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Articles in Japanese Movie Reviews

Hypnosis (aka The Hypnotist, 1999) Movie Review

Hypnotism has a long history of being used as a plot device in cinema. Recently it was featured in several Asian “I see ghosts”-type films as a cheap explanation for supernatural occurrences. However, there aren’t all that many films about hypnotism itself, and so “Hypnosis” has a premise that is vaguely fresh, even though it [...]

August 23rd, 2004 | James Mudge | 0 Comments | Read More

A.li.ce (1999) Movie Review

While the title isn’t exactly original, the premise certainly is. “A.li.ce” is an all-CGI feature and it’s a fairly impressive looking movie that gets points for innovative thinking. While not in the same class as other, more advanced computer animated films, “A.li.ce” is still a worthy effort.
“A.li.ce” opens with a young man named Yuan [...]

August 22nd, 2004 | Joseph Savitski | 0 Comments | Read More

Appleseed (2004) Movie Review

“Appleseed” is a mixture of CGI and traditional anime, and is based upon an early manga by Masamune Shirow, creator of the seminal “Ghost in the Shell” and its sequel, “Innocence”, amongst others. The comic had previously been adapted for the screen back in 1988 as an anime, and while it covered the complex material [...]

August 19th, 2004 | James Mudge | 0 Comments | Read More

Gonin 2 (1996) Movie Review

It’s difficult to say why writer/director Takashi Ishii (”Freeze Me”) decided to do a sequel to “Gonin”. While the original was a hit, moviegoers weren’t exactly rioting in the streets for a sequel, so the idea is probably as wise as letting Eminem grand marshal a Gay Pride parade. But one was made anyway, and [...]

August 17th, 2004 | Joseph Savitski | 0 Comments | Read More

Rainy Dog (1997) Movie Review

Upon viewing the two films following “Shinjuku Triad Society”, it became clear to me that this is not exactly a trilogy. Not anymore than, say, three wacky ’80s movies starring those Corey tools would be a trilogy.
Search out alternative opinions on the “Black Society Trilogy” and you’ll get lots of esoteric manure positing the [...]

August 17th, 2004 | Bill Paterson | 0 Comments | Read More

Wings of Honneamise (1987) Movie Review

It’s a bit of cheat, but reviewers will use analogies to describe movies simply because it’s the quickest way to get the point across. Hence, “Volcano High” is “The Matrix” meets “Harry Potter”, and “The Matrix” itself is “Ghost In The Shell” meets Jet Li’s “Black Mask”. “Wings of Honneamise” is anime’s “Citizen Kane”. It [...]

August 16th, 2004 | Erick Kwon | 0 Comments | Read More

Patlabor: The Movie 3 (WXIII) (2002) Movie Review

Nearly a decade after “Patlabor: The Movie 2″ comes “W(asted)XIII,” the long-awaited third Patlabor feature. Like its predecessors, “WXIII” is a science-fiction/thriller set in a semi-futuristic world where human-piloted robots (or “labors”) are part of everyday industry. Previous movies, TV shows, and made-for-video episodes had centered on the adventures of the Special Vehicles Section 2, [...]

August 15th, 2004 | Erick Kwon | 0 Comments | Read More

A Living Hell (2002) Movie Review

Although “A Living Hell” came out several years ago in Japan, the film has only recently been gathering word of mouth in the West as a “must see” cult item. Comparisons have been made with other Eastern films such as “Audition” and Western films like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”; in fact, the DVD helpfully carries [...]

August 12th, 2004 | James Mudge | 0 Comments | Read More

Godzilla 1985 (1984) Movie Review

After a nine year hiatus Godzilla stages a stunning comeback that restores his title as King of the Monsters. The filmmakers of “Godzilla 1985″ wisely ignored the 15 films made since the original “Godzilla”, ditching the excess baggage the other films brought in favor of a direct sequel to the first film. The result is [...]

August 11th, 2004 | Joseph Savitski | 0 Comments | Read More

Evil Dead Trap (1988) Movie Review

With the ever-increasing list of Asian films being remade by Hollywood, it’s easy to forget how the West has influenced Eastern cinema. For every Americanized “Ring” or “Dark Water”, there are films like “So Close”, “Bloody Beach”, and the countless Hong Kong variations on the “Sixth Sense”. “Evil Dead Trap” is a perfect example: an [...]

August 11th, 2004 | James Mudge | 0 Comments | Read More

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