Godzilla – 50th Anniversary Edition (1954)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Justin

Ishiro Honda’s Gojira, known to those outside Japan as Godzilla, is a masterpiece. The scaly star of the film has so far appeared in 26 films, and is one of the enduring icons of Japanese cinema. Godzilla bootstrapped the kaiju (giant monster) genre in Japan, and there’s now a huge pantheon of enormous supernatural monsters littering the landscape, be they armoured, flying, metal, three-headed, alien, or some combination of several of these.

The film was made in 1954 … (read more)

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Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Ching Yee

“To live is everything”, Isao Takahata says as he opens his interview about The Grave of Fireflies. This comment encapsulates the overall message of the film and is indeed the persistent action of the two main characters, 12 year old Seita and his four year old sister Setsuko. Against major devastation on their home, family and spirit, the two children try their best to survive, post extensive firebombing of Japan in 1944.

However from the outset, we know that … (read more)

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The Grudge (Ju-On) (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Eugene

There was, from our Western eyes, a Renaissance in horror coming out of Japan. Awareness about the Ring series had come to light and Dark Water was a worthy successor. As such, there was a level of expectation from The Grudge which, in hindsight, was somewhat undeserved. If anything, it just goes to show that the Japanese horror industry is just as fallible as their international brethren.

I suppose part of the disappointment with the film is in part to … (read more)

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Gundam Special Wing (2000)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Deni

Doing this review I have realised something about myself – something that is in fact rather shameful.

I actually like Mecha anime.

I don’t know how it happened. Once upon a time I could say quite confidently that it wasn’t my kind of thing, that I wasn’t into it at all. Oh that is except for the Invid Robotech series. Ah…and Evangelion, but then I could hardly be blamed for that. Um…and of course Gasaraki, but you know, … (read more)

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Gungrave (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Deni

A little while ago, senses overloaded by mecha and super magical girls and people getting transported to other worlds for Some Important Purpose etcetera, etcetera, I think I was getting a little desperate. What with all the anime I watch, I think it gets to me after a while, all that genki. I think I just wanted something straight for a change, you know? Something with grunt and no airs. I wanted rugged and down to earth.

What I … (read more)

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Haibane-Renmei (2002)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Deni

All stories are myths. All myths are stories. I think in this day and age we’ve forgotten the origin of stories, their true nature, or if we haven’t forgotten we at least take the understanding for granted. We go to movies and read books and buy DVDs and we want to know it all — why this happens, who did what. We don’t like loose ends, unfinished tales, ambiguities. We don’t give a moment’s thought to the fact that storytelling … (read more)

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Hana-Bi (1997)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by Alison

Hana-Bi can be considered quintessential Kitano, and is one of his most acclaimed, and most frequently acclaimed, works. It was made after Kitano’s brush with death in a motorcycle accident that left him partially paralysed for a time, and carries the painful awareness of irrevocable loss that I’ve come to associate with Kitano films.

Kitano is probably best known as a director of yakuza films, or at least is perceived that way. While there is a certain amount of gangster … (read more)

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Heat Guy J (2003)

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Posted on January 25, 2006 by James

Heat Guy J is an episodic detective yarn structured around individual missions that fit within some kind of larger narrative framework concerning rival mafiosos, mysterious scientists and a bunch of swooning women in love with the somewhat boyish and effiminate Daisuke — J’s human partner who dominates screen time and is consequently far more involved in the story.

Suited to an undemanding audience looking for fairly standard intrigue and action, there’s little to dislike but not a lot to love … (read more)

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