Change Your Image
artstupid
Reviews
Hell House (2001)
Techinque is a little rough, but lens seems true.
The filmmakers do a good job of letting the irony reveal itself without hitting you over the head with the obvious connection of the Christian religion's entire doctrine being based on fear. What is revealed is something a little different than the typical greed motivation of most religions. Then again the hiearchy of these nuts isn't really explored. You do get to see the sheer ignorance, pain and fears that the Trinity Church members experience due to their own oppressive beliefs. There just wasn't enough background into the social and economic status of the region to paint a clear picture.
The film could benefit with a trim to the current content and the editing could have been a little more professional. There were some pretty rough audio cuts from one segment to the next.
A very funny moment in the film is at the end when a naive teenage member of these kooks states her belief that the world has never been this horrible and the end is near. I only wish she could of been transplanted to a Nazi death camp or Camp 751 in China during WWII. Gee, if they had only excepted Jesus. Ha! Way to stupid to get any serious thinker in an uproar.
But, when it's all said and done, I can't recommend this. Not due to it's goofy content. It's just not very good. The film did remind me of one thing: It sure is embarrassing being an American.
Zatôichi (1989)
A nice farwell for Katsu
This is by far the goriest of the Shintarô Katsu series. The image of Zatoichi holding a severed head while slashing attackers is one I may use for my next tattoo. Blood spurts and flows in rivers. The story is well executed, nostalgic, and has the welcomed addition of nudity! It was hard to believe that Zatoichi actually had sex with a gorgeous tattoed naked yakuza girl in a hot spring. It was even more incredible that at age 69 Shintarô Katsu pulled the scene off, and it was quite erotic! That has to be one for the cinematic record books.
The only thing I found that didn't work in this film was a very 80's Michael Bolton like theme song sung in English! Luckily it only occurs with the vocals twice. Other than that minor flaw, this is in the top 5 of the Zatoichi catalog, and I've seen them all. Highly Recommended!!!
Batoru rowaiaru II: Chinkonka (2003)
Politically Dangerous
BR 2 never finds the errie tone of the first film or novels. I contribute a great deal of this to the "over the top" acting and lack of serious character development.
What Battle Rotaye 2 does manage to do is pack much more violence into it's running time, and slowly build a very politically incorrect message. I don't agree with the political philosophy here, but I must give Fukasaku credit for having some seriously big balls to make this. Then again, he was dying from cancer so he never had to personnaly face any responsibility. There are many pro Al Quida/ Anti U.S. things going on here, and he hits you over the head with it. From destroying 2 twin towers to living in the mountains of Afghanistan! There is a speech given twice about all the countries the U.S. has bombed (and I agree that America has opened it's self up to global hatred), and it's suggested that Japan goes along with the U.S. cause so many other countries do. The later being Japan's downfall. There is also some anti Israel jabs in a scene showing the children of what looks exactly like West Bank. There is mention of victims of terrorism, but even these characters are easily won over to the side of the terrorist.
This is strong stuff, and I commend Fukasaku for giving me pause to think a little harder about how I stand on global issues. No matter how silly I keep telling myself this film is.....it's one of the most subversive films ever directed toward capitalism.
Blood Bath (2002)
cheap, boring, lousy.
Various amateurish actors with serious complexion problems mill around and around in this completely lackluster, barren and lifeless film. This movie dispenses with tension, suspense, and excitement and heads straight for ineptsville. No significant effects to keep things lively; in fact, there isn't much of anything going on except a lethargic pace and an unfocused narrative. Doesn't even generate any camp appeal. Oh, there is the usual slasher fair..."yawn".....but unless you want to see every Friday the 13th clone ever made, theres no particular reason to exhume this one.