Blog Archives

Gozu (2003)

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Posted on July 18, 2009 by Samson

Takashi Miike is a controversial filmmaker, and Gozu is one of his most controversial films to date. It was banned from cinemas, and yet it was invited to the Cannes Film Festival. It was loved by many, but others were disgusted by it. So, how did I find the viewing experience? Well, let me try and explain.

The story begins with the killing of a ‘Yakuza attack dog’ (more like an innocent cute little puppy) by Ozaki, a member of … (read more)

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Black Blood Brothers (2006)

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Posted on July 13, 2009 by Deni

With all the brouhaha about vampires these days — from Laurel K Hamilton to Stephanie Meyer; and HBO’s True Blood to Park Chan-Wook’s Thirst — it’d feel a little like jumping on the bandwagon, except I hesitate to put Black Blood Brothers in anywhere near the same category. Sure, it is about vampires, and it’s got all the right bits and pieces – a lost love, dark secrets, feral vampires, shadowy conspiracies, innocent bystanders, idealistic humans and plenty of slaying … (read more)

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Darker Than Black (2007)

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Posted on July 13, 2009 by Andy

I know I go on a bit, but the problem with a lot of anime is how slow they are to show their hand. It’s as if there is some misplaced prevailing wisdom that starting with lazy stereotypes, predictable set-up and a culminating in freak-of-the-week fight sequence of all speed lines and no substance will lull the viewer into a sense of pattern-recognition comfort. Once subdued, five or six episodes in, all manner of aces, kings and queens start appearing … (read more)

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Blood: The Last Vampire (2009)

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Posted on June 25, 2009 by Elizabeth Kerr

It’s 1970 and centuries old half demon Saya (Gianna/Jun, My Sassy Girl) is on a revenge mission. Orphaned almost at birth, she was raised by Kato (Kurata Yasuaki), the mentor who taught her all about sword fighting and, apparently, demons. Saya’s looking for Onigen (television stalwart Koyuki), the oldest demon and the source of her misery. With her handler Michael (Irish veteran Cunningham) and his assistant Luke she infiltrates an American army base in Japan to eliminate some “bloodsuckers” … (read more)

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Sky Crawlers (2008)

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Posted on May 25, 2009 by Deni

The Sky Crawlers is by far one of the most subtle Mamoru Oshii films to date, and that’s really saying something. Oshii has never been what one would call explicit. He’s far too invested in the humanity of his characters, in the complexity of choice versus fate. If he also happens to have a bit of a thing for more loftily existential issues like artificial consciousness and the self-actualising development of technology, it’s really only an extension of this primary … (read more)

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Tezuka: The Experimental Films (2007)

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Posted on May 2, 2009 by Ching Yee

Rare indeed as most of these short films were destined for film festivals. Having had the pleasure and luck to have seen a handful at the Hong Kong International Film Festival a few years back, I longed to see them again. Now my wait is over as a selective 13 of these experimental films have been put together in this DVD with some choice extras.

Tezuka’s legacy in modern animation is staggering, having left behind a large body of work … (read more)

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)

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Posted on April 26, 2009 by Deni

What can be said about a remake? Especially when the original was so good?

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood opens with the kind of grand introduction that seems to claim that, well actually, not much needs to be said at all. It does in fact assume you are already well familiar with larger than life characters of Edward and Alphonse Elric, throwing itself straight into the action – a rogue alchemist wrecking the city and gunning for King Bradley’s head. It doesn’t … (read more)

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Daphne in the Brilliant Blue (2004)

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Posted on March 30, 2009 by Samson

Daphne in the Brilliant Blue is an anime series that features cute girls carrying big weapons and wearing very little. This description will no doubt sound familiar to many of our readers. But fortunately, this series has enough strong points to put it a notch or two above most of the other animes that share a similar concept.

Maia is an innocent young girl who by chance comes to join the Nereids Kamchatka Branch, a ‘secure, trusted, all-around service provider’. … (read more)

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