Back to the source: MIFF 2009

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Mark Morrison


It’s great to be back at MIFF after a hiatus of a few years. Since James Hewison stepped off the chair in 2006, I’ve found little in the program to fire up my genre-loving senses; in my uninformed view, there seemed to be too much unwatchable introspection and not enough raging gunfights. However, this year the program has ratcheted up many a notch, so I’m off to the movies for a week.

Things I’ve missed about MIFF: talking to complete … (read more)

Posted in Festivals | Tagged , | Comments Off on Back to the source: MIFF 2009

Gozu (2003)

(from , dir: )
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)

Comments Off on Gozu (2003)

Samson’s GBW for 2008

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Deni

The Good – Sparrow

It’s been a truly great year for Asian cinema! There are so many highlights, such as John Woo’s ambitious historical war epic Red Cliff, the little bit silly but hugely entertaining Hong Kong thriller Connected, and Cape No. 7, Taiwan’s box office hit that may possibly revive its struggling film industry in the same way Shiri did in Korea back in 1999. But my personal favourite Asian film of 2008 has to be Johnnie To’s gentle … (read more)

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Samson’s GBW for 2008

Black Blood Brothers (2006)

(from , dir: )
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)

Comments Off on Black Blood Brothers (2006)

Darker Than Black (2007)

(from , dir: )
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)

Comments Off on Darker Than Black (2007)

Blood: The Last Vampire (2009)

(from //, dir: )
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)

Comments Off on Blood: The Last Vampire (2009)

Sky Crawlers (2008)

(from , dir: )
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)

Comments Off on Sky Crawlers (2008)

13: Game of Death (2006)

(from , dir: )
Posted on May 25, 2009 by Tom

Being primarily a reviewer of anime it’s nice to occasionally review films that are made using real living actors. The only other film that I have reviewed for Heroic Cinema that was made with real people on screen was Imprint whish isn’t that different from 13:GoD. Both have violence and strange family relationships. Both have horror themes but 13 is more of a horror thriller whereas Imprint was a more standard psychological horror film.

13: Game of Death has … (read more)

Comments Off on 13: Game of Death (2006)