Angel Dust (1994) Review

Here's a decent Mystery/Psychological dram directed by Gakuryu Ishi (known here as Sogo Ishii).
It follows a young woman named Setsuko Suma who must help solve a series of murders that are being carried out every monday at 6pm on young women. But the film is much more than just this mystery.

Setsuko is a lot like Will Graham from the Hannibal Series in that she has strong empathy and is able to get into the mind of a killer and as the film goes on the focus shifts more onto her and how the case among other things are affecting her psyche.
It's like the film is made up of two halves with the first hour being more about the mystery and the second  hour focusing on the psychological stuff.

The other important character to note is Dr Rei Aku, a man with a sense of mytsery who always seems very calm and smug. He runs an anti-brainwashing clinic and at one point we see footage of his practices which serves to be one of the films main highlights.
It's these two characters and the phycological elements that are actually the most interesting parts of this film and that's the issues as altough it manages to stay quite intriguing throughout, it never manage to fully invest me and at times I could find my mind drifting away from the film.

It is very steadily paced and has quiet and subdued atmosphere which does work to a certain extent but also feels like it's more distancing the viewer rather than absorbing them as intended. The film actually borders the line of horror but never quite steps into it and if anything maybe one of it's problems is that never goes completely full on with its ideas.
There are also a few things that are never really explained that may cause some frustration and confusion especially since it doesn't all quite gel together well enough.

The Cinemtography is decent though if not completely remarkable aside a few good visual bits and the acting is fine too.

So there's certainly is some interesting sequences and stuff going on I just didn't think it was super enjoyable. I'm sure there are other people that will get much more from the film and if you like psychological films some mystery mixed in then it could be worth checking out just be cautious of it's pacing and atmosphere which could be off-putting and make it difficult to get into the movie.

This is the 3rd Gakuryu Ishii film I have seen thus far and I've had a similar experience with all of them, where all of them were intriguing but never fully gripped me. Maybe one day I'll find a film of his I really like, but for now this was still decent. ***

A Pool Without Water (1982) Review

 Video version of this review can be found here: https://youtu.be/IQrzNB-Wv00

This is a solid film directed by Koji Wakamatsu that follows a man who has a seemingly average life with a Mundane job and family with two kids. One day he saves a girl from being raped by two men which creates a spark that slowly boosts his confidence and as he continues to encounter the girl he saved among other things, he becomes inspired as things taking a disturbing turn and he begins to act upon his perverse desires.

Now of course Wakamatsu is most well known for his Pink films which revolve around sex and this one is no different. However I must give a warning to anyone considering watching this as this film does involve scenes of Somnophillia  which is basically women getting things non-consensually done to them whilst they are asleep or knocked out....and the film is quite repetitive with it.

So this definitely is not a comfortable viewing experience and it will probably disgust and deter a lot of people. But interestingly these scenes are actually filmed quite sensually almost we're like seeing them from the perpetrators perspective which will either cause more discomfort, diffuse it or even make it funny. I have actually seen people regard this as a comedy which I wasn't exactly the experience I had with it but I can understand while people can view it that way as it does have comedic elements and things that are laughable.

Essentially this film is about a man who becomes bored with his average life and begins to do what makes him happy even if it is a little extreme and as things go on, he becomes more and more carefree in his actions and not bothered by the consequences. And He is played by actor Yuya Uchida who I think puts on good performance here.

Despite what the character does though the film is actually somewhat morally ambiguous and isn't completely against him and even in some aspects on his side. It can be very difficult to really understand what is going through this characters mind but at times it does feel like that he thinks what he's doing is actually good in some ways, especially when you consider the affects it has on one particular woman that he focuses on. Thus the film does have a rather peculiar ending and stance and his probably gonna rub alot people up the wrong way.

but that's the thing about Wakamatsu he was a provocative filmmaker that liked to question what the audience was viewing and there's always something more going on beneath his films seedy and perverse surface that make them inherently more interesting.

The film also a proper 80's electronic score which includes a rather chilled smooth synth track and a more upbeat funky one which are pretty fun.

I think there were a couple of confusing story bits early on but overall this was a really nicely shot and solid film, but it's definitely a difficult one to recommend, I think Wakamtasu fans are the ones that will most appreciate and like it but everyone else may have a more negative reaction and in particular if you cannot stand non-consensual stuff then stay well away from it.
Maybe the best way to enjoy would be as a comedy after all..either way it's not exactly great and I would probably never watch it again but it was still a pretty interesting watch. ***

The Visitor In the Eye (1977) Review

 Video version of this review can be found here: https://youtu.be/uPXReBFKIJk

Now this a 1977 adaption of a story from the Osamu Tezuka Manga 'Black Jack' directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi.
Now I'm very unfamiliar with the Manga, the most that I know is it follows a surgeon called Black Jack who has miracle healing hands.
Here the focus isn't on him though, instead it follows a tennis student who accidentally gets hit in one eye causing it go blind. With seemingly no hope of recovery she gets taken to the surgeon Black Jack who gives her a cornea trnasplant that successfully restores her sight. However despite the surgery's success she soon begins to randomly see images of a mysterious stranger that she becomes drawn to.

This initial setup kinda makes it sound like a horror movie but it is in fact a mystery romantic drama and it is the mystery to be solved that serves as the main focus of the story, it's a pretty simple one that easy enough to unravel apart from the actual specifics, so it manages to keep a good sense of intrigue throughout as it reveals to us more and more details.

Tonally and stylistically it share similarities to Obayashi's previous film 'Hausu' with Obayashi continuing to bring elements from his earlier days of  directing commercials. This film is obviously  a lot more striaghtforward than House but is still quite melodramatic and romanticised which may be off-putting for some but works with this material particulalrly the romantic elements.

It also brings in big camera movements, matte paintings and strong mood lighting to it's visuals making for a very nicely shot and executed film that is very visually interesting.

There's also a recurring piano theme used throughout that links in with the story and characters which is quite nice.

the acting isn't bad either, as I mentioned it is quite melodramatic but it works and they have a couple of interesting people playing certain roles. Black Jack is actually played by Jo Shishido who is fun to see in the full character get-up  and makes a change of pace form his usual Yakuza roles.
Etusko Shimoi also plays a small role that is the opposite of the usual badass she is known to be in martial arts movies.
Plus Sonny Chiba has a small cameo which I didn't even realise til later on.

Now the film is pretty shallow and doesn't have much depth to it, but it manages to keep your interest through it's mystery and the way that it is filmed/

It may not offer more beyond that and I'm not sure what fan of the manga think or if this is even a successful adaptation, but as a simple mystery film with a dash of romance it's pretty solid overall. ***

Paradox (2018) Review

This bizarre little film was ported straight to Netflix a couple of months ago and is directed by actress Daryl Hannah and stars Neil Young and his backing band Promise of the Real.
It's a kind of psychedelic Western with musical excerpts mixed in, performed by Neil Young and is band which were written and recorded for specifically for the film.
Now It's a bit of a mess in all honestly and seems to lack any sense of direction with even it's camerawork and editing seeming to be little all over the place.
There's no narrative to speak of it's mainly string of sequences featuring the characters doing stuff.
I couldn't tell you what any of it means but I did actually enjoy it to a certain extent. The music is pleasant and pretty decent overall, the runtime is only 72 minutes so it's a relatively short ride, the hazy atmosphere is consistent and there's enough going on to keep your interest even if it it is baffling and doesn't seem to make much sense.
Also Willie Nelson shows up and robs a bank with Neil I guess?..so yeah if you like Neil Young and want to see him in something odd then check it out, other than that I'm not sure many people will find much to enjoy here outside the music. ***

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) Review

This 80's christmas slasher is one that can be described as half decent.
All the origin stuff in the first half I found to be quite interesting and actually had some ok acting, once it shifts into the actual slasher stuff though, things get a bit mixed. There's a few nice kills and bloody moments (in the uncut version at least) but there's also a few dull moments, with some sequence being padded out to fill the run time.
The movie is certainly sleazy and twisted but surprisingly tackles a few issues like trigger happy policemen and the certain effects of abuse and trauma, of course its all done in the most basic of ways, so its not particularly depthful, but its still oddly there
Overall I think this isan enjoyable enough slasher flick, nothing great but not too bad. ***

A Taxi Driver (2017) Review

Here's a Korean film based on a true story about the Taxi driver who helped transport a german reporter into Gwangju during it's democratisation movement in 1980.
Its a drama with some thriller and action elements mixed in, one that is deeply moving and utterly fantastic.
Song Kang-Ho plays as the Taxi driver and puts on a superb performance as you'd expect. I definitely got engrossed with his character and he's backed up by a really good supporting cast including Thomas Kretschmann as the reporter. There's a great dynamic between Kretschmann and Kang-Ho's character especially in trying to overcome the language barrier between the two.

The film actually starts out quite light hearted with a fair amount of humour, but it gradually turns more serious whilst retaining some of its humour and includes a few tense sequences, as well as strong emotional moments that had me in tears. The film is certainly a little romanticised and is very sentimental but it still works really well and manages to remain very engaging and moving.

Cinematography is also good and there's one particular standout scene in the film set at night time where only orange light is used to illuminate the setting and it looks incredible. The contrasting orange and black makes for some stunning imagery and mixed with the added smoke helps create a perfect atmosphere and setting for the events that ensue.

The film does have a hefty runtime of 137 minutes, but it certainly never drags and unfolds at a good pace. The only thing I wasn't too keen was a car chase scene, which seemed a little too fantastical  and a bit needless, but It's still effectively done and doesn't detract much from the film at all.

Overall this is a really great film fronted by strong performances that effectively sheds lights on a horrific event and represents well those unsung heroes of vital importance who never necessarily expect or want the recognition, but certainly deserve it. Highly recommended. ****1/2

Chaw (2009) Review

So here's a pretty fun but kinda lackluster South Korean monster movie about a mutant killer boar who roams the forests of  small village, killing and eating any person it comes across.
The film has a fun tone, playing out like a black comedy, though some of its humour doesn't quite work and feels a bit off.
The films execution is also a little rough, some of the editing and camerawork are a bit messy and its really lacking in the gore department which is bit of a shame.
Still some of Monster action isn't bad, the Boar being brought to life with a mix of practical and CG effect which are decent and works well enough.
The film also has its fair share of odd moments including couple of weird characters and despite is execution I quite enjoyed this overall. Its run time is almost 2 hours, which is too long for this kind of film but I wouldn't say it dragged at all and I think it's the films inherent oddness that keeps your attention.
Overall it's not the best but there's enough there to make it fun. **1/2