Rate the Last Film You Watched

Okay I think it makes the perfect Twin Peaks movie anyway. I understand why they cut most people wouldn’t want a 3/4 hr movie. But it’s good we can finally see it. Made the film more perfect to me. Probably for sure my favourite film now.
 
Grav's Cinema Progress for 2020 thus far.

Film #1: Jojo Rabbit

The first film I went to check out was the satire comedy film Jojo Rabbit from director Taika Waititi. I quite enjoyed this film and really liked the performances from the cast, the humour worked well in a number of places and had a pretty interesting story overall. Taika playing Hitler worked out well also. My main gripe is the story's progression as while I thought the main kid did a great job with his performance, there are a lot of moments that I consider to be quite cringey and that I just didn't like. The ending is okay but overall it was a good film.

Verdict: 3.5/5

Film #2: 1917

Next was the World War I film 1917 from director Sam Mendes. I had quite a conflicted opinion over this film. I felt that the cinematography and concept of a single shot was really good, and the acting was very well done also. The issue comes down to the story which I felt was not engaging enough and at times feels unrealistic in terms of how it plays out. I thought the final act was great but most of the good moments were pretty much used in the trailers. Overall a solid film also but not as amazing as people make it out to be, basically a gimmick.

Verdict: 3.5/5

Film #3: Weathering With You

The local cinema screened the Japanese anime film Weathering With You from director Makoto Shinkai. As I mentioned before, the film is pretty good overall but it's a rehash of Your Name's structure. I did think that the characters and humor was better than Your Name and the story itself is interesting but pretty much beat by beat the same concept as previously. The animation is what you would expect but it's not that impressive in places due to the CG and the filler-esque panning shots of the city which I felt was unnecessary. Great film overall despite those issues.

Verdict: 4/5

Film #4: The Lighthouse

The local cinema also screened the psychological horror film The Lighthouse from director Robert Eggers. This is a bizarre, weird and intriguing film to watch. The presentation was superb and the soundtrack is one of the best I've heard in recent years. The acting was also impressive and the story worked out pretty well for a closed setting. The main issue that I had with the film was that there are some moments where the dialogue is quite hard to understand due to the accent or tone they were trying to portray. Overall I really enjoyed the film and I recommend it to anyone who wants a unique horror film.

Verdict: 4.5/5
 
Grav's Cinema Progress for 2020 - Batch 2

Film #5: One Piece: Stampede

ODEON Luxe in my city screened the film and I took this opportunity to watch it. One Piece Stampede is a Japanese anime that celebrates the anniversary of One Piece's manga and it shows. Directed by Takashi Otsuka, the story is relatively simple and while it's set quite close to the current anime/manga arc, you can actually jump right in as long as you have at least the first 70 volumes of the manga (after Punk Hazard). Animation in terms of the character designs was great and I think this is based on their current artstyle for Wano, however, the CG is not particularly great in places and the sound effects feel borrowed by Dragon Ball. Regardless though, as a fan of One Piece, the action scenes were great and the character interactions are a lot of fun to watch.

Verdict: 4/5 (as a One Piece fan), 3/5 (for regular viewers)

Film #6: Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

The first 2020 film of the year is a DC film directed by Cathy Yan. Still tied to the DC Extended Universe, Birds of Prey is a conflicting film overall. As a Harley Quinn film, it is really good and Margot Robbie continues to do a solid performance as the titular character. Quinn gets quite a lot of character development and is done pretty well even if some jokes don't land. As a Birds of Prey film, it is a pretty messy one. The biggest issue with this film is how it wants to tell the story because it jumps around and feels jarring. It's like a gag that is constantly repeated to the point where it stops being funny after the first time. The characters in the Birds of Prey group don't have enough character development and the villain himself could have had a bit more oomph to his character (i.e. a more comedic/sarcastic approach would be my preference). Of the girls included in the Birds of Prey group, I did like Huntress but she could have had a bit more screentime and development like the others though. Overall, a good film but it has a bit of an identity crisis in general. I think that they should have focused the film more towards Harley Quinn and then surprise folks with the Birds of Prey aspect as the story progresses.

Verdict: 3/5

Film #7: Ride Your Wave (Kimi to, Nami ni Noretara)

Masaaki Yuasa's latest directed work made an appearance at the Japan Foundation festival so I was able to watch it locally. This film continues the same artstyle that Yuasa had used with his previous film Lu Over the Wall and still holds up pretty well. The animation is really well done and the character designs are great to look at. The characters themselves are also pretty good and the story starts off fairly strong. While the film's themes are shown fairly well, once you reach a specific point something feels rather off. Yuasa is known for adding fantasy element with his films but this film didn't click with me as much as I had wanted to (and honestly it made me want to watch Lu Over the Wall again which is not what this film should be doing). The ending is fine enough but I don't think this is Yuasa's best work to date. It is still a watchable film though and like some folks have said, it depends on whether or not you can accept the leap of faith that the film is doing.

Verdict: 3/5

Film #8: First Love (Hatsukoi)

The latest film from director Takashi Miike surprisingly screened in my area and immediately I was interested. I honestly had no idea what to expect when going into this film because I remember watching the trailer for this film a while back and seeing the poster I was skeptical. After watching this film, I can safely say that this is once again another classic Miike film worth watching. The first act does take things slow in order to go through the introductions, but once you reach the second act it gets much better and really entertaining with a lot of surprising humour and fun throughout. If you are familiar with Miike's classic film Dead or Alive, then you will probably figure out what I mean by the direction this film goes but it put a smile on my face and I am really happy with how this film turned out in the end. It's worth a watch and it's actually coming to the UK on Blu-ray in a few weeks time if you can't see the film on the big screen in your area.

Verdict: 4.5/5
 
Grav's Cinema Progress for 2020 - Batch 3

Film #9: Sonic the Hedgehog

I never would have thought that I would actually check this film out. Directed by Jeff Fowler, the film is aimed for a younger audience but also honouring the source material for the fans of the franchise. For an adaptation of a video game, Sonic the Hedgehog is pretty good. The design of Sonic after the backlash of the previous, was well worth it because he looked really good and was much more likeable than before. Jim Carrey's performance is much like his acting from the 90s to early 00s and it works pretty well for the character. The story is simple and at times daft but it was solid enough to be considered rewatchable. The ending's mid-credit scene does make me excited for a sequel.

Verdict: 3.5/5

Film #10: Color Out of Space

Thanks to a special early preview screening at the local Showroom cinema, I finally got the chance to watch this special film by director Richard Stanley. This is based on the short story by H. P. Lovecraft and while it's apparently not exactly faithful, it's a colorful and visual spectacle with a nice touch of cosmic horror combined with elements of The Thing and Annihilation. Nicolas Cage goes full Nicolas Cage and the music composed by Colin Stetson (Hereditary, Junji Ito's Uzumaki) hooks you at the moment the film starts. My main gripe with the film is that I wanted more of the cosmic horror aspect as the film does take a while to get to that point and there are some issues that I have with some of the characters but overall I think it is a great film though it's an acquired taste since not everyone will like it due to its tone shifts however I look forward to Richard Stanley's upcoming film adaptations from H. P. Lovecraft.

Verdict: 3.5/5

Film #11: My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising

The second film in the shonen anime franchise by studio Bones and director Kenji Nagasaki, Heroes Rising is a massive improvement to the previous film Two Heroes which I felt didn't feel like a film at all. While many were concerned about anime spoilers due to taking place around half-way through Season 5 (which doesn't exist yet), those moments are brief references and will simply blend in the film as if it was the film's plot doing it rather than the show (I do however recommend you watch at least half of Season 4 before watching it for now). The story was interesting, the characters actually had something to do, Bakugo was actually treated as one of the main characters for once considering in the series he's often shafted to the side, the animation was very good even if a lot of it was basically TV budget levels, and the villains I liked a lot (most notably the wolf dude). The pacing was pretty spot on and while there could have been a bit more development to the villains, it probably would have ruined the pace in return, and it does suffer from the non-canon issue when it wraps up. Overall a great shonen film and I recommend it for die-hard MHA fans.

Verdict: 4.5/5 (as a My Hero Academia fan), 4/5 (for regular viewers)

Film #12: The Invisible Man

A reimagining of the classic H.G.Wells story, director Leigh Whannell offers a really solid take on The Invisible Man. This is a horror film that got under my skin at times because it's pretty suspenseful and Elisabeth Moss did a great job with her performance. The music was also pretty solid and the presentation was great. I don't want to talk too much because this is one of those films that I highly recommend you go in blind because the trailers unfortunately spoil the film. The Invisible Man does have some moments that ruin some logic but I was fully entertained from beginning to end.

Verdict: 4/5
 
Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (1976)

Ruggero Deodato's entry into to the Italian Eurocrime film cycle certainly bears the casual cruelty that marks his later efforts, but this film's exaggerated machismo is dialled so far up that it's hard to take it too seriously. It's dumb as a brick, but it's handsomely shot in that verite fashion and makes for fairly entertaining hokum if you like old-school cops and robbers. Cult movie fans may also get a laugh out of seeing The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue's Ray Lovelock as one of the leads.
 
I'm slogging through Game Of Thrones-I watch 2 episodes a day and I'm on season 5, it really helps that I've got the entire series on bluray.
 
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
★ ★ ★ ★

So, funny story: I never actually watched this movie before, contrary to what I believed. I was actually thinking of "Goblet of Fire" when I wrote my last review, talking about the film that made me drop the franchise. But anyways, moving on.

"Order of the Phoenix" picked up where we left off in the last film very nicely. What I find most annoying is when a series fail to properly acknowledge the effects of character deaths in the past, and Harry's PTSD hits all the right notes with the rage, guilt and self-doubt he feels. In fact, most of the film hit the right notes; Dolores is just the right kind of bitchy and unethical fascist she is (though I heard she's a lot darker in the books); and Voldemort is the typical kind of pompous and prissy little Princess you would come to expect of most villains, frowning upon Harry's hope and friendship.

David Yates will be continuing with the directing from this point on in the series, and I don't really have arguments against that. I like a lot of what he did here in "Order", particularly how Harry slowly descends to the dark side, being tempted to give into his rage. That Crucio, damn. You almost want Harry to do it.

Fun fact that I heard: Harry's scream after the character death was silenced because it was too terrifying and painful. Damn. Should've left it audible, since I felt the death was a bit lacking in impact, coming out of nowhere all of a sudden.

But amid all the torment and misery, Harry finds strength and hope in his... friendship and loving heart, blech. I don't know what is it, but I guess I'm just a little bored by now how the same note plays in this kind of character progression. It's not bad writing per se, just... textbook and predictable. I've seen it a dozen times in countless children's cartoons and anime, so seeing it played out in the same exact way again is the reason why this film won't receive a score above 4 stars out of 5 for me; it lacks that innovation in storytelling.

And that's what got me concerned about Yates. His directorial debut for the HP franchise is fine enough, if formulaic. It's a solid effort, but I feel like I won't have any surprises soon nor the kind of emotional resonance most HP fans do. It lacks that punch.

Snape's role in the movie foreshadows some bad blood between him and Harry's family, which we'll get to see developed further in "Half Blood Prince". In spite of my remarks, I am actually content with seeing how it all ends in three movies. It's not gonna be as memorable as some of the best movie trilogies I've seen, but it will probably stand among the top 100 ones.
 
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Dark times are coming. But that doesn't mean we won't have time for snogging. Lots, lots, and lots of snogging.

I was a tad surprised to see some of the harsher reviews for this film, having (relatively) enjoyed the film myself. But I can definitely see why people were peeved. It's one thing to still have the overplayed YA "will-they-won't-they" romance in Goblet of Fire, when things haven't taken a dark turn yet, but being the third film before the end of the series, and with the Death Eaters kidnapping wizards all across the globe, it is somewhat disappointing not to witness something more dramatic and related to the battle against You-Know-Who.

Unfortunately, the Harry Potter movies are a victim of its own design. It has been this way for the past five films, so it's no surprise really that the sixth one would continue the tradition of school life shenanigans mixed with some light doses of Voldemort-related sub-plots. It's stuck in its formula, and David Yates, as I feared, did not have the ambition to change it up to create something truly gripping and mind-blowing. This is no Cannes Film after all; it's an adaptation of a book series for kids for crying out loud. Of course it would play off like a tween drama with infuriating unrequited love.

Nevertheless, I have said that I enjoyed my experience, probably because I liked the character development enough, even if Ron's a big fat buffoon as per usual. Honestly, Ron is one of the most irritating and insufferable characters I have ever experienced over the last decade. His fling with Lavender felt so contrived, like something out of a '90s sitcom. I don't even know why something so artificial and shallow is in here. Half a star deducted just for that, now that I remember that stupid sub-plot. And Hermione was no better, playing the cliched lovesick girl too insecure to really tell Ron how she feels about him, even going down the textbook-route of dating a douche just to piss off Ron. Oh my god, she's supposed to be an intellectual. What was I saying? Oh right - that I somewhat enjoyed my experience. Ahem.

The other characters' development were more satisfying, of course, namely Malfoy and even Snape to some extent. But their developments are more subtle. You really have to read between the lines to see Malfoy's anguish in having a cursed destiny to live up to his father's bloodline, or Alan Rickman's excellent performance in giving Snape the nuances of a man forced to do what he must for the greater good. I haven't seen the last two films yet, but I could already tell that there's more than meets the eye with Snape's actions.

Oh, and there's Harry, I guess, struggling not to fall into the dark side or something. Yawn.

Anyway, disappointing set up for the climatic finale, but with a strong final act to the movie.

Speaking of the ending, most of these films usually have an odd closing scene that doesn't quite fit the tone of the scenes that came before, but I do understand why this is so. I think Rowling has said that her books are about hope in dark times, tragic times even. That's probably why these movies, and presumably her books, tend to end on a bright and light-hearted note, no matter how dark the movie was just minutes ago. Half Blood Prince has a closing scene that's probably the most fitting for Rowling's ideal, however, ending with Fawkes the phoenix flying towards the light over the horizon, where the promise of a new dawn awaits.

★ ★ ★ ½
 
The Asian Cinema watch makes its return!

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For Day 1 I watched the 1993 Hong Kong film Crime Story (重案組) by director Kirk Wong. This was the first title that I bought from 88 Films and it has Jackie Chan playing the main role. This film was really good and a lot of fun to watch. It's got some comedic moments but for the most part, it's a serious film as a whole. I was actually invested from beginning to end and there's a lot of stunts here that I can tell are pretty dangerous especially the final act which was a blast to watch. The ending did confuse me a bit (basically they show the kidnapped person being sunk into the water, then a second later he's shown to be fine so it's like I had either missed something in-between or that person rescued could be an imposter) but as a whole, I highly recommend Crime Story if you want a solid action film with Jackie Chan.

Crime Story is available to own on Blu-ray from distributor 88 Films.

4.25/5

Watched:
#Localised NameDirectorCountry
01Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
Coming Soon:

Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The Adventures of Elastic Rod BoyShinya TsukamotoJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
Cold FishSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Dragons ForeverSammo Hung, Corey YuenHong Kong
Gushing PrayerMasao AdachiJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Inflatable Sex Dolls of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PlutoShin Su-WonSouth Korea
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
SpiralGeorge LidaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong

#Localised NameDirectorCountry
01First LoveTakeshi MiikeJapan
02The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
03The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
04The MermaidStephen ChowChina
05MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
06ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
07Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
08Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
09Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
10Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
11Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
12ShadowZhang YimouChina
13TagSion SonoJapan
14A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea

Watched:

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#Localised NameDirectorCountry
01DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
02Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
03Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
04Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
05Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
06Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
07Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
08Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
09Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
10The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
11ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
12Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
13Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
14Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
15Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
16Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
17Sympathy for Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookJapan
18DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
19Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
20Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
21Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
22Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
23Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
24RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
25The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
26The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
27The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
28After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
29The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
30ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan

#Localised NameDirectorCountry
0113 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
02AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
03Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
04Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
05Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
06BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
07Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
08The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
09HeroZhang YimouChina
10The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
11HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
12I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
13Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
14Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
15Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
16Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
17Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
18OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
19One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
20PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
21The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
22The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
23RingHideo NakataJapan
24Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
25Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
26Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
27Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
28The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
29Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
30Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
31Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
32The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
33The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
34UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
 
Last edited:
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For Day 2 I watched the 2012 South Korean film Pluto (명왕성) by director Shin Su-won. This film surprised me honestly. It has quite an intriguing story and while it was quite hard to follow at first, as the story progresses it becomes easier to understand and has a rather solid conclusion. The film does lack some character development at times but overall I thought it was pretty good and worth a watch. Music choices were pretty good too.

Pluto is available to own on Blu-ray & DVD from distributor Third Window Films, however the license will expire at the end of 2020 so pick up this release sooner than later if you want to watch it.

4/5

Watched:
#Localised NameDirectorCountry
01Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
02PlutoShin Su-wonSouth Korea
Coming Soon:

Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The Adventures of Elastic Rod BoyShinya TsukamotoJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
Cold FishSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Dragons ForeverSammo Hung, Corey YuenHong Kong
Gushing PrayerMasao AdachiJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Inflatable Sex Dolls of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
SpiralGeorge LidaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Tokyo Tribe NEW ADDITION TO LIST!Sion SonoJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong
#Localised NameDirectorCountry
01First LoveTakeshi MiikeJapan
02The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
03The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
04The MermaidStephen ChowChina
05MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
06ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
07Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
08Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
09Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
10Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
11Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
12ShadowZhang YimouChina
13TagSion SonoJapan
14A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
#Localised NameDirectorCountry
01DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
02Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
03Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
04Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
05Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
06Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
07Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
08Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
09Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
10The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
11ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
12Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
13Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
14Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
15Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
16Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
17Sympathy for Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookJapan
18DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
19Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
20Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
21Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
22Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
23Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
24RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
25The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
26The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
27The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
28After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
29The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
30ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
#Localised NameDirectorCountry
0113 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
02AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
03Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
04Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
05Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
06BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
07Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
08The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
09HeroZhang YimouChina
10The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
11HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
12I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
13Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
14Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
15Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
16Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
17Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
18OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
19One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
20PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
21The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
22The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
23RingHideo NakataJapan
24Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
25Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
26Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
27Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
28The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
29Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
30Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
31Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
32The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
33The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
34UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
 
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For Day 3 I watched the 1967 Japanese film Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wasteland (荒野のダッチワイフ) by director Atsushi Yamatoya. This is part of the Pink film genre that was well known during the 20th Century of Japanese cinema and this particular film was a lot more complex that I had expected. It's a mystery detective film overall and honestly it was pretty decent. It can be hard to follow at times but the story was quite solid in general. Music is quite good too.

Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wasteland is available to own as part of the Pink Films Vol. 1 & 2 collection in Blu-ray & DVD combo pack from distributor Third Window Films.

3.5/5

Watched:
#Localised NameDirectorCountry
01Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
02PlutoShin Su-wonSouth Korea
03Inflatable Sex Doll of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
Coming Soon:


Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The Adventures of Elastic Rod BoyShinya TsukamotoJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
Cold FishSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Dragons ForeverSammo Hung, Corey YuenHong Kong
Gushing PrayerMasao AdachiJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
SpiralGeorge LidaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Tokyo TribeSion SonoJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong

Localised NameDirectorCountry
13 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
HeroZhang YimouChina
The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
The MermaidStephen ChowChina
MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
RingHideo NakataJapan
Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
ShadowZhang YimouChina
Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
TagSion SonoJapan
Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
 
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For Day 4 I watched two films! The first is the 1987 Japanese film The Adventures of Denchu-kozo (電柱小僧の冒険) by Shinya Tsukamoto. If you are familiar with Tetsuo: The Iron Man then this film is basically the original prototype for a lot of the special effects and presentation. It was actually silly fun and the story was simple. Overall, like Tetsuo, this film is bloody bizarre and weird.

4/5

The second is the 2005 Japanese film Haze (HAZE) by director Shinya Tsukamoto. Both this and Denchu-Kozo were 45-48 minute length so I watched them both together back-to-back. Boy this was quite the contrast. Haze is a very claustrophobic film and it's quite intense especially with how the story progresses. There's some hidden meaning behind the whole thing so it's one of those films that will cause some debate but overall it was quite good.

4/5

The Adventures of Denchu-kozo and Haze are both available to own as part of the Tsukamoto collection on Blu-ray from distributor Third Window Films.

Watched:
Day#Localised NameDirectorCountry
0101Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
0202PlutoShin Su-wonSouth Korea
0303Inflatable Sex Doll of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
0404The Adventures of Denchu-kozoShinya TsukamotoJapan
0405HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan

Coming Soon:

Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
Cold FishSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Dragons ForeverSammo Hung, Corey YuenHong Kong
Gushing PrayerMasao AdachiJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
SpiralGeorge LidaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Tokyo TribeSion SonoJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong
Localised NameDirectorCountry
13 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
HeroZhang YimouChina
The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
The MermaidStephen ChowChina
MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
RingHideo NakataJapan
Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
ShadowZhang YimouChina
Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
TagSion SonoJapan
Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
 
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For Day 5 I watched the 2018 Japanese film Killing (斬、) by Shinya Tsukamoto. I loved this film. It's story starts off going one way but it ends up being a lot simpler than I had in mind but what really strikes me was the character development because there's more to the main character than you would expect. The action was pretty good and the music was great. Loved the ending's final shot also.

Killing is available to own as part of the Tsukamoto collection on Blu-ray from distributor Third Window Films.

4.5/5

Watched:
Day#Localised NameDirectorCountry
0101Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
0202PlutoShin Su-wonSouth Korea
0303Inflatable Sex Doll of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
0404The Adventures of Denchu-kozoShinya TsukamotoJapan
0405HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan
0506KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan

Coming Soon:

Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
Cold FishSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Dragons ForeverSammo Hung, Corey YuenHong Kong
Gushing PrayerMasao AdachiJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
SpiralGeorge LidaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Tokyo TribeSion SonoJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong
Localised NameDirectorCountry
13 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
HeroZhang YimouChina
The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
The MermaidStephen ChowChina
MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
RingHideo NakataJapan
Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
ShadowZhang YimouChina
Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
TagSion SonoJapan
Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
 
Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets-even though it bombed at the box office I enjoyed the heck out of it.
 
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For Day 6 I watched the 1998 Japanese film Spiral (らせん) by George Lida. I heard quite a lot about how this one was the weaker sequel to the original 1998 Ring film and after watching for the first time I can understand why. This film to me has some ups and downs overall. I thought the first half was great but the second half starts to go into a direction that pretty much tries to be its own thing but at the same time loses the charm to why Ring worked in the first place. I didn't particularly like the ending in general. Considering this film follows the original novel more than Ring 2 did, I respect that but if I had to choose between Ring 2 and Spiral for a re-watch I would probably go for Ring 2.

Spiral is available to own as part of the Ring collection on Blu-ray from distributor Arrow Video.

3/5

Watched:
Day#Localised NameDirectorCountry
0101Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
0202PlutoShin Su-wonSouth Korea
0303Inflatable Sex Doll of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
0404The Adventures of Denchu-kozoShinya TsukamotoJapan
0405HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan
0506KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan
0607SpiralGeorge LidaJapan

Coming Soon:
Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
Cold FishSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Dragons ForeverSammo Hung, Corey YuenHong Kong
Gushing PrayerMasao AdachiJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Tokyo TribeSion SonoJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong
Localised NameDirectorCountry
13 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
HeroZhang YimouChina
The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
The MermaidStephen ChowChina
MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
RingHideo NakataJapan
Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
ShadowZhang YimouChina
Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
TagSion SonoJapan
Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
 
GntiMT4m.jpg


For Day 7 I watched the 1988 Hong Kong film Dragons Forever (飛龍猛將) by Sammo Hung. The version I watched was the Japanese cut aka the longest & most complete version of the film. I loved this film and the best parts were honestly the comedic aspects especially in the scenes with Sammo Hung and honestly, his acting in this film is actually convincing me to check out more of his works. Jackie Chan was great fun and so was Yuen Biao, even though their characters in this film is a departure from what I have read, their roles didn't affect my enjoyment and the ending was great too. I think the first part of the film where they are setting up Jackie as the lawyer for this one individual was the only issue where I was a bit lost on, but overall this is probably my favourite Jackie Chan role so far from what I have watched.

Dragons Forever is available to own on Blu-ray from distributor 88 Films.

4.75/5

Watched:
Day#Localised NameDirectorCountry
0101Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
0202PlutoShin Su-wonSouth Korea
0303Inflatable Sex Doll of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
0404The Adventures of Denchu-kozoShinya TsukamotoJapan
0405HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan
0506KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan
0607SpiralGeorge LidaJapan
0708Dragons ForeverSammo HungHong Kong

Coming Soon:
Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
Cold FishSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
For Love's Sake NEW ADDITION TO THE LISTTakashi MiikeJapan
Gushing PrayerMasao AdachiJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Tokyo TribeSion SonoJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong
Localised NameDirectorCountry
13 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
HeroZhang YimouChina
The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
The MermaidStephen ChowChina
MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
RingHideo NakataJapan
Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
ShadowZhang YimouChina
Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
TagSion SonoJapan
Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
 
AOAhlCNm.jpg


For Day 8 I watched the 1971 Japanese film Gushing Prayer: A 15-Year-Old Prostitute (噴出祈願 十五代の売春婦) by Masao Adachi. Another pink film and this one is kinda complicated. It's very slow-paced and the film explores the idea of prostitution and abortion for a 15-year-old teenager. While the music was pretty good, I felt the story and characters were hit or miss and the presentation, while also switches between black & white to various colours, was quite jarring to experience. It's an okay film but needs more polish if it wants to be really good.

Gushing Prayer is available to own as part of the Pink Films Vol. 1 & 2 collection in Blu-ray & DVD combo pack from distributor Third Window Films.

2.5/5

Watched:
Day#Localised NameDirectorCountry
0101Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
0202PlutoShin Su-wonSouth Korea
0303Inflatable Sex Doll of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
0404The Adventures of Denchu-kozoShinya TsukamotoJapan
0405HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan
0506KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan
0607SpiralGeorge LidaJapan
0708Dragons ForeverSammo HungHong Kong
0809Gushing Prayer: A 15-Year-Old ProstituteMasao AdachiJapan

Coming Soon:

Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
Cold FishSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
For Love's SakeTakashi MiikeJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Tokyo TribeSion SonoJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong
Localised NameDirectorCountry
13 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
HeroZhang YimouChina
The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
The MermaidStephen ChowChina
MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
RingHideo NakataJapan
Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
ShadowZhang YimouChina
Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
TagSion SonoJapan
Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
 
Xx1Sz9Fm.jpg


For Day 9 I watched the 2010 Japanese film Cold Fish (冷たい熱帯魚) by Sion Sono. This film was one hell of a rollercoaster for emotions. I was frustrated with a lot of what was going on, but then you reach a certain point and it ends in the most satisfying way possible. The film does have a filter which can be annoying to see but the premise overall was great and the acting was well done. There are scenes that might not please select folks but overall I thought the film was really good.

Cold Fish is available to own on Blu-ray from distributor Third Window Films.

4/5

Watched:
Day#Localised NameDirectorCountry
0101Crime StoryKirk WongHong Kong
0202PlutoShin Su-wonSouth Korea
0303Inflatable Sex Doll of the WastelandAtsushi YamatoyaJapan
0404The Adventures of Denchu-kozoShinya TsukamotoJapan
0405HazeShinya TsukamotoJapan
0506KillingShinya TsukamotoJapan
0607SpiralGeorge LidaJapan
0708Dragons ForeverSammo HungHong Kong
0809Gushing Prayer: A 15-Year-Old ProstituteMasao AdachiJapan
0910Cold FishSion SonoJapan

Coming Soon:
Localised NameDirectorCountry
9 SoulsToshiaki ToyodaJapan
AntipornoSion SonoJapan
ConfessionsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
For Love's SakeTakashi MiikeJapan
Han Gong-JuLee Su-jinSouth Korea
Hana-BiTakeshi KitanoJapan
Heart of DragonSammo HungHong Kong
Kamikaze GirlsTetsuya NakashimaJapan
KotokoShinya TsukamotoJapan
Lowlife LoveEiji UchidaJapan
Memories of MatsukoTetsuya NakashimaJapan
Miracles: The Canton GodfatherJackie ChanHong Kong
PornostarToshiaki ToyodaJapan
The ProtectorJames GlickenhausHong Kong
Ring 0: BirthdayNorio TsurutaJapan
Tokyo SonataKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Tokyo TribeSion SonoJapan
UnchainToshiaki ToyodaJapan
VulgariaPang Ho CheungHong Kong
Localised NameDirectorCountry
13 AssassinsTakashi MiikeJapan
After the StormHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
AuditionTakashi MiikeJapan
Battle RoyaleKinji FukasakuJapan
Before We VanishKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
Black ButlerKentarō Ōtani, Keiichi SatōJapan
Blade of the ImmortalTakashi MiikeJapan
Blue SpringToshiaki ToyodaJapan
BurningLee Chang-dongSouth Korea
Dangan RunnerSabuJapan
Dark WaterHideo NakataJapan
Dead or AliveTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive 2: BirdsTakashi MiikeJapan
Dead or Alive: FinalTakashi MiikeJapan
DeparturesYōjirō TakitaJapan
DreamsAkira KurosawaJapan
The Forest of LoveSion SonoJapan
The HandmaidenPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Happiness of the KatakurisTakashi MiikeJapan
HeroZhang YimouChina
The HostBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
HouseNobuhiko ObayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part I: No Greater LoveMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part II: Road to EternityMasaki KobayashiJapan
The Human Condition Part III: A Soldier's PrayerMasaki KobayashiJapan
I Saw The DevilKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Infernal AffairsAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Infernal Affairs IIAndrew Lau, Alan MakHong Kong
Lady SnowbloodToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady Snowblood: Love Song of VengeanceToshiya FujitaJapan
Lady VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
The Legend of the Stardust BrothersMacoto TezkaJapan
Lesson of EvilTakashi MiikeJapan
Ley LinesTakashi MiikeJapan
Love ExposureSion SonoJapan
The MermaidStephen ChowChina
MotherBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
OldboyPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
One Cut of the DeadShinichiro UedaJapan
Orgies of EdoTeruo IshiiJapan
ParasiteBong Joon-hoSouth Korea
Police StoryJackie ChanHong Kong
Police Story 2Jackie ChanHong Kong
Project AJackie ChanHong Kong
Project A Part IIJackie ChanHong Kong
PulseKiyoshi KurosawaJapan
The RaidGareth EvansIndonesia
The Raid 2: BerandalGareth EvansIndonesia
Rainy DogTakashi MiikeJapan
RetaliationYasuharu HasebeJapan
RingHideo NakataJapan
Ring 2Hideo NakataJapan
Rurouni KenshinKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 2: Kyoto InfernoKeishi ŌtomoJapan
Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend EndsKeishi ŌtomoJapan
ShadowZhang YimouChina
Shin GodzillaHideaki Anno, Shinji HiguchiJapan
Shinjuku Triad Society: China Mafia WarTakashi MiikeJapan
ShopliftersHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
The Story of YonosukeShūichi OkitaJapan
Street MobsterKinji FukasakuJapan
Sympathy for Mr. VengeancePark Chan-wookSouth Korea
TagSion SonoJapan
Tale of CinemaHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
A Tale of Two SistersKim Jee-woonSouth Korea
Terra FormarsTakashi MiikeJapan
Tetsuo: The Iron ManShinya TsukamotoJapan
Tetsuo II: Body HammerShinya TsukamotoJapan
The Third MurderHirokazu Kore-edaJapan
ThirstPark Chan-wookSouth Korea
Train to BusanYeon Sang-hoSouth Korea
The VillainessJung Byung-gilSouth Korea
The Woodsman and the RainShūichi OkitaJapan
UnforgivenLee Sang-ilJapan
Wolf Guy: Enraged LycanthropeKazuhiko YamaguchiJapan
Woman is the Future of ManHong Sang-sooSouth Korea
Yakuza LawTeruo IshiiJapan
 
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