Japanese Movie Mini Reviews

[DrNgor]

Ashura (2005) - original title: Ashura-jô no hitomi - It's almost fitting that I watched this after I watched Demon Slayer the Movie, as this movie does revolve around a similar premise: in the Edo period, the Capital is infested with demons. There is a corps of sword-wielding warriors known as the Demon Wardens whose job is to exterminate them. One of them, Izumo (Somegoro Ichikawa, who played the same role in the 2015 adaptation of the same material), retires from the force after a traumatic incident during araid. Izumo becomes a popular Kabuki actor, whose writer, Naboku Tsuruya IV (Fumiyo Kohinata, Dark Water and Beyond Outrage), is desperate for some new inspiration. Izumo meets a travelling acrobat, Tsubaki (Rie Miyazawa, of The Twilight Samurai). Tsubaki is destined to be the vessel through which the demon queen, Ashura, is reborn. Izumo falls for Tsubaki as he tries to protect her from the machinations of the evil nun Bizan (Casshern's Kanako Higuchi) and her lover, former demon slayer Jaku (TV actor Atsuro Watabe).

The film is based off of a play, although I don't know if its a modern play or a kabuki play. The film is mainly a love story, which permeates the proceedings right up to the final sword fight and its conclusion. The demons are very similar to those in "Demon Slayer," in which they look like normal humans until it's time to feast on blood. In this case, they have neon green eyes and green CGI blood. There is a fair amount of action in the film, although it's choreographed more like a traditional chanbara film than in Hong Kong style, as many of its contemporaries (like Death Trance) were. The climax has our hero fighting of scores of ogres in an upside-down castle, with the camera moving in vertical circles around our hero, followed by a series of one-on-one duels. There are some good sets and costumes, plus lots of of Godzilla-style miniatures during the destruction of Edo sequence. With the exception to some just-ok CGI, the film looks pretty good.

Rie Miyazawa is very cute; she looks like a Japanese Michelle Yeoh from some angles. Apparently, she was a girl-next-door actress until she did a film called Erotic Liaisons and released a nude photo book, which was hugely successful. She had some personal problems in the late 90s and dated a Sumo wrestler, but was able to put her career back together in the 2000s. Somegoro Ichikawa makes for a convincing romantic hero, with a dollop of playful arrogance to complement his sword-fighting scenes. I guess that makes sense, as he was also in The Samurai I Loved.

Strangest thing about the movie: a cover of "My Funny Valentine" sung by Sting(!) plays over the closing credits.

[Yihetuan]

The Viper Brothers: The Blackmailers - Dir. Norifumi Suzuki [973] Japan

This movie is bonkers! You have Bunta Sugawara acting a country bumpkin fool like his role in Truck Yaro but at the same time, you have bloody revenge/heroic bloodshed gunplay that would make John Woo blush. I believe there are 8 films in the Viper Brothers series and this is the first one that I watched subtitled. Now I really want to see the others! Highly recommended! ★★★★★

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by Yihetuan

[DrNgor]

Project A-Ko (Japan, 1986: Katsuhiko Nishijima, Yuji Moriyama) - This was my first real anime, which I saw after a friend lent me her copy during summer school of my Freshman Year (1997). It got me on a short anime stint during my Sophomore year, after which I became a more casual, occasional anime watcher (never got hardcore into it). Anywhoo, Project A-Ko is sort of a send-up of popular anime series from the 1980s, namely Macross, Gundam, and Fist of the North Star (with in-jokes from Wings of Honneamise, among others). But as those parodies are inserted into a story about schoolgirls fighting each other over the friendship of another girl, the story itself stands on its own.

A-Ko is a super-powered, red-headed high school girl with a penchant for oversleeping. Her best friend is C-Ko, a blond-haired crybaby who cannot cook to save her life. Upon arriving at a new school in Graviton City--built in and around a crater where an alien spacecraft crashed years before--they come face-to-face with spoiled rich girl B-Ko, who is determined to have C-Ko as her friend. And does she go about this? Why, she builds giant mechs and power suits in order to take A-Ko out of the game. Pretty standard high school social snake pit stuff. Meanwhile, another alien craft is on its way to Earth to claim C-Ko as their princess. Cue aerial (and space) dogfights, panty jokes, sword fights, martial arts, and all sorts of mayhem. Project A-Ko is a ton of fun and I recommend it to all anime fans.

[Takuma]

 The Youth of the Night series

The Procurer (ひも) (Japan, 1965) [VoD] - 3.5/5
Naive, penniless teenager Mako Midori falls under the charms of big city playboy Tatsuo Umemiya, who treats her till she's in love, and then dumps her in a hostess bar he’s associated with. A week later he shows up begging for help, as he has supposedly burned all his money on her and can't pay back to the yakuza he borrowed money from… unless she'd be willing to lend her young body for earning some cash. This was the first film in the Youth of the Night series (1965-1968), sometimes indistinguishable from the later Song of the Night series (1967-1974). Both consisted of loosely linked entries. This specific film is grittier than most however, and better written (by Masashige Narusawa). It gets particularly interesting after Midori has had her falling out with Umemiya, which sends her drifting in the night and leaves Umemiya alone with his abusive yakuza buddies. She grows stronger, he gets progressively weaker. The film does quite a good job at capturing the neon lit, jazz tuned night that crushes dreams, feeds people with glimpses of hope, and then poisons them with opportunism.



Night Hunter (いろ) (Japan, 1965) - [VoD] - 3/5
Part 2 in the Youth of the Night series. Umemiya is a son of a bitch bartender who bangs anything that moves, and then proceeds to cheat them out of their money. Midori is a naïve girl who walks into his bar with her best friend and falls in love, not realizing Umemiya is taking turns sleeping with them both as well as Midori's little sister Reiko Ohara. Umemiya then figures he could make money by selling Midori to rich geezer Nobuo Kaneko, only not telling her about it... This is another stylishly filmed nocturnal noir in black & white, with excellent performances by Umemiya and Midori. There are quiet little moments that are surprisingly powerful, as well as other good bits like the one where Takakura's Abashiri Prison theme is playing in a bar. But the film is not as good as The Procurer. Masashige Narusawa's scrip is less complex, and gun for hire director Shinji Murayama fails to reach the same level of cinematic dynamics, even if he does otherwise fine.

Fancy Man (ダニ) (Japan, 1965) [VoD] - 3/5
Umemiya is a young yakuza who has to find a new way to support himself after his gang disbands. He sets up various scams where he blackmails adulterous husbands with the help of his girlfriend who serves as bait. When one wealthy businessman refuses to pay, Umemiya proceeds to seduce his wife… This was the 3rd film in the Youth of the Night series. It's again a small step down in terms of visual breeze (largely shot indoors in small apartments) and character development, although directed by Hideo Sekiguchi who also did The Procurer. But the film is saved by a terrific ending, a superb musical score, and small bits of riveting drama here and there. Once again Umemiya is in his element, perhaps more so than ever before, as a charismatic scum who delivers destruction and misery to everyone he encounters until his luck finally runs out.



The Dupe (かも) (Japan, 1965) [VoD] - 2/5
Another nocturnal melodrama, this time with asshole Umemiya as a hostess club manager bringing in new girls and taking advantage of them behind his wife's (who is a hooker in a Turkish bath) back. His latest recruits include naive Ohara and overly eager but inexperienced Midori. This was already the 4th Youth of the Night film made in 1965, and the third one for Sekigawa & Narusawa. This one brings very little new to the table and fails to reach the level of nihilism, style or atmosphere found in its predecessors. But it does feature a scene where Umemiya gets his arse kicked by a bunch of karate practitioners, so it's not entirely without merits.

Bad Woman of the Night (夜の悪女) (Japan, 1965) [VoD] – 1.5/5
The 5th and worst film in the Youth of the Night series. This is bad from the beginning with Umemiya, by now Toei's veteran pimp and nightlife scumbag, playing a schoolboy in the opening scene! It's impossible to take the film seriously after that. It turns out it wasn't even meant to be. The film jumps forward a few years with Umemiya now a full full-fledged entrepreneur running a paid date service he inherited from jailed boss Ryohei Uchida (he'll be back later). Midori is his eccentric, loud-mouth no. 1 girl who gets from one comical trouble to another. Umemiya's misadventures have the same humoristic undertone, with little signs of the emotional brutality seen in the earlier films. It was probably the logical next step for a series that was putting out its 5th instalment in the same year. Thankfully the series would return to form in the next film, Bitches of the Night, which even featured Sonny Chiba in a brief supporting role.

Bitches of the Night (夜の牝犬) (Japan, 1966) [VoD] – 3/5
Part six in the Youth of the Night series. This is a return to form after the comedic part 5, despite being made by the exact same people. Umemiya is a bartender who pretends to be gay in order the approach women. He is in cahoots with another opportunist, a young woman (Mako Midori) who trying to seduce a rich married man. Their attempts at making easy money can only end tragically. This is a rather aged morality tale about sinful life in urban metropolis, but it captures the era, the cityscapes and the atmosphere quite nicely. It's also becomes rather touching when Umemiya fools a naive country girl (heartbreakingly played by Reiko Ohara) into living with him. Oh, and it should be mentioned Sonny Chiba has a very brief supporting role as a policeman looking for his sister. He only appears in two scenes.

P.S. Toei really dropped the ball not printing character posters for this film. Just imagine the taglines… “Sonny Chiba is a Bitch of the Night!”. “Tatsuo Umemiya is…”

P.S. 2 This is my old review from 2016. I slightly re-wrote it now that I’ve been watching the other films in the series for the first time. I was too lazy / busy to actually rewatch this, but thought I should post something about it rather than skip one film with my reviews.

Glowing Red Vermin (赤い夜光虫) (Japan, 1966) [VoD] – 2.5/5
The 7th film in the Youth of the Night series, and tonally different from the rest. It begins as a straight existential adult drama, largely void of the more scandalous approach found in many if the earlier films, before finally reaching its operatic climax where everyone is left unhappy, or dead. Playboy Umemiya and cohort Tani are mere supporting characters with curious youngster Ohara getting the most screen time. She ventures into an Osaka lesbian bar and is initially attracted to short-haired man-hater Midori, but scared off when Midori has more than just harmless girls' chat in her mind. Director Murayama unfolds the story in his usual solid but somewhat unspectacular fashion, with some dead moments before the fast, bloody and even funny last 30 minutes. But the ending aside, the film looks and sounds more low-key than the other entries in the series, and also feels different for setting half of its action in a lesbian bar. That aspect could’ve been developed further since the film is stuck somewhere between exploring and exploiting its topic matter, but not really doing either one in much depth. Still, it’s an alright film overall.



Night Guy (夜の手配師) (Japan, 1968) [VoD] - 2.5/5
The last film in the Youth of the Night series. Hustler of the night Umemiya seduces beauties, deals girls to hostess clubs and does a bit of gigolo work himself. But he's still a small timer, a 60s Japanese pimp version of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. This isn't a particularly good film, but it does radiate the vibes of the night in a way some of the lesser (and particularly later) Umemiya films don't. The melodramatic, never-ending web of deceptions, seductions and dreams by everyone in the film almost requires a pen and paper from to keep track of. Oh and the film has a great opening scene with Umemiya taking a beating from gangsters after slipping into the boss' woman's bed. Such an Umemiya-like mistake to make!

P.S. this also a re-write of of my 2020 review without having actually rewatched the film.

[DrNgor]

Project A-Ko 2: Plot of the Daitokuji Financial Group (Japan, 1987: Yûji Moriyama) - A year has passed since the events of the first film. B-Ko is still determined to steal C-Ko away from A-Ko. Meanwhile, the alien spaceship from part 1 has been converted into a huge shopping center and entertainment district. Spies from all over the world are descending upon Graviton City in order to steal the alien technology for themselves, as is B-Ko's father, who works as a military contractor for the local military. Meanwhile, B-Ko offers her services to fix the ship in hopes of winning C-Ko over. Hilarity ensues. Not quite as good as the first one, but still pretty funny at times.

Project A-Ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody (Japan, 1988: Yûji Moriyama) - A-Ko is growing up and now wants to score herself a boyfriend during Spring Break, much to C-Ko's chagrin. A-Ko gets a job at a fast food joint, where she meets a quiet, handsome, motorcycle-riding fellow named Kei. She falls for him, as does B-Ko. But for some reason, Kei is head-over-heels smitten for C-Ko, who is stuck in a perpetual state of childishness, it would seem. Things come to a head at an inaugural ball for the space ship-commercial center relaunch--notice how A-Ko looks like a proto-Misty from Pokémon in this sequence. Most reviews point out the opening dream sequence, which gives us a sepia-toned pool game involving the three main characters as adults, as the highlight. There is also a completely random scene at a porno theater that will turn heads. There isn't as much action as the other films, but it is goofy fun at times.

Project A-Ko 4: Final (Japan, 1989: Yûji Moriyama) - A team of archaeologists in Iraq discover a Star of David and a prophecy involving the world's end. Meanwhile, a GINORMOUS fleet of space ships--all of which have the Star of David engraven on them--is approaching Earth. At the same time, A-Ko and B-Ko's constant battling reaches a peak when Kei enters into an arranged marriage agreement with Miss Ayumi. As all this is going on, C-Ko is feeling more and more alienated by the lack of attention given to her. The prophecy turns out to be a big shaggy dog joke. But there is a lot of action, a giant A-Ko mecha, a random fan service shot of a naked nurse straddling a soldier, and all sorts of mayhem. Ends on a surprisingly depressing note, only to lighten things up in the last shot.

Edited May 21, 2022 by DrNgor

[Takuma]

 Yagyu Chronicles 1: Secret Scrolls (柳生武芸帳) (Japan, 1961) [TV] - 3.5/5
A charmingly old fashioned samurai / ninja programmer with Jushiro Konoe as Yagyu Jubei. The famed swordsman must protect the clan’s secret scrolls that could compromise their position as the Shogun's martial arts instructor. Two other parties, an enemy clan wishing to overthrow the Yagyu, and a princess of a wrongfully accused clan travelling with loyal servant (Shingo Yamashiro in a non-comedy role) are after the scrolls. This was the first film in Toei's 9 part "Yagyu Scolls" series, preceded by two Toshiro Mifune Yagyu Scrolls films at Toho in the late 50s. It's nothing profound, but with lots of action, fast pacing, and thoroughly enjoyable performances, it does exactly what it sets out to. Very entertaining.

Yagyu Chronicles 2: The Secret Sword (柳生武芸帳　夜ざくら秘剣) (Japan, 1961) [TV] - 3.5/5
A direct follow-up to the previous film. They were most likely shot back to back since both films were released in March 1961. This is an even more entertaining and action packed adventure than the first film, with an enemy ninja clan swearing to steal the Yagyu scrolls and teaming up with a high a ranking lord to plot the Yagyu's downfall. The cast is largely the same as before, but Shingo Yamashiro now plays Tokugawa lemitsu instead of a clansman. The final duel between Jubei and his ninja opponent is terrific!



Yagyu Chronicles 3: Valley of the Outlaws (柳生一番勝負　無頼の谷) (Japan, 1961) [TV] - 3/5
This is a departure from the first two films, which focused the Yagyu scrolls. This third movie is a less plot driven affair with a clan of vengeful ruffians harassing Jubei and targeting his brother who has taken an oath to refrain from the sword. While some narrative compactness is lost in the new approach, the film succeeds in creating fairly good characters, mainly Shingo Yamashiro as an easily manipulated ruffian, and Naoko Kubo as a woman unable to decide if Jubei means love or business to her.

Yagyu Chronicles 4: One Eyed Swordsman (柳生武芸帳　独眼一刀流) (Japan, 1962) [TV] - 3.5/5
It appears the previous film's departure from scrolls was premature as the Yagyu papers are back again. It was probably for the best since this is another very enjoyable entry with solid b-film plot and a beautiful cinematic form. What's new is Hiroki Matsukata as a young, inexperienced sword master with a vendetta for the Yagyu. Similarly to Toei’s later ninkyo yakuza films, film builds net of conflicting duty and humanity obligations around this new character, who becomes both Jubei's friend and enemy at the same time (and it must be said Matsukata is a brilliant piece of casting: he is the series star Jushiro Konoe’s real life son). Another new addition is the tad more political approach to the Tokugawa rule depicted in the series.

Yagyu Chronicles 5: Jubei's Redemption (柳生武芸帳 片目の十兵衛) (Japan, 1963) [TV] - 3.5/5
Uneven but highly entertaining entry resets (only) some of the earlier plot conclusions, making it both a follow-up and partial reboot. That used to be common in Japanese cinema before continuity ruined film franchises. It may also have been due to crew and cast changes (new director and writer, re-casting several major supporting characters, etc.). Anyhow, Matsukata is back as a challenger, and villains are again after the scrolls again. Frankly, repeating the same premise yet again feels a bit forced. But the film is beautifully shot and packed with superb, bloody action sequences where blades sink into faces and limbs are cut off amid expertly choreographed sword fights. The spaghetti western style climax (before spaghetti westerns really even existed) is a stand out.



Yagyu Chronicles 6: Yagyu List (柳生武芸帳　片目水月の剣) (Japan, 1963 [TV] – 2.5/5
The shogunate, fearful of conspirators, has abolished several small clans and ordered the remaining ones to have family members reside in Edo, essentially holding them hostage. Jubei must stop the ones rebelling against the rule. This entry has a bit darker political frame, in which the heroic Jubei is serving a not entirely decent shogunate, at its core. But the film soon reverts back to the usual scroll hunt. It's action packed, but somehow lacking the style, charm and brutality of the earlier films. It's still entirely watchable, though.

Yagyu Chronicles 7: The Buried Conspiracy (柳生武芸帳　剣豪乱れ雲) (Japan, 1963 [TV] – 3.5/5
Another moderately political entry with the nobles (proponents of the emperor) vs. the shogunate (officially below the emperor but in practice the real ruler of the country) at its core. The former discover a 33 year old conspiracy that if revealed could restore their power and send the shogunate into chaos. Jubei must stop that... and find some scrolls once again. This is a good entry with solid story, good action and some highly unorthodox cinematography, including a horse chase filmed just like a car chase and a POV assassination scene. We also get Junko Fuji in a delightfully strong early role, beautiful and armed if not quite a full-fledged fighter.



The Yagyu Chronicles 8: The One-Eyed Ninja (柳生武芸帳　片目の忍者) (Japan, 1963) [TV] - 3.5/5
Yaguy Jubei tries to curb a rebellion against the Tokugawa shogunate after a weapons shipment goes missing. He gathers together all the Yaguy ninjas, but among them comes in a young impostor (Hiroki Matsukata playing a different character again). This is one of the best entries in the series: a stylishly filmed ninja suspense tale full of action, including something you might describe as a ninja version of the Battle of Normandy in form of a massive 25 minute action climax. Another cool idea is the concept of there being various Yagyu ninjas who have been living in the hiding and need to be brought together for one mission, adding an almost mythical layer to the plot.

P.S. this is a rewrite of an older review, without having rewatched the film, for the sake of not skipping one review.

Yagyu Chronicles 9: Assassin’s Sword (十兵衛暗殺剣) (Japan, 1964 [TV] – 3/5
The last in the series. This continues in the same mass battle oriented path as part 8 but takes it even further, making this essentially a war film. Jubei and his selected 10 men are lured to an island where their adversary has employed dozens or perhaps hundreds of pirates to ambush them. The film's entire last third consists of team Yagyu fighting for their lives against an army of enemies. For better or worse, the film feels grittier and gloomier than any of the earlier entries, lacking their old fashioned innocence and fairy tale quality.

[DrNgor]

On 6/2/2022 at 1:22 PM, Takuma said:

 Yagyu Chronicles 1: Secret Scrolls (柳生武芸帳) 

Yagyu Chronicles 2: The Secret Sword (柳生武芸帳　夜ざくら秘剣) 

Yagyu Chronicles 3: Valley of the Outlaws (柳生一番勝負　無頼の谷) 

Yagyu Chronicles 4: One Eyed Swordsman (柳生武芸帳　独眼一刀流)

Yagyu Chronicles 5: Jubei's Redemption (柳生武芸帳 片目の十兵衛) 

Yagyu Chronicles 6: Yagyu List (柳生武芸帳　片目水月の剣) 

Yagyu Chronicles 7: The Buried Conspiracy 

The Yagyu Chronicles 8: The One-Eyed Ninja 

Yagyu Chronicles 9: Assassin’s Sword (十兵衛暗殺剣) 

Thank you so much for watching and reviewing these for our reading pleasure. I'd very much love to have these on DVD. Too bad they probably won't ever make it to Brazil.

[DrNgor]

The Neighbor No. 13 (2005, d: Yasuo Inoue) - original title: Rinjin 13-gô - I became familiar with Shun Oguri through the recent Godzilla vs. Kong, but the man has 129 credits on the IMDB right now. The man is as prolific as heck; if he keeps it up, he'll beat James Hong's record some day. He plays Juzo Murasaki, a quiet young man with some severe psychological scarring due to being bullied as a child. The family who has moved into the apartment upstairs--a man, his wife, and their mute(?) son--triggers Juzo. Turns out that the patriarch, a bully-turned-Yakuza-turned-construction-worker named Toru Akai, was Juzo's bully. And he's Juzo's supervisor at his new construction job. By Juzo carries a secret: a second personality (Shido Nakamura of Fearless and Red Cliff) who's a complete psychopath. People soon start dying. The film is slow-moving and quite disturbing at times, with some great imagery in the beginning. After watching the film, I visited the IMDB to see what others thought. Most people were confused at the ending, although one guy seemed to get it. If his interpretation is right, than it is a very original take on the revenge theme.

Spoiler

The viewer suggests that most of the movie shows us what might have happened with Juzo later in life had he not eventually fought his bully, which is shown at the very end of the movie. By beating down Toru as a kid, he kept No. 13 (his other personality) from being created.

 

[Takuma]

The Ghost Story of Oiwa's Spirit (怪談お岩の亡霊) (Japan, 1961) [TV] – 3.5/5
Japanese ghost stories are not my favourite genre, but if I were to watch one, it'd better be a samurai film starring Tomisaburo Wakayama and directed by Tai Kato. This one is. Wakayama is excellent as a violent brute samurai who comes up with a plot to kill his wife so that he could marry a younger girl. The classic tale (“Yotsuya kaidan”) has been filmed countless times before and after, but Kato treats it more as a gripping drama of real life horrors and less as a ghost story. The supernatural elements don't come until the last 25 minutes, which is when the film turns into a bloodbath. The film is also notably sparse on the usual spooky “is it real or imagination?” scenes that characterize a lot of other films of this type, and the one are found here usually end instantly with Wakayama's sword cutting someone’s head off. And that is a good thing!

In Search of Mother (瞼の母) (Japan, 1962) [TV] – 3.5/5
A teary melodrama about a man searching for his long lost mother is hardly my type of film, but if I were to watch one, it'd better be a matatabi yakuza film starring Kinnosuke Nakamura and directed by Tai Kato. This one is. The classic tale had been filmed many times since the 1930s, including once by Nobuo Nakagawa for Shintoho, but this was probably the first colour version. I’ve not seen the others, but Kato’s version is very economical (stylish without excess flashiness, consisting of a relatively small number of rather lengthy scenes) yet touching. It also really embodies the matatabi / wanderer feel, perhaps because of its main character missing roots, and is a classic of the genre for a reason.



13 Assassins (十三人の刺客) (Japan, 1963) [TV] – 4.5/5
The original tale, better known to modern audiences via Takashi Miike's dull, CGI-enhanced remake. The shogun's advisor (Tetsuro Tamba) creates a secret plan to assassinate the shogun's out-of-control brother, a daimyo who is executing men, women and children left and right for his personal pleasure. He brings together a dirty bunch of Toei tough guys (Chiezo Kataoka, Kanjuro Arashi, Ko Nishimura etc.) to send on a suicide plan. Their biggest adversary however is not the target himself, but his bodyguard (Ryohei Uchida), a strategic mastermind sworn to protect the boss whose guts he hates. This is a terrific film with a charismatic cast, incredible tension throughout the picture, and a well drawn strategic aspect with both parties trying to anticipate each other every move. The latter makes the action scenes particularly exciting since every move, attack and withdrawal aims to serve a bigger strategic plan, which the opponent in turn tries to sabotage with each move they make.

The Shogun Assassins (真田幸村の謀略) (Japan, 1979) [TV] – 3.5/5
Aka Renegade Ninjas. Sadao Nakajima's grand telling of Yukimura Sanada and his ninja troops taking a stance against shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in the turbulent early years of the Tokugawa shogunate, climaxing in the famous battle of the Osaka castle. To be honest, among historical epics this is a bit on the goofy side (the film opens in outer space, and there's a giant SFX comet!) yet very entertaining (the film opens in outer space, and there's a giant SFX comet!). The film's base is only partly historical, since Sanada's ninjas (including Sasuke Sarutobi) for example have their basis more in legends than in confirmed history, something very much acknowledged by the film with its comic book character introduction screens. And let us not forget there’s also ninja magic, ninja nuns, and boobs (also ninja nun boobs). Hiroki Matsukata leads the cast, Hiroyuki Sanada plays one of the fighters, but it is Kinnosuke Nakamura who is having an obvious blast playing Ieyasu at his most evil. The film could be considered a middle entry is Toei's jidai geki comeback that started serious with Fukasaku's Yagyu Conspiracy and Ako Castle (both 1978) but later went ninja football (Shadow Warriors, 1980).



Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict (Japan, 1993) [TV] – 1.5/5
A watered down remake starring the annoying but popular television actor Masakazu Tamura. He was selected by Kazuo Koike himself, who stated he wanted to focus on drama instead of action this time. All controversy and provocative content has been cleaned out and replaced with sobbing and a few bloodless fights. Tamura plays a softer, cry-baby Igami Itto who must encounter a less evil, almost fatherly Retsudo (Tatsuya Nakadai). It is surprising this was a theatrical release, since it's clearly aimed at housewives watching afternoon dramas while cooking or cleaning. The only good thing about the film is some pretty scenery.

[DrNgor]

Vital (2004, d: Shin'ya Tsukamoto) - Original title: Vu~itāru - One of director Shin'ya Tsukamoto's "tamer" efforts, Tsukamoto being the guy who gave us Tokyo Fist and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. Here he tackles such heady themes as death, the acceptance of it, memories and existence in this minimalist tale. Takagi (Tadanobu Asano, of Ichi the Killer and the Thor movies) is a car accident victim who wakes up from a coma with amnesia. Takagi had originally been a medical school dropout, but after the accident, who finds himself attracted to the profession after finding a book about dissection hidden in his closet. Once in medical school, Takagi is an exemplary student, and even becomes subjects to the amorous designs of the other star student, Ikumi (Starfish Hotel's Kiki). Things change for Takagi once he discovers that the body he's working on in his human dissection class belongs to Ryôko (Nami Tsukamoto), who was Takagi's girlfriend and who was killed in the same accident that left him with amnesia... While labeled a "thriller" by some, it is more of a drama. Almost all of the acting is emotionally-distant, so your enjoyment may depend on the more technical aspects and whether the central premise is enough to snag you in a film where the main character only has a handful of lines of dialog.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

Violent Cop (1989: Takashi Kitano: Japan):

I have mixed feelings about this.  It is a good film, sometimes very good.  It is highly influential and a must watch for fans of newer Japanese cinema.  It does have the unfortunate aspect prevalent in so many Kitano films of being misogynistic.

This was originally set to be directed by Kinji Fukasaku until he got ill.  The producer Okuyama asked Takashi to direct. He then reworked the plot with what you see here: a stoic laconic cop (in some ways reminiscent of Harry Callahan) who is given leeway by his superior because of his results.

He gets caught in the middle of his daily work, a psychotic drug dealer and superiors who are possibly the head of a lot of deals themselves.  He also takes care of a mentally unbalanced sister.

Kitano has been an influence for Johnnie To.  You can see several scenes that you could replace with a Milkyway movie: a scene with video games (Throwdown), a long pause and sudden shift with a fast run (The Odd One Dies), and a cop procedural with an overly abusive slap scene (PTU).

Kitano has his influences as well.  This plot certainly has an Akira Kurosawa’s The Bad Sleep Well feel with the idea that events are controlled from the top.  Early scenes of a far away placed camera concentrating on scenes reminds of Tsui Ming-ling earlier Taiwanese films.

Kitano’s fascination with rape scenes does get a little annoying.  I was about two-thirds through this and I am happy that there was not any.  Of course, I was wrong.  Being his first film you can see so many of his strengths and faults just in this movie.

The ending reminded me a bit of Sonatine’s.  There is an aspect here that was just aggravating.  Would the character have done it?  Possibly, but such a nihilistic answer that seemed to contradict so much of went on earlier.  It felt manipulative.

But over all it is a good film.  It has the Takashi bleak humor.  The long pauses and quick violence.  The patient camera, detached characters and a doleful edge that points to a lot of his later work.  He is an auteur.  Not for everyone, but an interesting filmmaker regardless.

[DrNgor]

Forget Me Not (2015, d: Kei Horie) - Original tile: Wasurenai to chikatta boku ga ita -  Teenage love story with some vague supernatural trappings and a premise that comes across as an inversion of Fifty First Dates: a high school kid, Takashi, almost hits a girl with his bike one evening. While he's apologizing for the mishap, she runs away with a quick "I'm fine." He meets her on the last day of school before summer vacation and she--we learn her name is Oribe Azusa--informs him that she studies there. From there on out, the two start following in love. Only that she harbors a very bizarre secret: everybody in the world has forgotten that Azusa exists. She can reintroduce herself to anyone, but by the next day, they've forgotten she ever existed. Is Takashi's and Azusa's love for each other strong enough to withstand the curse? Sappy, but compelling, little romance film with some solid performances, although Takashi (played by Nijiro Murakami, of Alice in Borderland) goes overboard on the screaming at the end. The movie never explains the curse, which is probably more effective, although I would have to liked to have had an explanation for Takashi's "immunity" for it.

[DrNgor]

Starting off a Japanese movie marathon at my site with a review of Yo-Yo Girl Cop (2006), aka Sukeban Deka - Codename: Asamiya Saki: https://abeautifulfilm.blogspot.com/2022/07/yo-yo-girl-cop-2006.html  

Edited July 1, 2022 by DrNgor

[DrNgor]

Love Ghost (2001, d: Kazuyuki Shibuya) - Original title: Shibito no koiwazurai - Interesting little film from the earlier days of J-horror before the Ring remake came to America. It feels like two different films, three if you count the supernatural-yet-sappy ending that recalls the ending of The Orphanage. The movie follows a young girl, Midori Futada (Lisa Goto, of Recently, a Butterfly...) and her mother who have moved to a small town to start life over. We don't know anything about their past, save that daddy left mommy for another woman ten years before. On her first day of school, Midori makes some new friends, including the long-haired hunk Kôtarô (Shinji Takahashi) and straight-A student Suzue (Miwa Asumi, who had a small role in The Great Yokai War). What really gets her attention, however, is Ryûsuke (Ryuhei Matsuda, of The Raid 2), an old childhood friend of hers. Her mother's reaction to that last bit of info is peculiar: she almost faints at the mention of the name. And there's that mold in the bathroom that just doesn't want to be cleaned. Don't forget the shrine near the school where people sometimes perform tsujiura, a fortune-telling ritual in which the person asks questions of love to the first passerby to get an answer. Whenever Midori approaches it, she gets bad vibes and even has visions of puddles of blood. Just what's going on here?

After the opening dream sequence, which is kinda eerie, the movie more or less becomes a teen romantic drama with the occasional detour into the eerie. The mother's gradual decline into madness is particularly unsettling. It's at the hour mark that the movie takes a swan dive into the disturbing. Forget teen drama, there is demented stuff going on here, with emphasis on demented. And yet, the movie still manages to have a happy ending...of sorts. Recommended for the roller coaster ride that the movie puts you in the last half hour.

 

[Takuma]

 Tales of Japan's Chivalrous Women: Chivalrous Geisha (日本女侠伝 侠客芸者) (Japan, 1969) [TV] - 3.5/5
Junko Fuji's second major yakuza film series alongside Red Peony Gambler (1968-1972). The series name is a derivative from Ken Takakura's Tales of Japanese Chivalry, but there is no connection other than this being another series focusing on "labourers" rather than gamblers. This opening film sees Fuji as a Kyushu geisha during a coal boom, which was bringing gangsters, businessmen and military figures into town. Takakura is a noble, modest man running a coal mine, rotten Kaneko is a merciless slave master after Takakura’s mountain, and then there are two runaway lovers whom Takakura and Fuji agree to shelter respectively. This is a good film with some solid drama and stylish costume play, even if Fuji has to leave the swordplay to Takakura. Her role is nevertheless good, and many of her quieter scenes with Ken are sublime. The same can't be said about the Kaneko's evil villain character, who is a mere plot tool void of any finesse. Note that the film is also known as Samurai Geisha, a nonsensical title considering she's obviously not a samurai.



Tales of Japan's Chivalrous Women: Brave Red Flower (日本女侠伝 真赤な度胸花) (Japan, 1970) [TV] - 4/5
Fuji is a common girl who travels to Hokkaido to inherit her father's horse market business, only to land in the middle of a “civilians vs. yakuza” conflict. The gangsters have been bribing and murdering their way towards market ownership, and the only person who could save the outvoted Fuji clan is missing man Takakura, who holds a grudge for Fuji's old man. This is an excellent, slightly atypical ninkyo film. Fuji does karate! Shoots people! Barely wears a kimono! And it’s all set in the beautiful Hokkaido wilderness, far from Toei's studio sets. But most importantly, the film fully utilized the kind of duty vs. humanity conflict between its main characters that had come to characterize the best ninkyo films in the Brutal Tales / Red Peony era. But not so much good without some bad: a needlessly conservative ending, a strangely underwhelming Masao Yagi score, and probably the worst bit of teary-eye acting (by a certain kid) in a Toei film until Yutaka Nakajima would set a new low in The Street Fighter (1974).



Tales of Japan's Chivalrous Women: Iron Geisha (日本女侠伝　鉄火芸者) (Japan, 1970) [TV] - 3/5
Pretty geisha Junko Fuji meets chivalrous Bunta Sugawara in a town also populated by evil boss Toru Abe. She’s also caught between amorous patrons and jealous colleagues. A beautifully shot tale with some lyrical scenes that rank among the most beautiful in director Kosaku Yamashita's filmography. But the problem is, this is a yakuza film but Fuji is strictly confined to geisha gear. The blood work is all left to Sugawara. That may have been the case in part 1 as well, but somehow it feels more regressive here, particularly after the previous film, even if the drama itself works pretty well.

Tales of Japan's Chivalrous Women: Duel of Swirling Flowers (日本女侠伝 血斗乱れ花) (Japan, 1971) [TV] – 4/5
Yamashita continues as a director in what is probably the best film in the series, and one of Fuji's best movies. Fuji inherits a petty mountain from dead husband Hiroyuki Nagato and tries to turn it into a profitable coal mine with the husband’s loyal colleague Rinichi Yamamoto. Private shipping company head Takakura aids with the logistics when greedy businessman Minoru Oki and his yakuza henchman Tatsuo Endo force boatman boss Bin Amatsu to block Fuji's dealings with other companies. This is a sweeping epic, comparable to the likes of Flower and Dragon, with a storyline spanning over a decade and showing Fuji's struggles that come with genuine emotional payback. It's a terrific role, despite leaving the swordfights to the actual yakuza characters. Yamamoto likewise has one of the best roles of his career as a genuinely caring aid to Fuji, as does Amatsu as indebted-to-Oki but not inherently evil man, a nice departure from his usual ruthless villain characters. Takakura is good as always, and gets to do the blood work in a slightly disappointing action climax (suffering from an overuse of freeze frame) followed by a great closing scene. Visually the film is pure poetry.



Tales of Japan's Chivalrous Women: Battle at Cape Himeyuri (日本女侠伝 激斗ひめゆり岬) (Japan, 1971) [TV] – 3/5
A slightly underwhelming last chapter that doesn't live up to its great premise. Fuji heads an Okinawa trucking company and is their most reckless driver. She's mostly seen in army green, often complete with cap and sunglasses. Quite a departure from her usual kimono form! Abe is a mainland yakuza who has debt-trapped a small village and has their men, women and children dig up valuable, volatile WWII ammunition. War vet gone short-fuse yakuza Sugawara balances between the two parties, with sympathies and professional ties on opposite sides. This film has bits of originality and political relevance here and there, from Fuji's army boots to present and past Okinawa invasion. It also has Machida as Amatsu's Okinawa-native karate goon who comes to realize he's playing in the wrong team. But none of these themes or characters are explored in much depth, and the moral conflicts tied to Sugawara and Machida's characters (who oddly both serve a similar narrative purpose) are only briefly touched. Perhaps strangest of all is the decision to introduce a comic relief character a mere 25 min before the film ends (usually these clowns make their appearances in the fitrst 25 min). Now, this is still a pretty good ninkyo film with bits of originality and a fair amount of entertainment. It doesn't really have any bad scenes. But one feels there was potential for much more.

[Gaijin84]

On 6/3/2022 at 12:56 PM, DrNgor said:

Thank you so much for watching and reviewing these for our reading pleasure. I'd very much love to have these on DVD. Too bad they probably won't ever make it to Brazil.

https://samuraidvd.com/yagyu-chronicles-full-movie-series-box-set/

[Takuma]

On 7/6/2022 at 4:34 AM, Gaijin84 said:

https://samuraidvd.com/yagyu-chronicles-full-movie-series-box-set/

I wonder if those DVDs use the old prints...

or Toei Channel's new prints, which I viewed, which are a wee bit improved...

Edited July 7, 2022 by Takuma

[Takuma]

 

Police Department Story 12 (警視庁物語 深夜便一三〇列車) (Japan, 1960) [35mm] - 2.5/5
An average entry in the long running series. An unknown woman's body is discovered in a cargo train travelling between Tokyo to Osaka. Where was she killed, and did someone try to mislead the police by transporting the body? This entry’s main strength is expanding the scenery decent location work in both Tokyo and Osaka.

Police Department Story 13 (警視庁物語 血液型の秘密) (Japan, 1960) [TV] – 2/5
An exceptionally talkative entry with a rather nasty premise: a mother and a baby are found lying dead on a sidewalk. Relative newcomer director Masuichi Iizuka (he also helmed part 12, which was one of his first film on a career that did not last long) fails to pump much energy into the film, though it’s decently written and the bittersweet climax is quite good.

Police Department Story 14 (警視庁物語 聞き込み) (Japan, 1960) [TV] – 2.5/5
This entry has one of the more powerful openings in the series. An elderly woman walks into the police station to inquire about her missing little brother, of whom she is dependent on. The detectives find him in no time... in the file of dead bodies. The rest of the film follows their attempts to trace his movements and contacts prior to his death, uncovering a murder plot behind it. This is another not-bad entry with a tight 52 minute running time.

Police Department Story 15: Alibi (警視庁物語　不在証明) (Japan, 1961) [VoD] – 2.5/5
This is one of the more notable entries in the series for featuring Sonny Chiba in his first movie role. The film kicks off with the murder of a security guard in a major company. What follows is a relatively well made and stylishly filmed tale bogged down by a large amount of talking heads scenes in indoor locations. Chiba makes his silver screen debut by joining the detective team. He’s not bad, but his lack of experience and confidence shows when he’s surrounded by the series’ regular cast. He sometimes looks like he's waiting for his turn to speak. Chiba had priorly starred in the television series New Seven Color Mask (1960) where he actually fared better, perhaps due being surrounded by monsters and masked villains rather than a veteran cast of 14 earlier Police Department Story films.



Police Department Story 16: 15 Year Old Woman (警視庁物語　十五才の女) (Japan, 1961) [VoD] – 4/5
One of the best films in the series, and a notable improvement over the previous instalment even though they were almost certainly shot back-to-back by the same crew. Sonny Chiba returns to his co-starring role as one of the detectives inspecting the case of a 15 year old girl, whose dead body was discovered floating in a river. As usual, the film runs only one hour and doesn’t depart too far from the usual formula; however, it greatly benefits from frequent outdoor locations that were sometimes missing from the previous film. Throughout the film the detectives are engaged in more active investigation work on location rather than just questioning people indoors. The film also touches far more serious topics, such as child abuse and mental insanity, and even utilises Rashomon-like storytelling techniques to some extent. The last scene is especially haunting and echoes more talented filmmakers like Kurosawa. Oddly enough, Chiba has also greatly improved his acting with a far more confident performance, including a lot of small gestures he does even in shots were his character is only seen in the background.



Police Department Story 17: 12 Detectives (警視庁物語　十二人の刑事) (Japan, 1961) [VoD] – 2/5
An unusually long episode in the Police Department Story series, made by a different crew than the previous two films. At 88 minutes this runs a third longer than most of the other films. Unfortunately the extended running time has not translated into increased ambition. Instead, it feels like a direct adaptation of the written story, with few cinematic tricks thrown in. The storyline is bigger and thicker than before, but also lacking the melancholy and sensitive themes that made the previous film so interesting. It’s still a passable movie with nothing totally wrong about it, but hardly a memorable one. Sonny Chiba is again solid in his supporting role, but his character is given little to do and gets less screen time than before. This was the third and last time he appeared in the series which would still run for another 7 films without him.

Note: reviews for parts 12, 15-17 are slightly re-written versions of my old reviews. I didn’t re-watch the films. I just didn’t want to skip over them now that I’m reviewing all the others.

[DrNgor]

On 9/25/2018 at 11:19 AM, Takuma said:

Akira (アキラ) (Japan, 1988) [35mm] - 4.5/5
My 3rd time seeing this in 35mm, as amazing as always. It seems I'm always in Tokyo when Akira screens, and of course I had to go this time as well since I was in town. It's a good print save for a few scratches but the sound was a bit shrill this time around. I'm not sure if the theatre at fault or what, as I don't recall any audio issues the last two times I saw it (clearly the same print) in 2016 and 2014. It probably didn't help the audio was cranked up really high.

I finally watched this for the first time this week. Susan and I watched it together--it's rated 14 here in Brazil, so my daughter makes the age grade. Needless to say, this is a very beautifully-animated film with a lived-in world, a complex narrative, and some extremely graphic moments. It's also a bit dense, with lots of characters to follow, different agendas to disentangle, and very little exposition; I think I'd have to see this a few times to really be able to understand the plot. And really, going from Point A (motorcycle gangs duking it out on the streets) to Point Z (a cosmic implosion with lots of 2001 head-f*ckery) is one heck of a journey, to say the least.

@masterofoneinchpunch - Well, I've seen it. I'm still not entirely sure to what to make of it.

Edited July 24, 2022 by DrNgor

[Takuma]

9 hours ago, DrNgor said:

I finally watched this for the first time this week. Susan and I watched it together--it's rated 14 here in Brazil, so my daughter makes the age grade. Needless to say, this is a very beautifully-animated film with a lived-in world, a complex narrative, and some extremely graphic moments. It's also a bit dense, with lots of characters to follow, different agendas to disentangle, and very little exposition; I think I'd have to see this a few times to really be able to understand the plot. And really, going from Point A (motorcycle gangs duking it out on the streets) to Point Z (a cosmic implosion with lots of 2001 head-f*ckery) is one heck of a journey, to say the least.

@masterofoneinchpunch - Well, I've seen it. I'm still not entirely sure to what to make of it.

Glad you watched, and glad your daughter got to see it too

It's a little confusing on the first time, particularly the beginning where they keep introducing new groups of characters and you don't know how they are connected to everything, but much easier to follow on the second viewing.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

On 7/23/2022 at 6:47 PM, DrNgor said:

I finally watched this for the first time this week. Susan and I watched it together--it's rated 14 here in Brazil, so my daughter makes the age grade. Needless to say, this is a very beautifully-animated film with a lived-in world, a complex narrative, and some extremely graphic moments. It's also a bit dense, with lots of characters to follow, different agendas to disentangle, and very little exposition; I think I'd have to see this a few times to really be able to understand the plot. And really, going from Point A (motorcycle gangs duking it out on the streets) to Point Z (a cosmic implosion with lots of 2001 head-f*ckery) is one heck of a journey, to say the least.

@masterofoneinchpunch - Well, I've seen it. I'm still not entirely sure to what to make of it.

I have seen it a few times and still not quite sure what to make of it.  It is an experience.  It is influential.  Overall it is a good film (not sure if I would consider it a great film).  But I'm glad I've seen it and own it.

[DrNgor]

The Suicide Club (Japan, 2002: Sion Sono) - This was a very disturbing movie. There are mass suicides, frequently involving adolescents. People do horrific things to themselves throughout the film's duration, sometimes only in the name of a passing fad. And this was made years before we started getting people walking into the street whilst blindfolded; eating Tide pods; sniffing condoms; inhaling or swallowing spoonfuls of cinnamon; and God knows what other challenges that might result in death.

It's a relentlessly bleak (and gory) film, but it does manage to have a poignant message in the end. Do *you* have a connection to yourself? Do you spend your life mindlessly consuming pop culture because that's what everybody else does? Do you spend your life slaving away at your job at the expense of those who mean the most to you? Obviously, given the current economic situation we're all in, that may not be an easily remedied problem. Do you spend your life repressing your emotions because that's what society expects of you? What's the point in living if you spend your life steadfastly refusing to be yourself and think for yourself?

[Super Ninja]

4 hours ago, DrNgor said:

The Suicide Club (Japan, 2002: Sion Sono) - This was a very disturbing movie. There are mass suicides, frequently involving adolescents. People do horrific things to themselves throughout the film's duration, sometimes only in the name of a passing fad. And this was made years before we started getting people walking into the street whilst blindfolded; eating Tide pods; sniffing condoms; inhaling or swallowing spoonfuls of cinnamon; and God knows what other challenges that might result in death.

It's a relentlessly bleak (and gory) film, but it does manage to have a poignant message in the end. Do *you* have a connection to yourself? Do you spend your life mindlessly consuming pop culture because that's what everybody else does? Do you spend your life slaving away at your job at the expense of those who mean the most to you? Obviously, given the current economic situation we're all in, that may not be an easily remedied problem. Do you spend your life repressing your emotions because that's what society expects of you? What's the point in living if you spend your life steadfastly refusing to be yourself and think for yourself?

Sono's second best, right after the untouchable Love Exposure. 

Part of me feels the need to answer some of the questions you brought up, but I'm afraid answering them would result in a rant that has little to do with movies and I don't want that. That is, however, something we should constantly be reminded asking ourselves, so thanks for reminding me. 

[DrNgor]

A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016) - original title: Koe no Katachi - Susan wanted to watch this tonight, so I put my book down and saw it with her. I'm glad I made the effort. This was a beautiful and powerful film about the beauty of life, the miracle of forgiveness, and the acceptance of not only different people, but of our own selves.

The film tells the story of Shoya Ishida, a 6th grade bully who terrorizes the new girl in his class, Shoko Nishimiya. Miss Nishimiya is deaf, and for all her attempts to befriend Ishida, he and his cohorts just treat her like trash and make fun of her behind her back. Karma is a bitch, however, and Ishida enters middle school as a social pariah, which follows him all the way to high school, to the point he can no longer look anybody in the eye. After a failed suicide attempt, Shoya embarks upon the long and hard journey toward redemption.

Said journey is for more people than just Shoya. Sometimes our sins are readily apparent, sometimes it takes a while to realize that our sins of omission were just as bad as others' sins of commission. Sometimes it's easy for us to forgive others, but harder for us to forgive ourselves. And sometimes people change at the first moment you extend your hand to them, while others are tougher nuts to crack. This is the sort of honest, occasionally difficult, movie that you wish Hollywood would make, but can't because they too often see animation as kids fare or "fun for the family," which means fun for kids, with a few pop culture references only adults will notice.

Edited July 27, 2022 by DrNgor

[Takuma]

On 7/26/2022 at 3:54 PM, Super Ninja said:

Sono's second best, right after the untouchable Love Exposure. 

Part of me feels the need to answer some of the questions you brought up, but I'm afraid answering them would result in a rant that has little to do with movies and I don't want that. That is, however, something we should constantly be reminded asking ourselves, so thanks for reminding me. 

Indeed, Sono's second best, after Love Exposure, a bloody, beautiful, provocative, thoughtful, lyrical film.

I wrote a magnum review of it in Finnish about 10 years ago. Never got around translating it into English, but if anyone is interested, Google Translate mostly (not entirely) makes sense (though it mistranslates the part where I explain the difference between club (eng title) and circle (jp) title, the latter being a more relaxed, voluntary based version of the former).