recommend Cecil B. Demented.

Ugetsu

Beautiful and timeless, Ugetsu is one of the most amazing classic Japanese films around. Rivaling Kurosawa in elegance and subtlety, it blends fantasy with reality like an Aesop's Fable or Grimm Fairy Tale come to life. Ugetsu is based on the Japanese folklore novel Tales of Moonlight and Rain by Ueda Akinari. It is a warning about how easily greed and desire can overcome the human spirit. This is the beautifully restored and translated version by the Criterion Collection. If you like Ugetsu, watch Sansho the Bailiff also by Kenji Mizoguchi.

Perhaps Love

I'm neither a fan of musicals nor romantic dramas and this film is both. But each genre is satisfactorily done in this strange and touching spectacle of a film. It's a reasonably simple story of a love triangle told as a movie within a movie. Perhaps Love seems to be a jab at the egocentric nature of the film industry as the main characters only care about themselves. The plot unfolds through flashbacks of the tirelessly vain characters trying to come to terms with genuine human emotions. The musical performances, for the most part, seem more like integral background rather than in your face singing and dancing. Perhaps Love is an imaginative take on just how much love and ego can mess with your brain.

Gemini

I wouldn't necessarily call Gemini a horror film in the traditional sense. It's more of a surreal psychological drama. Based on a novel by Rampo Edogawa, it is the strange tale of a doctor with a mischievous doppelganger whose appearance signals the gradual downfall of his staid and tranquil life. If you are a fan of bizarre Japanese films or Shinya Tsukamoto, I'd recommend this film even though it's not one of his best. Gemini has a tiny Tadanobu Asano cameo. It's such a small part that he's not even credited with a character name, just as "Revenger with Sword". If you like this film, I'd recommend Rampo Noir also based on the writings of Rampo Edogawa.

Duck, You Sucker

Directed and co-written by Sergio Leone with a score by Ennio Morricone, Duck, You Sucker is another great film from the spaghetti western master. It has a unique premise as it is set in the early 1900's during the Mexican Revolution, complete with an unseen Pancho Villa. As badass and cool as James Coburn is, it is Rod Steiger who really gives a stand-out performance as a Mexican bandit turned reluctant revolutionary. Even though it is not my personal favorite Leone film, it's still far and away better than most westerns out there. If you can manage to refrain from comparing this film to Leone's other movies, it is a quality western.

Bullet Ballet

If not for some disappointment with the plot that I won't go into for the sake of spoilers, Bullet Ballet was really close to a 5-star rating. Shinya Tsukamoto was the writer, director, cinematographer, editor and main character in this film. For style alone, it deserves 5 stars. But style on it's own does not make a good movie. While Bullet Ballet has a really interesting premise, it just fails to execute it all the way. Filmed entirely in black and white with Tsukamoto's trademark hyperkinetic camera movement, I would recommend it to Tsukamoto fans.

Graveyard of Honor

Typical of Miike films, Graveyard of Honor has the requisite gushing blood, violence against women and just plain violence in general. The story is not original although it might as well be as it seems tailor made for Miike. The ruthless character Ishimatsu (Goro Kishitani) is just as much of a selfish, quick-tempered a-hole as Tetsuya Watari's Ishikawa in the original Kinji Fukasaku version from 1975. Through the process of his rise and fall as a powerful yakuza kingpin, Ishimatsu systematically destroys everything and everyone he touches. Especially those who, for no good reason, care about him the most. What I love about both versions is just how antithetical the main character is to a typical protagonist. You have no choice but to tag along with this extremely unlikable character and see the world through his eyes. If you like this film, watch the original as well.

The Executioner

The Executioner is a rarity among Sonny Chiba films as it seems to be intentionally funny rather than just accidentally ending up that way. The Executioner is full of typically brutal Chiba fighting sequences, a hazy plot, plenty of naked women, and some almost funny one-liners and physical comedy. The copy that I have may win a prize for worst transfer ever. It's like they dug a reel out of a grimy basement, threw it on a projector without dusting it off and filmed it with a camera phone. And, to top it off, it's also dubbed into English. Hopefully, by the time NF has some DVDs available, it will be a better, cleaner transfer with the option of subtitles.

Breach

Besides the treachery of destroying countless lives over the course of 20 plus years, besides the sheer egotism and arrogance of needing to feel important, besides the hypocritical perversion in the face of his religion, Chris Cooper's character shows a willful disregard for separation of church and state. Hanssen was a government agent after all. As a representative of the government, you cannot force subordinates to pray as part of their job or show favoritism towards those of the same faith. Compared with all the other dastardly acts perpetrated by Hanssen, it seems like a minor complaint but, no one else has mentioned that so I thought I'd add my two cents.

The Bodyguard

Even for the typically low-quality genre of 1970's martial arts movie, this one is terrible. Starting off with a "Viva Chiba" chant and quite possibly the worst acting ever in a kung fu flick, it goes downhill from there. Chiba, a man on an anti-drug campaign, gets duped into helping a woman sell drugs. He may be a karate master but he's as sharp as a marble. The Bodyguard is quite obviously a star vehicle for Chiba after the success of The Street Fighter. If only they had given more thought to a story rather than Chiba's stardom, this film might have had a chance to actually be something worthwhile. I could go on and on about the stupidity of this movie but, suffice it to say, this is a dreadful film by both martial arts and good movie making standards. Not to mention the fact that it's dubbed. You might get a laugh out of it though which is why I gave it a 3-star rating.

Bullet Train

Sonny Chiba; train conductor and part-time welder. Don't be fooled by Chiba's top billing after Ken Takakura as his part is not nearly as big as you would think. He's really just a secondary player. Sonny removes his posterior from the conductor's chair precisely once to incomprehensibly weld the train as it's moving (they couldn't find someone else to use a blowtorch besides the driver?). The rest of the time, he just sits there, sweating profusely, as the action goes on all around him. Bullet Train is more of a typical 1970's disaster film along the lines of The Towering Inferno or Airport than it is a thriller. It is a relatively well-done drama but there are certain parts that stretch the boundaries of reality. Like its successor, Speed, a suspension of disbelief is required. This is one of several versions of this film available. If you can get your hands on the original uncensored Japanese version, it seems to be the best one. Look for a teeny, tiny part from Takashi Shimura as a high ranking official.

13 Tzameti

What an amazing concept for a film. 13 Tzameti is as original a film as I've ever seen. Unfortunately, its film school veneer tends to detract from its overall quality leading me to believe that it might have been more effective as a short. But, all things considered, for a first film, 13 Tzameti is nothing short of miraculous. From now on, I will pay close attention to anything from director Gela Babluani. 13 Tzameti is a must-see film for fans of the darker side of French cinema. It does get nerve-wracking and violent at times so, if neither of those things appeal to you, don't watch it. But, if you like dark thrillers, don't watch the trailer, just watch the film.

Yakuza Graveyard

Did Tetsuya Watari ever play a part in his early career where he didn't smack his girl before a love scene? If he did, it's not available here. With a nod to Dirty Harry, Watari plays the relatively complex character of a rebellious cop on the edge. He's forced to the side of the Yakuza by a series of events put in motion by a corrupt police force. Kuroiwa (Watari) is accepted at face value by the Yakuza as he never was by the police. Yakuza Graveyard is an interesting attack on Japanese xenophobia as it is littered with characters from other cultures including Kuroiwa himself. By the same director who brought you the utterly amazing Battle Royale and many other great films, Yakuza Graveyard is a gritty and gripping Japanese crime drama.

Tokyo Drifter

Tokyo Drifter is one of many stylish films Suzuki made in his prolific career. It was Tetsuya Watari's first starring role. In his white shoes and powder blue suit, Watari is the quintessential badass. With a fairly complex plot, interesting sets and fancy camera angles, Tokyo Drifter is a visually cool, somewhat violent film. I highly recommend watching the Suzuki interview in the extras. He has some really entertaining things to say about Watari and his own filmmaking process in general. Even at his advanced age, he's still rebellious, unstoppable and quite funny.

Branded to Kill

Rivaling A History of Violence, Branded to Kill has some of the most erotic marital love scenes ever. If only the main character's relationship with either his lover or the man who wants to kill him were as interesting as the scenes with his wife, Branded to Kill would have been amazing. As the No. 3 Killer, Hanada Goro is assigned a hit he can't go through with. He ends up falling for the target played by Anne Mari with amazing eyes and the emotional response and acting ability of a robot. The No. 1 killer is then sent to kill both Goro and his target. Rather than quickly doing the job like one would think the No. 1 killer would, he begins a cat and mouse game of psychological torture and an endurance test which soon degrades into unnecessary happenings and unintentional silliness.

When a Woman Ascends the Stairs

When a Woman Ascends the Stairs is a beautiful, dark drama in rich black and white which provides a glimpse into the after-hours bar scene in post-WWII Tokyo's Ginza district. It is a cynical story about a bar hostess, Keiko, also known as Mama, who is about to turn 30 which puts her over the desired age. Her options as a woman are limited to either getting married or opening a bar of her own. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs has an interesting viewpoint on a little-known facet of post-war Japan. The courage and integrity that Mama shows in order to navigate the Japanese male-dominated society make her a memorable character.

Eastern Promises

Eastern Promises was a lot better than I figured it would be. I'm not a huge David Cronenberg fan but I love Viggo Mortensen and Russian Mafia movies so I gave it a chance. It is a solid, gangster drama. In true Cronenberg fashion, he creates a little universe all to himself. I very much appreciate the fact that he didn't throw a useless love story in here. At least, not really. Eastern Promises is fairy graphic with full-frontal Viggo in an amazingly cool and violent scene in a bath house. Perhaps I've seen too many foreign movies, but I didn't think it was unnecessarily violent or explicit. The Russian dialog and accents are well done (granted, I'm not Russian so I wouldn't necessarily know the difference), and there are great performances from Mortensen and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

Sleepless Town

I rated this movie 4 stars because of a little montage in the middle. Nat King Cole's Unforgettable plays over shot after shot of the seedy underworld of Shinjuku including a stripper on a pole, a man violently vomiting, schoolgirls smoking, etc. The dichotomy of that little sequence alone made me like this movie. Sleepless Town is a surprisingly complex gangster movie in 3 different languages (none of them English) with multiple characters and motivations. The "love story" does get to be a bit much at times. Takeshi Kaneshiro seems unusually uncomfortable with his female lead. Half the time he's throwing her down and ripping off her clothes. The other half, he's awkwardly hugging her like a homophobe consoling a gay man. But, overall, Sleepless Town is a pretty convincing gangster film. Just when you think you have the story all figured out, it gets exceptionally twisty and turny towards the end.

Rashomon

It's a case of he said, she said, the dead man said. It finally takes a reticent Takashi Shimura to sort it all out. Even though I love this film and it's highly acclaimed by all, Rashomon is not among my absolute favorite Kurosawa movies. Personally, I think the message is a little heavy-handed, especially the ending. It clobbers you over the head with humaneness and morality unlike some of his more subtle stories exploring the same themes such as Ikiru or Red Beard. But, all things considered, it is yet another fine film from Kurosawa starring the supremely talented Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura among others. Toshiro, especially, gives an outstanding performance in his typical wild, spirited way. Rashomon has beautiful, dynamic cinematography and fine performances all set to a unique Bolero-esque score. For 1950, Rashomon was years ahead of its time.

Sanjuro

How do you follow a movie like Yojimbo? With something easily as good, yet different, like Sanjuro. This film is far sillier and sassier than Yojimbo with Toshiro Mifune playing the cantankerous character to full-effect. Constantly thwarted by the incessant stupidity of the people he's helping, Sanjuro is basically on his own fighting a whole army in order to save someone he doesn't even know. While it doesn't have the depth of either story or visuals that Yojimbo does, Sanjuro is faster paced and more fun. Hollywood could take a lesson from Kurosawa on producing good sequels.

Yojimbo

Inspired by the Hollywood westerns of John Ford and the novel Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, Yojimbo was among the first action films of its kind. It spawned a host of films in various genres and countries. Kurosawa was fascinated by having two equally evil, warring factions opposed by someone who wasn't afraid to stand in the middle. That man could be nobody else but Toshiro Mifune. Kurosawa once said, what would take other actors lines of dialog to communicate, Mifune could convey with a single look. Seemingly morally dubious but always ready and capable of fighting for the little guy, Yojimbo is the ultimate samurai superhero.

Hell in the Pacific

Toshiro Mifune and Lee Marvin make formidable adversaries as they are stranded together on an island in the Pacific during WW2. With very little dialog and only two main characters, Hell in the Pacific is a testament to the power of simplicity in film. Toshiro shows off his tremendous skill as a physical actor as the only dialog he has in the entire film is in Japanese without subtitles. Hell in the Pacific is a wonderful exploration of the nature of humanity in the face of war and isolation. Make sure you watch the alternate ending to the film as they are both included on this disc.

Dark Blue World

Dark Blue World is essentially a love story wrapped in war. A love story between two friends and the same woman, and the brotherly bond between them which is strained as a result. Set during WW2, two ambitious Czechs set off to England to join the Royal Air Force. What they endure as a consequence of their service is much more than they expected and is fairly historically accurate. Dark Blue World is one of the few dramas that accounts the Czech struggle against both the Nazis and The Soviet Union. Beautifully shot with sweeping landscapes and well-done flying sequences, Dark Blue World examines the boundaries that are crossed in order to maintain some level of humanity in a crazy, war-torn world.

Three Days of the Condor

Syndey Pollack and Robert Redford team up again in this nail-biting thriller. Based on the book Six Days Of The Condor, this film seems every bit as relevant today as it did in the 70's. Robert Redford is a CIA operative whose whole world is flipped upside-down when he stumbles across a network that he wasn't supposed to know about. Three Days Of The Condor maintains tension throughout by revealing the plot, little by little, through the eyes of the main character. The only issue I have with this film is Faye Dunnaway's instant readiness to help Robert Redford. Regardless of romantic cliches, this film has excellent performances, an intelligent, consistent story with intrigue, suspense and a non-Hollywood ending. It is a must-see movie for political thriller fans.

Born Losers

Using the ever popular plot of biker gang terrorizes beach community, Born Losers is the first of the legendary Billy Jack movies. This shoestring budget B-movie was a box office hit and the Billy Jack movies became instant cult classics. Directed by and starring Tom Laughlin, there is actually a fair amount of sex and violence, including rape, in this film. Enough to get Born Losers banned in several countries including Sweden. Look for Jane Russell in a bit part as the weather-beaten mother of a teenage tart. Born Losers was followed by (The Legend of) Billy Jack, Trial of Billy Jack and Billy Jack Goes to Washington.

Superbad

If you are one of those people who complains about swear words, don't watch this film because the F-word will be the least of your concerns. Superbad was a lot raunchier than even I expected. I was amazed at what they got away with in the first 5 minutes alone. I've liked a lot of projects Judd Apatow has done. Superbad wasn't the best nor the worst of them. While it has some really funny moments, I was slightly disappointed with this one. Besides McLovin', it just wasn't all that memorable. But, if you like adults-only humor, Superbad is at least entertaining while you're watching it.

Shogun's Ninja

Good grief, is this movie ever cheesy. From the horrible soundtrack to the bad plot and all the ridiculous stunts in-between, Shogun's Ninja just may be the worst "historical drama" ever. I actually own this little gem as part of the Sonny Chiba Shogun Collection. They always throw one movie in there that you'd never want to see otherwise. I think my favorite part is the exaggerated sound effects. There's a sound for everything; swinging from a rope, shooting an arrow, jumping from a cliff, climbing a tree, etc. But, on the plus side, Sonny Chiba choreographed the fighting sequences and also stars as a bad guy. If you love Sonny Chiba martial arts spectaculars and have a sick sense of humor, Shogun's Ninja is hilarious.

Witch Hunter Robin

Pretty unique little series. Witch Hunter Robin has a fairly engaging story that starts to pick up speed towards the end. I watched the last 2 discs in the series straight through because, like a good book, I couldn't put it down. Unfortunately, I did see most of the resolution coming from miles away but that didn't stop me from watching it. It's not the best anime series I've seen but it's definitely good enough to watch. Japanese with English subs (yes, it has a voice dub track too).

Blade Runner: The Final Cut

Blade Runner has always been one of my favorite films of all time. So, naturally, upon hearing of another new version of it, I had to see it. The Final Cut is a beautifully restored and enhanced version of the film. It doesn't add any ridiculous new CGI scenes just because it can and there is no unnecessary filler. For years, I've preferred the Director's Cut to the Theatrical Version. It was the "belly full of killing" line that always sent me over the edge. However, I don't think I would appreciate the Director's Cut as much without first having seen the Theatrical Version. The Final Cut finally bridges the gap between the two. In the introduction, Ridley Scott says this version is now his favorite and I would have to agree. The Final Cut, may be just that; the ultimate version of this amazing film.

Kung Fu Hustle

Kung Fu Hustle is my favorite Stephen Chow movie. Shaolin Soccer has it's charms and you can clearly see how it was the the experimental precursor as far as special effects are concerned but, Kung Fu Hustle blows it away. It has a gloriously silly story with great effects that actually blend into the movie rather than just having CGI for CGI's sake. Stephen Chow has come a long way from his early films. He is a master of physical comedy and plays a great dim-witted leading man. Chow has managed to surround himself with some fine character actors too. If you're looking for a really entertaining comedy (in Cantonese with English subtitles), I highly recommend Kung Fu Hustle. Keep an eye out for the sequel, Kung Fu Hustle 2.

Lost and Found

Surprisingly great little movie. Takeshi Kaneshiro is endearing as a guy whose business is helping others find what they've lost which could include anything from a Scottish sailor to a flock of birds. Lost and Found has some elements of incoherence to it (the Scotland scenes for instance) but, overall, it's a very sweet story about the importance of life and the inevitability of death. It is not a tear-jerker but it will give you the warm and fuzzies.

Screwed

I own this film and I'm not entirely sure why. Let's just say, if I didn't already own it, I don't think I would buy it now. After an initial scene of rotting people writhing around on a beach with half-naked girls, Screwed works its way into a comparatively normal story where Tsube (Tadanobu Asano) is forced out of his apartment and separated from his girlfriend. He begins to obsess about her infidelity and unsuccessfully tries to commit suicide. Released from the hospital, he goes into the mountains to distract himself. At this point, the movie goes back to the tenor of the opening scene and takes a nosedive into the surreal. Screwed is the perfect example of a film that is not for everyone. In fact, I'm not entirely sure who it is for. I've watched it twice now and I'm no closer to figuring out what it all means. I've rated it 3 stars simply because it made me curious enough to watch it again.

Zebraman

Takashi Miike has created yet another universe full of rich characters and nonsensical storylines. If the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies mated with Invasion of the Body Snatchers in an alternate, twisted universe, you might end up with something like Zebraman. Sho Aikawa is great as the ineffectual schoolteacher turned wannabe superhero who finds himself fighting little, green, puntable extraterrestrials to save the world from alien domination. Yes, it really is that ridiculous. You don't necessarily need to be a Takashi Miike fan to enjoy this movie, but a warped sense of humor and a love of Japanese zaniness are required. Full of wry humor and utterly entertaining to watch, Zebraman will put a smile on your face.

The Osterman Weekend

Sam Peckinpah, Rutger Hauer, Dennis Hopper, John Hurt; what could go wrong? The plot. The Osterman Weekend is one of the many cold-war propaganda films made in the 80's. Russian spies were theoretically everywhere and every American was potentially suspect, at least in the movies. The pulp-novel premise is interesting enough but, about halfway through the film, it all falls apart. The Osterman Weekend has a fine cast, a great director and some suspense but, overall, it fails. If you like Peckinpah, you should see it, because, sadly, this mess was his last film.

Rampo Noir

Admittedly, I haven't read the original story by Rampo Edogawa so I can't comment on the clarity of his vision as portrayed in this film. Rampo Noir is comprised of 4 short stories, each by a different director. The whole film is an interesting exercise in strangeness as only the Japanese can compose. The first three stories hold your interest, but it's really the fourth story, the one starring Tadanobu Asano, that will stick with you. I would not recommend this movie to anyone who isn't a fan of eccentric Japanese horror films. There isn't much by the way of blood-gushing gore but it does get thoroughly disgusting at times. The whole film will leave you wondering what the hell you just witnessed.

Brokeback Mountain

Being neither homophobic nor ignorant, I thought I'd give the big, gay Hollywood movie a whirl. I should have known better. Slow, boring, completely uninteresting, even the man on man "love" scenes were tedious and unbelievable. In the end, not only was I indifferent as to whether or not they got together, I was hoping for some sort of tragic tractor accident where both of them would go out Romeo and Juliet style. At least that way, SOMETHING would have happened in this movie.

Vital

Other than some visual similarities, Vital is very different from Tetsuo or A Snake Of June. It can be intense at times, but without the frantic movement of Tsukamoto's other films. Vital is a comparatively slow and restrained drama. It's not a horror film, there is actually very little gore, but there are moments of creepiness to it. Hiroshi Takagi is the type of understated, internally conflicted role in which Tadanobu Asano excels. In a quiet, deliberate manner, Vital deftly explores the connection between body and soul, past and present. Shinya Tsukamoto wrote, directed and edited this film. I'm sad to see that neither Vital nor Tokyo Fist are available on DVD.

Things to Come

This would be a hard movie to make today, let alone in 1936. Things To Come is a cautionary, change now or this is what the consequences will be type of sci-fi film. From the same author who wrote The Invisible Man, The War Of The Worlds, The Island Of Dr. Moreau and many others, this film was one of the earliest large-scale, sci-fi films made. Written and filmed long before WW2, it foretells of a hundred years of warfare. The special effects by today's standards are laughable but Things To Come was an ambitious project for the time. Regardless of whether or not H. G. Well's vision of the future was accurate, the overarching message that science and progress should prevail over warfare is still relevant.

The Departed

This movie would have been good had I not seen it already. I didn't realize that The Departed was a remake of the Chinese movie Infernal Affairs until I started watching it. Once I figured out how I already knew the plot before it happened, this movie just annoyed me. The only things added to the story are 50 unnecessary minutes and Jack Nicholson. For a faster and better version, watch the original. While the performances are actually pretty good, this remake just proves once again that creative thought in Hollywood is dead.

Champion of Death

The first in a trilogy supposedly based on the real life of martial arts legend Masutatsu Oyama, Karate Bullfighter a.k.a. Champion of Death is just plain ridiculous. Besides the fact that Sonny literally karate chops the horns off a bull, there's the ludicrous love story. I know if a man raped me, I'd follow him around the country like a love-sick puppy yelling "Oyama" from moutaintops as he turned me down once again in favor of karate. Then there's the long "Sonny on the farm" interlude before he takes on about a hundred opponents at once. Well, anyway, it's Sonny Chiba, it's the 70's and it's karate. We're not talking about brain surgery. If you like Sonny Chiba martial arts flicks, this one's good for a rainy Sunday afternoon and a laugh. Also check out the other two films in the trilogy, Karate Bearfighter and Karate For Life.

The Searchers

The Searchers is fairly unique for its time as it has a protagonist who's a real swine. You can't help but be appalled at the racism, sexism and stereotypes in this film. But, all things considered, Wayne gives an excellent performance, probably his best. The western genre is not one of my favorites nor John Wayne for that matter, but the Searchers is so much more than a western. The complexity of this film put it far and away above the typical gunfighter, cowboys and injuns shtick.

Rope

The amazing thing about Rope is that you know who gets killed, how and by whom in the very opening scene. One would think that because you know the exact details of the crime, the movie would deflate like a balloon. On the contrary, the suspense lies in whether or not the murderers will get caught. Based on a Patrick Hamilton play adapted by Hume Cronyn, Rope is filmed very much like a stage play with the entire movie set in an apartment. It is full of intelligent dialog, incredible tension and amazing camera shots. There is a scene when the maid is cleaning up around where the body is stored and the camera never moves for a few minutes. Back and forth to the kitchen she goes, every trip getting closer to the inevitable discovery of the murdered man, as the off-camera dialog continues around her. John Dall is perfect as the remorseless killer and Jimmy Stewart is great as the unwitting inspiration for the crime. Classic Hitchcock.

Saboteur

Saboteur is a true-blue, patriotic American film. Filmed at the beginning of WW2, this movie is a war propaganda machine through and through, even down to the famous scenes on the Statue of Liberty. Saboteur is one of the many films Hitch made where an ordinary every-man is accused of a crime he did not commit. A war factory worker is charged with the reprehensible crime of sabotage and relentlessly hounds the real traitors from one coast the other in order to clear his name. In the process, he falls in love, meets a troupe of understanding circus performers and stops a murderous den of conspirators all in the name of the Uncle Sam. Robert Cummings makes a great average American, Vaughan Glaser temporarily steals the show as the blind uncle and Otto Kruger makes a truly contemptible villain. Even though it does tend to go a bit over the top with the patriotic zeal, for the time, it was completely understandable. Even today, in these days of homegrown terrorism, Saboteur still resonates.

Wool 100%

It seems as though the Asians, specifically the Japanese, have cornered the market on strange films. I tend to enjoy the unusual and the underrated; Wool 100% falls squarely into both of those categories. It starts off strangely and just keeps rolling. Without ruining the film for those adventurous souls who want to watch it, I will say that the story goes far beyond the red sweater in question. There actually is an overall point to the film and it's not what you think it will be. Wool 100% is obviously not for everyone and, truthfully, I find it difficult to recommend. But, if you're willing to take a chance and see something that you're unlikely to see anywhere else, Wool 100% is an interesting experience.

The War: A Ken Burns Film

The War is probably the most comprehensive WW2 documentary ever made. It's not surprising since it comes from Ken Burns. His documentaries tend to be more thorough than a proctologist. What makes this documentary interesting is that it doesn't just focus on the military actions but it covers the home front as well. Having been born during Vietnam not WW2, I don't have first-hand experience of what life was like then. The War investigates aspects and experiences that only someone of that era would know. Focusing on four typical American towns, The War reflects the human element of warfare. It chronologically explores every aspect of the great war from military maneuvers in the European and Pacific theaters to the war effort at home. If you are not interested in WW2 in the first place, I would not suggest this documentary. But if you have an interest in the human side of history and 15 hours to spare, I would recommend it.

The Lake House

Not only is the premise preposterous but, it's not even original. For some reason, Hollywood threw lots of dollars at this retarded remake. A monkey with a hand-held camera could have made a more engaging movie. And, to top it off, it stars Keanu Reeves. His only decent films are the ones where he is supposed to be clueless rather than the rest when that just happens naturally. I'm beginning to think that Hollywood is perpetuating a sick joke to see just how stupid they can make a movie and still have people watch it. I wonder what the South Koreans thought when we hurled this ridiculous version of their movie back at them.

You Were Never Lovelier

You Were Never Lovelier is my mother's favorite film. Seeing as she is the one who sparked my interest in classic films, I owe this movie a great debt. It has Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth in their prime and music by Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer and Xavier Cugat. The music and score were nominated for Academy Awards. If you look closely, you might even see a 15-year-old Fidel Castro playing an extra. The plot isn't extraordinarily deep; it's the dancing and music that make this film. If you're looking for a Golden Age charmer with some of the best musical talent in Hollywood history, You Were Never Lovelier is required viewing.

Joint Security Area

I was surprised by how much I liked this movie. Reading the description, I didn't expect much but I should have known better from Chan Wook Park. What I found was a well-acted, unusual story about the division of a country the likes of which we Americans are completely unfamiliar. Imagine if the U.S. split in two; the Democrats took one half and the Republicans claimed the other. Two separate governments were created, different as can be, with absolutely no contact with each other. Now, speed 50 years into the future and that's the premise for JSA. The less said about the actual story, the better. JSA was amongst the first of the Korean New Wave films to appear in west. At the time, it was also one of the most expensive and successful South Korean films ever made.

Electric Dragon 80000V

Even though I own this movie, I will readily admit that it is a case of form over function. The cool cinematography and blazingly loud guitar solos (actually performed by Tadanobu Asano) do little to disguise the fact that there really is no story, just some interesting characters. A lot of that has to do with the fact that it's less than an hour long. Electric Dragon 80000V is a visual feast akin to Tetsuo: Iron Man but without all the pesky substance of a plot. It is like a manga or anime come to life. If you are looking for a deep, intellectual movie, go elsewhere. But if you are a fan of Japanese Manga, Tadanobu Asano or noisecore without any regard for a linear plot or logic, this is the movie for you. This review may sound harsh for a 4 star rating but I don't want to recommend Electric Dragon 80,000V to those who wouldn't enjoy it.

Magnolia

Usually, when people say they hate a movie that I love, I ask them why and try to defend it. But, with Magnolia, I can understand when people tell me they don't like it. Some of the scenes are so bizarre that it's a wonder I like it myself. But, for whatever reason, Magnolia is one of my top 10 favorite contemporary American movies. It it one of the few movies I've seen where I actually like Tom Cruise's performance. There are no stars in this movie. The cast is one of the best modern ensembles ever put together. Magnolia consists of many interwoven stories which all tenuously come together in the end. Each of the story lines could stand alone but, together, they create a universe of rich emotion and fascinating characters that few movies have achieved.

Lost in Translation

I hated Lost In Translation the first time I saw it because it made me feel uncomfortable. A friend of mine forced me to watch it again and I finally realized that that awkwardness is entirely the point. It's still not a movie that I want to watch over and over again but, any movie that can make me feel something, even discomfort, has done its job. If you dislike this movie the first time around, you may want to watch it again.

Wolf's Rain

Wolf's Rain is one of the most unique animation series I've seen. Like a lot of anime, it has bad guys, good guys, fight sequences and a princess-like character that needs rescuing, but it's all done in a most unusual way. The little paragraph synopsis up top barely scratches the surface. With beautiful artwork, interesting characters and unusual plot twists, Wolf's Rain is irresistible. I'll even admit I cried a little in the end. The only complaint I have about the series is Vol. 4. It contains only recap episodes of Vol. 1-3. I was pissed by the wasted queue space and I ended up fast-forwarding through most of it. It turns out, sometimes it pays to read things.

Suspicion

Hitchcock loved taking actors and putting them in roles very unlike those they usually played. Suspicion is no exception. Cary Grant plays a possible murderer. A charming, Cary Grant-esque murderer but a dubious character just the same. While Suspicion is not one of Hitchcock's best films, it is still very much Hitchcock. The suspense and psychological torture endured by Joan Fontaine throughout is palpable. The plot is relatively simple; it's the performances that breathe life into it. Cary Grant is, as usual, flawless and Joan Fontaine gives a truly Oscar worthy performance.

The Girl Hunters

Writers don't typically play their own fictional characters for good reason. Mickey Spillane is definitely a writer not an actor. The Girl Hunters is everything stereotypical about the detective genre - booze, dames and murder - put together in an amateur, shot in Roy Rowland's basement sort of way. The Girl Hunters is trying so very hard to be a film noir but it is proof that noir died in the 50's. If you're curious to see what Mickey Spillane looks like while walking or talking, this is the movie for you. Otherwise, for a much better version of Mike Hammer, watch Kiss Me Deadly instead.

Casablanca

I hadn't seen Casablanca for some time. While I always loved it, I never considered it my favorite Bogart movie. But, watching it again, Casablanca has earned its place at the top. Ingrid Bergman is spectacular, as well as Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, S.Z. Sakall and Peter Lorre as supporting cast. Some may say it is overrated, but Casablanca really is one of the best, most complete movies ever made. In acting, directing, writing, music and nearly every other criteria with which to measure a movie, Casablanca stands apart.

Mr. Skeffington

Bette Davis was not originally considered for the part of Fanny Trellis. Warner Brothers didn't think she could carry the part of a stunning beauty who was the envy of every man in New York. But she fought for the role and convinced studio executives that she could play it. It would seem she was right since she was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance. Watching Mr. Skeffington, one wonders why Bette Davis fought for the part at all as it is so very unlike the rest of her movies. She plays a frivolous woman, obsessed with her looks, whose self-esteem is in direct correlation to how many marriage proposals she receives. Even her voice is unrecognizable. But that is the mark of a truly great actress. Claude Rains and Bette Davis are perfect together and, in true Hollywood form, everyone gets what they deserve in the end.

Now, Voyager

Now, Voyager is one of the many melodramas released during WWII. It is the emotional tale of a tormented woman transfigured by love. Any movie with Bette in it is worth watching but her performance in Now, Voyager is above average even for Bette Davis. She makes the transformation from a meek, unattractive woman to a confident role model completely believable. This film has an excellent cast with Claude Rains as Bette's doctor and Gladys Cooper as the domineering mother. Strangely, the scenes for which Now, Voyager is most famous - where Paul Henreid lights two cigarettes and passes one to Bette Davis - wasn't even original to this movie. It was first used ten years earlier between Davis and George Brent in The Rich Are Always With Us.

Lady in the Lake

After watching Lady In The Lake, you can see why first-person point of view filmmaking never really caught on. Although it is also used with Humphrey Bogart in the beginning of Dark Passage, that was primarily so they didn't have to show a pre-surgery Bogart. An entire movie of first-person POV becomes tiresome. It's too bad really because Lady In The Lake is actually a good movie. Based on a Philip Marlowe novel by Raymond Chandler, the script is full of fast-paced suspense and great characters. Lady In The Lake is still a great film noir even if the viewpoint gimmick is fairly annoying.

Kansas City Confidential

Kansas City Confidential is a great caper noir. Preston Foster thinks he's pulled off the perfect heist and he has until the crime gets blamed on the wrong man. Even though his innocence is proven, the fall guy, John Payne, is convicted by public opinion and loses his job. Payne tracks down a lead on the real bank robbers in Mexico and then all hell breaks loose. Neville Brand, Jack Elam, and Lee Van Cleef, three of the greatest tough guys of the era, play the actual bank robbers. Everyone in this film has something to hide and no one is completely innocent. Filled with taught suspense and plot twists, KC Confidential holds its own in the Film Noir genre.

The Petrified Forest

The Petrified Forest is one of my favorite Bogart movies. While not his first film role (his first was in 1930), this was the film that turned Bogart into a leading Hollywood tough guy. He really owed his stardom to Leslie Howard. Howard threatened that he would quit unless Bogart was given the role of Duke Mantee. Bogart had played the part in the Broadway production with Howard. Warner Brothers agreed and the relatively unknown Bogart got the part beating out Edward G. Robinson. Robinson was more than willing to step away from yet another gangster part. The Petrified Forest is well-written and amazingly acted. Even if the story doesn't seem all that original today, for the time, it was unique as it was almost an early film noir. Humphrey Bogart, Leslie Howard and Bette Davis are all perfect in their roles.

He Walked by Night

Presented in semi-documentary style, He Walked by Night tells the story of a serial criminal who baffled the Los Angeles Police Department. This movie is like an extended episode of Dragnet. It's not surprising since the idea for the show came from this movie. Probably the most interesting thing about it is getting to see the outdated equipment and processes that the police used in their investigations. Their Crime Investigation Lab is hardly a lab at all. Taking into account that they had no computers, DNA or any other crime fighting tools that we have today, it's a wonder they ever managed to convict anyone.

Film Noir Collection: Scarlet Street

Scarlet Street boasts an excellent cast, one of the best directors in cinema and a thorough dose of suspense throughout. Edward G. Robinson plays the stooge rather than the heavy. One would think it'd be hard to buy Edward G. as the sensitive artist type but he pulls it off admirably. This movie would have been near perfect had it ended about 10 minutes before it did. I have a sneaking suspicion the ending had something to do with the pesky, omnipresent Production Code. In that era, cinematically speaking, nobody got away with murder. The criminal either had to get caught, die or psychologically suffer for his actions. But, all things considered, Scarlet Street is a great film with sex, violence, manipulation, murder, conspiracy and all the other things that make noir great.

Delicatessen

Mix the visual styles of The City of Lost Children and Amelie together, add some cannibalism, murder, clowns, mole-men and suicide attempts a la Rube Goldberg and you've got Delicatessen. Part quasi-horror movie, part social commentary, part love story; Delicatessen creates a universe all of its own. It is brimming with dry wit, physical comedy, surreal subplots and wonderful characters. Delicatessen is an acquired taste certainly not for everyone but it is truly one of a kind.

Cinderella Man

I had a hard time deciding whether I was going to watch this or not. While I love Russell Crowe, I absolutely can't stand Renee Whatserface. Just seeing her on the big screen is enough to make me want to punch puppies. In the end, love won out. But love stinks and so does this movie. It is a manipulating and contrived tear-jerker. If you want a depression-era, overcome the odds type of movie, watch Seabiscuit. Or, in the pugilist vein, you can't go wrong with Rocky.

American Gangster

I just saw American Gangster yesterday and, already, I can't remember much about it. In fact, as the film ended, I couldn't remember how it began. It's not bad, it's not good; it just is. I was engaged enough not to fall asleep but my life is not enriched for having seen it. I just felt 158 minutes older. At some point, I will have forgotten I saw it at all. I'm writing this review so I don't accidentally watch it again. This movie is as 2.5 stars as it gets.

Hang 'Em High

Clint Eastwood is the ultimate in badassery. Calm, cool and lucky with the ladies, he's like the James Bond of westerns. Clint plays a lawman whose motivation is more about revenge than right and wrong. This was the first movie produced by Eastwood's own production company. Sergio Leone was approached to direct this film but he was busy working on Once Upon a Time in the West. If you are not already a Clint Eastwood fan, I wouldn't necessarily recommend Hang 'Em High. The plot is slightly plodding and predictable. However, although it is not my favorite Eastwood western, it's pretty high up there.

The Big Lebowski

Whenever I give up hope that Hollywood is capable of producing anything even remotely original, I watch this movie. The Big Lebowski is probably my personal favorite Coen Brothers' movie to date. Ridiculously funny, smart and infinitely quotable, it scores on all fronts. The cast is outstanding with cameos by John Turturro, David Thewlis and Sam Elliot to name a few. Part comedy and part neo-noir, The Big Lebowski is inspired by the writing of Raymond Chandler. This is one of those rare films that has so many layers and details that you can watch it again and again and still be surprised and entirely entertained. If you haven't seen The Big Lebowski, you should watch it right now. Cheers to great American filmmaking.

The First Circle

This French-Canadian production has the distinction of being the only cinematic adaptation of a Solzhenitsyn novel available here. Unfortunately, it also has the look and feel of a made for TV movie. Although it appears that they shot at least some of the footage in Russia, most of the accents are French. Putting that aside, it is a fairly accurate portrayal of the book. Condensing an enormous novel into a teleplay isn't an easy feat. Especially, when the subject is something most viewers aren't likely to be familiar with; a Sharashka (special prison) in the Stalin-era Soviet Union. Christopher Plummer's character, Abakumov, really was the head of the Ministry for State Security (MGB) from 1946-51. Solzhenitsyn accurately portrayed Stalin as a paranoid lunatic and Abakumov as a power-hungry sycophant. Just having Stalin as a character in a book was enough to get you thrown in prison in those days which is why The First Circle was banned from publication in Russia. It had to be smuggled out of the country and printed abroad. If you like the movie at all, read the book. It's a thousand times better.

Withnail and I

If you've never been broke or destitute, I'm not sure that you would find this movie funny. If you're currently living this sort of life, you may not find it funny either. But, if somewhere in your past, you've lived in an arrears apartment in the middle of winter or have gone through a list of people you know who might potentially give you money, then this is right up your alley. I wasn't even alive in the 60's and I've never lived in England but some of the circumstances hit so close to home it's scary. In typical droll, British humor, Withnail and I is a perfect snapshot of what life can be like without many options. It shows that there really is humor to be found in everything.

Man vs. Wild: Collection 1

Yeah, yeah, Man Vs. Wild is a rip off of Les Stroud's Survivorman and Bear isn't really stranded in the middle of nowhere. Whatever. It's a television show. Do you honestly think Les Stroud is in any real danger? That's like thinking professional wrestling is real. Personally, I like both shows but, let's face it, although Survivorman may be more realistic, Bear is the better host. Man Vs. Wild is useful, interesting and altogether entertaining. I still love Bear even if he is sleeping all cozy and warm in a hotel. Besides, this season, they've been better about letting you know when things may not be completely factual.

Dirty Jobs: Collection 1

I resisted this show for a while because, quite honestly, it looks disgusting. Digging around in raw sewage, animal dung or trash are not high on my list of things I'd want to do. I don't know how Mike Rowe stomachs it but I'm glad he does. Dirty Jobs is one of the most fascinating shows on television. What surprised me most about the show is just how intelligent and funny Rowe is. There he is up to his neck in filth and out comes an obscure reference or wry comment. I wouldn't exactly call Dirty Jobs educational but it certainly is interesting to see how regular American folk spend their days.

The Notorious Bettie Page

Hollywood has churned out a glut of supposedly true-story movies in the past few years where nothing really happens. About the only thing even remotely notorious about Ms. Page is that she took some skin pics. Big freakin' deal. She wasn't the first nor the last. This movie could have had a point or a story of some kind. As it is, you just end up with really boring R-rated porn. Maybe if I was a guy, I'd like this movie. But as a female who really couldn't care less about the T & A, this was an absolute snoozefest. Next time Hollywood tries to do a biopic, they should pick someone who had an interesting life rather than a naive dunderhead who eventually becomes a Christian to assuage her guilt.

Point Blank

I would not want to be on Lee Marvin's bad side. His character, Walker, is an emotionless, remorseless anti-hero single-mindedly bent on revenge. Marvin smiles precisely once in this film and it's in a flashback. Point Blank is atmospherically moody, employing some rather unique devices, i.e. the sound of Walker's footsteps menacingly reverberating though several short, choppy scenes until he finally reaches his destination. The action is told out of sequence and it's left to the viewer to decide what is reality and what only takes place in Walker's mind. Point Blank was subsequently remade as Payback with Mel Gibson.

A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange is consistently in my list of top 10 favorite movies of all time. At this point, I've seen it so many times that I wish I could remember my first impression of it. It might have been fairly similar to some of the negative reviews on here. A Clockwork Orange, like many Kubrick films, is not one of those movies that you will catch everything on the first viewing. The imagery, language and violence are enough to distract you from its essence when you first watch it. Like most Sci-Fi movies from that era, A Clockwork Orange is supposed to be "futuristic" but it ends up looking dated. Its visual style, dated as it may be, gives it a more surreal and foreign tone as if the story is set on a different planet. I'm not going to go on and on about the genius of Kubrick or the satirical meaning of this and that. Suffice it to say that, if you haven't seen it, you should. And, once you've seen it, you should see it again.

Kaze no Yojimbo

I was drawn to Kaze No Yojimbo based on the vague connection to Kurosawa. While George is a drifter who arrives in town to find himself playing both sides of a turf war just like Kurosawa's Yojimbo, that's where the similarities end. Kaze No Yojimbo is more of a mystery. The plot goes much deeper than it initially seems. Moving fairly slowly, the story doesn't really pick up speed until nearly halfway through the series. I tend to be disappointed by Kurosawa clones but, if you can think of this series as completely unrelated to Kurosawa (which, realistically, it is), you'll find more than meets the eye.

Oz: Season 6

HBO took one of the most graphically violent, groundbreaking, creative shows on television and turned it into a gay soap opera. Not that there's anything wrong with gay soap operas, but that is not how Oz should go out. They would have done better to end the show with no wrap up whatsoever than to have produced season 6. If you've never seen Oz, seasons 1 through 3 are sheer gold. Seasons 4 and 5 are still moderately enjoyable to watch but not as emphatically so. If you're a fan of the show, do yourself a favor and don't bother with season 6. I'll still give it three stars because it's Oz but, really, that's more than it deserves.

Oz: Season 1

Oz was the precursor to The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Deadwood and all the other HBO dramas. What a way to start. Even 10 years later, in language, violence and nudity, no other cable channel or network has come close to the bar that was set with Oz. The rating TV-MA is an understatement. While HBO has since surpassed its own mark with the Sopranos, Oz manages to hold its own. It is still one of the most innovative, intelligent, brutal and addictive shows to ever have appeared on television.

To Hell and Back

To Hell And Back is a movie about Audie Murphy starring Audie Murphy based on the book by Audie Murphy. It is one of the few dramas to have an actor playing himself in a non-fictional title role. What Audie Murphy went through during the war was definitely dramatic. From his wrecked pre-war home life to how he became the most decorated soldier in WW2. Typical of war films of that era, To Hell And Back is coated with Hollywood gloss but the action is not only verified to be true, it was actually understated in the film. If you think about the fact that the person you're watching is the one who originally experienced it, it makes for a really unique cinema experience. To Hell And Back is one of the most harrowing and humbling war movies made in the post-war era.

Romper Stomper

Romper Stomper is among the best skinhead movies ever made. Typical for the genre, a member of a brutal gang of racist skins realizes the error of his ways and has to find a way to get out. Sound familiar? American History X has essentially the same premise. While American History X goes the high-brow road of intellectual examination, Romper Stomper erupts with violence right in your face. This movie does not glorify violence nor does it denigrate it. It just is what it is. Actually, at its core, Romper Stomper is a love story. Even though hardly anyone outside of Australia has heard of this film, it made Russell Crowe a star and rightly so. Hando is the prototypical arrogant scumbag.

Tsotsi

Filmed entirely on location in Soweto and Johannesburg, Tsotsi is an unflinching look at how harsh and violent life can be in South Africa. Especially for someone who has had to survive on their own. Tsotsi's poor, solitary upbringing is starkly contrasted to the upper-class family from whom he accidentally steals an infant. Tsotsi, Zulu for thug, undergoes a miraculous shift from cold-hearted gangster to a character that, even if you don't empathize with, you come to understand and almost pity in the end. As the plot slowly unfolds, you find out how he became the way he is. Besides the unique setting, Tsotsi boasts excellent acting, a superb soundtrack and a singular view of humanity, both good and bad.

Black Cat

Not that I've seen every anime series out there, but it seems to me that a lot of them are elementally the same. There's a reluctant good guy with a special weapon and/or power forced into a mission. He finds some friends along the way, usually with whom he argues most of the time, battles the ultimate evil and saves the world. Black Cat certainly is no exception. In fact, there are aspects that seem like blatant theft from other series. But Black Cat has enough individuality and personality to merit a 4 star rating. The characters have an unusual mixture of abilities and temperaments. It's interesting to watch their interactions even if you don't always understand their motivations. There is a lot of humor mixed in and the story was rather captivating. The Japanese voice work and subtitles are well done.

Three Seasons

Three Seasons is probably the most beautiful Vietnamese film I've seen. Every scene is bursting with imagery ranging from the subtle to an explosion of color and movement. From rainy city streets at night to a shower of red flower petals. The Vietnamese culture portrayed in this film is vastly different from the hustle of American life. It's fascinating in its differences and ultimate similarities. Three Seasons shows the distinct gap between old and new, rich and poor. In this trio of stories, Harvey Keitel's is the least developed. Maybe he should have stuck exclusively with the role of Executive Producer. Because there is more than one central story, not as much attention is paid to each. Although they do intersect in the end, you find yourself wishing for more.

American Beauty

Easily one of the top 5 American movies released in the past decade. Long ago, I gave up on the Academy's ability to pick decent films for Best Picture, let alone amazing ones. But with American Beauty, it finally redeemed itself. This film has a well-written story full of dark humor and emotion, beautiful cinematography and superlative acting. I see absolutely nothing pretentious about it at all. But then again, if you swallow the unimaginative, hackneyed remakes that Hollywood has been spewing out for the last decade, I guess an original concept would seem pretentious.

Returner

Let me preface this by saying I am not a big fan of science fiction. I bought the DVD for $2 and now I know why. When I read the synopsis on the back of the box, I actually laughed out loud a bit and not in a good way. But I love Takeshi Kaneshiro so I watched this thing. Returner made me reconsider whether I am a Kaneshiro fan after all. Who knows, maybe if I actually liked this genre, I might have appreciated this movie a little more. But Returner is so full of glaring time travel no-no's, bad acting and a ridiculous plot that it's hard to say. The cover of the DVD is probably the most interesting thing about the movie. I'm being extremely generous with a 3 star rating because I want my money back. If anyone wants a copy, I'll sell mine for $2.

Full Metal Jacket

There are more quotable lines in Full Metal Jacket than practically any other movie ever made. Some of the lines have been used so much elsewhere that, when you hear them in their original context, they almost seem out of place. Full Metal Jacket is not your typical war action flick. It is told from the point of view of a USMC journalist who spends the bulk of his time in the rear with the gear. And when they do get in the action, it's not an epic, WW2-style battle that they face. Full Metal Jacket explores the surreality of having it drilled into your head that your job is to die, the pointlessness of individual effort in the face of the greater conflict and the bonds that keep men fighting for each other even if they disagree with the larger goal. My only issue with this movie is that they have never released a widescreen version thanks to Kubrick and his misguided opinion that it was distracting.

None But the Lonely Heart

None But The Lonely Heart was the most autobiographical and serious of Cary Grant's films. Even in his more dramatic roles, there is always an element of comedy and sophistication. Not so in this film. Cary Grant's lyrical English lilt makes way for a crude Cockney accent. He plays a poor, disheveled prodigal son forced to unsuccessfully change his ways when his mother becomes ill. Ernie Mott is a man who values independence above all else and refuses to be tied to the poverty or people surrounding him. This role was of interest to Grant as Ernie's circumstances were similar to his own upbringing. Grant was born in a working class neighborhood in Bristol, England and dropped out of school at age 14. If not for a fortunate set of events, he might well have turned out to be very much like Ernie Mott. Grant thought that None But The Lonely Heart was his best performance and I'm inclined to agree.

The Princess and the Warrior

The pacing is slow in comparison to the non-stop Run Lola Run. But you can't compare the two movies. If you do, you'll be disappointed. The Princess And The Warrior is vastly different from Tom Tykwer's other films. It's different from most films altogether. The Princess And The Warrior is a unique take on the tried and true love story. You can't get much more unconventional than the main characters meeting through an emergency tracheotomy. But this movie is about more than saccharine romance. It's about emotional isolation, the impermanence of life and the way even the smallest action has consequences. Films like this are the reason why I loathe most contemporary American genre films. Even down to the title, The Princess And The Warrior is a masterful modern fairy tale.

Naked

Naked is definitely not for everybody. If you are offended by cinematic violence against women or think they should put subtitles on a movie where the spoken language is English, don't watch this film. You will hate it. Yes, there is violence against women. Yes, some of the accents are a little hard to understand, especially Ewen Bremner. David Thewles is more antagonist than protagonist. There is nothing redeeming or nice about him. In fact, there are no completely innocent characters in this film. Everyone is guilty of something. However, if not likable characters, they are utterly fascinating. You can't help but watch. Largely ignored when it was released, I originally saw this movie in the theater. It was my introduction to David Thewlis and I immediately took notice. His cunning wit and razor-sharp social commentary make this film worth seeing.

East of Eden: Special Edition

Of the three big James Dean movies, this one is probably my favorite. More tempestuous in Rebel Without A Cause and more stoic in Giant, this is the movie where Dean got the balance exactly right. East Of Eden is well directed, perfectly cast, beautifully shot and amazingly acted. Elia Kazan was a proponent of method acting which Dean used to full effect in this movie. Steinbeck, who wrote the book on which the movie is based, said of Dean, "He IS Cal!" If you ever wonder why James Dean is still a star over 50 years after his death, watch East Of Eden. Everything from the intensity in his voice to his slight gestures and facial expressions bring a poignancy and reality to his performance that few actors before or after have attained. This was the only movie of the big three to be released before James Dean's death.

Bringing Up Baby

Bringing Up Baby was a complete commercial failure when it was released to such an extent that Howard Hawks was fired from his next production. Most likely due to the fact that this was Katharine Hepburn's first comedic role. But, as sometimes happens with box office flops, Bringing Up Baby found an audience later. Once people saw successful comedies with Grant and Hepburn, Holiday and The Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby was seen in a different light. With a plot featuring leopards, dogs and dinosaur bones, Bringing Up Baby is extremely eccentric and entirely surprising. Full of understated wit and nutty characters dealing with off the wall situations, Bringing Up Baby deserves its place as a comedy classic. By the way, the terrier, George, is the same dog in The Thin Man movies and The Awful Truth also with Cary Grant.

3-Iron

Even if 3-Iron wasn't subtitled, you still would be able to follow the story as there is very little dialogue. The depth of expression, especially by Jae Hee, makes words seem superfluous. 3-Iron is violent, funny, suspenseful, quirky and unexpectedly moving all at the same time. No paragraph synopsis could cover it. Just when you think you have it figured out, another twist comes along. It's left up to the viewer to decide what to make of it all.

Saving Private Ryan

Maybe I had inflated expectations, maybe the Omaha beach landing scenes just set the bar too high or maybe I just can't stand Tom Hanks. Considering the opening is so moving and so powerful, I was hoping the rest of it would be too. It sets itself up as an epic movie. While its length is certainly epic, the story is not. Obviously, you can't have a whole movie on the plane of emotional intensity of the landing scenes, but it's such a glaring drop off that the rest of the film falls flat in comparison.

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams

To varying degrees, I appreciate every movie Kurosawa ever made. Except this one. It seems to me that Dreams is just self-indulgent drivel. And that's fine. At this point in his career, he was allowed. He produced more 4 or 5 star movies in any given 10 year block than most directors do in their entire careers. But just because it's Kurosawa, it doesn't mean it's good. I think in order to truly appreciate this film, you either have to be a hifalutin film student who will espouse its value to the cinematic aggregate or you need to be half asleep.

The Dark Angel

The Dark Angel is a true Hollywood tearjerker. It has all the essential elements of love, loss and war. Set during WWI, this romantic triangle has intrigue, deception, jealousy, estrangement and reunion. It is a remake of the 1925 silent version of the same name. The plot is more than a little unbelievable in typical studio-era fashion. Anyone in their right mind would have returned to Merle Oberon in Fredric March's position. But without separation, there couldn't be a tear-filled reunion. Even with a farcical plot, the acting in this version makes it engaging. Herbert Marshall was actually a veteran of WWI and lost a leg in the war.

To Have and Have Not

To Have And Have Not was Bogey and Bacall's first movie together and Bacall's film debut. The chemistry between them is evident which is part of the reason why To Have And Have Not is so charming. This is the only movie to have two Nobel Prize winning authors associated with it. The movie was based on an Ernest Hemmingway book and the screenplay was written by William Faulkner. To Have And Have Not packs enormous star power from writing to directing to acting. It is worth watching if for no other reason than the relationship between Bogey and Bacall.

The Happiness of the Katakuris

The Happiness of the Katakuris is actually based on a Korean movie called The Quiet Family (also available here). Takashi Miike took a dark comedy and turned it into a technicolor circus. Even though it is based on another movie, I wouldn't exactly call it a remake. Half of The Happiness of the Katakuris makes no sense and the other half is just plain ridiculous. Yet, despite all of this, you still end up liking this bizarre family and can't help but root for them in their extraordinarily preposterous circumstances. Not your typical Miike film but it certainly has his flavor added to it. None of Miike's other movies break into song for no apparent reason. The Happiness of the Katakuris is so very Japanese along the lines of Survive Style 5+. Whether you like it or not, you will remember this movie long after you've seen it.

Mighty Joe Young

This movie has the same basic premise as King Kong but Mighty Joe Young is definitely more heartfelt. Between the two giant apes, Joe is more anthropomorphic. Mighty Joe Young was made by the same people who brought you King Kong and Son of Kong. This is a must-see movie if only to witness the magic and glory that is Ray Harryhausen, the king of stop-motion animation. Mighty Joe Young was the first movie where he used his revolutionary stop-motion technique. Harryhausen also did the animation for the old Sinbad movies, Clash of the Titans and almost everything else requiring live-action animation in that era. As you watch, try to keep in mind that this was decades before CGI.

His Girl Friday

Yet another brilliant film from Howard Hawks. His Girl Friday is a frenetic and sophisticated comedy which was fairly revolutionary in its day. It was one of the first films to have characters talk over the lines of other characters giving it a much faster pace. In the play on which this movie is based, Rosalind Russell's part was written for a man which is why she actually had a vocation. You can see a shadow of masculinity in her performance. Howard Hawks liked the idea of the character being female so he changed it from a comedy to a romantic comedy. Russell is the perfect compliment to Grant and their banter couldn't be any wittier. A lot of it was ad libbed. At one point, Grant is trying to describe Ralph Bellamy's character in the movie and he ends up saying that he "looks like that film actor, Ralph Bellamy".

Red Beard

Sadly, Red Beard was the last of 16 Kurosawa films starring Toshiro Mifune. It was also Kurosawa's last black and white film. Once again, Kurosawa borrowed heavily from Dostoevsky as he did with The Idiot. Red Beard is one of the most compassionate and humane Kurosawa films. There are no epic battles or ronin. It is yet another example of Kurosawa's finely-crafted story telling and Mifune's excellent acting. Red Beard is one of my top 5 favorite Kurosawa movies.

The Philadelphia Story

I've seen this film many times throughout the years and it never ceases to entertain. Grant, Hepburn and Stewart had all proven at this point in their careers that they were capable actors. But it takes talent to succeed at both comedy and drama. All three of this film's stars excel at it. The character of Tracy Lord was actually based on Katharine Hepburn's public image. She had successfully played the part on Broadway before the movie was made. The Philadelphia Story was Grant and Hepburn's third comedy pairing. Grant was offered his choice of either of the male roles. Surprisingly, he took the less showy part. He said it was because he got the girl.

Miller's Crossing

Technically, Miller's Crossing is the best Coen brothers' movie. While not as popular as Fargo or The Big Lebowski, it deserves its place at the top. Full of dark, understated humor, its plot is as intricate as its characters. Miller's Crossing was inspired by the work of Dashiell Hammett, creator of Sam Spade. Like most Coen brothers' movies, it requires a few viewings before everything sinks in. Miller's Crossing is a cult classic just waiting for the credit it is due.

Jet Li's Fearless

The problem with a supposedly true story is that if your main character isn't interesting, your movie won't be either. Huo Yuanjia is neither interesting nor sympathetic. Instead, he's selfish, inconsiderate, conceited and a whole host of other adjectives describing a main character I don't need to see again. This is a 2.5 star movie at best.

Double Indemnity

Double Indemnity is one of Billy Wilder's finest films which is saying a lot because he had many. Although initially she balked at playing a ruthless femme fatale, Stanwyck is exceptionally good at it. Edward G. Robinson and Fred MacMurray also stepped away from their typecast roles as tough guy and comedian respectively and it all comes together brilliantly. Raymond Chandler co-wrote the screenplay with Wilder which is why it has a lot of snappy dialogue like The Big Sleep. Double Indemnity is a great example of the Film Noir genre.

Killing Machine

Killing Machine is based on the real life of the Shorinji Kenpo master. While certainly not Sonny Chiba's best work, Killing Machine is a prototypical example of violent 1970's Japanese cinema. It is far bloodier and more savage than a martial arts movie has any right to be. There's even a scene where Sonny uses scissors to dismember a man's member and feed it to a dog. The fight scenes are spectacular for their day featuring actual Shorinji Kenpo techniques. Overall, it's another cheesy, yet entertaining martial arts classic with Sonny Chiba.

Graveyard of Honor

Graveyard of Honor tells the story of the rise and fall of a legendary, albeit fictitious, Yakuza in post-war Japan. The movie is presented in quasi-documentary style leading the viewer to believe that the events actually occurred. Ruthless and violent, Ishikawa is about as unsympathetic a main character as you're ever likely to see. Tetsuya Watari excels at this role and makes you want to see what happens to him in the bitter end. Graveyard of Honor is a savagely compelling example of ultra-violent cinema as only the Japanese can do. This film was later remade by Takashi Miike.

Pork Chop Hill

Pork Chop Hill conveys the futility of war by telling the story of the bloody taking of one small, nearly insignificant objective towards the end of the Korean War. Something about the story resonated with the politically active Gregory Peck so he bought the movie rights. He produced it himself, assembled the director, crew and helped with the casting. Pork Chop Hill has an all-star cast including Martin Landau's first on screen role.

Meet John Doe

Nobody can make an optimistic, feel-good movie like Frank Capra. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Meet John Doe and, of course, It's A Wonderful Life are three of the strongest examples. Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck are ideally cast as the muddled every-man and the audacious, quick-witted reporter. Walter Brennan stands out as Coop's cynical traveling companion, the Colonel. While the plot is fairly implausible, you can't help but cheer for Coop and friends. Capra's strength is that he uses average Joe America to tell his stories. He's like the Norman Rockwell of moviemaking. The message "this could be you" is received loud and clear. If you're having a bad day, watch this movie. It will make you feel much better about things. Plus you probably haven't seen it nearly as much as It's A Wonderful Life.

Fallen Angels

Fallen Angels was originally written as the third story for Chungking Express. You can see how it ties in with it's predecessor. Michelle Reis and Faye Wong's characters are very similar or at least their cleaning habits are. It's even mentioned that Takeshi Kaneshiro's character became mute by eating a can of pineapple after the expiration date. However, even though Kaneshiro plays He Zhiwu in both movies, it's not the same character. Fallen Angels has stunningly lyrical visuals by Christopher Doyle, inspired performances especially from Takeshi Kaneshiro, and a soundtrack that ties it all together. The only thing lacking, as is typical in Wong Kar Wai films, is a heavy plot. If you've never seen his films before, get used to the fact that there are going to be gaping plot holes and incoherent story lines. That is actually part of their charm.

Film Noir Collection: D.O.A.

This story has been used many times in many films, but this is the original and the best. D.O.A. is exceptionally well made in almost every aspect. The tense plot is unfolded before your eyes just as it is before the main character's. The fact that Edmund O'Brien plays such an every-man character makes it all the more real, as if this could happen to you. Even though it is a little dated and contrived in spots, D.O.A. is a definitive example of Film Noir at it's finest.

Japan's Longest Day

If you know anything about Japanese culture at all, you know that the concept of surrender was contrary to everything Japanese. Japan's Longest Day is an interpretation of how the government came to that momentous decision. All through the war, the Japanese berated Allied prisoners of war for surrendering and not fighting to the death. So the fact that the Japanese even considered surrender is rather amazing. I would recommend this movie if you are interested in seeing a Japanese perspective on WW2 or if you, like me, decide to go on a kamikaze mission to see every movie Toshiro Mifune ever did.

Smiles of a Summer Night

As a film fan of Scandinavian descent, it was my duty to see Bergman's films. I was happily surprised by Smiles Of A Summer Night. It's aptly named as it is the most light-hearted of all of his movies. It is teeming with witty characters and the subtitled dialogue transfers the dry humor to English quite well. While it doesn't carry the weight that some of his films do, it is most certainly still a Bergman film. The story is reminiscent of A Midsummer's Night Dream. Smiles of a Summer Night proves again just how prudish America is on the subject of morality compared to the rest of the world. While American movies were shackled with an outdated Production Code, Bergman produced a sensual and sophisticated romantic intrigue.

The Grapes of Wrath

If you ever wonder why Henry Fonda is considered to be such a great actor, just watch this film. At the time, he was still struggling to make it as an actor. When the part of Tom Joad was offered to him, he immediately signed a studio contract locking him up for 7 years knowing that this would be his big break. He was right. While it is certainly not a documentary, The Grapes of Wrath portrays a fairly accurate glimpse of what it must have been like to live through the Great Depression. So accurate, in fact, that both the book and the movie were highly controversial. The California farmer's union called for a boycott of the movie and the book was actually banned in several states. Because of the Production Code, some parts of the movie had to be toned down, especially the ending. But the spirit of compassion and determination in the book is carried over into the movie.

Prisoner of Zenda (1937/1952)

Hollywood has a long history of remaking films over and over again, especially those that make money. This is another of those rare occasions where I like both versions. Ronald Coleman vs. Stewart Granger. Madeleine Carroll vs. Deborah Kerr. It's a tough choice especially since they're nearly identical except for the cast. Full of swashbuckling, elaborate costumes, larger than life characters, and a tried and true story line, either of these versions of Prisoner of Zenda is worth watching. Personally, I'd have to give the very slight advantage here Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr. But since you get two version on one disc, you can decide for yourself.

El Dorado

I'm not a huge fan of the western genre especially those starring John Wayne. Sacrilegious, I know. But a western directed by Howard Hawks co-starring Robert Mitchum is hard to resist. El Dorado does not disappoint. Mitchum plays a burned-out drunk to perfection and the relationship between the two stars is worth watching. It's a shame that, other than The Longest Day, Wayne and Mitchum never made another film together. While the plot is almost an exact rip off of Rio Bravo, there's enough humor and good character acting to make it a worthwhile film.

The Enemy Below

Besides The Longest Day, this in my favorite Robert Mitchum war movie. Released only 12 years after the end of WW2, The Enemy Below could have very easily turned out to be a propagandizing depiction of how America is great and Germans are evil. But it doesn't. Surprisingly, Robert Mitchum's character shows respect for the abilities and intelligence of the German captain. The Enemy Below humanizes the Germans in a way that not many war movies do, especially those made in that era and before. Because the enemy is not some ethereal, unseen force, it creates a much tighter, human drama.

The Dawn Patrol

I'm usually not a fan of movie remakes. Especially remakes of Howard Hawks' movies made only 8 years after the original. However, in The Dawn Patrol, I'll make an exception. Errol Flynn, David Niven and almost everything else is actually better in this version (except the flying sequences most of which were actually stolen from it's predecessor). Flynn steps away from his usual swashbuckling role to play a beleaguered captain of a WWI flying group when military aviation was still new. He positively shines in this role. Both movies are good, but I'd have to give the edge to this version.

Flame of Recca

Although the main story line isn't groundbreaking, I still give Flame of Recca credit for originality. Well written, beautifully animated, good subtitles, interesting story, cool characters and surprisingly addictive. Some of the Hokage madougus, weapons that give special powers to their users, are fascinating.

1984

Quite possibly the best and most faithful movie adaptation of a book ever made. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the book is so well written that it doesn't leave much to chance. But, as has been proven time and time again, Hollywood can always find a way to destroy a sure thing. Thankfully, they got this movie right. John Hurt is the perfect Winston. I'm dismayed to see that 1984 is not available on DVD. If you haven't read the book, go read it right now while you're waiting for the movie. It's a classic for a reason.

Ambush

Ambush has a lot of history to carry on its shoulders as the only movie available here to take place during the Continuation War told from the Finnish perspective. During the Winter War, tiny little Finland with outmoded equipment and very little outside help, fended off behemoth invader, The Soviet Union. Outnumbered 4 to 1, Finland fought for its very survival as a country. The Finns lost a lot of lives and a lot of land as a result of the Winter War but they remained independent. However, once the Winter War ended, The Soviet Union would once again demand concessions from Finland. In the Continuation War, due to continued Soviet pressure and countless empty promises of help from Europe and the US, Finland accepted the help of Nazi Germany. They had little choice. If Finland had sided with the allies, including Russia at the time, it would cease to exist as a country. For the record, Finland never fought against Allied forces or helped with any other German strategic goals. Ambush takes place during the ill-fated Continuation War where Finland once again was forced to take on the superior Soviet forces. As a Finnish-American whose grandparents lost everything in the Winter War, I think this is an important story to be told. Unfortunately, this is not quite the movie to do it. Ambush suffers from myopia and a superfluous love story but it's still worth a watch. I would recommend Talvisota (The Winter War) or Tuntematon Sotilas (Unknown Soldier) but neither are available here.

The Night of the Hunter

It's hard to name a better example of the quintessential bad guy than Robert Mitchum. Cool, calm and charming, it's easy to see why he was picked for the preacher. Between Night Of The Hunter and Cape Fear, he's got it down. The movie looks like a lot of it was shot on a soundstage as they often did back then. But, somehow, the bizarre landscape, especially on the river scenes, almost becomes a character itself. The high contrast between dark and light gives an eerie effect and Mitchum coyly calling "Chiiillldren" makes your skin crawl.

Chungking Express

I just watched Chungking Express again the other day. I had forgotten how much I adore it. Sweet, funny and quirky characters with absolutely gorgeous cinematography, as usual, by Christopher Doyle. If you are expecting a heavy plot here, you obviously have never seen a Wong Kar Wai movie. Two distinct storylines where the only thing tying them together is a late night fast food restaurant and loss of love. This is the version released by Quentin Tarantino. You can skip the intro but the wrap up has a few interesting tidbits of information about the movie like the fact that Fallen Angels was originally supposed to be the third story for Chungking Express.

The Bad Sleep Well

The Bad Sleep Well is Kurosawa's interpretation of Hamlet. This movie seems every bit as relevant in the US today as it did almost 50 years ago in Japan. It has suspense, corporate intrigue, corruption, manipulation, murder, ruthless paparazzi, a dysfunctional family and even a little romance thrown in for good measure. It is most certainly not a slash 'em up samurai flick like a lot of Kurosawa films. Mifune turns in a rather sedate performance. The pacing is slow but patience is rewarded with unexpected twists and turns.

The War Zone

This is a hard movie to review. On one hand, I don't want to give anything away. The sheer power of this movie is that it takes you by surprise. On the other, I really wish I had known what this movie was about before I saw it. Even just a little bit. I was not expecting what happened at all. The War Zone is not for the squeamish. There are certain scenes that are nearly impossible to watch that will make you remember it long after you've seen it. I watched The War Zone because of Tim Roth. It ended up making me a fan of Ray Winstone.

The Longest Day

The Longest Day covers five separate Allied invasion points on D-Day from the men in the trenches all the way up to the president. 6 writers, 4 directors, numerous storylines in 3 different languages, tons of big name actors all on a fixed budget. Add over 20,000 troops supplied by America, the UK and France, and countless artillery, ships, tanks and planes, and you've got one of the biggest war movies of all time and a logistical nightmare. But The Longest Day manages to overcome it all. Not quite as horrific as Saving Private Ryan's opening minutes, the landing scenes are just as effective. One of the most interesting things about this film is that it covers D-Day from the German, American, French and UK perspectives. The Germans speak German, the French speak French and so on. The Longest Day is one of the best war movies ever made.

The Taste of Tea

The Taste of Tea consists of several interwoven stories with the common element being one particular family. At first, you wonder where the plot is and if it's ever going to show up. But the intriguing characters and the bizarre things that happen to them soon make you forget that there really isn't one. The story that is there flashes between dreamlike, sweet, funny, beautiful, touching, absurd and is always surprising. Sachiko's large friend is a little unnerving at first but you get used to her just like she does.

After the Thin Man

After the Thin Man cashed in on the box office success of it's predecessor, The Thin Man. It is the second of a series of 6 films, all of which are a good time. Each movie follows the formulaic outline of the original; Powell gets reluctantly dragged into a case, tries unsuccessfully to keep his zealous wife out of it, stumbles across some clues along the way and brings all of the suspects together for questioning at the end hoping someone will make a mistake. Inevitably, they do. This is one of 14 movies Powell and Loy made together throughout their careers, including the Thin Man series. The fact that the stars liked and respected each other comes across clearly on screen. Powell and Loy's witty dialogue keeps the films moving quickly and the endings are always a surprise.

The Great Dictator

To really appreciate The Great Dictator, you need to keep two things in mind. First, this was Chaplin's first all-talking, all-sound film. It was released 13 years after the end of the silent era. For a comedian whose success was due entirely to physical comedy, The Great Dictator was the first movie where he relied more heavily on dialogue than slapstick. Although, the scene for which this movie is most famous, where he's tossing the globe around, is pure physical comedy. Secondly, though it was released in 1940, Chaplin started this movie in 1937 long before anything was known about Hitler's atrocities and years before America would get involved in WW2. When you take these factors into account, The Great Dictator is nothing short of genius.

The Big Sleep

Other actors have tried to play Philip Marlowe but Bogart is by far the best. Even though The Big Sleep's story is a bit meandering, the superb dialogue makes it worthwhile. With lines like "You know what he'll do when he comes back? Beat my teeth out, then kick me in the stomach for mumbling.", The Big Sleep is chock full of brilliant lines and innuendo. It was finished in 1945 but, since WW2 was over, Warner Brothers had to rush to get all of their war movies in and out of the theaters before they were completely obsolete. Since it was on the back burner, Bacall's agent convinced studio execs to reshoot some of her scenes fearing her career would end if the Big Sleep wasn't successful. The studio agreed which is part of the reason why the final 1946 version may be just a bit confusing.

Seven Samurai

If there is one Kurosawa film which should be required viewing, this would be it. Seven Samurai is one of the few movies where the remake, The Magnificent Seven, is almost as good as the original. The ironic thing about Seven Samurai, and even Yojimbo, is that they were inspired by American westerns which, in turn, inspired western remakes of them. It is a little long in certain parts but Seven Samurai is an epic movie. All of the waiting around bits are necessary to truly tell the story properly. Kurosawa's regular cast of character actors are present, and Takashi Shimura and Toshiro Mifune are brilliant as always. Seven Samurai is a landmark, must see movie.

Incident at Blood Pass

Yet another incarnation of Kurosawa's Yojimbo character by another director. In my opinion, this is the 3rd best Yojimbo movie after Yojimbo and Sanjuro. The fourth being Zatoichi meets Yojimbo. Shintaro Katsu, best known for playing Zatoichi, is also in Incident At Blood Pass but he does not play the famous Anma. If you're not paying attention, you might miss the fact that Mifune is even playing Yojimbo. The Yojimbo character in this movie is much more serious than in the other three films but just as morally ambiguous. Incident at Blood Pass was made long after the split with Kurosawa. Mifune produced this movie himself. Somehow at the age of 50, Toshiro Mifune manages to pull off a convincing samurai. While not as great as some Mifune or Inagaki movies, Incident at Blood Pass has an interesting story, a good cast and a good director. If you are a fan of Yojimbo, Mifune or samurai films in general, I would recommend this movie.

North by Northwest

I just watched this movie again for the gajillionth time the other day. There are some movies, especially those considered classics, that are hyped beyond belief. And once you finally get around to seeing them, they disappoint. This is not one of them. The combination of Hitchcock and Grant is absolute magic. North By Northwest is the best of their collaborations. Suspense, comedy, romance, action. It's all there. The inspiration for this story came from a real incident during WW2 where British intelligence invented a spy to distract the Germans. Hitchcock read an article and filed it away in his mind until he was brainstorming his latest project years later.

Anna Christie

Anna Christie was Garbo's much anticipated first talkie. The Jazz Singer came out 3 years before the release of Anna Christie. Charlie Chaplin was the only silent era star that took longer to produce a talkie than Garbo so the buildup for this movie was intense. It was marketed with the simple tagline "Garbo talks!" The studio was worried that Garbo's Swedish accent would be a problem with American audiences so they specifically sought out a story where it wouldn't matter. To heighten the suspense, there are over 10 minutes of banter between George F. Marion and Marie Dressler before Garbo even makes an appearance. The tension that a world full of moviegoers waiting to hear Garbo talk must have felt is palpable. While the movie itself is a little lackluster, the superlative performances of Garbo and Marie Dressler make up for it.

Random Harvest

A man loses entire chunks of his memory not once, but twice. The story spans at least a dozen years yet, no one seems to age at all. However, even with these issues, Random Harvest manages to pull you in. Greer Garson, despite being huge in her day, is all but forgotten today. It's unfortunate as not only was incredibly beautiful but she was a great actress. This movie was the follow up to Mrs. Miniver which propelled her into stardom. It also features Susan Peters as Kitty who, shortly after filming this movie, was in a hunting accident and became wheelchair bound. If you can suspend disbelief enough to swallow the preposterous story line, Random Harvest turns out to be a very sweet, well-acted story of love and determination.

Once Were Warriors

I have watched this movie a thousand times and it still manages to get to me. Every time I think I'm going to make it through without shedding a tear, I hear that primeval cry from Rena Owen. Unbelievable. Without giving anything away, that scene is one of the most powerful scenes I've ever seen in any movie ever made. Temuera Morrison's character goes from almost lovable to hated to pitied. I don't think there's a single character in any film that I hate more than Uncle Bully. Unfortunately, they made a sequel called What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? In comparison to the glory that is Once Were Warriors, it really isn't worth seeing. Lucky for us, it's not available here.

Azumi

Azumi is the very definition of badass. There is a scene near the beginning where the master gives them the final task to prepare for their much anticipated mission; it sets the tone for the rest of the film. To truly appreciate Azumi, you need to be a fan of that exaggerated Japanese flair for the dramatic. This movie is like a live-action manga including over-the-top fight sequences, melodrama, gushing blood and a young girl single-handedly slashing 200 opponents at once. Aya Ueto is great as the main character especially since she was only 18 years old at the time. There is a sequel to this movie, Azumi 2: Death or Love, but it doesn't quite measure up to the first.

American Hardcore

Yet another DIY documentary on early 80's punk. Having lived in this particular subculture at the time, it was required viewing. I expected yet another documentary focusing on New York, LA and maybe DC. While there is a good deal of time spent on those cities, I was pleasantly surprised that they touched on other regions of the country like Boston, Austin and Detroit. They even mention Canada and smaller, regional bands like Negative Approach and SS Decontrol. The usual cast of characters for these types of films were all there but they also dug up a lot of people they usually don't like Dave Smalley and Jimmy Gestapo. Of course, there were bands that were left out as it's impossible to cover everything. As a history of hardcore, it's a brief overview. This film only concerns itself with 1980-1986. I have a friend who had no real connection with this scene at the time who thought this movie was terrible. I, on the other hand, thought that while there were gaping holes in the history, it was a fairly well done, low budget documentary. If you were not into this subculture at the time, you will not appreciate this film. If you were a child reared on 80's hardcore, it will make you want to dig out all of your old vinyl.

From Here to Eternity

I tend to be skeptical of films that have won tons of awards but this movie was made when awards actually meant something. From Here To Eternity is one of those rare films that actually lives up to the hype. If you've never seen this film, I'm sure you've heard the title a dozen times and seen the iconic image of lovers on the beach (it's on the cover). If you're expecting a shoot-em-up action flick, this is not it. From Here To Eternity is one of my favorite war movies even though there's no war in it. Frank Sinatra and Montgomery Clift as supporting cast; it doesn't get any better.

Oldboy

By far, the best of Chan Wook Park's revenge trilogy. Both Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance are excellent films on their own but they pale in comparison to Oldboy. If you haven't seen any of them, I would watch the other two first and save Oldboy for last. I watched this movie not knowing anything about it other than the summary on the sleeve in which it came. Maybe that's the best way to see it. Beautifully shot, well acted, well written and one of the best endings ever. Oldboy will make you squirm. If movies could be rated higher than 5 stars, this would be one of them.

Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl

This is one of my favorite Tadanobu Asano movies available here. From the opening credits, Shark Skin Man is just plain fun. Yes, it's violent. Yes, it's campy. No, it's not serious at all. It is a manga turned movie through and through. It's refreshing to see Tadanobu Asano in a less serious role. There are scenes that will elicit an auditory giggle. The supporting cast is excellent (especially Yamada, the hitman) and the story, while not groundbreaking, is engrossing. If you don't go into it expecting a serious, moving drama that will change your life, you will find this movie nothing but pure entertainment.

Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo

The Yojimbo in this movie is drunker and lazier than in Yojimbo and Sanjuro. Both of which are far superior films. Probably because they are Kurosawa films and this one is most definitely not. It's hard for anything to be utter crap when it's got Toshiro Mifune in it though. There's just something about Toshiro mockingly repeating "Sensei" to his employer like a snotty 5 year old that makes it all worthwhile. If you're looking at this review and haven't seen Yojimbo, Sanjuro or the Zatoichi series, for shame, go watch those right now. If you have, you'll probably still dislike this movie in comparison. But if can manage to disassociate this film from it's predecessors, then you might enjoy this movie when all is said and done. Just don't get your expectations up too high.

Volcano High

While the hip-hop soundtrack to this version is far superior to the original Korean version, that's really the only added value. The voiceover work in this movie is shoddy at best. Most likely because the voiceover actors are not actually actors. To be fair, I hate dubbed movies. This is one of the few movies I'm even willing to sit through dubbed but, like I said, it's primarily because of the soundtrack. If you haven't seen this movie at all, watch the Korean version first and then, if you must, watch this version.

Fight Club

Fight Club is unquestionably the best American movie made in the last 10 years. The screenwriter should have won an Academy Award for adapting a mediocre book into an amazing piece of cinema (to be fair, I read the book after seeing the movie). If you think this movie is about egregious violence or a boys' club, you have entirely missed the point. You need to go back and watch it again. Watch it as many times as it takes to realize that this movie is about freedom, not violence. If you didn't like this movie, you're part of the problem. That includes you, Roger Ebert. Never trust the man who wrote Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls.

Ichi the Killer

The amount of gore and violence in this movie cannot be overstated. It is truly one of the goriest films ever made, even surpassing the level of violence typical in Takashi Miike films. On par with Dead Alive, Ichi The Killer has some of the bloodiest, most violent scenes known to man. If you are not into gory films, especially the Japanese, specifically the Takashi Miike variety, do not watch this film. You will hate it. Watch The Bird People in China instead. There's no gore in that one. That being said, I found this film irresistibly hypnotic and actually quite funny. A lot of that has to do with Tadanobu Asano. He is absolutely glorious as Kakihara. The special effects are, at times, just plain ridiculous (the fist in the mouth scene for instance) but if you can get past the gore and the violence, there is a worthwhile movie hidden in a bucket of blood. Just remember, none of it is real.

Ikiru

After seeing this movie, it's easy to understand why Kurosawa used Takashi Shimura in so many of his films. Ikiru's slow pace and funereal subject matter may throw many Kurosawa fans off but this is one of his most powerful and moving films. It's one of those movies you think about long after you've seen it. Definitely one of my favorite Kurosawa films.

Jesus' Son

It seems you either love this movie or hate it. I suppose it depends on whether or not you have any experience with love, loss or addiction. If you don't, you probably won't really appreciate this film. Jesus' Son is one of my top 10 favorites. It's rare to find a movie that can make you both cry and laugh. The circular storyline is well written and the acting is just amazing. It's not a particularly dark movie which is surprising given the subject matter which includes abortion, addiction, death and love. If you like the movie, I highly recommend reading the book on which it was based, Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson.

Bleach: Vol. 1: The Substitute

Bleach is by far my favorite animation series. I was addicted from the get-go. After getting the discs from here, I had to get the whole series to date. If you do get hooked, you should know that this is still an ongoing series and only about a quarter of it is available here. Viz Media is painfully slow with releasing dvd's but they are the best English versions. There are dvd's you can find elsewhere with the rest of the series (Thai, Chinese, etc.) but the English translation isn't great. Your best bet is to find websites that have episodes and manga available for download or online viewing (bleachexile).

Drunken Angel

Drunken Angel is a skillful condemnation of the Yakuza and the American occupation of Japan after WWII. Made just over 2 years into the occupation, Drunken Angel was the third post-war movie from Kurosawa. At the time, American censors had to approve every Japanese (and German) script for every film made. The subtle things that Kurosawa managed to get past the censors, i.e. bombed-out buildings, English lettering and even the title prove that he was indeed a formidable filmmaker even early in his career. Takashi Shimura is brilliant and really shows his acting range in this film. Nobody plays a more convincing, over the top drunk than Toshiro Mifune and he can even dance too. You can see why Kurosawa made a habit of using both of these extraordinary actors throughout his career. While Drunken Angel is not his best film, it's nice to have a watchable copy of it for the Kurosawa collection. Please disregard the 2 star rating. This is a solid 4 star film.