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Another Heaven (2000)

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Posted on July 31, 2003 by Alison

If you’ve ever wondered what the inside of the skull looks like, then this is the film for you. Likewise if you’re looking for several new recipes with which to nauseate your friends.

This little-known gem of Japanese serial killer cinema starts with a murder scene, crawling with cops. When the morgue attendants arrive, with the senior saying “Oh, the corpse doesn’t look as gruesome as some. It’s my trainee’s first day” you know that both you and the trainee … (read more)

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Kikujiro (2000)

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Posted on July 31, 2003 by Alison

The first thing I should say about Kikujiro is that there’s no unsanctioned chopstick use. No guns. No knives. Not even a stick with a nail in it, although Beat Takeshi’s character cops, or delivers, the odd kicking.

No, this film is an atypical one for director Takeshi, and deliberately so: he sought to make a film that defied the stereotype for Beat Takeshi films. It does, however, bear the director’s stamp: in the same way as a Greenaway or … (read more)

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Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990)

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Posted on July 31, 2003 by Alison

For starters, I’d have to say that Martin Scorsese doesn’t so much star as appear briefly, but I expect his name had to appear prominently in order for the film to be considered for the Globes (I’m not suggesting any bias, lordy lordy no). And when he does appear, he’s not that impressive.

Okay, sledging aside, I can now review the movie. And a fine movie it is too: Kurosawa uses childhood memories, Japanese traditions, and his own moral views … (read more)

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St John’s Wort (2001)

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Posted on July 31, 2003 by Alison

Okay, the World Movies precis runs thus: “Based on, and playing like, the hugely popular Japanese video game, a terrifying horror film that uses interactive video, animation and computer graphics to horrifying effect.” Not entirely true, but not entirely false either. Walk with me through the film…

For starters, the main story, that of a girl exploring a house left to her by her painter father, is reflected not-quite-faithfully in the video game being designed by a group of her … (read more)

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