Erotic Nights Of The Living Dead (product link) Horror / Erotica Basically a bad porn movie coupled (no pun intended) with a bad zombie movie. Even for the sake of exploitation films, there are better "worse" movies available.
Burial Ground: The Nights Of Terror [Uncut] [Italian Shock] (product link) Horror / Thriller A very slow and uneventful film, whose sole moment of glory (so to speak) is a really literal interpretation of the Oedipus complex...
Doppelganger (product link) Thriller / Drama So far, this is the only movie by Kiyoshi Kurosawa that I don't like. It seems erratic, and the characters are poorly characterized.
A Touch Of Fever (product link) Drama / Romance The first movie by Ryonosuke Hashiguchi, it's an interesting film about a teenage love triangle, set in a background story of gay prostitution.
My Magic (product link) Drama A story about a father coming to terms with is life, as well as with his son. It's a bit conventional overall, but I still enjoyed it.
Taegukgi (product link) Action/Adventure / War A high budget, spectacular war movie, but nonetheless I felt that I was watching a Korean remake of "Saving Private Ryan".
Poppoya: Railroad Man (product link) Romance / Drama Very conventional movie about a man's dedication to his work. It turns very sentimental at times, but, nonetheless has some interesting moments (mainly the cinematography). As a sidenote, train buffs should enjoy this very much!
Rubber's Lover (product link) Horror / Thriller Another cyberpunk nightmarish fantasy, by the same director of “Pinocchio 964”.
For the full effect, watch this after you've watched “Pinocchio 964”.
Pinocchio 964 (product link) Horror / Thriller A pretty typical cyberpunk fantasy. It's not as accomplished as, say, a film by Shinya Tsukamoto. Still, it's interesting, kinda' like in an intense punk video sorta' of way.
Night And Fog In Japan (product link) Drama An important film in Japanese film history, not so much because of the film itself, but because this film got Nagisa Oshima fired from Sochiku (the studio were he worked then), thus giving him more creative freedom. Some of his best films were made immediately after this. This movie is also considered to be the first "nuberu bagu" ("Japanese New Wave") film. It's a reflection of the political and social turmoils of the 60's in Japan, and, though flawed, is historically interesting.
A Heartful Of Love (product link) Romance / Drama A somewhat similar plot, and style, to "Yomigaeri", it has some interesting moments, but delves too longly in easy sentimentality and tearjerking mannerisms.
I've enjoyed some other films of Akihiko Shiota (and I'm anxious to see "Canary"), but I think this is the weakest I've seen from him so far.
Some (product link) Mystery / Thriller Despite being a bit confusing in the beginning, it evolves into an interesting thriller, despite the fact that the most mysterious thing never quite gets an explanation. Still, there are worse ways of spending a rainy afternoon...
Robinson's Garden (product link) Drama / Fantasy An interesting story about alienation and escaping the world around us into a place of loneliness and quietness. Inspired by the idea of "Robinson Crusoe", the film follows Kumie, while she abandons her life (she's living in a purposefulness state, while around her there's the emergenge of AIDS and her friends being imprisoned) and "loses" herself in an abandoned garden on the outskirks of Tokyo.
Some of the images were quite beautiful, but the movie, in itself, is a little uneven. Still, I enjoyed it, and a think the whole idea is quite interesting.
Little Cheung (product link) Drama An interesting, if flawed, film set in bustling and socially chaotic Hong Kong. What I liked the most about this film was the fluid and dynamic camerawork, the reflection of the social conventions of Hong Kong and the fears and doubts of its inhabitants, the confrontation between the younger and the older generations, as well as the social restleness decorrent from things like immigration and criminality. The main flaws were, to me, essentially, a weak script, with a tendency to "disperse" for awhile; and the music, which felt, at times, overly sentimental. The acting was quite good, better than you'd expect, given that the movie is shot entirely with non-actors.
In conclusion, an interesting movie,wich gives you a glimpse at a society on the verge of change, through the eyes and lives of those who live in it.
Hush! (product link) Romance / Comedy Interesting comedy from the director of “All Around Us”, centering on family and, more specifically, on building a family in these modern times.
Scrap Heaven (product link) Drama / Crime Great-looking film about rebels without a cause. The first part of the movie is quite funny, but in the second half, the mood becomes more serious as the movie itself becomes scattered and somewhat unfocused. Still, it has lots of style and funny moments and is worth checking out.
The Power Of Kangwon Province (product link) Drama / Art Interesting film from Hong Sang-Soo. The style was somewhat reminiscent of Tsai Ming-Liang (although not as accomplished). It's a very simple movie, about relationships, and breaking up, set in the natural landscapes of Kangwon Province.
Samaria (product link) Drama / Erotica Interesting film about teenage prostitution, and about a father/daughter relationship. It's not the best I've seen from Kim Ki-Duk (“The Isle” or “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…Spring” are his best), but we still feel his strong visual style, despite the weak characterization of some of the characters.
Wild Life (product link) Crime / Comedy An interesting yakuza flick, which, not being revolutionary, goes in some unexpected directions. An innovative editing and some funny moments make it worth checking out.
What if, in your town, suddenly all of the dead returned to life? You'd problably grab a gun and shoot 'em in the head, right? Well, this isn't a zombie flick, despite the fact that the dead are returning to life, not as rotting corpses with the munchies, but exactly like they were before they passed away. So, the question is: how do the families and loved ones, who have been grieving and mourning those who have gone, cope with their return? How do the "ressurected" come back to society?
It's an interesting question, and the idea, as a whole, is also very good, but unfortunately the film isn't quite as engaging as this idea might make it seem. It becomes too sentimental (spoiler alert: and that last J-Pop concert completely killed the mood for me). I enjoyed some of its moments, the more quiet and subdued ones, and the cinematography was okay, but in the end, I think this could have been a much better movie.
Yereru (product link) Drama An interesting film about an incident that changes the relationship between two brothers (and the rest of their family). The story is told mainly by the point of view of the younger brother, who left the family household to pursue his career in Tokyo. To me, this is the thing that I enjoyed most about the film: when the younger brother comes back to the small town where he grew up and sees that everybody has become exactly what he didn't want to become.. On the negative side, the movie is somewhat predictable, and some of the characters are also characterized in a simplistic manner.
I became curious about this film when I read that the director, Miwa Nishikawa, was an assistant director of Hirokazu Kore eda, and I wasn't disapointed by this effort. I'm interested in seeing what her next film will be like.
Pom Poko (product link) Animation / Fantasy Funny little movie about two groups of raccoons who struggle against human development, and consequent environmental destruction. The political and ecological message is pretty clear, but for me, the most interesting thing were the Tanukis themselves: a rowdy and joyful bunch who persist even in adverse conditions.
Kichiku Dai Enkai (product link) Horror / Thriller Brutal Banquet of the Beasts indeed! Loads of violence and gore, with the story focusing on the very frail inner relationships between a group of radical left-wing students.
Spring In My Hometown (product link) Drama A slow-paced movie about the effects of the war on a small village, told through the eyes of two small children. Very good cinematography, and some beautiful long takes.
Final Take (product link) Drama / Art I like this movie, and the way it tries to recreate the 30's, during the transition from silent films to talkies. And I had a laugh watching "Yasujiro Ogata" directing "Floating Weeds" (one of the classics of Japanese Cinema is "A Story of Floating Weeds" directed by "Yasujiro Ozu")!
The Suspended Step Of The Stork (product link) Drama / Romance Symbolic and higly reflexive, this is a movie about a group of people (mainly migrants, but also political refugees) forgotten by the government. Reminiscent of the cinematic style of Andreii Tarkovsky (Theo Angelopoulos has been said to carry the flame that Tarkovsky lighted), this is a slow-paced and meditative reflection on the lives of those who don't belong to any place.
Seance (product link) Horror / Thriller Another good film by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Definitely he's great at creating the right environment. Mysterious and subtle, this is a movie that won't leave you indifferent!
Tokyo Trash Baby (product link) Drama / Romance A movie about the search for love (or at least some semblance of it) through the waste of consumerism society. I thought that the whole idea of a girl rifling through the garbage of the guy she loves (or thinks she loves) to get to know him better was funny and original. Unfortunely, as she finds out, it's not enough to eat the same cereals or use the same shampoos to love (or be loved by) someone…
Charisma (product link) Drama / Mystery An interesting film, wich reminded me a lot of "Woman of the Dunes" by Hiroshi Teshigahara. It shares some points, like the reflection of the individual in society, and the conflict between different ideological groups within that same society, but the atmosphere of this film is different, and so its conclusion.
In the end, this is a rewarding film that keeps you guessing until its final moments.
This movie was shown in a film festival here in Portugal a couple of years ago, and it created quite a fuss, being heavily criticized in the media and press. Words such as "perverse" and "disturbing" were often used. So, does the film really deserve all this criticism? Well, I can understand why the critics arose: indeed, the female teenage lead spends most of the picture half naked!! But, on the other hand, this is not used for titillation, but rather contextualized in a story about the sexual awakening in adolescents. Uncomfortable, yes; one might even question if this kind of approach was necessary, but I've seen far more "disturbing" things in some reality shows. Also, the movie is quite well filmed, the locations being the highlight here.
In the end I enjoyed the movie, the locations, the atmosphere, the story, and cinematography, and I think that it's a shame that it is more recognized by the controversy surrounding it than by its intrinsic value.
Secret [2000] [Film] (product link) Horror / Thriller An interesting horror (although metaphysical thriller might be more accurate) film from Korea. The cinematography is excellent, creating an atmosphere of mystery and uneasiness, emphasized by the slow pacing and moody score. Unfortunately, the final third of the film becomes too "sloppy", eventually leading to an unsatisfactory conclusion (at least in my opinion--I was hoping for more!!). Still, I enjoyed the movie very much, and I hope to see more from this director.
Moonlight Whispers (product link) Drama / Erotica Boy meets girl, and they fall in love. Seems a pretty straigthforward story, right? Well, not quite: the boy turns out to be a fetishist and a masochist; and the girl, after a initial reaction of repulsion, finds out she enjoys inflicting pain, both mental and physical, on the boy. Yet, this is told in a restrained way, not in an exploitative or titillating way, which makes the whole story more honest and poignant.
The leads land their parts quite well, especially the boy. So, this isn't a movie about teen bliss, but rather a reflection on the way individuals deal with themselves, and with society around them.
The Eric Khoo Box Set (product link) Drama / Comedy Two very interesting movies by Eric Khoo, who also directed the more widely known "Be With Me".
"Mee Pok Man" is is first feature, a tragic love story set in Singapore's lower depths. Despite having some good moments, it's still a somewhat amateurish effort, and I felt it was a bit too long. Still, it's an interesting story, with some nice moments.
"12 Storeys" is Eric Khoo's second film. Sort of a very loose sequel (the main event of the first feature is gossiped in this one), it's also a story deeply concerned with the social reality of Singapore and its inhabitants. I thought this movie was more refined, and a tad more humorous.
All in all, I liked both movies, as I had enjoyed "Be With Me". I think Eric Khoo is a very interesting filmmaker, emerging from a somewhat inexpected Asian country.
Firefly Dreams (product link) Drama An interesting movie about growing up and also about friendship. It's very well filmed, with beautiful scenes (I would love to live in Ms. Koide's house!), with an interesting story (especially the part of the friendship between Ms. Koide and Naomi).
Durian, Durian [DVD] (product link) Art / Drama This is an interesting movie, along the lines of "Little Cheung" (in fact, it can almost be interpreted as a loose sequel, since both movies share a character). It also has a gritty, cinema-verité look, with a dynamic and always moving camera; and, of course, the story concerns the social (and personal) changes occurring in Hong Kong and mainland China around the time of the "handover". Whereas "Little Cheung" showed us the point of view of Hong Kong residents, "Durian Durian" shows the point of view of Chinese migrants, their search for a better life, and the illusion of Hong Kong as something of an "Eldorado", with well-paid jobs (the reality being significantly different). I actually enjoyed this movie a little bit more than "Little Cheung", and I think Fruit Chan is definitely a director worth checking out.
Shark Skin Man And Peach Hip Girl (product link) Crime / Action/Adventure This is probably one of the strangest films I've ever seen, truly a yakuza movie like no other. Sure, it has a few points in common with all other yakuza flicks, but I've never seen gangsters like this anywhere else! From a guy who looks like an evil troll to the nerdiest hitman ever commited to screen, it's an incredible parade of unusual characters! The movie has a fairly good rhythm--a tad slow but with sudden outburts of energy--to keep your jaw fixed in the floor a little longer.
"Goodbye Dragon Inn" is one of my favourite movies by Tsai Ming Liang, where he, with is usual slow-paced and reflexive style, builds a film about the end of cinema, or, more accuretly, about the end of going to the cinema, the end of watching cult movies in traditional venues. In this film, most of the characters (i.e. the spectators of the final session of "Dragon Inn" in a cinema that's going to be demolished) all go to the cinema not to watch the movie, but to shelter from the pouring rain, or to look for gay encounters. In the almost empty room, few are actually watching the movie. Parallel to this, there's an understated love story between the projectionist and the ticket girl, told with great simplicity, with the rain as a constant bacground.
"The Missing" is a movie by Lee Kang-Sheng, the main actor of basically all of Tsai Ming Liang's movies. In this, his directorial debut, he makes quite an impressive feature, wich draws heavily on Tsai Ming Liang's cinematic style.
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