Paprika (2006)

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Posted on October 21, 2007 by Andy

Satoshi Kon has always been fascinated with the inner lives of his characters and the conflict that arises when self-perceptions are exposed to the air of reality. His first feature, Perfect Blue (1997) was a perfect Hitchkockian nightmare that explored the breakdown of a pop idol who attempts to break out of her teen image by taking on more ‘adult’ oriented acting roles, only to find that transformation sat mentally uncomfortably with not only her values but those of a … (read more)

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Electric Dragon 80,000V (2001)

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Posted on October 7, 2007 by Greg

Common sense dictates that any film featuring the line “He conducts electricity! He talks to reptiles! He’s the man!” is bound to be good. But there are certain elements that separate the good from the great, and director Ishii Sogo has brought them all to Electric Dragon 80000V. Tadanobu Asano looking for lizards in the back streets and sewers of Tokyo? Masatoshi Nagase as the coolest half-deity assassin you’ve ever seen? A soundtrack so loud that it could turn … (read more)

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Bystanders (2005)

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Posted on September 30, 2007 by Alison

There must be something in the air in Korea that enables them to churn out so many tight cop thrillers. Whatever it is, they’ve got plenty of it, and they’re clearly making good use. Maybe it’s the fact that they’ve got so much rain, and know how dramatic well-photographed rain can look.

Bystanders leaps right into it during the opening credits, introducing the plot (a serial killer stalking schoolchildren) and the two cops, Ja-young (Shin) and her junior Dong-wook (Mun). … (read more)

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Wild Zero (2000)

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Posted on September 30, 2007 by Alison

I confess that I’m at a loss how to begin talking about this one: I mean, what can one say about a movie that features aliens, rock ‘n’ roll, zombies, combs, tight shorts, and true love? But I’ll give it a go, and try to make some sort of sense about a movie that makes no sense, but is buttloads of fun.

First up, this is a road movie. Not a road movie like Thelma and Louise, or Easy … (read more)

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Wings of Honneamise (1987)

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Posted on September 30, 2007 by Andy

Studio Gainax’s most visible pre-Evangelion project in the West was a meditation on spirituality, technology and man’s future in space.

The Royal Space Force is an embarrassment to the military, a funding black hole to the public, and its dress uniform an affront to fashion. The unit exists on a whim of the royal house, and is filled with misfits and dreamers. It is only during a war that the government sees a use for the Space Force: initially … (read more)

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Dynamite Warrior (2006)

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Posted on September 30, 2007 by Justin

I can count the number of Thai films I’ve seen on one hand, unfortunately — but I’ve hugely enjoyed everything I’ve seen, from action blockbuster Ong Bak to the wonderfully lurid western Tears of the Black Tiger. Much like Ong Bak, Chalerm Wonpim’s Dynamite Warrior takes the basic “One Man Bent On Revenge” storyline; however, Dynamite Warrior quickly veers off into the bizarre, adding so many unexpected plot elements that the simplicity of the story is all but … (read more)

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Don (2006)

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Posted on September 30, 2007 by Ching Yee

Don… If your first thoughts were of Don salami, then allow me to introduce you to the other non-cured meat variety — a suave criminal, a stylish James Bond-like figure ruling the underworld with vicious tenacity. A seminal film of 70s Bollywood, with a big star cast (Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman), it was a blockbuster that spawned several hit tunes, notably “Khaike Paan Banaraswala”. It was a slice of 70s action movie, in the vein of Bond and Dirty Harry … (read more)

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The King and the Clown (2005)

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Posted on September 30, 2007 by Deni

It’s no coincidence that in the IMDB entry for this film you will probably see, in the list of recommendations for similar titles you might enjoy, a copy of Branagh’s Hamlet. With a great deal of reference to the political machinations of the noble classes, to madness and to the idea that both circumstance and fate conspire hand in hand, The King and the Clown reads a lot like a Shakespearean tragedy.

It also reads a little like Thelma … (read more)

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