Movies
An amazing collection of shorts, brought to life by superb actors and featuring strong and diverse styles. A true sight to behold and without a doubt one of the best Japanese horror projects around.
A peculiar mix of arthouse and genre cinema, blending a deep love for the artistic and the philosophical with some B-level genre elements. It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that there's an infamous pinku director behind this film, this is typically what happens when they direct something outside of their comfort zone. There are some superb scenes here. The cinematography is fun, the mix of genres is interesting, and although a bit slow and pandering in places, the film kept surprising me. There's a lot to like here, but the balance between both worlds is a bit off and the film lacks that little extra touch of magic to make it unforgettable.Read all
A really cool find. The Eye's Dream is a semi-punk offering, mixed with an arthouse aesthetic, pinku elements, and some horror bits at the end. An eclectic mix for sure, and Sato has some trouble keeping everything under control, but there are some very cool scenes here that are sure to stick with me for some time to come. The cinematography is pretty edgy, with stark colors and contrasts. The story is a little fuzzy and the pinku elements are a bit too present at times, but the story is intriguing, the film kept surprising me and the finale was worth the wait. Fans of Japanese punk and horror cinema should definitely give this one a try.Read all
The more films I see from Hisayasu Satô, the more I'm convinced he's one of the hidden gems of Japanese horror/fantasy cinema. Hana-Dama is not the cleanest, most refined film, but it is certifiably bonkers and there are more than a handful of memorable moments that are bound to live in my brain for some time to come. The setup is simple, the first half of the film could've been a bit tighter too, but once the flower pops up the film goes completely off the rails. It's one of those films that is impossible to explain afterward, all I know is that I had a pretty good time watching. Not Sato's best, but great fun if you love wacky Japanese movies.Read all
Japan loves a good taboo, and since tattoos are still looked down upon it's no surprise that you'll see them do a solid tattoo-based film from time to time. This is one of their low-budget efforts, but director Sato is a peculiar man and he knows how to deliver on a shoestring budget. As long as you like a stylized genre flick that is. The story is basic, but the performances are decent and the sets are interesting. There's a fetish-like quality that almost pushes the film into horror territory, but it's a bit too soft to earn that label. High art this is not, but if you like something off the beaten path and you appreciate stylistic trickery that hides a limited budget, this is a neat little find.Read all
The Gods Have a Nervous Breakdown
A fascinating title for a dire pinku film. The pinku genre is often seen as a hotbed for talent and the freedom that comes with the format has yielded some great directors, many of which went on to become lauded arthouse favorites. But that's just the top of the iceberg, sadly the genre also hides a lot of crap. The pinku scenes aren't very enticing, the plot is nonsensical, and the film looks terribly cheap. Even so, Sato would end up directing a short for the Rampo Noir anthology, one of my absolute favorites, so I guess it was all worth it in the end. I would skip this film if I were you though, there's really nothing of interest here.Read all