Items tagged "Japan":
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Gantz 2: Perfect Answer (2011)
Masaru Kato’s death changes Kei Kurono’s view of life completely. He decides to keep fighting until he earns 100 points so that he can bring back Kato. Gantz calls back Ayukawa and other Gantz alumni who’d left once after scoring 100 points. In the meantime Kurono works on getting 100 points. But before Kurono succeeds in resurrecting Kato, Kato unexpectedlyturns up.
The follow up to the live action feature Gantz (2011).
Gantz comes full circle, in this battle between evil and good. Choices must be made and decisions topple the fate of life and death.
Someone MUST die! The aliens this time around were not as entertaining or amusing. A lot of human drama between old and new characters. An investigator becomes part of the fray and witnesses the impossible.
Awesome special effects and shootout “draw” scenes. But this wash’t as good as the first Gantz. It lacked that “wow” factor. The baddies in the first were way better than this one. They take it down to a human level, this time around. The story is good enough to keep viewers glued ‘til the very end. Finally, it all makes sense.
The end was as it should be. Neat and tidy.
I suggest/think that the best way to appreciate this Manga turned Live Action is to MARATHON both films, and see it as a whole.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Jan 27, 2012 (a Friday)
- time:
- 11:39:21 (3 months ago)
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There are 20 notes on this item.
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Carved (2007) aka A Slit-Mouthed Woman
Three decades ago, a Japanese suburb was terrorized by the vengeful spirit of a woman in a surgical mask who asked victims, “Am I pretty?” before slaughtering them. Now, children in this community are disappearing again, leaving police and teachers to discover the reason and put an end to the new wave of carnage
A mutilated woman with giant scissors seeking children…
J-horror line: “Am I pretty?” - hellz no! *dies* A bit on the average side of ghostly tales.
Creepy. It’s always nice to have that fable/myth. It’s the bogey-woman!
The sepia color and cinematography was something different. I liked how they did the effects - simple but effective. The little bit of “action” in the end was dreadful though… acting flaws.
KAKIHARA (Ichi the Killer) is the original Slit-Mouthed man!!!
The idea is there and the delivery was good. It’s not “confusing” or bizarre as with most Japan horrors. This is a slasher film, with some (ghost) fantasy.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Nov 3, 2011 (a Thursday)
- time:
- 7:40:00 (6 months ago)
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There are 36 notes on this item.
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Redline (2010)
An action drama centered on a deadly racing tournament held every five years and the reckless dare-devil driver who wants to win it.
WOW! just WOW!!!
Lead Animator for Ninja Scroll (1993) & Samurai Champloo opening credits (2004), Director of The Animatrix (segment “World Record”) Takeshi Koike - gives us a Wham Bam Let’s Burn Rubber ‘mam! action!
It’s like the videogame F-Zero and the Death Race film/s, but animated.
J.P. is our “cool” funky haired driver, who’s been known to have fixed races in the past. He races for the win this time, with his voluptuous babe Sonoshee by his side. The bad guys comprise of big headed racers, militant robots and corrupt gamblers.
Imagination blown completely out of proportion!!! What a visual feast. This was like a machinegun firing non-stop. The story is as ridiculous as the animation.
FUN! this was a fantasy (race) that is worth watching. Not like the sissy pod races, this is manly shit.
Breakneck speed and illustrations, following a quirky tale of a few who dare to face velocity in the eye. Anime fans will drool. Two thumbs up!
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The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai (2003) aka Hatsujô kateikyôshi: sensei no aijiru
Sachiko Hanai is a call girl. One day she is caught up in a gunfight and is shot in the forehead. Instead of killing her, the bullet in her head gives her psychic powers. She also accidentally comes into possession of a cylinder containing George W. Bush’s finger, whose fingerprint is designed to launch a nuclear missile, and international spies are soon chasing her.
READ THAT! Well hello Japan! A comedy fantasy, with lots of sex.
This is a Pink Film - a Japanese softcore pornography genre.
Bizarre and whimsically naked. Lead Emi Kuroda stretched her… acting skills. What could be called an “all out” performance.
This is ridiculous, so be in the right mindset when you do watch this. Prepare to have your senses rattled.
Japan gives America “the finger”! Ballsy. A bit on the rough and gritty style of film making, somethin’ for modern grindhouses.
If you followed my blog long enough, you know this is the type of stuff i cherish.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Nov 1, 2011 (a Tuesday)
- time:
- 10:51:00 (6 months ago)
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There are 21 notes on this item.
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King of Thorn (2010)
A mysterious virus, nicknamed Medusa, is spreading around Japan, turning its victims into stone. Given the impossibility of finding an immediate cure, the government opts for cryopreserving a select group of patients until they come up with a solution. Kasumi, one of the chosen ones, has been asleep for years and her awakening, more than a bed of roses, is a bed of thorns, and happens in the midst of total chaos where monstrous creatures lie in wait all around.
Based on Yuji Iwahara’s manga by the same name, King of Thorn.
It’s another Sleeping Beauty!!! and a horror!!! an anime about dreams and being in a closed-in environment… with death lurking in every corner.
Who will die next? I got a Resident Evil vibe along with some nice sci-fi elements. Humanity’s last hope… is doomed.
The drama and twists were are sharp as the animation mixed with CGI. This was thrilling and kept my brain running. “What’s going on here?”
Another great apocalyptic sci-fi story. I luckily bumped into this while digging for new flicks - if you like anime, you’ll definitely enjoy this! It’s a survival horror.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Nov 1, 2011 (a Tuesday)
- time:
- 9:28:00 (6 months ago)
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There are 39 notes on this item.
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Confessions (2010) aka Kokuhaku
A psychological thriller of a grieving mother turned cold-blooded avenger with a twisty master plan to pay back those who were responsible for her daughter’s death.
Thank You Followers! Awesome suggestion, you guys know the stuff that makes my motor run.
Based on the novel by Kanae Minato.
“Milk will never be the same, in my eyes.”
Dark and disturbing… poetic justice! Confessions of… everyone, make and break us. The comedy and tragedy of life, as it always has been. This was a brilliant gem of a film, up ‘til now i still think (personal) what ifs.
The scenery and slow-mo shots were BEAUTIFUL! This put me up and down and shook my morals from side to side. The mysteries of each character unfolds and explodes on screen.
Acting-wise this was above the usual. I felt them… Some post edit flaws but the grunt of it all falls on the “reveals”, great stuff here!
At first i was “oh no, it’s another drama” but then “holy shit!”. It’s a different kind of horror. This got me thinking and i love it for that.
More than just your average drama mystery thriller. Teachers know best, and are teachers for a reason. Respect, Life. This has easily become one of my recent favorites!
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Jul 11, 2011 (a Monday)
- time:
- 10:00:00 (10 months ago)
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There are 44 notes on this item.
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FLCL (2001) aka Fooly Cooly
A 12-year old boy named Naota one day meets a strange woman, riding a Vespa and wielding a big guitar. As soon as she appears, mysterious things start happening.
A vibrant and fast-paced 6 episode anime masterpiece! Suggested to me after posting Dead Leaves (2004) - TV head/robot. And i loved the EVA Neon Genesis type feel to it as well. This was a ridiculous and fun ride, though confusing at the start. Clarity comes in the end.
This is just what the doctor ordered, an almost perfect getaway from reality. Let your mind go wild! Stunning to the eyes and mind. It’s got cats, robots and mad rockin’ guitars!!! And a brutal OST to boot.
Loved the sexual innuendo and dark metaphors, imbedded in the fantastic animation. A roller-coaster ride not to be missed! Three thumbs up!
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Jul 4, 2011 (a Monday)
- time:
- 8:36:27 (10 months ago)
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There are 20 notes on this item.
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Koroshiya 1: The Animation Episode 0 (2002)
On the streets of Tokyo, a mobster clashes with a mysterious psychopath named Ichi, who kills his enemies in startlingly violent ways. Though Ichi is driven by a dark secret, he has no conscience about the deaths he is responsible for.
Bullies BEWARE! A year after the epic bloodbath manga turned film, this animated prequel was released on video. Turning heads and bringing the gore back to anime!
The animation and violence was superb, but the story may confuse some. This one was much closer to the manga rather than the movie Ichi The Killer (2001). J-horror Master Takashi Miike provides the voice for Kakihara! That in itself is a WIN.
Sex and violence, just like the way Hideo Yamamoto envisioned this gangster/bully revenge tale. It was a pleasant re-visit and i can’t wait to view 1-Ichi (2003) as well, the live action prequel.
“I LOVE Ichi the Killer”
Sit back and enjoy the brutality!
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- May 30, 2011 (a Monday)
- time:
- 11:24:27 (11 months ago)
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There are 14 notes on this item.
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Dead Leaves (2004)
Retro and Pandy, two unlikely renegades, awaken naked on Earth with no recollection of their past, but with superior physical abilities. After embarking on a devastating crime spree for food, clothing and transportation in downtown Tokyo (which lasts for a minimum of five minutes), they are captured by authorities and sent to the infamous prison called Dead Leaves, on the half destroyed moon.
Wooo Hooo!!! What an insanely fun visual triathlon. Cartoons on crack, speed and weed. An imaginative and demented presentation of orchestrated chaos. This blew my mind!
Grab a blender and add these ingredients: Some of the sex and violence of Cool World (1992), Crass, juvenile and vulgar humor like in The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (2009), the attitude and charisma of Lobo (DC Comics), a story that would probably be found in the pages of Heavy Metal Magazine, some Ren & Stimpy wackiness and unconventional Japanese animation.
Exaggerated… everything! With a messed up plot to bake your brain, and a savagely relentless pace of anarchy and mayhem. Truly a demented fantasy backed up by tongue in
cheekanus humor. I really loved the style and brutality of it all, like a comic book come to life.Retro and Pandy are an animated Mickey and Mallory Knox!
Sex and Violence just the way i like it, devastating and entertaining.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- May 25, 2011 (a Wednesday)
- time:
- 4:04:00 (11 months ago)
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There are 14 notes on this item.
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Neighbor No. 13 (2005) aka Rinjin 13-gô
Jûzô Murasaki is a boy miscast in his classroom, being frequently abused, tortured, beaten and humiliated by the bully Tôru Akai and his gang of juvenile punks. After years of repression, rejection and fear without facing Akai, he develops a psychopathic dual personality with a violent alter-ego. While living in the apartment 13 of a tenement building, he becomes unable to control his violent dark personality, who plots an evil revenge against his upper floor neighbor Akai and his family.
“Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood? In your neighborhood? In your neighborhood? Say, who are the people in your neighborhood? The people that you meet each day”
Based on the Manga Rinjin 13-gô by Santa Inoue.
Why do i love this so much? Imagine Fight Club (1999) and Ichi The Killer (2001) combined! Need i say more?!?
A hard core revenge flick, Bullies beware! It’s got style and substance. I was absoulutely blown away the first time i saw this, this re-visit was a treat. A step above your average horror. The colors (contrast/saturation) and visuals are quite good, plus the animated bit was a nice touch.
This is a dark psychological Thriller (rather than a slash ‘em up horror). Still waters run deep. Emotions explode in this suspenseful manga/J-horror adaptation. I must say, i was deeply intrigued and grabbed an issue or two after viewing this film (a while back). It’s pretty close/true to the source material. Children can be brutal!
Funny enough, i felt some Takashi Miike in this as well… maybe it was the underworld elements… violence… and humor…
Shun Oguri was spectacular as the feeble Juzo. What a pussy. He has that pretty boy geek thing goin’ for him. The star of the show is of course “No. 13”!!! Shidô Nakamura ran away with this film, with his commanding portrayal of madness and hate. In the DVD extra features we see his “normal” demeanor versus the effort (acting) he put into this disturbed character. The tandem of both leads were brilliant and in total harmony.
Some critics have complained about the pace, and the lack of sick/gross stuff. Sorry to disappoint folks this one’s got somethin’ more, than the usual.
Dramatic and wonderfully done! One for fans of the genre.
*Rumors have circulated about a 2013 U.S. adaptation.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- May 23, 2011 (a Monday)
- time:
- 1:50:00 (11 months ago)
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There are 19 notes on this item.
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Millennium Actress (2001)
A movie studio is being torn down. TV interviewer Genya Tachibana has tracked down its most famous star, Chiyoko Fujiwara, who has been a recluse since she left acting some 30 years ago. Tachibana delivers a key to her, and it causes her to reflect on her career; as she’s telling the story, Tachibana and his long-suffering cameraman are drawn in. The key was given to her as a teenager by a painter and revolutionary that she helped to escape the police. She becomes an actress because it will make it possible to track him down, and she spends the next several decades acting out that search in various genres and eras.
A mind boggling visual fest by Paprika (2006) sensation Satoshi Kon. This was excellent in a classy and dramatic way. He stays true to the human drama and then plunges viewers into the ridiculous what ifs, and meddling of the funny crew.
Fantasy and reality mixed up. A documentarian and his cameraman are taken back in time, through the eyes of an extraordinary actress who truly believed in “the one”. Hope, we have nothing but that… holding on to a dream may sometimes be bad or good. Perseverance over letting go.
For a 2001 release, the animation was quite good and well produced. The voice acting really brings out the soul of characters. The story reminded me of a Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) type of struggle/experience. Stand by your heart, stand by your man.
Overall a great dramatic fanatsy film for anime-lovers and… lovers! Not a machismo film, something with delicacy and a touch of humor.
I will never give up…
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- May 15, 2011 (a Sunday)
- time:
- 5:34:00 (1 year ago)
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There are 26 notes on this item.
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The Sky Crawlers (2008)
Youngsters called Kildren, who are destined to live eternally in their adolescence. The Kildren are conscious that every day could be the last, because they fight a war as entertainment, organized and operated by adults. But as they embrace the reality they are faced with, they live their day-to-day lives to the full.
Based on the Japanese novel series by Hiroshi Mori.
Another solid anime from Ghost in the Shell (1995) director Mamoru Oshii.
The opening dogfight was superb! Then it droops down to a steady pace… there’s more to this that just action sequences. People finding themselves… A lot of great dialogue mixed with amazing aerial fights. The animation was top notch.
A war plane cartoon with messages of brotherhood and self reflection. “I believe the children are the future” - indeed. At times i forgot this was a cartoon, the drama was intense. Thought provoking and deeper than most, a story of purpose. Procrastination, beer and sex… sound familiar?
This was a little too dramatic for me… This could have used some more combat sequences… it was good… what i believe is an acquired taste.
“Every day could be your last. Live life like there’s no tomorrow.”
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- May 15, 2011 (a Sunday)
- time:
- 12:14:57 (1 year ago)
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There are 9 notes on this item.
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The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) aka Joheunnom nabbeunnom isanghannom
The story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria and their rivalry to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandit
Blazin’ guns of… Asia! A spaghetti western with a twist. Non-stop fights, chases and explosions! with some interesting music and funny characters. A genuine Asian western!
Stunning work, as usual, by director Jee-woon Kim. The genius behind A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) and my choice for Asian horror of 2010: I Saw the Devil (2010). Need i say more? He’s got an eye for things i enjoy.
Bridging 3 nations. Japan, China and Korean come together to bring us this crazy adventure of 3 men. And able to stand by the title of “the most expensive movie in South Korean cinema history” (as per 2009), the work and effort paid off.
The Good: Woo-sung Jung from The Warrior (2001), does great as the saddled righteous hero.
The Bad: Storm Shadow! Byung-hun Lee was as amazing as he was in I Saw the Devil (2010) and Three… Extremes (2004) “Cut”.
The Weird: Kang-ho Song from Thirst (2009), Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and The Host (2006). All his movies have impressed.
WOW! what and spectacular trio! Needless to say they hit it outta the park. The production was a well oiled machine, the story was interesting and the overall feel was great! This was one hell of a fun ride.
TRIVIA: Director Jee-woon Kim says he’d like this to be called a “kimchee western”, after the Korean food made with fermented cabbages. He says he thinks the plot and film are spicy and vibrant, like the Korean culture and people.
It took me a while to grab a copy, i’m glad i finally got to revisit this crazy action flick! This is a fun film, it’ll keep you smiling from ear to ear.
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Guinea Pig 6: Devil Woman Doctor (1986)
A mad doctor displays a selection of her more gruesome case studies. Starting with one family whose heads explode if they get angry and a woman whose heart explodes if she’s surprised, the doctor then presents us with a man whose right half wants to kill his left. Other subjects put on display are the effects of going to a sauna if you’re a man who sweats blood, the possibilities of romance between woman and zombie, and a game between hospital patients.
TRIVIA: Although produced in 1986 as the fourth film, this was the sixth to be released.
A splash of blood and the outrageous! About a license-less doctor, who examines/practices on patients. Presented in segmented portions of bizarre ailments. This could have passed off as a tv show and not an entire film.
I enjoyed some parts like: the food report. Gross human flesh dishes and the subtitles were funny. Only a heartless monster wouldn’t appreciate some zombie love. And the disease contest. Alien poop.
The (realistic) gore horror has completely left the Guinea Pig series, and has ended in a very strange and disappointing way. Scripted, terrible amateur acting and annoyingly trying to be entertaining… ridiculous just like an 80s sketch comedy variety show.
What a weird and funny end… to the Guinea Pig films… at the end of it all, we laugh.
Made in Japan.
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- posted by:
- zombiemergencyresponseoperations
- date:
- Apr 23, 2011 (a Saturday)
- time:
- 4:23:06 (1 year ago)
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There are 11 notes on this item.
