Zatoichi: The Fugitive (1963)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Shintaro Katsu returns as the sword-wielding, blind masseur Zatoichi, in this, the fourth film of the Zatoichi series. Having defeated a sizeable portion of the yakuza gangs in Japan, you would think that Zatoichi would be allowed to enjoy a well-earned rest, but alas, this is not to be. Ichi finds another bounty on his head and, as if that’s not bad enough, Zatoichi finds that the village he’s arrived in is swarming with Yakuza and a ronin in a … (read more)

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Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi (1962)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi is the first in a long series of movies (around twenty-six in the series), of the adventures of Zatoichi, a blind masseur, who also happens to be a master swordsman. He spends his time wandering from town to town, offering his services as a masseur and generally helping those who can’t help themselves with his sword skills.

My first introduction to the legendary Zatoichi was the 2003 Takeshi Kitano film Zatoichi, starring Kitano himself … (read more)

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Zatoichi: Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Zatoichi, the legendary blind swordsman who moonlights as a masseur, is back in Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi Continues. As the name suggests this film continues the tale of Zatoichi that began in Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi.

Nearly, a year has passed since the events of The Tale of Zatoichi, and Ichi is travelling back to the location of the previous film to pay his respects to a dead friend. On his way, Ichi is asked … (read more)

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Yi Yi (2000)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Jonathan

There is a disarming honesty to the way writer/director Edward Yang speaks of Yi Yi — A One and A Two, an honesty which is rarely — if ever — to be found in critical writing, so his words perhaps better suited than any (especially mine) to introduce you to his creation.

“The film is simply about life, played across a spectrum of its span. In my view as the writer, simplicity is what’s at the bottom of the … (read more)

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Warriors of Heaven and Earth (2003)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Alan

Director He Ping’s film Warriors of Heaven and Earth clearly owes a debt to the American Western as well as the films of Akira Kurosawa. It has been a while since a Chinese historical sword flick has been made with this sort of lineage and it is interesting to consider the ways in which this film deals with its somewhat traditional subject matter.

Much like Kurosawa, who insisted that motion pictures should be full of motion, He Ping makes sure … (read more)

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Wonderful Days (2003)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Alan

Did you read that synopsis? Did it not sound like a rejected Dr Who script? Did you wonder why there would be a city that thrives on pollution? Is it the only city on the whole world? If so, why are there people living outside of it? In fact, why would anyone live in it, considering it looks kinda grimy and empty and not a lot of fun? Did you think I was just making this whole thing up and … (read more)

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Waterboys (2001)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Alison

Ninety-one minutes of wet Japanese boys: I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. For those that need further convincing, Waterboys is also piss-funny. It’s a simple story, about a boys high school swim team. Team membership goes from one to fifty when the boys find their new coach is a girl, then back to five when she wants them to do synchronized swimming. Bummer. They’ll be called nancies if they succeed, and losers if they don’t.

If you’ve ever … (read more)

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Wesley’s Mysterious File (2002)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Alison

A more appropriate title for this would be “Aliens Ate My Scriptwriter”. Honestly, I’d hoped for more from this: after all, the poster showed Andy in tight black clothing, accompanied by Hsu Chi and Rosamund Kwan. But alas, I was to be sadly disappointed. The science was of such a level of 1950s sophistication as to make the fluffy pseudo-science of For Bad Boys Only look as respectable as particle physics. I kept expecting one of the characters to say … (read more)

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