mosurataksaichan Reviews

Lizard Baby (2004)

Goofy and underrated

[6/10 · 4 July 2021]

I'm genuinely surprised as to how the other "Theatre of Horror" films have a higher average score than this one. It's self aware, morbidly entertaining, has a meta plot with surprisingly good cinematography and editing. After watching the film I was shocked to see it was directed by Nakamura Yoshihiro (of Fish Story fame). Ikeuchi Mansaku played a good lead role too! Can't say the same for the fake lizard baby!

The Three Knights (1982)

Boring

[3/10 · 8 June 2021]

As I wrote above, this is quite a boring short animation, the only Mark Baker short that doesn't have at least something interesting going on. I don't think he expected anybody to be watching this now though. The animation where the witches bird flies around the tower was a precursor to his wonderfully original art style though, and his quite quirky comedy is displayed a little. Stick to the Village instead, and if you really enjoyed it perhaps you'll enjoy The Hill Farm and Jolly Roger too.

Looking for an Angel (1999)

Beautiful but ultimately too personal

[6/10 · 2 May 2021]

I came across this film per chance, wanting to watch a fairly short feature length film as I was quite tired. I didn't really know what to expect from its vague biography but essentially this is a story about a kind and joyful gay man who ends up dead as a result of many things, mainly being ostracized as an outsider. It is assumed that he is killed by a casual pick-up. His story is retold by his two best friends who had visited him after being sent back to his hometown to live with his father (of whom share a strange relationship). However the story is fragmented and quite confusing just like the true meaning of the film, shedding light on multiple perspectives and multiple random characters. Long scenes of Japanese landscapes or sex scenes tie these narrative scenes together alongside a somber but upbeat instrumental used multiple times. Yes, this film is minimal in its imagery but it has a real personal charm to it, it's narrative clearly rooted in reality. And the final scene, which portrays the dead character moments before his death, has a haunting monologue that truly encapsulates his feelings of loss and hopelessness. Check it out!

Rumik World: Mermaid Forest (1991 Video)

A beautifully animated story about friendship

[7/10 · 10 March 2021]

There isn't so much to say about this OVA but it depicts the relationship of a girl and a boy who have attained eternal life by consuming the flesh of a mermaid. It seems simple and vague but delves into the difficulties and intricacies of the desire to live forever versus the reality of doing so. A simple story but nevertheless beautifully animated and entertaining.

Tokyo Blood (1993 TV Short)

Landscape, Ishii and the Need to Speak

[7/10 · 6 March 2021]

If you've ever watched an Ishii film before and I'm guessing you have because one does not simply stumble upon Tokyo Blood, you'll know the obsession the director has with landscape. Frames and frames of beautiful but kinetic images often coming together are a key element of his work. This short anthology film that combines four stories of seemingly unrelated people showcase Ishii's love of image but also his love and fear of Tokyo, it's sprawling streets and wonderful vistas, but also it's relationship to it's people, seen in the second story, perhaps the most beautiful one. Narratively, excluding the heart of stone segment that bases itself upon a futurist "what if" scenario of the necessity of a return to nature, the film portrays the alienation and claustrophobia of the city through involuntary individualism in the first segment and the societal need to break down and escape in the third. This is a beautiful film, but beyond surface levels does not delve into themes that his later works such as "Angel Dust" or his previous works such as "Electric Dragon 80,000v" did.

Coming 2 America (2021)

Is this really a sequel?

[3/10 · 5 March 2021]

I'll keep this brief. This is a bad film that doesn't contain any of the DNA that entertained us so many years ago. The story is weak, struggling to tie in plot references to the original film.. Where was the "2 America" part to this film? Maybe 15 minutes of this film had visible New York locations? The product placement as well... was blatant and obscene. Save your time and rewatch the original. A far, far superior film to this disaster.

Angel Legend (1996 Video)

Very funny.

[7/10 · 8 November 2020]

Not much to say here, good animation for the time contextually and very entertaining. The idea of the protagonist being the undesired leader of the bullies of his school whilst seemingly unknowing is very very funny. However, the idea of loneliness creates a somewhat tragic interpolation as well. A true shame that this OVA series was never carried on but it happened to a lot of other great series in the 90s like Cyber City Oedo 808 par example. Check it out, there is no way that you will not be able to enjoy the story in one way or another.

All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)

One of the most amazing films I have ever seen

[10/10 · 8 July 2020]

The title of this movie gave me a rather odd and confusing idea of what I would be watching but I couldn't imagine any other title fit for the film. The film frames it's narrative around two boys who we see change mentally throughout the course of the film. Their friendship turns to hate but the one thing they share in common throughout is their mutual love for this elusive singer - Lily Chou-Chou, a musician who's music comes from "the Ether", a sort of unexplainable utopia of whom only Debussy and Eric Satie have been able to access. This is somewhat confusing but through strange forum captions we start to understand more about Lily Chou-Chou and also the characters themselves. It's very difficult to review this film without giving away crucial narrative but at the heart of the film is the taboo of bullying. This movie constantly asks whether Yuichi can fit in by adhering to the constant bullying of his friend-turned-bully Hoshino and many other victims become part of Hoshino's cruel and malicious tactics. The film isn't graphic with its depiction of the harshness of youth but in fact it works to it's advantage showing the reality of how we treat each other. If you didn't learn anything from what I wrote just know that initially on a surface level this movie appears to be about friendship when really it is quite the antithesis of that, focusing on the loss of mental stability and it's effect on others. If anybody is wondering why Hoshino turned this way, the Okinawa scene seems to be the starting point (seeing how easy it was for a man to die and also his seemingly invincible "7 lives")

Demon City Shinjuku (1988 Video)

Incredible OVA

[8/10 · 12 April 2020]

Often at 3AM, I decide to revisit the gems from my childhood and this has become somewhat of a contender for most revisited. When I first watched this film I was completely blown away. The best aspect of the film is it's visuals. Albeit the low budget, the visual quality of this film is incredible. All you see are beautiful barren landscapes, finely drawn details, and cool characters. The film is centred on the popular Go Nagai inspired plot of save the world, or save some "thing" involving a girl amidst its plot. However unlike Devilman, there is no emotional depth here. The characters are admittedly shallow, but for that to be an issue for the viewer disregards the purpose of this film. This is a pure action film. Each scene feels kinetic and pulsating, like that of Electric Dragon 80,000V or Tetsuo, the action flows seamlessly but is adjusted by small pauses for dialogue. Often Monster City is compared to Wicked City and Cyber City Oedo 808 but this is criminal. Wicked City is unique and new. Cyber City focuses on a narrative that brings emotional depth not readily available in anime at the time with beautiful animation but it is Monster City that brings the directors vision of pure uncompromising aesthetic amongst a chaotic backdrop of aggressive action and that's why this film will always be a "shallow" but fantasist masterpiece.

First Love (2019)

Epitomizes the "Modern Miike"

[9/10 · 14 October 2019]

I was skeptical going into this film. With a fairly new cast, a main character from the low budget but interesting director Sion Sono in the movie Himizu, I really had not much to anticipate. I was pleasantly surprised. The film has a strong plot that seemingly echoes a lot of the visual aesthetic seen in his film Shinjuku Triad Society but with the theme of comedy. Tied together very well in a strangely intricate plot that sets itself apart from other contemporary Yakuza flics. Shota Sometani was absolutely fantastic and had my in hysterics throughout the movie which is something you should expect. This movie is absolutely hilarious and I hope you'll laugh out loud like I did. I've never seen Miike have long drawn out action sequences with so much dynamism in a modern setting, similar to 13 Assassins which was also a treat. The momentary animated sequence also reminded me of the "Happiness of the Katakuris". Just check out this movie with no real expectation and it will surpass absolutely everything you go in with.