Articles in Japanese Movie Reviews
Blue Spring (2001) Movie Review
For anyone with delusions that Japanese high schools are orderly and filled with overly studious teens, “Blue Spring” is sure to shatter that idea. “Blue Spring” is a study of teenage nihilism, and while it displays some style and a memorable performance by the male lead, the film never gets beyond its comic book origins [...]
June 22nd, 2004 | James Mudge | 0 Comments | Read MoreOnmyoji 2 aka Yin Yang Master 2 (2004) Movie Review
Besides bringing back androgynous wizard Seimei (Mansai Nomura) to fight another supernatural threat to the Emperor’s court, “Onmyoji 2″ is a good example of a sequel that has absolutely no interest in doing anything remotely original. And if you’re a fan of Seimei and company and wants to see them go through the motions of [...]
June 16th, 2004 | Nix | 0 Comments | Read MoreGodzilla, Uncut Version (1954) Movie Review
Before this year, few American viewers had ever seen the original, undiluted version of “Godzilla”. Thankfully, Rialto Pictures has taken it upon themselves to change that with their release of the Japanese cut of the classic monster film that essentially started its own genre. Viewers can now see the film as it was originally intended, [...]
June 3rd, 2004 | Joseph Savitski | 0 Comments | Read MoreSky High (2003) Movie Review
Don’t you just hate it when you’re about to get married and a serial killer and his evil assistant crashes the party and literally rips out your heart? That’s what happens to our heroine Mina (Yukimo Shaku, “Princess Blade”). After her murder, Mina travels to the Gate of Rage (or Gate of Hatred, depending on [...]
June 2nd, 2004 | Nix | 0 Comments | Read MoreSabu (2002) Movie Review
Apparently Takashi Miike is capable of more than just throwing gobs and gobs of blood, bodyparts, S&M, and the senseless brutalizing of women at the screen. Go figure. “Sabu” is absolutely nothing one would ever associate with the master of splatter. It’s a quiet and at times contemplative film about people, and not how many [...]
May 28th, 2004 | Nix | 0 Comments | Read MoreFull Metal Yakuza (1997) Movie Review
Takashi Miike is a name I go out of my way to avoid. He joins Chris Tucker, Martin Lawrence, Kate Hudson, and Drew Barrymore as people whose movies I do not care for. After suffering through his “Ichi the Killer”, which I found to be the movie version of a soul-sucking demon, I have since [...]
May 25th, 2004 | Nix | 0 Comments | Read MoreMezzo Forte (2001) Movie Review
Except for two explicit sex scenes that have no real relevance with the narrative, Yasuomi Umetsu’s “Mezzo Forte” might just be the best action-comedy anime I’ve seen in a while. It’s certainly better than Umetsu’s last effort, the underage-girl-as-killer-and-love-slave film “Kite”. While that movie was mired by overt hints of pedophilia and bloated action, “Mezzo [...]
May 9th, 2004 | Nix | 0 Comments | Read MoreJu-on: The Grudge 2 (2003) Movie Review
The Japanese “Juon” series seems to function under the motto: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. From what I’ve read of the franchise (there are four so far), there seems to be no attempts to do anything different each time around. Taking into consideration Joseph’s reviews of two of the four installments (”Juon: The [...]
May 3rd, 2004 | Nix | 0 Comments | Read MoreGamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999) Movie Review
While the second part of the Gamera trilogy was a rather disappointing effort, the series bounces back with a spectacular finale. In the three years that passed between movies, the filmmakers have corrected the flaws that detracted from the earlier installments. The result is an innovative and wildly imaginative installment that is also the crown [...]
April 28th, 2004 | Joseph Savitski | 0 Comments | Read MoreGamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996) Movie Review
When “Gamera: Guardian of the Universe”, Gamera’s 1995 comeback, proved to be a critical and commercial hit, the Daiei Company wasted no time in bringing back director Shusuke Kaneko and writer Kazunori Ito for a sequel. The resulting effort is “Gamera 2: Attack of Legion”, released a year after the first film. While the sequel [...]
April 27th, 2004 | Joseph Savitski | 0 Comments | Read More
It looks like a dud. I saw the trailer. Tom is the only person speaking with an American news network ...
nothing they payed fox.... 
OMG!!!! 
