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Dolls (2004) Movie Review
“Dolls” is a film which represents a change of pace for legendary Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano, a man best known in the West for his violent, often abstract gangster epics. “Dolls” represents the first
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Tower of Blood (2004) Movie Review
Even by the dreadfully low standards of no-budget Z horror movies, “Tower of Blood” is abysmal. With exactly just 70 minutes of actual movie time, the film dares to boast about 20 minutes of
Read More »The Trail (1981) Movie Review
“The Trail” is an early film from Hong Kong director Ronny Yu, best remembered for his classic “The Bride with White Hair”, and who would later go on to underwhelm horror fans with “Freddy
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Longinus (2004) Movie Review
If you look at “Longinus” as nothing more than a slight, “no need to bother” detour for Japanese filmmaker Ryuhei Kitamura, there’s really nothing wrong with it. Of course that still doesn’t mean there’s
Read More »Dark Town (2004) Movie Review
It’s probably for the best that Desi Scarpone didn’t have a large budget, otherwise his vampire movie would only end up looking like the recent “Dawn of the Dead” remake, and truthfully, we can
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Wisconsin Death Trip (1999) Movie Review
Despite its title, “Wisconsin Death Trip” is not a crazed backwoods slasher film, but rather a feature length documentary about the high incidence of murder and madness which afflicted the small town of Black
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The Life aka Yo Puta aka Whore (2004) Movie Review
(Movie Review by Donnie Saxton) One of the most confusing things about “The Life,” a film fraught with confusion, is what to call it. Upon theatrical release it was called “Yo Puta,” presumably because
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Pistol Opera (2001) Movie Review
Abstract – adj. Having an intellectual and affective artistic content that depends solely on intrinsic form rather than on narrative content or pictorial representation. Artwork that falls into the category of ‘you either get
Read More »The Woodsman (2004) Movie Review
Nicole Kassell’s debut film, “The Woodsman”, is about a pedophile recently released from prison who attempts to start over despite the odds stacked against him, some of his own making, others beyond his control.
Read More »Hide and Creep (2005) Movie Review
You would be forgiven for having lost all faith in the very niche genre that is no-budget zombie movie making. There hasn’t been anything good to emerge from the genre in recent memory, which
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Shutter (2004) Movie Review
Ah, the dead. They’re just so vindictive and oh so predictable, aren’t they? Of course it’s probably not the fault of the angry spirits that they seem to always show up in exactly the
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Shinobi: Heart Under Blade (2005) Movie Review
If you were to make a live-action anime, you couldn’t do any better than what director Shimoyama Ten (“Muscle Heat”) has done with “Shinobi: Heart Under Blade”, a film that is parts superhero comic
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Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) Movie Review
(Movie Review by Oshram ) It’s always difficult to put a stamp on any film as being ‘the best,’ whether of all time, a certain genre, or what have you, but I believe a
Read More »Fu Bo (2003) Movie Review
“Fu Bo” is a film which takes place in a location rather unusual for Hong Kong cinema: a morgue. Although there have been a number of films, mostly horror comedies, with this setting (such
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9 Songs (2004) Movie Review
Writer/director Michael Winterbottom’s “9 Songs” is about a 20-something couple who meets during a live concert, retires to the man’s apartment for a night of marathon sex, then decides to shack up for a
Read More »Women on the Run (1993) Movie Review
“Women on the Run” is one of the better known category III exploitation films, and is one with a pedigree of sorts, having been directed by the team of Hong Kong action master Corey
Read More »The Imp (1981) Movie Review
Director Dennis Yu’s “The Imp” is a Hong Kong horror film from the early 1980s, which comes with the heady boast of being one of the all-time genre greats from its native country. Whilst
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The Eliminator (2003) Movie Review
If you know the name Gary Daniels, Lorenzo Lamas, and Cynthia Rothrock off the top of your head, then you’re the prime target for “The Eliminator”. It’s a moderately budgeted straight-to-video action film that
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Nin X Nin: Ninja Hattori-kun (2004) Movie Review
“Nin X Nin: Ninja Hattori-kun” belongs in the recent trend of Japanese cinema translating popular manga and anime properties to the big screen with a wink and a nod. Unlike their American counterparts, the
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Kunoichi Lady Ninja (1998) Movie Review
Hong Kong period action films have long been notorious for over-the-top combat sequences involving plenty of wire-fu and head-spinning camera moves. Japanese period pieces, on the other hand, tend to be more uptight and
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