Time [2006]

Time [2006]
Original Title: Shi gan
South Korea
Director: Ki-duk Kim
My rating: 2/10

What the hell did I just watch?  I guess I would sum this up as tale of two psychotics and their horrible relationship.  From the very beginning I wanted to scream at the guy: Run!  His girlfriend goes into jealous rages in public and tries to start fights with anyone who looks at her boyfriend.  Then she bails on him for six months while recovering from cosmetic surgery that has apparently made her completely unrecognizable.  You know, as you do.  Then she returns to him just to mess with him?

He's into it, but then does the same to her.  There must be less painful, expensive and time consuming ways to psychologically abuse your partner.  There is not a single relatable character presented.  Everyone is either crazy, screamy, punchy or rapey.  Nobody is capable of having an adult conversation without it devolving into childish shouting or violence.  The whole thing is crazy.

Something like this could have potential in theory I guess.  Maybe with some back story on how they ended up such terrible people.  The mystery was a little effective at the end, with trying to figure out which character was the surgically altered lead, but by then I was bored.  I think it could have benefited from some sense of danger.  The couple were clearly horrible people, capable of physical abuse, it might work as a thriller.

In the end, I'd say this was mostly garbage.  It wasn't anything special visually, the story didn't feel either believable or interesting, I didn't like the music or the actors.  It was more bleh than meh.

Castaway on the Moon [2009]

Castaway on the Moon [2009]
Original Title: Kimssi pyoryugi
South Korea
Director: Hae-jun Lee
My Rating: 10/10

This is one of those rare perfect films.  I liked everything about it: the characters, the actors, pacing, story, tone, and character arcs.  I'm not usually a fan of "feel good" movies, and although this movie doesn't have an overly happy ending (it's actually a little ambiguous) I would be surprised if anyone could watch this and not feel at least a little good.  It manages this without feeling too sappy or melodramatic, which is a rare thing.

Themes of redemption and self-reliance are especially appealing to me, even if all is for naught.  In fact that makes it more enjoyable, when the characters achieve fleeting or partial success.  That feels more realistic.  This movie is a solid 10 all around, I wish I could discover films like this more often.

Gamera: The Giant Monster [1965]

Gamera: The Giant Monster [1965]
Original Title: Daikaijû Gamera
Japan
Director: Noriaki Yuasa
My Rating: 5/10

While I'm a big fan of the Godzilla movies, Gamera just doesn't really do it for me.  If I can find an original Japanese language version with English subtitles, my opinion might change.  Until then, I regard this as an okay giant monster movie.  It's biggest drawback (besides the bad dialog/dubbing) is the annoying child.  This goofy little kid insists (based on no evidence) that Gamera is the friend of all children, even though he's messing up Japan pretty good.  Even more annoying, in the sequels this turns out to actually be true.

As for Gamera himself, he's pretty silly in appearance and basic concept.  He's a giant rocket turtle.  These first gen monsters all look pretty silly to be fair though.  This movie is still oddly watchable, maybe because I have a soft spot for the genre as a whole.  I'd give it a solid 5, which is mostly meh.

Sick Nurses [2007]

Sick Nurses [2007]
Original Title: Suay Laak Sai
Thailand
Director: Piraphan Laoyont, Thodsapol Siriwiwat
My Rating: 5/10

This movie is pretty average.  There is not much of anything in the way of story or character development, but it comes through with the gore and horror.  It all takes place in either a hospital, morgue or dormitory... I don't really know, but all the nurses seem to live there.  A gaggle of hot nurses, who spend their time fighting and generally being assholes.  There is also a doctor, but he's not terribly important until the end.

A lot of the horror aspects have been seen before, the appearance of the ghost and its hair.  However, some of the kills are interesting.  The effects are fairly well done, so fans of horror B-movies will probably enjoy this.  It ends up being a solid 5.

Tokyo Gore Poilice [2008]

Tokyo Gore Police [2008]
Original Title: Tôkyô zankoku keisatsu
Japan/USA
Director: Yoshihiro Nishimura
My Rating: 6/10

This movie seems to be well liked and generally well reviewed, which is surprising because it doesn't make much of an attempt to be good or coherent, instead it aims for complete ridiculousness and over the top gory and silly.  In that respect it succeeds quite admirably.  If you like Troma movies you'll probably be on board with this one; it seems to made with that audience in mind.  I can't definitively say it's the goriest thing I've seen, but it's up there and the effects aren't bad.

The plot isn't really worth mentioning, but visually it looks pretty good.  Bad taste abounds here, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Nothing is safe in this one, genitals can and will be mutilated and weaponized.  Unfortunately it doesn't really have much else going for it, and it's easy to get bored.  This is one of those movies I might put on in the background for it's visuals, but would not be likely to rewatch very often.

 

Tetsuo, the Iron Man [1989]

Tetsuo, the Iron Man [1989]
Original Title: Tetsuo
Japan
Director: Shin'ya Tsukamoto
My Rating: 8/10

I'll admit, this movie doesn't have much in the way of plot.  It is still a crazy and surreal experience, absolutely worth the watch.  It strongly reminds me of Eraserhead in visual style, but gory and with an accelerated pace.

It may leave you scratching your head, but you'll probably want to see it again.  Unfortunately, it's hard to find a reasonably priced copy.

Time Renegades [2016]

Time Renegades [2016]
Original Title: Siganitalja
South Korea
Director: Jae-yong Kwak
My Rating: 10/10

This is as good as it gets for time travel movies.  It's a very solid story, with lots of twists and turns, and altering of time lines.  The time travel gimmick is never explained or really explored, but that seems to be the case in all Korean and Japanese time travel movies.  Another feature I've noticed is that things don't always work out with a perfectly happy ending.  It actually had me fooled for most of the story in regards to who was behind it all.

This is a solid 10, it has a compelling story, it's well acted and it just looks good (use of colors, sets, costume design, etc...).  I've mentioned my bias for time travel movies, but I think even casual fans of the genre will enjoy this one.

Sky Blue [2003]

Sky Blue [2003]
Original Title: Wonderful Days
South Korea
Director: Moon-saeng Kim
My Rating: 6/10

For being released almost 15 years ago, this film looks beautiful.  The animation is really well done, it appears to have blended CGI and traditional animation styles quite well.  Like many animated films however, it has some of the usual flaws.  Characters with ridiculous/stupid hair aren't so bad here, because it takes place far enough into the future that a pompadour that sticks out half a meter could just be a future thing.  It's the dialog that kills me.  Most animated movies have great ideas and look great, until you hear them speak.  I'd like to say that the voice actors in a lot of movies aren't very good, but they aren't really given much to work with in terms of scripted lines.

The run time is pretty short for a Korean film.  Given the interesting world they've created here, more time exploring it would help the story.  Unfortunately, the characters don't have much motivation or development, so watching them deliver more crappy lines for another hour might not actually help the overall story.  I think this movie had a lot of potential to be good.  There were a few moments that made me cringe though.  A character stoically staring ahead when someone hurls a meat cleaver at them... yeah, of course it missed, but not by a lot.  It doesn't make them look super cool not to react, it's a child's idea of how a super cool person would react.

Despite having some problems, I'd still give this one a 6.  It's entertaining mostly and that's really all I can ask of a film.

The Cure [1997]

The Cure [1997]
Original Title: Cure
Japan
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
My Rating: 9/10

Among fans of Japanese horror films this is considered a classic, and I can see why.  It has similar overall vibe as the equally good Suicide Club.  The overall mood is bleak and mysterious.  The mystery isn't a typical whodunit, but more of a what the hell is going on?  It's violent and disturbing throughout.  Basically it's everything I like in a horror movie.

The acting is solid all around and the two leads were especially good.  The whole thing has a definite urban 90's feel to it.  There was one scene in particular, a long-shot, that I thought was especially effective at combining the senselessness of the violence with the matter of fact way it appears to be happening.  This is a near perfect film, a solid 9.

Rigor Mortis [2013]

Rigor Mortis [2013]
Original Title: Geung si
Hong Kong
Director: Juno Mak
My Rating: 8/10

I found this one under a list of vampire movies and I guess it technically is, but the vampire seems to be much closer to a zombie than anything else.  Along with this vambie, there are a number of ghosts in this story as well, and the special effects are superb.  These ghosts are wonderfully done.  Not only that, but the whole film looks equally superb.  There is a consistent feeling of menace and impending doom throughout.

The only problem this movie has is one of clarity.  It's a bit hard to follow, and left me scratching my head when it was over.  Overall, it doesn't detract much from an enjoyable story.  Apparently this is based on an earlier series called Mr. Vampire which is well liked as well.  I don't know if it has the same level of monster madness or excellent fight scenes as this one has, but it might be worth checking out.

Death Bell [2008]

Death Bell [2008]
Original Title: Gosa
South Korea
Director: Chang
My Rating: 7/10

This was an interesting enough film, with elements of typical ghost, revenge, and slasher stories.  I actually wasn't sure which way the story was heading, except for one aspect that was a little obvious if you've seen a few Korean horror movies.  I don't need to be completely stumped to enjoy it though.  The movie seems to have been heavily influenced by the Saw series, you'll find quite a few intricate death scenes in this one.

The reveal at the end is ultimately satisfying.  It's not a twist nor is it entirely believable, but it's overall worth watching.  The whole concept is interesting.  It seems almost like the equivalent of a school shooting in a culture that doesn't really have any guns available for one.  Another interesting thing is that unlike an American slasher movie the teens in this movie are not the promiscuous delinquents (that are supposed to deserve it?), but rather the smart ones who may be able to solve the mystery.  While not a masterpiece, it's a solid 7.

Time Traveller [2010]

Time Traveller [2010]
Original Title: Toki o kakeru shôjo
Japan
Director: Masaaki Taniguchi
My Rating: 5/10

 This a sequel to 1983's The Little Girl Who Conquered Time.  There are two other film adaptations of the original novel it seems.  It's a little confusing.  Anyway, the little girl from the first story grows up and has a child of her own.  This child goes on to have her own time travel adventure.  Even though this is a movie about time travel, it is much more of a romantic drama than it is a science fiction movie.

What can I say about the drama here?  It's pretty basic.  The whole movie is pretty meh.  Not the worst thing I've seen, but not all that good either.  Forgettable (despite it's oddly spelled title) and meh.

Cold Fish [2010]

Cold Fish [2010]
Original Title: Tsumetai nettaigyo
Japan
Director: Sion Sono
My Rating: 9/10

 This is the second in Sono's "hate trilogy", and this is a depressing and bleak film.  So, obviously I liked it.  Not only is everyone flawed but everyone is awful, this movie confirms my perceived notions of humanity quite nicely.  I'm only half joking there, and I do enjoy a "feel good" movie occasionally, but stories like this provide a nice counterpoint.

Similar to the film Creepy, this is based on a true story and has an antagonist that relies on coercion, intimidation and mind games.  The difference is that this story is believable.  He may not be charming, but it isn't a total mystery how he gets his way.  All the characters are quite believable, whether they are weak and ineffectual, quietly bitter and malcontent or just a bratty teenager.

The story doesn't really build the tension in the first and second act, but instead the events unfold in a more mundane and matter of fact way.  This isn't a bad thing, it gives it a real life sort of feel even as the crimes escalate.  This also makes the ending more dramatic.  The ending is shocking and satisfying, no one gains any deeper knowledge or at least not in a way that is helpful.  It just reaffirms the sadness of life and how disappointing the world and it's inhabitants all are.

Creepy [2016]

Creepy [2016]
Original Title: Kurîpî: Itsuwari no rinjin
Japan
Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
My Rating: 1/10

During the first hour of the film I was completely on board.  I thought it was compelling and masterfully working the slow build of tension and unease.  It was coasting to an easy 10/10 if the ending was good, or 8/10 if it was disappointing.  The second hour crashed and burned so intensely and I'm so bitter about my wasted time that I can't give it anything other than a 1/10.

This is not a paranormal movie, but it does have a drug that I can only describe as magic.  I almost expected a supernatural reveal at the end, possibly that a character was literally Satan, because I found his abilities to be so far beyond the realm of possibility that anything less than being the Prince of Darkness would be an insult to the audience's intelligence.  Also, the police in this film demonstrate Korean level of police incompetence.  That's impressive.

I understand there may be some cultural aspects I'm missing.  Maybe Japan is entirely populated by people like the ones in this film.  However, the nation's continued existence as a place with people who are alive and walking around... this makes me think otherwise.  I also understand that the story is loosely based on real crimes.  Look, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is also loosely based on the real crimes of Ed Gein, the two have nearly nothing in common.

I won't tell you to avoid this movie, instead I would recommend it if only to serve as an example on how to utterly ruin a near perfect first half.

Love Exposure [2008]

Love Exposure [2008]
Original Title: Ai no mukidashi
Japan
Director: Sion Sono
My Rating: 7/10

Strap yourself in a four hour experience.  To say this movie is too long is an understatement, and kind of obvious.  I really had no idea what I was getting myself into with this one, I came across the title in someone's list of revenge films.  It's the first of three in the writer/director's "hate trilogy".  There is some hate, but only a little revenge or at least a little time devoted to it.  This is an odd one, it starts off as a comedy and veers off into a strange dramatic romance adventure thing.  It sort of has a John Waters feel to it, if he ever had the budget for something this ambitious.

It currently has a high rating on IMDb and it's message boards are full of rave reviews.  If it had been half the run time, it would have been much better.  I can sit through four hours no problem if the story is constantly moving forward, but here it's just not necessary.  Other than that, I don't have any complaints, I like this bizarre story.  Cults and perverts, this makes for an unusual love story. 

Erased [2016]

Erased [2016]
Original Title: Bokudake ga inai machi
Japan
Director: Yuichiro Hirakawa
My Rating: 8/10

I almost skipped this movie entirely because of it's generic name (the original Japanese title is much better) and it's crappy poster.  The poster makes it look like a low budget movie from the early 90's.  Don't let that fool you, it's actually quite good.  It was on it's way to being a perfect 10 of a movie until the final half hour.  Something happens that makes no sense and left me thinking that surely this will be explained or resolved somehow... nope.  The conclusion, although more realistic than what I expected to happen, felt very unsatisfying.

As for the story, it's a time travel mystery/drama with the time travel mechanism being strange and never explained.  It's still a compelling story, and the child actors are quite good.  There is real tension and danger for the children, and due to their age their task of not only survival but of solving a murder is especially challenging.  The mystery of the killer's identity is not particularly mysterious (there is a limited amount of characters), but getting proof and stopping them certainly is.

Overall I really liked this film.  The 1988 setting is done well and makes me nostalgic for the time.  It's nice to see a story about children who are not annoying, but instead portrayed in a realistic manner.  There is an element of tragedy looming over the story but it avoids descending into melodrama.  The future becomes altered but it also avoids going into crazy butterfly effect dramatic changes, which can be fun but don't always make sense.  It's well written and mostly well thought out, a pretty solid time travel story.

At the time of writing this there is only one seller for it on Amazon, and they're asking 50 dollars for the blu-ray.  They should be beaten with a rubber hose for that asking price.  I'm leaving the link here in hopes that more options become available later, because it is a pretty recent movie.

The Assassins [2012]

The Assassins [2012]
Original Title: Tong que tai
China
Director: Linshan Zhao
My Rating: 10/10

I'll admit I'm biased on this one.  I love this particular era of Chinese history and every movie based on it.  The Three Kingdoms is an epic story that's too big for a single movie, but focus on specific events (Red Cliff) and characters (Cao Cao or Zhao Yun), these end up working quite well.  Rather than focus on his entire life, The Assassins focuses on Cao Cao's later years when he is already well established and immensely successful.

As the title implies, this is a movie about an assassination plot.  The target, Cao Cao, was a powerful figure often viewed retrospectively in a negative light.  Chow Yun-Fat's portrayal of the character doesn't do much to change that view and the theme and message of the movie is actually quite similar to Hero.  Theme aside, it's a very well made film.  The sets, costumes, acting, all of these are top notch.

The only bummer here is that other famous names from the time don't show up in the story.  His son Cao Pi is a central character, and Guan Yu has a few brief appearances in flashback, but there aren't a lot of others.  Lu Bu's halberd is shown, but no Lu Bu.  I get it, the movie isn't about the others, but it would have been nice to see Xiahou Dun or Zhang Liao here and there.  This is a minor grievance, I still give this movie a perfect score.

A Chinese Odyssey: Part Three [2016]

A Chinese Odyssey: Part Three [2016]
Original Title: ?
China
Director: Jeffrey Lau
My Rating: 2/10

Wow, I'm shocked that this was made by the same writer/director.  It tries to be funny, but has none of the humor of the original.  The special effects are superb, it really looks quite nice, but that is all it has going for it.  I'm curious if the original cast turned it down or if they weren't even offered a chance to reprise their roles.  This movie really suffers from Chow's absence.

There are modern references and phrases scattered throughout, sometimes they work, more often they don't.  Simply referencing a modern film isn't in itself funny, there has to be a joke in there somewhere.  The costume design is disappointing as well.  For example, the Monkey King doesn't really look monkey-like at all; he's just a hairy dude.  I usually prefer a subtle approach, but if the goal is slapstick humor, you may as well go for it.

I can't recommend this.  While it does add some backstory to the characters, none of it feels necessary.  The second film ended pretty well, there didn't seem to be any need to add to it, especially twenty years after the fact. 

A Chinese Odyssey [1995]

A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box, and Part Two: Cinderella [1995]
Original Titles: Sai yau gei: Yut gwong bou haap, Sai yau gei: Sin leui kei yun
Hong Kong
Director: Jeffrey Lau
My Rating: 8/10

 These movies are excellent, they have the same slapstick humor I usually hate, but that Stephen Chow does so well.  You don't need to be familiar with Journey to the West to enjoy this adaptation.  This is an action comedy involving mistaken identity, love triangles, time travel, swordplay and mythology.  The characters are varied with comedic goofballs, strange and monstrous villains, and lovesick warriors.  I think everyone will enjoy the Monkey King especially, there's a reason he's the star.

Coming from 1995, some of the costumes aren't so great, but some other effects are pretty impressive for the time.  The story gets a little convoluted, especially in the second part, and it's easy to lose track of who's who.  It's intentional, magic spells have characters body hopping and confusing each other.  Romances begin and end quickly because the characters are just as fickle and confused as people are today.

The version I watched had poor subtitles.  They sometimes flashed by too quickly and were full of spelling and grammatical errors.  This is a minor grievance, hopefully they have been updated for current releases.

The Wailing [2016]

The Wailing [2016]
Original Title: Goksung
South Korea
Director: Hong-jin Na
My Rating: 7/10

I'll admit, I didn't understand everything upon viewing this film.  It's not David Lynch hard to follow, but there are cultural ideas of the supernatural and religion that I'm just not hip to.  I've read several explanations online, which I consider a victory for the film, because it left me wanting to know more.  Some of these explanations I read were written by Koreans, and they didn't all have the same interpretation, so it's fair to say that this an ambiguous story and can be categorized as a mystery.  Along with that there is horror and some comedy.

At it's core this is a religious story, good versus evil.  The only trouble is discerning which is which.  Your view of the characters will change drastically as more is revealed, and then someone will come along and throw a monkey wrench in that whole line of thinking.  This works because it's not done in a gimmicky unbelievable plot twist sort of way, but in a way that will make you think back to previous actions and see other motivations.

This movie is getting a lot of praise, but once again, I'm not really a fan of ghost stories.  Still, it's definitely a solid 7.  The acting is solid all the way through, it made me laugh, it has a lot going for it.  Not knowing for sure what's going on helps build the tension, I didn't even try to guess in the first 15 minutes like I typically do.  I would recommend this as a good introduction to Korean horror films.

Phone [2002]

Phone [2002]

Original Title: Pon

South Korea

Directed by: Byeong-ki Ahn

My Rating: 6/10

Maybe I should be giving this one a lower rating because it didn’t leave much of an impression on me.  It was okay, slightly better than average.  I don’t like ghost stories.  This movie does have some creepy moments.  The ending clears things up and is satisfying.  People have their dark secrets revealed.  Pretty standard stuff for a ghost story.  This film was released in 2002, so maybe it was not standard then, but if it was groundbreaking I certainly didn’t hear about it.

The two best things about this movie are the little girl, most children are terrible actors, but not this one, and the big reveal at the end.  Maybe I just think all children are secretly evil anyway, or maybe I just like to see them say bad words, I don’t know.  If you make it to the end, you might find it rewarding as it’s something that isn’t seen in every dumas horror movie.

Dragon Blade [2015]

Dragon Blade [2015]

Original Title: Tian jiang xiong shi

China

Director: Daniel Lee

My Rating: 8/10

This movie seems to not be well liked on the internet, but I quite enjoyed it.  Sure it’s not best picture material, but it’s better than Gladiator and has a similar feel.  Jackie Chan (or the clown prince of martial arts as I like to think of him)  is always a treat to watch and we get to see him fight John Cusack.  That might seem strange at first, but Cusack has fighting chops.  He holds a 6^th dan black belt and has been training since Say Anything.  Adrien Brody doesn’t do much, but Peng Lin steals a few scenes as Cold Moon.

I’m way too lazy to look into the claims of it being based on history, that wasn’t really a selling point for me.  The film’s message of brotherhood or unity among nations, while positive, is a little sappy and unrealistic for my tastes as well.  I’m too cynical.  None of this mattered to me, I enjoyed it anyway purely for it’s action entertainment.   The spectacle of battle between East and West, I’ve not seen it like this before.  That alone makes it worth a watch in my opinion.

The Assassin [2015]

The Assassin [2015]

Original Title: Cìkè Niè Yinniáng

Taiwan

Director: Hsiao-Hsien Hou

My Rating: 6/10

The fight scenes and swordplay save this film from getting a lower rating, because it is pretty slow paced.  There are many scenes where nothing happens, and shots with the characters staring off into space.  The scenery is nice though, so this isn’t entirely painful to watch.

The plot doesn’t exactly cover new territory, an assassin is tasked with a target that they know/have a history with.  It’s been done before, but it’s interesting nonetheless.  The assassin in this story has been raised as such and been indoctrinated with the idea that she is working for justice and the people.  Resisting and rethinking the ideas we were raised to believe is another familiar theme, and it’s an important one.

The title would imply an action movie, but it’s really more of a drama.  If you know that going in, you might enjoy it.  If you’re expecting excitement, you’ll probably fall asleep.

Windstruck [2004]

Windstruck [2004]
Original Title: Nae yeojachingureul sogae habnida
South Korea
My Rating: 6/10

This movie almost works.  Director Kwak Jae-yong likes to portray "sassy" women in his romantic comedies, and of the two I've seen, this one fits the description better.  The couple tease each other rather than it being a cruel one-sided thing.  It's mostly playful, despite one clear case of physical abuse.  The characters are likable, and their relationship is fun to watch.  There are some unexpected music choices that I enjoyed as well, American oldies.  Maybe they're used more often than I know in Korean films, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Where the movie fails is in the third act.  It's incredibly drawn out and melodramatic.  If it were cut down to a third or fourth of it's time, this movie would be pretty solid.  Regarding the ending, don't read any plot synopsis before seeing this film.  They all spoil an event that happens near the half way point.  Not that there is a twist, but I don't need a road map of spoilers for a romantic comedy either.

Those unfamiliar with Korean culture might see some surprising things in this film.  Can an influential person really assault a police officer with no consequences?  Is it okay to slap women?  I don't know, it's only a movie and I'm no expert.  I'd recommend this movie if you don't mind a painfully drawn out Lord of the Rings style ending.

Ditto [2000]

Ditto [2000]
Original Title: Donggam
South Korea
My Rating: 4/10

 I have not seen the American film, Frequency, but it seems it has the exact same plot.  I doubt either copied the other, but it's interesting when similar ideas pop up at similar times.  As the other was released slightly earlier, this one has a perfect name.  Anyway, Ditto... this movie isn't my favorite.  It's mostly predictable in that I was nearly dead on when I guessed everything in the first act.  Not being Nostradamus, I can only assume it would be equally obvious to everyone else.

This movie involves time travel and a paradox that is oddly never addressed.  That's not the end of the world though.  So what is this movie about?  Romance.  That's pretty much it.  If romantic dramas are your thing, you might enjoy this a lot more than I did.  I'm not completely opposed to the genre, but in order for it to work for me it's better to add a bit of humor and try to stay away from melodrama and shite music.

Right, I should mention the plot.  It's just so dull.  Two people are having some relationship issues and start chatting with a ham radio.  Through time.  More amazing than radio waves traveling through time is the fact that some Koreans were still using ham radios in the year 2000.  I love time travel movies, I really do, but here the time travel aspect is incidental.  It's just a plot device, not an important part of the story and not really explored or discussed.

In the end it's a too sappy and uninteresting.  Others generally rate it higher, so keep my slight genre bias in mind here.

Confessions [2010]

Confessions [2010]

Original Title: Kokuhaku

Japan

My rating: 10/10

I am disappointed that I never heard about this movie until very recently.  This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in quite a while.  It does make me afraid of Japan though.  With a single exception, everyone presented is either a bully or psychopath.  If I had to pick a category for this one, I’d go with revenge.  I mean Titus Andronicus level revenge, or Eric Cartman level.  So good.  So cold.

This one has more than a simple revenge story to share with you, it’s about obsession, abandonment, isolation and grief.  The whole thing is beautifully shot, the color adds to the mood, slow motion is used to great effect… it’s a real treat for the eyes.  The music is perfect too, somber and melancholy.

As much as I enjoyed this, others may not be as impressed.  This movie is bleak and dark as hell, which is a lot of it’s appeal for me.  The story shifts to different perspectives throughout, and each character reveals more pieces until shit gets real at the end.  Some people have said that they felt sympathy for all the characters and others have had none for any of them.  Me?  I love revenge; I was rooting for the heroine.  I’ve seen a little debate over the ending as well, but I for one love a little ambiguity.

The Thieves [2012]

The Thieves [2012]

Original title: Dodookdeul
South Korea

My rating: 6/10

The Korean crime caper is part Ocean’s Eleven, part Mission Impossible and part Shade (a mostly forgettable film).  It ends up being as enjoyable as those others, which is to say it’s enjoyable, but not overly so.  The movie succeeds very well in creating a memorable cast of colorful and dodgy characters with goofy code names.  I suspect this movie reflects the reality of teamwork and thievery, trust no one.  With everyone being so shady, but still likable, I didn’t know who to root for.

The movie aims at a slick style and portrays the characters similarly, which can make for fun stories, but I would prefer something grittier and more realistic.  There has to be a better word than “gritty”, I just can’t think of one.  Maybe I’m just not a fan of heist movies, because the film does a lot of things well, it throws in some romance and mystery along with the action.  Despite this, I just wasn’t drawn in as much as I normally get with other Korean action movies.  When it was over I was just a little bit above “meh”. 

Tokyo Slaves [2014]

Tokyo Slaves [2014]
Original Title: Doreiku: Boku to 23-nin no dorei
AKA: Me & 23 Slaves, Slave District
My rating: 7/10

This is a strange, though entertaining movie.  The plot is a little silly and at times seems to be inconsistent, but everyone involved seems to have fun with it.  The characters, not so much.  A brother and sister take part in a game involving semi-secret, new technology that can turn other users into personal slaves.  Other than an order to kill themselves, anything goes.  Failure to comply results in permanent brain injury.

In order to enslave others the user simply needs to get them to agree to a challenge and then defeat them.  Just like the freedom to do anything with your slaves, the challenges can be anything you want as well.  This sort of freedom offers some creativity in the type of challenges and the freedom to dictate the rules and integrity (or lack thereof) of these same challenges.  Scenes range from good fun to predictably horrible (more so the latter) in short order.

The darker side of human nature which drives the plot is not fully explored, but the film flirts with ideas of obsession, Stockholm syndrome and reckless thrill seeking if only in a superficial way.  The characters all come across as oddly believable even when they are over the top.  Despite the dark subject matter, it feels more of a sci-fi/adventure than the mystery as it's currently labeled on IMDb.

It's admittedly a trifle juvenile in concept and tone, but it's still interesting.  It doesn't rely on gore because it doesn't have to.  The film finds other ways to disturb you.  It's worth a watch, just be prepared for a good B-movie; it doesn't appear to have had much of a budget.   Sometimes a novel idea can go a long way.