A Blue Automobile (Japan, 2004) – 2/5
Very nice title, a bit less nice film. It appears to be director Hiroshi Okuhara’s fifth film, but feels more like a debut. It’s a low key drama about two sisters and a guy, with no big surprises. The director tries to avoid the most typical mainstream style, but then the screenplay introduces tragic childhood traumas and silly nightmare scenes. Thankfully the ending is good, even if nothing too special. The cast doesn’t convince entirely; the talented Aoi Miyazaki looks like she’s having her day off from great films, and Arata has nice hair. Okay one time watch, but hardly more than that.
- dvd / R2J
Platonic Sex (Japan, 2001) – 2,5/5
How do you know Platonic Sex is a Japanese movie? You have a 16 year old actress playing an 18 year old real life porn star Ai Iijima. The film itself is mainstream as japanese drama goes… to the extent that it feels almost like a TV film. The AV industy isn’t given much exposure as most of the film consists of sentimential relationship drama. It’s all surprisingly entertaining although terribly cliched. Some ridiculous supporting characters don’t hurt the film as this isn’t something to take too seriously… even if it’s probably meant to be. Saki Kagami isn’t terribly convincing in the lead role but again, it doesn’t really matter. Joe Odagiri I’ve always liked. The final 15 minutes drags, with some lazy screenwriting making matters worse.
- dvd / HK
Angel Target (Japan, 1991) – 1,5/5
Early 90’s girls with (machine) guns entertainment from Japan. Obviously made for video distribution without major production values. The beginning is terribly boring, despite there being a silly caucasian businessman who becomes a victim of an extortion plot. The leading three woman hit squad lacks personality and kick, too. Quality improves during the second half when the film introduces ninja attacts and splattery gunplay. Shame about the first 40 minutes which bring the overall rating down. Worth a watch if you’ve got the fast forward option available.
- TV
Secret Chronicle: Crimson Goddess In Paradise (Japan, 1973) – 2/5
Anarchistic period pink comedy from Chusei Sone. Cute girls Yuko Katagiri and Meika Seri star as poor girls who later hook up with two samurai. The film is not too shabby in its own genre, but ultimately doesn’t have anything too memorable to offer. The humour is decently fun, and the lack of long and constant sex scenes comes as a positive surprise (although no doubt the production year also played a role here… Nikkatsu did not require their directors to be quite as dirty in 1973 as later in the 70’s and 80’s). But Sone has done better films, and so have the leading actresses. Despite the familiar sounding title, Crimson Goddess In Paradise does not appear to be a part of the Secret Chronicle prostitute trilogy (Prostitute Market, Prostitute Torture Hell and She Beast Market) and Sone and Noboru Tanaka.
- dvd / R2J
Lovers Are Wet (Japan, 1973) – 2,5/5
Typical early 70’s Tatsumi Kumashiro film; technically impressive, heavy on characterization and blessed with a title that has little to do with the content (that was the price Kumashiro had to pay for his artistic freedom). It also feels just a little bit dry, like many other belowed (by the critics) Kumashiro films from the same era. Nevertheless, there’s a large number of impressive scenes, such is the great ending, and the film is generally interesting to watch. The story is about a young man who is on the run from the yakuza and settles down in a small seaside town. He starts working at a local movie theatre playing pink films. Nikkatsu fans can spot numerous Meisaku Roman posters on the backgrounds.
- dvd / R2J
Koichiro Uno’s Dirty Sister’s Barber Shoppe (Japan, 1983) – 1/5
Koichiro Uno was a popular novelist whose works were adapted by Nikkatsu numerous times. Dirty Sister’s Barber Shoppe is the ’God only knows how manieth’ instalment in the Koichiro Uno film series. As the title would suggest, the film has something to do with a barber shop. But only something; there isn’t more than a few scenes related to the fore-mentioned business, probably not enough to satisfy the fans (where do they come up with these fetishes?). Listing the positives makes it seem quite alright, though; it’s got one decently nice looking girl (Mai Inoue, who also starred in Pink Cut, another hair clipping film), some jokes that make you laugh and a very cute duck (yes, duck). But, unfortunately the film is built on very shabby grounds. The interest curve makes a kamikaze landing the second there isn’t something fun or cute on the screen, and that happens often. Animal lovers (no, not like that) should be warned; the dinner frog is given a pretty nasty treatement if front of the camera.
- dvd / R2J
Beast Cops (Hong Kong, 1998) – 2,5/5
This one surprised me a bit. I was expecting more asshole mayhem from Anthony Wong, but instead the film turned out quite serious. If fact it seems it was some sort of half-documentarism that director Gordon Chan was aiming at. His directing is a rather enjoyable, perhaps partly unintentionally as the film is sometimes more entertaining than convincing, which probably isn’t what he was trying to do. Either way it works. It’s the cast, however, that really shines. Anthony Wong is typically excellent and Michael Wong isn’t too bad either. Kathy Chow is almost charming as a hooker. Too bad the film can’t retain the quality till the end; the last few scenes are messy.
- dvd / HKL