Category Archives: Japanese

Kamui Gaiden | aka Kamui The Lone Ninja (2009) Review

January 29, 2011 JJ Bona
"Kamui Gaiden" Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Kamui Director: Yoichi Sai Cast: Ken ichi Matsuyama, Koyuki Koyuki, Kaoru Kobayashi, Koichi Sato, Hideaki Ito Running Time: 120 min. By Mighty Peking Man “Kamui Gaiden” is the story of a Kamui (Ken’ichi Matsuyama), an ex-evil ninja who turns his back on his evil ways to pursue a peaceful lifestyle. However, everywhere he goes, he is followed and attacked by his former ninja clan, who now consider him a … Continue reading →

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Sanjuro (1962) Review

January 25, 2011 JJ Bona

Director: Akira Kurosawa Writer: Ryuzo Kikushima, Akira Kurosawa Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiju Kobayashi, Yuzo Kayama, Reiko Dan, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Kamatari Fujiwara, Takako Irie, Masao Shimizu Running Time: 96 min. By Mairosu After Yojimbo proved to be a huge commercial hit, messrs Kurosawa and Mifune teamed up for another humorous caper about the wisecracking nameless ronin, and this time with equal success. Sanjuro is admittedly more light-hearted … Continue reading →

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Kids Return (1996) Review

January 16, 2011 JJ Bona

Director: Takeshi Kitano Writer: Takeshi Kitano Producers: Masayuki Mori, Yasushi Tsuge, Takio Yoshida Cast: Masanobu Ando, Ken Kaneko, Leo Morimoto, Hatsuo Yamaya, Mitsuko Oka, Ryo Ishibashi, Susumu Terajima, Koichi Shigehisa, Michisuke Kashiwaya, Yuko Daike, Atsuki Ueda, Ren Osugi, Masami Shimojoe Running Time: 108 min. By Equinox21 Kids Return was not even close to being my favorite Takeshi Kitano movie, but it wasn’t bad in the least. It didn’t really even … Continue reading →

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Crows Zero | aka Crows 0 (2007) Review

January 16, 2011 JJ Bona

AKA: Crows: Episode 0 Director: Takashi Miike Producer: Mataichiro Yamamoto Cast: Shun Oguri, Kyosuke Yabe, Takayuki Yamada, Shunsuke Daito, Meisa Kuroki, Tsutomu Takahashi, Goro Kishitani Running Time: 131 min. By Ningen A new kid in town named Genji enrolls in a “bad” school where he meets a thug named Tamao who runs the place. Aspiring to head his own yanki[Japanese JD] empire, in order to impress his yakuza pop, Genji … Continue reading →

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City of Lost Souls, The | aka The Hazard City (2000) Review

January 16, 2011 JJ Bona

AKA: The City of Strangers Director: Takashi Miike Cast: Teah, Michelle Reis, Patricia Manterola, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Koji Kikkawa, Ren Osugi, Akaji Maro, Anatoli Krasnov, Sebastian DeVicente, Terence Yin, Atsushi Okuno, Akira Emoto, Eugene Nomura Running Time: 99 min. By Joe909 Tarantino haters take note: Asian cinema is now ripping-off your whipping boy. QT is always scorned for “lifting” scenes, images, and plots from Asian action movies; now that same scorn … Continue reading →

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Audition (1999) Review

January 16, 2011 JJ Bona
"Audition" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Takashi Miike Cast: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Miyuki Matsuda, Renji Ishibashi, Tetsu Sawaki, Jun Kunimura, Toshie Negishi, Ken Mitsuishi, Ren Ohsugi Running Time: 115 min. By Alexander Takashi Miike’s Audition scared the hell out of me. Even though I figured out the “twist” early in the film, and I knew exactly where the story was headed, I was still unprepared for a handful of its shocking scenes and revelations. … Continue reading →

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Brother (2000) Review

January 16, 2011 JJ Bona
"Brother" International Theatrical Poster

Director: Takeshi Kitano Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Omar Epps, Kuroudo Maki, Masaya Kato, Susumu Terajima, Royale Watkins, Lombardo Boyar, Ren Osugi, Ryo Ishibashi, James Shigeta Running Time: 114 min. By Woody Ignore the critics, this is a great flick. One of Kitano’s best? That’s hard to say. Almost any film pales in comparison to classics like “Hana-bi” and “Sonatine”. Maybe it was my lowered expectations, but I really loved this one. … Continue reading →

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Boiling Point (1990) Review

January 16, 2011 JJ Bona
"Boiling Point" Spanish Theatrical Poster

Director: Takeshi Kitano Cast: Masahiko Ono, Yuriko Ishida, Takahito Iguchi, Minoru Iizuka, Makoto Ashikawa, Hisashi Igawa, Bengal, Johnny Ohkura, Katsuo Tokashiki, Takeshi Kitano Running Time: 98 min. By The Reviewer With No Name Boiling Point seems to be one of the lesser liked/known of films in Kitano’s filmography (It’s actually the last Kitano film I’ve seen so far besides Dolls and Zatoichi), that I can’t really understand. Most people just … Continue reading →

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Lady Snowblood: Blizzard from the Netherworld (1973) Review

January 13, 2011 JJ Bona
"Lady Snowblood: Blizzard from the Netherworld" UK DVD Cover

AKA: Blood Snow, Shurayukihime Director: Toshiya Fujito Cast: Meiko Kaji, Toshio Kurosawa, Masaaki Daimon, Miyoko Akaza, Noboru Nakaya, Takeo Chii, Yoshiko Nakada, Kaoru Kashiwada, Akemi Negishi, Sanae Nakahara Running Time: 97 min. By Reefer It is unfortunate that Fugita Toshiya’s Lady Snowblood might be remembered most only for it serving as the main source material for Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 hit and Asian cinema tribute Kill Bill. I guess I should … Continue reading →

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Returner | aka The Returner (2002) Review

January 11, 2011 JJ Bona

Director: Takashi Yamazaki Producer: Toru Horibe Cast: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Ann Suzuki, Kirin Kiki, Goro Kishitani, Yukiko Okamoto, Mitsuru Murata Running Time: 117 min. By Equinox21 Say you are a Japanese film-maker, how do you make an extremely cool sci-fi action movie? Here’s the recipe; start with an alien invasion (ala ID4), sprinkle in a healthy dose of Terminator (humanity’s last hope is to send someone back in time to stop … Continue reading →

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Casshern (2004) Review

January 11, 2011 ningen31

Director: Kazuaki Kiriya Cast: Yusuke Iseya, Kumiko Aso, Akira Terao, Kanako Higuchi, Fumiyo Kohinata, Hiroyuki Miyasako, Jun Kaname, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Susumu Terajima, Hideji Otaki, Tatsuya Mihashi, Toshiaki Karasawa Running Time: 140 min. By Ningen A scientist can’t get funding for artificial organs which he hopes to use to save his ailing wife. He gives in to an offer from a general to fund his project, but the general’s … Continue reading →

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Zatoichi | aka The Blind Swordsman Zatoichi (2003) Review

January 11, 2011 JJ Bona
"Zatoichi" American Theatrical Poster

Director: Takeshi Kitano Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Yui Natsukawa, Michiyo Ookusu, Gadarukanaru Taka, Yuuko Daike, Daigor Tachibana, Ittoku Kishibe, Saburo Ishikura Running Time: 116 min. By Equinox21 I’m very pleased to say that Zatoichi did not let me down. I was afraid that not having any previous knowledge about the franchise and seeing a Kitano movie that didn’t involve yakuza vs. cops would make it a less enjoyable experience … Continue reading →

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Getting Any? (1995) Review

January 11, 2011 JJ Bona

Director: Takeshi Kitano Writer: Takeshi Kitano Producer: Masayuki Mori, Hisao Nabeshima, Takio Yoshida Cast: Moeko Ezawa, Hakuryu, Tokie Hidari, Yojin Hino, Minoru Iizuka, Takeshi Kitano, Akiji Kobayashi, Yuuji Minakata, Masumi Okada, Ren Osugi, Shintaro Takado, Susumu Terajima, Kanji Tsuda, Yuurei Yanagi, Tetsuya Yuuki Running Time: 105 Min. By Mairosu It’s often said that the western world doesn’t know real Beat Takeshi. To us, the mention of his name is usually … Continue reading →

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Fireworks | aka Hana-Bi (1997) Review

January 11, 2011 JJ Bona
"Fireworks" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Takeshi Kitano Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren Osugi, Susumu Terajima, Tetsu Watanabe, Hakuryu, Yasuei Yakushiji, Taro Istumi, Kenichi Yajima, Makoto Ashikaw Running Time: 103 min. By Equinox21 Hana-bi was the first Takeshi Kitano film (directed) I’d seen. I really wish I’d waited until I’d seen some of his others first, because none of the others even compare. As much as I love all his films, Hana-bi was heads … Continue reading →

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Sonatine (1993) Review

January 11, 2011 JJ Bona
"Sonatine" American Theatrical Poster

Director: Takeshi Kitano Writer: Takeshi Kitano Cast: Takeshi Kitano, Aya Kikumai, Tetsu Watanabe, Masanobu Katsumura, Susumu Terajima, Ren Ohsugi, Eiji Minakata, Rome Kanda, Houka Kinoshita Running Time: 90 min. By Len One word: Genius. I could write 400 words on how much I love this film and it still wouldn’t be enough. To me, this represents all that is good in Kitano’s cinema. Kitano plays Murakawa, a respected leader of … Continue reading →

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